Human Life Very Rarely Obtained

7 Sept 73 , Stokholm

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Prabhupada:

kaumara acaret prajno
dharman bhagavatan iha
durlabham manusam janma
tad apy adhruvam arthadam
 [SB 7.6.1]

yatha hi purusasyeha
visnoh padopasarpanam
yad esa sarva-bhutanam
priya atmesvarah suhrt
 [SB 7.6.2]

I am reciting some verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the essence of Vedic literature. It is said nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam idam [SB 1.1.3]. Just like a big tree. What is the essential thing in the big tree? That is the fruit. Suppose a mango tree. Big mango tree. But what we want from the mango tree? The mango. And if the mango is ripened, still, it is very nice. So it is compared, nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam [SB 1.1.3]. Nigama means Vedic literature. Veda, Veda means knowledge. Vetti veda vidoh vinte vid vicarane. So vid-dhatu, those who are Sanskrit scholars here, they'll understand. Vid means to know, knowledge. So Vedic literature means to receive knowledge, authoritative knowledge. Not false knowledge. False knowledge, there is difference between false knowledge and authoritative knowledge. So far we are concerned at the present moment, whatever knowledge we are giving or accepting, they are more or less false knowledge. Not authoritative knowledge.

Just like we are studying the outer space, so many scientists are studying. But still they cannot give any perfect information of all the planets. Although we see, actually, we are seeing daily. Take for example the sun planet. We see every morning the sun is there. But actually we do not know what is the sun planet. There are, may be so many theories, but actually, we do not know what is the sun planet. But we can understand from the Vedic literature. The sun planet is as good as this planet. There are also cities, towns, houses, and population, and it is very big. This information we get from the Vedic knowledge. Just like in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, Krsna says that, imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1]. "This knowledge of Bhagavad-gita, I spoke first to the sun-god. His name is Vivasvan." Vivasvan manave praha. "And that Vivasvan explained this knowledge to his son Manu." Manur iksvakave 'bravit. "And Manu also explained the same knowledge to his son, Maharaja Iksvaku, King Iksvaku." He's the forefather of the ksatriya dynasty in which Lord Ramacandra appeared. So we get this knowledge from the Vedas, perfectly.

There are so many things, just like the forms of life, how many form of life are there. That is stated in the Vedic knowledge. 8,400.000 species. Jalaja nava-laksani. In the water, there are 900,000 forms of life. It does not say one million or eleven hundred or, no, exactly. Nine hundred. Jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati. Sthavara means the living entities which cannot move. Just like the trees, plants, they are also living entities, but they cannot move. They are called sthavara. Two millions. Now where is the botanist who can give exact information how many plants and trees are there? But you get fully, full information. Sthavara laksa-vimsati krmayo rudra-sankhyakah. This is the evolutionary process, from aquatics to the plant life, then insect life, krmayo. Rudra-sankhyakah. Rudra-sankhyakah means eleven hundred thousand. Paksinam dasa-laksanam. The birds, after insects, the next evolution is to the bird species. So there are one million different species of birds. Paksinam dasa-laksanam. Pasavah trimsal-laksani. Then beast, four-legged beast, animals. There are three millions. And manusah catur-laksani. And then we come to the form of the human being; there are also four hundred thousand species. In this way, altogether there are 8,400,000 species, forms of life.

Now modern botanists and medical men and there are so many people, they are scholars, interested to understand, biologists. But here we get the correct information from the Vedas. Similarly, not only of this information, all departmental knowledge, namely this science, geography, philosophy, religion, sociology, politics, whatever you want, you can learn from the Vedic information. There is perfect information. So it is compared with a tree. So that tree, and the ripened fruit is this Srimad-Bhagavatam. Nigama kalpa-taror galitam phalam idam [SB 1.1.3]. Galitam phalam idam. A fruit, if you take from the tree, if it is not ripened, you can keep in a store and it gets by temperature... That ripened fruit and the fruit actually ripened in the tree, there is difference in taste. So this Srimad-Bhagavatam is compared as the ripened fruit. Nigama-kalpa taror galitam phalam [SB 1.1.3]. So we have translated this Srimad-Bhagavatam. This is one part, here, you can see. In sixty parts. In the Bhagavatam there are eighteen thousand verses and we are trying to place before you in English translation, and gradually, in other language also. It is being translated in German language, in French language and Spanish. Gradually. Some of our books are being published by Macmillan company, and they are being distributed. What is the name of that?

Hamsaduta: (indistinct)

Prabhupada: So we are selling our books very nicely, and our whole institution is practically financed by this selling of books. Even in Indian parliament, we are supposed to be very, very rich community. So, in India there are persons who are very suspicious of this Hare Krsna movement, and they are surprised how we are maintaining more than one hundred branches all over the world. "Where you get financial help?" So, they think that America has got a, what is, CID department?

Devotees: CIA.

Prabhupada: CIA Department. So they are financing us, America. Just see the foolishness. The CIA department has taken this sankirtana movement. But these rascals are thinking like that; that it is a branch of the CIA Movement. So, being suspicious, some of the rascals raised the question in Parliament in India, that "This community are fabulously rich. So it is understood that they belong to the CIA Department of America. Is it a fact?" It was raised in the Parliament and the question was put before the home member. "So if they are CIA Department, they are pushing on this Hare Krsna movement under the garb, then what is government's information? This is first question. If not, where they are getting so much money spending?" In this way two, three questions were raised. Fortunately the home member was aware of our movement and he replied that "They do not belong to the CIA Department. We do not have any such information and there is no need of any action. And so far their finance is concerned, we understand that they are selling their literatures and public contribution." That is the fact, actually. We are selling our books about, three, more, not less than three thousand dollars daily, and that is giving us our financial help. We have no other means of income. Although we have got expenditure not less than one hundred thousands of dollars per month throughout the whole world.

So anyway, it is our attempt to give you the ripened fruit of Vedic knowledge. This is our attempt. This Krsna consciousness movement is just distributing the ripened fruit of Vedic knowledge. So Vedic knowledge, the ultimate goal of Vedic knowledge is to know God. Not only Vedic, any scripture, any book of knowledge. So the ultimate goal of knowledge is to know God. If you do not... Because this human form of life is meant for that purpose. That is explained here by Prahlada Maharaja: kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha [SB 7.6.1]. This Prahlada Maharaja, he was a small boy, five years old. Somehow or other, he was enlightened in Krsna consciousness, and at the age of five years old, he was going to school and he was trying to preach this Krsna consciousness movement in the school. I'm especially reading these verses because it is university, a school for teaching to the students. So Prahlada Maharaja says that this teaching of this learning of Krsna consciousness, should begin from very childhood. Kaumaram. Kaumara means the age between ten years and fifteen years. That is called kaumara. Kaumara acaret prajno. Prajno means one who is intelligent. So from just one child is ten years old, from the age of ten years up to fifteen years, this period must be used especially for understanding Bhagavata-dharma, for understanding what is God. That is Bhagavata-dharma.

Dharma means it is translated into English as "religion." And religion means a kind of faith. But so far the Sanskrit word dharma is there, it does not mean a kind of faith. It is a fact. It is a fact. Faith, you can believe for some time and again you can reject. That is faith. But what is fact, that cannot be changed. Just like water, water is liquid. That is a fact. It is not a kind of faith, it is a fact. You cannot make water solid. As soon as you talk of water, you have got immediate knowledge that it is a liquid thing. Similarly, if you take stone, the quality of stone, it is hard, it is not liquid. If somebody says, "I have brought some liquid stone." Is it possible? No, what is this nonsense. So dharma means that quality which cannot be changed. As soon as you take water, it must be liquid. If... You can say that water sometimes becomes ice, very hard. But that is not the unnatural, uh, natural state. Ice is there, but it is trying to come to the natural state to become again liquid. Again liquid. Because liquidity is the natural stage of water. It cannot be changed. Similarly dharma means, the exact word, Sanskrit, those who are Sanskrit scholars here, they will understand. Dharma means you cannot change. That is not possible. In any circumstances, you cannot change.

 

So here it is said, kaumaram acaret prajno dharman. Dharman bhagavata. So dharma, which is generally translated into English, that is one for everyone. It is not that we are Hindus, somebody else Christians, somebody else Buddhists, "we have got different faith," "we have got different faith." What is depending on faith, that is not dharma, that is not religion. The quality which you cannot change, that is religion. Therefore, the definition of dharma is given in the Vedic literature: dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Dharma means the codes or the laws which is given by God. This is the simple definition of dharma. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Just like law. What is that law? Law means the codes or the order given by the state. That is law. You cannot manufacture law at home, that "I have manufactured something." So at the present moment the so-called religion is going on in the name that it is religion but it is manufactured by some concoction and it is being supported by persons that "You can manufacture your own religion." No, that you cannot. You cannot manufacture your own religion. Religion means the codes given by God. Just like law means the order given by the state. Just like the law is "keep to the right." That is given, the order is given by the state. You cannot say, that "Now I have made a law, keep to the left." That is not possible. Nobody will be pleased or nobody will accept that. So dharma you cannot change.

So Prahlada Maharaja says, kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha [SB 7.6.1]. "My dear friends, from the beginning of your kaumara age, as soon as you are on the age of ten years,"... Of course, he was preaching when he was five years old. Actually, education begins, that is the Indian system, from five years. Up to five years, the children are not bothered with any kind of education. They play and become free. But as soon as he is five years old, he's sent to the school. And actual education begins from tenth year. So Prahlada Maharaja says, "My dear friends, that, you try to be educated in religion, especially in the Bhagavata religion." Bhagavata religion means the Science of God, to understand what is God. So why it is so urgent? That is replied here. Durlabham manusam janma. This human form of life is very rarely obtained.

