Sunday, February 20, 2011

"Reducing our Animality -- Refining our Humanity"

74/03/30 Bombay, Bhagavad-gita 4.10



Pradyumna: Translation: "Being freed from attachment, fear and anger, being fully absorbed in Me and taking refuge in Me, many, many persons in the past became purified by knowledge of Me, and thus they all attained transcendental love for Me."

Prabhupada:

vita-raga-bhaya-krodha
man-maya mam upasritah
bahavo jnana-tapasa
puta mad-bhavam agatah
[Bg. 4.10]

This is the perfection of life, mad-bhavam. Krsna says, budha bhava-samanvitah. There is another version in Bhagavad-gita. Budha bhava-samanvitah. What is the beginning of the verse?

Devotee: Aham sarvasya...

Prabhupada:

aham sarvasya prabhavo
mattah sarvam pravartate
iti matva bhajante mam
budha bhava-samanvitah
[Bg. 10.8]

This is bhava. "Oh, Krsna is so great." When one understands greatness of Krsna, how great He is. Because people do not understand... They generally speak, "God is great." That is very good. At least, one accepts God is great. But how He is great and what is the extent of His greatness, if we understand, then our regard and reverence for Krsna increases. Just like we have got some friend, but if we know the opulence of the friend, how great he is... He may be a very big man, very big business magnate or minister. If we know, then our, "Oh, you have got such a nice friend." Similarly, we should try to understand Krsna.

Janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah [Bg. 4.9]. In the previous verse it has been said, tattvatah. Not superficially. If we study Krsna superficially, then I shall accept another rascal, competitor of Krsna. Because we do not know what is Krsna. Mudhah. Avajananti mam mudhah [Bg. 9.11]. Therefore in the Caitanya-caritamrta it has been described,

siddhanta baliya citte na kara alasa
iha haite krsne lage sudrdha manasa
[Cc. Adi 2.117]

Siddhanta, how great Krsna is. For example... (sound of children crying in background.) Get them out.

In the Brahma-samhita, the greatness of Krsna is described. Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **. If we study Brahma-samhita...

eko 'py asau racayitum jagad-anda-kotim
yac-chaktir asti jagad-anda-caya yad-antah
andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **
[Bs. 5.35]

This is another explanation of Krsna's greatness, that by His one plenary expansion, eko 'py asau racayitum, one plenary expansion is maintaining the whole material creation. Eko 'py asau racayitum. Just to create this material world. One plenary expansion. Eko 'py asau racayitum jagad-anda-kotim [Bs. 5.35]. Not only one, but millions of jagad-anda, universes. By His one plenary...

In Bhagavad-gita also it is confirmed,

athava bahunaitena
kim jnatena tavarjuna
vistabhyaham (idam krtsnam)
ekamsena sthito jagat
[Bg. 10.42]

Ekamsena. "One My plenary portion..." Maha-Visnu. For creation of this material world. Ekamsena sthito jagat. And what is that ekamsa? That is described also. Yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya jivanti loma-vilaja jagad-anda-nathah [Bs. 5.48]. Loma-vilaja. And innumerable universes are coming out from the hair holes of the body of Maha-Visnu. Nisvasita-kalam athavalambya. His breathing. He is, within the Karana Ocean, Causal Ocean, He is sleeping. Yah karanarnava-jale bhajati sma yoga-nidram [Bs. 5.47]. Yoga-nidra. And while He's sleeping in His yoga-nidra, innumerable universes are coming out through His breathing and from the air holes. (sound of child yelling) Can you stop that child?

So this is greatness of Krsna. This Maha-Visnu is only kala-visesah. Visnur mahan sa iha yasya kala-visesah. Kala means portion of the plenary portion. That is called kala. Amsa means plenary portion. And kala means... So all the incarnation of Visnu... And Krsna described in the Srimad Bhagavad, Srimad-Bhagavatam, First Canto, Third Chapter. And at the conclusion it is said, ete camsa-kalah pumsah krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. Krsna's name is also there, but just to make distinction between all the avataras and Krsna, it is concluded: ete, all of them are, ca amsa, some of them are plenary portions, some of them, portion of the plenary portion. In this, they are situated. But the name Krsna which is there, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam... That is stated.

So we have to study. If we are serious student of Krsna, then in the sastras everything is there. So when we understand the greatness of Krsna, then we become more attached. More attached. The greatness attracts. Suppose a man is very exalted position. He attracts the attention. Similarly, if we know the greatness of... One who does not know the greatness of Krsna, he thinks Krsna, "Yes,... That kupa-manduka-nyaya, Doctor Frog: "Maybe little greater than me. That's all." Avajananti mam mudhah [Bg. 9.11]. Such person thinks Krsna as one of them, and therefore it has become a very fashionable thing to become Krsna's avatara, very cheaply. No. They do not know actually what is Krsna's position.

