Saturday, December 10, 2011

Pakistan Editorial Says War With India Inevitable

Pakistani Editorial Says Nuclear War with India "Inevitable" as Water Dispute Continues

Written by John Daly
Friday, 09 December 2011 00:42

Every now and again, one reads an editorial that stops the reader in his tracks.

On 8 December, with the headline "War Inevitable To Tackle Indian Water Aggression," Pakistan’s Urdu-language Nawa-e Waqt, issued such a screed.

Nawa-e Waqt bluntly commented on India’s Kashmiri water polices and Islamabad’s failure up to now to stop New Delhi’s efforts to construct hydroelectric dams in Kashmir, “India should be forcibly prevented from constructing these dams. If it fails to constrain itself, we should not hesitate in launching nuclear war because there is no solution except this.”

Potential nuclear war over water rights – such sentiments ought to light up switchboards from New Delhi to Washington.

Needless to say, the fact that both India and Pakistan are nuclear powers is cause for concern.

Nawa-e Waqt is a privately owned, widely read conservative Pakistani Islamic daily with a circulation around 125,000 and is heavily critical of the U.S. and India. To put Nawa-e Waqt’s circulation in context, consider that the conservative Washington Times has a current estimated circulation of 50,000.

So, what has the editorial board of the Nawa-e Waqt so excited?

Indian dam building in the disputed area of Kashmir. Compared with much of South Asia, Kashmir has many rivers and relatively few people.

Bashir Ahmad, a geologist in Srinagar, Kashmir commented grimly about the Indians’ future intentions, “They will switch the Indus off to make Pakistan solely dependent on India. It’s going to be a water bomb.” A more dispassionate report by America’s Senate last February offered still a similar assessment, noting, “The cumulative effect of (the dam) projects could give India the ability to store enough water to limit the supply to Pakistan at crucial moments in the growing season” before concluding that dams are a source of “significant bilateral tension.”

How many dams and hydroelectric reports? The Senate report counted 33 hydroelectric projects in the border area, a number that Pakistani analysts nearly double to 60, which according to the state’s chief minister, Omar Abdullah, will add an extra 3,000 megawatts to the national power grid by 2019.

Pakistan’s vulnerability is underwritten by the fact that, like Egypt it exists around a single great river, although the Indus is nearly twice the Nile’s size when it reaches the sea. The Indus provides water to over 80 percent of Pakistan’s 54 million acres of irrigated land, via a canal system largely built by the British.

A further potential diplomatic tar-pit is that Afghanistan plans to build 12 dams on the Kabul river with a combined storage capacity of 4.7 million acre-feet, which Pakistan frets will further diminish the Indus water supply, quite aside from the fact that Indian support for these dams will increase India's hydro-influence in the region.

The Kabul River Basin (KRB) is the most important river basin in Afghanistan and contains half the country's urban population, including the city of Kabul. While New Delhi has not directly confirmed its support for the facilities, the proposed hydroelectric projects represent one of India’s largest assistance interests, with $1.3 billion invested in infrastructure projects.

So, is there any way out before the missiles fly?

The 1960 Indus Water Treaty (IWT) between India and Pakistan can not only assist in easing tension, but provide a template for developing an Afghan-Pakistani agreement on the Kabul river. The treaty, which has survived three wars, explicitly outlines how both India and Pakistan can use cross-border rivers and deals in particular with the tributaries flowing from Kashmir to form the Indus.

The IWT is considered one of the world's most successful trans-boundary water treaties, as it addresses specific water allocation issues and provides unique design requirements for run-of-the-river dams, which ensure the steady flow of water and guarantee power generation through hydro-electricity. The IWT also provides a mechanism for consultation and arbitration should questions, disagreements, or disputes arise.

All foreign governments interested in avoiding further military conflict in South Asia should impress upon both New Delhi and Islamabad the ongoing value of their 51 year-old water agreement and urge them to resolve their conflicts within its framework.

By. John C.K. Daly of Oilprice.com

Thursday, December 8, 2011

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 2.2.30 and Purport

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 2.2.30

sa bhūta-sūkṣmendriya-sannikarṣaḿ

manomayaḿ devamayaḿ vikāryam

saḿsādya gatyā saha tena yāti

vijñāna-tattvaḿ guṇa-sannirodham

SYNONYMS

saḥ — he (the devotee); bhūta — the gross; sūkṣma — and the subtle; indriya — senses; sannikarṣam — the point of neutralization; manaḥ-mayam — the mental plane; deva-mayam — in the mode of goodness; vikāryam — egoism; saḿsādya — surpassing; gatyā — by the progress; saha — along with; tena — them; yāti — goes; vijñāna — perfect knowledge; tattvam — truth; guṇa — the material modes; sannirodham — completely suspended.

TRANSLATION

The devotee, thus surpassing the gross and the subtle forms of coverings, enters the plane of egoism. And in that status he merges the material modes of nature [ignorance and passion] in this point of neutralization and thus reaches egoism in goodness. After this, all egoism is merged in the mahat-tattva, and he comes to the point of pure self-realization.

PURPORT

Pure self-realization, as we have several times discussed, is the pure consciousness of admitting oneself to be the eternal servitor of the Lord. Thus one is reinstated in his original position of transcendental loving service to the Lord, as will be clearly explained in the following verse. This stage of rendering transcendental loving service to the Lord without any hopes of emolument from the Lord, or any other way, can be attained when the material senses are purified and the original pure state of the senses is revived. It is suggested herein that the process of purifying the senses is by the yogic way, namely the gross senses are merged in the mode of ignorance, and the subtle senses are merged in the mode of passion. The mind belongs to the mode of goodness and therefore is called devamaya, or godly. perfect purification of the mind is made possible when one is fixed in the conviction of being the eternal servitor of the Lord. Therefore simple attainment of goodness is also a material mode; one has to surpass this stage of material goodness and reach the point of purified goodness, or vasudeva-sattva. This vasudeva-sattva helps one to enter into the kingdom of God.

We may also remember in this connection that the process of gradual emancipation by the devotees in the manner mentioned above, although authoritative, is not viable in the present age because of people's being primarily unaware of yoga practice. The so-called yoga practice by the professional protagonists may be physiologically beneficial, but such small successes cannot help one in the attainment of spiritual emancipation as mentioned herein. Five thousand years ago, when the social status of human society was in perfect Vedic order, the yoga process mentioned herein was a common affair for everyone because everyone, and especially the brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya, was trained in the transcendental art under the care of the spiritual master far away from home, in the status of brahmacarya. Modern man, however, is incompetent to understand it perfectly.

Lord Śrī Caitanya, therefore, made it easier for the prospective devotee of the present age in the following specific manner. Ultimately there is no difference in the result. The first and foremost point is that one must understand the prime importance of bhakti-yoga. The living beings in different species of life are undergoing different terms of encagement according to their fruitive actions and reactions. But in the execution of different activities, one who secures some resources in bhakti-yoga can understand the importance of service to the Lord through the causeless mercy of the Lord, as well as that of the spiritual master. A sincere soul is helped by the Lord through meeting a bona fide spiritual master, the representative of the Lord. By the instruction of such a spiritual master, one gets the seed of bhakti-yoga. Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends that the devotee sow the seed of bhakti-yoga in his heart and nurture it by the watering of hearing and chanting the holy name, fame, etc., of the Lord. The simple process of offenselessly chanting and hearing the holy name of the Lord will gradually promote one very soon to the stage of emancipation. There are three stages in chanting the holy name of the Lord. The first stage is the offensive chanting of the holy name, and the second is the reflective stage of chanting the holy name. The third stage is the offenseless chanting of the holy name of the Lord. In the second stage only, the stage of reflection, between the offensive and offenseless stages, one automatically attains the stage of emancipation. And in the offenseless stage, one actually enters into the kingdom of God, although physically he may apparently be within the material world. To attain the offenseless stage, one must be on guard in the following manner.

When we speak of hearing and chanting, it means that not only should one chant and hear of the holy name of the Lord as Rāma, Kṛṣṇa (or systematically the sixteen names Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare), but one should also read and hear the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the association of devotees. The primary practice of bhakti-yoga will cause the seed already sowed in heart to sprout, and by a regular watering process, as mentioned above, the bhakti-yoga creeper will begin to grow. By systematic nurturing, the creeper will grow to such an extent that it will penetrate the coverings of the universe, as we have heard in the previous verses, reach the effulgent sky, the brahmajyoti, and go farther and farther and reach the spiritual sky, where there are innumerable spiritual planets called Vaikuṇṭhalokas. Above all of them is Kṛṣṇaloka, or Goloka Vṛndāvana, wherein the growing creeper enters and takes repose at the lotus feet of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the original Personality of Godhead. When one reaches the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa at Goloka Vṛndāvana, the watering process of hearing and reading, as also chanting of the holy name in the pure devotional stage, fructifies, and the fruits grown there in the form of love of God are tangibly tasted by the devotee, even though he is here in this material world. The ripe fruits of love of God are relished only by the devotees constantly engaged in the watering process as described above. But the working devotee must always be mindful so that the creeper which has so grown will not be cut off. Therefore he should be mindful of the following considerations:

(1) Offense by one at the feet of a pure devotee may be likened to the mad elephant who devastates a very good garden if it enters.

(2) One must be very careful to guard himself against such offenses at the feet of pure devotees, just as one protects a creeper by all-around fencing.

(3) It so happens that by the watering process some weeds are also grown, and unless such weeds are uprooted, the nurturing of the main creeper, or the creeper of bhakti-yoga, may be hampered.

(4) Actually these weeds are material enjoyment, merging of the self in the Absolute without separate individuality, and many other desires in the field of religion, economic development, sense enjoyment and emancipation.

(5) There are many other weeds, like disobedience to the tenets of the revered scriptures, unnecessary engagements, killing animals, and hankering after material gain, prestige and adoration.

(6) If sufficient care is not taken, then the watering process may only help to breed the weeds, stunting the healthy growth of the main creeper and resulting in no fructification of the ultimate requirement: love of God.

(7) The devotee must therefore be very careful to uproot the different weeds in the very beginning. Only then will the healthy growth of the main creeper not be stunted.

(8) And by so doing, the devotee is able to relish the fruit of love of God and thus live practically with Lord Kṛṣṇa, even in this life, and be able to see the Lord in every step.

The highest perfection of life is to enjoy life constantly in the association of the Lord, and one who can relish this does not aspire after any temporary enjoyment of the material world via other media.

Monday, December 5, 2011

"The Folly Of Our Age"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.3.25
September 30, 1972, Los Angeles

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

athasau yuga-sandhyayam
dasyu-prayesu rajasu
janita visnu-yasaso
namna kalkir jagat-patih

Translation: "Thereafter, at the conjunction of two yugas, the Lord of the creation will take His birth as the Kalki incarnation and become the son of Visnu Yasa. At this time the rulers of the earth will have degenerated into plunderers."

