Keeping Cows--Real Riches

Srila Prabhupada speaks on: "Keeping Cows--Real Riches" New York, November 4, 1966 download  Players   Take a test Prabhupada: Today Govardhanadhari, Giridhari, Lord Krsna, today lifted the mountain. According to Vedic literature there are different demigods. Sometimes you will find in Greek mythology the gods of the water, gods of the thunderbolt. These are not imagination. Actually they are facts. But due to our insufficient knowledge we do not know how the material nature is being controlled. So when Krsna was on this planet and He was playing the part of a cowherd boy, and it was known to all over the universe that "God has come, taken incarnation, and He is on the earth planet, and He is at Vrndavana playing the part of a cowherd boy..." So as if somebody, if there is incarnation of God, somebody believes and somebody does not believe, when Krsna was actually present on this earth, it is not that everybody understood that Krsna was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not even up to date. Only few persons, the five brothers of the Pandavas and the damsels of Vrndavana, only in the fingers' count, say, out of the whole population, say, hundred or two hundred men knew Him that He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Otherwise everyone thought that "He is an ordinary man just like one of us, but most powerful. That's all." Similarly, the demigods in other planets, they also thought, "Oh, he's a foolish person. They are thinking of a cowherd boy as God," sophisticated, like that. And especially Indra, the heavenly kingdom..., king of heaven. He was... He's very powerful, so he thought, "What god he has come? My God, He cannot come." This was some speculation. Even Brahma also speculated. But Krsna wanted to show Indra that "Yes, actually I have come." So that incidence is today, Govardhana-puja. So, bhagavan api tatraiva baladeva-samyutah apasyan nivasan gopan indra-yaga-krtodyaman Indra-yaga-krtodyaman. According to Vedic system, there are different types of sacrifices to offer respect and obeisances to the demigods. Just like the sun is supplying light, the moon is supplying moonshine. Similarly, Indra is supplying the cloud. Similarly, there are different demigods. And in the Bhagavad-gita, devan ya yajayanti deva-bhavan -- these things are described. In the Vedic literature it is prescribed that "You should satisfy these demigods by sacrifice, deva-yajan." So in the village of that Vrndavana, the father of Krsna, foster father of Krsna, Nanda Maharaja and his associates, they were yearly performing the Indra-yajna. Because they were agriculturists, they depended on rain, sufficient rains. And he had many cows. Nanda Maharaja was a farm man. He is agriculture and cows. The mercantile people, the vaisya community, they are recommended three things: krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam [Bg. 18.44]. Krsi means agriculture, and go-raksya means cow protection, and vanijyam means trade. So Nanda Maharaja belonged to the vaisya community. So he was well-to-do man, very rich man, and he had 900,000's of cows. 900,000 of cows he was protecting. Formerly, according to Vedic civilization, a man was considered to be rich man in proportion of his stock of grains and livestock, cows. That's all. Dhanyena dhanavan. A man was considered to be rich man if he has sufficient quantity of grains in his possession. Similarly, if one has sufficient number of cows in his possession, he was considered rich man. Not that bank balance. There was no such bank, neither this paper money. They actually possessing the foodstuff and milk. And actually this is economic solution. If you have got sufficient milk, then you can make so many nice nutritious, full of vitamin values preparation and grains. There is no question of economic starvation if you have got simply grains and cows. So that was the standard of economic solution in days yore. So they were preparing just to satisfy the demigod Indra, because he was supposed to... Not supposed. Actually he supplies rains sufficiently. Without rains you cannot have successful agriculture. So they were preparing that sacrifice. So this preparation was being observed by Krsna and Balarama. Krsna is the youngest, and Balarama is the eldest. Balarama is son of Rohini, and Krsna is son of Devaki. Both these ladies, Rohini and Devaki, they were wives of Vasudeva, Krsna's father. So Balarama was born of Rohini, and Krsna was born of Devaki. Devaki-nandana-gopala. So Devaki-nandana. So They were not very... There was not much difference of Their age, say one year or two years, like that. So Balarama was eldest brother. They were playing together, and this is an incidence when Balarama was about eight years old and Krsna was about seven years old. So, bhagavan tatraiva baladevena samyutah. Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, along with Baladeva, His elder brother, apasyan, "saw." What is that "saw"? Nivasan gopa indra-yaga-krtodyaman: "All the cowherds men, including His father, they were preparing for sacrifice of Indra-yajna." Indra-yajna. tad-abhijno 'pi bhagavan sarvatma sarva-darsanah prasrayavanato 'prcchad vrddhan nanda-puro-gaman He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He knew everything what they were doing and what was the purpose. Because He is present in everyone's heart, so He knows everything. But because He was playing just like a boy, cowherd boy, so as if He did not know anything, He asked, inquired from His father, and the elderly persons who were assisting His father for preparing the sacrifice. Tad abhijno 'pi. This very word is used here, that "He knew everything," Bhagavan. Because Bhagavan means He must know everything, past, present future. There is no lack of knowledge. I have several times described before you. Bhagavan means He is full of all opulences, and there are six opulences: riches, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation. So Bhagavan cannot be in lack of knowledge. He must know everything. That is Bhagavan. So therefore it is said that "What is the use of asking His father what they were going to do? He knew everything." But it is specifically mentioned, atad abhijno'pi. Although He knew it, because He was playing the part of a boy, and the father knew that "Krsna is my son..." They did not recognize Him that He is Personality of Godhead. They knew, "Oh, He is my ordinary son." Tad abhijno'pi bhagavan sarvatma. Sarvatma means one who is situated in everyone's heart. Sarvatma sarva-darsanah. Sarva-darsanah means one who can see everything past, present, and future. Still, prasrayavantah, "Just like an obedient son, submissive son," aprcchad vrddhan nanda-puro-gaman, "the elderly persons of His father's friends and associates, with very humbleness, He inquired." He inquired. And what is that inquiry? kathyatam me pitah ko 'yam sambhramo va upagatah kim phalam kasya coddesah kena va sadhyate makhah etad bruhi mahan kamo mahyam susrusave pitah "My dear father, I very respectfully and humbly I am inquiring. What is this arrangement? Why you are busy in making some sacrificial ceremony, and what is the reason, and what is the result?" Kim phalam: "What is the result of doing this?" Kim phalam kasya ca uddesah: "By whom... Whom you are trying to satisfy?" Kena va sadhyate: "And what is the purpose of this sacrifice? So I cannot understand. Will you kindly explain to Me?" Etad bruhi mahan kamo: "I am very much anxious. Kindly explain to me." Etad mahan kamo mahyam susrusave pitah: "Oh, I am your most obedient son, so you kindly explain to Me." This question was posed. na hi gopyam hi sadhunam krtyam sarvatmanam iha asya-svapara-drstinam amitro-dasastad visam "Now, if you think that it is very confidential, it cannot be disclosed, then I think for a person like you who is doing publicly such sacrifice, you should (sic:) not explain to Me." Na hi gopyam hi sadhunam: "Sadhu, those who are saintly person, for them there is no secret." There is no secret. There is no privacy. A sadhu, sadhu has no privacy. Just now in our ordinary social affairs, there is difference between private life and his public life. Now, if somebody is teacher... Now, he is very good teacher. He can very good... He can explain very nicely a subject matter, but his private life is not very good. Then he is not a teacher. He is not a sadhu. That is Vedic conception. One must be a teacher according to his own behavior in life. There is no secrecy or privacy. Now, we think that "We don't mind what is private character. We don't mind. We are concerned with his teaching." No. That sort of teaching will not have any effect. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, apani acari prabhu jiveri siksaya: a teacher must demonstrate in his practical life what he is teaching. That is the meaning of acarya. Acarya means the teacher must demonstrate things by applying the same thing in his own life. That is called acarya. Therefore Krsna said that "You cannot disclose anything. You cannot keep anything private. Please disclose." Udasino 'rivad varyam atmavat suhrd ucyate: "And even if it is very confidential, I am your son. You can explain to Him. I am your well-wisher." jnatvajnatva ca karmani jano 'yam anutisthanti vidusah karma-siddhih syat tatha na viduso bhavet "Whether this is a superstition?" Just see how Krsna is speaking. "Whether it is a superstition or it has got some actual effect." You should not do anything, religious rituals, under superstition. That is the recommendation of Krsna. Krsna does not like that people should perform anything under superstition. Suppose if you are sacrificing, if you are doing some ceremony, you must have thorough knowledge that there must be the result. There must be the result. Just like there are many sacrifices recommended in the Vedic literature, putresti-yajna. Putresti. Suppose a man has no son, and if he performs that sacrifice, he will have a son. That is a fact. Similarly, so many things there are. So any rituals, religious rituals... Now, according to Krsna... How practical He is. He said that "No religious ritual should be performed without practical effect, without practical effect." People have become atheist because in the modern age there are so many rituals in all religions, not only Hindu religion, but Christian religion. But, they say, simply formality; there is no effect. There is no effect. Such sort of rituals, religious ceremony, is not recommended by Krsna. You must actually the effect. Just like in Puranas there was a talk between Lord Caitanya and Kazi, Chand Kazi. Chand Kazi was a Muhammadan magistrate, and Lord Caitanya, when He started this sankirtana movement, there was many complaints. Just like we are receiving daily reports that our sankirtana movement is disturbing some tenants here. Similarly, when Lord Caitanya, He started His, this sankirtana, some of the brahmanas... Because Lord Caitanya said that "This is the only religion. In this age, this chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare This is the only religious principle, and everyone will have all his desires fulfilled by this chanting." So the brahmanas, those who are priestly class, they thought that "If people take to this only chanting, then what about our churches and mosque and temples? They will not come." So they lodged a complaint to the magistrate that "This is not Hindu religion. He has discovered something in His own fertile brain, so we do not recognize it." So this complaint was lodged before the magistrate, and the magistrate took step, first of all warned Him that "Don't chant Hare Krsna." Then, when He did not care, then sent some constables, and the drums were broken. Then Caitanya Mahaprabhu started civil disobedience movement. So He did not care for the magistrate. He started sankirtana throughout the whole city of Nabadwip. Then they approached the magistrate's house. Just the other day there was a procession in your city. So this civil disobedience movement was started first by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Now, there was some compromising talk with the magistrate, and in that talk the Caitanya Mahaprabhu first questioned. Because he was Mohammedan, Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that "In your religion there is killing of father and mother. What sort of religion this is?" The Kazi replied, "How do you say that we are killing our father and...?" "Yes. You are killing your mother. Cow gives you milk, delivers milk. You drink the milk, and you kill the cow. Therefore you are killing your mother." So the Kazi replied that "In your Vedic literature also, I have seen. There is cow sacrifice." So Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "That is not cow sacrifice. That is rejuvenation of cow. Old cows were sacrificed in the fire, and again a new life was given by the Vedic mantra. But because there is lack of such expert brahmanas to chant that mantra, therefore cow sacrifice in this age is forbidden." So when the things are not practical, that becomes a forbidden. If you actually get the result by some spiritual or religious rituals, performance, then it is very good. Otherwise it is superstition. Lord Caitanya's opinion is that because all these Vedic injunctions, sacrifices, they are not possible to be performed in this age... They are very difficult. There is no expert leader to perform all these ceremonies and rituals. Therefore, take to this Hare Krsna. Take to this. There is no need of rituals. There is no need of expenses. Simply God has given you tongue, and God has given you ear. Just go on chanting: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, and it will fulfill your spiritual advancement. Similarly, Krsna said, jnatva ajnatva ca karmani jano 'yam anutisthanti: "Generally, mass of people, they are ignorant. They perform some religious rituals knowingly or unknowingly as a matter of superstition or custom." So, vidusa karma-siddhih syat. But one who is intelligent, he should know that "By this sacrifice, I must get the result." Viduso karma-siddhih syat tatha na viduso bhavet: "And those who are fools, they, simply by superstition, they do it." So Krsna did not recommend that you should do something under superstition. No. You must do it for practical result. This dogmatism, fanaticism -- "Oh, why I shall chant Hare Krsna? I am Christian. I am Jews" -- this is fanaticism. If you find actually ecstasy by chanting Hare Krsna, why should you not? Why should you not? "No. I am Jew." "I am Christian." "I am Muhammadan." Well, it is transcendental vibration from the spiritual platform. Your Muhammadism, Christianism, Hinduisim, Buddhism, this is skin disease. This is... Because you have got some particular body at particular circumstances, therefore you claim like that. But actually we are all spirit soul, and this sound vibration is from the spirit soul. It will appeal to everyone. See the effect. Then don't be fanaticist. Don't be, I mean to say, sectarian. So Krsna wants that, that simply by custom, one should not follow the rituals. One should see the effect. tatra tavat kriya-yogo bhavatam kim vicaritah athava laukikas tan me prcchata sadhu (bhanyatam) "So, whether you are confident of the result of this sacrifice?" He is asking His father. Just see. Krsna was a boy, and He is asking His father, "Whether you are confident of the result of this sacrifice? You are going to satisfy the demigods, sacrifice. Or," athava laukikah, "or it is simply a custom, village custom, that you are doing it?" Laukikas tan me prcchata sadhu bhanyatam: "Now I am very much inquisitive to learn from you. Please explain." Now His father is explaining: parjanyo bhagavan indro meghas tasyatma-murtayah te 'bhivarsanti bhutanam prinanam jivanam payah He says, "My dear boy, water is very essential because without rains we cannot have any produce. Therefore... This rain is controlled by Bhagavan Indra. The heavenly king Indra, he controls the megha." Megha means cloud. He is the master of the cloud. He can send cloud, and he can stop cloud. He is representative of God, so he has got the power. Te 'bhivarsanti bhutanam prinanam: "So when he allows this raining, people become satisfied. They get their produce." tam tata vayam anye ca carmucam patim isvaram dravyais tad-retasa siddhyair yajante kratubhir narah "Therefore it is our duty. Because he supplies us water, so it is our duty to show him respect by this sacrifice." This is the Vedic injunction. Just like we pay departmental tax. We pay to the Con Edison bills for the supply of electricity and gas. Similarly, we pay the bills of the telephone. But we have no program to pay the bills of the sun who is supplying us so much light. (aside:) What is that? Dinesa: That needle doesn't seem to be working. Prabhupada: So it is our duty to sacrifice, and according to Vedic rituals, these are recommended, that we should satisfy. So Nanda Maharaja explained, tac chesenopajivanti tri-varga-phala-hetve pumsam purusa-karanam parjanyah phala-bhavanah "Now, this water is so important that it will produce grains and we shall live. And for perfection of our life we must first live. So this is very important thing, so we have to satisfy Indra." ya evam visrjed dharmam param paryagatam narah kama lobhad bhayad dvesat sa vai napnoti sobhanam He says, "My dear boy, we should not give up this parampara." Parampara means coming from disciplic succession or from generation. My father did it, my father's fathers did it. So every religious ceremony, and according to Vedic rituals, they are from parampara, family or society-wise or community-wise. In every country there is. So he says that "This parampara, this successive generation, we have been doing this, and we should not give it up." He understood the Krsna's purpose, that "He is asking. He is very intelligent boy, so He is asking me all these questions just to forbid me." That He's just... "Like father like son." The father was also intelligent. So, ya evam visrjed dharmam. Dharmam means one must execute. That is dharma. Just like to become hungry, it is my religion. This is called religion. We should know what is the meaning of religion. Religion means which we cannot separate from  myself. The religion which you can change, that is not religion. Suppose I am Hindu; I become Christian. So neither this Hinduism is religion or Christian is religion. It is a dictionary, English dictionary, word. But dharma, according to Sanskrit word, dharma does not mean that which you can change. I have several times explained this fact. Dharma cannot be changed. Therefore we must find out what is our dharma, what is our religion. Which we are professing, that "Christianity is my religion," "Hinduism, my religion," that is not religion. That is faith. Religion is different. Religion you cannot change. You cannot change. That is the meaning of religion. Here it is said that ya evam visrjed dharmam. Dharmam means you cannot change. So param paryagatam narah, kamat, kamat lobhat. Now, religion sometimes, when it is taken as faith, they have changed. How they have changed? Kamat. For some gain. Just like in India formerly Christian religion was preached, giving some facilities. And generally we see that Christian priests who go to foreign countries... I have seen. They offer some hospital facilities, some economic facilities. The poor men, they supply clothing and education. So those who are poor, they become captivated, and they... They have practically no religion. Anyway, they are facing the economic problems. So kamat. Kamat means for some gain. For some gain, kamat, and lobhat... Lobhat means by some greediness. And bhayat. Bhayat means out of fear. And dvesat. Dvesat means out of enviousness. For all these things one should not give up his faith or religion. So that, that was the explanation of Nanda Maharaja, the father of Krsna. Now Krsna, replying, sri bhagavan uvaca. The reason of that sacrifice, as explained by Nanda Maharaja is that "Indra, the heavenly king, he supplies us water. Therefore we must perform the sacrifice to satisfy him." Now Krsna is giving reason just like an atheist. Just like an atheist, karma-mimamsa. There are six philosophers. Out of that one is karma-mimamsa. Karma-mimamsa means one who takes work and the result of work and nothing, no God, nothing of... "You work like this; you get the result." Just like modern theory. So Krsna is putting up that karma-mimamsa. What is that? He says, karmana jayate jantuh karmanaiva praliyate: "Everyone is born here out of, as the effect of his past deeds." And karmanaiva praliyate: "And he is going to have his next birth according to the work, as he is doing here." This is called karma-mimamsa. The karma-mimamsa philosophers, they do not believe that "Oh, our liberation from this material world and entrance in the spiritual kingdom to be associated with God, that will make us happy." Their belief is that "You simply do good work. Then you gradually get your promotion." That is also a fact. That is not a misconception. If you do good work, then you get good birth. Janmaisvarya-sruta-sri [SB 1.8.26]. Four things: good birth, mean a good family or good nationality, and janma... Birth means... Janma means birth, good birth. Janma aisvarya, and to become rich. Sruta, to become very learned; and sri, and to become very beautiful -- these are results of past good work. So here Krsna says that "People are concerned with his work. A man is concerned with his work." Karmana jayate jantuh karmanaiva praliyate: "He gets his facilities of life according to the past good work, bad work, and he is preparing his life, next, by that work." Sukham duhkham bhayam ksemam karmanaivabhipadyate: "So therefore, either happiness or distress or fearfulness or poverty or economic question, everything on this karma, on this work." asti ced isvarah kascit phala-rupy anya-karmanam kartaram bhajate so 'pi na hy akartuh prabhur hi sah "Now, supposing there is somebody." Because these atheists, they do not believe in God, now they are giving arguments. "Now, suppose there is somebody as God or some supervisor or something like that. But still, he is obliged to give Me the effect. Therefore I am not going to ask mercy from that superior personality, God or something else. I have to work." And this is also fact. Suppose you are going to appear in some examination. Now, the university is giving you some designation. Now, that designation practically depends on your passing the examination. What is the use of flattering that examiner? That is the argument. There is no... His argument is that "You are after the sacrifice of satisfying the Indra." So indirectly He says that Indra is appointed by the Lord and he has to supply water. He is officer. So what is the use of flattering him? Just like there are many officers in the New York City. One is in charge of the waterwork department. So there is no question of flattering that waterworks department officer. You pay your tax, you work nicely, and water will be supplied to you. But if you don't pay your tax, however you flatter that officer, your connection will be cut off. So it depends on your work. It depends on your work. So, asti ced isvarah kascit: "Supposing there is some God..." "There is some God." Just see. A God is preaching atheism. He is God Himself, and He says, "Supposing if there is some God." "Supposing if there is some God," kascit phala-rupy anya-karmanam, "and He gives the result of your work." The karma-mimamsa philosophers, they accept God in this way, "Suppose there is God and He is to give us the result. So He is obliged. If we do nice work, He is obliged. So what is the use of flattering God? Let us do our duty nicely. Then He will be obliged." So Krsna is following that argument. Asti ced isvarah kascit phala-rupy anya-karmanam, kartaram bhajate so 'pi: "He also worships the worker. The worker has not to worship God. Because God gives you good result out of your good work; therefore, because you are doing good work, therefore God is worshiping you." Just see the argument. He says, kartaram bhajate so 'pi na hy akartuh prabhur: "And one who does not do good work, even God does not like him. So there is no necessity of worshiping this heavenly god or any god, so let us have our duty done nicely. That will fetch us the desired result." kim indreneha bhutanam sva-sva-karmanuvartinam anisenanyatha kartum svabhava-vihitam nrnam "So, therefore, there is no... Father, there is no necessity of satisfying this Indra. You are simply wasting your time. You are simply wasting your time." Oh, svabhava-tantro hi janah svabhavam anuvartate svabhava-stham idam sarvam sa-devasura-manusam "Everyone is acting according to the modes of nature he has acquired, so whatever nature we have acquired..." His purpose is that "By nature we are mercantile people." Because His father was maintaining cows, so he is considered a mercantile man. Vaisya-karma svabhava-jam. Krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhava-jam [Bg. 18.44]. So He is giving stress that "Let us perform our duty as mercantile men honestly, and that will bring us result. Why should we go to worship these demigods?" Now, here is a point, that Krsna does not approve the worship of demigods. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Kamais tais tair hrta-jnana yajanty anya-devatah: [Bg. 7.20] "Those who are out of intelligence, they simply worship the demigods." In the Bhagavad-gita or in the Bhagavata, anywhere, worship of demigods is not very much recommended. So here also the same thing, that svabhava-tantro hi janah: "Everyone is carried by the modes of nature." Svabhavam anuvartate: "And he cannot surpass the spell of the modes of nature." Svabhavam anuvartante, svabhavas tam idam sarvam: "Everyone is under the control of the nature he has acquired." And sa-devasura manusah. Sa-devasura. "Always, either he is man or superman or animal, everyone is being controlled by the modes of nature." dehan uccavacan jantuh prapyotsrjati karmana satrur mitram udasinah karmaiva gurur isvarah He is giving so much stress on karma. There is no question of bhakti here. So dehan uccavacan. There are difference of high-grade body and low-grade body. There are different kinds of body. Somebody has got very high grade body -- very intelligent, very rich, very beautiful, very wealthy -- and somebody has low-grade body. So dehan uccavacan jantuh prapyotsrjati karmana: "Now, these high-grade and low-grade bodies are obtained according to the work he has done." Satrur mitram udasinah karmaiva gurur isvarah: "And one is the leader or one is a teacher or one is enemy or one is friend -- everything is judged by this karma, by work." Just see how much he is giving stress on work. Karmaiva. Karmaiva gurur isvarah. tasmat sampujayet karma svabhava-sthah sva-karma-krt anjasa yena varteta tad evasya hi daivatam "Therefore you don't bother yourself about worshiping this god or that god, demigod. You just be faithful to your work, and then that will give you good result." Anjasa yena varteta tad evasya hi daivatam. ajivaikataram bhavam yas tv anyam upajivati na tasmad vindate ksemam jaran nary asati yatha He is condemning, that one's profession... He has... Lord Krsna has in the Bhagavad-gita also said like that. Sva-karmana tam abhyarcya [Bg. 18.46]. One should not give up his own profession. Never mind even it is faulty. You have heard it from me. Just like He has given the example that fire, fire is so pure, still there is fault. There is smoke. So in spite of all fault one should not give up his own work, but he should do it faithfully and nicely and the result will come. Ajivaikataram bhavam yas tu. And He says here that "Anyone who gives up his own natural profession, natural aptitude, profession, so..." Na tasmad vindate ksemam jaran nary asati yatha. Now, this is a very important question. Nary asati. Asati. Asati means not chaste, not chaste woman. Just like... In India, of course, it is very strict, that the woman is not to give up her husband and acquaint herself with any other man. This example is given that "An unchaste woman gives up her own husband and makes friendship with others; similarly, one who gives up his own profession and takes other profession, he is also similarly unchaste." Unchaste. Nary asati yatha. Varteta brahmano vipra rajanya raksaya bhuvah: "Therefore one should not deviate from his professional duties, just like the brahmanas..." Brahman..., varteta brahmano viprah: "Those who are brahmana, they should stick to their principle of life, simply spiritual culture." Rajanya raksaya bhuvah: "And those who are ksatriyas, they should stick to their protecting the citizen." The kingly order, royal order, their duty is to give protection to the... They should not simply collect tax. The ksatriyas, this king is allowed to collect tax because he is supposed to give all protection to the people. So therefore it is said, rajanya raksaya bhuvah. Rajanya means the royal order stick to his principle, how to give protection to the people. Similarly, vaisyas tu vartaya jivet sudras tu dvija-sevaya: "Similarly, these mercantile, they should live on their trade, and those who are sudra, those who are laborer class, they should serve all these three classes." That is the rules. Now, krsi-vanijya-go-raksa kusidam turyam ucyate varta catur-vidha tatra vayam go-vrttayo 'nisam "Now, according to scripture, we are vaisya, and we should live not in the brahminical way or ksatriya's way or sudra's way, but we should live just like vaisyas; and we are actually agriculturists, and we are actually protecting cows. Therefore we are vaisyas. Our duty is to stick to our, faithfully stick to our business, stick to our work. What is the use of worshiping this god or that god?" sattvam rajas tama iti sthity-utpatti-anta-hetavah rajasotpadyate visvam anyonyam vividham jagat Now He is forwarding the atheistic theory of Kapila, sankhya philosophy. Sankhya philosophy. Sankhya philosophy theory is that there is no controller, there is no God, but the world is moving under nature's interaction. Just the modern scientists also say like that. The world... Every action of this material world is being acted... Just like sankhya philosophy is based on this philosophy, that a man and woman is attracted and they have sex life and the son is produced, and there is no other reason for population. Simply a man wants a woman and a woman wants a man. That natural tendency is there, and when they combine together there is a birth of a child. So this is a natural sequence. Sankhya philosophy is based on this principle. They do not believe that above this, there is God. Nirisa. Above this, there is God. There is God's control. Actually there is God. Sexual intercourse is not the cause of a child. According to Bhagavata, a living entity, before his death he is, by superior judgement it is thought that "Where this living entity, where this particular man or dog or anything... He is dying. Where it will be placed?" So when that place is sanctioned, the place is selected, that "This particular man should go in such and such body," then he is at once transferred to the semina. That small particle, spiritual particle, is transferred to the semina of the father, and the father injects the semina into the mother's womb, and it gets a particular type of body according to his karma. That is Bhagavata's version. But the Sankhya philosophy, they say, because they have no idea that there is spiritual spark, they think simply that, simply the father and mother's or man and woman's sex life produces life. So here practically the same thing is advocated by Krsna, that sattvam rajas tama iti sthity-utpatty-anta-hetavah. Now, the creation of this material world is the three modes of material nature. There is no other cause. There is no other cause. Rajasa codita megha varsanty ambuni sarvatah: "So when there is too much heat by, I mean to say, aggravation of the modes of passion, there is evaporation of water, and that becomes cloud, and that is the cause of... The cloud is the cause of rain. Why do you go to this Indra and Candra and all these things?" Just see Krsna, how He is speaking atheistically. So prajas tair eva sidhyanti mahendrah kim karisyati: "Therefore that rain constitutes agriculture. So why do you bother about this Mahendra?" Just like modern scientists say that "We shall artificially make raining so that where there is scarcity of rain we shall fertilize the land, we shall get production," so similarly, the sankhya philosophy, according to sankhya philosophy, that rain is caused by the heat, and by the heat there is cloud in the sky, and the cloud is the cause of the rain. So there is no question of Mahendra, the controller of the cloud, or anything else. prajas tair eva sidhyanti mahendrah kim karisyati na nah puro jana-pada na grama na grha vayam vanaukasas tata nityam vana-saila-nivasinah "So therefore we are not going to the city. We are inhabitants of this village. So it is better to worship this land, this land, this land, Govardhana." Because Krsna was herding His cows on the Govardhana Hill, so indirectly He hinted that "We should worship this Govardhana Hill, and that is our duty." So it is a long story, three, four chapters. Of course, it will take some time. I don't think you can give us so much time. The net, the result is that when Krsna talked like this, then His father agreed not to perform the sacrifice. Because all the inhabitants of Vraja, Vrndavana, they are so much fond of Krsna, whatever Krsna will say, they will accept. So although Krsna was a boy, He implored his father and other elderly gentlemen present there that "There is no need of performing this sacrifice." So they stopped sacrifice. As a result of this stopping, Indra became very much angry, and there was torrents of rain, incessant rain, and very vehemently. So the whole village and whole tract of land comprising the Vrajabhumi, they became overflooded. And the cows and the animals and the people became too much afflicted. So they had no other source. They approached Krsna, "Protect us. Krsna, protect us." So at that time Krsna said, "Yes, I will give you protection." So He was, although a boy of six or seven years old, He lifted that hill. That is... We are... If any time you go to India you will see the hill. It is not less than at least five, six miles area, very big hill. That hill was lifted by Him, and He kept that hill in His hand for seven days. And then everything was cleared. Then Indra prayed Him. So there are many things after this. So today Krsna lifted this hill; therefore His name is Giridhari. Giridhari means who held the hill. Giri means the hill, and dhari means one who holds up. So today is that, is the annual ceremony of today, this Govardhana-puja. So we follow that principle. Because we are devotees of Krsna, we are trying to follow His instruction. So at noontime we shall perform that puja, and you are invited to take prasadam. I think prasadam will be ready by eleven o'clock, and you will kindly participate in taking prasadam. (end)   >>> Ref. VedaBase => Govardhana Puja Lecture -- New York, November 4, 1966 HOME © 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with permission. For higher quality audio, you may purchase the MP3s/CDs from www.Krishna.com

