761027 - Lecture SB 05.05.05 - Vrndavana

Lectures by Date, 1976

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this Lecture

761027SB-VRNDAVAN - October 27, 1976 - 28.50 Minutes

Pradyumna: (leads chanting of verse and synonyms)

parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto

yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam

yāvat kriyās tāvad idaṁ mano vai

karmātmakaṁ yena śarīra-bandhaḥ

(SB 5.5.5)

Translation: (02:14) "As long as one does not inquire about the spiritual values of life, one is defeated and subjected to miseries arising from ignorance. Be it sinful or pious, karma has its resultant actions. If a person is engaged in any kind of karma, his mind is called karmātmaka, colored with fruitive activity. As long as the mind is impure, consciousness is unclear, and as long as one is absorbed in fruitive activity, he has to accept a material body." (break)

Prabhupāda:

parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto

yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam

yāvat kriyās tāvad idaṁ mano vai

karmātmakaṁ yena śarīra-bandhaḥ

(SB 5.5.5)

It is very quite natural, whatever you do, your mind will be absorbed in that business. Karmātmakam. Therefore our mind should be engaged always in Kṛṣṇa: sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padaravindayor (SB 9.4.18). Then we can be relieved from this śarīra-bandhaḥ. Unfortunately, there is no education that it is a great hamper, impediment, to our progress of life, this material body. And in the Vedic civilization, this material body is condemned everywhere—material. Śarīra-bandhaḥ, they do not understand.

So in the bondage state, whatever you are doing in so-called material progress, it is not progress. It is parābhavas, defeat. People are so busily engaged throughout day and night; they are making material progress. But it is not progress. It is regress. But they do not know it. Why? Abodha-jātaḥ, born rascal. Born rascal. If we say that "You are all born rascals," they'll fight. But actually that is the fact. Born rascals: abodha-jātaḥ. Yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. That ātma-tattvam, brahma-jijñāsa, where is that inquiry? Nobody inquires, because they have no information. The cats and dogs, big, big professors, they are thinking so long this body is there, by chance, by accident, we have got this body, and as soon as the body is finished, everything is finished. That means they do not know ātma-tattvam. On this misconception of life they are inventing so many "isms."

Just now in the morning we were talking that inventing some means for curing the leprosy. That is good, but why there should be leprosy? That they do not know. Why one man is suffering from leprosy, another man is not suffering? Is there no arrangement? Who is making this arrangement, that one man is suffering from leprosy, another is not suffering, he's quite in good health? So unless there is some arrangement, how it is happening? They do not question. Jijñāsu. That inquisitiveness is absent, dull. Just like trees: they cannot inquire even that "Why you are cutting the tree? Why you are doing harm to . . ." No inquiry. Just like stone and trees. . . . (indistinct) . . . This is the modern human civilization. Therefore whatever plans they are making, it is becoming baffled, useless after some time, parābhavaḥ. Because they do not know what plan they should make. Just like children, they are thinking that "If I play like this, it will be very nice," so becomes engaged in one type of playing. And then again changing, another type of playing, because they do not know what kind of plan should be made so that . . . Children. Abodha-jātaḥ. Children's another name is abodha.

So from abodha, one has to be brought to the platform of bodha. Bodhayantaṁ parasparam. This word is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. That is mahātmā. Bodhayantaṁ parasparam. Not the abodhayantam. The other rascals, they are abodha, those who are bodhayantaṁ parasparam. What is that verse? Mac-cittā mad-gata-prāṇā bodhayantaḥ parasparam (BG 10.9). This is called sat-saṅga. Sat-saṅga. People should be engaged always inquiring about progress of spiritual life. That is advancement. Bodhayantaḥ parasparam. There should be constantly discussion. Everything is there in the books. Just like this word abodha-jātaḥ. We can discuss on this point, abodha-jātaḥ.

