How to Degrade Yourself

How to Degrade Yourself

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.66
Vrndavana, September 2, 1975

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Prabhupada:

yatas tatas copaninye
nyayato 'nyayato dhanam
babharasyah kutumbinyah
kutumbam manda-dhir ayam
 [SB 6.1.66]

So this is the beginning of samsara. So there is attraction between man and woman, and as soon as the attraction becomes little intimate, they unite. Then they have children. Then they require money, apartment, so many things. This man became sinful. He gave up his real wife, married wife, coming from very good family, but he became attracted with that sudrani, fourth class. Sudra means fourth class, worker class. Brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. So sudra women, they are not chaste. Some of them are practically professional prostitute. But that is not in higher caste family -- brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya. But at the present moment it is very difficult to distinguish who is brahmana and who is sudra. But formerly this is the system of Vedic civilization -- ideal character, ideal behavior of the brahmana; less, little less, ksatriya; little less, vaisya; and less than the vaisya, the sudra; and less than the sudras are called candalas. First class, second class, third class, fourth class, and then fifth class.

So this man, being attracted with the sudrani, naturally there was children. So he began to maintain them. This is natural affection. Even cats and dogs, they maintain their children. The birds also, they maintain their kiddies. So although children were born of sudrani, natural, there was affection. So he required money. But he became sinful; he could not earn money honestly. A sinful man cannot earn money honestly. Just like a thief: because he has adopted the means of earning money by sinful activities, he cannot take to honest work. He can work, but he is accustomed to steal. He knows that "This work is not good." If he is arrested, he will be punished. He has seen that one thief arrested and punished, and he has heard also that if one steals, he will be punished. And he has heard also from the sastra, either law book or Vedic literature, that "Stealing is not good. It is punishable." But still, he does it. That means a sinful man cannot restrain himself from sinful activity. He has to do it. Karanam guna-sango asya sad-asad-janma-yonisu [Bg. 13.22]. Unless you give up the particular situation with the modes of nature, it is not possible for him to restrain himself from committing sinful activities.

So he became sinful because he left his married wife and he became attracted with a sudrani immediately. That has been described in the previous verse. Visasarjacirat papah. Papah means sinful man. He became sinful immediately. Therefore we stress on marriage. They cannot understand why this association stresses so much for marriage, not to live... They live as friend. That is sudra. There is no legal marrige. Sudra and sudrani. Just like he was living with the sudrani -- he was not married -- as friend. So even sudra's marriage there is. For the sudra there is one asrama -- that is grhastha asrama. And for the brahmanas, four asramas: brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasa. This is for the brahmanas. For the ksatriya: brahmacari, grhastha, and vanaprastha. For the vaisyas: brahmacari and grhastha. And for the sudras: no brahmacari, only family life, and that also sometimes without marriage. This is the low-grade, first-grade, second-grade. So now to live as friend, a sudra, that is now current all over the world. Now marriage is being forgotten. That is also written the sastra, that "There will be no more marriage. One man and woman should live together by agreement." That is going on now in Kali-yuga. Svikaram eva hy udvahe, it is stated. Simply agree: "Yes, you become my bedfellow; I become your bedfellow." That's all. Finished. Svikaram eva hy udvahe. That is marriage. No more that ceremonial marriage. That is being forgotten. This is Kali-yuga now. Dampatyam eva hi... Ratim eva hi dampatye: "And their so-called unity, man and woman, means sex." There is no other meaning. Dampatye, union of man and woman, means sex. There is no other religious system, that husband, wife, live together; they should cooperate for advancing in Krsna consciousness. These things are being forgotten.

So Kali-yuga, these things are very common, but in the previous yuga, Satya-yuga, they were not very common, but rare. This combination of the brahmana and the sudrani, this is accidental. It is not common. So anyway, accidental or organized, it doesn't matter. One who violates the rules and regulation, immediately he comes to the category of such classification. So he became a sudra. Although he was born in a brahmana family, he was being trained up, but on account of the association of a sudrani, prostitute, he fell down and he became a papah, most sinful man. So as a papah, he did not know how to earn money honestly. He is neither brahmana, nor ksatriya, nor vaisya. He is now not even sudra, less than that. Therefore it is said, yatas tatas ca upaninye: "Somehow or other..." According to classification, a brahmana has got specific function for earning his livelihood, a ksatriya has got a specific action for livelihood, a vaisya has got specific action for livelihood, and a sudra has got a specific action for livelihood. But he became less than sudra. Therefore yatas tatas ca -- "Somehow or other, bring money, bring money." This is called yatas tatas ca, no fixed up.

A brahmana... Everyone has to earn livelihood. That is a fact. Without working, you cannot live. So there are specific... Just like brahmana-yajan yajan pathan pathan danah pratigrahah. He must be very good worshiper of the Lord, and he must induce his yajamana, his dependent. Brahmana is the head, and the ksatriya, vaisya, they are yajamana. So they should induce, just like we are inducing all over the world, "Open temple. Worship Krsna." This is brahmana's business.

sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana
srngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau
yuktasya bhaktams ca niyunjato 'pi
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

This is the duty of the guru. He worships himself. Unless he knows how to worship, how he will teach them? So he acts himself as brahmana, and he teaches the disciple how to work as a brahmana. Sri-vigraha. This is called yajana yajana. Pathana pathana. He must be a learned brahmana, and he must teach others how to become learned brahmana, pandita. Pathana pathana yajana yajana dana pratigraha. He can accept charity from others, and he will distribute it by temple worship, distribute. All that you have collected, worship the Deity and distribute prasadam. Distribute this. Distribute. Danah pratigrahah. This is brahmana's business. Pathana pathana yajana yajana. And ksatriya, they will be governor of certain villages or little extended, and they will give protection. Ksatriya means giving protection. If somebody is coming outside to attack you, the ksatriya kings will immediately come out and with sword they will give you protection. And because the ksatriya gives you protection, therefore you give him some tax. Unless the governor or the government does not give you protection, they have no place to tax. That is not. That is illegal. Therefore ksatriya can levy tax because he gives protection. And a brahmana, he elevates the society to spiritual standard. Then simply protection and advancing in spiritual life will not do. We must have food also. So that is vaisya's business. Krsi-goraksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhava-jam [Bg 18.44]. The vaisyas should produce food. Annad bhavanti bhutani [Bg. 3.14]. Unless people eat, how they will live? Simply becoming king for levying tax and simply becoming brahmana to teach how to worship, but if you have no food, then what you will do? There must be arrangement for food. That is entrusted to the vaisyas. In this way this is classification. Not by birth one becomes brahmana, and working less than a sudra, and he is still brahmana. This is nonsense. One must be Guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. The society is divided. According to the quality, he is working accordingly.