Prabhupada: So there are some remarkable points in this verse. Dasyu-prayesu rajasu. Rajasu means government. Raja, king, or government. So monarchy is now abolished practically all over the world. Now it is democratic government. So this so-called democratic government or Communist government, as they are going on, they will become rogues and thieves, dasyu-prayesu. All the rogues, thieves, plunderers, they will capture. Because it is by vote. So dasyu... Just like plunderers, rogues, they on the point of revolver, they take away your money, so they will take vote on the point of revolver. Actually, it is happening. In Korea it so happened, that sometimes the Communists are coming in power, and sometimes the capitalists coming in power, America and Russia. So poor people, as soon as there is Communist government, they are under the influence: "If you don't do this, then you'll be shot." By force. The people do not know what is government generally. They want to live peacefully. They want a secure place. So that is not their business, modern government. Their only business is how to collect tax and divide it amongst the government servants. That's all.

So this is the beginning of Kali-yuga. Only we have passed five thousand years, but the duration of Kali-yuga is 432,000's of years. So only we have passed five thousand years. In this way... This is called sandhya, junction. I have already explained that junction means day and night. Day passing, night is coming, that is called junction. Morning passing, noon coming, that is another junction, meridian. So early in the morning and during sunset and in the middle, joining of noon, morning and noon, these are called tri-sandhya. Tri means three. Three kinds of junction. So everyone has got this tri-sandhya of his life. Just like in our life. When we were babies, children, that is the beginning. Say, up to fifteen years, sixteen years, that is one portion, sandhya, junction. Then another junction, youthhood; then another junction, old age. This is the nature's way. There must be three periods of anything material.

So this Kali-yuga has already begun. So in the beginning sandhya, junction, Lord Buddha's description is given already. Lord Buddha will cheat the atheist class of men. God is very kind. So sammohaya sura-dvisam [SB 1.3.24]. Those who are atheists, just to bewilder them: "Yes, there is nothing after death, it is all zero, but you worship me," Lord Buddha said. "Yes, sir, we shall worship you." So the only business, God's business is, "This rascal may some way or other worship Me." Because they are rascals. So here Lord Buddha by policy induced them to worship Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha is incarnation of God. Kesava dhrta-buddha-sarira. His philosophy is "No, there is no God, but you worship me." But the policy is to worship God. But they do not know. They are thinking that "We are worshiping somebody, some great soul," but he does not know that he is God, incarnation of God.

So similarly, when people will be so much degraded that they will not be able to understand anything about God... That time is coming gradually. Already the time is there. People are not at all interested in God's business. In your Western world all the churches are vacant. Nobody is interested now in church. Especially in Europe, we have seen... In your country also. So people are being degraded, godlessness. Because godless means animal. What is the difference between animal and man? The animal cannot be instructed anything about God. It is not possible for them to understand. But a man, however degraded he may be, if he is trained up, he can understand about God. Just like five years ago, you did not know about Krsna. But because you are being trained up, because you are human being, therefore you are taking to Krsna consciousness. Which was unknown to you five years ago, now you are taking it to very seriously. Why? Because you are being trained up.

Similarly, God consciousness is there, dormant in every living entity. But the perception varies according to the development of body. Just like child. You say something serious, say, about sex life, they do not understand. But the same child will understand sex life when the consciousness is developed. Similarly, in this material world, our consciousness is covered, God consciousness. So there are different species of life. Just like the aquatics in the ocean. There are so many living entities. But if you preach there Krsna consciousness, it is not possible Their number is far greater than human being. Still, they have no capacity. Next development, plants and trees, there also, no sensation. You cut the trees, no protest, because there is no sensation. There is practically consciousness... There is consciousness, very slight. Sir Jagadish Candra Bose has proved that when you cut tree, he feels, and that is recorded in what is called, that machine? So everyone has got consciousness. Living entity means there is consciousness. But they have their consciousness only for eating, sleeping, sex life and defending. There is consciousness amongst the fish. Their consciousness is so strong, two miles away if some big fish is coming, they can understand. Immediately they can take precaution defending. These are all described.

So different animals in different species of life, they have got one type of consciousness very strong. Just like you can see the vultures. It is a low-graded animal. But it goes four miles above the earth and it can see where is a dead body. You cannot do that. You cannot see even twenty yards after. But the animal, another animal, the vulture, he can see... From four miles away he can find out where there is a dead body. So this consciousness of eating, sleeping, mating and defending, that is common. In one animal or, it is very strong. In another man, animal, it is not so strong. But this consciousness is there. But this God consciousness is not there except in human being.

So the human society is becoming so degraded that they are trying to forget God. That is their advancement of civilization. The more you deny existence of God and become a so-called rascal scientist, then you are advanced. This is the position. So this position will degrade so much after, say, 400,000's of years, gradually degrading, that at time, Krsna will come in His incarnation as Kalki. At that time the Kalki's business will be simply to kill. That's all. No more. No more preaching of Krsna consciousness. Simply kill them. That is Kalki avatara. That Kalki avatara is given the father's name. This is called sastra. This is called scripture. Four hundred thousand's after, 400,000's of years after, Kalki will come. Now, His father's name is given there. Just like Lord Buddha's mother's name is there. So you cannot imitate that "I am Kalki avatara." You have to give evidence, what is your father's name. Just see. This is called sastra. Any rascal comes, "Oh, I am Krsna. I am this avatara and that avatara," but where is the evidence from the sastra? We cannot accept. Just like any gentleman comes, we want to see the credential. Just like in politics, when some ambassador comes to a new country, then he has to officially present his credential so that he will be accepted that "This gentleman is representative of such and such country." That is nice. Unless you give credentials, identity, how I can accept you? So... But people have become rascal. Anyone comes, he says that "I am incarnation of God," because the people are rascals, they accept another rascal. But if you follow the sastras and scriptures, then you will find all the avataras, their credentials are there -- What is the father's name, what is the name of the place he takes birth or appears, what is his business. So... What is the time. Everything is given there. So why should you be misled?

So we accept incarnation of God when all the descriptions are corroborated in terms of the authorized sastra. Otherwise we reject. That is our business. So in this verse... Why we accept Vedic scripture as solid truth? Because there is no mistake. Otherwise, how it is predicting that yuga-sandhyayam, "In the last conjunction of the yugas, there will appear the Lord"? Kalkir namna, namna kalkih. "His name will be Kalki. But He is not ordinary person." Namna kalkir jagat-patih. "He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is not ordinary man. And His father's name is..." Janita visnu-yasasah. "His father's name will be Visnu Yasa." The Yasa title are there in India still. One Mr. Yasi (Joshi) corresponds with us. So the Josha, or Joshi, this title is already there. So they are brahmanas. Here, all the descriptions are not there, but in other place, all the descriptions are there. Not only his father's name, name, His village or the place, Sambhal. There is still a place Sambhalpur in India. So everything is there. We should not be misled that "Here is another avatara, here is another avatara, here is... So many avataras." No. So this is called sastra: what will happen after 400,000's of years, that is mentioned. Future. Just like Lord Buddha's name was there. Bhavisyati yuga-sandhyayam. Bhavisyati. Bhavisyati means "He will come." He was not visible. This is sastra. Sastra means tri-kala-jna. The writer of sastra should be a full cognizant of past, present, and future. That is called unmistakable. Past, present, and future. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita that "I know past, present, and future."

So that is God or God's scripture. Past, present, and future. This Bhagavata was written by God Himself, Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva is incarnation of Krsna. That we have described, eleventh or some avatara. So the Kalki will appear. The sastra is giving indication that after such and such year. And another point is this dasyu-prayesu rajasu. The..., more and more the government will be just like thieves and rogues. We are already experiencing. Now a new law has been passed in India that nobody can keep property more than five to seven lakhs of rupees. So people's incentive to earn money is now being cut down. Formerly it was freedom that you can earn your money as much as you like. Now if you think that "I will earn money, hundreds and thousands of money," but what is the use? The government will take away. That means you will be lazy. The economic development will be checked. Because one who works so hard for economic development because he is under the inspiration that "The more I earn, I will be able to enjoy more." But when this impression is given that "More we earn, it will be taken by government, and I will not be able to enjoy it," naturally he will not work.

So there are so many difficulties. But these difficulties will increase. It will not decrease. They are making so many plans to minimize the difficulties. But actually, because they are fools and rogues, they cannot make anything improvement. They have become involved in more difficulties. That Narottama dasa Thakura has sung, sat-sanga chadi' kainu asate vilasa te-karane lagila ye karma-bandha-phansa. We do not consult the sastra or the unmistakable way of improvement. We manufacture our own concoction. And therefore we are becoming more and more entangled. We do not take right direction. That is our folly in this age. We do not accept authority. We want to become authority ourself: "I am authority." Everyone wants to become authority. And that is being supported by so-called swamis, "Yes, you can manufacture your own religion."

But that is not the process. You cannot manufacture your own religion. Religion is given by God. Religion means the law of God. That's all. So how you can manufacture your law? That is not possible. Even if you do manufacture, what is the benefit? It will not be accepted. It will not work. Suppose if you manufacture some law at home, will it be accepted by the public? No. Nobody will accept. So similarly, this Kali-yuga is so dangerous that gradually we are becoming involved in more difficulties. That is the way of Kali-yuga. The symptom of Kali-yuga is disagreement, fight, quarrel. Kali means this quarreling, fighting, unnecessarily fighting. Just like recently in India we have seen. Formerly there was Hindu-Muslim riot, sporadic riot in some village. Say, some fifty men this side, some fifty men that side, they fought, say, for two hours, and it is finished. Again they are friendly. Now, since India has become independent, the Muslims have become Pakistan and the other part... They are not all Hindus. Suppose Hindus, they have become Hindustan. They organizedly fight. Now recently, last year, they fought and spent millions of dollars unnecessarily. This is going on. This is called Kali-yuga. Unnecessarily they will disagree, unnecessarily they will fight and spoil energy, spoil money. This is called Kali-yuga. The brain is so crazy that they do not consider that "Why you are fighting? Why you are spending money?"

Just like in your country and Russia, they are spending millions of dollars for one crazy thing, going to the moon planet. Just see. Simply wasting time and money. That's a fact. Three or four years ago, some press representative asked me, "What is your opinion," in, I think, San Francisco, "about this moon expedition?" So I asked the reporter, "Shall I flatter you or shall I tell the truth?" So he said, "Tell the truth." "Simply wasting time and money, that's all." This is the truth. Now I think they have realized, and your senate is denying any money for moon expedition. Is it not? Somebody was telling me.

So anyway, actually, human life is meant for some other purpose -- God realization. Because this is not possible in other lower animals. And we get this chance by evolutionary process. We come to this human form of life, civilized form of life. Now we should know what is God, who is the supreme controller, who is the supreme source of everything. Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. Athato brahma jijnasa. This is the life for inquiring about Brahman, the Supreme, the great. But we are neglectful. This is called Kali-yuga. And we are so much degraded... Gradually, we are becoming degraded. So 427,000's of years, if we again come and go, come and go... Because after... Dehantara-praptih, tatha dehantara-praptih. If you continue transmigration from one body to another, then you will have to meet that age. But before meeting that age, try to understand Krsna. This is our movement. Then, in this life in this very life, after giving up this body, you haven't got to come here again. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. No more coming to this rascal world. Go back to home, back to Godhead.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.3.25 -- Los Angeles, September 30, 1972

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Family

Family is the most important thing in this world.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

East And West Should Cooperate

East And West Should Cooperate

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.6
July 23, 1973, London



Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yayatma suprasidati
[SB 1.2.6]

Translation (not on tape) "The supreme occupation [dharma] for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted to completely satisfy the self."

Prabhupada: This is a speech of Suta Gosvami in Naimisaranya. Formerly, great sages used to assemble in the forest of Naimisaranya. Those who are Indians, they will know Naimisaranya. There is a station, Nimsara, still. And it is near Lucknow. Still it is very nice place. So there was a great meeting of saintly persons. As nowadays ordinary persons meet together to find out the ways and means for people's prosperity, formerly the great saintly persons, sages, brahmanas, they used to meet, and they used to give formula to the people, to the king, that "You follow this. You will be happy." This was the system, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. So the brahmanas will give the direction, and the ksatriya king would execute it. And the vaisyas will produce foodgrains. Vaisya-karma svabhava-jam. Krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhava-jam [Bg. 18.44]. For vaisyas, three work, three kinds of occupation: first of all, agriculture, produce food, and then, give protection to the cows. Because cow is important animal, cow protection is very necessary. So krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam [Bg. 18.44]. And where there is scarcity of food, transport food there, make business. These three things for the vaisyas.

So there was meeting. So in the meeting... That meeting was held after the departure of Krsna. So the question was that "After departure of Krsna, who has taken charge of this world for proper discharge of religious principles?" So the reply was that "Krsna has left this world, but here is the Srimad-Bhagavatam. That will give you direction." Srimad-Bhagavatam is the sound representation of Krsna. As Bhagavad-gita is the sound produced, vibrated by Krsna personally, similarly Srimad-Bhagavatam is written by Vyasadeva under the direction of his spiritual master, Narada, about Krsna. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has advised to preach the message of Krsna. That is His cult.

yare dekha tare kaha ‘krsna'-upadesa
amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa
[Cc. Madhya 7.128]

This is the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And He wanted all the Indians to help this movement.

bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara
janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara
[Cc. Adi 9.41]

This is the mission of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He has advised every Indian... Bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma. Every human being born in India, they should take up this cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. They can take it. Because by birth they have got the right because this Bhagavatam is produced in India, Bhagavad-gita is produced in India. That is the glory of India. So the sons of India, those who are Indians, those who are proud of becoming Indian, they should take up this mission. Janma sarthaka kari'. First of all make your life successful by understanding what is Bhagavad-gita and what is Srimad-Bhagavatam. Janma sarthaka. If you are yourself unsuccessful in the mission of your life, you cannot preach anything. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says janma sarthaka kari': "After making your life successful." That means by understanding the value of Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita, you preach this knowledge all over the world.

Because such knowledge is wanting all over the world. The Western countries, they might have advanced in material technology, technical knowledge, but they have no knowledge about the science of God. That is lacking. So the East and West, they should cooperate. They cooperate. You have got some knowledge; I take advantage of it. I have got some knowledge; you take advantage of it. This is cooperation. This is cooperation. So especially now, people all over the world, they are trying to imitate the Western type of civilization. That is not bad. Do it. But you also do something so that Westerners may also take your knowledge. That is cooperation. So why you are silent in that point? Therefore, because Indians or Indian government has failed to do this duty, India is known as beggar country all over the world. I am traveling. "Oh, you are from India? It is very poverty-stricken country." This is the designation of India. Actually it is so. In comparison to Western country, India is very poor, very poor.

So there is no need of remaining poor. You can make your economic development. This is required. Dharmartha-kama-moksanam. Human life means four things he must develop. First thing is dharma. He must know what is religion. Every human being -- not Indians or Europeans or Americans. That is the prime duty of every human being. Without following the religious principles, then he is not human even. Dharmena hinah pasubhih samanah. If the human society... It doesn't matter what kind of religion you follow. It doesn't matter. But you must follow. (aside:) Sit down properly. Don't go out now and come. They, that is the duty, dharma. Dharmena hinah. Human civilization begins when there is religious conception of life. Therefore all over the world -- it doesn't matter whether Europe, America or India or China, Japan -- there is some kind of religion. There is some kind of religion -- either Hindu religion or Muslim religion or Christian religion, Buddhist religion. These are the prime religions of the world.

Now, here in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, they are discussing about religion. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmah.

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yayatma suprasidati
[SB 1.2.6]

Everyone wants to be happy. Atma. Atma means body, atma means mind. Atma means atma, soul, also. So somebody is trying to be happy bodily. That is also atma. But that is very temporary. And somebody is wanting the peace and prosperity or tranquillity of the mind. That is also atmarama. Atmarama means everyone is wanting to remain happy and peaceful in his atma. So those who are gross, they are trying to be happy bodily. They are called karmis. And those who are little advanced, they are trying to be happy mentally. They are called jnanis. Karmis, jnanis. And those who are trying to be happy spiritually, they are called yogis. So yogis, there are different kinds of yogis. But the first-class yogi is bhakti-yogi. Bhakti-yoga. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita,

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

He is first-class yogi. Who is first-class yogi? Mad-gatenantar-atmana, "who is always thinking of Me." Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. This is Krsna's advice in the Bhagavad-gita. Man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah: "Always think of Me." It is not difficult. You think of Krsna. You have got Krsna's form. That is first-class meditation. Krsna says, yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana [Bg. 6.47]. Thinking of Krsna, antar-atmana, within the core of heart. Sa me yuktatamo matah. He is first-class yogi. So we are teaching that, how to become first-class yogi. "Chant Krsna, Hare Krsna, and hear." Immediately... All Krsna's -- Krsna's form, Krsna's qualities, Krsna's pastimes, Krsna's paraphernalia, Krsna's opulence -- everything will be subject of your thinking. This is called first-class yoga.

So here also, what is spoken by Krsna in Bhagavad-gita, that is confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Here it is said, sa vai pumsam paro dharmah. Para and apara. Para means superior or transcendental. There are two kinds of prakrtis: para-prakrti, apara-prakrti. That is also described in the Bhagavad-gita. Material, bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca. Material things, earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence, ego. Prakrtir me astadha, bhinna prakrtir me astadha. Krsna says, "They are My prakrti. My nature, My energy." Similarly, Krsna says, next verse, apareyam: "This material prakrti is inferior. But beyond this material prakrti, there is a superior prakrti." What is that? Jiva-bhutam maha-baho yayedam dharyate jagat: "That is living entity." So living entity is also prakrti, another energy of Krsna. Just like this material world is one creation, material creation. Similarly, there is spiritual energy also. Krsna has multi-energies. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. Na tasya karyam... This is Vedic injunction. Na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate. God has nothing to do with His hands and legs. He is so powerful that He has got so many energies... Just like big man here, he does not do anything with his hands, but he has got so many assistants. As soon as he wants to do something, immediately it is done. If it is possible for ordinary human being, how much energy is in stock of Krsna, and how He can perform everything perfectly. Svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca. Everything comes out nicely. So much energy is there. Inconceivable energy. That is God.

So that energy is divided into three. Material energy, spiritual energy and marginal energy. We are marginal energy. We living entities, we belong to the marginal energy, tatastha-sakti. Marginal means we can remain in the material energy or in the spiritual energy. Now, at the present moment, every one of us, we are under the control of the material energy. You can understand it very easily. Just like government. The government, that is one energy working. Similarly, the prison house, that is also another energy working. And the citizens, that is also another, another energy working. But the citizens are marginal. They can remain outside the prison walls and inside the prison walls. Therefore they are called marginal. When you are abiding by the laws of the government, you are free. You are not abiding by the laws of the government, you are within the prison house. So you are at liberty. Either... That is your choice. Government has got university, as well as the criminal department. Government does not canvass, rather government canvasses that "You come to the university. Be educated. Be advanced." But it is our choice, we sometimes go to the prison house. It is not government's fault.

Similarly, those who have come to this material world, they are all supposed to be criminals, disobedient to the laws of God. Therefore there is dharma, to teach people that "You take to religious principle, gradually become purified, and come back again to the spiritual world. That is your real abode." Here it is foreign. Here it is foreign, and you are under so many tribulations. Just like if you are in the prison house, there you cannot expect any comfort of life. That is not possible. It is meant for inflicting miseries upon you so that you can understand that you are criminal, you should not do like this and come here again. That is the process going on. Similarly, here also in this material world, we are always under troublesome condition. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga. So that we may come to our sense, if there is any possibility of making a solution of this miserable condition of life... But we are so callous, just like animals. They do not know. The animals are kept in the room for being slaughtered. They do not know. They are eating grass and very happy. Not happy. Some of them know that "We are going to be killed." They cry. But there is no escape. What can be done? But human life is not like animals. They must know that "We are in threefold miserable condition of life, adhyatmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. And we do not want these all miserable condition. We want to be happy. We want to be peaceful. How to do it?"

That is clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gita:

daivi hy esa gunamayi
mama maya duratyaya
mam eva ye prapadyante
mayam etam taranti te
[Bg. 7.14]

It is very difficult. You are trying to be happy by adjustment of material conditions, but that is not possible. Maya is very strong. She'll not let you become happy under material condition. That is not possible. Then how one can become happy? Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. As soon as you become obedient, surrender to Krsna, you become transcendental to the laws of material nature. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah [Bg. 9.13]. Those who are mahatmas, they are not under material condition. They are under spiritual guidance. Daivim prakrtim asritah. And what is their symptom? Bhajanty ananya-manasah. Without any diversion, they are engaged in bhajana. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh. This is bhajana.

sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
[SB 7.5.23]

There are nine kinds of bhajana. Hearing -- just like you are hearing about Krsna -- this is bhajana. So we are giving this opportunity. We are opening hundreds of branches so that people may take advantage of hearing about Krsna. That is bhajana. You don't do anything. If you simply come here... We are holding class. If you simply come and hear, you will advance in spiritual consciousness. Simply by aural reception. Sravanadi-suddha-citte. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [BRS. 1.2.234]. We cannot understand God, Krsna, by our present senses. Therefore His name is adhoksaja. Here this is the verse, it is said, yato bhaktir adhoksaje. Adhoksaja. Adhoksaja. Krsna's another name is Adhoksaja. Aksaja means direct perception. Just like somebody says, "I want to see." This is called aksaja. Aksa means eyes or senses. So He is not perceived by these blunt material senses. Therefore He is known as Adhoksaja. Adhah-krta aksaja-jnanam yatra, where this direct experimental knowledge is defeated. You cannot understand God by your this blunt material experience. No. That is not possible. Therefore we have to submit. We have to surrender.

Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. If you want to know, then first of all is pranipata. Pranipata means prakrsta-rupena nipata. Just like we have got the system, the disciples they fall flat, straight, and offer respect to Deity or to the spiritual master. This is called pranipata. Prani... Prakrsta-rupena nipata. The first thing is pranipata. You have to find out somebody where you can surrender fully. That is the beginning of spiritual life. Tad viddhi pranipatena [Bg. 4.34]. First condition is pranipata. Pranipatena pariprasnena. You can inquire. You can ask questions, after you have fully surrendered, not before that. Don't waste your time. It will not act. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was talking with Krsna like friends. When Arjuna said, "Oh, the other side, they are all my kinsmen. How can I kill them? Oh, it is not possible," Krsna said, "No, you are ksatriya. It is your duty to fight. It doesn't matter the other party is your own kinsmen." Ordinary question, answers. In this way, questions and answer, questions and answer were going on. But at last, when by such questions and answers, friendly talk, nothing was solved, then Arjuna said, sisyas te ham sadhi mam prapannam: "My dear Krsna, in this way the problem will not be solved. I am becoming Your disciple. I am not talking anymore as friend." Sisyas te 'ham: "I become Your disciple." Because you cannot argue with guru. That is pranipata.

Therefore we must have a guru where exact knowledge is coming, without any mistake. Because we cannot argue. So we must find out such guru, where perfect knowledge is coming. Just like... Therefore guru is... Acaryam mam vijaniyat. Guru must be perfect representative of Krsna. So acaryam mam vijaniyan navamanyeta karhicit: [SB 11.17.27] "Do not neglect the acarya." Na martya-buddhya: "Don't consider him as ordinary human being." Asuyeta. If he sometimes chastises you, don't be envious: "Oh he is also man, I am also man. Why he is talking like that?" No. Nasuyeta martya-buddhya. These are the instructions. This is called pranipata. So Arjuna accepted this process, sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam: "My dear Krsna, now, from this moment, I am Your sisya. I am Your sisya. I become Your disciple. Now You teach me." The Bhagavad-gita was taught to Arjuna, because he became a sisya.

So if we actually want the solution of the problems of this material existence, as it is said, yayatma suprasidati... Yaya atma suprasidati. Supra... Su means "very nicely"; prasidati, "becomes satisfied." Everyone is trying to be satisfied, peaceful in his mind. But that is not being happen. How it will happen? The direction is given here in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmah. That is first-class religion. It doesn't matter whether you are following Christian religion or Hindu religion or Muslim religion or any religion. It doesn't matter. Dharma means religion. That is English translation. But actually dharma means which you cannot change. Religion, the so-called religion, is a sentiment. Today you are Hindu; tomorrow you become Muslim. Or today you are Muslim; tomorrow you become Christian. That kind of conversion, change, is not religion. Because the man remains the same. Simply by his changing the rubber stamp, "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," that does not make any benefit. Therefore our movement is Krsna consciousness. We don't talk of any religion. The consciousness should be changed. The material consciousness should be changed into spiritual consciousness. That is our propaganda. It is meant for Hindu, Muslim, Christian, anyone. White, black, yellow, everything. Because it is the function of the soul. Soul is not black, white, yellow. Soul is spirit. So one has to realize that "I am spirit soul. I am not Indian nor American nor Englishman nor German nor white nor black. This is my bodily description. I am not this body." This is the beginning of spiritual understanding.

Therefore Suta Gosvami says, "That type of religion which actually gives spiritual education, and by spiritual education one develops his forgotten love of Godhead." Love of Godhead is there in every one of us. It is now forgotten. We have to simply awaken it. Otherwise how these English boys, these American boys, the Canadian boys or gentlemen, they are taking to Krsna consciousness so seriously? It is not something artificial. The Krsna consciousness was there. It is being awakened under certain prescribed method. That's all. Sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya. This is the process. Nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti. Caitanya-caritamrta says that "This Krsna consciousness is there, dormant, in everyone's heart. It is already there." Sravanadi-suddha-citte: "If you kindly hear about Krsna and your heart becomes purified, the original dormant Krsna consciousness is immediately awakened."."

So this is the process. Therefore Bhagavata recommends, sa vai pumsam paro dharmah: "That type of religion is first class who has accepted this process how to awaken Krsna consciousness." Adhoksaja. Yato bhaktir adhoksaje. What kind of bhakti? Ahaituki, without any motive, without any motive. Because generally we go to temple or perform religion with a motive, some material purpose. But bhakti should be without any motive, ahaituki, no cause. Apratihata, and it cannot be checked. It is not that because one is Christian or one is Muhammadan or one is outside the Vedic culture, he cannot become Krsna conscious. No. Ahaituky apratihata. Apratihata means nothing can check. Anything material impediment, is not able to check Krsna consciousness. Ahaituky apratihata yayatma suprasidati. If you follow this method how to awaken your Krsna consciousness, then automatically your atma will be satisfied, oh. Just like Mrs. Sharma was describing, "Now I am so happy." She is not an ordinary woman. She is very rich. She has got business. But she is finding happiness here. This is practical example. This is practical example. Yayatma, yayatma suprasidati.

So Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that "Take this responsibility of preaching Krsna consciousness all over the world, those who are Indians." Now there are many Indians in London. You take this movement very seriously. It is your duty to spread this movement. At least, you do it in European countries. Now here is a chance, good chance. Come here, participate with the movement, become Krsna conscious yourself, and preach it. That will be Indian's glory. Otherwise simply beg. You will remain simply beggars, that's all.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.6 -- London, July 23, 1973

Sunday, September 25, 2011

The Religion Above All Cheating

The Religion Above All Cheating

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.5
October 9, 1976, Aligarh


Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada



Prabhupada:

munayah sadhu prsto 'ham
bhavadbhir loka-mangalam
yat-krtah krsna-samprasno
yenatma suprasidati
[SB 1.2.5]

By the sages in Naimisaranya, the question was put before Suta Gosvami that "After Krsna's departure from this world to His own abode, where the responsibility was given for religious propaganda?" So it was krsna-samprasno, question about Krsna. And the question was that religious principle, where did it rest? Because religion means the law of God. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. As you cannot manufacture law at home The law is enunciated in the legislative assembly of the government. Not that you can manufacture law in your home or in your office or in a big conference by the public. No. Similarly, the word dharma, religion, is explained in the English dictionary, "a sect of faith." And people have interpreted in a different way, that "I can manufacture my own way of religion." It is going on very strong nowadays by some missionary sect, yata mat tata pat. As many ways there are, they are all perfect. That somebody said that to cut throat is my religion. That is also accepted. But that is not religion. Religion means dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. What is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead or what is ordained by the supreme authority, that is dharma. Therefore in the next verse it is explained,

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yayatma suprasidati
[SB 1.2.6]

If you want actual peace, atma, suprasidati, then you have to accept paro dharma. Para means supreme or superior. There are two kinds of dharmas, para and apara. Apara means this material world. Bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca. There are two natures, one spiritual nature and one material nature. People do not understand what is spiritual nature. But Krsna explains very nicely, and one can understand very easily what is spiritual nature and what is material nature. In the Bhagavad-gita, the matter, five elements, earth, water, air, fire, sky, mind, intelligence, ego, these are material nature. Prakrti me bhinna astadha. Apareyam. Then Krsna says this is apara. Apara means inferior. Bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh. The modern scientist or philosophers, they are engaged in studying this inferior nature. They have no information of the superior nature. But Krsna says that these five elements, eight elements. Five gross and three subtle. The mind is also material. Kham mano buddhir. These are material. People think this mental speculation, poetry, philosophy, that is spiritual. No. So long the subject matter is material, the concoction of the mind, speculation of the mind, the so-called philosophy, is also material.

When mind is engaged at the lotus feet of the Lord... As it is stated in the Srimad-..., sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor. When the mind is fixed up in the lotus feet of the Lord, then the words are used, the vibration of the tongue used... Vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane. Then the words are utilized for describing about the spiritual world. The spiritual world is called Vaikuntha. There is no kuntha, anxiety. That is spiritual world. When you become spiritualized, brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. There is no more kuntha. This is the sign of becoming brahma-bhutah. At the present moment we are jiva-bhutah. Manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati [Bg. 15.7]. Therefore our struggle for existence is with the mind and the six senses. But when your existence is spiritualized, then brahma-bhutah, you have no more anxieties. That is the sign. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na Prasannatma means na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54].

We have got two diseases in the material world. One is socati, and the other is kanksati. The things which we haven't got we desire to possess, kanksati. And the things which we possess, it will be spoiled, it will be lost. Canakya Pandita says that everything in this material world is temporary. Smaro nityam anityatam. So when we engage our mind in these temporary things, that is socana and akanksa. And when we are elevated to the spiritual platform, then there is no more socana and akanksa. This is the symptom. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati, samah sarvesu bhutesu [Bg. 18.54]. At that time it is possible to re-establish samata. We are very much anxious to re-establish our universal brotherhood, but from the material platform it is not possible. Unless we come to the platform of brahma-bhutah, we cannot expect samah sarvesu bhutesu. Panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18]. These things are there in the Bhagavad-gita.

So considering from all these point of view, Bhagavan Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He's teaching us that paro dharmah. We have distinguished para and apara. Apareyam. The material elements, mind, intelligence, and ego, they are all material. Apara. Itas tv viddhi me prakrtim param jiva-bhutam maha-baho yayedam dharyate jagat. So we have to come to that spiritual platform, brahma-bhutah platform. Samah sarvesu bhutesu. That is wanted. That kind of religious system is explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Paro dharmo. And others, they are aparo dharma. Apara, inferior. Therefore one Vrndavana Dasa Thakura, a great Vaisnava acarya, he has said,

prthivite yaha kichu dharma name cale
bhagavata kahe taha pari purna chole

Prthivite, upon the surface of the earth there are many systems of religion. Yaha kichu dharma name chole. So what is that? Bhagavata kahe. He does not say, but he says on the authority of Srimad-Bhagavatam. That is scholarship. A scholar will not speak anything as he is thinking. No. He will give authoritative quotation to support. That is Vedic system. When you support your proposition with the Vedic version, then it is accepted. Otherwise not. Veda pramana.

So Vrndavana Dasa Thakura said bhagavata kahe. He doesn't say, "In my opinion." Nowadays it has become a very good fashion, "I think." "In my opinion." Without knowing his own value, he gives his opinion. He does not know that he's imperfect. He's imperfect in his senses, he's liable to commit mistake, he's illusioned, and he's a cheater. Everyone knows that "How I am cheating the other party." Especially amongst businessmen, when there is conference, so each one is trying, "Now how much I have cheated him." So this cheating, vipralipsa, is one of the qualification of the conditioned soul. Bhrama pramada vipralipsa karanapatava. So a person, authorized person in the line of disciplic succession, he does not speak by his own authority. Immediately he'll quote from the Vedic literature to support his proposition. So Vrndavana Dasa Thakura says bhagavata kahe. He doesn't say that, "I say" or "In my opinion." No. Bhagavata kahe taha pari purna chole.

prthivite yaha kichu dharma name cale
bhagavata kahe taha pari purna chole

So how is that Bhagavata says? The Srimad-Bhagavatam you'll find, in the introductory portion, Vyasadeva says, dharmah projjhita-kaitavo 'tra [SB 1.1.2]. Atra, srimad-bhagavate, kaitavo dharma, projjhita. Kaitava means cheating. Cheating type of religion is completely kicked out. Projjhita. Prakrstha rupena ujjhita. Just like we sweep over the floor and throw away the dust just to make the floor very clean. The Srimad-Bhagavatam, just to make it very clean from this cheating type of religious system It is written by Vyasadeva, religion means that yato bhaktir adhoksaje. This is religion. Here it is said. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6]. It doesn't matter whether you are Hindu or Muslim or Christian or Buddha or Jaini or so on, so on. There are so many, hundreds. But the test is yato bhaktir adhoksaje, whether you have developed your love for God. That is wanted. It doesn't matter.

Just like if you want to be a mathematician, so you may pass from any university, Calcutta University or Delhi University or London University -- any university. Mathematics two plus two equal to four everywhere. It is not that in Calcutta University two plus two equal to five, and in London University two plus equal to three. No. Everywhere two plus two equal to five, four. Similarly, dharma means obedience to the laws of God. That is dharma. Either you become Christian or Hindu or Muslim, whether you accept God as the supreme authority and whether you abide by the laws of God, then you are dharmic. Otherwise, it is cheating. If there is no conception of God, if one does not know what is God and what is the order of God, then that type of religion is cheating religion and that kind of religion is completely thrown out from Srimad-Bhagavatam. Therefore Vrndavana Dasa Thakura said, prthivite ache yata..., prthivite yaha kichu dharma name cale. Cale means it is passing on in the name of religion but it is not religion. Because religion without conception of God, what is the meaning of that religion? If that is religion, that is not para dharma. That is apara dharma. Apara dharma. Just like sometimes we take desa-dharma. Samaja-dharma, grha-dharma, and so many things.

So desa-dharma, nationalism. Now you are in this country, suppose in India, and next life, because you have to change your body, next life it may not be that you have taken birth in India. You might have taken birth in the heavenly planet or in the animal society. Because there is no guarantee. Krsna says tatha dehantara-praptir. Death means change of the body. But what kind of body you are going to accept, that will depend on the superior arrangement. But you can arrange also. Just like if you pass medical examination, there is possibility of your becoming a medical officer to get a service in the government medical service board, but still, it must be selected by the medical board and so on, so on. There are so many condition. Similarly to get the next body, that is not your selection. That selection depends on superior authority. Karmana daiva netrena jantur dehopapattaye [SB 3.31.1]. That we do not know, that next life. Neither we endeavor what is next life. We have to accept a next life after giving up this body.

Therefore we must be prepared for that purpose. So preparation means In the Bhagavad-gita it is said yanti deva-vrata devan [Bg. 9.25]. If you prepare yourself to go to the higher planetary system, Candraloka, Suryaloka, Indraloka, Svargaloka, Brahmaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka -- there are so many, hundreds. If you want to go there, then you prepare in that way. Yanti deva-vrata devan pitrn yanti pitr-vratah. So if you want to go to the Pitrloka, you can go there. If you want to go to the higher planetary system, in the devaloka, you can go there. And if you want to remain here, you can remain here. And if you want go to go to the loka, Goloka, Vrndavana, mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam. You can go there. Back to home, back to Godhead. That is possible. Krsna says tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti [Bg. 4.9]. If you like you can go back to home, back to Godhead. That is possible. So therefore the intelligent persons, they must know "If I go to the devaloka, what is the result of going there. If I go to the Pitrloka, what is the result. If I remain here, what is the result. And if I go back to home, back to God, what is the result." The ultimate result is that if you can go back to home, back to Godhead, then Krsna says what is the result. The result is tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9], that you don't get birth again in this material world. So that is the highest gain. Punar janma naiti mam eti.

mam upetya tu kaunteya
duhkhalayam asasvatam
napnuvanti mahatmanah
samsiddhim paramam gatah
[Bg. 8.15]

That is the highest perfection. And therefore here it is said, sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6]. So if you want to go back to home, back to Godhead, then yato bhaktir adhoksaje. You have to adopt this means, bhakti. Bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. Krsna, or the Supreme Lord, cannot be understood by karma, jnana, yoga. No process will be sufficient to understand Krsna. Therefore you have to take to this process as recommended by Krsna, bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yass casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. Therefore we do not indulge in Krsna's lila unless it is performed or it is executed by the devotees. Not professional men. That is forbidden. Caitanya Mahaprabhu never indulged in. Because the subject matter of Krsna can be understood only by the process of bhakti. Yato bhaktir adhoksaje. Without bhakti, it is not possible. The bhakti process one has to adopt if he actually wants to go back home, back to Godhead. That is Krsna consciousness movement.

Our movement, this Krsna consciousness movement, is educating people how to become advanced in devotional service and how to go back home, back to Godhead. And this is not a very difficult task. It is very easy. If it is not easy how the Europeans, Americans, are now taking seriously? Because they, I think at least before ten years, before starting of this movement, most of them, they did not know what is Krsna. Now they are all devotees of Krsna. Even the Christian priests, they are surprised. In Boston, one Christian priest, he admitted that "These boys, they are our boys, coming from the Christian group or the Jewish group. So before this movement they did not take care even to see us or to ask any question about God or to come to the church. They completely neglected. And now, how it is they are mad after God?" They are surprised. "Why? Why have they become so...?" Because they have taken to the process. The process is important. Simply speculation... Bhakti is not theoretical. It is practical. Yato bhaktir adhoksaje. If you want to take to the bhakti process, it is not speculation. You must actually engage yourself in the process. Yato bhaktir adhoksaje. That process is

sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
[SB 7.5.23]

This is nine different [break] Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir. Simply by hearing. You remain in your place, there is no need of changing your place. If you are businessman, do your business. If you are a medical man, remain in your medical profession. Or lawyer, or whatever it may be. That is the recommendation of Brahma and confirmed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir. If we hear, sruti-gatam, if we receive the message of bhakti, then you can remain in your place. But if you hear and try to implement it employ it in practical life, then one day the Supreme Lord whose another name is Ajita, you'll be able to conquer Him. Jito 'py asi. These are the recommendation in the sastra. So this is first-class or superior dharma. Everyone can accept it. Simply hear. And that hearing process is also made very easy. This chanting Hare Krsna maha-mantra you chant and hear. Anywhere you can do it. You sit down in your home or in your office, in your factory, underneath a tree or anywhere, you can chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. And you can hear. This process will make you advanced in everything. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given His benediction, iha haite sarva siddhi hoibe tomara. By, simply by this chanting and hearing of Hare Krsna mantra, all perfection you'll get. It's very easy.

Therefore our request is that whatever you may be, in whatever position you may be, it doesn't matter. Sthane sthitah. Just sit down together, the family members, and chant Hare Krsna. It is very easy. Nobody can say it is very difficult. And if it is difficult to chant then it should be understood that we are most unfortunate. Etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught that namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah. The Lord's holy name is as powerful as the Lord Himself. Na 'bhinnatvan nama-naminoh. This is the sastric injunction. There is no difference between Krsna name and the Krsna person. Because Krsna is absolute. Advaya-tattva. Advaya-jnana. So He has descended in this age, kali rupe, kali yuge nama rupe krsna-avatara. This nama, Hare Krsna, is the sound incarnation of Krsna. Don't think it is ordinary sound. Hare Krsna. Therefore Narottama Dasa Thakura has sung, golokera prema-dhana hari-nama-sankirtana, rati na janmilo kene tay. This sound vibration is coming, this is transcendental sound. It is coming from Goloka Vrndavana. It is not this mundane sound. Just like in radio you receive sound from other places. Similarly, this sound is received, I mean to say, released from the Vaikuntha. Golokera prema-dhana.

So the sound vibration, Caitanya Mahaprabhu gives it to the people in general. He says that the name, holy name, is as powerful as Krsna. Namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah. And to smarane, to hear and chant, there is no particular time. Just like gayatri-mantra and other things you have to chant in a different atmosphere, three times, tri-sandha. After taking bath. There are so many rules and regulations. But this Hare Krsna maha-mantra you can chant anywhere and everywhere at any time, without any regulative principles. Niyamitah smarane na kalah. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu regrets, etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi. "My Lord, You are so merciful upon Me, but still, durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah, I am so unfortunate that I am reluctant to chant this Hare Krsna mantra." So our this movement is teaching very simple thing, that whatever you may be, wherever you may be, there is no expenditure. There is no loss. You chant Hare Krsna. This is our movement.

So the ladies and gentlemen who are present here, kindly take this instruction of the sastra. Then you become situated in the transcendental, first-class system of religion. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje ahaituky apratihata [SB 1.2.6]. Ahaituki. But don't chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra with any motive. That is not good. Even if you chant with motive, that will take little time to become pure devotee, but better without any motive. As a matter of duty, you chant regularly. Ahaituky apratihata. Then there will be no hindrances. You'll make progress without any hindrances. Ahaituky apratihata. And then you'll be pleased. Yenatma samprasidati. Then you'll be feeling transcendental bliss. Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni [Cc. Antya 20.12]. And all the blazing fire of this material world will be extinguished. Bhava-maha-davagni. Here, in this material world, it is compared with davagni. Davagni means the forest fire. Nobody goes to set fire in the forest, but it takes place. Similarly, however cautious you may be, you cannot make this material world without davagni. That is not possible. The davagni will continue. Visaya visanale, diva-nisi hiya jvale. Narottama Dasa Thakura has sung that the material world is such that it is just like a blazing fire. Visaya visanale diva-nisi. Here, everyone, even the Prime Minister, even the President, very opulently situated, but always full of anxieties. Very, too much anxieties.

So if you want to be yayatma samprasidati, then you must take to this process, this bhakti-yogam. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam [SB 7.5.23]. There are so many different items. And the most important item is sravanam. We can sit down, family members, and we can read from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, and hear and chant Hare Krsna mantra. Very easy thing. That we want to introduce every home. That is our only request, that in whichever position you are, it doesn't matter. You simply begin this chanting of Hare Krsna mantra and reading of Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Don't try to be ustad in interpreting. That is very dangerous. Ustadi is not good. Simply try to understand Bhagavad-gita as it is. Bhagavan says, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. "My dear Arjuna, there is no more superior authority than Me." You accept it. That's all. You haven't got to interpret foolishly. No, then you are gone. Then you become condemned.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission is that. Yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna'-upadesa. He says, amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Ei desa. Just like Surendra is here. So I'll request Dr. Sukla is here. It doesn't matter that you have to go out. You are in Aligarh, you become a guru. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's "How shall I become guru? I am grhastha, I'm engaged this..." No. You haven't got to learn very much, to be puffed-up. Yare dekha tare kaha ‘krsna'-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. That's all. You simply decide what Krsna has spoken. Then you become guru. If you want to manufacture something and show some magic, then you do not become guru. If you simply repeat what Krsna has said. Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65], mam evaisyasi asamsayam. What is the difficulty? You can say all the same thing. "Sir, you always think of Krsna." Krsna says man-mana bhava mad-bhakto. You don't say that "You think of me." That is rascaldom. You say that "You think of Krsna." Krsna says man-mana but you don't say man-mana. You say Krsna. Krsna said. "You always think of Krsna." Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto. "You just become a devotee of Krsna. You just worship Krsna." Mad-yaji. "And just offer little obeisances to the Lord." These four things. Even a child can do. And you can preach. You can become guru. What is the difficulty? Everyone.

amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa
yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna'-upadesa
[Cc. Madhya 7.128]

You become a guru. Don't manufacture ideas. Yenatma samprasidati. So is there any difficulty? No difficulty. The Bhagavad-gita explains everything very nicely, how to become Krsna conscious, how to worship Krsna, how to understand Krsna. Everything is explained there very lucidly. So people can take it very easily, and then he will be perfect. Then he'll not come... Mam upetya tu kaunteya duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. It is very easy. So take it very seriously. That is our propaganda. We don't manufacture anything, any jugglery of words, any magic or any new ideas of God. These nonsense things we do not do. We simply carry out the order of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and we simply repeat ‘krsna'-upadesa. That's all. This is Krsna consciousness movement. You can take it and also you can do it. You can also become guru. That we want. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. Any question? If there is any question you can put.

Indian man: (Hindi)

Indian man: Adhoksaja, I want to...

Prabhupada: Hmm, Adhoksaja. Aksaja. A-i-e-oo -- then at the end, ksaya. So beginning from ah and ksaya, up to the end of ksaya, aksa. So we manufacture...

Indian man: Maharaja, (Hindi -- asks Prabhupada to speak in Hindi)

Prabhupada: (Hindi) (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.5 -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Becoming A Dog 75/01/31 Hawaii, Bhagavad-gita 16.5





Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada



Devotee: The transcendental qualities are conducive to liberation, whereas the demoniac qualities make for bondage. Do not worry, O son of Pandu, for you are born with the divine qualities.

Prabhupada:

daivi sampad vimoksaya
nibandhayasuri mata
ma sucah sampadam daivim
abhijato 'si pandava

This is very important verse. Daivi sampad the qualities, divine qualities. That is described abhayam sattva samsuddhir, That is elaborately stated in the fisrt verse (indistinct)

abhayam sattva-samsuddhir
jnana-yoga-vyavasthitih
danam damas ca yajnas ca
svadhyayas tapa arjavam

ahimsa satyam akrodhas
tyagah santir apaisunam
daya bhutesv aloluptvam
mardavam hrir acapalam

tejah ksama dhrtih saucam
adroho natimanita
bhavanti sampadam daivim...

These are the daivi sampad. So last night we have discussed. That daivi sampad is described. There is nothing secret. Everything is open. So if you develop these qualities, abhayam sattva-samsuddhih, etc., then you become qualified with divine possession, Sampatti. Sampatti means what you possess, under your control. So sampatti, two kinds of sampatti, divine sampatti and demonic sampatti. Demonic sampatti also described,

dambho darpo 'bhimanas ca
krodhah parusyam eva ca
ajnanam cabhijatasya
partha sampadam asurim

Now, asura, the adjective is asurim. So asurim and daivim, two sampattis are there. They are open before you. Now you take up whatever you like. It is up to you. It is not forbidden that daivi sampatti is meant for a class of men and asuri sampatti is meant for another class of men, no. Krsna is open to everyone.

Krsna is not monopolized by a certain class of men. Don't think like that, that "Krsna is Indian, Krsna is Hindu," or like that, or "ksatriya. Therefore He is meant for others." No. Because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is everyone's property. He is not... Don't think in that way, just like it is stated in the English dictionary: "Krsna, one of the Hindu gods." But Krsna does not say that "I am the Hindu god." They have made in the dictionary, "Krsna, one of the Hindu gods." They have no knowledge about Krsna. Krsna says, sarva-yonisu kaunteya: [Bg. 14.4] "In all species of life." There are 8,400,000 species of life. Jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati. Nine lakh species in the water, and trees and plants, there are two million species. Similarly, insects, sthavara laksa-vimsati. Jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati, krmayo rudra-sankhyayah. Eleven lakhs species, 1,100,000 species of insects, serpents, snakes, like that, gradually developing from water, fish, to... As the water dries up, then they come out as grass, as vegetables. Then grow, different types of trees, plants, creepers. Then gradually develops to become insects, flies. Then develops to serpents.

In this way, this is evolution. The Darwin's theory, he does not know. He has caught up some words from this Padma Purana and tried to give his own invention. The evolution is already there. But this is the evolution. From aquatics to plants, trees, then insect, then bird, then beast, then human being, civilized and not civilized. Then demigods, then others. That is the evolutionary process. So Krsna says that sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavanti murtayo yah: [Bg. 14.4] "All kinds of forms that are coming out of the 8,400,000 species of life," tasam mahad yonir brahma aham bija-pradah pita, "I am the seed-giving father, and the material body is given by the material nature." Just like father gives the seed, impregnates the mother, and the mother supplies the body. The body belongs to the mother, and the spirit soul belongs to... Not be... To the supreme father. But it comes through the material father. Actually the supreme father is Krsna. Therefore He says, aham bija-pradah pita. So Krsna is for everyone. Krsna is not monopolized. This is a wrong theory, "He is a Hindu god." No. He is for everyone. Otherwise how you Americans, Europeans and others outside India, how you are accepting? Because originally Krsna is your father, everyone's father. Mamaivamso jiva, all living... Not only you, but the animals, the trees, the plants, the insects, the serpent, the aquatics, the fish -- everyone the son of Krsna. This is daivi sampat.

Therefore when you come to the daivi sampat, then you understand that we all are brothers, universal brotherhood. Not that "The American is my brother, and the American cows are not my brother. Let them go to the slaughterhouse." This is all defective understanding. The real understanding is that "God, or Krsna, is the supreme father, and we are all sons of God." This is real under... Panditah. That is real knowledge. Therefore those who are in real knowledge, sama-darsinah, panditah sama-darsinah.

vidya-vinaya-sampanne
brahmane gavi hastini
suni caiva sva-pake ca
panditah sama-darsinah
[Bg. 5.18]

Pandita, one pandita, one who is learned... Pandita means learned, and he knows that "These Americans, these Europeans, these Africans or these Indians or these cows, these dogs and the elephant, trees, the plants, the fish -- they have got different dress only, but the soul is the same. The living force within the body, that is the same particle, spiritual particle, part and parcel of the supreme spirit, Krsna." This is daivi sampat.

So when we come to this platform of knowledge, that daivi sampad vimoksaya, then you become liberated immediately. Liberation means who comes to the platform of real knowledge. That is called liberation. That is the definition given in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, what is liberation, mukti. It is said, muktir hitva anyatha rupam svarupena vyavasthitih. Hitva means giving up. Mukti means hitva, giving up, hitva anyatha rupam, something otherwise. I am spirit soul. I am thinking, "I am American." I am thinking, "I am Indian." This is anyatha rupam. That is not the real conception of life. Real conception of life is aham brahmasmi: "I am the spirit soul, part and parcel of Krsna." That is realization. That is called self-realization.

Self-realization does not mean something humbug. Self-realization means to understand his real constitutional position, what I am. Just like Sanatana Gosvami approached Srila Gaurasundara, Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He asked, ke ami: "Who I am?" Ke ami... Ke ami, kene amaya jare tapa-traya: "What is my constitutional position? Why I am suffering the three-fold miseries of this material existence?" This is the enquiry. Everyone is suffering. Somebody is in ignorance. Although he is suffering, he is thinking that he is very well. This is called maya. Maya means you are accepting something which is not. This is called maya. Ma ya: "What you are accepting, that is false." This is called maya. So we are accepting, "I am this body," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am black," "I am white," "I am thin," "I am fat." So this is maya. So when we give up this maya conception of life, that is mukti. You may remain in the same body, but if you are not under maya, bodily concept of life, that is called mukti, liberation.

So therefore it is said, daivi sampad vimoksaya. Moksa, moksa means liberation. If you develop this daivi sampat, then you become fit for becoming liberated because our... What is the position? Why we are suffering? Why we are dying? Why we are taking birth? Why we are becoming old? On account of this material body. This is knowledge. Jnana-vairagya. Jnana-vairagya-yuktaya. Jnana and vairagya, these things are required. That is daivi sampat. All the daivi sampat means, jnana-yoga. It is immediately analyzed. Abhayam sattva-samsuddhir jnana-yoga-vyavasthitih. This is possible when you are situated on the platform of knowledge. This is knowledge, that "I am spirit soul. I am falsely identifying myself with this body. The body is the source of my all suffering and entanglement." This is knowledge. Then, when we try to give up the ignorance of bodily concept of life, then we become gradually liberated.

First of all abhayam. Abhayam means we are always afraid. We are always agitated, anxiety, because I am thinking, "I am this body." But if you are completely realized that you are not this body, you are something else, spirit soul, then I am immediately free from anxieties. That is called abhayam, no more fear, no more anxiety. Because everyone is ultimately afraid of being killed. But if he understands fully that he is not this body, then killed or not killed, he is not any attached to this body. Narottama dasa Thakura says, therefore, deha smrti nahi jar, samsara bandhan kaha tar:(?) "If one becomes free from the bodily concept of life, then where is material miseries?" Material miseries does not affect him. He know that... Just like I am putting on this shirt. If it is torn, so am I affected? I am not affected. I am within this shirt. Similarly, if I am fully convinced that I am not this body, then if there is some injury or some disease or some mishap in the body, I am not concerned because I know that I am not this body. That is self-realization.

The demands of the body, eating, sleeping, sex life and defense, this is the demands of the body. But if I am situated in self-realization, then these demands will not bother me. There are many persons who are not agitated by hunger, who are not agitated, not having opportunity of sleeping. They don't sleep. Nidrahara-viharakadi-vijitau. About the Gosvamis it is said that these things, material demands of the body, sleeping, eating, sex and defense... They are the demands of the body. But how they became gosvami or svami? Because they were not affected by these demands. That is gosvami; that is svami. Svami means master. Gosvami means master of the senses. So if I am servant of the senses, how I can become gosvami, how I can become svami? That is false, hypocrisy. If you are servant of the senses, then you are go-dasa. Dasa means servant, and go means senses. And if you are master of the senses, then you are gosvami. Every word has meaning. So without being fit, we should not use this word as personal designation. That is not good.

So mukti means... That is mukti. When we are not servant of the dictation of the senses, that is called mukti. So long we remain servant and obliged to perform according to the dictation of the senses, then I am go-dasa, on the material field, go-dasa, or under the spell of the material energy, servant of the material energy. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya... [Bg. 7.14]. The maya, the prakrti, is dictating. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. Dictating means you voluntarily become subjected to the dictation of this material nature. She cannot dictate if you are strong. But if you agree that "I shall be dictated by you," then you become dictated. Just like a disease. If you infect the disease, then you must suffer. But if you remain very fit, competent, not to be infected by the germs of the disease, you are not diseased. This is the way.

And that is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, that our different types of bodies, desires, activities, are due to our being infected by the particular quality of material nature. Perfected quality. There are three qualities: sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. If you want to be infected by the tamo-guna quality, then you are suffering the infectious disease of tamo-guna. Tamo-guna means nidra, alasya, ignorance, and sleeping more, laziness, and alasya, alasya, laziness, nidra, means sleeping, and ignorance. Just like cats and dogs. They do not know what is the aim of life, what they are doing. This is tamo-guna. And rajo-guna means activities for sense enjoyment. So rajo-guna, just like the karmis, they are working hard day and night. What is the purpose? Sex, that's all. "Why you are working so hard, sir?" "I will enjoy sex at night. (laughter) This is my ambition." "Oh, very good ambition. This ambition the dogs also have got. So why you are working so hard?" "No, that is my ambition. That's all. I am less than dog. Dog gets opportunity of sex life in the street without any working hard, but I will have to work hard to enjoy the same thing. So I am less than dog." One should admit that, that "I am less than dog." Dog gets sex life without any... Visayah khalu sarvatah syat. Sastra says that visaya... Visaya means the sense enjoyment. The primary sense enjoyment is eating, sleeping, sex life and defense. So where there is want of these four facilities? The birds have got these facilities. The beasts, they... For sex life, the birds and beasts, they have got automatically. Two birds are born, two eggs one male, one female, from the very beginning. We are also born brother and sister. But human society does not allow sex between brother and sister. Still formality is there. But that is also going on. Human life has advanced. That is going on. In India one Punjabi, that father was anxious to get the daughter married, and the brother wrote the father, "My dear father, don't bother about my sister's marriage. We have arranged ourself, brother and sister." You see? So sex life is so strong. Although socially it is forbidden that brother and sister should not marry or should not have sex life, but that is also come. It is Kali-yuga. So that sex life facility is there automatically by nature. So why there is forbidden, "Not this sex life, not that..." Just like we forbid, no illicit sex, that without marriage, there is no sex. One may argue, "What is the difference, married sex and not-married sex? The business is the same."

No, there is some meaning. This restriction mean to bring him to the position of the daivi sampat, sattva-samsuddhih. The purpose is to bring him to the platform of daivi sampat. If he becomes like cats and dogs, then he cannot attain this daivi sampat. If there is rules and regulation, restriction following, then gradually he will come to the platform of daivi sampat. And what is the purpose of daivi sampat? Daivi sampad vimoksaya: "If you develop your daivi sampat, then you become fit for vimoksaya, for liberation." What is that liberation? Liberation means janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi, liberation from these four things: no more birth, no more death, no more disease, no more old age.

So people are unaware, and they are not interested what is vimoksaya, what is nibandhaya. Exactly like cats and dogs, they are after these four principles of material body. So this Krsna consciousness movement is trying little bit. Success or no success does not matter. As we are servant of Krsna, it is our duty to present the real thing. Now you accept, not accept. That is not my business. I can request you that you accept this principle and be liberated from these sufferings of material life. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. But we have become careless. "Never mind I shall again take my birth, again die, I shall become dog." In this Hawaii sometime I was speaking in the university. So when I was speaking like that, one student said, "What is the wrong there if I become dog?" Yes, he flatly said. "I shall forget everything." So this is the university education, that one is not afraid of becoming a dog. He thinks that "This is also very good." So where is the humanity? Where is the human civilization? People are gone so down-trodden, so fallen. Therefore it is very, very difficult to raise them. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, and the sastras say, that people in this age are so fallen. It is very difficult to raise them by properly giving education. They will not take education. They will not be able. Therefore He has recommended, harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva... [Adi 17.21]. So we are trying our best. So only request is, those who do not comply with our rules and regulation at least, they may chant Hare Krsna wherever they may remain. That is my request. Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 16.5 -- Hawaii, January 31, 1975

Sunday, July 24, 2011

The Vedic Solution strongly condemns the Israeli Mossad backed terrorist attacks in Norway.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

The Truth About Reincarnation and The Occult

-Josh Hawley July 10, 2011

Reincarnation is very simple to understand, and has absolutely nothing to do with the occult, illuminati, NWO, or other 'mumbo jumbo' mentioned by Paul Drockton in his article falsely titled: "Reincarnation explained".

Reincarnation goes something like this: You took your birth, your body changed from baby, to childhood, then again your body changed to adolescence, then to adult hood, and later your body will grow old, and eventually the body will decay and die. Its that simple.

Throughout this entire experience of bodies changing, something remains constant. That is the consciousness. The self who witnesses the changes going on within in the body is the actual person. That consciousness accompanied by its mental impressions (the mind) carries one to the next body. Just as a person takes off old clothes and puts on new ones according to ones desire, the soul, or consciousness similarly passes through different forms of life according to its desire.

Animals and other species of life pass through their bodies automatically according to the dictates of Material Nature. Consciousness gradually evolves throughout the process of reincarnation ultimately reaching the human form of life where consciousness is evolved. One in the human form of life has the ability to question: 'What is life?', Who am I?', 'Where did I come from?' etc. Animals lack this distinction for they are absorbed only in eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. Human beings who never question the goal of life are no better than animals.

The fact of the matter is that numerous religions including Christianity describe reincarnation within their texts. The philosophy of Reincarnation predates Western Occultism by several thousand years. Modern science, (not psuedo science) recognizes that the body completely changes every 7 years. Every seven years, every single cell within the body is completely changed, or replaced by new cells.

The fact of the matter is that reincarnation was taught within the Catholic Church until 553 A.D. The most famous passage in the Bible about reincarnation is in reference to John the Babtist, who formerly appeared as Elias. These are two distinct persons appearing at very different times historically, however they are referred to as the same person by the Bible.

"(1)

The Hebrew scriptures prophesied that Elijah himself - not someone like him or someone in the same ministry as him but Elijah himself - would return before the advent of the Messiah.
(2) Jesus declared John to be Elijah when he stated that Elijah has come.
Based on these conclusions alone, either (A) or (B) must be true:
(A)

John was Elijah himself which means that Elijah reincarnated as John the Baptist. And if this is true then reincarnation must belong once again in Christian theology. It also means that the concept of corpses crawling out of graves on Judgment Day can be discarded. OR...
(B)

John was not Elijah reincarnated which means that Elijah himself did not return. And if this is true then either (1) or (2) listed below is true:
(1)

Malachi's prophecy concerning Elijah's return to life before the coming of the Messiah failed to happen. This would mean that God does not keep his promise and that the Bible is fallible. OR...
(2) Jesus was not the Messiah.

Based on all the logic presented thus far, only one of the following conclusions is true:
I. Reincarnation is a reality OR...
II. Jesus was not the Messiah OR...
III. Bible prophecies are not reliable.

There is no way around this logic. Only one of the above options can be true. And because Jesus' declaration that John is Elijah is overt and direct, then the only option that can be logically true is (A)."

"And the disciples asked him, saying, "Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"

But he answered them and said, "Elijah indeed is to come and will restore all things. But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him, but did to him whatever they wished. So also shall the Son of Man suffer at their hand."
Then the disciples understood that he had spoken of John the Baptist." (Matt. 17:10-13)"

"Due to the condemnation of pre-existence (and reincarnation) by church authorities in 553 A.D., reincarnation became an enemy concept to the Judeo-Christian West. The reason reincarnation was declared heresy was given by Gregory, the Bishop of Nyssa. The five reasons he gave were:


(1) It seems to minimize Christian salvation.

(2) It is in conflict with the resurrection of the body.

(3) It creates an unnatural separation between body and soul.

(4) It is built on a much too speculative use of Christian scriptures.

(5) There is no recollection of previous lives."

These five reasons put forward by Gregory do not hold weight however in the light of modern experience. For in fact 5.their exist numerous authenticated cases throughout the world of recollection of previous lives. 4.It actually does not involve speculation on the scriptures, rather direct interpretation. 3.The body and soul exist as two distinct and separate entities anyways. The idea of a union between the body and soul is an unnatural concept and is the basis or justification of mammon or gluttony. 2.Resurrection of the body is utter foolishness. Nowhere in anyone's collective or individual experience in the history of the world do we find bodies rising from the grave. 1. Christian Salvation exists independently of the science of reincarnation.

This also does not preclude the common existence of reincarnation in the thought of humankind in much of the rest of the world where Western Occultic thought has little or no actual influence. Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Vedic, Vaisnava, Saivism, and most shamanistic traditions recognize the reality of reincarnation within their traditions. Some of these give extraordinarily detailed descriptions in very precise and scientific terms. Obviously these traditions predate Christianity, as well as modern Western Occultism, and thus their is simply no actual authentic correlation to the Occult with the actual concept of Reincarnation. The Vedas alone predate Christianity by at least 8000 years, Abhraham (Old Testament/Torah) by some 3000 years, and Zoroastrianism (the actual birth of Western Occultic Thought) by some 2000 years. Which means the idea of Reincarnation was in existence well before Western Occultism took its hold in modern thought. And more specifically the Occult DID NOT give birth to the idea of reincarnation. Paul Drockton's hyperbolic postulations about reincarnation are nothing more than absurd speculations in order to create fear and perpetuate ignorance. Maybe he is trying to sell more gold and silver? The actual science of reincarnation obviously bewilders Mr. Drockton and is beyond his scope of understanding.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Krishna Talk 126 - Prakrta Rasa Sata Dusani Part 2

by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura

View online:
http://www.gosai.com/writings/prakrta-rasa-sata-dusani-part-2

Part Two
Verses 18-28
(18)
ajata-ratike kabhu bhava-labdha bale na
raganuga sadhakere jata-bhava bale na

It should not be said that bhava has been achieved when rati has still not
yet developed. A raganuga-bhakta never says that sadhakas (neophytes) have
achieved the manifestation of bhava.