So this is jijñāsu. And to dissipate this ignorance, get out of this ignorance, one has to approach a person who is not abodha but bodha, budhā. Budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ: one who has known what is the destination of life. That budhā . . . What is that? Bhajante ananya manaso budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ (BG 10.8). So one has to approach a budhā. Therefore Lord Buddha's name is Buddha, from this bodha. He has understood everything. He was prince, and he never came out of the palace, and when he came out he saw one old man with a stick, with great difficulty walking. So inquired his servants, "What is this?" "This is old man. Everyone has to become like this." That was the inspiration of understanding. "Why he should be like that? Why one should become old man? Why he should walk on sticks?" So these inquiries made him Buddha, Lord Buddha, by meditation. That is his pastime. That means one should understand by nature study, why this man is diseased, why this man is old, why this man is suffering. Then bodhayantaḥ parasparam, then the inquisitiveness can lead him to the proper knowledge. And where to get that proper knowledge? That is guru. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). But if there is no inquiry, if one is dull like stone and tree, then how there will be inquiry?

So our education at the present moment is given just dull like stone and trees. Trees standing, cutting. No inquiry, no . . . "Why you are cutting?" He cannot. So dull. But this inquisitiveness should be enthused. People should be enthused to inquire: ādau gurvāśrayaṁ sad-dharma pṛcchāt. Sad-dharma pṛcchāt. That inquisitive must be . . . Guru means . . . To accept guru means the disciple should be very very eager to know. Sad-dharma pṛcchāt. Ādau gurvāśrayam. Why you accept a guru? "It is a fashion." Fashion. Nowadays they accept a guru, fashion. "Everyone has guru. Everyone has a dog. Well, let me keep a dog." Like that. A pet dog. So similarly, to keep a pet guru, that is not . . . One should be very inquisitive: sad-dharma pṛcchāt. And everywhere the same thing. Paripraśna. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). But don't make inquiries cheap: "Ah, here is my guru, and he's meant for answering all my questions. Let me go on questioning, questioning, questioning." No. Sevayā: you must serve him. You must be ready to serve him. Then you have got right to make question. Otherwise not. Two things. First of all, you must find out a person where you can fully surrender, praṇipātena. And then you can inquire, and the inquiry should be compensated by seva. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasāda. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.234). The more you are inclined to render seva, the more the truth becomes revealed.

yasya deve parā bhaktir

yathā-deve tathā gurau

tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ

prakaśante

(ŚU 6.23)

It is a different science. The more you are inclined to render service, the more the spiritual truth becomes revealed. And two things: if you are not inquisitive, don't bother yourself to have a guru. Useless. There is no need. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21). Tasmād, "therefore." What is that? Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. If you are inquisitive about transcendental science, śreya uttamam . . . Śreya and preya—two things are there. Śreya means ultimate good, and preya means immediate sense gratification, it is preya. And śreya means ultimate good. So if one is inquisitive to know what is the ultimate goal of life, for him, a guru is required. But if he wants immediate some sense gratification, he doesn't require a guru. For sense gratification there is no need of guru. Even these birds and beasts, they know how to gratify senses. There is no need of university or teacher. Say for sex life, nobody requires to go to the university. They know. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. These four things, there is no need of university education. But at the present moment to go to university means how to gratify the senses very scientifically. Scientifically. How to steal scientifically. Does it require any scientific knowledge how to cut throat and how to steal? No. They require education for spiritual understanding, tad-vijñānārtham, not this vijñānārtham, this material knowledge. It doesn't require. It is simply a waste of time. This modern university education is simply a waste of time.

There was no education for even the vaiśyas. There are four divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. But vaiśya and śūdra, there is no need of education. The brāhmaṇas, because they will guide the society, they require education. And the kṣatriya, they will give protection to the society; therefore there was education guided by the brāhmaṇa. And for the vaiśyas, kṛṣi-gorakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma . . . (BG 18.44). Where is the education? He can see, learn from his father how the field is to be cultivated with a plow. He doesn't require. He can see. And fifty years ago we have seen that those who were in the lower status of life, they never sent their children to school. I have seen it. Never sent. "Oh, what is the use of wasting time? Better admit him in some working shop or in some business." The Marwaris still do that: "Please keep my son in your firm." And small children, by seeing . . . Just like our children, they are seeing this Deity worship, this kīrtana—they will learn. Similarly, those who have to work to earn their livelihood, mechanical or some, they can go to the . . . What is the use of wasting time to the . . . going to the university? Scientific education for hammering? Hammering you can see. You take a hammer and go on. (laughs) What is the use of . . . Technical nonsense. They have invented technical . . . Does it require any education? No. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12): education required if you require to understand the value of life, tattva-jijñāsaḥ. Tattva-jijñāsu śreya uttamam. Jijñāsu tattva-jijñāsaḥ. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsaḥ. This is recommended in the śā . . . Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsaḥ na yaś ceha karmabhīḥ. Tattva-jijñāsa. Brahma-jijñāsa. This is life. Otherwise abodha-jātaḥ. Abodha-jātaḥ.