Krsna's position, if one understands, then he is liberated person. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti [Bg. 4.9]. He's liberated person. Even in this body. Simply by knowing how great Krsna is. Simply by knowing this fact, how Krsna... Then one understands that mattah sarvam pravartate. Iti matva bhajante mam... Then our bhajana for Krsna's service will become very much fixed-up and determined. Budha bhava-samanvitah [Bg. 10.8]. This is bhava. Bhava means... One can understand very easily. When you are fully conscious of something, greatness, "Oh, Krsna is so great," that is called bhava. That can be understood. It is not very difficult. Because in the sastras everything is there about Krsna. Simply we have to take it, accept it.

And if we do not believe sastras, then there is no, I mean, use of understanding Krsna. Sastra-caksusa. You have to see... Krsna is adhoksaja, beyond the perception, sense perception. But through the sastra we can understand little bit of Krsna. It is very difficult to know. We cannot understand. Krsna is unlimited. We are limited. Still, whatever limited power we have got, we can understand Krsna if we follow the sastra, sadhu and guru. Sadhu-sastra-guru-vakya tinete kariya aikya.

So this bhava stage has to be attained. It is not that artificially we come to the bhava stage. No. Vita-raga-bhaya-krodha man-maya mam upasritah [Bg. 4.10]. These are the qualifications. Krsna is personally saying. Not all of a sudden we can understand Krsna. Vita-raga. The first qualification is to be detached from... Our present qualification is we are too much attached to this material sense enjoyment. Material life means sense enjoyment. Therefore we have to reduce the sense enjoyment by tapasya. Tapasya. Sense enjoyment is not controlled all of a sudden. Tapasa brahmacaryena tyagena sauca...saucena yamena niyamena [SB 6.1.13]. These are the statements. But if you take the devotional service, then everything become very easy to follow, tapasa. Brahmacaryena [SB 6.1.13].

Just like we are advising our student not to have illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling. This is tapasya. Because everyone is prone to all these things. Everyone likes illicit sex. Everyone likes to eat meat. Loke vyavayamisa-madya-seva nitya hi jantoh. Jantoh, jantu means animal, or ignorant person. A person who has no knowledge, he also a jantu, animal. So vyavayamisa-madya-sevah. Sex life and meat-eating, amisa, and madya-sevah, intoxicant, and natural tendency. Pravrttir esa bhutanam. This is pravrtti. They have got inclination. That is material life. Amisa-madya-sevah. But they have to be controlled by tapasya. That is tapasya. If because I have got this inclination, I have got a desire to drink or have intoxication, therefore I shall take it.... There is a Bengali song, cakse yadi lage bhala kena dekha na:(?) "Now if I, my eyes like to see it, why shall I not see?" This is sense enjoyment. This is animalism.

But when you can control them, that is humanity. Therefore laws are made for the human being, not for the animals. I have several times explained. When there is law on the street, "Keep to the left," it is meant for the human being, not for the cats and dogs and cows. Say, if the cat, dog, goes to the left or right against the police direction, he's not punished. Because he's animal. Or a child. If he trespasses. But if an adult person transgresses the law, he'll be punished. So the human life has got responsibility.

What is that responsibility? Tapasya. Here it is said, jnana-tapasa putah, purified. Jnana, knowledge, and tapasya. Then he's purified. Not that "You can do whatever you like. It has nothing to do with the religion." There are so many rascals" program. "You can eat anything. You can do anything, and still you become a Vedantist." This kind of rascal Vedantists are going on. But here it is said by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, jnana-tapasa. Jnana-tapasa puta mad-bhavam. Without knowledge, without tapasya, you cannot make any spiritual progress. Not by simple words. That is not possible. Because in the previous verse it has been said that janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. So how one can come to Krsna? Mam eti. That is being described. Vita-raga-bhaya-krodhah. Vita-raga-bhaya-krodha man-maya mam upasritah [Bg. 4.10]. Mam upasritah, to take shelter of Krsna. To become a devotee of Krsna, to become Krsna conscious.

Therefore we are canvassing. We are going door to door, country to country, continent to continent, city to city, village to village, "Please become Krsna conscious." We are teaching them how you can be happy, vita-raga-bhaya-krodhah [Bg. 2.56], how you can be a man of knowledge. That is our business. It is not very difficult. The examples are here. These Europeans, American boys and girls, four or five years ago, they were different persons. But how they have taken to it? People are surprised. Because they have followed what we have said according to the sastra. They have followed, and they are following. They are trying to follow, sincerely. Therefore they are making progress.

So anyone who will follow these principles, how to come the stage of bhava... Budha bhava-samanvitah. There is process. Rupa Gosvami has said how to come to the stage of bhava. Bhava means just the immediate stage before the stage of love of Godhead. That is the perfection. Prema pum-artho mahan. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us to become mad after God, Krsna. That is perfection of love. That is perfection. Just... Caitanya Mahaprabhu showed by His example how He was mad after Krsna. He's Krsna Himself, but He's teaching us how to become bhava, budha bhava-samanvitah. He taught us.

Therefore Rupa Gosvami offered his respect to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, krsnaya krsna-caitanya-namne. "Sir, You are Krsna, but You have now assumed the name of Sri Krsna Caitanya." Krsna Caitanya. Krsnaya krsna-caitanya-namne. "And You are so munificent." Namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te [Cc. Madhya 19.53]. So this bhava stage can be attained if we follow Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's way of life. And what is that? Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu's way of life? His way of life He has described in His Siksastaka: param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam. He personally performed sankirtana-yajna, and He taught everyone

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

That is Krsna, Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu's contribution, that "You simply chant Hare Krsna mantra. Then all perfection will come to you." All perfection will come...