So this is the Vedic society. Now it is all lost. But if you revive it, people will be happy, if you can revive it. There is no difficulty. But unfortunately, in this age everyone has become sudra, so it is little difficult to raise them again. But if everyone is engaged in chanting Hare Krsna mantra, then everything is possible. Without chanting Hare Krsna mantra they are all fallen. Artificially you cannot raise them to the standard of living. That is not possible. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. They must be cleansed of the dirty things within the heart, and then it will. That is the instruction we are going... This man is falling down, and how he will be elevated by chanting the holy name of Narayana. That is the narration we are going to have. Now, how he is fallen down, now, that is now being described. And how he'll be raised, that will be also described.

So now it is falling down. His business... He has got family, wife, children, and he requires money because the economic development, economic impetus, begins from this family affection. It is fact. Nobody would earn money. Therefore, if one is not married, he does not like to earn money. This is natural. And if he has got family, wife and children, then he will try to earn money. So this man is a rogue, he is sinful, but because still he has got children and wife, therefore he has to earn money. But because he is sinful, he cannot earn money honestly. Yatas tatas ca upaninye. Yena tena prakarena: "Bring money. Somehow or other, bring money." Yatas tatas ca upaninye nyayatah anyayatah. Nyayatah means legally, lawfully. Nyaya means law. Anyayatah, "without legal..." Just like we can earn money by stealing, but that is anyayatah. You cannot touch others' property. Tena tyaktena bhunjithah ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam [Iso mantra 1]. This is Vedic instruction. Whatever you are allotted you can "A brahmana, you can earn like this. A ksatriya, you can earn like this. A vaisya, you can earn like this." But don't encroach upon others' property. But he became sinful, yena tena prakarena. Nyayatah anyayatah. Nyayatah is finished because he was a brahmana. No more he is brahmana. So anyayatah, simply unlawfully. Anyaya. Why? Babhara, maintaining, asyah kutumbinyah, the family members, wife and children. Kutumbam manda-dhir ayam. Manda-dhih. Manda means very bad, very bad intelligence. In this way he began to earn his money and gradually he degraded and that will be described, how he became degraded.

So beginning, his degradation, is the association. He was a brahmana, but by chance he became associated with a prostitute. So this association is very, very important. By association... Sangat sanjayate kamah. If you associate with good association, then you become good. And if you associate with bad association, then you become bad. Therefore we are establishing Krsna conscious society. A Krsna conscious man cannot be bad. Therefore, if people are given chance to associate with this society, automatically he'll become good. Otherwise there is no need of opening so many centers all over the world. But the idea is that to give the chance of good association. Therefore, those who are members of this society, they should be ideal. Simply by their association people will become good, very good responsibility. And if they become bad themselves, there is no possibility because we are giving instruction. We are behaving like that. Still, one becomes bad -- oh, that is very great misfortune. Therefore all our members, the members of the Krsna consciousness society, should be ideal. At least people may see that "Here is a class of men -- ideal character, ideal behavior, spiritual advanced, and very frugal and very nice." That is... Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah [SB 5.18.12]. That is natural. If one becomes a devotee... That is the certificate, that how one has achieved good qualities. That is the test of becoming a devotee. Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah. A devotee means he has, what is called, awakened all the good qualities. The good qualities are there. Because we are part and parcel of God, there is no bad quality in our constitutional position. We are godly. We may be small, but the same quality. So there cannot be originally. Asango 'yam purusah. This is Vedic instruction. A living entity means spiritually part and parcel of God. There cannot be any bad quality. Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. Arjuna said to Krsna that pavitram paramam bhavan: "You are the most pure." So how His part and parcel can be impure? Gold may be a small particle, gold, but it is gold. It cannot be otherwise. Similarly, we, being Mamaivamsah. Krsna says that "They are My living beings. They are My part and parcel." So there cannot be any bad thing. The bad thing is because we have accepted this material body.

So in order to come back to our original position -- completely good, no bad thing -- we must come to Krsna consciousness. Otherwise we are gone; we are condemned. This is the purpose of Krsna consciousness movement, to bring him again to the platform of complete goodness.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.66 -- Vrndavana, September 2, 1975

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© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

"You Serve Krsna Or Maya"

66/09/02 New York, Bhagavad-gita 6.1-4


Prabhupada: We have finished the Fifth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita. Today we shall begin the Sixth Chapter. In the Sixth Chapter you'll find the process of yoga. You have heard many times of the yoga system. That yoga system is approved by Bhagavad-gita. But the system of yoga as prescribed in the Bhagavad-gita, it is specially meant for purifying your status. Karma-suddhasya vijitatmanah. Karma-suddhasya vijitatmanah. To control the senses and to purify the process of work, that is the purpose of yoga. Yoga means to purify the process of our activities and to control the senses. Sri-bhagavan uvaca. Bhagavan. The other day we have explained who is Bhagavan. Bhagavan is the last word of the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases: impersonal Brahman, localized Paramatma, Supersoul, and ultimately, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ultimately, Bhagavan, or the Supreme Absolute Truth, is person, and secondarily, He is all-pervading Supersoul, and the brahmajyoti effulgence.

