761116 - Lecture SB 05.05.29 - Vrndavana

Lectures by Date, 1976

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this Lecture

761116SB-VRNDAVAN - November 16, 1976 - 27.17 Minutes

Yaśodānandana: (leads chanting of verse)

jaḍāndha-mūka-badhira-piśāconmādakavad-avadhūta-veṣo 'bhibhāṣyamāṇo 'pi janānāṁ gṛhīta-mauna-vratas tūṣṇīṁ babhūva.

(SB 5.5.29)

Pradyumna: Translation: (00:27) "After accepting the feature of avadhūta, a great saintly person without material cares, Lord Ṛṣabhadeva passed through human society like a blind, deaf and dumb man, an idle stone, a ghost or a madman. Although people called Him such names, He remained silent and did not speak to anyone." (break)

Prabhupāda:

jaḍāndha-mūka-badhira-piśāca unmādaka . . .

What is that other word?

. . . avadhūta-veṣo abhibhāśyamāṇo 'pi janānāṁ gṛhīta-mauna-vratas tūṣṇīṁ babhūva.

(SB 5.5.29)

So Ṛṣabhadeva, after giving charge of the government to Bharata Mahārāja, He . . . Paraṁ bhāgavata. That we have explained yesterday, that the king should be paraṁ bhāgavata, not a debauch. That was the system in Vedic age, the ideal king, ideal person. If one person is educated sufficiently he can . . . being the executive head of the state, he can take care of the whole population, because his order is supreme. That was the duty of the king: to see that things are going on nicely in order. The order is that everyone should be educated to the final goal of understanding Kṛṣṇa. That is education. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). This is education. Veda means knowledge.

So there may be different types of sources of knowledge, but the means are justified by the end. What is the end of life? The end of life is to understand Kṛṣṇa. If you don't like to say "Kṛṣṇa"—God. That is end of life. But these rascals, they do not know it. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). The general population, they do not know because they are not educated in that way. At the present moment, Kali-yuga, they are educating people atheism, no God, "God is dead." In Europe, America, when I went there, the education was "God is dead." Here also, so many rascals, they have appeared as God. They are also saying, "Now, Kṛṣṇa was God, but He is now dead. I am now God." Yes. They are saying publicly. And they are being accepted.

So this is going on. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has defined these rascals as rascals, mūḍha. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious or does not surrender to Kṛṣṇa, you can blindly classify him in four groups: duṣkṛtina, means most sinful; mūḍhāḥ—rascals; narādhamāḥ—lowest of the mankind. "No, he is M.A., Ph.D." Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. "What is the fault?" Because he does not accept Kṛṣṇa—finish. So we are also like other fools and rascals, but we accept this Kṛṣṇa's word as final, that's all. Kṛṣṇa says that these are . . . Those who have not surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, they are four classes, means most sinful, and rascal, lowest of the mankind, and although he has got university degrees, his knowledge is taken away by māyā. Āsuriṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ (BG 7.15). This is āsuriṁ bhāvam. And there are two classes of men—the āsura and the deva. So deva means who accepts the authority of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is deva. Devata. Viṣṇu-bhaktaḥ bhaved daiva āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ (Padma Purāṇa). Even those who are devotees of other demigods, they are also āsuras, what to speak of atheist. Even . . . Just like Rāvaṇa. He was a great devotee of Lord Śiva—everyone knows—but he was called a rākṣasa. Rākṣasa and āsura, the same thing. Hiraṇyakaśipu, he was a great devotee of Lord Brahmā. He is also called rākṣasa.

So one may be very educated, very good scholar in Vedic knowledge, but if he does not accept Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead . . . Viṣṇu and Kṛṣṇa the same. Viṣṇu-tattva. Viṣṇu-tattva means the category of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). Out of false hopes, they are trying to become successful. That is not possible. Durāśayā. Such kind of hope is useless hope. It will never be . . . Moghāśā mogha-karmāṇaḥ (BG 9.12). Leaving aside Viṣṇu, and simply they are trying to become very highly learned, mogha-jñāna vicetasaḥ (BG 9.12). So they are mogha, means their hopes will never be successful. They may go on.