Very simple thing. It does not cost anything. If you chant Hare Krsna mantra, there is no loss on your part. It does not cost you. It does not make you obliged to undergo so many severe penalties. No. You can chant at any moment. Kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. Adi 17.31].

We have seen practically. These boys, although they are very young, you'll find they have got these beads. I have asked them to chant always. They are chanting as far as possible. So this, this process has to be adopted. If you're actually serious to understand Krsna. And if you do not try to understand Krsna, then you are making suicide. Atma-han. They have been described in the sastra: atma-han. If I cut my throat, my self, then who can save me? So people do not understand it. And Narottama dasa Thakura, who understands, he has sung, hari hari biphale janama gonainu, manusya-janama paiya, radha-krsna na bhajiya, janiya suniya bisa khainu. So it is our duty, of course, as servant of Krsna, to awaken everyone to Krsna consciousness by this process of sankirtana movement, but people should take it very seriously, that without taking to Krsna consciousness, one is making suicide, he's cutting his own throat, or drinking poison. If you like to drink poison, no can, nobody can check you. That's a fact. If you want to cut your throat, your own self, nobody can check you.

But this is not very good business. We have got this human form of life to understand Krsna. That is the, our only business. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching. And Krsna is teaching personally in the Bhagavad-gita. Why should we not take advantage of these things and make our life successful? Why we should be so much foolish? But they are. I do not why they are not taking to Krsna consciousness. They'll take to so many other bogus things, but they will not take Krsna.

Anyway, if one is serious, then he has to follow this principle. Vita-raga-bhaya-krodhah [Bg. 2.56]. Bhaya-krodhah. Bhaya means fearfulness. That is one of the qualifications of conditioned life. Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithuna. Four things. So long we are in conditioned stage, this material body, these things are demands. To eat and to sleep and to become fearful, defend, defend and, ahara-nidra, and maithuna, sexual intercourse. These are the four demands of this material body.

And everyone is busy. How to eat... You'll find in Bombay city so many restaurants. Every step a restaurant. Eating. That is going on. Every city, all over the world. Everywhere. Eating. And then sleeping. Nice apartment. And then defense measure. And then very happily have sexual intercourse. These are the demands.

So tapasya means to reduce these. That is tapasya. Tapasya... This is the general demand of the body, and if you want to be free from this material bondage, then you have to undergo tapasya. Tapasya means these demands of the body voluntarily reducing and coming to the point of nil. That is liberation. That is tapasya. Vita-raga-bhaya-krodha man-maya mam upasritah [Bg. 4.10]. But here, very nicely Krsna de... It can be, tapasya can be executed very easily if one becomes man-maya, always thinking of Krsna. Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Man-maya.

And mam upasritah, and taking shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna. Mam... Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. As soon as you become submitted... Samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh. This is the description given in Bhagavata. Anyone who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna, Murari... Krsna's another name is Murari. He's punya-yasah. If we chant Krsna's name, then at least we become pious. Because we are all sinful. By chanting Hare Krsna mantra offenselessly, you immediately become purified. If you do not commit again sinful activities.

Therefore there are ten kinds of offenses. If we avoid the offenses and chant, then immediately we become mukta-purusa. Immediately. But our habit we have got, to commit sinful activities. So this is not... Namno balad yasya hi papa-buddhih. If one thinks that "I am chanting Hare Krsna mantra, so my sinful resultant actions are now nullified. Now again let me do it. Again I shall nullify." This is greatest offense. This is greatest offense. Out of ten offenses, this is the greatest offense. Namno balad yasya hi papa-buddhih.

So everything requires sincerity. Otherwise things are not very difficult. Vita-raga-bhaya-krodha man-maya mam upasritah, bahavah [Bg. 4.10]. Krsna says, bahavah. Not that one or two. Anyone... "Many who have adopted this means..." Then jnana-tapasa putah: "By knowledge and tapasya, they became purified, and then..." What is that? Mad-bhavam agatah. Then come to the stage of bhava. So to learn this art one, must be first... Just like we are hearing. If one determines, so why not adopt this means? Vita-raga-bhaya-krodhah [Bg. 2.56], jnana-tapasa putah. "Why I am suffering?" Krsna is advising. Why not take this step? Then Krsna will help you. As soon as you decide to accept this means, Krsna will help you. Krsna will help you... He'll give you good assistance.

ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija
[Cc. Madhya 19.151]

Krsna is with you. As soon as you decide, "Now Krsna, I want You. Kindly help me," He's ready to help you. Guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija. Yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau [SU 6.23]. These are the definitions given in the Vedic literature.
So Rupa Gosvami is giving us direction how to come to the bhava stage. Adau sraddha. First of all, first thing is sraddha. Sraddha means faith, firm faith. Sraddha has been explained by Caitanya-caritamrta:

'sraddha'-sabde -- visvasa kahe sudrdha niscaya
krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya
[Cc. Madhya 22.62]

This is called sraddha. One when believes firmly as Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], one, if he is firmly fixed-up, "Yes, by surrendering to Krsna I get all perfection of life...," that is called sraddha. That is called sraddha. That is explained by Caitanya-caritamrta. Sraddha-sabde visvasa kahe sudrdha niscaya [Cc. Madhya 22.62].