(19)
raganuga sadhakere labdha-rasa bale na
raganuga sadhya-bhava rati chada haya na

A raganuga will never say that neophytes have achieved the stage of rasa.
Sadhya-bhava (divine emotions that are the goal of raganuga-bhakti) is never
attained without first experiencing rati.

(20)
bhavankura-samagame vaidhi-bhakti thake na
rucike ratira saha kabhu eka jane na

Once the seed of bhava appears, vaidhi-bhakti is no longer present. One must
never consider ruci and rati to be the same thing.

(21)
raganuga balile-i prapta-rasa jane na
vidhi-sodhya jane kabhu raganuga bale na

Rasa can never be achieved simply by talking about raganuga-bhakti. One who
is still in need of being purified by following the scriptural injunctions
(vaidhi-bhakti) can never be said to be a raganuga devotee.

(22)
sadhanera purve keha bhavankura paya na
jade sraddha na chadile rati kabhu haya na

One can never experience bhava before performing sadhana-bhakti. One who
cannot reject faith in materialism can never attain rati.

(23)
jata-bhava na haile rasika ta’ haya na
jada-bhava na chadile rasika ta’ haya na

If bhava has not yet appeared, one can never become a rasika. One can never
become a rasika if mundane emotions are not abandoned.

ANUVRTTI

Again and again in Prakrta-rasa Sata-dusani the systematic development of the
stages of bhakti are being stressed and stern warning is given that there is
no alternative or short cut to this process. One must begin the process of
pure devotional service and follow it step by step. The ontological
development of pure devotional service is outlined in the following sloka of
Sri Rupa Gosvami.

adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango ‘tha bhajana-kriya
tato ‘nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha rucis tatha
athasaktis tato bhavas tatha premabhyudancati
sadhakanam ayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah

“In the beginning there must be faith (adau sraddha). Then one becomes
interested in associating with pure devotees (sadhu-sanga). Thereafter one is
initiated by the spiritual master and follows the regulative principles of
devotional service under his orders (bhajana-kriya). Thus one is freed from
all unwanted habits (anartha-nivrtti) and becomes firmly fixed in devotional
service (nistha). Thereafter, one develops taste (ruci) and attachment
(asakti). This is the way of sadhana-bhakti, the performance of devotional
service according to the regulative principles. Gradually emotions intensify
(bhava), and finally there is an awakening of love (prema). This is the
gradual development of love of God for the devotee interested in Krsna
consciousness.” (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.4.15-16)

In the stage of vaidhi-bhakti one performs devotional service according to
rules and regulations. When the heart is free from anarthas, the devotee
becomes fixed in devotional service and begins to develop a taste for the
Holy Name of Krsna, for the service of Krsna and to all things related to
Krsna. The devotee’s taste develops into attachment to Krsna and when that
attachment matures it is sometimes called rati. Then follows bhava and prema.
When the need to be purified by following scriptural injunctions
(vaidhi-bhakti) still remains, a devotee cannot be said to be a raganuga.
Raganuga-bhakti necessitates that one has come to the stage of ruci. In other
words, one must first dispense with all anarthas in the heart before becoming
qualified to perform raganuga-bhakti.
The following is a quote from Thakura Bhaktivinoda:

“When a devotee following the path of vaidhi-bhakti abandons his various
material desires and executes bhajana according to the instructions of the
scriptures, the spiritual master and the Vaisnavas, then taste (ruci),
manifests in his bhajana. When ruci thus appears, he abandons the path of
vaidhi-bhakti and enters the plane of raganuga-bhakti.”
(Piyusa-varsini-vrtti commentary on Upadesamrta)

Those who do not wish to progress in Krsna consciousness step by step, but
instead prefer to jump ahead to rasa, are sometimes called
‘gatecrashers.’ It is also to be understood that simply by talking about
rasa does not mean that one has attained the stage of raganuga-bhakti. Talk
is cheap, whereas the actual qualifications for rasa are very rare. It is
also seen that the pseudo-guru claims himself to be a ‘rasika,’ when in
fact he still manifests the symptoms of kama, krodha, and lobha – lust for
wealth, anger toward anyone who does not blindly accept him as guru, and
greed to initiate anyone who crosses his path – even though such persons
may have already been duly initiated by a bona-fide spiritual master. Such
deluded persons think that they have attained raganuga-bhakti simply by
hearing the lilas of Krsna, but such persons should remember that krsna-lila
is also sometimes available in comic books in India.
It should not go without mention that many of the pseudo-gurus, past and
present, claiming to be on the platform of a rasika, display the classic
symptoms of narcissism. Narcissism is a material condition (a psychological
illness) wherein one suffers from: 1) a grandiose sense of self-importance,
2) a preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance,
beauty, and ideal love, 3) a belief that he is special and unique and can
only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status
people, 4) a requirement for excessive admiration and worship, 5) a sense of
entitlement – unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment
or automatic compliance with his expectations, 6) a despotic mentality,
repressing and exploiting others, 7) a lack of empathy, unwilling to
recognize or identify with the feelings or needs of others, 8) envy of
others, also believing that others are envious of him, 9) an arrogant or
haughty attitude. Such persons are never truly rasika.

(24)
mula-dhana rasa-labha rati-vina haya na
gache na uthite kandi vrksa-mule paya na

It is not possible to attain the original treasure of rasa without first
attaining rati. When one does not climb the tree, one cannot collect the
fruits.

ANUVRTTI

In Kalyana-kalpataru, Thakura Bhaktivinoda says, “dusta-phale karile
arjana” – if one wants fruits without taking the trouble to climb the
tree, what sort of fruits can he expect? The fruits will be ruined or
rotten. Without proper progression, it is all imagination – a madman’s
feat!
In this light Srila B.R. Sridhara Maharaja has quoted the following verse
stating that it is the death-blow to the gatecrashers and sentiment mongers.

upajiya bade lata ‘brahmanda’ bhedi yaya
‘viraja’ ‘brahmaloka’ bhedi ‘paravyoma’ paya
tabe yaya tad upari ‘goloka-vrndavana’
krsna-carana-kalpa-vrkse arohana

“The creeper of devotion is born, and grows to pierce the wall of the
universe. It crosses the Viraja River and the Brahman plane, and reaches to
the Vaikuntha plane. Then it grows further up to Goloka Vrndavana, finally
reaching to embrace the wish yielding tree of Krsna’s lotus feet”. (Cc.
Madhya 19-153-4)

The implication of this verse is that real bhakti takes its birth in the
plane of vaidhi-bhakti and only after crossing all lower stages of
consciousness does it go beyond material conception and enter the
consciousness of Vaikuntha. But even there the creeper of devotion does not
yet yield fruit. The fruit of pure devotion is only yielded after having
attained the platform of spontaneous love, raga-marga, in Goloka Vrndavana.
Srila Sridhara Maharaja used to say that the neophyte’s engagement in
krsna-lila is simply a dreamy thing. The real raganuga-bhaktas are aloof from
such dreamy states because they are fully awake in the service or Hari, guru
and Vaisnava.

(25)
sadhane anartha ache, rasodaya haya na
bhava-kale nama-gane chala-rasa haya na

Rasa will not dawn in one if anarthas remain in the stage of sadhana. A
deceptive mentality cannot be present when the Holy Name is chanted at the
stage of bhava.

(26)
siddhanta-vihina haile krsne citta lage na
sambandha-hinera kabhu abhidheya haya na

The consciousness cannot be truly fixed upon Krsna if one is bereft of the
proper philosophical conception. When there is no knowledge of ones
relationship with the Lord (sambandha), there can be no abhidheya
(performance of devotional activities).

(27)
sambandha-vihina-jana prayojana paya na
ku-siddhante vyasta-jana krsna-seva kare na

That person who is devoid of sambandha-jnana can never attain the ultimate
goal of life (prayojana). One who is bewildered by philosophical
misconceptions is not performing devotional service to Krsna.

(28)
siddhanta-alasa-jana anarthata’chade na
jade krsna bhrama kari’ krsna-seva kare na

That person who is idle in understanding philosophical conclusions never
becomes free from anarthas. One who considers Krsna as belonging to the
mundane platform can never render service to Him.

ANUVRTTI

Proper understanding of pure devotional service can be divided into three
categories, sambandha (fundamental knowledge of one’s relationship with
Krsna), abhidheya (knowledge of the proper performance of devotional
activities), and prayojana (knowledge of the ultimate goal of life).
Without proper knowledge of one’s relationship with Krsna (sambandha) it is
not possible to serve Krsna (abhidheya) and without serving Krsna one cannot
attain the ultimate goal of life (prayojana). Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu
personally taught the principles of sambandha to Sri Sanatana Gosvami and the
principles of abhidheya to Sri Rupa Gosvami. To understand prayojana one
should closely examine the Priti-sandarbha of Jiva Gosvami and the writings
of Sri Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami. Without proper philosophical understanding
and following in the footsteps of the Six Gosvamis of Vrndavana, it is not
possible to get prema-prayojana (the perfection of love of Krsna) simply by
shedding tears and putting on theatrical performances for the public.
Those who are lazy to understand proper siddhanta (philosophical conclusions)
or who maintain improper philosophical understandings (apa-siddhanta) can
never be free from anarthas and thus can never progress properly in Krsna
consciousness. Such persons often think that simply by serving the
institution of the guru, they are serving Krsna and thus will automatically
go back to home, back to Godhead. They judge the success of their endeavors
simply by measuring size, material opulence, temples, Deities, devotees, and
members, with no concern for proper philosophical understanding. But from the
above verses it is clear that Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura does not
agree with such thinking. Without proper philosophical understanding, one
cannot get free from material contamination, nor can one properly perform
devotional service. Krsna Dasa Kaviraja Gosvami states that one should not
avoid philosophical controversy out of laziness.

siddhanta baliya citte na kara alasa
iha haite krsne lage sudrdha manasa

“A sincere student should not neglect the discussion of such conclusions,
considering them controversial, for such discussions strengthen the mind.
Thus one’s mind becomes attached to Sri Krsna.” (Cc. Adi. 2.17)

Our spiritual master A.C. Bhaktivedanta Svami Prabhupada was adamant that his
disciples should have a proper philosophical understanding and thus he wrote
many books in English for that purpose. Unfortunately many of his disciples
do not take advantage of their spiritual master’s books, do not study them
deeply, and thus they advance the lame purposes of society consciousness,
rather than the transcendental purposes of Krsna consciousness.
The most prominent philosophical misunderstanding among such
institutionalized devotees is probably their misconstrued idea that they are
the only bona-fide representatives of Krsna on Earth and that only through
their institution can a jiva be liberated from material bondage. Such
institutionalized devotees are also of the opinion that the living entities
found in this material world (baddha-jivas) originally fell down from their
position in the spiritual world, from being eternally liberated
(nitya-mukta-jivas). These, and other similar misconceptions, are due to a
range of anarthas and principally arise from a lack of philosophical
understanding of Gaudiya Vaisnava siddhanta.





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