Envious Monkey Business

Envious Monkey Business

Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.16
Vrndavana, November 4, 1976

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Pradyumna: Translation: "Due to ignorance, the materialistic person does not know anything about his real self-interest, the auspicious path in life. He is simply bound to material enjoyment by lusty desires, and all his plans are made for this purpose. For temporary sense gratification, such a person creates a society of envy, and due to this mentality, he plunges into the ocean of suffering. Such a foolish person does not even know about this."

Prabhupada:

lokah svayam sreyasi nasta-drstir
yo 'rthan samiheta nikama-kamah
anyonya-vairah sukha-lesa-hetor
ananta-duhkham ca na veda mudhah
 [SB 5.5.16]

This is the description of the material world. Anyonya-vairah: simply envious of one another. This is material world: I am envious of you; you are envious of me. You can extend this familywise, societywise, communitywise, nationalwise, but the basic principle is enviousness, nothing else. Therefore in the beginning of the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is explained that who are fit for accepting this Bhagavata principle. Dharmah projjhita-kaitava atra paramo nirmatsaranam [SB 1.1.2]. This is meant for the persons who are no more envious, for them. Those who are envious, they have no entrance in the principles of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Paramo nirmat... Because the whole world is based on the principle of enviousness. Anyonya-vairah. And what is the meaning of this enviousness? Sukha-lesa-hetu, temporary happiness. Temporary happiness.

Now, especially in the modern world... Not only modern world, always. That is the nature of this material world. How much fighting is going on between nation to nation, person to person, community to community. There are so many codes, legal codes. The people go there, fight with one another. Then the United Nation... What is that United Nation? I have already explained many times, assembly of barking dogs. That's all. United Nation. They will never unite. They will go there and barking. Many times we have seen their enviousness. Krsna says that sarva-loka-mahesvaram: [Bg. 5.29] "I am the proprietor of all planets." But we are claiming, "This is my country," "This is India, my country," "This is Pakistan," "This is America," "This is Russia," and fighting. And the proprietor is there; he is claiming that "This is not yours. It is mine." Still they are. Because why? Ananta-duhkham ca na veda mudhah. Rascals. He has no right. Unnecessarily he or they are claiming right and fighting.

You have to do it, because we are placed in a condition of suffering. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. I have given this example many times. Just like in the school the teacher engages two naughty boys to catch the ears of one another. And he is pulling the ear; he is also pulling the ear. There is competition of pulling the ear. So nature engages them. Jagat ahita ugra-karma. They have manufactured this ugra-karma world for the annihilation of this world. Russia has discovered the nuclear... What is that? Nuclear weapon? And the Americans, they are finding out the opportunity so, to drop the bomb here and there, and everything will be destroyed. They do not know what is the aim of life. Simply they are engaged in ugra-karma and creating enmity, anyonya-vairah sukha-lesa-hetoh. Maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan [SB 7.9.43]. Prahlada Maharaja has also said that soce tato vimukha-cetasah: "I am simply thinking of these rascals," vimudhan. Here it is said, "mudha," and Prahlada Maharaja says, "vimudha," visesa-rupena, "particularly mudha."

Prahlada Maharaja, Vaisnava, he has no problem. A Vaisnava has no problem. Prahlada Maharaja says, "I have no problem, my Lord," to Nrsimhadeva. Naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaranyas tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna-cittah [SB 7.9.43]. A devotee will be simply satisfied if he has got the opportunity of reading, reciting Srimad-Bhagavatam anywhere, any part of the world, sitting down underneath a tree. One who has got education, he can read Srimad-Bhagavatam. But even one has no education -- he cannot read -- still he has no problem. He can chant: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. So he can enjoy anywhere. There is a practical example in this connection. While Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was touring in the southern India, in the Ranganatha temple He saw one brahmana. He was reading Bhagavad-gita. So many persons were coming and criticizing him, "Well, brahmana, how you are reading Bhagavad-gita?" So he did not reply. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu approached him and He saw the brahmana was reading Bhagavad-gita and tears gliding down. So He could understand that "Here is a pure devotee." So He asked him, "Well, brahmana, what you are reading?" So he said, "Sir, I cannot read. I am illiterate. I am illiterate and I cannot read what is Bhagavad-gita, especially Sanskrit." His neighbors were criticizing him. They knew that "This brahmana is illiterate, and he is making a show of reading Bhagavad-gita." So they were criticizing. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He could understand that "Here is a pure devotee."

So He asked him that "What you are reading?" He said frankly, "Sir, I cannot read. I have no education. Illiterate." "Then? It appears that you are reading something. And if you are illiterate, why you are reading Bhagavad-gita?" "No, my Guru Maharaja said. He knew that I am illiterate, but still, my Guru Maharaja said that 'You read every day the slokas of Bhagavad-gita.' So on account of his order, although I do not know anything what is written there, I am trying to read." "Oh, that's very nice. You are carrying the order of your Guru Maharaja. But it appears that you are crying also. How you are crying if you cannot read?" "Yes, Sir, that's... Because as soon as I take this Bhagavad-gita in my hand I see the picture that Arjuna is asking Krsna to place his chariot in the warfield, and Krsna is driving the chariot by his order. So this is creating some feeling in me: 'Oh, Krsna is so kind, so nice, that although He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is carrying the order of His devotee as servant.' When I feel this, I cry: 'Oh, how Krsna is kind. How Krsna is merciful.' " So immediately Caitanya Mahaprabhu embraced him: "You are reading Bhagavad-gita. It is not the literacy or education or knowing grammar and putting jugglery of words. That is not reading. If one feels what is the purport of Bhagavad-gita, that is reading Bhagavad-gita."

So it does not depend on literary career. A devotee is simply satisfied if he can think of Krsna. Krsna wants that. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Krsna never said that "You become a great pandita or grammarian to read Bhagavad-gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam." That, if you can, if you have, you can. Otherwise, anyone, even a child, can do this, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. One can come into this temple and offer obeisances. That will also do. Therefore a devotee can be satisfied in any condition of life, provided he can think of Krsna's lotus feet. That's all. That much. So therefore Prahlada Maharaja said that "I have no problem." Naivodvije para duratyaya. "I have no problem to cross over the ocean of nescience. That solution is already there. Wherever I am, I shall think of Your lotus feet. That's all." "But you appear to be unhappy." "Yes, I am unhappy." "Why?" Soce tato vimukha-cetasah: "I am thinking of these rascals who have rejected Your instruction in the Bhagavad-gita." Soce tato vimukha-cetasah. And they are busy. Like monkeys and dogs they are busy. You will see they are very busy, going here, going there, going there. Just like monkey, jumping from one tree to another, jumping. Wherever he is standing, he will move his arm, everything. But people know that "Here is a monkey." He may appear to be very busy, but people will immediately stick: "Go away! Go away! Go away!"

So our business is like that. We are making big, big plans to be happy like the monkeys. Therefore here it is said that arthan samiheta nikama-kamah. So it is the duty of everyone to do something for his welfare. But here the beginning is lokah svayam sreyasi nasta-drstih: "These rascals, they are blind to their real interest." Sreyas means real interest, and preyas means immediate profit. So nikama-kamah, sense gratification, is very nice immediately. "I enjoy sex life. This is very nice. Why shall I chant Hare Krsna? Let me enjoy sex." Sreyasi. And preyasi: "This is pleasure." And it is not pleasure; therefore nasta-drstih. He does not know that this sense pleasure is not his actual pleasure. It is creating different types of miserable conditions. Nasta-drstih. He has no eyes. Arthan samiheta nikama-kamah. Based on... He does not know, either it is legal sex or illegal sex. There are two kinds of sex life, legal and illegal. Legal is married life sex. That is taken as legal. And without marriage, like cats and dogs in the street or here and there, that is illegal. So legal sex life is still allowed. Just like Krsna says, dharmaviruddha-kamo 'smi. If there is legal sex, one man and woman, married, and only for progeny they get into sex life, that is allowed in the sastra. But illegal, illicit sex is most abominable. But either illicit or legal, there are so many sufferings. So many sufferings. Illegal -- now they are giving opportunity, abortion, killing the child, and so on, go to the hospital. That is also. And behind that, the killing the child, a very sinful, he has to suffer. He does not know. Ananta-duhkham ca na veda mudhah. He's taking the risk of suffering life after life. Those who are killing the child within the womb, they will be punished. They will also enter within the womb of the mother, and somebody will kill, and again he will enter another mother's womb; again he'll be killed. So as many child he has killed, he has to go to the womb of the mother to another womb, another. He will never see the light of the world. He'll be killed. This is the punishment. This is the punishment. But he does not know. Ananta-duhkham ca na veda mudhah. He does not know how the laws of nature is working, life for life. You have no right to kill any life. Even an ant you cannot kill even. You cannot kill even. If you kill, then you have to suffer.

These are not stories. These are not stories. There are many incidences in the sastra. Just like Vidura. He was Yamaraja, incarnation of Yamaraja, but he was cursed by a muni to become a sudra. Why? Now, one muni was brought in the court of Yamaraja, and he was to be punished by like punishment, sula, piercing the lancet through the rectum and it will come out. So the muni asked Yamaraja that "Why you have put me into this tribulation, this punishment? What is my fault?" The Yamaraja explained that "In your childhood you pierced with a nail through the rectum of an ant. Therefore you must be punished like this." Just see. In childhood playing he pierced. Sometimes we have seen, the children do that. That is also counted. You cannot do any harm to any animal, any living being. You cannot do. But these rascals are regularly killing. Although they have got this human form of body, although they have got intelligence, scientific intelligence, and so-called, but they do not know how nature's law is working. They do not care to know. They say these are all mythology. But not mythology. It is not mythology. Na veda mudhah. They do not know what is the law of nature, that ananta-duhkham.

So we should be very, very careful. We are implicating step by step. Padam padam yad vipadam [SB 10.14.58]. They do not know. This material world means at every step we are creating another difficulty. Padam padam yad vipadam. Samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam mahat-padam. [break] Krsna. Bhavambudhir vatsa-padam. For Him the great ocean of nescience becomes just like vatsa-padam, the water containing with the hoofprints of calves. That is called vatsa-padam. And this place, padam padam yad vipadam. This material world, where there is danger in every step, it is not for them. It is not for them. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has warned that niskincanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Anyone who is desirous of rendering service, dedicates life for the service of Bhagavan, Krsna... Krsna demands that. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. For such person, one who has decided, "Yes, I shall fully surrender to Krsna," for such person, niskincanasya... Surrender means he has finished his all material business. No more. No more business. That is called niskincana. Kincana means "something," and niskincana means that something also nothing. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Brs. 1.1.11]. There are so many achievement by karma, jnana, yoga, and so many things. But bhakti means finish this, all this nonsense business, karma, jnana, yoga. Simply surrender to Krsna. Anukulyena krsnanu-silanam [Cc. Madhya 19.167].

So for such persons... That is niskincana. Eta saba chadi, haya niskincana, ekanta bhave naya, krsnaika-sarana.(?). In Caitanya-caritamrta... So we have to become niskincana, no more material business, no more. That is called niskincanasya. Who can take this niskincana? Bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya. Unless one is eager to serve the Lord, nobody can be niskincana. Everyone is a kincana, "Something mine, something mine, something mine." So for such person, niskincanasya bhagavad-bhajanonmukhasya param param jigamisor bhava-sagarasya... Why bhagavad-bhajana is required? Yes, it is most essential, sreya. Sreyasi nasta-drstih. We do not know. Krsna says that "If you do not come to Me, if you do not accept Me, then," nivartante mrtyu-samsara-vartmani, "you will continue the cycle of birth and death." And that means ananta-duhkham, ananta-duhkham, one life after one life, one life after one life. This will go on.

So we should be very, very careful that this human form of life should not be wasted even for a moment. That is real life. There is, by, one sloka by Rupa Gosvami. Avyartha-kalatvam [Cc. Madhya 23.18-19]. A devotee should always be alert to see, "Whether this time, one moment passed, whether I have wasted it or I have utilized it?" That is, should be, the point. Ayusah ksana eko 'pi na labhya svarna-kotibhih. This is also material estimation, that one moment of our life cannot be returned in exchange of millions of dollars, even from material point of view. And those who are advancing in spiritual life, how much careful they should be. Therefore Rupa Gosvami has given the formula, avyartha-kalatvam. Not a single moment may be wasted without chanting Hare Krsna.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.16 -- Vrndavana, November 4, 1976

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Approach a Proper Guru

Approach a Proper Guru

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.04
Bombay, November 4, 1974

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Nitai: "Sri Suta Gosvami said: The most powerful sage Maitreya was a friend of Vyasadeva. Thus being encouraged, Maitreya, pleased by Vidura's inquiry about transcendental knowledge, spoke as follows."

Prabhupada:

dvaipayana-sakhas tv evam
maitreyo bhagavams tatha
prahedam viduram prita
anviksikyam pracoditah
 [SB 3.25.4]

So this is the process of getting knowledge, to approach the proper person, guru, and submissively hear from him about transcendental knowledge. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. Don't try to receive spiritual knowledge or transcendental knowledge very cheaply. Although it is very easy, there is no difficulty, but the process must be known. Just like any machine -- we have got experience -- just like sometimes our typewriter machine or this dictaphone does not work. So if we go to the proper person, who knows the work, he immediately tightens one screw or changes something; it works. The process we must know. So if I go to a pan-wala for repairing my machine, that will be not good. He does not know the process. He may know to..., how to make pan, bidi; but doesn't matter, he does not know how to repair a machine.

Therefore the shastric injunction is, Vedic injunction, that tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. If you want to know transcendental knowledge, tad-vijnana... Tad-vijna... It is also vijnana. Actually, human life is meant for understanding tad-vijnana. Tad-vijnana means transcendental knowledge, not material knowledge, bodily. Bodily... Even a medical practitioner, he does not know, he has no knowledge of the spirit soul. He simply studies the mechanical arrangement of the body. The body's a big machine made by nature. It is called yantra. Actually it is a machine. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said,

isvarah sarva-bhutanam
hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati
bhramayan sarva-bhutani
yantrarudhani mayaya
 [Bg. 18.61]

Yantrarudhani mayaya. This body is machine. The, those who are very much attached to this machine, for them, the yoga system is recommended because... One who is very much in the conception of the body, so they have been taught just to concentrate the mind on some practice, some gymnastic, so that mind may be concentrated and he can focus the mind towards Visnu, Lord Visnu. Real purpose is to understand Visnu, the Supreme. So the yoga system is therefore a mechanical arrangement. But the bhakti system is above the machine, above this mechanical arrangement. That is... Therefore it is called tad-vijnana. The mechanical understanding is material, and above that, tad-vijnana.

So tad-vijnanartham, if you want to understand spiritual knowledge, then you have to approach a guru. Guru. Guru means weighty, I mean to say, one who has got better knowledge. Heavy. Guru means heavy, heavy with knowledge. And what is that knowledge? "I have got so much knowledge." No. Transcendental... Tad-vijnana. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet, samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham [MU 1.2.12]. That heaviness is brahma-nistham, how much one is attached to Brahman, Parabrahman, Bhagavan. That is guru's qualification. Brahmany upasamasrayam. This is the mantra of Kathopanisad, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet. Similarly, in the Bhagavata also it is said, tasmad gurum prapadyeta [SB 11.3.21]. Tasmat, "Therefore one must approach guru." The here, in the Upanisad also gives definition who is guru. Guru means srotriyam brahma-nistham [MU 1.2.12], "one who has received knowledge by hearing Vedas," srotriyam. Because Vedas are called sruti.

So those who are in the line of hearing from the preceptorial succession, disciplic succession... As it is said in the Bhagavad-gita, evam parampara-praptam [Bg. 4.2]. Not, I mean to say, upstart knowledge. Standard knowledge. Standard knowledge is received from the parampara system, disciplic succession. Therefore it is said, srotriyam. Srotriyam means "who has heard from the parampara system." Srotriyam... And the result is brahma-nistham: "He is firmly fixed up in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Brahma-nistham. He has no other business. This is two qualifications. He must have heard the Vedic knowledge through the disciplic succession. It does not require that he is very learned scholar. No. Simply he must hear from the authority. Srotriyam. You have... Krsna has given you, God has given you the ear. This is our system. Simply they hear and they become big, big preacher. It doesn't require that he has to pass M.A., C.B.A.C., or Ph.D. examinations. Hearing is sufficient. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. You remain in your position, in your place. You do not require to change it. Sthane sthitah.

Sthane sthitah means the varnasrama, four varnas and four asramas. Brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, and four asramas: brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasa. So this is civilization. Unless the society is divided into these eight divisions, that is animal civilization. That is not human civilization. You must be systematized, regulated system. Just like in this body there are different divisions: the head division, the arm division, the belly division, and the leg division. Similarly, without these four divisions, no society can be conducted very nicely. Then it will be chaos. So sthane sthitah means to remain in these regulative principles of varnasrama. That is called sthane sthitah. You remain in your position. It doesn't require you have to change. It is not that a sudra, without becoming a brahmana... Of course, sudra will become brahmana -- by hearing. Brahmana means brahma janatiti brahmanah. If he hears, even a sudra, he can understand what is Brahman. Then he becomes brahmana. So this is required. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. With great attention, body, mind and words, intelligence -- with everything, one must hear.

So here we see, viduram pritah. Vidura was hearing from Maitreya Rsi, and Maitreya Rsi was very much pleased. Priti. Unless you satisfy your teacher, or guru, very nicely, you cannot get the right knowledge. That is natural. If you receive your guru, give him very nice place, he can sit comfortably, and he's pleased with your behavior, then he can speak very frankly and very freely, which will be very much beneficial for you. Therefore this word is... He was talking. He was preaching. He was giving instruction to Vidura, being pleased, priti. Maitreya Rsi was very much pleased. That is also recommended in the Srimad-Bhagavad-gita: tad viddhi pranipatena. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. Simply going and asking the spiritual master or guru, and not to accept his instructions, then don't waste your time. Don't waste your time. In a challenging spirit, if you go to a spiritual master, without any service, sevaya, and pranipatena... Pranipatena... Prakrsta-rupena nipata. Nipata means fall down, and pra means prakrsta-rupa, sufficiently. No reservation. This knowledge, the transcendental knowledge, is based on this pranipata. Therefore Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "You just surrender unto Me." And similarly we have to surrender to Krsna or His representative.

 

So guru is representative, external representative. Internal guru is Krsna Himself. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese arjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. Not that Isvara, Krsna, is in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrndavana. He is everywhere, even within the atom. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah [Bs. 5.37]. That is Paramatma. Atma is... I am atma, you are atma. We are all situated locally. You are situated within your body, I am situated within my body. But Paramatma is situated everywhere. That is the difference between atma and Paramatma. Atma and Paramatma... Those who are mistaking that "There is no difference between atma and Paramatma," no, there is difference. They are one in one sense, that both of them-cognizant. They are living entities. Cetanas cetananam. Cetanas cetananam, nityo nityanam. But they are different. In the Bhagavad-gita Krsna says, ksetrah ksetra-jnah. Ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata [Bg. 13.3]. Ksetra-jna means the proprietor of the ksetra, this body. Body is called ksetra. So I am proprietor. Not proprietor, I am occupier. Just like in a house, the tenant and the landlord. The landlord is the occupier, tenant, and the landlord is the proprietor. Similarly, we atmas, we are simply occupier of this body. We are not proprietor. The proprietor is Paramatma. Sarva-ksetresu bharata. So if the proprietor says that "Get out of this house," or some, by law... Similarly, when the Paramatma says, "Now you have to leave this body," you have to leave this body. So this is Vedic knowledge.

So one must approach a proper guru. The guru's qualification is, in every sastra, that... Just like in the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said, tad viddhi..., er, tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. One does not require to accept a guru unless he is inquisitive to understand the ultimate goal or benefit of life. Ordinary man who is interested with the bodily comforts of life, he doesn't require a guru. But generally, the, at the present moment, guru means who can give you some bodily medicine. Approaches some saintly person, "Mahatmaji, I am suffering from this disease." "Yes, I have mantra. Take this..." That sort of guru is accepted. So same bodily... Or some bodily wealth, bodily... No.

tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah
 [Bg. 4.34]

One should approach guru for seeing the tattva, the Absolute Truth. That is necessary. Not for any material benefit. One should not search out a guru for, I mean to say, curing some material disease. For that, there is medical practitioner. Why should you search out after a guru? But people search out, that "I have got some material disease, and if somebody can cure, some saintly person, then he's guru or he's Bhagavan. I am poor. If he can give me some money, then he's guru." No. The sastra does not say like that. Guru means srotriyam brahma-nistham [MU 1.2.12]. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam, sabde pare ca nisnatam [SB 11.3.21]. Guru means who knows the Vedic sastra, the Vedas. He knows the Vedic conclusion. And the Vedic conclusion is to understand Krsna. That is Vedic conclusion. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15].

Therefore those who are trying to understand Krsna, or partially... We cannot understand fully Krsna. That is not possible. We have not so capacity. Because Krsna is so big. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta. So with our limited knowledge we cannot understand... Even Krsna does not understand Himself, Krsna is so great. Krsna Himself, He does not know why He's so much attractive. Therefore, to understand this knowledge, why Krsna is so attractive, He became Lord Caitanya, taking the ecstatic emotion of Srimati Radharani. Radha-bhava-dyuti. That's a very great science. Krsna is such that Krsna... Of course, it is our calculation that Krsna does not understand Himself. So to understand Krsna, fully Krsna, it is not possible. But as far as our limited knowledge is concerned, if we understand Krsna so much, that is our perfection. That is our perfection. Therefore Krsna says, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah [Bg. 4.9].

So if we understand Krsna as a human being like us, avajananti mam mudhah [Bg. 9.11], then we are mudhas. "Krsna is also... Krsna's body is made of these maya elements, or external elements, like us." Just like our body is made of these material elements. If we think Krsna also made of that elements, of these material elements, ksitir apo 'nalo vayuh, then we are mistaken. Krsna is... Here, in the previous verse, we have learned: atma-mayaya. There are... Of course, this material energy is also atma-maya, Krsna's. Not ours. Mama maya. Krsna says, mama maya. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya [Bg. 7.14]. This material world is Krsna's. We cannot say mama maya. No. We are under the control of this material nature. But Krsna is the controller of the material nature. That is the difference. We are controlled by the material nature, but Krsna is not controlled, but He's controller. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. One who understands this, that this prakrti, this material nature, is working under the direction of Krsna, that is our real knowledge. How the things are going on? That is not possible to understand. But the summary, sum total, if we simply understand... Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. Everything is emanated from the Supreme Absolute Truth, Krsna. That much knowledge is sufficient. Then you can increase -- how they are working. How, by Krsna's energies, the material energy is working by the direction of Krsna, that is advanced knowledge. But on the whole, if we... As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. That is perfect knowledge. If we think that this matter is working independently, as modern scientists, they think that chemical evolution... No. No chemical evolution. Life does not produce by chemical evolution. Life is from life. That... Just like Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, that aham sarvatra, aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. The answer is given there. The Vedanta-sutra, the question is "What is Brahman?" And the answer is there... athato brahma jijnasa, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. Indirectly given. The Brahman, Parabrahman, is that from whom everything emanates.

Everything means... There are two things: jada and cetana, living entities and nonliving entiti..., jada. Dull entities. Matter is dull. So everything means including both. Matter is also coming from Krsna, and these cetana, or living entities, they are also coming from... And the whole world is combination of this matter and cetana -- your body, my body. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim param, jiva-bhutam maha-baho yayedam dharyate jagat [Bg. 7.5]. This material energy is inferior, and the spiritual energy is superior. And superior why? Because the superior energy, the living entity, jiva-bhuta, they are controlling. Not controlling. They are trying to utilize. Just like we advanced living entities, human beings, we have created the modern civilization by utilizing the matter, utilizing the matter. That is our superiority. But we are also prakrti. Apareyam viddhi me prakrtim param. We are para-prakrti, spiritual energy. This is the understanding. In this way we have to understand tattva-jnana. The human life is meant for understanding tattva. Jivasya tattva-jijnasa. The Vedanta-sutra: athato brahma jijnasa. Jijnasa, tattva-jijnasa, the same thing.

So explanation of Vedanta-sutra is Srimad-Bhagavatam. Srimad-Bhagavatam begins that what is that tattva. Janmady asya [SB 1.1.1]. Janmady asya, from whom everything has emanated, or the Supreme, which is the source of everything, so what is the nature of that source? That is explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam: janmady asya yatah anvayad itaratas ca arthesu abhijnah [SB 1.1.1]. That source is abhijnah, cognizant, not matter. Matter is not cognizant. Life. Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1], cognizant. So these scientists' theory, modern theory, that life comes from matter, this is wrong. The life comes from life. Because in the Bhagava..., Srimad-Bhagavatam it is explained that janmady asya yatah anvayad itaratas ca arthesu abhijnah [SB 1.1.1]. The identity from whom everything emanates, He's abhijnah, cognizant. He can understand. So cognizant means life. Not only that. Tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. He instructed knowledge to Lord Brahma, about Vedic knowledge. So unless one is living entity, how he can impart knowledge?

So actually, the Absolute Truth is explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, or the Vedanta-sutra's explanation, natural explanation,... Actually, Srimad-Bhagavatam was written by Vyasadeva. Here it is said, dvaipayana-sakha. Dvaipayana means Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva compiled this Brahma-sutra, and he explained it, bhasyam brahma-sutranam **, this Srimad-Bhagavatam. If we read some artificial comments on Brahma-sutra, we'll misunderstand. Generally, these Mayavadis give prominence of the comment given by Sankaracarya about Brahma-sutra, Sariraka-bhasya. But that is unnatural. The natural commentation is given by the author himself, Vyasadeva. So we have to understand... Vyasadeva has written Brahma-sutra, and we have to understand the meaning of Brahma... Brahma-sutra means codes only. So codes can be explained by the author himself. So our process is to accept the Brahma-sutra. Brahma-sutra-padais caiva hetumadbhir viniscitaih [Bg. 13.5]. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita. So Brahma-sutra is nyaya-prasthana. Nyaya-prasthana: very logically, transcendental knowledge. So brahma-sutra-padais caiva hetumadbhir viniscitaih [Bg. 13.5]. So we must... Therefore, according to our Vedic system, the acarya must understand Brahma-sutra and explain. Then he'll be accepted as acarya.

Therefore two sampradayas, the Mayavadi sampradaya and the Vaisnava sampradaya, both of them have explained the Brahma-sutra. Otherwise, they are not authorities. Without understanding Brahma-sutra, nobody can understand what is Brahman. Therefore here it is said that Vidura understood the anviksikyam, transcendental knowledge, from Maitreya. Who is Maitreya? Dvaipayana-sakha. He's the friend. That means he has association with Vyasadeva. Just like friend and friend, the one friend knows the other friend, what is his position, what is his knowledge. So Maitreya was friend of Vyasadeva. That means he knows what Vyasadeva knows. So we have to approach such spiritual master or instructor who is in disciplic succession of Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva. Everyone claims that "We are also following Vyasadeva." But not superficially. Actually following Vyasadeva. Just like Vyasadeva accepted Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When Arjuna said, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12], he accepted Krsna as the Parabrahman, the Supreme Person. So one may say that "Arjuna was friend of Krsna; he might have accepted like that." No. He gave evidence that "Vyasadeva also accepts You. Vyasadeva also accepts You, 'You are the Parabrahman.' " Vyasadeva begins the comments on Vedanta-sutra: om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. He begins, janmady asya yatah, param satyam dhimahi [SB 1.1.1].

So if we actually are interested to understand spiritual knowledge, we must approach the representative of acarya. Pratijane. And acarya means who follows Vyasadeva. Just like Maitreya, dvaipayana-sakha. Maitreyo bhagavan. He has been addressed as Bhagavan. Of course, the Supreme Bhagavan is Bhaga... Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. But other powerful persons, just like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, or Vyasadeva, Maitreya, very, very big personalities, they are also sometimes addressed as Bhagavan. Naradadeva. They are bhagavan. Actual Bhagavan is Krsna. But they have attained, as far as possible... It is not possible to have the cent percent knowledge of Krsna. Nobody can do that. Even Narayana cannot do that. Even Bhisma cannot do that. But those who are, I mean to say, devotees or followers of Krsna's instructions fully, they are also sometimes called bhagavan. But that bhagavan does not mean artificial bhagavan. Bhagavan means he knows what Krsna has taught. He's also bhagavan. Bhagavams tatha, praha, he said, idam, viduram, unto Vidura, and pritah, being pleased. Not that simply talking between friends and friends. No. Being pritah. Just to... He's also eager. He's also eager, and he's also very much pleased. Vidura was eager to receive the transcendental knowledge, and Maitreya was pleased upon him.

