Trade the Dark Well for Vrndavana Forest

Trade the Dark Well for Vrndavana Forest

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.24
Honolulu, May 24, 1976

download  flash player

 

Take a test

---

Prabhupada: (leads chanting, etc.)

tasya pravayasah putra
dasa tesam tu yo 'vamah
balo narayano namna
pitros ca dayito bhrsam
 [SB 6.1.24]

So he was engaged in maintaining the family. Everyone is engaged like that. Cats and dogs also do that. It is not very extraordinary thing. Sometimes they say, "It is my duty." Yes, it is duty, but the prime duty is to solve the real problems: how to stop mrtyu, janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi [Bg. 13.9]. That we forget. Minor duties we take priority. That is the present situation. They do not know that there is life after death, and according to our karma, we are getting the next life. This morning we were discussing, Krsna is always ready. Automatically it is going on. Karanam guna sango 'sya [Bg. 13.22]. As you desire according to the contamination of different modes of material nature, immediately the body's ready. Immediately after death.

So everyone is engaged in so-called duties but forget the real duty. This is called maya. By the spell of maya we forget what is the objective of life, what is the aim of life. This is called maya. We are thinking this is our duty. No. Real duty in the human form of life is here is a chance whether you want to go to home to back to Godhead or again you want to go to hell, the repetition of birth and death. That is your choice. Otherwise why there are so many scriptures, religious system, all over the world? It is not only in India. According to the capacity of understanding, in every civilized human society there is a system called religion. It may be Hindu religion, Christian religion or Buddha religion -- these are major religious systems -- but the aim is how to make a solution of the problems of life. That... But because they do not seriously discuss nowadays the religious propensity, tendency of the human society decrease. It has become a also money-making business. The priestly order, they think that "As others make some money by working hard, by professional or by doing some business or working, so we shall also earn some money by showing the church or temple or the mosque." They have taken it like that.

Therefore people have lost faith in religion. This is the reason. Because those who are in charge of the religious department, the brahmanas, those who are in charge of religion, the priestly order or the maulanis (?) or the brahmanas, they're the same order, their duty is to keep people enlightened in the real mission of life. That is their duty. But if they're also doing the same thing, sense gratification, how long they can cheat others? Therefore people have lost faith in religion. This is the reason. But that is not good. Because the system of religion has become polluted, we should not give up religion. That is our prime duty. Karamayi tasya eka bhusesya (?). What is the difference between animal and man? The animal has no religion. They have no religion. Eating, sleeping, sex and defense. Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca, samanyam etat. This is very easy to understand. The dog is eating; I am eating. Dog is sleeping; I am sleeping. Dog is enjoying sex; I am also enjoying sex. Dog is also afraid; I am also afraid. So what is the difference between dog and me? The only difference is that dog has no religion; I've got religion. So if I give up religion, life of religiosity, then I am equal to dharmena hinah pasubhih samanah.

So this Ajamila, on account of bad association with prostitute, he lost his character and he became thief, cheater, somehow or other being punished. So in this way, while he was maintaining his children and family, then the time of death came. That will not wait, that "I have not finished my duty, family duty. Please wait few years more." "Oh, that is not possible." So kalo... Atyagat. Kalo atyagat mahan rajan astasiti ayusah samah. He became very old, eighty-eight years old, astasiti. Asta means eight, asiti means eighty-eight. In this way, astasitya ayusah samah. So at that time he had ten sons. Tasya pravayasah putrah. He begot so many children, number is ten. So putra, how many? Dasa, ten, ten children he had. Tesam tu yah avamah. Out of the ten sons, the youngest son, tesam tu yah avamah balah, the child, narayanah namna, he kept the name Narayana, Narayana dasa, just like we give name to an initiate. So this is his great fortune. He gave the youngest son the name Narayana. Naturally father, mother becomes affectionate to the youngest baby. So by way of calling the young child, he was chanting "Narayana." This is very good system, that if you keep the name of your children Narayana, Govinda, Krsna, Rama, then you will get some chance to chanting this Hare Krsna. Therefore in India still the system is they keep some name which is with reference to Krsna. He has got thousands of names, so you can keep one name so that you have the opportunity of repeating, chanting the holy name of the Lord.

So balah narayanah sakrt, pitroh ca dayitam bhrsam. [break] So he was very dear to the parents, innocent child, kala-bhasini, talking broken languages, "mommy," "mama," that is very sweet. One becomes attached to this voice: "Oh, how my child is talking." Niriksamana tat lilam. And the child is walking, the child is doing something, coming to the mother, capturing. This lila, this pastime, niriksamanah tan lila mumude, it was very, very pleasing. Jaratho bhrsam. In this way,

bhunjanah prapiban sa kalam
balakam sneha-yantritah
bhojayan payayan mudho
na vedagatam antakam

He was very busy in enjoying the child's, how you would say, pastimes, and feeding him and taking him. In this way he was very much pleased, "My life is go like this." But the time of death, bhojayan payayan mudho na vedagatam antakam. Antakam means the last day of life. Antakam means death. So death is called maya. You are thinking, "Now I have arranged everything. Things are going very nicely. Now I'm very happy." But, all of a sudden, the death comes. That you cannot avoid. All of a sudden. That is... Death is described in the Bhagavad-gita. What is that death? That death is Krsna, urdhva. That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavad-gita: mrtyu sarva-haras ca aham. That means death will come, your all asset, your so-called children, your family, your bank balance, your friends, your country, your leadership, your pride and everything will be taken. That will be taken by Krsna. The atheist class who does not believe in God, he'll see God at the end of life when he cannot do anything. But before that, if he sees God, then his life is saved. Tattva deham punar janma naiti mam eti. But that they'll not accept. "What is God? I don't care for... There is no God." "All right. Wait. God will come." (laughter) And at that time he said that the Hiranyakasipu, he always defied the son's, the small child, five-years-old boy, his only fault was he was chanting Hare Krsna. And even the father, what to speak of others. Therefore we say that "Don't think that Krsna consciousness will go without any difficulty. There will be so many difficulties. Even your father will be angry." This is the history.