If I have got intention, "Why not this? Why not that? Why not this? Why not that?" then that is not sraddha even. That is not sraddha. Sraddha means firm conviction. So sraddha-sabde... So adau sraddha.

Then next stage is: tatah sadhu-sangah. If you have got sraddha, "Yes, I want Krsna in this life. I must do anything required," then that determination is called sraddha. Then if you want to develop that determination, then you should associate with sadhu. Who is sadhu? Sadhu... Bhajate mam ananya-bhak. That is sadhu. Api cet su-duracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak.

It doesn't matter if he has got some bodily faults. He's accustomed in a different atmosphere. Even though he has got some habituated faults. But if his only qualification is firmly fixed up in devotional service to Krsna, he's sadhu. Sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. Krsna says. Sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah. Sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah. Titiksava. Sadhu is titiksava. He has to tolerate so many things, criticism, opposing elements.

Because sadhu cannot sit down idly. Bhajate mam ananya-bhak. He is engaged fully in Krsna's service. So Krsna's service is not sitting idly. Krsna wants to spread the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita everywhere. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita.

ya idam paramam guhyam
mad-bhaktesv abhidasyati
na ca tasman manusyesu
kascin me priya-krttamah

And Krsna, as devotee, He orders,

prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama
sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama
bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara
janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara
[Cc. Adi 9.41]

This is service. Especially it is ordered to the Indians, the inhabitants of the Bharata-varsa. Because in Bharata-varsa it is easier to become Krsna conscious. Because by nature, because they have taken birth in this land of Bharata-varsa, in the blood there is Krsna consciousness. But unfortunately, the leaders are inducing them to forget Krsna. This is the misfortune of present-day Bharata-varsa. You go to the village and if there is bhagavata-patha, hundreds and thousands of people will gather immediately. Immediately. Not only in the village. In the town, when we held Krsna festival in Bombay, Calcutta, twenty-thousand, thirty-thousand people come. By nature. We cannot expect this big assembly in other countries. That is my experience. But India, because it is Bharata-varsa, it is very easy.

But we are sacrificing this birthright, Bharata-varsa. Oh, we are misled in such a way that we are forgetting, trying to forget Krsna: "Throw away these sastras. Throw away these ... Throw away... And put all impediments to the Krsna conscious movement." This is our misfortune. Actually, every Indian is Krsna conscious. Sometimes they ask me in foreign countries that "How many Krsna conscious people are there in India." And cent percent, all. Even Mohammedans. What to speak of the Hindus.

So we should take this opportunity, Krsna consciousness. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. This association, society, of sadhus, who have dedicated their life for understanding Krsna, for serving Krsna, they are sadhu. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu... tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya. By sadhu-sanga [Cc. Madhya 22.83] means next stage is how to adopt devotional life.

These boys, these girls, gradually they came. First of all they were hearing, Then they came forward, "Please make me your disciple." That means "Under your direction my bhajana-kriya will go." This is called bhajana-kriya, under the direction of the spiritual master. Then anartha-nivrttih syat. Anartha means things which are not wanted. We are accustomed to so many things, rascal things, which is not at all wanted. But we have been accustomed. By bad association.

Take, for example, one smokes. Nobody learns smoking from the birth. By bad association one learns how to smoke. Similarly drinking, similarly meat-eating. Because from the birth we require milk, not meat-eating. But then after all we understand that "Beef is very nice. There must be a beef shop." And... This is going on. You see? These are anarthas, not required. You require simple food: rice, wheat, little milk, vegetable, and little sugar. That's all. You don't require all these nonsense. But you have been habituated.

But if we become bhajana-kriya, you come to the practice of devotional service, naturally you have to give up. Because we accept a disciple to engage in the bhajana-kriya -- first of all he must give up these anarthas. So these anarthas, one cannot giving up smoking or drinking, but actually, if he takes to devotional service, he can very easily give up. He can very easily give up. There are so many examples. It is not story. So if there is bhajana-kriya sincerely, then the anartha-nivrtti automatically becomes. Then you become clean. Here it is said, jnana-tapasa putah, purified. Jnana-tapasa.

Knowledge is there that "I am a spirit soul. I am part and parcel of Krsna. And Krsna is the Supreme. Therefore my business is to serve Krsna." This is jnana. And if one does not know this, he is rascal. That's all. No jnana. This is jnana. Therefore it is confirmed by Krsna: bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. Jnana means he must surrender to Krsna. That is jnana.