How one can be pleased? That is the process. Pranipatena sevaya. You can please one simply by surrendering to himself and by rendering service, "Sir, I am your most obedient servant. Please accept me and give me instruction." Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam [Bg. 2.7]. Even Arjuna was a very intimate friend of Krsna, still, while learning Srimad-Bhagavad-gita from Him, he surrendered himself to Krsna and said that "I am no more your friend." Of course, friend is also, a friend of Krsna is also surrendered. That is... But specifically he said, sisyas te 'ham. Sisya means "You can rule over me now." Sas-dhatu. Sas-dhatu. From sas-dhatu, sastra, sisya, sastra, these things have come. So sisyas te 'ham. Sisya means "Now I am under Your full control. You can use me in whatever way You like." So in this way, anviksikyam pracoditah.

So this is the process of asking. Pariprasna is asking question. Of course, one, the sisya, must ask. He must... But not challenge. Just to understand. Jijnasuh sreya uttamam. Not to defeat the spiritual master. But one should be inquisitive, inquire from the spiritual master, being jijnasu, very inquisitive to understand the spiritual science. Not that "I know better than you. Let us talk." No. That is not with guru. You must find out a guru where you can surrender, pranipatena. If you don't find a person where you cannot surrender, don't waste your time and his time. First of all surrender. So this is the process of understanding transcendental... Anviksikyam pracoditah.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.4 -- Bombay, November 4, 1974

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Approach a Proper Guru

Approach a Proper Guru

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.04
Bombay, November 4, 1974

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Nitai: "Sri Suta Gosvami said: The most powerful sage Maitreya was a friend of Vyasadeva. Thus being encouraged, Maitreya, pleased by Vidura's inquiry about transcendental knowledge, spoke as follows."

Prabhupada:

dvaipayana-sakhas tv evam
maitreyo bhagavams tatha
prahedam viduram prita
anviksikyam pracoditah
 [SB 3.25.4]

So this is the process of getting knowledge, to approach the proper person, guru, and submissively hear from him about transcendental knowledge. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. Don't try to receive spiritual knowledge or transcendental knowledge very cheaply. Although it is very easy, there is no difficulty, but the process must be known. Just like any machine -- we have got experience -- just like sometimes our typewriter machine or this dictaphone does not work. So if we go to the proper person, who knows the work, he immediately tightens one screw or changes something; it works. The process we must know. So if I go to a pan-wala for repairing my machine, that will be not good. He does not know the process. He may know to..., how to make pan, bidi; but doesn't matter, he does not know how to repair a machine.

Therefore the shastric injunction is, Vedic injunction, that tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. If you want to know transcendental knowledge, tad-vijnana... Tad-vijna... It is also vijnana. Actually, human life is meant for understanding tad-vijnana. Tad-vijnana means transcendental knowledge, not material knowledge, bodily. Bodily... Even a medical practitioner, he does not know, he has no knowledge of the spirit soul. He simply studies the mechanical arrangement of the body. The body's a big machine made by nature. It is called yantra. Actually it is a machine. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said,

isvarah sarva-bhutanam
hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati
bhramayan sarva-bhutani
yantrarudhani mayaya
 [Bg. 18.61]

Yantrarudhani mayaya. This body is machine. The, those who are very much attached to this machine, for them, the yoga system is recommended because... One who is very much in the conception of the body, so they have been taught just to concentrate the mind on some practice, some gymnastic, so that mind may be concentrated and he can focus the mind towards Visnu, Lord Visnu. Real purpose is to understand Visnu, the Supreme. So the yoga system is therefore a mechanical arrangement. But the bhakti system is above the machine, above this mechanical arrangement. That is... Therefore it is called tad-vijnana. The mechanical understanding is material, and above that, tad-vijnana.

So tad-vijnanartham, if you want to understand spiritual knowledge, then you have to approach a guru. Guru. Guru means weighty, I mean to say, one who has got better knowledge. Heavy. Guru means heavy, heavy with knowledge. And what is that knowledge? "I have got so much knowledge." No. Transcendental... Tad-vijnana. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet, samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham [MU 1.2.12]. That heaviness is brahma-nistham, how much one is attached to Brahman, Parabrahman, Bhagavan. That is guru's qualification. Brahmany upasamasrayam. This is the mantra of Kathopanisad, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet. Similarly, in the Bhagavata also it is said, tasmad gurum prapadyeta [SB 11.3.21]. Tasmat, "Therefore one must approach guru." The here, in the Upanisad also gives definition who is guru. Guru means srotriyam brahma-nistham [MU 1.2.12], "one who has received knowledge by hearing Vedas," srotriyam. Because Vedas are called sruti.

So those who are in the line of hearing from the preceptorial succession, disciplic succession... As it is said in the Bhagavad-gita, evam parampara-praptam [Bg. 4.2]. Not, I mean to say, upstart knowledge. Standard knowledge. Standard knowledge is received from the parampara system, disciplic succession. Therefore it is said, srotriyam. Srotriyam means "who has heard from the parampara system." Srotriyam... And the result is brahma-nistham: "He is firmly fixed up in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Brahma-nistham. He has no other business. This is two qualifications. He must have heard the Vedic knowledge through the disciplic succession. It does not require that he is very learned scholar. No. Simply he must hear from the authority. Srotriyam. You have... Krsna has given you, God has given you the ear. This is our system. Simply they hear and they become big, big preacher. It doesn't require that he has to pass M.A., C.B.A.C., or Ph.D. examinations. Hearing is sufficient. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. You remain in your position, in your place. You do not require to change it. Sthane sthitah.

Sthane sthitah means the varnasrama, four varnas and four asramas. Brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, and four asramas: brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasa. So this is civilization. Unless the society is divided into these eight divisions, that is animal civilization. That is not human civilization. You must be systematized, regulated system. Just like in this body there are different divisions: the head division, the arm division, the belly division, and the leg division. Similarly, without these four divisions, no society can be conducted very nicely. Then it will be chaos. So sthane sthitah means to remain in these regulative principles of varnasrama. That is called sthane sthitah. You remain in your position. It doesn't require you have to change. It is not that a sudra, without becoming a brahmana... Of course, sudra will become brahmana -- by hearing. Brahmana means brahma janatiti brahmanah. If he hears, even a sudra, he can understand what is Brahman. Then he becomes brahmana. So this is required. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. With great attention, body, mind and words, intelligence -- with everything, one must hear.

So here we see, viduram pritah. Vidura was hearing from Maitreya Rsi, and Maitreya Rsi was very much pleased. Priti. Unless you satisfy your teacher, or guru, very nicely, you cannot get the right knowledge. That is natural. If you receive your guru, give him very nice place, he can sit comfortably, and he's pleased with your behavior, then he can speak very frankly and very freely, which will be very much beneficial for you. Therefore this word is... He was talking. He was preaching. He was giving instruction to Vidura, being pleased, priti. Maitreya Rsi was very much pleased. That is also recommended in the Srimad-Bhagavad-gita: tad viddhi pranipatena. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. Simply going and asking the spiritual master or guru, and not to accept his instructions, then don't waste your time. Don't waste your time. In a challenging spirit, if you go to a spiritual master, without any service, sevaya, and pranipatena... Pranipatena... Prakrsta-rupena nipata. Nipata means fall down, and pra means prakrsta-rupa, sufficiently. No reservation. This knowledge, the transcendental knowledge, is based on this pranipata. Therefore Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "You just surrender unto Me." And similarly we have to surrender to Krsna or His representative.

 

So guru is representative, external representative. Internal guru is Krsna Himself. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese arjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. Not that Isvara, Krsna, is in Vaikuntha or Goloka Vrndavana. He is everywhere, even within the atom. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah [Bs. 5.37]. That is Paramatma. Atma is... I am atma, you are atma. We are all situated locally. You are situated within your body, I am situated within my body. But Paramatma is situated everywhere. That is the difference between atma and Paramatma. Atma and Paramatma... Those who are mistaking that "There is no difference between atma and Paramatma," no, there is difference. They are one in one sense, that both of them-cognizant. They are living entities. Cetanas cetananam. Cetanas cetananam, nityo nityanam. But they are different. In the Bhagavad-gita Krsna says, ksetrah ksetra-jnah. Ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata [Bg. 13.3]. Ksetra-jna means the proprietor of the ksetra, this body. Body is called ksetra. So I am proprietor. Not proprietor, I am occupier. Just like in a house, the tenant and the landlord. The landlord is the occupier, tenant, and the landlord is the proprietor. Similarly, we atmas, we are simply occupier of this body. We are not proprietor. The proprietor is Paramatma. Sarva-ksetresu bharata. So if the proprietor says that "Get out of this house," or some, by law... Similarly, when the Paramatma says, "Now you have to leave this body," you have to leave this body. So this is Vedic knowledge.

So one must approach a proper guru. The guru's qualification is, in every sastra, that... Just like in the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said, tad viddhi..., er, tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. One does not require to accept a guru unless he is inquisitive to understand the ultimate goal or benefit of life. Ordinary man who is interested with the bodily comforts of life, he doesn't require a guru. But generally, the, at the present moment, guru means who can give you some bodily medicine. Approaches some saintly person, "Mahatmaji, I am suffering from this disease." "Yes, I have mantra. Take this..." That sort of guru is accepted. So same bodily... Or some bodily wealth, bodily... No.

tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah
 [Bg. 4.34]

One should approach guru for seeing the tattva, the Absolute Truth. That is necessary. Not for any material benefit. One should not search out a guru for, I mean to say, curing some material disease. For that, there is medical practitioner. Why should you search out after a guru? But people search out, that "I have got some material disease, and if somebody can cure, some saintly person, then he's guru or he's Bhagavan. I am poor. If he can give me some money, then he's guru." No. The sastra does not say like that. Guru means srotriyam brahma-nistham [MU 1.2.12]. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam, sabde pare ca nisnatam [SB 11.3.21]. Guru means who knows the Vedic sastra, the Vedas. He knows the Vedic conclusion. And the Vedic conclusion is to understand Krsna. That is Vedic conclusion. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15].