So this father, Hiranyakasipu, he defied God: "Who is God? I am God. Take my (indistinct)." The child said, "My dear father, you are not God." He would never address his father as "father." He addressed him "the best of the asuras." "My dear best of the asuras," tat sadhu manye asura-varya dehinam. After all, the relationship is father and son. So one day the father took him, "My dear son, what you have learned, the best thing, from your teachers? Tell me." "Yes, I'll tell you." "What is that?" Tat sadhu manye asura-varya. He never addressed "father." "O the best of the asuras." Asura-varya means "the best of the asura." Tad sadhu manye: "I think that is very good thing." "What is that?" Tad sadhu manye asura-varya dehinam sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat [SB 7.5.5]. "All these people, they're simply full of anxieties." That's a fact. Who's not full of anxieties? Those who are in this material world, who can say, "No, I have no anxiety"? That is not possible. Either you become President Nixon or in the street beggar, there is anxiety. At any moment danger will come. But they are busy.

So the child said, "My dear best of the asuras, I think that is the best thing for the persons who have accepted this material body, asad graha..." Why anxiety? The anxiety is because this material body. I am thinking of "I may be hot." Oh, what's that hot? The hot means body. The soul is never hot. The soul is eternal, na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. That they do not know. They think this body, "I'm this body. I'll be hot, I'll die, I'll this," and so on and so many. Simply anxiety: "How I shall protect my body? How I shall protect my bodily relationship?" everything in connection with the body. Everything asat. The body's asat, perishable, temporary. So whatever you have got in relationship with this body -- my country, my society, my bank balance, my money, my wife, children -- everything in the body, they're also temporary. So they are very, very anxiety. Tat sadhu manye. So "I want to relieve them from this anxiety." What is that? Tad sadhu manye asura-varya dehinam sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat. Then, what you advise? Hitvatma-patam grham andha-kupam. He's fallen in this dark region of black well, this family life. Hitvatma-patam grham andha-kupam. Grha, we can take this material world, even up to the sky, that is also another bondage, either in society, or in country, or in this body, or within this material universe -- wherever you want -- that is andha-kupa, dark well. So he advises, "Give up this darkness," hitvatma-patam , "because it will kill you." In this dark well you'll be killed. Just like, the dark well, we are put into the dark well, you'll be killed. Hitvatma patam grham andha-kupam, vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta [SB 7.5.5]. That is the first... You should give up this dark well and go to the forest. Vanam. Come to Vrndavana. Vanam means forest. We have constructed very nice temple. Come there. And vanam gato yad dharim asrayeta [SB 7.5.5]. Vanam gato means to come to the forest.

So what is business? The business is to take shelter of Krsna. Then he'll be free from all these things. Vanam gato yad. Otherwise like monkey, descendants of monkey, if you go... The monkeys are in the forest, but they do not take shelter of Hari. So their simply going to the forest is no use. One has to take shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna. Vanam gato yad dharim asraya. Therefore Krsna has made this Vrndavana. Anyone goes there, he gets shelter of Krsna's lotus feet, and his life becomes successful.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.24 -- Honolulu, May 24, 1976

HOME

© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

Go to Krishna

Go to Krishna

Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.1-4
Los Angeles, May 24, 1972

download  flash player

 

Take a test

---

Prabhupada: In this space there should be one paint (?) for Radharani. (pause) Hmm. You can...

Pradyumna: (leads chanting)

annadya-kamas tv aditim
svarga-kamo 'diteh sutan
visvan devan rajya-kamah
sadhyan samsadhako visam

Prabhupada: Translation? (Pradyumna chants and reads translations for texts 1-4.)

Pradyumna: Translation: "One who wants a large stock of grains should worship Aditi. One who desires a worldly kingdom should worship Visvadeva, and one who wants to be popular with the general mass of population should worship the Sadhya demigod."

Prabhupada: So these are the problems. We have to cease (?). Exactly like that. Just like government departments. If you want to have this, you have to go to a particular department -- building department, water department, so many... electric department... many departments. Tax department, income tax department, support tax department.

vyavasayatmika buddhir
ekeha kuru-nandana
bahu-sakha hy anantas ca
buddhayo 'vyavasayinam

So there are many statements in the Bhagavad-gita that... In Indian villages still, there are different wells. One well is meant for washing dishes. Another well is meant for taking bath. Another well is meant for washing cloth. Another well is meant for drinking water. So Krsna says, "There are different wells for different purposes, but when you go to the river, all the purposes will be served." You can wash your dishes, you can wash your cloth, you can take bath, and then you take drinking water. Similarly, all these desires... Of course, a devotee has no material desire. Unless one is free from all these material desires... These are all material desires. Somebody wants to be powerful, somebody wants wealth, somebody wants to have beautiful wife, somebody wants to possess grains and worldly kingdom... There is no limit of our desires. And there are different departments also. You can fulfill your desires. Yanti deva-vrata devan pitrn yanti pitr-vratah [Bg. 9.25].

So this is kindness, mercy of Krsna, that He has given you facility if you want to fulfill your desire. But all of them are kama. In each and every line, the word is used, kama. We have marked it. Here, just like annadya-kamas tv aditim. Annadya. Anna means grains. There are different types of grains. That is all wanted. Annadya-kamas tu. Kama. But you won't find here a meat-eater. No, that is not at all... That is aboriginal. That is not for a human being. Anna. You can desire anna, grains. You can desire to become king. You can desire to have nice wife. These are natural. But there is not a single sentence here you will find they are desiring to eat meat, egg, flesh. No. That is beyond human jurisdiction. They are not meant for human being. So these are the different departments if you want to take facility of quickly getting some benefit... Yajanta iha devatah. Kanksantah karmanam siddhim yajanta iha devatah. For particular type of fulfillment of your desire, you can worship the particular type of demigods.

This is recommended in the sastra for the less intelligent class of men. Still, it may be questioned that "Why Vedas have -- if the ultimate goal is to reach the Supreme Personality of Godhead -- why the Vedas have prescribed different demigod worship?" Yes, that is replied in the Bhagavad-gita, tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam. Those who are less intelligent, for them, not for the first-class intelligent. Those who are Krsna conscious, they are first-class intelligent. They don't want anything beyond Krsna. That's all. They don't want to know anything except Krsna. The advantage is that if you can know Krsna, then you know everything. And if you get Krsna, you get everything. Therefore this conclusion cannot be perceived by less intelligent class of men. Exactly like that. If one is intelligent, he goes to the river from the village, and he takes there bath. River water is never contaminated because constantly the wave is flowing. Suppose you contaminate a certain portion, but it does not stand, it flows down immediately.

Immediately, moment after moment, you are getting pure water. Especially in India. In India there are so many nice rivers, Ganges, Yamuna, Godavari, Kaveri, Krsna, Sindh. There are many rivers, all very nice water. In the Western countries I have seen only one river very nice, in Montreal. What is that river? St. Lawrence, yes. All other rivers I have seen, they are very unclean, especially in Moscow, Hamburg. Oh, it is so dirty. So in India the rivers are very clean, and people take pleasure in taking bath in rivers. If there is river, nobody will take bath at home. They will go all to the river. And it is very refreshing. That you know. So this example is very nice, that if you go to the river, then your all purposes are served. But in the village, they are restricted that "This well is for this purpose, this well is this purpose." It may be crowded. You have to wait for the opportunity. But the river is open. You can go there and have your business done very nicely.

That will be summarized in the last verse:

akamah sarva-kamo va
moksa-kama udara-dhih
tivrena bhakti-yogena
yajeta purusam param
 [SB 2.3.10]

That is the conclusion. Here Srimad-Bhagavatam is recommending different demigods for different purposes because there are all classes of men. So to take immediate effect, they worship demigods. Ksipram, very soon. Generally, people do not go to worship Krsna and Visnu, because you cannot ask from Krsna anything which is not good for you. Suppose you pray to Krsna on the seaside, "Krsna, give me a good fish. I want to catch." Krsna will never fulfill your desire. That is Krsna's mercy. Because Krsna will not give you facility for possessing anything which will ultimately cause your falldown. Krsna knows that "If he catches a fish, then he will have to become a fish again to be caught by the same fish. So why shall I give the facility?" So therefore our policy is not to ask anything from Krsna. He knows what is good for me; simply I have to surrender unto Him. That's all. Why shall I bother Him, "Give me this, give me that, give me that"? Na dhanam na janam.

Here, stri-kama, beautiful wife, kama, one who wants, devim, he should worship goddess Durga. This is recommended here. But it is kama. But those who are devotees, they have no kama. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [BRS 1.1.11]. Anya. Anya means other than Krsna's service. They have made all, everything zero. We don't want all these things. We simply want to serve Krsna. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Madhya 19.167]. Jnana means knowledge. Karma means fruitive activities. Uncovered by or untouched by fruitive activities and jnana. Just like in Vrndavana. All the inhabitants of Vrndavana, they never tried to know Krsna, whether He is God. That was not their business. Jnanam, the jnanis, they want to know. Just like Brahma wanted to test whether Krsna is God or not. Indra wanted to test whether... The inhabitants of Vrndavana, they never did it. They think, "Krsna is our very intimate friend, my beloved son, my lover, my master." Everyone's concentrated love for Krsna in different mellows.

That's all. Even when Krsna played wonderful thing, so they simply thought, "Oh, He might be a demigod." You see. So they never tried to analyze Krsna, but their love for Krsna, there is no comparison. So that is wanted. Jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Madhya 19.167]. "Whether Krsna is God or not, let me test." You can test, but pure love means whatever Krsna may be, He is my lovable object: mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah. We have no other business than to love Krsna, whatever He may be. He may be God or He may be whatever He may be. That is called anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam [BRS 1.1.11]. Then what is the business? If everything is sunyam... Sunyam means zero. No, we are not zero. We are positive. What is that? Anukulyena krsnanusilanam. Simply cultivate Krsna consciousness favorably: "How I can become a lover of Krsna?" That is wanted. Anukulyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir uttama. This is first-class devotion service. Of course, we should know Krsna; otherwise, it may be we may neglect Him.

Just like we are trying to explain what is Deity. But if one has got unflinching love for the Deity, he doesn't require to understand the Deity through the sastra. Spontaneous love. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu showed, as soon as He entered the Deity room, fainted, "Here is My Lord." That is first-class position of devotee... Without any other consideration. Enhance your love for Krsna without any condition. That is required. So these worship of different demigods are recommended in the scripture, not to mislead him, but to lead him gradually to the higher stage, to lead him to the higher stage. Because the demigods are considered different limbs of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

ye 'py anya-devata-bhakta
yajante sraddhayanvitah
te 'pi mam eva kaunteya
yajanty avidhi-purvakam

Just like if you want to serve me... There is a routine work how to serve superior. Now, if you touch my hair, you are touching me, but that is not the service. You see. Service means there is routine work. You should touch my feet. Similarly, anywhere you go, it is Krsna, because without Krsna there is no other existence. So to worship the demigod, indirectly worshiping Krsna, but avidhi-purvakam, without regulative principles. Yajanty avidhi-purvakam. The same example: if you want to touch me, so the regulative principle is that you have to touch the lotus feet of your spiritual master, not that you touch his head and do like that. You can say, "I am touching you." Oh, that's not the way. You have to touch according to the regulative principles. Similarly, those who are nonsense: "All right, you touch the hair of your spiritual master. If you cannot touch the lotus feet, then you touch..." Giving a chance to come in touch. So this demigod worship, it is an example given.

Demigod worship is recommended in the Vedas. At least, they should gradually understand "Who is this demigod? Why we are worshiping him? Wherefrom he has got this power?" Then, when one can understand that this Indra, Candra, and Surya, and Diti, Aditi, and fire, Lord Siva, they are all different departmental heads of Krsna's government... The real king is Krsna. To understand that. Not that... Then one could derive all the benefits from one department. No. The different departments are recommended: "If you want this, you have to... If you want this, you have to..." In the conclusion it will be said that "Whatever you want, you go to Krsna." Your all desires will be fulfilled. Kasmin tu bhagavo vijnate sarvam idam vijnatam bhavati. Akamah sarva-kamo va moksa-kama udara-dhih [SB 2.3.10]. (pause) What is the time now?

Devotee: 8:30

Prabhupada: So next, another verse you can read.

Pradyumna: Ayus-kamo 'svinau devau ... (devotees repeat) pusti-kama ilam yajet... One who desires to be absorbed in the impersonal brahmajyoti effulgence should worship the master of the Vedas [Lord Brahma or Brhaspati, the learned priest], one who desires powerful sex should worship the heavenly King, Indra, and one who desires good progeny should worship the great progenitors called the Prajapatis. One who desires good fortune should worship Durgadevi, the superintendent of the material world. One desiring to be very powerful should worship fire, and one who aspires only after money should worship the Vasus. One should worship the Rudra incarnations of Lord Siva if he wants to be a great hero. One who wants a large stock of grains should worship Aditi. One who desires to attain the heavenly planets should worship the sons of Aditi. One who desires a worldly kingdom should worship Visvadeva, and one who wants to be popular with the general mass of population should worship the Sadhya demigod. One who desires a long span of life should worship the demigods known as the Asvini-kumaras, and a person desiring a strongly built body should worship the earth. One who desires stability in his post should worship the horizon and the earth combined. One who desires to be beautiful should worship the beautiful residents of the Gandharva planet, and one who desires a good wife should worship the Apsaras and the Urvasi society girls of the heavenly kingdom. One who desires domination over others should worship Lord Brahma, the head of the universe. One who desires tangible fame should worship the Personality of Godhead, and one who desires a good bank balance should worship the demigod Varuna. If one desires to be a greatly learned man he should worship Lord Siva, and if one desires a good marital relation he should worship the chaste goddess Uma, the wife of Lord Siva.

Purport: There are different modes of worship for different persons desiring success in particular subjects. The conditioned soul living within the purview of the material world cannot be an expert in every type of materially enjoyable asset, but one can have considerable influence over a particular matter by worshiping a particular demigod, as mentioned above. Ravana was made a very powerful man by worshiping Lord Siva, and he used to offer severed heads to please Lord Siva. He became so powerful by the grace of Lord Siva that all the demigods were afraid of him, until he at last challenged the Personality of Godhead Sri Ramacandra and thus ruined himself. In other words, all such persons who aspire after gaining some or all of the material objects of enjoyment, or the gross materialistic persons, are on the whole less intelligent, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (7.20). It is said there that those who are bereft of all good sense, or those whose intelligence is withdrawn by the deluding energy of maya, aspire to achieve all sorts of material enjoyment in life by pleasing the various demigods, or by advancing in material civilization under the heading of scientific progress. The real problem of life in the material world is to solve the question of birth, death, old age and disease. No one wants to change his birthright, no one wants to meet death, no one wants to be old or invalid, and no one wants diseases. But these problems are solved neither by the grace of any demigod nor by the so-called advancement of material science. In the Bhagavad-gita, as well as in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, such less intelligent persons have been described as devoid of all good sense. Sukadeva Gosvami said that out of the 8,400,00 species of living entities, the human form of life is rare and valuable, and out of those rare human beings those who are conscious of the material problems are rarer still, and the still more rare persons are those who are conscious of the value of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, which contains the messages of the Lord and His pure devotees. Death is inevitable for everyone, intelligent or foolish. But Pariksit Maharaja has been addressed by the Gosvami as the manisi, or the man of highly developed mind, because at the time of death he left all material enjoyment and completely surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Lord by hearing His messages from the right person, Sukadeva Gosvami. But aspirations for material enjoyment by endeavoring persons are condemned. Such aspirations are something like the intoxication of the degraded human society. Intelligent persons should try to avoid these aspirations and seek instead the permanent life by returning home, back to Godhead.

Prabhupada: You can read the sloka number 8 also. Dharmartha uttama-slokam tantuh tanvan pitrn yajet. (Pradyumna leads chanting of text 8.)

Devotee: Jaya Sri Guru.

Prabhupada: Have kirtana.

Devotees: All glories to Srila Prabhupada. (devotees offer obeisances)

Prabhupada: Vibration of this mantra will purify. Even if we do not understand the meaning, try to vibrate the mantra.
(end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.1-4 -- Los Angeles, May 24, 1972

HOME

© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

"The Only Business Of The Human Being"

75/05/24 Fiji, Bhagavad-gita 7.1


Prabhupada: Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya (devotees respond). Ladies and gentlemen, I am just going to speak before you about knowledge of the Absolute. It is from the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gita.

This human form of life is obtained after many, many millions of years by evolutionary process: aquatics, then insects, reptiles, birds, beasts, uncivilized men, and then civilized form of human being. They are called the Aryans. So the human being, civilized human being, is the topmost of the creation, and the consciousness is developed than the lower animals. Therefore the Vedanta philosophy says that this human form of life is meant for understanding knowledge Absolute, knowledge of the Absolute. Athato brahma jijnasa. Brahman means the Absolute. Brahman is explained in the Vedanta-sutra, janmady asya yatah: [SB 1.1.1] "Brahman, or the Absolute Truth, is that from whom everything has emanated." There must be the original source of everything. So to understand that original source of everything is the knowledge of the Absolute.

So this Krsna consciousness movement is teaching throughout the whole world about the knowledge of the Absolute. There is no question of religion or dogmatism. It is a question of cultural advancement in knowledge. Every human being has got right to understand the absolute knowledge. That is the only business of human being. There is no other business. Unfortunately, for want of training, we are wasting our advanced intelligence for the same business as the cats and dogs are engaged. That is the difficulty. Cats and dogs, they cannot understand what is absolute knowledge. They are busy where to find out food, where to find out shelter, where to find out facility for sexual intercourse, and where to find out shelter to avoid danger, defense, in other words, defense.

Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca. At the present moment the human society is busy where to find out food, where to find out shelter, how to have nice sexual intercourse, and how to defense from other nation or other enemy. This has become the business. This is always the business of the materialistic way of life. But this Krsna consciousness movement is a different life. It is not materialistic way of life. It is the life of spiritual realization. It is little difficult because people are accustomed to think everything in materialistic way. Just like peace. Peace cannot be possible in the animal or materialistic way of life. It is not possible. You cannot expect peace in the cats' and dogs' society. That is not possible. Peace is possible when human being is advanced in God consciousness or Krsna consciousness.

When we speak "Krsna," please try to understand I am speaking of the Supreme Lord. Krsna means "all-attractive," Bhagavan. Here it is said in the Seventh Chapter, sri-bhagavan uvaca. Bhaga. Bhaga means opulence. You use the word bhagyavan, bhagya. From this word, bhaga, it has come bhagya. Bhagya means fortune, opulence. So Bhagavan means all-fortunate, all-opulent. That is Bhagavan. That definition is given by Parasara Muni. The wealthiest man, aisvaryasya samagrasya. Aisvarya means wealth, and samagra means all, complete. We may be very rich; you may be very rich; but nobody can claim that "All the riches belong to me." Nobody can say. Only Bhagavan can say. Just like Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram [Bg. 5.29]. He says, "I am the enjoyer of all activities." Just like there are so many different types of activities, but the result of the activity is enjoyed by somebody. He is called bhokta. Just like in a very big business establishment so many activities are going on, but the enjoyer of the result of the activities is the proprietor or the managing director, something like that. Similarly, Krsna says, bhoktaram yajna-tapasam. We are engaged in different types of austerities, penances, and performing yajnas, but who is the bhokta? Bhokta, Krsna says, "I am the bhokta, I am the enjoyer." Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram: "And I am the proprietor of everything within this universe." Not only in this universe, there are many other millions of universes. Therefore says, sarva-loka-mahesvaram. There are different lokas in each and every universe. And mahesvaram, maha isvara, the supreme proprietor. Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram, suhrdam sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 5.29]. Although He is so great, still, He is friend of all living entities. Sarva-loka-mahesvaram, suhrdam... jnatva mam santim rcchati. This is the culture. If anyone can understand that God is the proprietor of everything, God is the enjoyer of all activities, the resultant action, God is the supreme friend of everyone -- simply by understanding these three formulas, one attains real platform of peaceful life. That is peaceful life.

So bhagavan uvaca. We don't say anything which is not spoken by Bhagavan, the Supreme. We don't manufacture concocted ideas, dogmas. No, that is not our business. One should not do that. But if you speak what Bhagavan has said, what Krsna has said, that is perfect. Bhagavan means the supreme complete, the possessor of all opulences. Aisvarya means riches, strength, influence, beauty, knowledge, renunciation. These are called aisvaryas. So you try to find out who is that person who possesses all these things, bhaga, in complete. If you are inquisitive, if you are actually philosopher, then you will find Krsna: Krsna is Bhagavan. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. That is the verdict of the Vedic sastra. Krsnas tu... We are searching after Bhagavan, or God. We simply try to understand that God is very great. That's fact. But how great He is, that has to be known. That is called knowledge of God. Now we cannot think of that one person can become the proprietor of all the riches and wealth of the world. But unless we accept it, he is not God.

So this understanding of God requires a process, how to understand. The main process is that we cannot speculate about God. That is not possible. If we want to know God by speculation, there may be difference of opinion. I may say, "God is like this." You may say, "God is like this." Then difference of opinion. Therefore best thing is to know God from God. That is required. Let God speak Himself about Himself. That is perfect. If you simply conjecture, guess, that "Swamiji may be like this," another may say "Like this, like that." But if I say unto you, "I am like this," that is perfect. So here in the Bhagavad-gita we have got this advantage, followers of Vedic literature, that the Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is speaking Himself about Himself. That is perfect knowledge. Therefore it is said, bhagavan uvaca. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is speaking Himself.