So this unsuccessful life, mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani (BG 9.3), life after life, when one actually comes on the platform of knowledge—bahūṇāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19), that is the sign that here is a jñānavān. Because he has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, he has accepted Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva—vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā suḍurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19)—he is mahātmā. Mahātmā does not mean that to dress like me or having a big beard and . . . No. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam. One who has accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme—paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12)—he is mahātmā. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ, bhajanty ananya manaso (BG 9.13). He is mahātmā, not mahātmā by stamping or by changing the dress. No. Mahātmā means who is surrendered to the . . . Mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo-murāreḥ (SB 10.14.58). Murāri, Kṛṣṇa's name is. Mahat-padam. He is mahātmā.

So in this way, here is . . . Ṛṣabhadeva is teaching us how we should select, now it is the time for democracy. So Lord Ṛṣabhadeva is teaching us that how you shall select the president or the king, Bharata Mahārāja, the ideal king, parama-bhāgavatam. And vairāgya-lakṣaṇaṁ pāramahaṁsya-dharmam, and bhagavaj-jana-parāyaṇam (SB 5.5.28). These are. So democracy . . . Sometimes I say to my American students that "Your country is opulent in every respect." Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26), four kinds of opulences, everyone is trying for. Now everyone is trying for money, because if you get money, then, although you are born in the lowest family, cāmāra, bhangi, if you have got money, you'll be respectful, everything. Now there is no question of caste because everyone is lost. Kalau śūdra-sambhavāḥ. So you cannot find out who is brāhmaṇa, who is kṣatriya, who is vaiśya, who is śūdra. Everyone is the same. Now they are trying for classless society. Classless society means śūdra. So how a śūdra can be equal to the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya? But if you earn money, then you are more than brāhmaṇa, you are more than a sannyāsī. This is Kali-yuga. So therefore people are after money only.

So we are being educated in that way, foolish education. And we shall select. When we come to the election, we select a person like me. That has been described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). This election, we are selecting another person; he is also like me. I am a paśu. How can I select a person who is not paśu? Therefore if you want good government, then—this is democratic age—then you must be good. You must know who is good. Then you can elect: "Here is good man." Otherwise, śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has said that these so-called leaders, they are big paśu. I am paśu, and he's a big paśu. What can I select? I cannot find out Bharata Mahārāja, parama-bhāgavatam, bhagavaj-jana-priya. Hmm? Bhagavaj-jana-parāyaṇam. Nobody likes bhagavaj-jana. "These people are always speaking of God. It is brainwash." This is the modern: "It is brainwash." In Europe and America they are now combining to oppose this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, that we are brainwashing, controlling the mind by hypnotism. That is the charge against us. We are placed in the court also in many cases. So this is, "What is this nonsense, bhagavaj-jana-parāyaṇam, Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa? This is simply sophistry," they say. Even a big scholar says. When Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), a big scholar, he has remarked, "This is sophistry."

So this is the age. So everyone is trying to be happy. That happiness is not possible. That peace is not possible unless you have got a leader or king like Bharata Mahārāja, after whose name this planet is called Bhāratavarṣa, this Bharata Mahārāja. So we have to find out such leader. Then everything will be adjusted. It is the . . . Now we are speaking of secular state. Secular state does not mean people will become godless. No. Secular state means that no religious preference. "Because you are Hindu, therefore we shall give you more preference than the Muhammadan"—no. Secular state means that the state should see that everyone is strictly following his religious principle. That is secular state. If you are Hindu or varṇāśramī, then you must follow the principles of how one is a brāhmaṇa, how one is a kṣatriya. "Hinduism," this is a foreign word. Real principle is varṇāśrama-dharma. Varnāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān viṣṇur arādhyate (CC Madhya 8.58). This is the aim of life: how to worship Viṣṇu. That is explained, and that is the training of this varṇāśrama-dharma.

Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya quoted this when Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired from him what is sādhya-sādhana. "What is the business of the human society and what is the aim of human society?" This was the question put forward by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He first of all quoted varṇāśrama. Vedic . . . Human society begins when there is varṇāśrama-dharma. Otherwise it is animal society. There is no human society. That is beginning of human society—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). My Guru Mahārāja also wanted to establish daiva-varṇāśrama. Yes. There must be the human society, not this; daiva-varṇāśrama, not this āsuric varṇāśrama. Āsuric varṇāśrama . . . Just like Rāvaṇa. He was also son of a brāhmaṇa, but he was rejected, that "You are not brāhmaṇa; you are rākṣasa because you do not care for Bhagavān Rāmacandra." So this is the verdict of the śāstra. So therefore daiva-varṇāśrama. Varnāśrama should be established on the principles of devata, to make people devata. Devata means viṣṇu bhaktaḥ bhaved daiva āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ (Padma Purāṇa). Unless one is not a Vaiṣṇava, he cannot be a devata. He cannot be a civilized man.

It is said in the śāstra that ṣaṭ-karma-nipuṇo vipro mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ (Padma Purāṇa). The brāhmaṇa, he knows the brahminical business, sat-karma, means paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana dāna pratigraha. A brāhmaṇa must be very learned scholar, pathana, and he shall make others also good scholar. The brāhmaṇa is the teacher. That is brāhmaṇa's business. Paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana. He must be a good worshiper of the Supreme Lord, and he must teach others how to become brāhmaṇa, how to worship, yajana yājana. And dāna pratigraha. Brāhmaṇa, Vaiṣṇava . . . Still the world is going on. At least in India the brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇavas, they are given charities without any hesitation. Because that mentality is still existing in India, so somebody is taking advantage of it. Unnecessarily they are changing dress and begging and making money. No. So dāna pratigraha. Therefore a brāhmaṇa, as soon as there is excess money, he would immediately spend it for Kṛṣṇa. Dāna pratigraha. He will charity. He'll make charity. He'll distribute prasādam. He'll not keep money for future. No. Dāna pratigraha. So even one is perfect brāhmaṇa like that, yajana yājana paṭhana pāṭhana dāna pratigraha, and mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ . . . So if he is actually learned scholar, he must be very expert in quoting, chanting the Vedic mantra, Vedic hymns. That is the sign that he has read something, he has studied Vedas. So mantra-tantra-viśāradaḥ.

So avaiṣṇavo gurur na sa syāt (Padma Purāṇa). One disqualification: if he is not a Vaiṣṇava, then he cannot become guru. Forget him, immediately. Ṣaḍ vaiṣṇavaḥ śva-paco guruḥ (Padma Purāṇa). Śvapaca means dog-eaters. If one is coming from the family of dog-eaters . . . In India the dog-eaters are considered the lowest of the society, caṇḍāla. But if he is a Vaiṣṇava, then he can become guru. It doesn't matter. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu also supports this:

yei bhaje sei baḍa, abhakta-hīna, chāra

kṛṣṇa-bhajane nāhi jati-kulādi-vicāra

(CC Antya 4.67)

This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's certificate.

So here are the examples in the śāstras, that Bharata Mahārāja, elected, or selected, nominated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ṛṣabhadeva . . . And He retired, avadhūta-veṣa. Avadhūta-veṣa means He is no more within the social community. Just like the word nirgranthā . . . Kurvanty ahaitukīṁ bhaktim ittham-bhūta-guṇo hariḥ (SB 1.7.10). Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has explained this word nirgranthā. Nirgranthā means one who has no granthi, no tight knot with this material world. And the another meaning: one who has no connection with granthā. Nirgranthā. So there are two classes of men. One is foolish rascal, no education, he is called also nirgranthā. And another person, who has no connection with this material world, he is also nirgranthā. So here the sign of Ṛṣabhadeva, He became just like a madman, a deaf and dumb, a rascal, a fool, a ghost. But He is not madman; He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is . . . Apparently it may look like that, but He is Supreme Personality of Godhead. He has no connection, either you call Him deaf and dumb, fool, rascal, whatever you call. You can call. Tṛṇād api sunīcena (CC Adi 17.31). He has no connection with this body. This is avadhūta-veṣa. When one, no more he has got any connection with this material body, he is avadhūta-veṣa.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda.