Real Austerity

Real Austerity

Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.1
Vrndavana, October 23, 1976

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Pradyumna:

rsabha uvaca
nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke
kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye
tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam
suddhyed yasmad brahma-saukhyam tv anantam
 [SB 5.5.1]

"Lord Rsabhadeva told His sons: My dear boys, of all the living entities who have accepted material bodies in this world, one who has been awarded this human form should not work hard day and night simply for sense gratification, which is available even for dogs and hogs that eat stool. One should engage in penance and austerity to attain the divine position of devotional service. By such activity, one's heart is purified, and when one attains this position, he attains eternal, blissful life, which is transcendental to material happiness and which continues forever."

Prabhupada: So we have discussed this verse yesterday. It is very essential that this human form of body is meant for rectifying or purifying our existence. That they do not know, especially in the modern age, that this body is temporary and we living entities, we are eternal and this is our bondage. So long we are within this material body, it is our bondage. Real life is eternal life, without any birth, death, old age and disease. Where is that science? There is no such department of knowledge that how one can live eternally without any disease, without any old age and without any death and without any birth. If there is birth there is death. And between the two, birth and death, there is old age and disease. Where is that scientist who are trying to solve this problem?

And Krsna put this problem before us: janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi duhkha-dosanudarsanam [Bg. 13.9]. This is knowledge. They are making plans for so many things, but where is that plan to stop janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha? That is not so easy. Therefore they have avoided it. They do not touch this point. They are making arrangement for temporary so-called happiness. That attempt is done even by cats and dogs. That is not successful life. I have several times told you... This is Vedic civilization. When Visvamitra came to see Maharaja Dasaratha... It is etiquette. Suppose a friend comes, we ask, "How are you, my friend? How things are going on?" So similarly, when Dasaratha Maharaja inquired Visvamitra, "How are you?" that "How are you" was not ordinary question. He inquired, aihistam yat punar janma jayaya. The great great saintly persons, sages, they are engaged in devotional service. What is the purpose? The purpose is not for some material gain. The purpose is different. That was inquired by Dasaratha Maharaja: aihistam yat punar janma jayaya. "You are undergoing tapasya, austerities, for conquering over rebirth."

Rebirth, that is very painful. But because we are mudhas, we have forgotten what is the painful condition is rebirth. We do not remember it. We do not remember. We had to pass through. We can simply imagine how it is painful to remain in the womb of the mother, packed up in an airtight bag and hands and legs you cannot move even. So this is the tribulations of taking birth. And similarly the tribulations of death. Sometimes one remains in coma for months and he suffers so much. Sometimes he cries. Actually tears come out. We cannot see, but within the body of the dying man is so much painful. This is called janma-mrtyu. And old man's, there are difficulties. And vyadhi. Everyone is subjected to some kind of disease. So we do not take account. So here Rsabhadeva is stressing on this point. "My dear boys, do not spoil your life living like cats and dogs." Do not. This is not meant for this life. This human form of life is meant for different purposes. Durlabham manusam janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam. That we should always remember, that this human form of body is obtained after many, many births. Bahunam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19]. Bahu sambhavante. Bahu sambhava. Sambhava means birth and death, birth and death. So we should not forget this. Everyone should be very serious. That is civilization. Not that to remain for sense gratification like cats and dogs fighting. This is not good.

So to achieve this highest goal of life, it requires tapasya, austerity. It is not easily obtainable. So therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us,

trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
 [Cc. Adi 17.31]

Caitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended, param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam. Simply by... Caitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended not whimsically. This is the prescription of this age: kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet [SB 12.3.51]. If you perfectly chant this Hare Krsna mantra, kirtanad eva krsnasya -- not any other name but Krsna-mukta-sangah: you can become free from this material association, or the contamination due to material contact. That is the special advantage of this age. This age, Kali-yuga, is full of faulty things. Kaler dosa-nidhe. It is an ocean of faulty things. It is very, very difficult. Sarvange gha upaidha (?) mala. A man is suffering from itches or what is called..., sores, all over the body. So where he shall give ointment? He should be dipped in the ointment. This is the position. Similarly, how much you will find out, "This is faulty, this is faulty, this is faulty." The life in the Kali-yuga itself is faulty. Everything is faulty. So... But still, Krsna is so kind. He has given an opportunity that by chanting His holy name one can become free from this faulty position. Kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sanga param vrajet [SB 12.3.51]. It is possible.

So Caitanya Mahaprabhu, maha-vadanyavatara, He is patita-pavana. He is the deliverer of all the fallen souls. He has given us this much tapasya prescription. Tapasya must be there. And that is very easy to be done by us. It is not very difficult. One has to become very humble. That is the first qualification. Trnad api sunicena. Sunicena means lower than the grass. Just like we trample over the grass; they do not protest. Trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. And tolerant, humbler than the grass and tolerant than the tree. A tree gives us all benefit, but in return we give the tree so much trouble. We snatch away the twigs, we snatch away the leaves. Sometimes for our fuel we cut down. But there is no protest. So these things have been taught by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna amanina manadena. Nobody should think himself that he is very prestigious person, falsely. Nobody is prestigious. Everyone should be humble. So these three, four things we should learn, and that is tapasya. And we should avoid the sinful activities, namely, no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication. These are some of the positive and negative formulas given by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And if we follow this tapasya and chant Hare Krsna, then our life is successful.

Life is successful means it is stated here, sattvam suddhyed yasmad brahma-saukhyam tv anantam [SB 5.5.1]. We are, every one of us, we are after happiness, sukham. From sukham it has come saukhyam. That happiness, if we want to continue our eternal life, then we require eternal happiness. Without happiness our life is not worth. Anandamayo 'bhyasat (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.12). Everyone should be happy, anandamaya. That is spiritual world. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhis tabhir ya eva nija-rupataya kalabhih [Bs. 5.37]. There is life, ananda-cinmaya-rasa. Not jadananda. This is jadananda. In the material world, the material happiness is jada. There is no life. But there is a place which is full of eternal happiness. So this life should be engaged for that purpose, not to fight like cats and dogs. That is not very credit. Credit means ruining one's life. If one fights like cats and dogs, he becomes cats and dogs. Nature's law is very strict. Therefore we should be very careful not to become like cats and dogs but to become very humble -- humbler than the grass and tolerant than the tree. Amanina. Everyone wants that "I am very honorable man, prestigious man. And you should respect me." That is our material disease. "I do not want to respect you, but you should offer me respect." This is the position. Therefore our system is to call another Vaisnava as prabhu. "Sir, you are prabhu, you are master." But we call prabhu, but I think, "No, you are not prabhu; I am prabhu. You are servant." This cheating process will not help us. Actually, we should believe that he is prabhu. "He is servant of Krsna; therefore he is my prabhu." This is Vaisnava mentality. Gopi-bhartur pada-kamalayor dasa-dasa-dasa-dasanudasa. One who wants to become servant of the servant of the servant of the servant, he is actually prabhu [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. If falsely one thinks that "I am prabhu," then his life is spoiled. So this word we use amongst ourself, prabhu, means that "I am your servant, you are my master." But that should be practically exhibited. That is called tapasya, to learn all these things.

Without tapasya, we cannot get out of this conditioned state. That is not possible. Those who are thinking that "Let us do whatever nonsense I can do, and at the same time I become free from this material condition..." No. That is not possible. One has to undergo tapasya. Just like if you are diseased you have to undergo some tapasya. Just like first of all you go to a medical man. Immediately he charges ten rupees, twenty rupees. In our country. In your country it is more. No doctor charges less than ten dollars. Ten dollars means in our exchange it is ninety rupees. So who can pay ninety rupees in this country? That is the minimum charge. Then there is medicine. So you have to pay it because you have got disease. And you have to earn this money with hard labor. So to cure your disease you have to undergo some penances, some austerities. This is an ordinary... And according to the gravity of the disease you have to pay more, which you may not have. You have to gather, you have to borrow, you have to beg. So these tribulations are called tapasya. So just for curing our ordinary disease we have to pay to the doctor, pay for the medicine, and then we have to starve also. We cannot take anything. So many things forbidden. So this austerity is called tapasya, denial, self-denial. So we should learn it. If we want to utilize this body sane, like a sane man, then we should learn tapasya. Tapo divyam [SB 5.5.1]. And this tapa, what is the purpose of tapasya? Tapasya everyone knows. Just like a man walking on the street, pulling a thela. What is the purpose? He'll get five or ten rupees, whole day working like an ass. That is also tapasya. Tapasya means labor. So he's thinking, "I'll get ten rupees by working." He cannot pull it, the load is so heavy. Still, some way or other... That is also tapasya. A scientist discovering something, he has to work very hard, and make experiments So many things. That is also tapasya. But not that kind of tapasya. That kind of tapasya is not required. Tapo divyam [SB 5.5.1]. You are working hard for maintaining your body and soul together. You have to work hard. But here, that hard work should be for self-realization, divine contact. That is called divyam.