So He was speaking to Arjuna. So He says the process, how to understand God. The process is, means:

mayy asakta-manah partha
yogam yunjan mad-asrayah
asamsayam samagram mam
yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu
[Bg. 7.1]

Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, says that "If you want to know Me, then you have to increase your attachment for Me." This is the first condition. Mayy asakta. Mayi asakta-manah. Our mind is attracted by so many things, especially in the material world. When yoga system was advised to Arjuna that "You concentrate your mind upon Me," Arjuna flatly declined, "My dear Krsna, I cannot concentrate my mind in any particular thing." But he said that "I have got my mind on You." That is different thing. "But if you ask me to concentrate, it is very difficult for me."

cancalam hi manah krsna
pramathi balavad drdham
tasyaham nigraham manye
vayor iva suduskaram

Tasyaham nigraham manye vayor iva suduskaram. The yogis, "Generally, the yogis, they are trying to concentrate the mind upon the Supreme Absolute Truth. That is the yogic practice. Yoga indriya-samyamah. Yoga means to concentrate your mind to the Absolute Truth by controlling the senses. Because the senses are very restless, it will not allow you to concentrate your mind. Therefore yoga indriya-samyamah. That is yoga.

So here the same yoga is advised: yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. This yoga has to be practiced under Krsna. Mad-asrayah. Mat means "Me," and asrayah means taking shelter. Or mad-asrayah means to take shelter of Krsna's devotee, one who has completely taken shelter of Krsna, to take shelter of him. The same thing: one who is electrified, if you touch that man, you also become electrified. This is the process. Therefore this is stressed here that "You practice this yoga..." Mayy asakta-manah partha, "My dear Partha..." Partha means the son of Prtha. Arjuna's mother's name was Kunti, Prtha; therefore he is sometimes addressed by the Lord as Partha. Krsna's another name is Partha-sarathi. Partha-sarathi because He accepted the post of chariot driver of Partha, therefore His name is Partha-sarathi. There is a very big temple in Madras of Partha-sarathi.

So somebody will fight that "God has no name." Yes, God has name, but the names are so many that you cannot understand which one is the chief name. Therefore the Vedantist, those who are expert in Vedic knowledge -- and the word is also there -- they have selected the chief name of God as Krsna. Krsna means "all-attractive." God has actually no name, but His name is designated according to His activities and action. Just like Partha-sarathi. Partha-sarathi, the name is given to Krsna because He acted as the chariot driver of Partha. He is addressed as Devaki-nandana. So Devaki-nandana is not His name, but because He acted, He appeared as the son of Devaki, He is called Devaki-nandana. He is called Yasoda-nandana. Similarly, all the names of God... Actually, what you say, that there is no name of God, but He has His name, but the name is designated according to His activities. That means that God has His activities, and according to the different types of activities, He has got millions and trillions of name.

So our this propaganda, "Chant the holy name of God"... So somebody may decline that "Why shall I chant the name of Krsna? This is Hindu name," or "Indian name." But Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that if you decline to chant the particular name "Krsna," then if you have got your name of God, you can chant that also. We are not dogmatic. If you have got actually the name of God, you chant that. That is His instruction.

namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis
tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah
etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi
durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah

Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that whatever name you select, God's name... In India we have got God's name in so many varieties -- Krsna, Govinda, Narayana, Visnu... [break] ...is our propaganda. We don't say that "You chant this particular name." Caitanya Mahaprabhu never says. But we selected to chant this Hare Krsna mantra because Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the inaugurator of the sankirtana movement, He personally chanted this Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama... So we follow. Mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. We have to follow some authority.

So our request is to everyone -- I think there should be any objection -- that "You chant the holy name of God." This is Krsna consciousness movement. If you have got your own name of God, you chant that. If not, what is the objection? Take this name, "Krsna," and chant. Why there should be objection? This is not dogmatism. We give freedom. We do not give. Caitanya Mahaprabhu gives that God has got many name. Why not? Just like one man in the family -- somebody is calling him father; somebody calling him brother; somebody calling him by his name. There are so many ways to call the same man. Similarly, if you have got a name, holy name of the holy father, you chant that. This is our propaganda. Harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam [Adi 17.21]. This is the recommendation in the Vedic literature, that in this age, this age of differentiation, this age of fight, quarreling, misunderstanding, if I say, "This is the name of God," and you say, "No, this is the name of God," then there will be fight. So better, Caitanya Mahaprabhu gives here, that whatever name you have got... But it must be God's name, harer nama, not your manufactured name. It must be authorized God's name. You chant that.

This is Krsna consciousness movement. And this is the basic principle of bhakti-yoga. Krsna says here, yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. Yogam. Mayy asakta-manah. The business is that we have to increase our attachment for God. This is our main business. We are attached to so many things. That is material life. Everyone has got. Therefore we have got different types of body. Karanam guna-sangah asya sad-asad-janma-yonisu. Why we have got different types of body? The karanam, the reason, is that we are associating with particular type of infection in this material world, and we are getting particular type of body. I have explained it several times that there are three gunas: sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna.

So in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, karanam guna-sangah asya. As soon as we are in the material world, we are under the influence either of these three gunas: sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. Those who are purely in association with the modes of goodness, sattva-guna, they are considered as brahmana. And those who are associated with the rajo-guna, passion, they are called ksatriyas. And those who are associating with the tamo-guna, ignorance, they are called the sudras. And the mixture of tamo-guna and rajo-guna is the position of the vaisya. In this way, there are four divisions of men everywhere. Catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. According to the association of particular type of modes of nature and working in that way, it makes a division of the human society. That is required. For upkeep of the human society in order, according to the quality and work there must be division. But that is not that division as we are thinking at the present moment in India -- a man is born in the brahmana family, he is brahmana. No. He must have the brahminical qualification. That is first consideration. Samo damah satyam saucam arjavam titiksa, jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. That is the verdict of the sastra. Not by birth. Birth is a facility. If you have the opportunity to take birth in a brahmana family, then you have got the best opportunity to acquire the brahminical qualification. Just like a person born as the son of a medical man, from the childhood he is learning all the medical terms and how his father is treating patient. So before entering medical college he is half medical man. That is the facility. But if we don't take the facility, we go astray... They are called brahma-bandhu. And if we have acquired the qualification of a sudra, then, even though one is born in the brahmana family, he should be accepted as sudra. Similarly, if a person is born in a sudra family, but he has acquired these qualities, samo damah satyam saucam, he should be designated as brahmana. That is the injunction of the sastras in many places. So if by force I want to assume myself as a brahmana or ksatriya without qualification, that is the cause of India's cultural ruination. Such a high Vedic culture of India is now ruined because we have misused the terms. That is the cause.

Now we are interested... But this culture, this Vedic culture, is not for, not meant for India. It is meant for all living entities. Sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavanti murtayo yah [Bg. 14.4]. Krsna never claims that "I am the God of the Hindus" or "I am Indian" or "I am for the brahmanas" or this or that. No. He says that "I am the seed-giving father of everyone." That is God. That is God. That means God. He never claims. Sarva-yonisu. There are 8,400,000 species of life, and Krsna claims to be the father, seed-giving father of all of them. So Krsna is for everyone. Don't take Krsna as sectarian. No. Krsna is God; He is for everyone.

So if you want to know Krsna, then Krsna gives the formula. Or if you want to know God, then you follow God's formula. What is that? Mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. First of all, first business is that you have to increase your attachment for God, or Krsna. We are increasing our attachment for the dog, and where is the attachment for God? People are becoming... Now it has become a fashion to keep dogs and increase attachment for dog. They are ready to kill cows but give protection to the dog. So our advancement of civilization is going in that way. Anyway, this attachment or that attachment, every particular man has got attachment for something, phobia. But that attachment should be turned for Krsna. This yoga has to be practiced. Mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah.

Then what will be the result? Asamsayam samagram mam yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu [Bg. 7.1]. Asamsayam. We have got vague idea of God. We do not know actually what is God. There is samsaya, doubts. Somebody is impersonalist. Somebody is localized. Somebody is personalist. But actually, if we ask every man, "What is your conception of God?" I think hardly anyone will be able to explain what is the meaning of God. They have no clear idea. Is it not a fact? Can any one of you give me a clear idea what do you mean by God? No. Therefore if you want clear idea of God without any doubt, asamsayam, and samagram... Samagram means full, not partially. The spiritual understanding is partial in this way, brahmeti paramatma iti bhagavan iti sabdyate. The Absolute Truth is realized in three features, Brahman, beginning from Brahman, then Paramatma, Supersoul. I think in Christian world they call holy ghost. Anyway, Paramatma, the Supersoul. And ultimately the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. That is the statement of the sastra. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. If you want to know, here is Bhagavan. In many other places,

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

Sarva-karana-karanam. There is nothing accidental. Everything is there as cause and effect. That is clear idea.

So there are so many causes. I am caused by my father, my father is caused by his father, his father is caused by his father, you go on, go on. Then you come to the supreme father. He is the cause of all causes. That is Krsna. The supreme father is the cause of all subordinate fathers. That is the definition of God, another definition. Isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1]. Isvarah, isvarah means controller. So controller, you are also controller. You control over your family, over your son, over your wife. And if you go to the office you become controlled by your boss. So here the controller is relative. Both I am controller and controlled. But when you find somebody else -- he is simply controller, not controlled -- that is God. This is simple definition of God. You will find everyone relatively controller and controlled. But go on searching out where is that person that He is controller but not controlled. That is isvarah. That is isvarah paramah, the supreme isvara.

And who is that? Krsna. When Krsna was present He was not controlled by anyone. He was only controller. If you study the life of Krsna, you will find He is always controller, never controlled by anyone. Therefore the sastra says, isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. And about His form? His form is sat-cit-ananda. How it is? Now, you can distinguish. Your form, this body, is asat; it will not stay. But Krsna's form is sat, just the opposite. And your form or my form is full of ignorance, not cit. But Krsna's form is full of knowledge, just opposite. And ananda. My form is so full of miserable condition of life that I have no ananda, blissfulness. But Krsna's form is blissfulness. You will find Krsna's picture always smiling and playing on His flute with His cowherd boyfriends or the gopis or His mother, Yasoda, always jolly. Ananda. Anandamayo 'bhyasat. That is, the Vedanta-sutra says, "The Absolute Truth by nature is anandamaya, always jolly."

So if we become in touch with that anandamaya, that is called self-realization. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. You get the same qualification. Just like if you touch yourself with fire, you get the quality of fire -- you become warm. In any way you come to the fire, you become warm. Similarly, some way or other, you come to Krsna. That is called mayy asakta-manah. Some way or other, you become attached to Krsna. This yoga has to be practiced. That is called bhakti-yoga. Yena tena prakarena manah krsne nivesayet. This is the injunction given by the Gosvamis. "Somehow or other." Kamat krodhat bhayat. There are so many ways. One is attached to Krsna by lusty desire. Just like the gopis. The gopis saw Krsna very young boy, very beautiful. Naturally, young girls become attached to beautiful boy. So they became attached. The attachment is there. Mayy asakta-manah. Kamsa, out of fearfulness, because he heard that Krsna will kill him, so he was always thinking of Krsna, "Whether Krsna is coming to kill me? Whether Krsna is coming to kill me?" So he also became attached, bhayat. Kamad bhayat krodhat. There are so many examples. So these are indirect attachment. And direct attachment, just think of what is the result of direct attachment. If by indirect attachment they became so exalted, when you become directly attached with Krsna by love, just see what is your position. So that is Krsna consciousness movement. Mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. So this has to be done under the direction of mad-asrayah, a person, a devotee or the spiritual master, who has absolutely taken shelter of Krsna. He is also mad-asrayah. He has no other business. So either take the shelter of the person or directly the Supreme Person, the same thing. Better to take the shelter of a person who is under the protection of Krsna.