So here it is said, sri-bhagavan uvaca. Bhagavan means the proprietor of everything and all-powerful, all... He has got all the... All-famous. Nobody can be more famous than God. And all-beautiful, and full of knowledge, and full of renunciation. Full of opulence, at the same time, full of renunciation. Here in the material world you'll find if a rich man has got great opulence, he is not liking to give it up. He's not liking. He does not like to renounce. But in the Supreme Personality of Godhead you'll find full of all opulence, but at the same time, full of renunciation. The six qualifications: proprietor of all opulence, all-famous, all strength, all beauty, all knowledge, and all renunciation. Anywhere you find all these six qualifications in full, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

So here it is said, sri-bhagavan uvaca. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is speaking. He's speaking means He's speaking with all knowledge. His knowledge has no flaw. Our knowledge has many, so many flaws. We commit mistake, we are illusioned. Sometimes we speak something and at our heart there is something else. That means we cheat. And our experience all imperfect because our senses are imperfect. Therefore I cannot speak anything to you. If you ask me, "Swamiji, then what you are speaking?" I am speaking simply what the Supreme Personality of Godhead has said. I'm just repeating the same words. That's all. Don't think that I am speaking. I am simply instrument. Real speaker is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is without and within. So what does He say? He says,

anasritah karma-phalam
karyam karma karoti yah
sa sannyasi ca yogi ca
na niragnir na cakriyah

Anasritah. Anasritah means without any shelter. Karma-phalam. Everyone is working, expecting some result. Whatever you do, work, you expect some result. Here Bhagavan says, the Supreme Personality of Godhead says, that "Anyone who works without any shelter of the result..." He works. Then if he does not expect any result, then why does he work? Unless... Suppose I ask somebody to work this way. Then he will expect something, some result, some remuneration, some reward, or some salary. That is the way of working here. But Krsna prescribes that anasritah karma-phalam, "One who works without any expectation of result or reward." Then why does he work? Karyam. "It is my duty. It is my duty." Not with a result, but as duty. "I am duty-bound to do this." Karyam karma karoti yah. In such a way, if somebody works, sa sannyasi, he is actually in the renounced order of life.

There are four stages of life according to Vedic culture. We have many times explained to you that brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasi. Brahmacari means student life, to be trained up in spiritual understanding, Krsna consciousness, fully trained up. He is called brahmacari. Then, after full training, he accepts wife, he gets himself married and lives with family and children. That is called grhastha. Then, after fifty years, he leaves the children alone and gets out of home accompanied by his wife and travels in the holy places. That is called vanaprastha, retired life. And at last he gives up his wife to the care of his children, grown-up children, and he remains alone. And that is called sannyasa, or renounced order of life. So these four orders of life there are.

Now, Krsna says that simply renouncement is not all. Simply renouncement is not all. There must be some duty. Karyam. Karyam means "It is my duty." Now, what is that duty? He has renounced the family life. He has no more botheration how to maintain his wife and children. Then what is his duty? That duty is very responsible duty -- to work for Krsna. Karyam. Karyam means it is the real duty. There are two kinds of duties in our life. One duty is to serve the illusion, and the other, another duty is to serve the reality. When you serve the reality, that is called real sannyasa. And when we serve the illusion, that is called maya. Now, either to serve the reality or to serve the illusion, I am in such a position that I have to serve. My position is not to become the master but to become the servant. That is my constitution.

Everyone in this material world, he's a servant. Nobody is master. One thinks that "I am the master," but he is actually servant. Suppose if you have got your family, if you are thinking that you are the master of your wife, of your children, of your servants, of your business, that is false. You are the servant of your wife, you are the servant of your children, you are the servant of your servants. That is your real position. Any case you take. The president, he is considered to be the master of your country, but actually he is the servant of your country. So if you go on analyzing that our position is always servant... So either we shall become the servant of illusion or we shall have to become the servant of God. But if we remain the servant of illusion, then our life is wasted. Everyone is servant of illusion. He's servant of nobody but servant of illusion. He is expecting some profit. For serving, he is expecting some profit, but that profit is transient and illusion. Therefore he is servant of illusion. And when a person becomes to his real senses, transcendental senses or jnanam, when he becomes actually the person in knowledge, then he becomes the servant of the reality. Because I am servant always, this way or that way.

So knowledge means: "Then why shall I serve the unreal illusion? Let me serve the reality. If my business is to serve and nothing to be...never to be master, always to serve, then why I shall serve the illusion? Let me serve the reality." That sense is called knowledge. So anasritah karma-phalam. Sannyasa, renounced order of life, means one who is in perfect knowledge, he can take sannyasa. Otherwise, if he takes all of a sudden the renounced order of life, he will create misery for himself and misery for others. In full knowledge, that sannyasa. So here, how that full knowledge is exhibited after sannyasa, that is explained here by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. What is that? Karyam. "It is my duty to become Krsna conscious and to serve the cause of Krsna. Oh, that is my duty. That is my real duty." When we come to this knowledge, then we become mahatma, or the great soul. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19]. You'll find in the Bhagavad-gita. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. "After many, many births, when a person, when a soul, is perfectly elevated to the platform of real knowledge, transcendental knowledge," then what does he do? "He surrenders unto Me," Krsna says. "He surrenders unto Me." Vas... Why? Vasudevah sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19], "You are everything, Vasudeva." Vasudeva means Krsna. This is Krsna consciousness. But Krsna says, "Such...," sa mahatma sudurlabhah, "such great soul is very scarce, rarely found." But any intelligent person, if he understands this philosophy, that "My ultimate goal of life is to surrender unto Krsna, why not surrender immediately? Why shall I wait?" Bahunam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19]. "Why shall I wait for so many births?"

So that stage is called real sannyasa. Karyam. Karyam means "It is my duty." I am not forced, but voluntarily, out of love, transcendental love. Just like mother serves this child out of love. There is no question of salary or remuneration. The mother loves this child. Similarly, you can love the Supreme Lord in many ways. You can love the Supreme Lord as master, you can love the Supreme Lord as friend, you can love the Supreme Lord as child, you can love the Supreme Lord as your husband. Any way. There are five different rasas or humors, in which we are eternally related with the Supreme Lord. And when we are actually in the liberated stage of all knowledge, we can understand that "Our relationship with the Lord is in this way." That is called svarupa-siddhi. That is real self-realization. That is real self-realization. Everyone has an eternal relationship with the Lord, either in the conception of master and servant, or in the conception of friend and friend, or in the conception of parents and the child, or in the conception of husband and wife, or in the conception of paramour and lover, and the beloved. So these relationships are there eternally.

Now, the whole process of spiritual realization is to come to this stage, transcendental stage. This relationship with the Supreme Lord is pervertedly reflected in this material world. And therefore we have got this relationship here, master and servant. But because it is perverted, therefore that relationship is not master and servant. That relationship is with the money and the benefit. There is no love. There is no love. Here in this material world, the master and the servant, that relationship continues so long the master is able to pay the servant. As soon as the payment is stopped, the relationship of master and servant also stops. Therefore that is not eternal. (to someone:) Come on. Sit down here. That is not eternal. Similarly, here also, there is relationship between friend and friend. But in slight difference of opinion the friendship breaks. The friend becomes enemy. Therefore it is perverted reflection. Similarly, the relationship between... (aside:) Come on here. Relationship between mother and son. A slight difference of opinion breaks the relationship, and the son becomes out of the relationship of mother, mother becomes out of... Every way. Husband and wife, a slight difference of opinion, there is divorce, separation.

So no relationship here in this material world is actual. Always remember that all relationship in this material world is perverted reflection of that relationship which we have got eternally with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is simply reflected. Just like the sunshine. The sunshine is reflected in the glass, and that reflection comes to your, in my apartment. At six o'clock the sunshine comes from the western side... eastern side. So in the evening the sunshine cannot come from the eastern side. The sunshine comes from the western side, but it is coming because it is reflected through a glass in the opposite house. This is the idea of reflected. That reflection of the sunshine is not real, but it appears just like sunshine. Similarly, all our relationship here, either as master and servant or as friend and friend or as parents and child or as husband and wife or as lover and the beloved, any relationship, whatever we see here, that is the perverted reflection of our eternal relationship with God.

So when we come to that platform of understanding, then we are perfectly in knowledge. So when that knowledge comes here, it is stated, he takes the service of the Lord, Krsna consciousness: karyam. Karyam means "It is my duty." Because I have got my eternal love relationship with Krsna. There is no question of remuneration. Of course, remuneration is there thousand times more than what remuneration we get here by rendering our service. Krsna thousand times... Not thousand times because there is no limit.

There is a nice story of a great devotee, Bali Maharaja. Bali Maharaja was a very powerful king and he conquered over the heavenly planets. So the denizens of the heavenly planets, they appealed to the Supreme Lord to save them, that "We are now conquered by the demonic king, Bali Maharaja." So Bali Maharaja... And Krsna, Krsna took the shape of a dwarf and went to Bali Maharaja for begging as a brahmana boy. And He approached him, Bali Maharaja, "I want something from you. You are a great king. You give in charity to the brahmanas. So I want something from you." So Bali Maharaja said, "Yes, I shall give You. What do You want?" "Now, I want land of three, in the measurement of My sole, three sole measurements. That's all." So He was a boy, His sole was sole, not very long. So Bali Maharaja said, "What You will do with a small piece of land?" But He said, "Yes, that will suffice Me. If you promise this three measurement of My three feet of land, that will suffice." Then Bali Maharaja agreed, and by His two measurement of the palm, He covered the whole universe. Then He's asking, "Bali Maharaja, now whatever you have got, you got, now it is finished by two feet, by two measurement of my palm. Now where I am going to keep My third, third one?" Then Bali Maharaja understood that it is the favor of the Supreme Lord. He said, "My dear Lord, yes, I have now lost everything. I have no other property, but I have got my head. Please kindly keep on it." You see. So the Lord was very much pleased on him, and He offered, "Bali Maharaja, then what do you want from Me?" "No, I never expected anything from You. I could understand You wanted from me everything; so I have offered my everything. That is finished. I don't want..." Then Lord says, "Yes, but from My side, I have got something to offer you. I shall remain as your order-carrier servant in your door." So He remained always... Just like we are sitting here, there may be some doorman, He, Lord became his doorman. So that is the return. If we offer something to Lord, oh, that is rewarded in many millions of times. So we should not expect.

The Lord is always serious to return the service of the servant, of His devotee. So there are many devotees. This devotee, Bali Maharaja, is surrendered everything for the service of the Lord. So he became a famous king. Sarvatma-snapane abhavad balir vaiyasakih. So now, anyone who thinks that "Service of Krsna, or service of the Lord, is my duty, duty," he is the man in perfect knowledge. Sa sannyasi. Sa sannyasi ca yogi ca. And he's actually yogi. We have heard the names of so many yogis, but here Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, "He is actual yogi." Who? "Who has surrendered himself fully unto Me and he is engaged in My service as a matter of duty." That's all. Sa sannyasi ca yogi ca na niragnir na cakriyah. Na niragnih. Niragnih means "those who have left home." In the varnasrama-dharma, one who is a householder, he has to perform daily yajna. So there is fire. Fire. Still we find in the Parsis, they are fire worshipers. So this fire worship is recommended in Vedic literature. So grhasthas, or the householders, they are expected to offer, I mean to say, sacrifice in the fire daily.

yam sannyasam iti prahur
yogam tam viddhi pandava
na hy asannyasta-sankalpo
yogi bhavati kascana
[Bg. 6.2]

Now, here is very important point. Yam sannyasam iti prahuh. Lord Sri Krsna instructs Arjuna that "Whatever is known as sannyasa, renounced order of life, that is also yoga." Yoga system and sannyasa, there is no difference because everything on the yoga system... This Bhagavad-gita is also known as yoga system. You'll find here three kinds of yoga: karma-yoga, jnana-yoga, and bhakti-yoga. So just like you have got a staircase to rise up to the fifth or sixth or tenth floor, or more than that, the whole staircase or the lift service is called yoga. Now, somebody may be in the fifth floor, somebody may be in the tenth floor, somebody may be on the fiftieth floor, but the same lift service is going. You take the lift service as the yoga, connection between the highest story to the down. Anyone who has elevated himself to a certain platform... Someone is called karma-yogi, someone is called jnana-yogi, someone is called dhyana-yogi, someone is called bhakti-yogi. So there are different kinds of yoga in this conception. Otherwise, this lift service, yoga service, is the same. It is, the difference is between the elevation point.

So similarly, yam sannyasam iti prahur yogam tam viddhi pandava [Bg. 6.2]. "Oh Arjuna." Pandava means "the son of Pandu, Arjuna." "You can understand that what is sannyasa and what is yoga, they are the same principle." They are the same principle how? Na hy asannyasta-sankalpo yogi bhavati kascana. Because without being freed from desires of sense gratification, nobody can become either a yogi or a sannyasi. Everyone is trying to have some profit out of his activities. There are many yogis, they perform yoga system or teach yoga system for some profit, but that is not the idea of yoga system. Everything should be engaged in the service of the Lord. Everything. Whatever we do, either as ordinary worker or as sannyasi or as yogi, or as jnani, all our energies should be dovetailed with Krsna consciousness. That is real sannyasa, that is real yoga. Aruruksor muner yogam karma karanam ucyate. Those who are just stepping on the staircase of the yoga system, for them, karma karanam ucyate, they must work. In the beginning, nobody should stop working. Nobody should stop working.

Just like you'll find in the Bhagavad-gita that Krsna requesting Arjuna to become a yogi, but He never asked him to cease from the fight. How one can become a yogi, at the same time remain a fighter? That, a practical example you see. Krsna is asking Arjuna, tasmad yogi bhavarjuna. "My dear Arjuna, therefore you become a yogi." But at the same time, He's asking to fight. Now, we know the yogi sits down at a place and meditates and concentrates his mind and controls his senses. How is that he is fighting, at the same time yogi? Huh? This is the mystery of Bhagavad-gita. You can remain a fighting man, at the same time the highest yogi, highest sannyasi. How? In Krsna consciousness. You have to fight for Krsna. That's all. That is the secret. That is the secret. If you fight for Krsna, if you fight for work...work for Krsna, if you eat for Krsna, if you sleep for Krsna, if you do everything for Krsna, then you are the yogi, you are the sannyasi, and you are everything. That is the secret of Bhagavad-gita. It is practical example. We see that Arjuna is asked, tasmad yogi bhavarjuna. "My dear..." Now you'll find in this chapter, Krsna will instruct Arjuna how to become a dhyana-yogi. That is meditation, yogi in meditation. He will ask Arjuna in this chapter, and you'll find, Arjuna will say, "My dear Krsna, it is impossible for me. It is impossible for me. This system which You recommend for meditation is not possible for me." And actually also, although the instruction of yoga system is offered to Krsna in very full details, you'll never find in the history of Arjuna's life that ever he became a meditator. Ever. Then how he became the most perfect yogi? Oh, that is, that we'll find at the end of this chapter, that "One who is always thinking of Krsna..."

yoginam api sarvesam
mad-gatenantar-atmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo mam
sa me yuktatamo matah
[Bg. 6.47]

Krsna, when He saw that Arjuna, he is (chuckles) declining, then He said, "My dear Arjuna, you are the highest yogi. You are the topmost yogi." Why? "Because you are always thinking of Me." That's all. "You have no other business than to think of Me." So this is the yoga system, this is the sannyasa system, this is the jnana system. All perfections of jnana, yoga, dhyana, and whatever, sacrifice, charity, and penance, all the recommended activities for spiritual realization ends in Krsna consciousness. So if you directly become Krsna conscious, then you are yogi, sannyasi, and everything. As it is stated here, sa sannyasi ca yogi ca. "He is sannyasi, he is yogi, and he is everything." He's everything. So this simple method, to become Krsna conscious, is the highest perfection of life. Therefore this society is established for Krsna consciousness. The techniques are there in the Bhagavad-gita and there are Srimad-Bhagavatam. Just try to accept this principle of life and your, this human form of life will be successful and perfect by Krsna consciousness.

So aruruksor muner yogam karma karanam ucyate. Those who are in the preliminary stage, they should always work for Krsna. Always. They must find out always some duty, "What is there to work now for Krsna consciousness?" Karma karanam ucyate. They should not remain idle for a second. Always find out some duty. That is meditation. "How I shall work for Krsna?"

aruruksor muner yogam
karma karanam ucyate
yogarudhasya tasyaiva
samah karanam ucyate

And when one is advanced in perfect stage of that Krsna consciousness, then he may not physically work, but because within himself he's always working for Krsna... Karma karanam ucyate. So in the beginning... Just like small boys and children, they are always twenty-four hours engaged in the schooling. Otherwise they'll be spoiled. Similarly, those who are in the preliminary stage of Krsna consciousness they should always engage themselves in the work. There are varieties of work. There are varieties of work.

Now, those who are actually working with our society, they practically do not find any time, any rest. There are so many work that one cannot finish. Day and night we have got work for Krsna consciousness. And we are happy to execute such work. And the students who are working with us, cooperating, they are also happy. You'll find happiness. If you chant Hare Krsna twenty-four hours, you'll never get tired, and that is the... You'll never get tired. In any other material thing, if you chant or you repeat three times, you'll get tired. It is practical test. But if you go on chanting Hare Krsna twenty-four hours, you'll never get tired. So if you engage yourself in the activity of Krsna consciousness, you'll never get tired because you are acting on the spiritual platform. Spiritual platform is absolute. The material platform is different. If you work very hard, then you get tired. So this is, these are the understandings of spiritual consciousness, or Krsna consciousness.