So this abodha-jātaḥ, this rascal civilization, whatever they are planning, whatever they are doing, that is simply defeat. He does not know what is the aim of life. They are being defeated. So this time, this life I have become prime minister, and making so many plans and so many things and so many things. Next life I become a dog. That you cannot check. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). The God's law, nature's law, will not take account of your premiership, prime ministership. What you are actually—that is nature's law. Kṛṣṇa is there within your heart. Outwardly you become a very big man—minister, president and so on—and God is seeing within what you are. Within. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Within you are a dog, and outside if you are a president, that will not help you. That will not help you. Abodha-jātaḥ.

Therefore whatever plan they are making, that's all defeat. Plan-making is already there. Kṛṣṇa has given plan gradually. The last plan is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is real plan. This is Kṛṣṇa has given so many plans: karma-yogī, dhyāna-yogī, this yogī, that. But everywhere He has concluded that the real plan is how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is real plan. Yoginām api sarveṣām mad-gatenāntarātmānā śraddhāvān . . . (BG 6.47). You are trying to be yogī, that's all right. This is haṭha-yoga. Go to a secluded place, sit down in this way, looking, not sleeping. Eyes half-open; see to the point of your nose, so on, so on. Complete celibacy. These things. Kṛṣṇa has said everything, how to become a yogī, how to become a jñānī, how to become a karmī. But everywhere He has concluded about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Jñānī? All right: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyante (BG 7.19). "They're coming to Me." Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntarātmanā (BG 6.47). Yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi kuruṣva tat mad arpaṇam (BG 9.27). The ultimate is Kṛṣṇa. That is real plan. And if you do not know this plan, śrama eva hi kevalam—simply waste of time.

dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ

viṣvakṣena-kathāsu yaḥ

notpādayed ratiṁ yadi

śrama eva hi kevalam

(SB 1.2.8)

If you do not know ultimately that Kṛṣṇa is required, then all your jñāna, karma, yoga, tapasya, everything is simply waste of time. Simply waste of time.

Therefore it is said parābhava. Whatever you are doing, simply defeat, because you do not know ātma-tattva. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2). Very dangerous position. If we do not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then we are defeated in every sphere of life. And then, after death, karmaṇā daiva netreṇa yantra dehopapattaye (SB 3.31.1). Tathā dehāntara-prāptir (BG 2.13). You have to change your body. And that will be selected not by you, not by your government, not by your father, not by your so-called guru. It will be decided by the laws of nature. That you cannot avoid. You should always remember that Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate goal. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). These rascals, they do not know that his self-interest, ultimate goal of self-interest, is Viṣṇu. Duraśayā ye bahir-artha māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). Simply by the false hope, hope against hope, they are trying to adjust things materially or so-called spiritually, by this or that. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31). These rascals, they are tied with the laws of material nature, hand and legs, and they are thinking they are free to do anything and everything without any consultation of śāstra.

yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya

vartate kāma-kārataḥ

na siddhiṁ sa avāpnoti

parāṁ gatim

(BG 16.23)

The same thing. Na siddhiṁ. If you do not get success, then what is the use of your working so hard? Na siddhiṁ sa avāpnoti. Na sukhaṁ na parām.

So without consulting śāstra, without consulting guru, without consulting Kṛṣṇa . . . Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He has given. He has come to help you, because you are being misled by the so-called leaders. Kṛṣṇa says, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). These rascals, these leaders, they will simply mislead you. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās (SB 7.5.31). They are blind. They do not know how to live. They do not know. Therefore Kṛṣṇa personally comes: "All right, I shall lead you. Take My advice, take My instruction, and ultimately surrender unto Me. Then I'll lead you back to home, back to Godhead."

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)