As I have explained, that, there are 8,400,000 species of life. But unfortunately, there is no proper education how the living entity, what is that living entity and how it is transmigrating from one body to another? Tatha dehantara-praptir. In the Bhagavad-gita you'll find, dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara tatha dehantara-praptir [Bg. 2.13]. Krsna says, the authoritative knowledge, that, as the soul, dehi, the proprietor of the body. We do not know whether I am this body or I am the proprietor of this body. That knowledge is also lacking. Big, big professors, they do not know. I was talking in Moscow, one big professor, Professor Kotofsky, he said: "Swamiji, after this body's finished, everything is finished." This is their knowledge. Blunt knowledge. No, it is not finished. We get from the Vedic literature, na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. Nityo sasvato yam na jayate na mriyate va kadacit. The soul is eternal. Soul is eternal and soul does not take birth. The body, we get a new body, that is called birth. And when this body is annihilated, that is called death. So birth and death is in reference with the body, not with the soul.

I don't think in any university throughout the whole world there is such educational department where this science is handled. The soul. Whether I am this body or I'm not the body. I am not this body; that is the fact. The example is given. What is that? Dehino asmin dehe, in this body there is the proprietor, the soul. Dehino 'smin yatha dehe [Bg. 2.13]. Within this body, there is proprietor. And he's changing bodies. Just like the same soul in a childhood body, in a boyhood body, in a youth-hood body. Then again in a body like me, an old body. So all the previous bodies, they are now finished. Although I know I am soul, I know that I possessed a childhood body, I possessed a boyhood body, I possessed a youthhood body, that those bodies are not existing. They are finished. But I am existing. I know. Therefore this is very simply formula Krsna gives. Dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara [Bg. 2.13]. This body is changing, but the soul is eternal. Nityo sasvato yam purano. Although it is very, very old. Because soul is the part and parcel of God. As God is existing eternally, similarly, the soul is also existing eternally. This is a great science.

Therefore Prahlada Maharaja is requesting, "My dear friends, you try to learn this science," dharman bhagavatan iha, "from this very childhood life." Because this human form of life, he says that, durlabham manusam janma. Manusam janma. This form of body... We have got by evolutionary process. It is a chance given by the nature to understand what is God. This is the main business of this body. Not that economic development. That is not the business of human body. Sense gratification. Sense gratification is there in the animals. That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye [SB 5.5.1]. The human form of life is not meant for to live like the dogs and the hogs. They are busy always for maintaining the body. They are busy. They have no other business. They cannot understand. If I bring some dog in this meeting and try to make him understand, "Please note that you are not this body." It is not possible for them to understand. But a human being, he may be educated like dogs and hog, but if he's given reasonably the, as Krsna is giving that the soul is the proprietor of this body and he is as he's changing in this body He's a child-child means he has got a child's body. Baby means he has got a baby's body. Young man means he has a youth's body. So this body has been changed. Similarly when this body is useless, no more can be used, then he transmigrates to another body. Tatha dehantara-praptir.

Now what kind of body he's going to get? Because I have already explained. There are 8,400,000 different forms of body. So the answer is he can get any of these forms. There is no guarantee that he will again get the American body or Englishmen body or Swiss body -- not like that. That will depend on nature. That is not in your hand. As soon as you change your body, the next change will be offered by nature according to your desire. So in this life we are creating different types of desires. Therefore, we find different types of bodies. This is nature's work. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. Don't think that you are independent. None of us are independent. We may think independently that "There is no God, there is no nature's work, we are everything." That crazy statements may be there, but there is good management, beyond our conception. As you see there is good management in the natures -- exactly in due course of time the sun is rising, the moon is rising, the seasons are being changed, the water is there in the ocean, it is not transgressing the limit, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean. There is full control of the material nature. And behind this material nature, there is God. Prakrteh kriyamanani [Bg. 3.27]. Prakrti, nature is working, but nature is working under the direction of God. That we get information from this Vedic literature.

mayadhyaksena prakrtih
suyate sa-caracaram
hetunanena (kaunteya)
jagad viparivartate
 [Bg. 9.10]

Don't think nature is blind. Nature is matter, material energy. It cannot work independently, just like machine. Machine, it is made of matter. But if there is no driver, however efficient machine may be, it is useless, a lump of matter (only). There must be driver. Similarly, whatever wonderful activities you find within this material nature, that is not being done independently. That is being done under the driver. Just like the big car or this airship is running very nicely so long the pilot is there, so long the driver is there. Without pilot, even the arrangement is very nice, good machinery assembly, but it cannot work. Similarly, this nature, although we find very wonderfully working, but behind this nature, there is the living entity, supreme living entity, God. So to understand that God, how He is working, what we are, what is our relationship with God, why we are here, why we are transmigrating from one body to another -- all these are called bhagavata-dharma. This is called bhagavata-dharma.

Bhagavata means in relationship with God. So our, this Krsna consciousness movement is bhagavata-dharma. Bhagavata-dharma means we are presenting God. People are searching out whether there is God, God is dead or alive. But we are giving, "Here is God. Here is His name, here is His address, here is His activities." Everything we are giving distinctly. Not blindly, but there is philosophy, there is reason, there is logic, and these are all stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, sixty volumes. So Prahlada Maharaja says that everyone from the very childhood, that means when education begins, this bhagavata-dharma. Otherwise, we are missing the point. We are missing the opportunity of this human form of life. We are simply living like cats and dogs and dying like cats and dogs. And if we maintain that mentality like cats and dogs, then next life... Because we are given the opportunity by nature to utilize our consciousness, to utilize our intelligence, to understand God. But if we do not utilize, if we live like cats and dogs, then next life we have to accept, by nature's law, the body of cats and dog. This is bhagavata-dharma. This is an opportunity. Here is the opportunity to make your choice whether again you are going to be cats and dogs or whether you are going to be elevated to the highest position, back to home, back to Godhead.

That is highest perfection. Na te vidhuh svartha-gatim hi visnum. Practically, the so-called civilized men at the present moment, they do not know what is the actual goal of life. The Prahlada Maharaja advising, although he's a child, but he has heard from authority, from Narada Muni, therefore he's instructing his class friend. Because his father was a great atheist, Hiranyakasipu. He was very angry. When Prahlada Maharaja used to talk of God consciousness, he was very much disturbed, he used to chastise him, "Wherefrom this nonsense boy has learned this God, God, God?" He was very much disturbed. So he was very afraid of his father at home. But in the school, as soon as the teachers were away, tiffin hour, he would take the opportunity and preach something about God. That is the statement here. So he says, durlabham manusam: "My dear friends, this human form of life is very rarely obtained." Durlabham manusam janma tad apy adhruvam. Adhruvam means it will also not stay. "Because I have got this human form of body, therefore, I'll live forever." No. I'll have to die like cats and dog. But because I have got this human form of life, I can understand what is the truth. That is my opportunity. Durlabham manusam janma tad apy adhruvam. It will not stay.

But arthadam. Arthadam means you can realize your self. That is the greatest achievement, if you can realize your self, whether you are this body or you are soul. That is called self-realization. And as soon as you realize your self... There are many statements in the Vedic literature, that is the distinction between a brahmana and a krpana. These two words are used in Vedic literature. Brahmana means in full knowledge and krpana means who could not utilize the facility of the human form of life. He's called a krpana. Krpana, the exact word -- meaning is "miser." Miser means, if you get some hundred thousands of dollars, if you do not utilize it properly, simply see your money, "I have got this so much money," and be satisfied, then you are a miser. You could not utilize the money. And brahmana means one who utilizes this opportunity of human form of life to the fullest extent and can understand what is God, what is my relationship with Him, how I have come here, why I am subjected to birth, death, old age, and disease. So many things have to be learned.

So the human form of life is meant for that purpose, but there is no facility in the educational institution. Many universities there may be, but not very perfectly well-situated. But we are trying our bid, this Krsna consciousness movement, to give education about this bhagavata-dharma and we are trying to present in so many languages. So we wish that you should cooperate, try to understand this philosophy. We have got books, we have got talks. Any way we can convince you about this philosophy of God consciousness, I hope you'll take advantage of it. Not only that, it is very easy. It is not very difficult. Just like you see all our students, they come from Europe, America. Four or five years ago they did not know what is this bhagavata-dharma, what is this Krsna. Now you can see the result, that all over the world, not only in Europe, but in America, Australia, in Japan, in Canada, everywhere, we have got this type of devotees, and they are understanding what is God, what is our relationship with God. It doesn't matter, God is neither Hindu, Muslim, or Christian -- God is God. So it is the duty of everyone. It is not that only Christians should understand God and the Hindus should understand nobody. No. Any human being. Any living entity in the human form of life must understand. Otherwise, he's missing the opportunity. So we have got to say many things about this thing. In short time, we cannot speak so many things, but we invite you to take advantage of this movement, try to understand the science of God and be benefited. [break]

Girl: ...you cannot change dharma. But love can change dharma.

Hamsaduta: She said that love can change dharma. You say that dharma cannot be changed.

Prabhupada: First of all, you have to understand what is dharma. Dharma, as I have already explained, the order given by God. That is dharma. And what is the order of God? God says that "You surrender unto Me." Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. God says that "You always think of Me," and, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto, "You just become My devotee," and, man-mana bhava, mad-yaji, "You worship Me, and you offer your obeisances." These things we are doing. We are thinking of somebody. Because without thinking you cannot remain. But God says, "You think of Me." You cannot avoid thinking of somebody. Just like a girl is thinking of his lover, a boy, a boy is thinking of his lover. So we must be thinking of somebody. Or in grown-up stage, I am thinking something else, my child, my home. So Krsna says, God says, that "You think of Me." So you have to change your thinking process. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto. And we are already devotees. We are devotees of the country, of the society, of the person, of the president, of the king, so many. God says, that, "You become My devotee." Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto. Mad-yaji: We are worshiping our leader. So God is the supreme leader.

Therefore, this question I put to Professor Kotovsky, that "Your philosophy, Communist philosophy, and our philosophy, where is the philosophically different? Because you have selected a leader, Lenin, and you are worshiping him. And we have selected a leader, Krsna, we are also worshiping Him. So where is the change? How we have advanced? You have selected another leader, that's all. You have to select. So the worship must go on. Either you become Communist or not Communist." So God says that "Instead of worshiping so many others, you worship Me." So, and man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. And "You offer my respect to Me." So these things... You may accept any type of religion; that doesn't matter. But think of God, worshiping God, offering obeisances God, that cannot be changed. Either you become Christian or Hindu or Muslim, it does not matter. These four things cannot be changed. Therefore, the principles of religion: thinking of God, worshiping God, offering obeisances to Him, and to become devotee of God, that cannot be changed. That is real religion.

Hamsaduta: Anyone, anyone?

Guest: But this part of the world "Mahaprabhu" (Address to Prabhupada) is very materialistic, as you know. In Europe we always talk about science and technology. The part of the world that you come from, spiritualism has the highest place. I would like to ask you is there any possible way of a balanced combination between spiritualism and materialism.

Prabhupada: Yes. Actually, there is nothing as materialism. Materialism means forgetfulness of God, that's all. Just like in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca, apara, prakrtir me bhinna astadha [Bg. 7.4]. Materialism means that you are dealing with earth, water, fire, air, or the ether, or mind, intelligence, so far. These are the subject matters of studying materialism. But God says: "They are My separated energies." These matters, you have not produced this earth, water, air, fire. That's a fact. That is produced by the energy of God. So while dealing with material things, if you remember that this material thing is produced by God then you are perfect. And if you theorize that it has dropped from the sky, then you are materialistic. That is the difference between materialist and spiritualist. A spiritualist knows that wherefrom this earth has come, wherefrom the water has come, wherefrom this fire has come. Then he is spiritualist, God conscious. And one does not know, he's ignorant. Actually, that is the fact. But one who is ignorant of the fact, he's materialist. And one who knows the source of this material elements, he is spiritualist. That is the difference. Therefore the conclusion is one who does not know God, he is materialist and one knows God, he is spiritualist.

Hamsaduta: Anyone else, question?

Prabhupada: All right, have kirtana. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973

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Brahma Samhita

6 Sept 73 , Stokholm

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Prabhupada: I'll sing from Vedic literature the description of the spiritual world. (chants verses from the Brahma-samhita with devotees) So there are about thirty-five verse like this in the Brahma-samhita describing the tran... [break] ...place of the Lord. It takes time. I have cited about a dozen only. Let me try to explain some of them. Because I have already taken much time. So one verse in these we find:

advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam
adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca
vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
 [Bs. 5.33]

The Lord is one, without a second, advaita. Acyuta: the Lord never falls down. The distinction between Lord and ourself... We are also eternal living entities, and the Lord is also eternal. He's also a living entity, a person, just like us, but His name is Acyuta. He never falls from His position. But we living entities, sometimes we fall down. Just our material condition of life. This is our falldown. Therefore He's called advaitam acyutam anadim. And He has no beginning. He is the beginning of everything. The creation is from Him, but He has no creator. So advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs. 5.33]. And He has got multi-forms. He can expand Himself. The one expansion is that isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese arjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. He has expanded Himself to live with you within your heart. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam. Not only that; another place it is described, eko 'py asau racayitum jagad-anda-koti. One portion of the Lord... That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita: ekamsena sthito jagat [Bg. 10.42]. Jagat means this material world. That is being maintained by one of His plenary portions, which is called Paramatma. Or Garbhodakasayi Visnu, or Ksirodakasayi Visnu. So one portion of His plenary portion, He is within the material world. A material world means within the universe. Andantara-stham. Anda, brahmanda means this universe. This is not only one universe, but there are many millions of universes. So He's there. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs. 5.33]. And andantara-stham: He is within the universe. Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham: [Bs. 5.35] and He is within the atom also. Just, just imagine expansion of God. So advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca. Although He's the oldest of all, you'll find Krsna always a young man. He's, from His face, we'll find a young boy, twenty to twenty-five years. Nava-yauvanam ca. Vedesu durlabham. If you want to search out God by studying Vedas, it will be very difficult. Adurlabham atma-bhaktau. But He's very easily available from His devotee. This is the description.

Then, in another place,

ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhis
tabhir ya eva nija-rupataya kalabhih
goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhuto...
 [Bs. 5.37]

The Lord... Everything is not material. That is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1]. Krsna is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. His form is eternity, blissful and full of knowledge. So all His paraphernalia in the Goloka Vrndavana, that is His expansion of that quality, eternity, blissfulness and knowledge. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhis. His gopis, His consorts, His father, His mother, His friends, His trees, His flowers, His calves and cows -- everything is spiritual, expansion from Him. Everything... The... We are also expansion from Him. We are marginal potency. And this is spiritual potency. So everything is expansion. Therefore the Vedic literatures say, sarvam khalv idam brahma: "Everything is Brahman." We are now combination of two energies, marginal energy and the external energy. But in the spiritual world, everything is only spiritual energy. So we are constitutionally spiritual energy. Somehow or other we have been entangled with this material energy. So if we try in this human form of life, we can get out of this material energy and again go back to the spiritual energy. That is the opportunity. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhis tabhir ya eva nija-rupataya kalabhih [Bs. 5.37].

Another sloka is to explain: angani yasya sakalendriya-vrtti-manti [Bs. 5.32]. The spiritual body is equally qualified for doing everything. Just like with our hand, we can touch only. We cannot do... Or we can pick up something. But by simply having hand, or with the hand, we cannot eat. For eating we shall have to use this mouth, we have to use the stomach. But in the spiritual world, Krsna, about Him is described: angani yasya sakalendriya-vrtti-manti [Bs. 5.32]. Each and every limb of Krsna has got the potency of other limbs. He can eat by His eyes. He can hear from His eyes. And anything, all the parts of the limbs, because they are spiritual, you can use it for any purpose. This is not understandable in this material condition of life, but it is possible. These things are there.

angani yasya sakalendriya-vrtti-manti
pasyanti panti kalayanti ciram jaganti
ananda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
 [Bs. 5.32]

So His spiritual world, this, His planet, is described that cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. In His planet, there are many trees, many palaces, but they're all spiritual. Cintamani means spiritual. The houses, they're made of touchstone. Just like here the houses are made of bricks and wood; there the houses are also spiritual. The touchstone... It is described in the sastra that if there is any touchstone in this material world, the touchstone can turn the iron into gold. So anyway, the houses... There are houses also. Big, big palaces, like here. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa. And the trees are kalpa-vrksa. Kalpa-vrksa means where you can get fruit, one kind of fruit from one tree, but there, any fruit you want, you can get any tree. That is spiritual world. Prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa. Kalpa-vrksa means that. And surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. And Krsna is very fond of tending cows. And what are those cows? Surabhi. Surabhi means you can take as much milk as you like and as many times as you like. Here in this material world you have got cows, but you can take milk, limited quantity. And also once or twice. That is the difference.

In this way, if you read Brahma-samhita, you'll get complete description of the spiritual world, the spiritual entities, the Supreme Lord, His associates. His country, His pastimes, everything, very nicely described. And if we become attached to such place, then we can try, we can try, we can prepare ourself for going back to home, back to Godhead. That is the perfection of life. That is the mission of Krsna consciousness movement.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Sri Brahma-samhita, Verse 33 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973, Upsala University

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The Absolute Science

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.2
Vrndavana, September 6, 1975

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Prabhupada:

sri-visnuduta ucuh
aho kastam dharma-drsam
adharmah sprsate sabham
yatradandyesv apapesu
dando yair dhriyate vrtha
 [SB 6.2.2]

So the conversation between the Yamaduta and Visnuduta... So this material world is for Yamaduta, and the spiritual world is for Visnuduta. We have discussed all these points. So in the material world, more or less, we are susceptible for being punished by the Yamadutas or Yamaraja, not all. Who are punishable? They are nondevotees, those who are sinful. So anyone who is not following the principles of religion, they are to be punished, because the human form of life is meant for executing religion. Not the animals.

So if we do not follow religious principle, then we are punishable. You cannot escape. Exactly if you do not follow the state laws, then you are punishable, criminal. Similarly the original law or original controller, the original king is Krsna, Visnu. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. These rascals, those who manufacture religion, they do not know that religion can be given by Visnu, and we have to satisfy Visnu. Therefore there is varnasrama-dharma: four varnas and four asramas. The brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, and brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasa. This is the conception of human civilization, Aryan civilization. There are Aryans and non-Aryans. Aryan means who follow the varnasrama-dharma. They are Aryans. In India they were following strictly this varnasrama-dharma; therefore they were Aryans. Not now, formerly they were. Why? By the varnasrama-dharma one can please the Supreme Lord Visnu.

varnasramacaravata
purusena parah puman
visnur aradhyate pumsam
nanyat tat-tosa-karanam
 [Cc. Madhya 8.58]

The aim of human life is to satisfy Visnu. That is Vedic civilization.

atah pumbhir dvija-srestha
varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
samsiddhir hari-tosanam
 [SB 1.2.13]

Samsiddhir hari-tosanam. You are brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha... Varnasrama-vibhagasah.

But what is the aim of life? Aim of life is to satisfy the Visnu, Lord Visnu. But they do not know it. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. At least at the present moment, nobody knows that he has to satisfy the Supreme Lord. That is the aim of life. He does not know. He does not know even what is God. Just like animal. The animal does not know what is God. They are making research what is God, the theosophists, the theologists, making research. God is canvassing, "Here I am." Krsna, He comes. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati, tadatmanam srjami [Bg. 4.7]. When these rascals forget what is God, He comes. And still, they are making research. He is acting as God; He is instructing as God; He is accepted by the acaryas as God; still, these rascals are searching out God. This is their position. Why you are searching out? Here is God. God says, aham sarvasya prabhavah mattam sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8], aham adir hi devanam maharsinam sa saptasah [Bg 10.2]. And still you are searching God? That is the folly. Even God comes before you, and if you are demon, then you cannot understand what is God.

Therefore we have to follow the acaryas. We are ignorant. To become ignorant is not any fault. But when the ignorant thinks that he knows everything, then he's fault. Therefore the ignorant people are advised in the Vedas, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet srotriyam brahma-nistham [MU 1.2.12]. "So I am ignorant, I am fool, I am rascals. I shall remain like that"? No, that is not human life; that is animal life. Animal is also ignorant. A dog, he cannot go to a guru. That is not possible. But a human being, he must. Abhigacchet. It must. It is not optional, that "I may go, or I may not." No, you must. That is the injunction. That is the Vedic injunction. Acarya-parampara. Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. Rajarsayah. Formerly the king was responsible, responsible king. Responsible government means responsible king. So what is the responsibility of the king? The responsibility that all the citizens, all the inhabitants of the state, they should live very comfortably and develop Krsna consciousness. This is the responsibility of the king. He has to see that everyone is free from anxiety, everyone is feeling secure, everyone has no disease, no mental anxiety, and in peaceful condition they are executing bhagavata-dharma. That is real dharma, bhagavata-dharma. Bhagavata-dharma means to understand the science of God. That is Bhagavata. And it is advised, kaumaram acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha. Kaumara, from the very boyhood, childhood, one should be instructed and educated about bhagavata-dharma.

Dharma means bhagavata-dharma. Otherwise it is not dharma; it is cheating. Otherwise, why Krsna said sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]? Because that is bhagavata-dharma. Bhagavan is speaking. Therefore, what Bhagavan is speaking, that is in relationship with Bhagavan. Therefore it is called bhagavata-dharma. Bhagavata means in relationship with God, or Bhagavan. Bhagavata-sabda and then Bhagavata. That is dharma. So bhagavata-dharma. Dharma means bhagavata-dharma. Dharma does no mean I manufacture at my home some religion and it becomes dharma. No. That kind of religion is rejected. Dharmah projjhita kaivato 'tra: "That kind of cheating religion is rejected." Projjhita. Prakrsta-rupena ujjhita. That is not religion. Religion is for... Religion means the relationship between Bhagavan and me, or everything. Bhagavata-dharma. So the Bhagavata-dharma is spoken by Bhagavan Himself, Bhagavad-gita. So He says that catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. The human society must be divided into four classes: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. He says. That is bhagavata-dharma. If you abolish this, everyone is sudra, no brahmana. That brahmana means guna-karma-vibhagasah-guna, quality and action, not by birth. He never says, "by birth." Anyone who is qualified... Just like in ordinary life, anyone who is a qualified medical man, he is given the title "doctor," "medical practice," not that a doctor's son is necessarily a doctor. Even if he is a son of a doctor, still, he has to be educated as a medical man, then he will be accepted as doctor. This is bhagavata-dharma. Catur-varnyam maya srstam [Bg. 4.13]. And in another place it is stated, yasya hi yad laksanam proktam varnabhivyanjakam. It it said by Narada Muni to Maharaja Yudhisthira, yasya hi yad laksanam proktam. There are symptoms that he has... Here are the symptoms of a brahmana: satva sama dama titiksa arjavam, jnana-vijnana astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam [Bg. 18.42]. So then Narada Muni said that yasya hi yad laksanam proktam: "In the sastra, as the symptoms are described, if such symptom," yadi anyatra vidrsyeta, "if such symptoms are visible in other place," tat tenaiva vinirdiset [SB 7.11.35], "if the symptoms of a brahmana is found in a place, other place than, either in the sudra family or vaisya family or ksatriya family, then he should be accepted as a brahmana. Similarly if somebody in a brahmana family, his symptoms are like ksatriya or vaisya or sudra, then he should be designated like that." So this is bhagavata-dharma, strictly following the words and the injunction of God. That is bhagavata-dharma. And that is real dharma.

So this man deviated from bhagavata-dharma. Therefore he was to be arrested by the Yamadutas for purification. That was his external affair. But by chance, by the grace of the Lord, at the time of his death he chanted "Narayana," not exactly meaning the Supreme Lord Narayana, but his son's name was Narayana. He was thinking that "I am being dragged by the Yamaduta. So my son will save me." Therefore he exclaimed, "Narayana, please save me." So he meant his son, but Narayana, actual Narayana, heard it -- "O Narayana, please save me." This is the... Narayana is so kind that although the name of Narayana was called by Ajamila, meaning his son, still, because he has chanted the name, holy name of Narayana, it was immediately taken seriously by Lord Narayana, and His order-carriers, the Visnudutas, were sent to save this man. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat.

So this process of Krsna consciousness is so nice that svalpam apy asya dharmasya, even slightly executed in due time... Because the process is we are educating people to chant Hare Krsna to practice, so in due time, Hare Krsna at the time of death especially, if we can chant this holy name of God, Hare Krsna, then our life is successful. So unless we practice, how it will be possible to chant at the time of death? Because at the time of death the whole system, anatomical-physiological system, becomes disturbed, in bewilderedness, in coma, in unconsciousness. But still, if one has practiced, there is possibility of chanting the holy name of the Lord, Hare Krsna, Narayana. Then that is success of life. In a Bengali there is a proverb, bhajana kara sadhana kara murti janle haya(?), that "Whatever you are executing as a bhajana, sadhana, that's all right, but it will be tested at the time of your death." It will be test. Just like a parrot is chanting, "Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna," but when some cat comes in, "Kaw, kaw, kaw." No. Then missing. So parrot life will not help you. You must be really chanting without any offense. Then it is possibility that at the time of death... Death will be there. You may be very proud of your body, that "I am permanent." No. "As sure as death." And after death you have to change your body. Tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. That we do not know, what kind of body I will enjoy. Now I have got Serji's(?) body. That's all right. But your karma will decide the next body.

So intelligent person, they should be Krsna conscious, krsna-karma, always engaged in Krsna's service. Then it is mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam [Bg. 9.25]. Krsna says, "One who is always engaged in My service, activities," Krsna says, "he comes back to Me." Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. So practice that. This is Krsna consciousness movement. This life will be finished, and you do not know what kind of body you are going to get next. The best guarantee is that you execute Krsna consciousness, chant Hare Krsna mantra constantly, remain pure by following the regulative principles, and satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah [Bg. 9.14]. Then everything is assured, and your life is successful. At the time of death you go back to home. Just see how Krsna, Narayana, is so kind that because he feelingly chanted at the time of his death, "O Narayana, please come and save me..." But he was meaning his son. But Krsna did not take that. Just like Putana. Putana wanted to kill Krsna. That was his (her) plan. But Krsna, because He sucked the breast of Putana, He took him (her) as His mother. This is Krsna. Krsna never takes the bad side. Krsna takes always the bright side. Putana, although she came to cheat Krsna, but how Krsna will cheat? Krsna thought that "I have sucked her breast, so she is My mother. She should go to the same place where Yasodamayi is going." This is Krsna.

So we should always remember that Krsna is very, very kind, and a slight devotional service to Him will please Him, and therefore He is begging, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati [Bg. 9.26]. What you will give to Krsna? He is self-sufficient. But if you give something to Krsna, your life becomes successful.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.2 -- Vrndavana, September 6, 1975

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"To Live Means To Love Krishna"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.7
Vrndavana, September 6, 1976

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Devotee:

yasyam vai sruyamanayam
krsne parama-puruse
bhaktir utpadyate pumsah
soka-moha-bhayapaha

Translation: "Simply by giving aural reception to this Vedic literature, the feeling for loving devotional service to Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, sprouts up at once to extinguish the fire of lamentation, illusion and fearfulness."

Prabhupada: Yasyam vai sruyamanayam. The Satvata-samhita, we have already discussed yesterday morning. Vidvams cakre satvata-samhitam. This is Vaisnava. Vidvan. Vaisnava is always vidvan. Vid means knowledge and van means one who has knowledge. That is called vidvan. Vidvan. So Vyasadeva, he's known as Veda-vyasa. He's the giver of Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge is not given by him. The Vedic knowledge is given by Krsna Himself. Tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. Krsna, Vasudeva, om namo bhagavate vasudevaya, He gave the knowledge to Lord Brahma. Tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. Adi-kavi, the original learned person. Just like this modern nonsense theory that there was in the beginning no life. But that is nonsense. In the beginning there was Brahma, the most learned person.

So this theory, modern scientists, that there was no human being or there was no man, they are all rascal speculation. It has no value. Here we get the knowledge, that originally the Vedic knowledge was given to Lord Brahma, and from Lord Brahma, Narada received the knowledge, and from Narada Vyasadeva received the knowledge. And from Vyasadeva, by parampara disciplic succession, we have received this knowledge. The knowledge is the same. There is no alteration. Because it is coming through the parampara system there is no breakage. Just like from a very top height, if you give something, but if it is given hand to hand it does not break. But if you drop anything from very high place it will be spoiled. Therefore it comes through the parampara. Take for example one fruit, ripened fruit. This Bhagavatam is accepted as the ripened fruit of the Vedic desire tree. Nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam idam [SB 1.1.3]. It is the ripened fruit of all Vedic knowledge. Because Vedic knowledge means to understand God. That is Vedic knowledge. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. That is Vedic knowledge. To understand the Supreme Lord, the original person. That is the end of Vedic knowledge. So that Vedic knowledge is presented in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, and therefore in the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam Vyasadeva offers his respectful obeisances, om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Vasudeva is the origin. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19]. One who has known that vasudevah sarvam iti, "Vasudeva is everything," sa mahatma sudurlabhah. He's not only ordinary mahatma, he is su-durlabhah. Durlabhah means "very rare," and when you add this word su, it is "very, very difficult." Su-durlabhah. That kind of mahatma... (aside:) You sit down properly. Who is that man? You sit down properly. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma su-durlabhah [Bg. 7.19].

So how one can understand Vasudeva? Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan [Bg. 7.19]. After many, many births. Because we are -- all living entities in this material world -- we are all rascals. We must know it. All rascals. Abodha-jatah. Everyone who is born in this material world, either he may be... Even Lord Brahma, and down to the small insect. Anyone who has come to this material world... Because we are not material. We are spiritual identity. Na jayate na mriyate va. Never takes birth, never dies. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. This is the identification given by Lord Krsna. But we are so foolish and rascals we never question that "My position is na jayate na mriyate va. I never take birth, never I die. Then why I am afraid of death and why I am actually undergoing birth and death? I am born, everyone knows. I come out from my mother. Therefore jayate. So why I have taken birth? And again everyone knows, ‘As sure as death,' mriyate va. So why this discrepancy?" This is human being. The cats and dog, they cannot question these things.

So this question is called brahma-jijnasa, that "I am spirit soul, aham brahmasmi. So 'ham. I am the same quality as the Supreme Lord. So why I am put into this condition?" This is beginning of human life. This is the beginning of human life. And if one does not inquire this, then he is animal. Plain thing. Just like Sanatana Gosvami. He was minister, but he could understand that "What to speak of becoming a minister... Minister can become any rascal. I am the fool number one." Therefore he came to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and the first question was ke ami kene amaya jare tapa-traya. He was never proud, that "I am minister, I am so learned scholar. Why shall I go to Caitanya Mahaprabhu and ask Him who am I?" This is humbleness, and this is the qualification of becoming a disciple. When one becomes humble, when actually one understands that he is fool number one, he has to go to guru to understand the value of his life. Then he is intelligent. And so long he keeps himself in the darkness, that "I know everything. Who is richer than me? Who is learned than me? Who is powerful than me? I am this, I am that," that means he is rascal. Abodha-jatah. Parabhavas tavad abodha-jatah. So long we keep ourself in this misunderstanding that "I know everything. I am very great person," then whatever he is doing, it is his defeat. Abodha-jatah. Parabhavah. That is going on. The so-called leaders, they do not know what is their spiritual identification, and becoming unnecessarily proud, they are doing anything and everything. Abodha-jatah. They do not know they'll have to suffer for this ignorance. We have repeatedly said that if you keep yourself in the ignorance and if you do... Because wrong thing is done by rascals and ignorant. No intelligent man will do any wrong thing. That's a fact. Violation of the law is done, either a criminal willfully doing or a person, one who does not know the law, he commits. But you know or not know, if you have violated the law, then you have to be punished.

prakrteh kriyamanani
gunaih karmani sarvasah
ahankara-vimudhatma
kartaham iti manyate
[Bg. 3.27]

You are not independent.

So Vyasadeva, he is giving us this knowledge. Vidvan lokasyajanatah. The whole population, the total number of the living entities -- either he is Brahma or a small -- proportionately, they are all in ignorance. Otherwise why Brahma required Vedic knowledge? It is said, tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. Adi-kavaye, Brahma, he is svayambhu. He's so great that he's directly born from Narayana, svayambhu, not through any material mother. Just imagine how he is great. And Brahma is great, everyone knows. So he had to take knowledge also. Otherwise, why it is said tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye? Even though he's the most learned, adi-kavaye, he had to take knowledge. So you can say "He is the first creature, there was nobody there. How he took knowledge? Who gave him knowledge?" The answer is there in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, that Vasudeva gave him. "Where is Vasudeva? There was nothing." No. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. Vasudeva means who stays everywhere. Vasati sarvatra. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma su-durlabhah [Bg. 7.19]. So Vasudeva is there. So Brahma was, although there was nobody else except Brahma, he was in the darkness. Still, Vasudeva was there. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna [Bg. 18.61]. So He gave the knowledge. Tene brahma. Brahma means Vedic knowledge.

So vasudevah sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19]. Vasudeva is everywhere, and He is ready to help us, and if we become sincere to take knowledge from Vasudeva... Even you are in the wilderness, anywhere you are, you are with Vasudeva. You are not alone. He is so friendly that He is living with you as your most intimate friend. That is described in the Vedic literature. Two birds are sitting in one tree. This is the tree, and two birds, atma and Paramatma, they are sitting in the same tree. One is acting according to his whims for enjoying senses, and another is simply looking over: "When this rascal will turn his face towards Me?" This is going on. (aside, referring to microphone:) Why it is stopped? Oh. So Vasudeva is always ready to help us, provided we want to take help from Him. And He, not only internally He is helping, externally also, He's sending His representative to teach us. And there is sastra, just like this Srimad-Bhagavatam. Sadhu, sastra, guru. Guru is there, sastra is there, saintly persons are there. You take advantage. And the Lord is there within yourself. So why don't you take? This is intelligence. If we don't take the advantage... And this is possible in the human form of life. A cat and dog cannot take advantage of the sadhu, sastra and guru. Only the human being can accept it. Therefore here it is said, yasyam vai sruyamanayam. Yasyam vai sruyamanayam krsne parama-puruse. The Srimad-Bhagavatam, satvata-samhitam, given by Vyasadeva... Not given by Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva is simply delivering what he has received from his guru, caitya-guru. He is delivering that knowledge. Vedic knowledge he is delivering, and he has written this book. Lokasyajanatah. People are all rascals.

So the advantage we must take. What is that advantage? Yasyam vai sruyamanayam. If you simply hear, that's all. Just like you are hearing. If you kindly come here and listen the instruction of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, you become perfect. Simply by hearing. You haven't got to make any gymnastic or any physical labor. Simply come into the temple. Man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah. Simply see the Deity. Naturally you will think of Deity: "Oh, how nicely the Lord is dressed." That is thinking. Man-manah. Immediately thinking. The temple is constructed after spending so much money. Why? To give you chance of thinking. Because there is the beginning. It is not the money is wasted. Rascals are thinking that "Unnecessarily they have spent so much money." No. Paropakara, giving chances to the rascal people to come here and see the Deity and think of Krsna, this is wanted. If he simply thinks, "Oh, how Krsna is nicely dressed," that is thinking. Man-manah. And if you offer little obeisances, mam namaskuru, then you still make further progress. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. And if you hear about Himself, in this way you become perfect. There is no necessity of very high education, M.A., Ph.D., D.H.C. No. This simple. Yasyam vai sruyamanayam. Here it is said, "Simply by hearing." Yasyam vai sruyamanayam krsne parama-puruse. The whole idea is how to become Krsna conscious. That is the perfection of life, how to become Krsna conscious. So if we hear this literature given by Vyasadeva, satvata-samhita... Yasyam vai sruyamanayam Simply by hearing. Krsne parama-puruse bhaktir utpadyate. Because we require, man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah. Krsna says directly. Bhava mad-bhaktah. So how you can become bhagavad-bhakta, here is the process: bhaktir utpadyate pumsah.

Now what is the use of bhakti? Just see how Bhagavata is compiled, how nicely -- because it is transcendental literature. You can say, "What is the use of bhakti? Why shall I waste my time, come in the temple and hear about Krsna?" Actually they are doing that. Nobody is coming. Such a big temple. Of course, there are many temples they are going, but in other places also people have lost interest, all interest. Either temple or church or mosque, they do not go. Therefore they are surprised. In America the Christian priests are surprised because they are closing their churches. In London I have seen hundreds of churches are now closed. Nobody is going. If there is meeting, only the caretaker and few old ladies go. Because why they will go? That's a fact. And actually churches are being sold. It is not lying propaganda. Anyone, English boy, he'll confirm this statement. Yes. People are losing interest. So here it is said that bhaktir utpadyate. The bhakti can be awakened. It is not an artificial thing. If it was artificial thing, why the English and American boys... They had nothing to do with Krsna, they never heard in their life about Krsna. How... This is admitted by the Christian priest, that "These boys, they are our boys, and formerly, before this Krsna consciousness movement, they never came to church, never inquired about God. Now how it is that these boys are mad after God?" They are surprised. And it is actually surprising. Why? Because the bhakti is there. It was not awakened by the so-called leaders and the priests. It was not awakened. Religion means to awaken that Krsna consciousness. That is religion. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6]. That is religion. Religion is not formalities and ritualistic ceremonies. Religion means how to awaken the normal condition, to become lover of God. That is normal condition. Love is there, but because we have no objective, because we have no instruction where to place our love we are loving so many things -- up to the dog. Instead of God we are loving dog. Love is there.

So bhakti means yato bhaktir adhoksaje. That means..., bhakti means love. Unless you have bhakti... Just like you are giving me so many garlands. Why you are giving me? Because you love me. Otherwise there was no necessity. There was no necessity. A third person is not coming. But because you have got some love, therefore you are worshiping your spiritual master. So bhakti means love. Without love there is no question of bhakti. So this bhakti has to be awakened. That is stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta: nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti. Bhakti is there. Otherwise as I have said many times, how you have become bhakta? There are European, American girls here present. For krsna-bhakti they have sacrificed everything. Even they do not dress attractively so that they may be attractive to other boys, and their life may be spoiled. Why? For bhakti. For Krsna. This is the bhakti. That is wanted. Krsne parama-puruse bhaktir utpadyate. This is success of life. Krsne parama-puruse, Krsna says, and in the sastra it is said, and all the sages, all the learned scholars, acaryas, they accept krsna parama-purusa. The Supreme Father:

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

Aham hi sarvasya prabhavah: "I am the origin of everything." Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1], the Vedanta-sutra. "Krsna, Brahman, Parabrahman -- He is the origin of everything." Vasudevah sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19]. One must know it. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah. These things are there.

Therefore krsne parama. The life, success of life means how you can awaken your love for Krsna. Krsne parama-puruse. Parama-puruse, that is explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta. Nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti sadhya kabhu naya. It is not artificially awakened. There is, already nitya-siddha. As we are nitya-siddha... Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam. We are nitya; similarly krsna-bhakti is also nitya. Krsna consciousness is there along with the living entity; it is not an artificial thing. Just like sugar -- sweetness is already there. It is the nature of sugar. It is not an artificial thing. Sugar means sweetness. Living entity means krsna-bhakta. If he's not krsna-bhakta, he's a rascal. Therefore Krsna said na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah [Bg. 7.15]. Those who are naradhamas, lowest of the mankind, they do not become krsna-bhakta. They become other. Therefore they are duskrtina. Why they are not krsna-bhakta? Duskrtina, full of sinful activity.

So you cannot become krsna-bhakta and indulge at the same time in sinful activities. Then it will be spoiled. You must be very careful. We have selected, summarized the essence of sinful activities is illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication, and gambling. This is the essence. If you save yourself from these four principles, then you become sinless. And unless you become sinless, there is no question of krsna-bhakta. Rest assured.

yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah
[Bg. 7.28]

One can be strictly engaged in Krsna consciousness when he's free from all sinful activity. Otherwise not possible. Of course, Krsna is very kind. If you are engaged in krsna-bhakti sincerely, if by mistake you commit some sin, that can be excused. But if you purposefully commit sinful activities, you'll never get Krsna's approach. That is a great... Namno balad yasya hi papa-buddhih. That is very great offense, that I am a devotee of Krsna, and... Just like the Christian people go to church, that "I am a devotee of Christ. I can do any nonsense, and on Sunday I shall go, I shall admit, ‘Yes, my Lord, I have done this.' " "All right. Excused." Then? Then I'll do again tomorrow." This is not wanted. That is papa-buddhih, that "Somehow or other let me be atoned today, and from tomorrow I shall begin my business. And again I shall come Sunday." This is papa-buddhih. Such persons are never excused, but they do not know. But by mistake or by chance, unknowingly if we commit some mistake, that is excused. Sapada-mulam bhajatam priyasya. Because he is engaged in the service of the Lord. Not only that, one who is engaged, if you simply admit, "Sir, from today I shall be Your servant," immediately, immediately you become free from all... Krsna said, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "You just surrender to Me." And you do it, and immediately aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami. Immediately. But don't commit again. He can excuse immediately. Api cet su-duracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. Not that you take advantage of Him. Don't take advantage of Him, and "Because I have become so-called sadhu I can do all nonsense and Krsna will excuse." No. That is nama-aparadha. If by mistake or by chance you do something wrong, that can be excused. That is natural. Suppose you are servant, you have committed some mistake. The master immediately does not dismiss. He warns you: "Why you have done this thing? Do not do it again." That is natural.

Similarly krsna-bhakti is there. If we carefully study, yasyam vai sruyamanayam... Study means you can say that it requires education. No. It doesn't matter. sruyamanayam. Krsna has given you the ears. Therefore Vedic knowledge is called sruti. You go to a proper person, guru, and hear from him. Therefore this word is used: sruyamanayam. If you hear from the right person, then krsne parama-puruse bhaktir utpadyate. Then you develop your Krsna consciousness. And if you say, "What is the use of bhakti? Let me enjoy." No. It is required, if you are serious. What is that required? Soka-moha-bhayapaha. Things are going on soka, moha and bhaya. Bhaya means fearfulness. Even a small bird, he's also fearful. You see the bird is sitting up. It is not coming down. Why? Sometimes it comes down when we are not there. What is that? Fearfulness. Fearfulness. It is a small bird. We have nothing to do with them. Nobody has got... But still it is fearful. So any body, any material body you accept there will be fearfulness. And why you are fearful? There is loss and gain. So when there is loss there is soka, and the soka..., and fearfulness is moha, illusion -- because I don't belong to this material world. Artificially you have accepted this body. On account of this body I am subjected to these principles: soka, moha, bhaya. So as you become advanced in Krsna consciousness, more and more you advance, then these three things -- soka, moha, bhaya -- will be completely eradicated. That is the gain of bhakti-yoga.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.7.7 -- Vrndavana, September 6, 1976

"Human Life Very Rarely Obtained"

7 Sept 73 , Stokholm

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Prabhupada:

kaumara acaret prajno
dharman bhagavatan iha
durlabham manusam janma
tad apy adhruvam arthadam
[SB 7.6.1]

yatha hi purusasyeha
visnoh padopasarpanam
yad esa sarva-bhutanam
priya atmesvarah suhrt
[SB 7.6.2]

I am reciting some verses from Srimad-Bhagavatam. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the essence of Vedic literature. It is said nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam idam [SB 1.1.3]. Just like a big tree. What is the essential thing in the big tree? That is the fruit. Suppose a mango tree. Big mango tree. But what we want from the mango tree? The mango. And if the mango is ripened, still, it is very nice. So it is compared, nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam [SB 1.1.3]. Nigama means Vedic literature. Veda, Veda means knowledge. Vetti veda vidoh vinte vid vicarane. So vid-dhatu, those who are Sanskrit scholars here, they'll understand. Vid means to know, knowledge. So Vedic literature means to receive knowledge, authoritative knowledge. Not false knowledge. False knowledge, there is difference between false knowledge and authoritative knowledge. So far we are concerned at the present moment, whatever knowledge we are giving or accepting, they are more or less false knowledge. Not authoritative knowledge.

Just like we are studying the outer space, so many scientists are studying. But still they cannot give any perfect information of all the planets. Although we see, actually, we are seeing daily. Take for example the sun planet. We see every morning the sun is there. But actually we do not know what is the sun planet. There are, may be so many theories, but actually, we do not know what is the sun planet. But we can understand from the Vedic literature. The sun planet is as good as this planet. There are also cities, towns, houses, and population, and it is very big. This information we get from the Vedic knowledge. Just like in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, Krsna says that, imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1]. "This knowledge of Bhagavad-gita, I spoke first to the sun-god. His name is Vivasvan." Vivasvan manave praha. "And that Vivasvan explained this knowledge to his son Manu." Manur iksvakave 'bravit. "And Manu also explained the same knowledge to his son, Maharaja Iksvaku, King Iksvaku." He's the forefather of the ksatriya dynasty in which Lord Ramacandra appeared. So we get this knowledge from the Vedas, perfectly.

There are so many things, just like the forms of life, how many form of life are there. That is stated in the Vedic knowledge. 8,400.000 species. Jalaja nava-laksani. In the water, there are 900,000 forms of life. It does not say one million or eleven hundred or, no, exactly. Nine hundred. Jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati. Sthavara means the living entities which cannot move. Just like the trees, plants, they are also living entities, but they cannot move. They are called sthavara. Two millions. Now where is the botanist who can give exact information how many plants and trees are there? But you get fully, full information. Sthavara laksa-vimsati krmayo rudra-sankhyakah. This is the evolutionary process, from aquatics to the plant life, then insect life, krmayo. Rudra-sankhyakah. Rudra-sankhyakah means eleven hundred thousand. Paksinam dasa-laksanam. The birds, after insects, the next evolution is to the bird species. So there are one million different species of birds. Paksinam dasa-laksanam. Pasavah trimsal-laksani. Then beast, four-legged beast, animals. There are three millions. And manusah catur-laksani. And then we come to the form of the human being; there are also four hundred thousand species. In this way, altogether there are 8,400,000 species, forms of life.

