750424 - Lecture SB 01.07.07 - Vrndavana

Lectures by Date, 1975

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this Lecture

750424SB-VRNDAVAN - April 24, 1975 - 31:37 Minutes

Nitāi: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (Prabhupāda and devotees repeat) (leads chanting of verse, etc.)

yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyāṁ

kṛṣṇe parama-pūruṣe

bhaktir utpadyate puṁsaḥ

śoka-moha-bhayāpahā

(SB 1.7.7)

(break) (00:42)

"(Simply by giving aural reception to this Vedic literature) . . . the feeling for loving devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, sprouts up at once to extinguish the fire of lamentation, illusion and fearfulness."

Prabhupāda:

yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyāṁ

kṛṣṇe parama-pūruṣe

bhaktir utpadyate puṁsaḥ

śoka-moha-bhayāpahā

(SB 1.7.7)

In the previous verse we have discussed how to be free from the unwanted association, anartha. Anartha upaśamaṁ sākṣāt (SB 1.7.6). Material life means to be involved with so many unwanted things. That is material life. At the present moment, especially in this Kali-yuga, we are very, very much fallen. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Prāyeṇa alpa āyuṣaḥ kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ. So this human life is especially meant for cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or spiritual understanding of life. Unfortunately, we are very, very slow, manda. Manda means bad, fallen, abominable. The whole population in this age, they are very, very fallen, manda. Why manda? They have advanced so much in material comforts. That is not required. Real requisition is how to develop our spiritual understanding. That is wanted. But they are not interested, manda. Manda means slow or very, very bad. They do not know.

People say . . . just like you go in European and American cities for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and especially the Indian gentlemen, they come. They laugh. They say, "What is this? We have rejected the so-called Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting, and these people have taken, and chanting in the street." They think that . . . many students in Europe and America, Indian students I mean to say, they put forward that question to me, "Swāmījī, how this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra will help us? At the present moment we require technology." They challenge me. Of course, I reply. This is the position of India. They have given up Hare Kṛṣṇa. They are working very hard for getting some money for bread. It is said in the śāstra that in the Kali-yuga people will have to work so hard, like an ass, to get their morsel of food. We have seen in Calcutta, somebody with sacred thread, he was pulling ṭhelā and perspirating. And somebody known to him, he said, "Paṇḍitjī, paye lagun," means "I offer my respect to you," and the ṭhelā-wālā says, "jita raho." This is the position. A brāhmaṇa is pulling ṭhelā; it is working like an ass. Pulling ṭhelā is not the business of human being, but although he thinks himself to be a brāhmaṇa, he is engaged in pulling ṭhelā. This is Kali's position, manda. Mandāḥ manda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ (SB 1.1.10), unfortunate. Unfortunate.

Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva has forbidden, that "This life, human form of life, is not meant for working so hard like hogs and dogs." Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). This is the advice. But we are advancing in civilization—to get our food, we have to work so hard. This is condemnation of life. Human life should be very peaceful, and without any hard work we shall get our food and save time for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is human life, not that for sense gratification we work so hard like an ass. This is called anartha. Anartha means unwanted things. We can see practically. The birds and beasts, they are living very easy and comfortable life without any problem. They rise early in the morning regularly. You have seen. As soon as there is little light, immediately they will rise up and they will talk amongst themselves and go, one tree to another, and he will eat one or two fruits, little fruits, ample fruit. They have no scarcity of food. And live very pleasantly. For eating, sleeping, sex life, they have no problem. These are primary necessities of life. Why there should be problem for these things? But in the human society there is problem. That is called the effect of Kali-yuga. Effect of Kali-yuga means the so-called advancement of material civilization means to become godless, immoral, and they must suffer. That is going on.

So we are increasing our anarthas, anarthas, and we are becoming entangled in the cycle of birth and death. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Once we take a certain type of body, we enjoy or suffer for some time; then again we have to give up this body, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), and there is no guarantee what sort of body you are going to get. But it is certain that you are going to get a body. And that may be offered to you by the laws of nature. It may be an important . . . more important body than what we have got just now, or it may be less important. It may be cats and dog or hog, and it may be the body of demigod. That is according to karma. So in this way we are passing our life eternally. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate. We get one type of body, and again we give it up. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ. This is called anartha, anartha. Anartha upaśamam. What is that anartha? This is anartha. Why shall I get a new type of body? I am eternal. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Why I am getting this temporary body? This is called brahma-jijñāsā.

Unless a man is awakened to this consciousness, "Why?"—Kena Upaniṣad—he is not human being; he is animal. The animal cannot question. The dog cannot question that "Why I have got this dog's body, and my master has got the human body?" No. He has no such knowledge. But if a human being cannot consider that "I am also an animal, and this dog is also animal. I am situated so comfortably, and the dog is loitering in the street for a little food. Why this condition . . .?" So śāstra says, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). One should think that "If I get another body, whether I shall get the dog's body or a human body or demigod's body?" That is consideration. That is intelligence. Not that "Because I have got this American comfortable body or Indian comfortable body, I should be very much satisfied and do whatever nonsense I think." No. We are under the grip of the stringent laws of material nature. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). This is human intelligence. One should not be satisfied with this comfortable or so-called educated human body. We should be prepared what we are going to get next. That is real knowledge. Because it is anartha. Anartha means unwanted. "Why shall I get at all any body? I am eternal; I must live eternally." That is human knowledge. That is called brahma-jijñāsā.

So Vyāsadeva, vidvān . . . vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām (SB 1.7.6). He is learned; we are all fools. Yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyām (SB 1.7.7). If we . . . He has made for us. He is compassionate. Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnām (SB 1.4.25). Those who are actually advanced brāhmaṇa, they take care of. But those who are not brāhmaṇas—strī, śūdra, vaiśya and dvija-bandhu . . . dvija-bandhu means born in higher family, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya or vaiśya, but does not take care of the real values of life or does not know what is spiritual life. He is called dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu means "a friend of a dvija." He cannot be called the born of a dvija. This particular name is very significant, dvija-bandhu. Just like a son of a high-court justice. You can call him the son of the justice, but he is not justice. Similarly, a son born in brāhmaṇa family, kṣatriya family, higher circle, if he does not act like that, then he should be called according to his qualification. Tat tenaiva vinirdiśet yady anyatra vinirdiśet (SB 7.11.35). This is the instruction of Nārada Muni. If the son of a brāhmaṇa has acquired the qualities of a śūdra, then he should be called a śūdra, not a brāhmaṇa. Unfortunately the . . . in India especially, where we have got all the śāstras, against the śāstras, without any qualification of a brāhmaṇa one is claiming to be brāhmaṇa. In Mahārāja Pṛthu's time, he was especially supervising whether a brāhmaṇa is engaged in his brahminical activities, whether a kṣatriya is engaged in his kṣatriya activities. Not that a brāhmaṇa is engaged in śūdra activities and he should be called a brāhmaṇa. That was restricted formerly.

So if we want to become free from anartha, then we must follow the Vedic way of civilization. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāg . . . (BG 4.13). According . . . the other day I was suggesting the governor that "Open varṇāśrama college." As we are training a medical practitioner and an engineer or any particular type of line, similarly, there must be training school and college where a person or a boy may be educated as a brāhmaṇa or as a kṣatriya. It is very simple thing. We should not . . . I was suggesting, "The secular government does not mean that let people do whatever he likes." No. Yata mata tata patha. No, that is not . . . a government's duty is, if anyone is proclaiming himself a Hindu, the government must see that he is acting as a Hindu. If a person is claiming to be Mussulman, he must act as a Mussulman. That is secular government. Secular government may be impartial, but it is not the government's duty to let the people to be whimsical: "Whatever he likes, he can do." No. That is not civilization. So we were discussing on this point.

So these anarthas will increase as long as we are godless rascals and demons. Therefore here it is suggested, anartha upaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje. If you want to be a right gentleman, means according to your position . . . if you are a brāhmaṇa, you should act as a brāhmaṇa; if you are a kṣatriya, you should act as a kṣatriya; if you are a vaiśya, you act as a vaiśya; and if you are none of them, then you are a śūdra. In this way, if we live like a gentleman, then we can make progress further in spiritual advancement. If we live foolishly, whimsically, as we like, yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ (BG 16.23), whatever we like, and others engaged, "Yes, whatever you do, it is right," yata mata tata patha, this is rascaldom. No, you must act according to the śāstra. But there may be question that "Whether it is possible now to revive the old cultural position?"

Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore not condemned, but rejected. When He was talking with Śrī Rāmānanda Rāya, so Caitanya Mahāprabhu was putting question, and Rāmānanda Rāya was answering. So in the beginning Caitanya Mahāprabhu enquired from Rāmānanda Rāya, "What is the aim of life?" Sādhya-sādhana. "What is the aim of life, and how to achieve it?" So Rāmānanda Rāya, he was a learned scholar and devotee, he prescribed the varṇāśrama-dharma. He said, "This is the beginning of human life." And he quoted a verse from the Viṣṇu Purāṇa,

varṇāśramācāravatā

puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān

viṣṇur ārādhyate

nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam

(CC Madhya 8.58)

Because our aim of life is to approach Lord Viṣṇu. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). The modern civilization, they do not know it, na te viduḥ, that what is the aim of life. The aim of life is to satisfy Lord Viṣṇu. This the aim of life. Just like ordinarily, the common citizen, a good citizen, his duty is to abide by the laws of the state. That is called good citizen. And if you do not become a good citizen, then you are put into the prison house, good citizen and bad citizen. Similarly, the aim of human life is to approach Viṣṇu.