Therefore those who are trying to understand Krsna, or partially... We cannot understand fully Krsna. That is not possible. We have not so capacity. Because Krsna is so big. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta. So with our limited knowledge we cannot understand... Even Krsna does not understand Himself, Krsna is so great. Krsna Himself, He does not know why He's so much attractive. Therefore, to understand this knowledge, why Krsna is so attractive, He became Lord Caitanya, taking the ecstatic emotion of Srimati Radharani. Radha-bhava-dyuti. That's a very great science. Krsna is such that Krsna... Of course, it is our calculation that Krsna does not understand Himself. So to understand Krsna, fully Krsna, it is not possible. But as far as our limited knowledge is concerned, if we understand Krsna so much, that is our perfection. That is our perfection. Therefore Krsna says, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah [Bg. 4.9].

So if we understand Krsna as a human being like us, avajananti mam mudhah [Bg. 9.11], then we are mudhas. "Krsna is also... Krsna's body is made of these maya elements, or external elements, like us." Just like our body is made of these material elements. If we think Krsna also made of that elements, of these material elements, ksitir apo 'nalo vayuh, then we are mistaken. Krsna is... Here, in the previous verse, we have learned: atma-mayaya. There are... Of course, this material energy is also atma-maya, Krsna's. Not ours. Mama maya. Krsna says, mama maya. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya [Bg. 7.14]. This material world is Krsna's. We cannot say mama maya. No. We are under the control of this material nature. But Krsna is the controller of the material nature. That is the difference. We are controlled by the material nature, but Krsna is not controlled, but He's controller. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. One who understands this, that this prakrti, this material nature, is working under the direction of Krsna, that is our real knowledge. How the things are going on? That is not possible to understand. But the summary, sum total, if we simply understand... Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. Everything is emanated from the Supreme Absolute Truth, Krsna. That much knowledge is sufficient. Then you can increase -- how they are working. How, by Krsna's energies, the material energy is working by the direction of Krsna, that is advanced knowledge. But on the whole, if we... As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. That is perfect knowledge. If we think that this matter is working independently, as modern scientists, they think that chemical evolution... No. No chemical evolution. Life does not produce by chemical evolution. Life is from life. That... Just like Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, that aham sarvatra, aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. The answer is given there. The Vedanta-sutra, the question is "What is Brahman?" And the answer is there... athato brahma jijnasa, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. Indirectly given. The Brahman, Parabrahman, is that from whom everything emanates.

Everything means... There are two things: jada and cetana, living entities and nonliving entiti..., jada. Dull entities. Matter is dull. So everything means including both. Matter is also coming from Krsna, and these cetana, or living entities, they are also coming from... And the whole world is combination of this matter and cetana -- your body, my body. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim param, jiva-bhutam maha-baho yayedam dharyate jagat [Bg. 7.5]. This material energy is inferior, and the spiritual energy is superior. And superior why? Because the superior energy, the living entity, jiva-bhuta, they are controlling. Not controlling. They are trying to utilize. Just like we advanced living entities, human beings, we have created the modern civilization by utilizing the matter, utilizing the matter. That is our superiority. But we are also prakrti. Apareyam viddhi me prakrtim param. We are para-prakrti, spiritual energy. This is the understanding. In this way we have to understand tattva-jnana. The human life is meant for understanding tattva. Jivasya tattva-jijnasa. The Vedanta-sutra: athato brahma jijnasa. Jijnasa, tattva-jijnasa, the same thing.

So explanation of Vedanta-sutra is Srimad-Bhagavatam. Srimad-Bhagavatam begins that what is that tattva. Janmady asya [SB 1.1.1]. Janmady asya, from whom everything has emanated, or the Supreme, which is the source of everything, so what is the nature of that source? That is explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam: janmady asya yatah anvayad itaratas ca arthesu abhijnah [SB 1.1.1]. That source is abhijnah, cognizant, not matter. Matter is not cognizant. Life. Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1], cognizant. So these scientists' theory, modern theory, that life comes from matter, this is wrong. The life comes from life. Because in the Bhagava..., Srimad-Bhagavatam it is explained that janmady asya yatah anvayad itaratas ca arthesu abhijnah [SB 1.1.1]. The identity from whom everything emanates, He's abhijnah, cognizant. He can understand. So cognizant means life. Not only that. Tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. He instructed knowledge to Lord Brahma, about Vedic knowledge. So unless one is living entity, how he can impart knowledge?

So actually, the Absolute Truth is explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, or the Vedanta-sutra's explanation, natural explanation,... Actually, Srimad-Bhagavatam was written by Vyasadeva. Here it is said, dvaipayana-sakha. Dvaipayana means Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva compiled this Brahma-sutra, and he explained it, bhasyam brahma-sutranam **, this Srimad-Bhagavatam. If we read some artificial comments on Brahma-sutra, we'll misunderstand. Generally, these Mayavadis give prominence of the comment given by Sankaracarya about Brahma-sutra, Sariraka-bhasya. But that is unnatural. The natural commentation is given by the author himself, Vyasadeva. So we have to understand... Vyasadeva has written Brahma-sutra, and we have to understand the meaning of Brahma... Brahma-sutra means codes only. So codes can be explained by the author himself. So our process is to accept the Brahma-sutra. Brahma-sutra-padais caiva hetumadbhir viniscitaih [Bg. 13.5]. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita. So Brahma-sutra is nyaya-prasthana. Nyaya-prasthana: very logically, transcendental knowledge. So brahma-sutra-padais caiva hetumadbhir viniscitaih [Bg. 13.5]. So we must... Therefore, according to our Vedic system, the acarya must understand Brahma-sutra and explain. Then he'll be accepted as acarya.

Therefore two sampradayas, the Mayavadi sampradaya and the Vaisnava sampradaya, both of them have explained the Brahma-sutra. Otherwise, they are not authorities. Without understanding Brahma-sutra, nobody can understand what is Brahman. Therefore here it is said that Vidura understood the anviksikyam, transcendental knowledge, from Maitreya. Who is Maitreya? Dvaipayana-sakha. He's the friend. That means he has association with Vyasadeva. Just like friend and friend, the one friend knows the other friend, what is his position, what is his knowledge. So Maitreya was friend of Vyasadeva. That means he knows what Vyasadeva knows. So we have to approach such spiritual master or instructor who is in disciplic succession of Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva. Everyone claims that "We are also following Vyasadeva." But not superficially. Actually following Vyasadeva. Just like Vyasadeva accepted Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When Arjuna said, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12], he accepted Krsna as the Parabrahman, the Supreme Person. So one may say that "Arjuna was friend of Krsna; he might have accepted like that." No. He gave evidence that "Vyasadeva also accepts You. Vyasadeva also accepts You, 'You are the Parabrahman.' " Vyasadeva begins the comments on Vedanta-sutra: om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. He begins, janmady asya yatah, param satyam dhimahi [SB 1.1.1].

So if we actually are interested to understand spiritual knowledge, we must approach the representative of acarya. Pratijane. And acarya means who follows Vyasadeva. Just like Maitreya, dvaipayana-sakha. Maitreyo bhagavan. He has been addressed as Bhagavan. Of course, the Supreme Bhagavan is Bhaga... Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. But other powerful persons, just like Lord Brahma, Lord Siva, or Vyasadeva, Maitreya, very, very big personalities, they are also sometimes addressed as Bhagavan. Naradadeva. They are bhagavan. Actual Bhagavan is Krsna. But they have attained, as far as possible... It is not possible to have the cent percent knowledge of Krsna. Nobody can do that. Even Narayana cannot do that. Even Bhisma cannot do that. But those who are, I mean to say, devotees or followers of Krsna's instructions fully, they are also sometimes called bhagavan. But that bhagavan does not mean artificial bhagavan. Bhagavan means he knows what Krsna has taught. He's also bhagavan. Bhagavams tatha, praha, he said, idam, viduram, unto Vidura, and pritah, being pleased. Not that simply talking between friends and friends. No. Being pritah. Just to... He's also eager. He's also eager, and he's also very much pleased. Vidura was eager to receive the transcendental knowledge, and Maitreya was pleased upon him.

How one can be pleased? That is the process. Pranipatena sevaya. You can please one simply by surrendering to himself and by rendering service, "Sir, I am your most obedient servant. Please accept me and give me instruction." Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam [Bg. 2.7]. Even Arjuna was a very intimate friend of Krsna, still, while learning Srimad-Bhagavad-gita from Him, he surrendered himself to Krsna and said that "I am no more your friend." Of course, friend is also, a friend of Krsna is also surrendered. That is... But specifically he said, sisyas te 'ham. Sisya means "You can rule over me now." Sas-dhatu. Sas-dhatu. From sas-dhatu, sastra, sisya, sastra, these things have come. So sisyas te 'ham. Sisya means "Now I am under Your full control. You can use me in whatever way You like." So in this way, anviksikyam pracoditah.

So this is the process of asking. Pariprasna is asking question. Of course, one, the sisya, must ask. He must... But not challenge. Just to understand. Jijnasuh sreya uttamam. Not to defeat the spiritual master. But one should be inquisitive, inquire from the spiritual master, being jijnasu, very inquisitive to understand the spiritual science. Not that "I know better than you. Let us talk." No. That is not with guru. You must find out a guru where you can surrender, pranipatena. If you don't find a person where you cannot surrender, don't waste your time and his time. First of all surrender. So this is the process of understanding transcendental... Anviksikyam pracoditah.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.25.4 -- Bombay, November 4, 1974

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