Now modern botanists and medical men and there are so many people, they are scholars, interested to understand, biologists. But here we get the correct information from the Vedas. Similarly, not only of this information, all departmental knowledge, namely this science, geography, philosophy, religion, sociology, politics, whatever you want, you can learn from the Vedic information. There is perfect information. So it is compared with a tree. So that tree, and the ripened fruit is this Srimad-Bhagavatam. Nigama kalpa-taror galitam phalam idam [SB 1.1.3]. Galitam phalam idam. A fruit, if you take from the tree, if it is not ripened, you can keep in a store and it gets by temperature... That ripened fruit and the fruit actually ripened in the tree, there is difference in taste. So this Srimad-Bhagavatam is compared as the ripened fruit. Nigama-kalpa taror galitam phalam [SB 1.1.3]. So we have translated this Srimad-Bhagavatam. This is one part, here, you can see. In sixty parts. In the Bhagavatam there are eighteen thousand verses and we are trying to place before you in English translation, and gradually, in other language also. It is being translated in German language, in French language and Spanish. Gradually. Some of our books are being published by Macmillan company, and they are being distributed. What is the name of that?

Hamsaduta: (indistinct)

Prabhupada: So we are selling our books very nicely, and our whole institution is practically financed by this selling of books. Even in Indian parliament, we are supposed to be very, very rich community. So, in India there are persons who are very suspicious of this Hare Krsna movement, and they are surprised how we are maintaining more than one hundred branches all over the world. "Where you get financial help?" So, they think that America has got a, what is, CID department?

Devotees: CIA.

Prabhupada: CIA Department. So they are financing us, America. Just see the foolishness. The CIA department has taken this sankirtana movement. But these rascals are thinking like that; that it is a branch of the CIA Movement. So, being suspicious, some of the rascals raised the question in Parliament in India, that "This community are fabulously rich. So it is understood that they belong to the CIA Department of America. Is it a fact?" It was raised in the Parliament and the question was put before the home member. "So if they are CIA Department, they are pushing on this Hare Krsna movement under the garb, then what is government's information? This is first question. If not, where they are getting so much money spending?" In this way two, three questions were raised. Fortunately the home member was aware of our movement and he replied that "They do not belong to the CIA Department. We do not have any such information and there is no need of any action. And so far their finance is concerned, we understand that they are selling their literatures and public contribution." That is the fact, actually. We are selling our books about, three, more, not less than three thousand dollars daily, and that is giving us our financial help. We have no other means of income. Although we have got expenditure not less than one hundred thousands of dollars per month throughout the whole world.

So anyway, it is our attempt to give you the ripened fruit of Vedic knowledge. This is our attempt. This Krsna consciousness movement is just distributing the ripened fruit of Vedic knowledge. So Vedic knowledge, the ultimate goal of Vedic knowledge is to know God. Not only Vedic, any scripture, any book of knowledge. So the ultimate goal of knowledge is to know God. If you do not... Because this human form of life is meant for that purpose. That is explained here by Prahlada Maharaja: kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha [SB 7.6.1]. This Prahlada Maharaja, he was a small boy, five years old. Somehow or other, he was enlightened in Krsna consciousness, and at the age of five years old, he was going to school and he was trying to preach this Krsna consciousness movement in the school. I'm especially reading these verses because it is university, a school for teaching to the students. So Prahlada Maharaja says that this teaching of this learning of Krsna consciousness, should begin from very childhood. Kaumaram. Kaumara means the age between ten years and fifteen years. That is called kaumara. Kaumara acaret prajno. Prajno means one who is intelligent. So from just one child is ten years old, from the age of ten years up to fifteen years, this period must be used especially for understanding Bhagavata-dharma, for understanding what is God. That is Bhagavata-dharma.

Dharma means it is translated into English as "religion." And religion means a kind of faith. But so far the Sanskrit word dharma is there, it does not mean a kind of faith. It is a fact. It is a fact. Faith, you can believe for some time and again you can reject. That is faith. But what is fact, that cannot be changed. Just like water, water is liquid. That is a fact. It is not a kind of faith, it is a fact. You cannot make water solid. As soon as you talk of water, you have got immediate knowledge that it is a liquid thing. Similarly, if you take stone, the quality of stone, it is hard, it is not liquid. If somebody says, "I have brought some liquid stone." Is it possible? No, what is this nonsense. So dharma means that quality which cannot be changed. As soon as you take water, it must be liquid. If... You can say that water sometimes becomes ice, very hard. But that is not the unnatural, uh, natural state. Ice is there, but it is trying to come to the natural state to become again liquid. Again liquid. Because liquidity is the natural stage of water. It cannot be changed. Similarly dharma means, the exact word, Sanskrit, those who are Sanskrit scholars here, they will understand. Dharma means you cannot change. That is not possible. In any circumstances, you cannot change.

So here it is said, kaumaram acaret prajno dharman. Dharman bhagavata. So dharma, which is generally translated into English, that is one for everyone. It is not that we are Hindus, somebody else Christians, somebody else Buddhists, "we have got different faith," "we have got different faith." What is depending on faith, that is not dharma, that is not religion. The quality which you cannot change, that is religion. Therefore, the definition of dharma is given in the Vedic literature: dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Dharma means the codes or the laws which is given by God. This is the simple definition of dharma. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Just like law. What is that law? Law means the codes or the order given by the state. That is law. You cannot manufacture law at home, that "I have manufactured something." So at the present moment the so-called religion is going on in the name that it is religion but it is manufactured by some concoction and it is being supported by persons that "You can manufacture your own religion." No, that you cannot. You cannot manufacture your own religion. Religion means the codes given by God. Just like law means the order given by the state. Just like the law is "keep to the right." That is given, the order is given by the state. You cannot say, that "Now I have made a law, keep to the left." That is not possible. Nobody will be pleased or nobody will accept that. So dharma you cannot change.

So Prahlada Maharaja says, kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha [SB 7.6.1]. "My dear friends, from the beginning of your kaumara age, as soon as you are on the age of ten years,"... Of course, he was preaching when he was five years old. Actually, education begins, that is the Indian system, from five years. Up to five years, the children are not bothered with any kind of education. They play and become free. But as soon as he is five years old, he's sent to the school. And actual education begins from tenth year. So Prahlada Maharaja says, "My dear friends, that, you try to be educated in religion, especially in the Bhagavata religion." Bhagavata religion means the Science of God, to understand what is God. So why it is so urgent? That is replied here. Durlabham manusam janma. This human form of life is very rarely obtained.

As I have explained, that, there are 8,400,000 species of life. But unfortunately, there is no proper education how the living entity, what is that living entity and how it is transmigrating from one body to another? Tatha dehantara-praptir. In the Bhagavad-gita you'll find, dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara tatha dehantara-praptir [Bg. 2.13]. Krsna says, the authoritative knowledge, that, as the soul, dehi, the proprietor of the body. We do not know whether I am this body or I am the proprietor of this body. That knowledge is also lacking. Big, big professors, they do not know. I was talking in Moscow, one big professor, Professor Kotofsky, he said: "Swamiji, after this body's finished, everything is finished." This is their knowledge. Blunt knowledge. No, it is not finished. We get from the Vedic literature, na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. Nityo sasvato yam na jayate na mriyate va kadacit. The soul is eternal. Soul is eternal and soul does not take birth. The body, we get a new body, that is called birth. And when this body is annihilated, that is called death. So birth and death is in reference with the body, not with the soul.

I don't think in any university throughout the whole world there is such educational department where this science is handled. The soul. Whether I am this body or I'm not the body. I am not this body; that is the fact. The example is given. What is that? Dehino asmin dehe, in this body there is the proprietor, the soul. Dehino 'smin yatha dehe [Bg. 2.13]. Within this body, there is proprietor. And he's changing bodies. Just like the same soul in a childhood body, in a boyhood body, in a youth-hood body. Then again in a body like me, an old body. So all the previous bodies, they are now finished. Although I know I am soul, I know that I possessed a childhood body, I possessed a boyhood body, I possessed a youthhood body, that those bodies are not existing. They are finished. But I am existing. I know. Therefore this is very simply formula Krsna gives. Dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara [Bg. 2.13]. This body is changing, but the soul is eternal. Nityo sasvato yam purano. Although it is very, very old. Because soul is the part and parcel of God. As God is existing eternally, similarly, the soul is also existing eternally. This is a great science.

Therefore Prahlada Maharaja is requesting, "My dear friends, you try to learn this science," dharman bhagavatan iha, "from this very childhood life." Because this human form of life, he says that, durlabham manusam janma. Manusam janma. This form of body... We have got by evolutionary process. It is a chance given by the nature to understand what is God. This is the main business of this body. Not that economic development. That is not the business of human body. Sense gratification. Sense gratification is there in the animals. That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye [SB 5.5.1]. The human form of life is not meant for to live like the dogs and the hogs. They are busy always for maintaining the body. They are busy. They have no other business. They cannot understand. If I bring some dog in this meeting and try to make him understand, "Please note that you are not this body." It is not possible for them to understand. But a human being, he may be educated like dogs and hog, but if he's given reasonably the, as Krsna is giving that the soul is the proprietor of this body and he is as he's changing in this body He's a child-child means he has got a child's body. Baby means he has got a baby's body. Young man means he has a youth's body. So this body has been changed. Similarly when this body is useless, no more can be used, then he transmigrates to another body. Tatha dehantara-praptir.