And so long one does not reach to this point, surrender to Krsna, he's a rascal. That's all. Mudha. Na mam prapadyante mudhah, duskrtino naradhamah [Bg. 7.15]. That is his qualification. One who has not surrendered to Krsna, then he is duskrtinah, mudhah, naradhamah... "No, no. He's M.A., Ph.D." Mayayapahrta-jnanah. His knowledge has no value. Useless. Mayayapahrta-jnanah. Srama eva hi kevalam. That is the verdict of the sastras.

dharmah svanusthitah pumsam
visvaksena-kathasu yah
notpadayed yadi ratim
srama eva hi kevalam
[SB 1.2.8]

Simply laboring for nothing. So this is called anartha-nivrttih. Jnana-tapasa. Then nistha. "Oh, I must fix up." Then ruci, taste increases. Tato nistha rucis tatah athasaktih.

Then attachment. As soon as you get attachment for Krsna, naturally, vita-raga, you give up attachment for your material life. Vita-raga. Unless you have got attachment for Krsna, you cannot up attachment of this material sense gratification. That is not possible. Param drstva nivartate [Bg. 9.59]. By force, you cannot train a person that "You must be refraining from all these things." No, it is not possible. Vita-raga means when you increase raga for Krsna, then you can become vita-raga. Param drstva ni... That if you get rasagulla, you can give up gur. Gur is also sweet, and rasagulla is sweet. But if somebody says that "Why you are eating gur...?" Or something else. "Here is nice rasagulla." Similarly, unless we get better things... Better things...

Krsna is better thing, there is no need of proof. These European boys and girls, they have not come to me for better money. Because money is considered the best thing in the world, but they have enjoyed all these things. Therefore they are no more after money accumulation. They are after Krsna. Param drstva nivartate. They can earn. They have dedicated their life. They're doing everything for me. They could earn in their country thousands of dollars. Thousands of doll... Any man can earn any day twenty-five dollars minimum. And twenty-five dollars means two hundred and fifty rupees per day. So they can get so much money. Why they have sacrificed everything? They have sacrificed their money. They have sacrificed their intoxication habit. They have sacrificed their illicit sex life. They have sacrificed their gambling life. Why? Param drstva nivartate. Because they have understood little trayate mahato bhayat.

Such things, the Krsna consciousness movement. Vita-raga-bhaya-krodhah [Bg. 2.56]. And you become fearless. You fearless. Even so many incidences happened in this spot, why they are fearless? Because they had attachment for Krsna. This boy was threatened for life, but still he stood, fearless. Vita-raga... (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 4.10 -- Bombay, March 30, 1974

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Aparadha on Sampradaya Sun

There was an article on Sampradaya Sun today by Narasimha (Nash) Selvester. He pointed out very nicely the deeper meaning of apa-radha, as going against Radha. He also very nicely pointed out the actual saving grace of this planet earth, indeed of the entire universe. That bhajan to the Supreme Grace going on in the dhamas.

I should like to add a point to this discussion. ISN'T IT A GREATER MISDEED TO WIDELY BROADCAST SUCH APARADHA??? Would not such an aparadhi have a voice if it weren't for Sampradaya Sun? Even if such an aparadhi were to repent, it is the Sun's Editorial policy not to remove any articles, even at the request of the author.

I call on the Editor of the Sampradaya Sun to stop publishing such clearly offensive material for the sake of not only his own spiritual life, but that of all the conditioned souls who venture to seek the name of Krishna on the World Wide Web, innocently being bewildered by the increasing cesspool of aparadha being broadcast via Sampradaya Sun.

Monday, February 7, 2011

"Government's Choice: Krsna Consciousness Or Crisis"

74/03/22 Bombay, Bhagavad-gita 4.2


Pradyumna: (leads chanting): Translation: "This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost."

Prabhupada:

evam parampara-praptam
imam rajarsayo viduh
sa kaleneha mahata
yogo nastah parantapa
[Bg. 4.2]

So the teachings of Bhagavad-gita, how it has to be received, that is explained here. It is not to be understood by so-called scholarship. In the Vedic literature we find, nayam atma pravacanena labhyo na medhaya na bahuna srutena. If you're actually interested in atma-jnana, self-realization, then you cannot understand by your so-called academic education. No. Nayam atma pravacanena... Or because you are a big speaker, you can speak very nicely, decorating language, therefore you have understood. That is also not possible. The spiritual knowledge has to be understood by the grace of the Supreme Spirit. Yam evaisa vrnute tena labhyah -- labhyah Katha Upanisad 1.2.23. One who is favored by the Supreme... Here Krsna, the Supreme Being, God, He's explaining about Himself. So you have to learn about God, or Krsna, from Krsna, or through the parampara. As Krsna says, evam parampara.