Divyam is explained in the Bhagavad-gita: janma karma ca me divyam [Bg. 4.9]. If you simply take little trouble to understand Krsna... That tapasya required: to read Krsna's instruction, Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and try to understand Krsna. Because that tapasya, if you take little painful... It is not painful. It is very pleasing. But we avoid it. We think it is painful. "Ah! Who is going to read books? We are meant for selling books, not for reading books." This is not good. We should read also. That is tapasya. Saddhaya. That is tapasya. Don't think that simply our books are meant for selling. No. It is meant for reading also. If we read regularly, at least two hours, three hours, that is tapasya. Tapo divyam [SB 5.5.1]. To understand spiritual position, my spiritual position, Krsna's spiritual... (aside:) Stop that. (child making noise) So that is tapasya. These are the tapasyas. To rise early in the morning, that is also tapasya. Not that every day we have to ring bell -- dung, dung, dung, dung -- "Get up! Get up!" "No, I am sleeping." No, you have to accept. These are the tapasyas. We cannot avoid. If we actually want to avoid this body, working like cats and dogs, like animals, then we have to undergo tapasya, a very simple tapasya.

In this age, it is not possible that as big, big saintly persons they go to the forest and undergo meditation in Himalayan mountain under the snow and so many dif... No food, no shelter, secluded place, there are so many animals. That kind of tapasya is not possible in this age. You remain. We have constructed big, big nice building. But because the building is there, you simply come here as free guest and make life very easy for eating and sleeping, that is not tapasya. That is not tapasya. You must be very careful how to keep the temple very cleansed, yourself clean, worshiping the Deity. That is recommended. Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan mandira-marjanadau **. This is also tapasya. If you cannot read, if you cannot do any other thing, so try to keep the temple... Every corner of this temple is Krsna. Don't think that only Krsna is here in the temple room. No. Krsna is everywhere, especially this temple where Krsna lives. Every part of this temple, every part of is Krsna. Otherwise why it is recommended, tan-mandira-marjanadisu?  This is tapasya. You should always remain engaged doing something for Krsna. Don't think, "This is very first class; this is last class." No. Advaya-jnana. Krsna and Krsna's temple, the same thing. Don't think that "Oh, I am given this work to cleanse the temple, and that man is given this work to worship the Deity." There is no difference. Aradhya bhagavan vrajesa tanaya tad dhama vrndavanam. As vrajesa tanaya, Krsna, is aradhya, worshipable, similarly His dhama, His place, this Vrndavana, is also worshipable, as good as Krsna. What to speak of temple -- whole Vrndavana. Whole Vrndavana. Just like Uddhava. Uddhava, when he came to take Krsna to Mathura, he immediately fell down on the grass of Vrndavana, that "These grasses are so fortunate that over this grass Krsna and the gopis and Krsna's friends, they trample over." This is vaisnava-vicara. Not that he's thinking grass is insignificant than Krsna. No. Krsna, Krsna's name, Krsna's fame, Krsna's form, Krsna's qualities, Krsna's paraphernalia, Krsna's associates -- everything is Krsna. And you should treat like that. That is tapasya. And following the footsteps, mahajana yena gatah sa panthah. Sadhu marganugamanam. These things we should learn. Sadhu marganugamanam. Just like sadhu... Akrura is a sadhu. How he respected even grass of Vrndavana. So unless we read books, literature, and follow their example, then how tapasya will be there? So things should not be neglected. Divya (?).

So if we undergo this tapasya then our existence will be purified. This is... This method, this process, is devotional service. The devotional service, from the very beginning it is transcendental. Iha yasya harer dasye. If you simply desire to serve Krsna, that's the beginning of existentional purification, immediately. Iha yasya harer dasye karmana manasa vaca. Simply if you sincerely think that "How shall I serve Krsna?" "Krsna" does not mean simply Krsna. "Krsna" means Krsna, Krsna's name, Krsna's form, Krsna's quality, Krsna's paraphernalia, Krsna's association -- everything in connection. Nirbandhe krsna-sambandha yukta vairagyam ucyate. Everything.

So in this way if we lead our life, then this life will be successful, and then the result will be yasmad brahma-saukhyam [SB 5.5.1]. Brahma-saukhyam. Here brahma-saukhyam may be interpreted, as Mayavadi says, brahma-sukha, brahma-lim. This is also brahma-lin, brahma-sukha, but it is not the Mayavadi philosophy. Mayavadi philosophy is to kill himself, to become one with Brahman. So if, suppose I have to eat something to enjoy. So I can eat. That is enjoyment. But if I lose my existence, I become the food, then where is the enjoyment? No. The enjoyment is: "The food is there, I am there, I shall eat and enjoy." That means dvaita. Monism is not enjoyment, and therefore they fall down: aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adho [SB 10.2.32]. Brahma-sukha, do not think to become Brahman or to become one with Brahman... That is not sukha. That they do not know. Therefore my Guru Maharaja used to say, a poor fund of knowledge. By becoming one with the Brahman, Supreme Brahman, that is not actually sukha. If it is actually sukha, then why in the sastra it is said, aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adho [SB 10.2.32]? By very severe austerities they come to the Brahman platform, monism, to become one with the Supreme, but from there he falls down. Why falls down? Anadrta-yusmad-anghrayah. Because they have no information of the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. Unless you come to that point, then there is no possibility of eternal happiness.

Therefore it is said, tapasya, tapo divyam [SB 5.5.1]. That is divyam. Krsna has explained, janma karma ca me divyam [Bg. 4.9]. That means activities, transcendental activities. Not that Krsna is a zero, full stop. No. Actual activities begins when there is Krsna consciousness. These activities, they're my activities temporarily. They will not give us real happiness. Real happiness means when we come to the platform to be engaged in Krsna's activities. Tapo divyam putraka yena [SB 5.5.1]. Then we will get eternal happiness. That is recommended here. Brahma-sukha does not mean that, as ordinarily they think, that to become brahma-lin or merge into the existence of Brahman, no. That will be explained in the next verse: mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimukteh [SB 5.5.2]. It will be explained. We shall take up this subject tomorrow.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.1 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1976

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In Ignorance All Is Defeat

In Ignorance All Is Defeat

Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.5
Stockholm, September 10, 1973

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Prabhupada: So,

parabhavas tavad abodha-jato
yavan na jijnasata atma-tattvam
yavat kriyas tavad idam mano vai
karmatmakam yena sarira-bandhah
 [SB 5.5.5]

So in the previous verse Rsabhadeva has said that this madness after sense gratification, nunam pramattah kurute, and doing all kinds of sinful activities, this is not good. And actually we can see... (aside:) No, I daily say that during talking you should not cut, cut. So one may argue, especially those who are atheists, that "Suppose we get a material body and little miserable. What is the wrong there? It will be finished. Then there will be no more pains and pleasures." That is the Buddhist theory, that the body is combination of matter, and there is pains and pleasures, so make this body zero. Then there will be no more pains and pleasures, and you will have to accept another body. And so long you shall continue to accept one body after another, the miserable condition of material existence will continue. Therefore in the beginning it was said that "This body, human body, is not to be misused simply for sense gratification like the dogs and hogs." That was the beginning.

So therefore, again he says, parabhavas tavad abodha-jato yavan na jijnasata atma-tattvam. These rascals, they do not know that for want of knowledge of the soul, atma-tattvam, on the bodily concept of life, whatever they are doing, that is defeat. They are thinking, "Now, by scientific advancement, we are able to go to the moon planet." Of course, I do not know whether they can go. Till now they are not successful. Or at least attempting. So this is our achievement. But Rsabhadeva says, "That is not your achievement. That is your defeat. It is your defeat." Why defeat? Because you cannot come to the moon planet or sun planet or any other planet like that. You are simply wasting your time. Just try to understand. Suppose you want to go to some foreign country, and if you think that by force... Just like in England some Indians, they come by some what is called? Smuggling method.

Hamsaduta: From underground, smuggling.

Prabhupada: Ah. So that is not allowed. You cannot go. The moon planet, from the sastra we understand that nobody can go there unless he is fit. Not only the moon planet, any other planet. It is said in the Bhagavad-gita, yanti deva-vrata devan [Bg. 9.25]. These are higher planetary systems. The demigods live there. So unless you are fit to live with the demigods, you cannot go there. Just like Krsnaloka. Unless you make yourself fit to enter into the Krsnaloka, you cannot go by force. That is not possible. Just like to enter into some foreign country, you have to take visa, you have to take passport, immigration. Then you will be allowed. So such attempt to go there. And even if you go there, you will be driven away. So what is the use of such attempt?

Therefore this so-called, what is called, excursion, to attempt to go to some planet, you cannot stay there, neither you'll be allowed to enter. So this endeavor to go there by so-called scientific advancement is simply defeat, because you will not be allowed, neither you can go there. And actually it is happening. What they have achieved so far? Nothing. No tangible action made. But they have spent millions of dollars, Russia and America, to go to the moon planet. And even you go there, but after all, you will have to die, you have to give up this body, and after death, you do not know where you'll be placed. That is under the nature's hand. You cannot dictate that "After death, I shall go to that planet or this planet." No. You are completely under the nature's control. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. Unless you are qualified... Everyone is ambitious, but does it mean by becoming ambitious, one can become very rich man or very respectable man? That is not possible. One must qualify himself. So these are futile attempts. You have to act according to the... But they do not believe that there is higher authority, there is judgment and everything. They think that it is blind: "Whatever we like, we can do." That is not good. Parabhavah. This is called defeat. Parabhavas tavad abodha-jato yavan na jijnasata.

So long one is not inquisitive to understand what he is, without understanding his identification, whatever he does, it is defeat. This is the condition. Nobody is interested to know his identity. This is the instruction we get from Sanatana Gosvami. Sanatana Gosvami, when he first approached Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, his question was that ke ami kene amaya jare tapa-traya. This is very nice question, that "Kindly tell me what I am, what I am, and why I am subjected to the threefold miseries of material existence. I do not want all these miserable conditions of life, but I am forced to accept them. Therefore what is my position? Why I am forced to accept?" This should be the question. This is called atma-tattva-jijnasa inquiry. "What I am?" Nobody knows what he is. Everyone thinks that "I am this body." Therefore he is abodha-jata. From the very birth, he is a rascal. He does not know his identity. Somebody is thinking, "I am American," somebody is thinking, "I am Englishman," somebody is thinking, "I am an Indian." All these identifications are doggish identification. Just like a dog is thinking "I am this body," the cat is thinking "I am this body," similarly, if a human being thinks like that, that "I am this body," then he remains in ignorance, abodha-jata. And if you remain in ignorance, whatever you are acting as your credit, but you are acting in ignorance.

Therefore the achievement is not achievement; it is defeat. This is to be understood. Parabhavas tavad abodha-jato yavan na... One should be inquisitive. Just like Sanatana Gosvami went to Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He asked, "Sir, let me know what I am." Gramya-vyavahare kahe pandita: "In ordinary behavior, people say that I am very learned man. They say, 'panditaji.' " The brahmana is addressed in India as "panditaji." Panditaji means very learned. So Sanatana Gosvami submitted that "The general people, they say that I am very learned, but actually I do not know what I am." He admitted. So ask anybody, so-called scholar, doctors, Ph.D., D.H.C Just like that Professor Kotovsky said, "After finishing this body, everything is finished." He does not know what he is. This is the position. Therefore the so-called scholars, learned men, whatever they are doing, they are being defeated because he does not know his identity. Unless you know your identity, then how can you work for the goal of life? If your identity is mistaken, then whatever you are doing, that is your defeat. Yavat kriyas tavad idam mano vai karmatmakam yena sarira-bandhah. Everyone has got different types of mentality. So karmatmakam means... That is general mentality, that "I shall work very nice and I shall get money and I shall enjoy life." This is called karmatmakam. Not only in this life, next life also, they are trying, those who are followers of Vedic ritualistic ceremony, by punya-karma. Punya-karma means pious activities. Pious activities, that is also activity. So according to our philosophy, we are not impressed even in pious activity. We are not interested in impious activities. We are not interested even in pious activities. This is our position.

Narottama dasa Thakura has sung, karma-kanda jnana-kanda, kevala visera bhanda, amrta baliya jeba khaya, nana joni sada phire, kadarya bhaksana kare. By pious activities, you can get very nice birth. Janmaisvarya-sruta-srih [SB 1.8.26], four kinds of material gain: to get birth in a very aristocratic family or rich family, janma, aisvarya, to become very learned scholar, sruta, and sri, very beautiful. Just like you American people or Western people, you are supposed to be very learned, advanced in material science, also good-looking and richer than other countries, janma aisvarya, or birth in a very powerful nation or family. This can be accepted -- due to your past pious activities. But suppose you have taken this opportunity for your pious activities and somebody has taken birth in Greenland, always with snow, and there are so many inconveniences. Or take your birth in Africa. There there is no such facilities, they are not very good-looking, not very learned scholars, not birth is very nice, not aristocratic, not riches, poor. So from spiritual point of view, both of these kinds of facilities or inconvenience are one, because when you take your birth, you have to enter within the womb of a mother and stay ten months in a packed-up condition. Not only ten months. Nowadays it is going on, killing the child within the womb. Even you cannot come out. Before your coming out from the womb of your mother, you might be killed by your very mother or father. Because that movement is going on, abortion. So either you are in a womb of a very rich mother or a poor mother or in the womb of a black mother or white mother or a learned mother or foolish mother, the pains of staying within the mother is the same. It is not that because you are in the womb of a rich mother, therefore there will be no pain of living within the womb. The same pain. So janma. Then again, as soon as you accept some material body, you will have to suffer the bodily pains and pleasure. Then, at the time of death, the same painful condition.

So it doesn't matter whether one is rich, one is poor, the material condition, both of them will have to suffer. The material condition. So karmatmakam. If you continue to absorb your mind in fruitive activities, that "I shall work and I shall get the result and I shall enjoy," this is called karmatmakam. So if you do not fulfill your desire, then nature will give you next life another body to fulfill that desire. This is going on. So therefore it is parabhava. Your business is that to know that you are not this body, you are spirit soul, part and parcel of God, Krsna. So your real business is to become Krsna conscious fully and go back to home, back to Godhead, finish this business of repetition of birth and death. But who will understand this? Therefore it is said, krsna yei bhaje, sei bada catura. One who has understood what is the meaning of Krsna consciousness movement, he must be very intelligent man. Without being intelligent man, nobody can understand what is the purport, what is the basic principle of this movement. The basic principle of this movement is to understand Krsna. Janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah [Bg. 4.9]. And the result will be, if you understand Krsna, what is Krsna, then the result will be that after giving up this body, you go to Krsna. Yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam. [Bg. 9.25]

This devotional service, the worshiping Krsna in the temple, to dress Him, as I explained another... Sri-vigraharadhana-nitya-nana-srngara-tan-mandira-marjanadau **, all these occupational duties will help you to understand Krsna. Although it is very difficult to understand Krsna, but if you engage yourself in Krsna's service, then Krsna reveals to you what He is. And that is wanted. That is the perfection of your life. As soon as you understand Krsna, then you become fit to go back to home, back to Godhead, and finish this business of repeated birth and death. Mam upetya kaunteya duhkhalayam asasvatam napnuvanti [Bg. 8.15]. This secret of success, people do not know, neither they can understand. They are not fortunate enough. But it is our duty to push on this movement by superior order. Anyone who will take advantage of this movement, he'll be saved from this repetition, birth and death.

So Rsabhadeva says that "So long one's mind is absorbed in the conception that 'I shall work...' " As people are doing here, industry, trade, or so many things... The real purpose is to gratify senses. So in this way, if people are engaged, then he is parabhava, he is being defeated. Without understanding Krsna consciousness, without being Krsna conscious, if simply one wastes his time for these fruitive activities, then he is defeated. Parabhavas tavad abodha-jatah.

evam manah karma-vasam prayunkte
avidyayatmany upadhiyamane
pritir na yavan mayi vasudeve
na mucyate deha-yogena tavat

So everyone is under this impression, wrong conception of life. But he can be saved if he somehow or other becomes a devotee of Vasudeva, Krsna. Pritir na yavan mayi vasudeve. Vasudeve bhagavati. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said,

vasudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yogah prayojitah
janayaty asu vairagyam
jnanam ca yad ahaitukam
 [SB 1.2.7]

Vasudeva. Here are the same thing, mayi vasudeve. Rsabhadeva is incarnation of Vasudeva. So in this entanglement of birth and death, if someone comes in contact with devotee, guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija [Cc. Madhya 19.151], and gets the seed of devotional service, then that is the beginning of being saved from this repetition of birth and death.