Now what kind of body he's going to get? Because I have already explained. There are 8,400,000 different forms of body. So the answer is he can get any of these forms. There is no guarantee that he will again get the American body or Englishmen body or Swiss body -- not like that. That will depend on nature. That is not in your hand. As soon as you change your body, the next change will be offered by nature according to your desire. So in this life we are creating different types of desires. Therefore, we find different types of bodies. This is nature's work. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. Don't think that you are independent. None of us are independent. We may think independently that "There is no God, there is no nature's work, we are everything." That crazy statements may be there, but there is good management, beyond our conception. As you see there is good management in the natures -- exactly in due course of time the sun is rising, the moon is rising, the seasons are being changed, the water is there in the ocean, it is not transgressing the limit, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean. There is full control of the material nature. And behind this material nature, there is God. Prakrteh kriyamanani [Bg. 3.27]. Prakrti, nature is working, but nature is working under the direction of God. That we get information from this Vedic literature.

mayadhyaksena prakrtih
suyate sa-caracaram
hetunanena (kaunteya)
jagad viparivartate
[Bg. 9.10]

Don't think nature is blind. Nature is matter, material energy. It cannot work independently, just like machine. Machine, it is made of matter. But if there is no driver, however efficient machine may be, it is useless, a lump of matter (only). There must be driver. Similarly, whatever wonderful activities you find within this material nature, that is not being done independently. That is being done under the driver. Just like the big car or this airship is running very nicely so long the pilot is there, so long the driver is there. Without pilot, even the arrangement is very nice, good machinery assembly, but it cannot work. Similarly, this nature, although we find very wonderfully working, but behind this nature, there is the living entity, supreme living entity, God. So to understand that God, how He is working, what we are, what is our relationship with God, why we are here, why we are transmigrating from one body to another -- all these are called bhagavata-dharma. This is called bhagavata-dharma.

Bhagavata means in relationship with God. So our, this Krsna consciousness movement is bhagavata-dharma. Bhagavata-dharma means we are presenting God. People are searching out whether there is God, God is dead or alive. But we are giving, "Here is God. Here is His name, here is His address, here is His activities." Everything we are giving distinctly. Not blindly, but there is philosophy, there is reason, there is logic, and these are all stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, sixty volumes. So Prahlada Maharaja says that everyone from the very childhood, that means when education begins, this bhagavata-dharma. Otherwise, we are missing the point. We are missing the opportunity of this human form of life. We are simply living like cats and dogs and dying like cats and dogs. And if we maintain that mentality like cats and dogs, then next life... Because we are given the opportunity by nature to utilize our consciousness, to utilize our intelligence, to understand God. But if we do not utilize, if we live like cats and dogs, then next life we have to accept, by nature's law, the body of cats and dog. This is bhagavata-dharma. This is an opportunity. Here is the opportunity to make your choice whether again you are going to be cats and dogs or whether you are going to be elevated to the highest position, back to home, back to Godhead.

That is highest perfection. Na te vidhuh svartha-gatim hi visnum. Practically, the so-called civilized men at the present moment, they do not know what is the actual goal of life. The Prahlada Maharaja advising, although he's a child, but he has heard from authority, from Narada Muni, therefore he's instructing his class friend. Because his father was a great atheist, Hiranyakasipu. He was very angry. When Prahlada Maharaja used to talk of God consciousness, he was very much disturbed, he used to chastise him, "Wherefrom this nonsense boy has learned this God, God, God?" He was very much disturbed. So he was very afraid of his father at home. But in the school, as soon as the teachers were away, tiffin hour, he would take the opportunity and preach something about God. That is the statement here. So he says, durlabham manusam: "My dear friends, this human form of life is very rarely obtained." Durlabham manusam janma tad apy adhruvam. Adhruvam means it will also not stay. "Because I have got this human form of body, therefore, I'll live forever." No. I'll have to die like cats and dog. But because I have got this human form of life, I can understand what is the truth. That is my opportunity. Durlabham manusam janma tad apy adhruvam. It will not stay.

But arthadam. Arthadam means you can realize your self. That is the greatest achievement, if you can realize your self, whether you are this body or you are soul. That is called self-realization. And as soon as you realize your self... There are many statements in the Vedic literature, that is the distinction between a brahmana and a krpana. These two words are used in Vedic literature. Brahmana means in full knowledge and krpana means who could not utilize the facility of the human form of life. He's called a krpana. Krpana, the exact word -- meaning is "miser." Miser means, if you get some hundred thousands of dollars, if you do not utilize it properly, simply see your money, "I have got this so much money," and be satisfied, then you are a miser. You could not utilize the money. And brahmana means one who utilizes this opportunity of human form of life to the fullest extent and can understand what is God, what is my relationship with Him, how I have come here, why I am subjected to birth, death, old age, and disease. So many things have to be learned.

So the human form of life is meant for that purpose, but there is no facility in the educational institution. Many universities there may be, but not very perfectly well-situated. But we are trying our bid, this Krsna consciousness movement, to give education about this bhagavata-dharma and we are trying to present in so many languages. So we wish that you should cooperate, try to understand this philosophy. We have got books, we have got talks. Any way we can convince you about this philosophy of God consciousness, I hope you'll take advantage of it. Not only that, it is very easy. It is not very difficult. Just like you see all our students, they come from Europe, America. Four or five years ago they did not know what is this bhagavata-dharma, what is this Krsna. Now you can see the result, that all over the world, not only in Europe, but in America, Australia, in Japan, in Canada, everywhere, we have got this type of devotees, and they are understanding what is God, what is our relationship with God. It doesn't matter, God is neither Hindu, Muslim, or Christian -- God is God. So it is the duty of everyone. It is not that only Christians should understand God and the Hindus should understand nobody. No. Any human being. Any living entity in the human form of life must understand. Otherwise, he's missing the opportunity. So we have got to say many things about this thing. In short time, we cannot speak so many things, but we invite you to take advantage of this movement, try to understand the science of God and be benefited. [break]

Girl: ...you cannot change dharma. But love can change dharma.

Hamsaduta: She said that love can change dharma. You say that dharma cannot be changed.

Prabhupada: First of all, you have to understand what is dharma. Dharma, as I have already explained, the order given by God. That is dharma. And what is the order of God? God says that "You surrender unto Me." Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. God says that "You always think of Me," and, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto, "You just become My devotee," and, man-mana bhava, mad-yaji, "You worship Me, and you offer your obeisances." These things we are doing. We are thinking of somebody. Because without thinking you cannot remain. But God says, "You think of Me." You cannot avoid thinking of somebody. Just like a girl is thinking of his lover, a boy, a boy is thinking of his lover. So we must be thinking of somebody. Or in grown-up stage, I am thinking something else, my child, my home. So Krsna says, God says, that "You think of Me." So you have to change your thinking process. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto. And we are already devotees. We are devotees of the country, of the society, of the person, of the president, of the king, so many. God says, that, "You become My devotee." Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto. Mad-yaji: We are worshiping our leader. So God is the supreme leader.

Therefore, this question I put to Professor Kotovsky, that "Your philosophy, Communist philosophy, and our philosophy, where is the philosophically different? Because you have selected a leader, Lenin, and you are worshiping him. And we have selected a leader, Krsna, we are also worshiping Him. So where is the change? How we have advanced? You have selected another leader, that's all. You have to select. So the worship must go on. Either you become Communist or not Communist." So God says that "Instead of worshiping so many others, you worship Me." So, and man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. And "You offer my respect to Me." So these things... You may accept any type of religion; that doesn't matter. But think of God, worshiping God, offering obeisances God, that cannot be changed. Either you become Christian or Hindu or Muslim, it does not matter. These four things cannot be changed. Therefore, the principles of religion: thinking of God, worshiping God, offering obeisances to Him, and to become devotee of God, that cannot be changed. That is real religion.

Hamsaduta: Anyone, anyone?

Guest: But this part of the world "Mahaprabhu" (Address to Prabhupada) is very materialistic, as you know. In Europe we always talk about science and technology. The part of the world that you come from, spiritualism has the highest place. I would like to ask you is there any possible way of a balanced combination between spiritualism and materialism.

Prabhupada: Yes. Actually, there is nothing as materialism. Materialism means forgetfulness of God, that's all. Just like in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca, apara, prakrtir me bhinna astadha [Bg. 7.4]. Materialism means that you are dealing with earth, water, fire, air, or the ether, or mind, intelligence, so far. These are the subject matters of studying materialism. But God says: "They are My separated energies." These matters, you have not produced this earth, water, air, fire. That's a fact. That is produced by the energy of God. So while dealing with material things, if you remember that this material thing is produced by God then you are perfect. And if you theorize that it has dropped from the sky, then you are materialistic. That is the difference between materialist and spiritualist. A spiritualist knows that wherefrom this earth has come, wherefrom the water has come, wherefrom this fire has come. Then he is spiritualist, God conscious. And one does not know, he's ignorant. Actually, that is the fact. But one who is ignorant of the fact, he's materialist. And one who knows the source of this material elements, he is spiritualist. That is the difference. Therefore the conclusion is one who does not know God, he is materialist and one knows God, he is spiritualist.

Hamsaduta: Anyone else, question?

Prabhupada: All right, have kirtana. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 6, 1973

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