Parampara means Krsna explained the knowledge, Vedic knowledge, to Lord Brahma, adi-kavaye. Janmady asya yatah anvayat itaratas ca arthesu abhijnah sva-rat tene brahma hrda [SB 1.1.1]. The spiritual knowledge, brahma, brahma-vidya, sabda-brahma, the Vedic knowledge... Just like in the Bhagavad-gita, the words written in this book, Bhagavad-gita, although it appears like ordinary letters, they are not like that. It is Vedic vibration. The things which are being spoken by Krsna, they are not ordinary language. Had it been ordinary language, how...? Because it was written five thousand years ago. How it is still going on? There are many literatures written by great, great poets within two thousand, two hundred years, three hundred years, or, say, thousands of years. But they are being forgotten. But therefore the character of the Vedic knowledge, they are not material things. They're all spiritual. Why we are giving so much importance to the words of Krsna? Because this language is absolute. Krsna and Krsna's words, Krsna and Krsna's language, or Krsna's words, they are the same. Krsna and Krsna's forms... We are worshiping Krsna's form. That is also Krsna. Otherwise, are we wasting our time by decorating a doll, a statue, and we are struggling so hard to establish a temple of Krsna? No.

This science is unknown to the atheist class of men. The atheist class of men, they do not know the absolute nature of Krsna. Krsna, His name, His form, His quality, His pastimes, His instruction -- anything of Krsna -- that is Krsna. That is not different from Krsna. Abhinnatvan nama-naminoh. The shastric injunction is:

atah sri-krsna-namadi
na bhaved grahyam indriyaih
sevonmukhe hi jihvadau
svayam eva sphuraty adah
[Brs. 1.2.234]

Just like we cannot understand what is Krsna, what is God, general people. They do not know, because they have got blunt senses, material senses. Even in material world, we are seeing the sun every day, but we do not know how big it is. Or even if we see this motorcar... A child sees: he sees that it is automatically going, without any horse. He's amazed. But one who can see, he knows that there is machine, there is brain. So this is our position. Even to understand material things we are not perfect. Our senses are not perfect. How we can understand God? That is not possible, because we have got defects. Our senses are not perfect: I cannot see perfectly. I cannot smell perfectly. I cannot touch perfectly. I cannot hear perfectly. So many defects. I commit mistake. I become illusioned. I accept something for something. In this way, our position is very imperfect.

But in spite of possessing imperfect senses, people are proud of their knowledge. That is mistake. We are not concerned with imperfect knowledge. We want perfect knowledge. Therefore we are going to Bhagavad-gita. Otherwise what is the use? If it is an ordinary book -- you can interpret in your own way, I can interpret in my own way -- then what is the value of Bhagavad-gita with other books? No. It is not like that. Therefore the words of Krsna should be understood through the devotees: perfect channel. As Krsna..., Krsna says, imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1]. Avyayam, the... It is eternal. It is spiritual, avyayam. Avyayam means "that does not perish." Anything material, it perishes. But spirit soul, or spiritual anything, everything, that is imperishable, avyayam. So knowledge of Bhagavad-gita, as Krsna is avyayam, the spirit whole, whole spirit, param brahma, param dhama [Bg. 10.12], Supreme Spirit, similarly His words, Bhagavad-gita, is also spirit, Supreme Spirit. Abhinna. There is no distinction. Therefore we are giving so much importance to the... The so-called scholars may take it as ordinary book, but one who is serious about Bhagavad-gita, he does not take Bhagavad-gita, the words of Bhagavad-gita or the teachings of Bhagavad-gita, as ordinary teachings. This is confirmed. Therefore it is so important.

And it has to be received through the parampara channel. That I was explaining, (that) as Krsna is going to speak to Arjuna... Here it is said: sa evayam maya te 'dya yogah proktah puratanah [Bg. 4.3]. Next verse, it will explain. Bhakto 'si me priyo 'si sakha ceti rahasyam etad uttamam. Krsna will say. Because it is so important... It is a complete spiritual. Unless one is devotee... Devotee means complete spiritual. Any other one, if he's not a devotee, he is material. Karmi, jnani, yogi, they are all material. They're trying to utilize the material possessions. Karmis, they are trying to utilize this body for happiness. Whole day, night, they are working like ass for some sense gratification. Maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan [SB 7.9.43]. Prahlada Maharaja says, "These rascals, unnecessarily they are working so hard like an ass just to get a morsel of food." That's all. Unnecessarily. Everyone is eating four capatis, but he's working so hard, like an ass. Well, ass also can get his share of foodstuff anywhere. The ass is so fool that he can get grass anywhere. It is for a few pieces of grass only, he's loading on his back so much burden from the washerman. He thinks that "The washerman is giving me this morsel of grass." He's so foolish that he can see there are grasses so many here and there. Still, he has agreed to take the burden. Therefore, he's an ass. Similarly, the karmis, you see in Bombay. There are so many karmis. They are working so hard. What is that? He's also eating less. Four capatis, that's all. But he does not think that "Four capatis, why I am working so hard and wasting my time?"