Just like we are giving opportunities to the people in general. We are opening centers in different parts of the world. What is the purpose? The purpose is to give chance to every man how to become devotee of Vasudeva, Krsna. Then he will be saved. Yavan na pritir mayi vasudeve. Because people are struggling hard in this way, by working hard and getting the result for sense gratification and repetition of birth and death. In this struggle for existence, if somehow or other one gets the seed of devotional service to Vasudeva, then he is saved. Yavan na pritir mayi vasudeve.

evam manah karma-vasam prayunkte
avidyayatmany upadhiyamane
pritir na yavan mayi vasudeve
na mucyate deha-yogena tavat

Unless one becomes Krsna conscious, his repetition of birth and death and contacting another body from one body to another, that will continue. This is the basic principle of Krsna consciousness. Do not misunderstand Krsna consciousness as a kind of religious faith. It is a science, how to get release from this repetition of birth and death. This is the science. It is not that as people accept a system of religion and another system of of religion. Because a human being is supposed to accept some type of religion. Somebody is a Hindu, somebody is Mussulman, somebody is Christian. It is not that. It is a science. It is a science. We are teaching that somehow or other you enhance your love for God. Then you are saved. This is a science.

And how to enhance that love of Godhead? That is our activities: to rise early in the morning, to offer mangala-aratrika, to dress the Deity, to offer Him nice foodstuff, to observe festivals, writing books, distributing them. These are activities in devotional service that will save us from this repetition of birth and death. Otherwise we are doomed. We have to continue this repetition of birth and death. Avidyaya eva manusyadan.(?) This is avidya. By avidya, by misunderstanding, without knowledge, being in ignorance, manusya, sometimes we are human being, sometimes cat, sometimes dog, sometimes demigod. This is going on. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kona: [Cc. Madhya 19.151] "We are wandering throughout the whole universe, from one body to another, one planet to another, but somehow or other, if we are fortunate..." This fortune is made in this way. "Man is the architect of his own fortune." If somebody comes to our contact, if he tries to understand what is this Krsna consciousness, he is fortunate. He is fortunate. Because he'll be saved from the repetition of birth and death.

Viraraghavacarya says therefore, deva-manusvadau paradika deva vasistha tena aha ahankara mama upadhiyamane.(?) That "I am not American, I am not Englishman." This is ahankara, upadhiyamane. Karma-vasana mulaya samsitamane satyatani mana karma-vasam prayunkte vyaparayati purusam iti sesa, atha yavad vasudeve mayi pritir, priti rupa bhakti na syat tavad deha-yogena na mucyate.(?) Unless you become devotee of Vasudeva, Krsna... Therefore Krsna personally comes and He says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That is for your interest. Krsna says that "You surrender unto Me." It is not Krsna's interest. If you surrender, not interest, Krsna does not lose anything. He is omnipotent. He can create millions of devotees like you by His desire. He doesn't canvass. He is not canvassing, that "You become My devotee and I shall be very rich." No. Not the purpose. It is for your interest. The same thing. If you become a devotee of Vasudeva, then you are saved from this repetition of birth and death. It is not Krsna's interest. It is Krsna's interest in this way, that because you are part and parcel, you are son of Krsna... Krsna is the aham bija-pradah pita... [Bg. 14.4]. As the father, rich father, He does not like to see that His son will become a crazy, mad fellow and loiter in the street. He doesn't want it. But if you do not come back to home, there is no loss of the father. But if you back to home of a rich father, then it is your interest. It is your interest.

So Krsna is canvassing, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. It is for our interest. So those who are fortunate, they will accept this offer of Krsna and... Atha yavad vasudeve mayi pritir priti rupa bhakti.(?) Priti means bhakti. Priti means love. So there is Priti-sandarbha by Srila Jiva Gosvami, how one can become lover of Krsna. Sat-sandarbha. He has written six theses. One of them is the Priti-sandarbha, Bhagavata-sandarbha, six sandarbha, very highly philosophical books. So this priti means bhakti. Bhakti is not official transaction. Bhakti means priti, real love. When I actually love Krsna, that is called priti. Just like we love our beloved, our child or husband or wife... That is also not love. That is a temporary sentiment. Actual love is possible with Krsna. That is actual love. Once you love Krsna, it cannot be broken at any time. It cannot be broken, any circumstances. So therefore somehow or other we have to... Yena tena prakarena manah krsne nivesayet. Somehow or other you must engage yourself in loving Krsna. That is the success of life. Na devalam deha-yoga-matram api tu anartham tora chityaha yadeti svarthe sasya purusartha bhute svatma paramatma deha-sambandha-prayukte vipascit vivekisan yada sahasa na pasyati yada supavan gatah smrti.(?)

This is very important. Rsabhadeva says, yada na pasyaty ayatha guneham svarthe pramattah sahasa vipascit. So we have to become intelligent that guneha... Guna, guna means these three gunas, goodness, three modes of material nature. Everyone is trying to love one of these three gunas: goodness, passion and ignorance. That is material existence. Somebody is trying to become brahmana, that is goodness. And somebody is trying to become a ksatriya. Brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, these are under the influence of different modes of material nature. So even one is brahmana, he is also under the grip of material nature. And what to speak of one who is a sudra or less than a sudra. Everyone is trying to improve himself under the influence of certain modes of material nature. So when one becomes vipascit, viveki... Vipascit means enlightened. These, my activities under the influence of different modes of material nature, this is waste of time. Even if I become a brahmana, that is also waste of time, and what to speak of if I become a ksatriya, passionate. Passionate... This vaisya, this mercantile class of men, they are passionate and ignorance mixture. They are very active: "I am very running, I am very busy," but running here and there in ignorance. Just like you will see the monkey. Monkey is always very busy, but what is the meaning of his business? He is in ignorance. As soon as a monkey comes... You have so such disturbance. In India, as soon as a monkey comes, everyone wants to drive him away. Because he has come to become business and to make some loss. That's all. That is his business. Wherever he sits, he will move like this. (makes sounds moving arms back and forth) He is not at all silent. He is always active. But because he is monkey, monkey is a symbol of... Ass, they are symbol of ignorance. Therefore such kind of business is useless. It is simply harmful.

So when one comes to understand that "This is my business, this my goodness, everything, it is all useless. Unless I become attached, I am a devotee of Vasudeva, Krsna, all these attempts are simply futile attempts," that is enlightenment. When one understands, "Yes, my only business is to surrender to Krsna, to love Krsna," then he is to be understood, he is enlightened, educated. Ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. That is fortune. Yada na pasyaty ayatha guneham svarthe pramattah. He does not know his interest. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. They do not know that "My svartha, my interest, my goal of life, is to love, to find out God and to love Him. That is my real interest." So, so long one is not enlightened to that standard of life, then he is defeated. Then how he is defeated? Gata-smrtir, gata-smrtir vindati tatra tapan asadya maithunyam agaram ajnah. He remains a ajnah, foolish. And what is his happiness? His happiness is sex life. That's all. That is his happiness. Maithunyam agaram. He is in the prison house of this material nature, but he does not know that "I am in prison." He is simply enjoying the three things. Udaram varitha.(?) Udaram varitha: the tongue, the belly and the genital. That is stated here. Gata-smrtir vindati. And to enjoy this material, he has to undergo so much tribulation. Tapan vindati.

Therefore Govinda dasa sings, sita atapa bata barisana, e dina jamini jagi re, biphale sevinu krpana durajana, capala sukha-laba lagi' re. In this country, there is snowfall. Still, people will have to go to work very hard, day and night. But why? Why they are accepting such hard labor? Somebody is coming from India in this country. The climate is not very suitable in comparison to India, but they have come here to work hard. Why? Sex pleasure. That's all. He will get money and he will have home and sex pleasure or tongue pleasure. So therefore it is said, gata-smrtih. Actual. Actually, he has forgotten. His own business, he has forgotten, but he is entrapped by a process of sense gratification. Although it is very great hardship and miserable condition, but he is satisfied because this sense gratification is there. Gata-smrtih tatra tapan asadya maithunyam agaram ajnah. Because he is foolish, therefore he likes to be imprisoned simply for sense gratification.

You know the elephant is captured for sense gratification. You know that? Elephant is captured. A big elephant, to capture, it is very difficult. But a female elephant goes there, and he comes for sex, and the female elephant goes forward. Then she brings in a place where there is a big pit and he falls down, the male elephant. Then he becomes captured. Yes. These are the nature's example, how for... And not only sex. Just like the bees. They enter into the lotus flower for eating honey, and they are enjoying. In the meantime, the lotus flower petals becomes closed. So he becomes entrapped, cannot come out, dies. The fish. The fish, how they tackle? You know? You have seen the, what is called, tackle? What is that? There is a small attractive foodstuff, and the fish comes, and as soon as he swallows, bas, he is captured. Similarly, the deers, they are also captured by the hunter. He plays nice flute, and the deers stand up. They are very much fond of music. So as soon as they stand up, entrapped. So one animal or lower than human being, they have got one sense very strong. Someone's the ear, someone's the nose, someone's the tongue, someone's the genital, in this way. But they have got one sense strong. And we, so-called civilized man, our six senses are all strong. So what is the position?

So unless one becomes Krsna conscious, he is doomed. So many senses. Tongue is taking him to the hotel, ear is taking to the musical, and eyes is taking, the beautiful things to see. In this way we are embarrassed in so many ways. That is called maithunyam agaram ajnah. He has forgotten his real business, but he is entrapped in a pot or in a place where sense gratification is going on. Pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etam tayor mitho hrdaya-granthim ahuh, ato grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittaih [SB 5.5.8]. So this mithuni-bhavam, the sense enjoyment is very strong. So there are two sexes, male and female. And each one of them are attracted by sense gratification, and when they are united, that... [break] In this way, ato grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittaih, then they become attached to grha. Because they must live in an apartment, they must have some land, grha-ksetra. Everywhere that is going on. In this way they become entrapped. And Krsna consciousness movement means... But those who are Krsna conscious, for them, it is not... They are vigilant that "My real business is Krsna consciousness, but it is a license given to me for sense gratification, for grhastha, but we should not forget our real business and entrapped in this material nature." That should be our business.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.5 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973

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Horrible Civilization-Going to Hell

Horrible Civilization-Going to Hell

Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.1-2
Stockholm, September 7, 1973

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Prabhupada:

rsabha uvaca
nayam deho deha-bhajam nr-loke
kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye
tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam
suddhyed yasmad brahma-saukhyam tv anantam
 [SB 5.5.1]

mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes
tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam
mahantas te sama-cittah prasanta
vimanyavah suhrdah sadhavo ye
 [SB 5.5.2]

So uktam evaha rsabham iti. We are discussing about the instruction of Lord Rsabhadeva to His sons. Tad uktam upayinona bhagavata upasanam upadesa upadeksamana vairagyam vina upadesto 'pi bhakti-yoga na samyak pratitisthati tad utpadaye kaman nindati nayam etad dvayam. This is a note given by Bhiraghavacarya. He belongs to the Ramanuja sampradaya. We have got four disciplic succession: Madhvacarya's sampradaya or succession, Ramanujacarya, Visnu Svami, and..., what is the other? Nimbarka. So Bhiraghavacarya belongs to the Ramanuja disciplic succession. He was a very famous man, acarya. So he says that bhagavata upasanam upadeksyamana vairagyam vina upadisto 'pi bhakti-yoga na samyak pratitisthati. We may give instruction for many years, but unless one practices vairagya, renunciation, vairagya vina...

This bhakti-yoga, another name is vairagya-yoga. That is pointed out by Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. When he offered his prayer to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu he said,

vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga-
siksartham ekah purusah puranah
sri-krsna-caitanya-sarira-dhari
krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye
 [Cc. Madhya 6.254]

He said that this Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the same Lord Krsna. Krsna advised, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This sarva-dharman includes all our material activities. So, but people could not understand. The instruction is still standing, Krsna said, sarva-dharman parityajya, "Just simply surrender unto Me." But nobody is doing that. God says that, "You surrender unto Me; I shall give you all protection." There is assurance. But we are so unfortunate that we cannot believe or cannot be assured on the words of God also. We do not believe. "Oh, God cannot give us protection. Let me try my own technology. I shall protect myself." This is the world(?). That means he's not detached with these material activities. Krsna says also that "You give up..." Just like we are also saying. There are so many proposals. They come, philanthropists: "People are starving. We have to see first of all." The Communists say, "Then we can discuss about spiritual... There are so many people starving," as if they have taken contract for feeding them. But these are only simply big, big words. They cannot do anything. Neither they are willing. They are simply after their own sense gratification. Otherwise, why so many people all over the world, there is voluntary starving? Just like the hippies. Why they are lying down on the street, on the park, no fixed-up program for eating, sleeping? They are not poor men's sons.

So, nature's way will work. You cannot stop them. But because they cannot give up attachment for these material activities, they put some manifesto, that "We are not working for this. After finishing this task, then we shall take to the consideration of spiritual life." So this is called will o' the wisp. What is that, will o' the wisp? There is a fire, and the fire goes ahead, and the man follows. It is something like that. They cannot do anything. Actually, they have got attachment for these material activities, and they put forward different types of manifesto. But if one is serious about going back to home, back to Godhead... First of all, they have no such information that there is a place where God lives. They think it is all fictitious. (So) why it is fictitious? If you accept there is God, why, what is the objection to accept a place for Him? We have got our place, we have got our residential quarter, and God has provided us all these facilities, and He has no facility? He is impersonal? He has no place? Just see.

So, these things cannot be understood by the materialistic person. Therefore, one has to practice vairagya, renunciation. That is pointed out here. Bhagavata upasanam upadeksyamana vairagyam vina upadisto 'pi bhakti-yoga na samyag pratitisthati iti. Side by side we have to practice, voluntarily, to be detached from material activities. Then we can make progress in devotional service. Tad utpataya kaman mindati. This is our voluntary work. If we want to be detached... Because Krsna is so kind, if you have got even a little pinch of attachment for this material world, you are not allowed to enter into the kingdom of God. You must be completely free. Therefore, bhakti-yoga is enunciated by Rupa Goswami: anyabhilasita-sunyam. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11]. Sunyam means zero. All kinds of material desires should be made into zero. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady anavrtam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. Jnana, speculative method for understanding the Absolute Truth, as the Mayavadis, they are speculating, "This is not, this is not, this is not." Neti neti. This is jnana.

And karma means they are not struggling hard to enjoy the fruitive result, as we see generally everywhere, they are working so hard. Big, big buildings, big, big factories, big, big roads, cities, so many things. They are trying to be happy by such advancement of material opulence. They are called karmi. Some of them are trying to be happy within this material, within this world or within this life, and there are others also, they are also performing big, big yajnas, charities, so that next life they may also take birth in very nice family or may be elevated to the higher planetary system where the standard of life is thousand times better than here. There is all arrangement. So they are trying for that. Not only to become very bodily happy in this life, but also next life. But as there is difficulty... Suppose if you want to be happy materially, then... You see how they are working very hard. They have no time. In the morning, at half past five, we go for morning walk, we see, workers are going. At night... You Europeans, you know better than me how they are working very, very hard. What is the idea? To become happy. To satisfy the senses. Similarly, there are others who know that there is life after death. So they are also preparing how "Next life also we'll be happy, we may take birth in very rich family, in higher planet, in heavenly planet."

So this hard labor is going on. So Rsabhadeva says that this hard labor should be stopped. There is no need of so much hard labor. Why you should work so hard? This such kind of hard labor is seen amongst the animals. There are animals, just like we saw one jackal was passing on the street. So they come out in the night, some of the animals, especially ferocious animals. They come out at night for their food. Everyone is working hard; they also come. So animals also, they (are) also working very hard. That is given example, the hogs and dogs. That is restricted. If you go on working for better standard of life, then you'll be attached to this work and your mind will be absorbed in such work. And if the mind continues to be absorbed in working so hard, then after giving up this body, you'll have to accept another body to fulfill such desires within the mind. Krsna will give you full facility. Therefore it is said, deha-bhrtan madhye (ja) nr-loka manusyah tasmin sattvayam manusyah deha kastan krcchran sampadyamanam ata duhkha-rupam kaman yajnadini. Yajnadini prati na hati. Kaman anubhavitum narhati ity artha.

Rsabhadeva says that simply for sense gratification, don't work so much. Actually, we haven't got to work. Everything is there. We have repeatedly discussed. Just like in the morning the birds get up, they do not work very hard. They know that "We shall go in some, upon some tree, and there is food, there is some fruit, and we shall eat." There is no, no good prob..., very great problem. The animals also, they are assured, everyone is assured. And even human being, just like sannyasis, they are also assured. Just like when I came to your country, there was no friend, there was no relative, but assurance was there that "I am going for Krsna's business. So there is some provision, never mind where it is." That much faith we must have. Actually, for even one is not Krsna conscious, one is not devotee of Krsna, he has also provision. That provision is there. Why should we work so hard? Our business is to save time how to become advanced in Krsna consciousness. But people cannot understand this.