Now here it is very clearly explained:

yada hi nendriyarthesu
na karmasv anusajjate
sarva-sankalpa-sannyasi
yogarudhas tadocyate

When one becomes first-class yogi or when one is considered to be elevated in the highest yogic platform or sannyasa platform, yada, at that time, when, na indriyarthesu, a person works not for sense gratification... That's all. Everyone works for sense gratification. In the material world, everyone is working for sense gratification. Everyone works here to get some reward, some remuneration, for wages, and that is utilized for sense gratification. Now here it said, yogarudha. "When one is perfect yogi..." That is explained here that yada hi na indriyarthesu. "When one does not work for sense gratification," na karmasv anusajjate, "he does not engage himself in the work simply for sense gratification." And sarva-sankalpa-sannyasi, "And he has no desire to get any fruit." Because his desired thing, Krsna, is already there. So he has no other desire. Sarva-sankalpa-sannyasi yogarudhas tadocyate. At that time he is considered to be situated in the perfect stage of... (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 6.1-4 -- New York, September 2, 1966

"Government Must Be Very Strict"

73/09/02 London, Bhagavad-gita 2.32


Devotee:

yadrcchaya copapannam
svarga-dvaram apavrtam
sukhinah ksatriyah partha
labhante yuddham idrsam
[Bg. 2.32]

"O Partha, happy are the ksatriyas to whom such fighting opportunities come unsought, opening for them the doors of the heavenly planets."

Prabhupada: So, it is the duty of the ksatriya to see that everyone is executing his proper professional or occupational duty. We have discussed this point yesterday, sva-dharmam api caveksya. Sva-dharma. This is very important. At the present moment there is no sva-dharma. Therefore according to Vedic injunctions, dharmena hina pasubhih samana. One who is not executing his own religious principle, he is no better than the animals. So who will see that everyone engaged in discharging his occupational duty? Sva-dharmam means occupational duty. It is the duty of the king, government. In the beginning it is the duty of the father, of the teacher, to train children to the principles of sva-dharma. A brahmana, it is the duty of the brahmana to see that his son is being properly trained up as a brahmana. Satyam samo damas titiksa arjavam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. Everything is there. The brahmanas should be taught how to become truthful, first of all. A brahmana will never speak lie, at any cost. It is stated that even if his enemy inquires something confidential from him, he'll say, "Yes, this is my position." This is truthfulness. He'll not even, I mean to say, guile, against his enemy. He should be truthful. Even ksatriyas, they are also truthful men. Truthfulness is so valuable. That makes one powerful brahmana. Satyam.

There is an instance how a brahmana is recognized. Satyakam yavala(?). Upanisads. This satyakam went to Gautama Muni. "Sir, please make me your disciple." So according to Vedic principle, without becoming a brahmana he cannot be accepted as disciple. Without becoming brahmana. In our Society also, we do not accept a disciple unless he's brahminically qualified: no meat-eating, no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication. These are brahminical. Unless one is free from the sinful activities, how he can become a brahmana? Brahmana means suci. And the others, they are called krpana, or muci. Suci means always cleansed. Internally... Bahyabhyantara-sucih. Inside and outside. Outside by taking bath, washing with soda, soap, or if soda, soap is not available, with earth or oil. That is external cleanliness. Similarly, internal cleanliness, one must rise early in the morning, evacuate, then after taking bath must chant Hare Krsna mantra, see the mangala-aratrika. In this way one has to purify himself internally and externally. God consciousness is not so cheap thing. Yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam. One who is completely free from all contamination of material modes, anta-gatam papam, sinful activities, they can te dvandva-moha-nirmukta bhajante mam [Bg. 7.28], they can stick to the principle of devotional service. Otherwise, if he's not free from the contamination of sinful life, he may show, make a show of devotion, but that is not actual devotion. Bhaktyabhasa. That is called bhaktyabhasa.

So these things should be observed. Brahmana, a brahmana's duty is to present himself an ideal human being. Satyam samo damas titiksa. Titiksa means toleration. "Oh, it is very cold. No, I cannot take bath." No. You must tolerate. You must tolerate. Titiksa. Arjavam, simplicity; jnanam, full knowledge; vijnanam, practical application. Jnanam vijnanam astikyam. Astikyam means completely convinced of God and his relationship with God. That is called astikyam. Or full faith in the statement of the Vedas. Whatever Veda says, that's right. Yes. No argument. That is called astikyam. No argument.

So similarly, ksatriya. Ksatriya's duty is, it is, ksatram dvijatam ca parasparartham.(?) The brahmanas will examine whether the ksatriyas are doing their duty nicely. Just like Parasurama, when he saw that all the ksatriyas have become rascals, he wanted to kill them all. You know that. Twenty-one times he killed. Some of the ksatriyas, they fled from India, and they came to this side in European countries. Therefore, origin of the Europeans, they are ksatriyas. Turkey, Greece, and other countries also. Ksatriya. So it is the duty of the brahmana to see that ksatriyas are doing nicely their duty. So similarly, ksatriyas' duty is also to see whether brahmanas are doing their duty. So ksatriyas were not needed to see the brahmanas, they were so advanced brahmanas that they were beyond examination of the ksatriyas. But another duty of the ksatriya is that people are being educated spiritually. That is ksatriya's duty. Or the king of a kingdom is looking over the citizens, that they are properly being trained up. This is... If one king is not properly... Just like in some states at the present moment... What is called? Secular. Secular means they have meant like that, that "You do all nonsense; we don't care. You pay me tax, that's all. Income tax. And you go to hell. It doesn't matter." This is not secular state. Secular state means the state must be very vigilant whether everyone is doing his duty, everyone is employed in his duty; and if everyone is not employed, it is the duty of the government to see. He must be employed. A brahmana is employed, a ksatriya is employed, a vaisya is employed. Otherwise, if they are unemployed, idle brain, then idle brain will be devil's workshop. That is happening. Because everyone is not employed, they have discovered machine, and the machine is working hundred men's work. So actually, a hundred men are unemployed. So the machine has not improved the situation. It has improved the pocket of the capitalist. But it has not improved the condition of the mass of people. No. They are unemployed. Therefore, in the Western countries, because the machine and industry, therefore, now they are producing from the university hippies. Unemployed. Thousands and thousands of young boys and girls. Girls are not meant for working outside. Girls are meant for working inside.