But the materialistic person, they do not care for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but they manufacture their own plan with materialistic idea. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha . . . bahir-artha, the external necessity, that is called bahir-artha. The bahir-artha and anartha is the same thing. Because that is not necessity. We are born under certain laws of the nature. Now instead of trying to improve this . . . that cannot be improved, because the destiny is there. If you are to enjoy a certain type of happiness, it is there already with your birth. A particular type of body which you have obtained, that is already there. You don't require to improve it. It will never be improved. So our main business is how to improve in spiritual life. That is required. Materially . . . but if you improve in spiritual life, then if you have got any desire for material improvement, that will be automatically served. You don't require to try for it separately.

tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido

na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ

tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṁ

kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā

(SB 1.5.18)

This is the conclusion of the śāstra, that "You have got this human form of life. Your only business is how to advance in spiritual consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is your only business."

But because we are surrounded by so many unwanted things, anartha, we are becoming entangled in the cycle of birth and death and old age and disease in different forms. So we do not know it. Most people, they do not know it. Therefore Vyāsadeva, lokasya ajānataḥ. Because these fools and rascals, they do not know it, therefore he has compiled the sātvata-saṁhitā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And the next, it is recommended,

yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyāṁ

kṛṣṇe parama-pūruṣe

bhaktir utpadyate puṁsaḥ

śoka-moha-bhayāpahā

(SB 1.7.7)

The bhakti-yoga means to become free from these anarthas, unwanted things we have created. Now, how it will be . . . how we shall become free from the anarthas, that is recommended, yasyāṁ vai śrū . . . "That sātvata-saṁhitā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, if we hear regularly . . ." Yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyām. Simply by hearing. You don't require to understand even; the hearing is so powerful. That is stated in other place, śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Kṛṣṇa-kathā is puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. If you simply hear and talk about Kṛṣṇa, you become pious, pious. Even if you don't understand the Sanskrit or English, simply if we become eager to hear about Kṛṣṇa, then you become pious. It is so powerful.

Therefore it is recommended, yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyām. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). This should be our practice. We are giving this Bhāgavata translation all over the world. You will be surprised that we are selling more than thirty, forty lakhs of rupees per month. This movement is helping the whole human civilization. So yasyāṁ vai . . . if one purchases . . . that is our propaganda. Some way or other, we are giving one book. This is in the matter of following the footprints of our Guru Mahārāja. Our Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī, he was publishing one small paper, Dainika Nadiya Prakash, in Bengali. And if a brahmacārī would go and sell a few copies, he would be very, very glad. He would be very, very glad. And similarly, he advised me also that "If you get some money, publish book." And he used to say that "This press propaganda, the publication propaganda, is bṛhad-mṛdaṅga." So just to satisfy him we are trying to publish this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Caitanya-caritāmṛta—very, very authoritative books—in English. And by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, it is unique in the history that religious book can be sold forty lakhs of rupees per month. It is record-breaking. There is no such instance. Because we are trying to give the opportunity, yasyāṁ vai śrūyamāṇāyām (SB 1.7.7). Simply by hearing he will become pious. People are suffering on account of becoming impious. So one cannot understand what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa, unless he has finished his impious activity.

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ

janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām

te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā

bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

(BG 7.28)

This is the principle, that you cannot keep men in their impious activities, at the same time he becomes religious, or God conscious. That is not possible. That is not possible. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu has prescribed a very easy method to become pious. That is the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). The real disease is within our heart. Hṛd-roga-kāma. Hṛd-roga-kāma (CC Antya 5.45-46). We have got a disease, heart disease. What is that? Kāma, lusty desires. That is called hṛd-roga-kāma. So we have to cure this heart disease, hṛd-roga-kāma. And that will be done simply by chanting and hearing the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. The heart is all right, but it is covered by the material dirty things, namely the three guṇas: sattva-, raja-, tamo-guṇa. But by hearing simply Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, by hearing chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, you will be purified. Nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. Naṣṭa-prāyeṣu abhadreṣu nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā (SB 1.2.18). Nityaṁ bhāga . . . if we take this opportunity . . . we are opening centers all over the world just to give the people this opportunity, nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā. Anartha upaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam (SB 1.7.6). Then, as soon as the heart is cleansed by hearing about Kṛṣṇa . . . Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends that: yāre dekha, tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also kṛṣṇa-upadeśa because by hearing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you will be interested in Kṛṣṇa: upadeśa about Kṛṣṇa. That is also kṛṣṇa-upadeśa, and the upadeśa, instruction, given by Kṛṣṇa, that is also kṛṣṇa-upadeśa.

So this is the mission of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that you go and preach and make propaganda about kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are teaching all our men how to spread kṛṣṇa-upadeśa, how to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then anartha upaśamaṁ sākṣāt. Then all the unwanted things he has contaminated will be finished. Then pure consciousness . . . pure consciousness is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Pure consciousness means to understand that "I am very much intimately connected with Kṛṣṇa as part and parcel." Just like my finger is very intimately connected with my body. Intimate . . . if there is little pain in the finger, I become so much disturbed because I have got intimate connection with this finger. Similarly, we have got intimate connection with Kṛṣṇa, and we are fallen. Therefore Kṛṣṇa also feels little pain, and therefore He comes down:

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ

vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām

dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya

sambhavāmi yuge yuge

(BG 4.8)

Kṛṣṇa is feeling pain. So you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then Kṛṣṇa will feel pleasure. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. (end)