Now, how to become detached from this habit of hard working, that is suggested here. It is said, mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes. Mahat-seva, saintly persons, if you associate with them, if you serve them, try to serve them, that practice is still in India. If a sannyasi, you'll find from Caitanya-caritamrta, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is going from village to village, but any village he goes... Generally, the sannyasi goes to a temple because temple is meant for the traveling sannyasi. And as soon as one sannyasi... Still this custom is prevalent in India, as soon as somebody sees a sannyasi has come in a temple, somebody from the village, not somebody, but many will come, "Sir, you can take your lunch at my place." So there is no scarcity. Many people will come to invite you still. Therefore many pseudo or phony swamis, they have taken this profession because there is no difficulty getting food. So, mahat-seva. The... What is the idea? The idea is the grhasthas, they know that "We are simply engaged in the matter of sense gratification. If we invite some saintly person at home, if he eats at my place, then, we commit so many sinful activities, we'll be saved." This is the process. Therefore, a sannyasi is advised to accept prasadam in the house of a brahmana, because a brahmana is supposed to be, become very pious. If you take foodstuff from impious men, then that means you are taking share of his impious activities. But a saintly person, they can digest, but if (they) cannot digest, then you have to suffer. This is the process. Then he has to suffer. Therefore the safety principle is to accept luncheon in a pious family, where there is Vaisnava family or brahmana family. Not that anywhere we can accept cooked food. Sometimes we have to do it, but that is against principle. We should not accept food anywhere and everywhere, unless he is pious. The brahmanas are supposed to be pious; therefore, a sannyasi is advised to accept food, luncheon in the brahmana family. And brahmana family, still, not all, a few families still in India, they worship regularly Narayana-sila, salagrama-sila.

Therefore one should be anxious to give some service to the saintly persons. Mahat-seva dvaram. If you engage yourself how to serve a saintly person, then your door for going back to Godhead will gradually become open. Mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes. This human body is a junction. You can go this way or you can go that way. This way means mahat-seva, liberation. But people do not understand what is liberation. They are so dull. They have been... Their education system is so rubbish that they do not know what is liberation. Just like cats and dogs, they do not know what is liberation. Liberation means to get out of this false conditional life. I'm thinking I'm this body, which I'm not, and therefore I'm acting on the bodily concept of life and becoming entangled more and more so that I have to accept another body, another body, another body. This is my conditional state of life, and there is so much risk to accept another body. As it is said in the Bhagavad-gita, tatha dehantara-praptir. You have to accept another body. And what kind of body I'm going to get, that I do not know. Now suppose if I get another body in the plant life, a tree. A tree can stand for thousands of years. And if we get that sort of life, how much risky it is to accept another body. It is also possible. Those who are performing big, big yajnas, charity, they can expect to be transferred to the heavenly planet. But those who are not doing anything, living like cats and dogs, oh, their life is very risky. Very risky. But they do not know. There is no such education. But here it is recommended, that, mahat-sevam dvaram ahur. If you associate with saintly persons then there is possibility of your door being opened for liberation. Dvaram ahur vimuktes.

(So) we are opening many centers all over the world. Why? To give people chance of having this association of a Vaisnava, mahat, mahatma. Therefore those who are in charge of such centers, they must be ideal mahatmas. Mahatma means devotees. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah bhajanty ananya-manaso [Bg. 9.13]. Mahatma means whose atma, whose soul is enaged in the service of the Supreme Lord. He's mahatma. Otherwise ksudratma. God is all-pervading. So whose atma has become attached to the all-pervading Supersoul, he's called mahatma. Otherwise, ksudratma. If we are, our heart is attached to limited circle of my friends, wife, children, home, country, then I am ksudratma, because that is limited. Ksudratma or duratma. The opposite is mahatma. Mahan, great. So we have to associate with mahatma. Mahat-seva. How associate? Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34], to associate. Therefore, it is the custom whenever one goes to see one saintly person, he gives something for service, either fruits or something presentation. That is necessary. Mahat-seva it is said. Seva means service. Maha-seva. Not that I go to see one mahatma, saintly person, and talk with him with all rascal proposal, and waste his time and his own time also. That is not association of the mahatma. Mahat seva. You must approach a saintly person to give him some service. This is the beginning. Spiritual advancement of life means you have to give some service. That service begins when we serve the representative of Krsna, mahatma. He's spiritual master or saintly person.

So mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes. And just the opposite number is, mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam. Yosit. Yosit means enjoyable, female, or prakrti. The nature has made in such a way that the male form, or female form, that attracts, that is called yosit. There are so many things for our attraction, not that simply woman is attractive. No. Woman is a form. Rupa, rasa, sabda, gandha, sparsa, this is called the tan-matra, enjoying... We have got senses, so there must be object of enjoyment of the senses. The eyes, they have got also the object of sense gratification. The eyes want to see very beautiful forms. Eyes, rupa. Rupa means form. And the tongue, it wants to enjoy very good taste, tasty food. So that is also enjoyment. Not that simply woman is for enjoyment. Any palatable foodstuff which attracts my tongue, that is also enjoyment.(?) Mahat-sevam tamo-dvaram yosita... These are yosit. A nice beautiful woman or man which attracts, a nice foodstuff which attracts my tongue, rupa, rasa, sabda, nice singing which attracts my ear... Rupa, rasa, sabda, gandha, smelling, which attracts my nostril. Rupa, rasa, gandha, sabda, sparsa, touching. So these are all subject matter for my enjoyment, objectives. So tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam. Those who are attached only, the general public, they are attached to all these things. They are going to cinema, they are drinking wine, they are going to restaurant for satisfaction of the tongue, clubs, and talking, so many things. So those who are attached to all these things for sense gratification, if we associate with such persons, then our door for going to hell is open. Two doors. You have to make selection. Whether this door for becoming liberated from this entanglement of repetition of birth and death and go back to home, back to Godhead, this is one door. Another door, for sense gratification. Adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram [SB 7.5.30]. The more we indulge in sense gratification, then more, more, more... Just like a drunkard. From the very beginning he's not a big drunkard. He takes little, then big, big bottles, big, big bottles. It is simply... Smoking, when the child learns from bad association to smoke, then he become a chain smoker, one after another, one after another, one after another.

So if we indulge in sense gratification, then it will increase, it will increase. And more we increase the process of sense gratification, we go down, deeper, deeper, into the hellish condition of life. Just like the other day I was talking with Mr. Berman, he's a mining engineer. So I talked with him that "You have spent so much time being educated as mining engineer..." It is very good technology he has learned. "But do you ever consider that what is your position? After taking so much education, learning technology, your place is in the dark mines, your place. Whole day you have to work within this darkness. And you are considered to be very expert, and you are getting good salary, but your place is in the dark mine. Why don't you...?" Similarly, his wife, she's a qualified gynecologist. So what is her business? Her business is how to kill the child within the womb -- abortion. Just see. Both are experts. One expert is engaged in the hellish condition of the mine, in darkness; another expert is engaged in killing small babies within the womb. You see? Therefore the result will be that they are going to hell. Adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram. Punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. Again doing the same thing, again going to the hellish condition of life. This is called tamo-dvaram, ignorance. Tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam.

Therefore, to make advancement in spiritual life one must be serious to practice vairagya. Tapasya, that is tapasya. If you practice vairagya, deny, "No, I shall not eat these things, I shall not drink these things, I shall not do like this," abnegation -- that we have to practice. That we have to practice. But although it is very difficult, so far we are concerned, we have made the things very concise. Simply, just observe the four regulative principles -- no illicit sex, no gambling, no meat-eating, and no intoxication. This much we have to practice if we are actually serious to go..., advance in spiritual life. This is vairagya, voluntarily. What is the difficulty? You want sex life, why don't you live, husband and wife, married? Sex life is not denied, but not outside the marriage. That is denied. A little vairagya. But we have made such a civilization that no responsibility for marriage. Let the girls become prostitutes and enjoy and go away. Horrible civilization. They are going towards hell, punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. But they do not know. Neither do they care. It is very serious situation of the present civilization. If we think... One who does not know, he's in darkness, that is a different thing. But especially in the Western countries I see that poor girls are being advertised for prostitution. What is that? Topless? Yes. Topless, bottomless and so many things. You see. Purposefully, poor girls are being utilized for sense gratification. So horrible condition. And when there is pregnancy, then abortion, then further entanglement, further...

So this is the way to go to the darkest region of hellish condition of life. Sense gratification. So one has to avoid this. Mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes, and the tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam. Not only you directly make all these thing then you are condemned to go to the hellish condition; if you associate with such person, then also you'll be liable. If you associate. Just like some rascals they say, "Yes, we are eating meat, but we are not directly killing. We purchase." They think that "Let me enjoy meat-eating. Those who are killing in the slaughterhouse, they will be responsible. I am free." No. Because you are associating with such persons, according to Manu-samhita when an animal is killed, eight persons become condemned with murdering charges. Eight persons. One who kills, one who orders, one who purchases, one who cooks, one who eats -- so many. That is the law. Just like one man is murdered. That murdering is committed by one man, but if has got many associates who has induced him, who has supplied him the weapon, or giving, so many assisted -- all of them are arrested. This is the law. As we have got law here, here we can escape man-made laws, but you cannot escape God-made laws. That is not possible. Man-made laws sometimes we escape because everything made by man, that is insufficient, imperfect. So you can escape sometimes. That is not escaping. But you cannot escape God's law. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. God is situated within your heart. He's seeing everything and recording. Anumanta upadrasta, you cannot escape.

So these things are very important thing if we're actually serious about becoming disentangled with this material world and go back to home, back to..., then this instruction of Rsabhadeva is very important. We shall discuss again.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973

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Horrible Civilization Going to Hell

Horrible Civilization Going to Hell

Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.1-2
Stockholm, September 7, 1973

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Prabhupada:

rsabha uvaca
nayam deho deha-bhajam nr-loke
kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye
tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam
suddhyed yasmad brahma-saukhyam tv anantam
 [SB 5.5.1]

mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes
tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam
mahantas te sama-cittah prasanta
vimanyavah suhrdah sadhavo ye
 [SB 5.5.2]

So uktam evaha rsabham iti. We are discussing about the instruction of Lord Rsabhadeva to His sons. Tad uktam upayinona bhagavata upasanam upadesa upadeksamana vairagyam vina upadesto 'pi bhakti-yoga na samyak pratitisthati tad utpadaye kaman nindati nayam etad dvayam. This is a note given by Bhiraghavacarya. He belongs to the Ramanuja sampradaya. We have got four disciplic succession: Madhvacarya's sampradaya or succession, Ramanujacarya, Visnu Svami, and..., what is the other? Nimbarka. So Bhiraghavacarya belongs to the Ramanuja disciplic succession. He was a very famous man, acarya. So he says that bhagavata upasanam upadeksyamana vairagyam vina upadisto 'pi bhakti-yoga na samyak pratitisthati. We may give instruction for many years, but unless one practices vairagya, renunciation, vairagya vina...

This bhakti-yoga, another name is vairagya-yoga. That is pointed out by Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya. When he offered his prayer to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu he said,

vairagya-vidya-nija-bhakti-yoga-
siksartham ekah purusah puranah
sri-krsna-caitanya-sarira-dhari
krpambudhir yas tam aham prapadye
 [Cc. Madhya 6.254]

He said that this Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the same Lord Krsna. Krsna advised, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This sarva-dharman includes all our material activities. So, but people could not understand. The instruction is still standing, Krsna said, sarva-dharman parityajya, "Just simply surrender unto Me." But nobody is doing that. God says that, "You surrender unto Me; I shall give you all protection." There is assurance. But we are so unfortunate that we cannot believe or cannot be assured on the words of God also. We do not believe. "Oh, God cannot give us protection. Let me try my own technology. I shall protect myself." This is the world(?). That means he's not detached with these material activities. Krsna says also that "You give up..." Just like we are also saying. There are so many proposals. They come, philanthropists: "People are starving. We have to see first of all." The Communists say, "Then we can discuss about spiritual... There are so many people starving," as if they have taken contract for feeding them. But these are only simply big, big words. They cannot do anything. Neither they are willing. They are simply after their own sense gratification. Otherwise, why so many people all over the world, there is voluntary starving? Just like the hippies. Why they are lying down on the street, on the park, no fixed-up program for eating, sleeping? They are not poor men's sons.

So, nature's way will work. You cannot stop them. But because they cannot give up attachment for these material activities, they put some manifesto, that "We are not working for this. After finishing this task, then we shall take to the consideration of spiritual life." So this is called will o' the wisp. What is that, will o' the wisp? There is a fire, and the fire goes ahead, and the man follows. It is something like that. They cannot do anything. Actually, they have got attachment for these material activities, and they put forward different types of manifesto. But if one is serious about going back to home, back to Godhead... First of all, they have no such information that there is a place where God lives. They think it is all fictitious. (So) why it is fictitious? If you accept there is God, why, what is the objection to accept a place for Him? We have got our place, we have got our residential quarter, and God has provided us all these facilities, and He has no facility? He is impersonal? He has no place? Just see.

So, these things cannot be understood by the materialistic person. Therefore, one has to practice vairagya, renunciation. That is pointed out here. Bhagavata upasanam upadeksyamana vairagyam vina upadisto 'pi bhakti-yoga na samyag pratitisthati iti. Side by side we have to practice, voluntarily, to be detached from material activities. Then we can make progress in devotional service. Tad utpataya kaman mindati. This is our voluntary work. If we want to be detached... Because Krsna is so kind, if you have got even a little pinch of attachment for this material world, you are not allowed to enter into the kingdom of God. You must be completely free. Therefore, bhakti-yoga is enunciated by Rupa Goswami: anyabhilasita-sunyam. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [Brs. 1.1.11]. Sunyam means zero. All kinds of material desires should be made into zero. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady anavrtam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. Jnana, speculative method for understanding the Absolute Truth, as the Mayavadis, they are speculating, "This is not, this is not, this is not." Neti neti. This is jnana.

And karma means they are not struggling hard to enjoy the fruitive result, as we see generally everywhere, they are working so hard. Big, big buildings, big, big factories, big, big roads, cities, so many things. They are trying to be happy by such advancement of material opulence. They are called karmi. Some of them are trying to be happy within this material, within this world or within this life, and there are others also, they are also performing big, big yajnas, charities, so that next life they may also take birth in very nice family or may be elevated to the higher planetary system where the standard of life is thousand times better than here. There is all arrangement. So they are trying for that. Not only to become very bodily happy in this life, but also next life. But as there is difficulty... Suppose if you want to be happy materially, then... You see how they are working very hard. They have no time. In the morning, at half past five, we go for morning walk, we see, workers are going. At night... You Europeans, you know better than me how they are working very, very hard. What is the idea? To become happy. To satisfy the senses. Similarly, there are others who know that there is life after death. So they are also preparing how "Next life also we'll be happy, we may take birth in very rich family, in higher planet, in heavenly planet."

So this hard labor is going on. So Rsabhadeva says that this hard labor should be stopped. There is no need of so much hard labor. Why you should work so hard? This such kind of hard labor is seen amongst the animals. There are animals, just like we saw one jackal was passing on the street. So they come out in the night, some of the animals, especially ferocious animals. They come out at night for their food. Everyone is working hard; they also come. So animals also, they (are) also working very hard. That is given example, the hogs and dogs. That is restricted. If you go on working for better standard of life, then you'll be attached to this work and your mind will be absorbed in such work. And if the mind continues to be absorbed in working so hard, then after giving up this body, you'll have to accept another body to fulfill such desires within the mind. Krsna will give you full facility. Therefore it is said, deha-bhrtan madhye (ja) nr-loka manusyah tasmin sattvayam manusyah deha kastan krcchran sampadyamanam ata duhkha-rupam kaman yajnadini. Yajnadini prati na hati. Kaman anubhavitum narhati ity artha.

Rsabhadeva says that simply for sense gratification, don't work so much. Actually, we haven't got to work. Everything is there. We have repeatedly discussed. Just like in the morning the birds get up, they do not work very hard. They know that "We shall go in some, upon some tree, and there is food, there is some fruit, and we shall eat." There is no, no good prob..., very great problem. The animals also, they are assured, everyone is assured. And even human being, just like sannyasis, they are also assured. Just like when I came to your country, there was no friend, there was no relative, but assurance was there that "I am going for Krsna's business. So there is some provision, never mind where it is." That much faith we must have. Actually, for even one is not Krsna conscious, one is not devotee of Krsna, he has also provision. That provision is there. Why should we work so hard? Our business is to save time how to become advanced in Krsna consciousness. But people cannot understand this.

Now, how to become detached from this habit of hard working, that is suggested here. It is said, mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes. Mahat-seva, saintly persons, if you associate with them, if you serve them, try to serve them, that practice is still in India. If a sannyasi, you'll find from Caitanya-caritamrta, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is going from village to village, but any village he goes... Generally, the sannyasi goes to a temple because temple is meant for the traveling sannyasi. And as soon as one sannyasi... Still this custom is prevalent in India, as soon as somebody sees a sannyasi has come in a temple, somebody from the village, not somebody, but many will come, "Sir, you can take your lunch at my place." So there is no scarcity. Many people will come to invite you still. Therefore many pseudo or phony swamis, they have taken this profession because there is no difficulty getting food. So, mahat-seva. The... What is the idea? The idea is the grhasthas, they know that "We are simply engaged in the matter of sense gratification. If we invite some saintly person at home, if he eats at my place, then, we commit so many sinful activities, we'll be saved." This is the process. Therefore, a sannyasi is advised to accept prasadam in the house of a brahmana, because a brahmana is supposed to be, become very pious. If you take foodstuff from impious men, then that means you are taking share of his impious activities. But a saintly person, they can digest, but if (they) cannot digest, then you have to suffer. This is the process. Then he has to suffer. Therefore the safety principle is to accept luncheon in a pious family, where there is Vaisnava family or brahmana family. Not that anywhere we can accept cooked food. Sometimes we have to do it, but that is against principle. We should not accept food anywhere and everywhere, unless he is pious. The brahmanas are supposed to be pious; therefore, a sannyasi is advised to accept food, luncheon in the brahmana family. And brahmana family, still, not all, a few families still in India, they worship regularly Narayana-sila, salagrama-sila.