So our request is that Bhagavad-gita is very popular book. Don't try to interpret Bhagavad-gita whimsically just to show yourself a big scholar, big politician. No, don't do that. Try to understand Bhagavad-gita as it is. Then you will be benefited. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gita, this book. It is about eleven hundred pages. We are presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is, without any interpretation. And the result is that thousands of the foreign country youths, they are becoming Krsna conscious. The proof is there. The proof is there. And all over the world, in Europe, America, Canada, Australia and Japan, even in Moscow and Africa, everywhere, we are not failure. That is Krsna's grace. Because we are presenting Krsna as it is, Bhagavad-gita as it is, it is being accepted. Before me, many swamis went to the Western countries. They also talked about Bhagavad-gita and other Vedic literature. But not a single person could be converted to Krsna consciousness, not a single person throughout the whole history, background. But since 1967, we are presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is; thousands of young generation, they are taking to Krsna consciousness. This is the result.

So either we remain in Fiji or in England or anywhere, because Krsna is the proprietor of everything, everywhere..., Sarva-loka-mahesvaram. So Fiji is a small part of the sarva-loka. So if He is the proprietor of all the lokas, then He is the proprietor of Fiji also. There is no doubt about it. So the inhabitants of Fiji, if you take to Krsna consciousness, that is the perfection of life. That is the perfection of life. Don't deviate from the instruction of Krsna. Very directly, bhagavan uvaca, directly Bhagavan is speaking. You take advantage of it. There is solution of all problems of the world if you refer to Bhagavad-gita. Any problem you present, there is solution, provided you take the solution.

Nowadays they are facing a scarcity of food. The solution is there in the Bhagavad-gita. Krsna says, annad bhavanti bhutani: "Bhutani, all living entities, both animal and man, they can live very nicely without any anxiety provided they have got sufficient food grains." Now what is your objection to this? This is the solution. Krsna says, annad bhavanti bhutani. So it is not utopian; it is practical. You must have sufficient food grain to feed the human being and the animal, and everything will be peaceful immediately. Because people, if one become hungry, he is disturbed. So give him food first of all. That is Krsna's injunction. Is that very impossible, impractical? No. You grow food more and distribute. So much land is there, but we are not growing food. We are growing or busy in manufacturing tools and motor tires. Then now eat motor tires. But Krsna says that "You grow anna." Then there is no question of scarcity. Annad bhavanti bhutani parjanyad anna-sambhavah. But anna is produced when there is sufficient rain. Parjanyad anna-sambhavah. And yajnad bhavati parjanyah [Bg. 3.14]. And if you perform yajna, then there will be regular rainfall. This is the, way. But nobody is interested with yajna, nobody is interested with food grain, and if you create your own scarcity, then it is not God's fault; it is your fault.

So take anything, any question -- social, political, philosophical, religious, anything you take -- and the solution is there. Just like India is facing about this caste system. So many are in favor of the caste system, so many in not favor. But Krsna makes the solution. So there is no question of in favor or not in favor. The caste system should be designated according to the quality. Catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma [Bg. 4.13]. Never says, "By birth." And in the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is confirmed,

yasya yal laksanam proktam
pumso varnabhivyanjakam
yad anyatrapi drsyeta
tat tenaiva vinirdiset
[SB 7.11.35]

Clear instruction of Narada Muni.

So we have got everything perfectly in the Vedic literature, and if we follow... The Krsna consciousness movement is trying to educate people on this principle. We are not manufacturing anything. That is not our business. Because we know we are imperfect. Even if we manufacture something, that is imperfect. We have got four faults in our conditional life: we commit mistake, we become illusioned, we cheat others, and our senses are imperfect. So how we can get perfect knowledge from a person who is, I mean to say, possessing all these faults? Therefore we must get knowledge from the Supreme Person, who is not affected with these faults, mukta-purusa. That is perfect knowledge.

So our request is that you take knowledge from Bhagavad-gita and act accordingly. It doesn't matter what you are. Bhagavan is for everyone. God is God. Just like gold is gold. If gold is handled by Hindu, it does not become Hindu gold. Or the gold is handled by Christian, it does not become Christian gold. Gold is gold. Similarly, dharma is one. Religion is one. There cannot be Hindu religion, Muslim religion, Christian religion. That is artificial. Just like "Hindu gold," "Muslim gold." That is not possible. Gold is gold. Similarly religion. Religion means the law given by God. That is religion. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam na vai vidur rsayo manusyah [SB 6.3.19], like that -- I just forget -- that "Dharma, this principle of dharma, religious system, is ordained or given by God." So God is one; therefore dharma, or religious system, should be one. There cannot be two.

So that one religion is given in the Bhagavad-gita: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. To surrender to God the great and to abide by His instruction, that is called religion. It may be that the Hindus may be following the same principle in a different way or the Christian may be following the same principle in different way. That is called desa-kala-patra. According to time, atmosphere, and the performer, there may be little difference. But real purpose of dharma is to surrender to God and try to love Him. That is religion. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6]. Because we are part and parcel of God... We have now forgotten. We have to revive our God consciousness. Then we go back to home, back to Godhead. This is our business.

So Krsna consciousness movement is meant for this purpose, that everyone should be raised to the platform of God consciousness. Then his human form of life is successful. Otherwise it is the life of cats and dogs.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 7.1 -- Fiji, May 24, 1975