So, the whole thing has topsy-turvied. Why? Because there is no good king. This is the cause. So the whole Battlefield of Kuruksetra was arranged by Krsna so that these irresponsible rogues, dressed as kings, should be all killed. That was the plan of Krsna. Just like Duryodhana. Duryodhana, in the dress of a king, he was a rogue. He cheated the Pandavas by gambling. "You bet your wife, you bet your kingdom." In this way, they were devotees, simple, cheated them. So Krsna wanted to see that these cheaters and rogues must be killed. That was His plan. Therefore He said, yadrcchaya copapannam svarga-dvaram apavrtam: "Arjuna, you are hesitating to fight, but it is a great opportunity for you. Because as a ksatriya, if you kill these cheaters and rogues, that will be a great achievement for you. And even though you cannot kill them, if you die yourself, then the heavenly door is open for you." Because a ksatriya who dies in the battlefield for the right cause, he goes to the heaven. If he conquers over the enemy, he enjoys the kingdom. And if he dies... But the cause must be right. Svarga-dvaram.

yadrcchaya copapannam
svarga-dvaram apavrtam
sukhinah ksatriyah partha
labhante yuddham idrsam

Yuddham means a political fight. Nowadays. Just like in our India, Pakistan and Hindustan, they are always planning fighting. That is political. That is political. When the Pakistan's government cannot manage, nobody is managing nicely, neither Pakistan or Hindustan, but they divert their attention the religious slogan -- "Hindus are our enemies." Or "the Pakistan is our enemies." The so-called national slogan. Here also, everywhere. Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke [SB 10.84.13]. Here in Europe also the two wars was arranged by the German people, they were envious of the English people. So these wars are not right wars, righteous wars. No. They are play of the diplomats, politicians -- they engage. When they cannot manage things very nicely, they engage people into war. That's all. Divert the attention. But war is not meant for that. War is meant for that, when people are not properly being trained up by the king of the state, the other king can attack him.

So ideal state means the king must be very responsible. There are many instances. Just like Yudhisthira Maharaja, he was a pious king. In Bengali there is a proverb -- rajar dose raja nasto dose grhastha bhrasta.(?) If the king is not pious, then the whole kingdom is spoiled. Similarly if the housewife is not good, the whole family is spoiled. Everyone has got this experience. So, the king must be very honest, pious, religious. Therefore they are called rajarsi. Although they are king, but they are just like saintly person. Just like Maharaja Yudhisthira. They were saintly. Rajarsi. Imam rajarsayo viduh. Sometimes we are accused that we go to preach amongst the richer section. The richer section, of course there is no king, but actually this Bhagavad-gita was meant for the richer section who used to control -- the kings. Because if the king is educated nicely in spiritual affair, if he knows what is the purpose of kingdom, what is the purpose of ruling, then all the citizens automatically become religious, purposeful. And if the king is a rascal, the leader is a rascal, naturally all others will follow, and they will become rascals. Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gita, in the Fourth Chapter, you'll find that Krsna was teaching, first-off, imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1]. He taught this philosophy to the sun-god. There are two ksatriya families -- surya-vamsa and candra-vamsa. One family's coming from the sun-god, another family's coming from the moon-god. So Krsna said, because sun was the principal man in the ksatriya family of surya-vamsa. So he was taught first.

imam vivasvate yogam
proktavan aham avyayam
vivasvan manave praha
manur iksvakave 'bravit
[Bg. 4.1]

So Maharaja Iksvaku, the first king of the dynasty in which Lord Ramacandra took birth, very pious family. So Iksvaku Maharaja... The worship of Lord Ramacandra began from Maharaja Iksvaku. Maharaja Iksvaku used to worship the Deity of Ramacandra, Rama-Sita. Therefore in their family Lord Ramacandra appeared. That Deity is still existing in some part of South India. The Deity was being worshiped in the family since Maharaja Iksvaku, and during when Lord Ramacandra was personally present, this Deity was kept in His bedroom. So one brahmana, he used to come and see Lord Ramacandra. Then he would take, break his fasting, breakfast. That was his principle, regulative principle. So Lord Ramacandra was absent for a week or so from the kingdom, and the brahmana did not take even a little water because he could not see Lord Ramacandra. Such a devotee. So Laksmana informed King Ramacandra that "Here is a devotee, brahmana. You were absent from the kingdom for one week, so he did not take even a drop of water." So Lord Ramacandra was very much pleased. Then He ordered Laksmana that "You give him that Deity which was being worshiped in our family, now it is stopped." So He delivered that Deity Ramacandra to the brahmana, that "When Lord Ramacandra is absent from the kingdom, you can worship." This is authority(?).

If you cannot see Krsna physically... Although Krsna is present everywhere, but we have no eyes to see Him. Therefore this Deity worship... Deity is not hedonism or idol worship. No. Deity is as good as the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. He's absolute. His form and He is not different. Abhinnatvan nama-naminoh. Abhinna, identical. We are chanting Hare Krsna, not that like gramophone.(?) No. We are associating with Krsna. Abhinnatvan nama-naminoh. By chanting Krsna's name, Krsna is present on your tongue. Unless we realize in that way, then it is the period of nama-aparadha or namabhasa. Not namabhasa -- nama-aparadha. This is nama-aparadha, to consider that the name is different from the person. As we have got experience in the material world that the name is different from the substance. If you want to drink water, simply if you chant "water, water, water," your thirst will not be satisfied. But in spiritual world, the absolute world, the name and the person is the same. Otherwise, why we stress so much on chanting Hare Krsna name? Not we, it is in the sastra. Harer nama harer nama harer nama eva kevalam, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha [Cc. Adi 17.21]. This is shastric. But there are many rascals. They give the example, that "Chanting, what is the benefit? I can chant ‘soda water, soda water,' like that." But they do not know, rascals, what is the sastra's injunction. And actually, it is happening. But they are blind. How these European, American boys and girls, simply by chanting Hare Krsna mantra they are becoming purified? How? Unless there is spiritual potency in chanting, how they are becoming so purified? Even in..., so-called Hindus they are surprised that "How these Europeans and Americans they have become so nice devotees." The chanting of Hare Krsna mantra has got the power, has got the potency.

ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam
sreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
[Cc. Antya 20.12]

Everything is there, formula. If we follow the regulative principles, the injunction of the acaryas or the sastra, then we get success. Otherwise we may simply labor unnecessarily, wasting time. Yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah. That is said in the Bhagavad-gita. One who does not follow the regulative principle mentioned in the sastras, sastra-vidhim..., vidhim means regulative principle. Yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah, and lives whimsically, as he, whatever he likes, and that is sanctioned by some rascal swami, that, "Oh, yes, you can do whatever you like..." Yato mata tato patha. "You can manufacture your way of religious principle." These things are going on. But actually that will not help us. Sastra-vidhim, sastra-vidhim, that must be observed. Yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah na sa siddhim avapnoti. If one violates the regulative principle mentioned in the sastra, he'll never get success. Na sa siddhim avapnoti na sukham, neither happiness. Na sukham na param gatim: Then what to speak of going back to home, back to...? He'll rot in this material world.

So sastra-vidhim is required. So here is one sastra-vidhim from Parasara-smrti. Parasara was the father of Vyasadeva. He has got his regulative principles. They're also realized souls on Vedic principles. They wrote so many books. In this Parasara-smrti it is said: ksatriyo hi praja raksan sastra, sastra-panih pradandayan. Sastra-pani means always with sword in the hand for the benefit of the prajas. He should be so strong. "Oh, you are a thief? You have stolen?" Immediately cut his hand, bas. This one example will stop millions of thieves not to commit stealing. Simply by cutting. Even a hundred years ago this system was prevalent in Kashmir. If a thief is arrested and if he's proved that he has stolen, immediately king will cut off his two hands. Bas, finished. No court witness. And it will go for ten years to find out whether he has stolen. This is government. Therefore, the injunction is ksatriya hi praja raksan sastra-panih pradandayan. Always must be very strict. Nirjitya para-sainyadi dharmena palayet. This is dharma. In the Manu-smrti it is said that if a man, a murderer, one man has killed another man... Why man? Even animal. He's a murderer. Now murdering is no offense. They are killing daily so many babies within the womb, murderers. That has become a custom. They're killing hundreds and thousands of animals daily in the slaughterhouse. It has become a custom. So now even human being, murder, he's not condemned to death. Is it not?

Hamsaduta: Yes.

Prabhupada: This means everyone is sinful. Everyone is sinful. The government is sinful, the people are sinful. Then how you can become happy? It is a fool's paradise, sinful paradise. How you can be happy? Therefore despite all sorts of education, scientific improvement, brainwash and so many things, people are unhappy. Diseased, unhappy, dissatisfaction, confusion, this is going on. Because everything is not properly done. The government is not strict.

So in the Manu-smrti, as I am quoting from Parasara-smrti, there are smrti-sastras. The Manu-smrti, it is said that if a man commits murder, then he should be killed. Otherwise, he'll suffer in the next life. So many sufferings. So the king's order to condemn a murderer to death is a mercy, is a mercy for him. Because he's saved from future, so many troubles. So the king should be so strict. Not that by compassion. "No. He's murderer. That's all right. He has killed one man. Why he should be killed?" No. He must be killed. This is the law. Here it is also, Parasara-smrti, it is said that ksatriya should be always sastra-pani, and must strictly, as soon as there is any discrepancy, he must take...

Formerly, the judgement was given by the king. Every day, king would sit. Just like we are sitting. So if there is... Formerly, there was no criminal, practically. If there was any criminal, if... It was very difficult to find out a criminal. Because these four things were forbidden. What is that? No illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, no meat-eating. So if one follows these four principles, naturally he is sinless automatically. And if the whole population is sinless, then where is the possibility of judging or bringing the criminal? When Kali was awarded four places. He was first of all ordered by Pariksit Maharaja. As soon as he saw that this black man is going to kill one cow, "Oh, who are you in my kingdom? You are trying to kill a cow?" He took his sword, "I shall kill you," immediately. So he fell down. "Sir, I am also your subject, and this is my business, killing. So what can I do? I must have some means of livelihood." Just like this butcher. His means of livelihood is to kill animal. So if the animal slaughterhouse is closed, then there will be so much unemployment. The butcher must have chance of killing. So that is not law, "Oh, butcher must have also employment." No. "Therefore slaughterhouse must be maintained." Not that.

So Pariksit Maharaja said that "You cannot live in my kingdom. I cannot provide you with any employment. You must go out." So at that time, Pariksit Maharaja was the emperor of the whole world, whole planet. So he said, "Sir, where shall I go out? The whole planet is your kingdom. Where shall I go out of your kingdom? Where is that place?" So Pariksit Maharaja considered that. So, "All right, then you can remain in these four places." Striyah suna panam dyutam yatra papas catur-vidhah. "Where illicit sex life, brothel, prostitute's house, you can remain there. Striyah suna, slaughterhouse. Or unnecessarily where animals are killed, you can remain there." Striyah suna panam. "And intoxication. Where liquor house, you can remain there. And where there is gambling, you can remain there." So he could not find out a place where to remain. That means in those days these things were so much conspicuous by absence that is was difficult for the Kali to find out a place like that. But with the advancement of Kali, now Kali can find out his place anywhere, at any home, anyplace. These things are going on. This is the position.

So this system of human civilization as conceived by the Vedic process is completely different from the rascal civilization at the present moment. Therefore, people cannot be happy. It is not possible. If we... At the same time, it is impossible to go back to that type of civilization, because people are so polluted. It is not possible. Therefore the only means is, as enunciated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu from Brhad Naradiya Purana,

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha
[Cc. Adi 17.21]

You take this process. Chant Hare Krsna mantra. At least, you will be purified, you'll understand the situation. And if you follow the rules and regulation... It is very simple to avoid these four principle of sinful life and chant Hare Krsna. Then you are sure, back to home, back to Godhead, and be happy eternally.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973