Therefore one should be anxious to give some service to the saintly persons. Mahat-seva dvaram. If you engage yourself how to serve a saintly person, then your door for going back to Godhead will gradually become open. Mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes. This human body is a junction. You can go this way or you can go that way. This way means mahat-seva, liberation. But people do not understand what is liberation. They are so dull. They have been... Their education system is so rubbish that they do not know what is liberation. Just like cats and dogs, they do not know what is liberation. Liberation means to get out of this false conditional life. I'm thinking I'm this body, which I'm not, and therefore I'm acting on the bodily concept of life and becoming entangled more and more so that I have to accept another body, another body, another body. This is my conditional state of life, and there is so much risk to accept another body. As it is said in the Bhagavad-gita, tatha dehantara-praptir. You have to accept another body. And what kind of body I'm going to get, that I do not know. Now suppose if I get another body in the plant life, a tree. A tree can stand for thousands of years. And if we get that sort of life, how much risky it is to accept another body. It is also possible. Those who are performing big, big yajnas, charity, they can expect to be transferred to the heavenly planet. But those who are not doing anything, living like cats and dogs, oh, their life is very risky. Very risky. But they do not know. There is no such education. But here it is recommended, that, mahat-sevam dvaram ahur. If you associate with saintly persons then there is possibility of your door being opened for liberation. Dvaram ahur vimuktes.

(So) we are opening many centers all over the world. Why? To give people chance of having this association of a Vaisnava, mahat, mahatma. Therefore those who are in charge of such centers, they must be ideal mahatmas. Mahatma means devotees. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah bhajanty ananya-manaso [Bg. 9.13]. Mahatma means whose atma, whose soul is enaged in the service of the Supreme Lord. He's mahatma. Otherwise ksudratma. God is all-pervading. So whose atma has become attached to the all-pervading Supersoul, he's called mahatma. Otherwise, ksudratma. If we are, our heart is attached to limited circle of my friends, wife, children, home, country, then I am ksudratma, because that is limited. Ksudratma or duratma. The opposite is mahatma. Mahan, great. So we have to associate with mahatma. Mahat-seva. How associate? Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34], to associate. Therefore, it is the custom whenever one goes to see one saintly person, he gives something for service, either fruits or something presentation. That is necessary. Mahat-seva it is said. Seva means service. Maha-seva. Not that I go to see one mahatma, saintly person, and talk with him with all rascal proposal, and waste his time and his own time also. That is not association of the mahatma. Mahat seva. You must approach a saintly person to give him some service. This is the beginning. Spiritual advancement of life means you have to give some service. That service begins when we serve the representative of Krsna, mahatma. He's spiritual master or saintly person.

So mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes. And just the opposite number is, mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam. Yosit. Yosit means enjoyable, female, or prakrti. The nature has made in such a way that the male form, or female form, that attracts, that is called yosit. There are so many things for our attraction, not that simply woman is attractive. No. Woman is a form. Rupa, rasa, sabda, gandha, sparsa, this is called the tan-matra, enjoying... We have got senses, so there must be object of enjoyment of the senses. The eyes, they have got also the object of sense gratification. The eyes want to see very beautiful forms. Eyes, rupa. Rupa means form. And the tongue, it wants to enjoy very good taste, tasty food. So that is also enjoyment. Not that simply woman is for enjoyment. Any palatable foodstuff which attracts my tongue, that is also enjoyment.(?) Mahat-sevam tamo-dvaram yosita... These are yosit. A nice beautiful woman or man which attracts, a nice foodstuff which attracts my tongue, rupa, rasa, sabda, nice singing which attracts my ear... Rupa, rasa, sabda, gandha, smelling, which attracts my nostril. Rupa, rasa, gandha, sabda, sparsa, touching. So these are all subject matter for my enjoyment, objectives. So tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam. Those who are attached only, the general public, they are attached to all these things. They are going to cinema, they are drinking wine, they are going to restaurant for satisfaction of the tongue, clubs, and talking, so many things. So those who are attached to all these things for sense gratification, if we associate with such persons, then our door for going to hell is open. Two doors. You have to make selection. Whether this door for becoming liberated from this entanglement of repetition of birth and death and go back to home, back to Godhead, this is one door. Another door, for sense gratification. Adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram [SB 7.5.30]. The more we indulge in sense gratification, then more, more, more... Just like a drunkard. From the very beginning he's not a big drunkard. He takes little, then big, big bottles, big, big bottles. It is simply... Smoking, when the child learns from bad association to smoke, then he become a chain smoker, one after another, one after another, one after another.

So if we indulge in sense gratification, then it will increase, it will increase. And more we increase the process of sense gratification, we go down, deeper, deeper, into the hellish condition of life. Just like the other day I was talking with Mr. Berman, he's a mining engineer. So I talked with him that "You have spent so much time being educated as mining engineer..." It is very good technology he has learned. "But do you ever consider that what is your position? After taking so much education, learning technology, your place is in the dark mines, your place. Whole day you have to work within this darkness. And you are considered to be very expert, and you are getting good salary, but your place is in the dark mine. Why don't you...?" Similarly, his wife, she's a qualified gynecologist. So what is her business? Her business is how to kill the child within the womb -- abortion. Just see. Both are experts. One expert is engaged in the hellish condition of the mine, in darkness; another expert is engaged in killing small babies within the womb. You see? Therefore the result will be that they are going to hell. Adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram. Punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. Again doing the same thing, again going to the hellish condition of life. This is called tamo-dvaram, ignorance. Tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam.

Therefore, to make advancement in spiritual life one must be serious to practice vairagya. Tapasya, that is tapasya. If you practice vairagya, deny, "No, I shall not eat these things, I shall not drink these things, I shall not do like this," abnegation -- that we have to practice. That we have to practice. But although it is very difficult, so far we are concerned, we have made the things very concise. Simply, just observe the four regulative principles -- no illicit sex, no gambling, no meat-eating, and no intoxication. This much we have to practice if we are actually serious to go..., advance in spiritual life. This is vairagya, voluntarily. What is the difficulty? You want sex life, why don't you live, husband and wife, married? Sex life is not denied, but not outside the marriage. That is denied. A little vairagya. But we have made such a civilization that no responsibility for marriage. Let the girls become prostitutes and enjoy and go away. Horrible civilization. They are going towards hell, punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. But they do not know. Neither do they care. It is very serious situation of the present civilization. If we think... One who does not know, he's in darkness, that is a different thing. But especially in the Western countries I see that poor girls are being advertised for prostitution. What is that? Topless? Yes. Topless, bottomless and so many things. You see. Purposefully, poor girls are being utilized for sense gratification. So horrible condition. And when there is pregnancy, then abortion, then further entanglement, further...

So this is the way to go to the darkest region of hellish condition of life. Sense gratification. So one has to avoid this. Mahat-sevam dvaram ahur vimuktes, and the tamo-dvaram yositam sangi-sangam. Not only you directly make all these thing then you are condemned to go to the hellish condition; if you associate with such person, then also you'll be liable. If you associate. Just like some rascals they say, "Yes, we are eating meat, but we are not directly killing. We purchase." They think that "Let me enjoy meat-eating. Those who are killing in the slaughterhouse, they will be responsible. I am free." No. Because you are associating with such persons, according to Manu-samhita when an animal is killed, eight persons become condemned with murdering charges. Eight persons. One who kills, one who orders, one who purchases, one who cooks, one who eats -- so many. That is the law. Just like one man is murdered. That murdering is committed by one man, but if has got many associates who has induced him, who has supplied him the weapon, or giving, so many assisted -- all of them are arrested. This is the law. As we have got law here, here we can escape man-made laws, but you cannot escape God-made laws. That is not possible. Man-made laws sometimes we escape because everything made by man, that is insufficient, imperfect. So you can escape sometimes. That is not escaping. But you cannot escape God's law. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. God is situated within your heart. He's seeing everything and recording. Anumanta upadrasta, you cannot escape.

So these things are very important thing if we're actually serious about becoming disentangled with this material world and go back to home, back to..., then this instruction of Rsabhadeva is very important. We shall discuss again.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.1-2 -- Stockholm, September 7, 1973

HOME

© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.