The life is meant for understanding what is my relationship with God. Athato brahma jijnasa. This is the vision of life: what is Brahman, what is God, what I am, what is my relationship with God. And so far eating, sleeping concerned, that is done by the cats and dogs. But the modern civilization, they are busy. Because they are busy for eating, sleeping and mating, they, by the laws of nature, that is also being minimized. I have already explained. Because the nature wants to help us because we are now forgotten souls. We have forgotten God. The animals have also forgotten God. They are thinking they are this body, bodily concept of life. They have no knowledge. But when you come to the, by evolutionary process, come to the human form of life, then it is your duty to inquire about the Supreme Brahman. That is Vedanta-sutra. Athato brahma jijnasa. "Now you have to ask about Brahman." Not the matter. So that Brahman is Vedic knowledge. From the material standard, gradually we have to go upwards and come to the point of understanding Krsna. That is Vedic knowledge. That is Vedic knowledge. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. To pursue Vedic knowledge means to understand Krsna. But if you do not understand Krsna and if you speak as, like so many nonsense things, and if you pose yourself as pandita, that is srama eva hi kevalam. That is stated. Srama eva hi. Simply wasting time and laboring for nothing. Vasudeve bhagavati...

dharmah svanusthitah pumsam
visvaksena-kathasu yah
notpadayed yadi ratim
srama eva hi kevalam
[SB 1.2.8]

Now, dharma, everyone is executing his particular occupational duty very nicely. Brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. I am speaking the organized society, not this animal society as at present. Even organized society, a brahmana is discharging his duties just like a brahmana. Satyam samo damas titiksa arjavam, jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. Still... Dharmah svanusthitah, he is very nicely executing his duty as a brahmana, but by executing such duties, if he does not develop Krsna consciousness, then srama eva hi kevalam. This is the verdict. Then he has wasted time. Because to become brahmana, perfect brahmana, means to know Brahman. Athato brahma jijnasa. And the Parabrahman, Supreme Brahman, is Krsna. So if he does not understand Krsna, then what is the use of his executing this brahmana's duty? That is the verdict of the sastra. Srama eva hi kevalam, simply wasting time.

Therefore one has to learn this science from the parampara system. Evam parampara-praptam [Bg. 4.2]. You have to go to the right person who knows Krsna. Evam parampara... Just like Surya, the Vivasvan, he was instructed by Krsna. So if you take instruction from Vivasvan, from the sun-god, then you get the perfect knowledge. But you cannot go to the sun planet and ask Vivasvan, "What Krsna spoke to you?" Therefore Vivasvan transferred the knowledge to his son, Manu. This age is called Vaivasvata Manu, this age. Now, Vivasvan, because he's the son of Vivasvan, therefore this Manu is called Vaivasvata Manu. Vaivasvata Manu. Now the age is going of Vaivasvata Manu. Manur iksvakave 'bravit. So Manu also spoke to his son. So in this way, evam parampara-praptam [Bg. 4.2], He's giving some examples, but the knowledge has to be received by the parampara. But some way or other, the parampara being lost... Just like I have spoken something to my disciple. He says the same thing to his disciple. He says the same thing to his disciple. But some way or other, if it is distorted at a certain point, then the knowledge is lost. As soon as any of the disciples in the succession distort the knowledge, then it is lost. That is being explained.

Sa kalena mahata. The time is very powerful. It changes. That is the... Time means it changes, kills the original position. You have got experience. You purchase one anything. It is very fresh, new. But time will kill it. It will become shabby. It will be useless at a time, in due course of time. So time is fighting. This material time, it is called kala. Kala means death. Or kala means the black snake. So black snake destroys. As soon as touches anything, it is destroyed. Similarly, kala... This kala is also another form of Krsna. So kalena mahata. Therefore it is called mahata. It is very powerful. It is not ordinary thing. Mahata. Its business is to destroy. Sa kalena iha nasta. So by due course of time... Because how the kala can destroy? As soon as kala sees that you are distorting, then it will be lost. So don't try to understand Bhagavad-gita from persons who are under the influence of kala -- past, present, future. Don't try to understand Bhagavad-gita from so-called rascal philosophers, commentators, and... They will write Bhagavad-gita in a distorted way. Somebody will say, "There was no Krsna. There was no Mahabharata." Somebody says, "Krsna stressed on this point," "Krsna stressed on that point." Somebody will say, "Krsna stressed on karma, karma-kanda." Somebody will say on jnana, and somebody will say yoga. There are so many editions of Bhagavad-gita. Yogi cartha, jnana artha, Gitar gan artha...

So the real Gitar gan is spoken by the Supreme Person, we have to accept that. That is Gitar gan. (sound of drums in background becoming increasing louder.) Not that I manufacture something as Gitar gan. (above drums, sound of horns) What is this? (pause) Marriage procession or what? That's all right. Don't...

Devotee: Supposed to have religion.(?)

Prabhupada: (pause) (more noises, yelling, etc.) What is this? (pause) No, no. We cannot stop their procession. (drums, etc., continue) They will stand here? No, why they are doing? Let them come. Don't ask. [break] ...find in this verse that evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. Rajarsayah means king, raja, and rsayah. Raja means king. Formerly, the government was monarchy. So all the kings, all the government head men, they understood Bhagavad-gita. That is needed. This science, Bhagavad-gita, must be learned by the leaders. The society is managed by the leaders, by the kings, by the brahmanas. That is Vedic culture. The brahmanas, they give guidance according to the sastra, and the king is trained up in such a way that he takes instruction from the saintly persons and brahmanas and rules over the kingdom. Therefore it was so perfect.

We are aspiring after rama-rajya. Why rama-rajya? What is the difference between rama-rajya and this rajya? There is difference. Rama-rajya means responsible government. Even during the time of Lord Ramacandra, one brahmana's son died. So he went to the king to challenge that "What kind of king you are that in the presence of the father the son is dying?" This is responsible government. Responsible government means that a son cannot die before the presence of father. In the Maharaja Yudhisthira's time also, there was no anxiety, adhibhautika, adhidaivika, adhyatmika. These are stated in the sastra. They were so free, so, I mean to say, carefree. There was no care, no anxiety. Everyone was happy. You'll find in the Bhagavatam. As soon as there was enemy attack in the Dvaraka city, immediately the kings, royal family, Krsna's family, Pradyumna, His son, and others, immediately go out of the city and combat with the enemies. This was the system. People were very carefree. No care, no anxiety. That is the duty of the government. And how to keep the citizens carefree? That you require authorized instruction. That instruction is Bhagavad-gita.

So it is the duty of the government, the government officers, the head of the government -- they should learn Bhagavad-gita. Here it is said, evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. The rajas, the kings, the government, they understood. Therefore the kingdom was so peaceful, without any cares for the citizens. The citizens were also trained up very nicely, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. Everyone is employed. It is the duty of the government to see that everyone is engaged. Otherwise, idle brain will manufacture devil's brain. They will manufacture so many things, and there will be chaos. In every country nowadays, all over the world, there is so much unemployment. Why there... Why one should be unemployed? He must be trained up in such a way that he's employed, he's engaged. This is the duty. So if you understand Bhagavad-gita, then you'll be able to train your students, your citizens, your subordinates, how to remain engaged. Just like in our Krsna consciousness society, we are simply after the people, whether he is engaged or not. There must be engagement. If one remains idle, then it will be devil's workshop. Immediately maya will dictate, "Do this, do this nonsense, do that nonsense, do that nonsense."

So it is the duty of the brahmana, it is the duty of the father, it is the duty of the public leader, it is the duty of the government to see that everyone is engaged, everyone is employed. As a brahmana, he must be engaged in studying Vedic literature for instructing others. That is brahmana's business. And ksatriya's business is to give protection. Just like Krsna was playing as a ksatriya in Dvaraka. As soon as there is some attack, immediately whole family goes to fight -- Krsna, Balarama, Pradyumna. You have seen in the Bhagavata. Ksatriya's business is to give protection, and vaisya's business is to give protection to the cows. As ksatriya's business is to give protection to the citizens, human being, similarly, vaisya's business is to give protection to the cows, not to send them to the slaughterhouse -- to see the cows are very well-fed, they are fatty, strong, that they must be given food, sufficient food.

So because they do not read Bhagavad-gita, they do not know how to maintain the whole society, therefore there is now chaos. Therefore it is needed. Imam rajarsayo viduh. The raja, the kings, the government, or the government, they must study Bhagavad-gita. Then it will be nice. Imam raja... And rsayah. Rsayah will give you... Rsayah means great saintly persons, the brahmanas. They should give to the government men... But who is consulting the saintly persons? Just like we are trying to preach this Bhagavad-gita. We are trying to give the essence of knowledge. Satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah [Bg. 9.14]. Mahatma. The symptoms of mahatma is that he is always engaged in chanting the glories of the Lord. Satatam kirtayanto mam [Bg. 9.14]. The Bhagavad-gita says that catur-vidha bhajante mam: "Four classes of men comes to worship Me." Bhajana means seva. Seva. So seva means bhakti. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam, arcanam vandanam... [SB 7.5.23]. These are the seva formula. So the devotees are engaged in seva, in service of the Lord.

So catur-vidha bhajante mam. Bhajana, this sravanam kirtanam, this is bhajana. And who takes this bhajana program? Sukrtinah. Sukrtinah means one who is very pious. And now we are accused of creating nuisance. Bhajana, because we are engaged in bhajana. If we are engaged in drinking wine and playing cards with some prostitute, that is very advanced. That is very advanced society. He's peacefully drinking and playing cards with prostitute. He's advanced. And because he's chanting Hare Krsna, he's creating nuisance. This is the government. Therefore the first teaching of Bhagavad-gita should be taken by the persons who are going to be elected in the government service. The public should be aware of this. If somebody comes to canvass for votes, you should first inquire, "Whether you have read Bhagavad-gita? Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi showed Bhagavad-gita. Why should you not? Do you know what is Bhagavad-gita? Then I shall give you vote. Otherwise get out." Rajarsayo viduh. This is required now, if you want to be saved from the crisis that is coming very gradually. Crisis means there will be... Now in black market you can get things, means eatables, rice, wheat. But if you don't take to Bhagavad-gita, there will be no more even if you pay black price. Just time it... That time is coming. There will be no more available. There will be no milk. There will be no more sugar, sugar. There will be no more rice. There will be no more wheat. No more fruits. Then you have to eat meat. Oh, beef shop. Then that will go on. Then human shop also. Gradually come. You have to eat the human being also. Carnivores. So it is therefore a great necessity that rajarsayo viduh, raja, those who are government men, they must study Bhagavad-gita. Otherwise don't give them vote.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 4.2 -- Bombay, March 22, 1974