760521 - Lecture SB 06.01.21 - Honolulu

Lectures by Date, 1976

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this Lecture

760521SB-HONOLULU - May 21, 1976 - 32.14 Minutes

Prabhupāda: (leads devotees in chanting)

kānyakubje dvijaḥ kaścid

dāsī-patir ajāmilaḥ

nāmnā naṣṭa-sadācāro

dāsyāḥ saṁsarga-dūṣitaḥ

(SB 6.1.21)

(01:32)

So yesterday Śukadeva Gosvāmī said, "In this connection I shall cite the example, historical example, of Ajāmila." So historical reference. It is not fiction, because Kānyakubja is still there. The city of Kānyakubja is still existing there, and the Bhāgavata was written five thousand years ago. So that means the city existed before five thousand. Kānyakubje. Kānyakubje dvijaḥ. Dvija means twice-born. First-born by the father and mother, and the next birth is dvijaḥ, means by the father, spiritual master, and the mother, Vedic knowledge. This is called second birth. Saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. Saṁskāra means purificatory process. So that is human life, not that to beget a child. That begetting is going on by the cats and dogs. That is not . . . That is first birth. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. So that kind of birth is accepted as śūdra. Then he can be trained up.

A śūdra, actually those who are by qualification śūdra . . . Śūdra means lamentation, simply changing. They accept something, and then they find it's useless, and they lament. The so-called scientists, philosophers, they're all śūdras because they say, "We have discovered something," and after few years, "Oh, it is now useless. Another theory." Śūdra. So śūdra cannot give you any education. That is not possible. Education has to be taken from brāhmaṇa. That is Vedic system. Brāhmaṇa is the teacher because they are trained up—satya śama damo titikṣa ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma-svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Therefore in India still, not in the city but in the village, the brāhmaṇa is accepted as teacher, natural teacher. And there was . . . (aside:) You sit down properly. Yes.

Brāhmaṇa, they are teachers, natural teachers, and there is no fees. No fees. Just like we started this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, teaching, but there was no fees. This is the teaching, real teaching. So brāhmaṇa should not charge anything, but they can take charity. So the students, they would bring charities naturally. This was brāhmaṇa's profession. They would not charge anything, but his disciples, students, would beg from door to door and bring. That is gurukula. Gurukula. Gurukula means every student should go to gurukula and learn to become very simple and obedient and self-controlled and learn how to address every woman as mother. This is guru . . . from the very beginning. They would go every home. Small children or big children, they will address, "Mother, give us some alms." So every woman will give, and they would bring it to guru. And that is guru's property. Not because he has begged this thing from somebody, it has become his property. No. It is guru's property. This is called brahmacārī gurukula. It gives one the training.

So when he's trained up nicely, humble, self-controlled, educated, then his second birth, second birth, by Vedic knowledge. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. Saṁskāra, reformatory. He has become humble, meek, well-versed in śāstra. When these all qualifications are there, then guru says, "Now I recognize you." Upanayana. Upa means "near," and nayana means "bringing." So gradually the spiritual master brings him nearer. Then, when he's actually trained up, then it is called . . . The sacred ceremony, upanayana, means he has now come nearer to understand Vedic knowledge. Then he studies Vedas, dvija. When he is initiated, then his studying of the Vedas . . . Veda-paṭhād bhaved vipraḥ. So after this dvija, second birth, he studies Vedas. And when he's well versed in Vedas he is called vipra. Then, by studying Vedas, when he understands Kṛṣṇa . . . Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said what is Vedic study. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam. Vedic study means to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is Vedic study. If he does not understand what is Kṛṣṇa, then it is useless. Śrama eva hi kevalam.

dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ

viśvaksena kathāsu yaḥ

notpādayed ratiṁ yadi

śrama eva hi kevalam

(SB 1.2.8)

Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya. Everyone is executing his occupational duty. I give this meaning, "Dharma means occupational duty." It is not a sentiment, faith. Occupational duty. That is called dharma. Brahmācāri's dharma, gṛhastha's dharma, vānaprastha's dharma—occupational duty. So by discharging one's occupational duties very nicely—not as a machine regulation, no—the result will be dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viśvaksena kathāsu yaḥ (SB 1.2.8): he will gradually be interested to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). That is Vedic study. Not that after studying Vedas he becomes nirviśeṣavādī, impersonalist, or śūnyavādī. Then useless. Śrama eva hi kevalam. Vedas means knowledge, and Vedānta . . . Anta means last status, or the end, end of. Everything has got some end, that "This is final, end." End means final. So Veda means knowledge, and anta means end. So what is that end? That Vedānta is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Therefore you'll find in every . . . at the end of every chapter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, brahma-sūtra-bhāṣye. Brahma-sūtra means Vedānta.

So it is the natural comment by Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva is the writer of Vedānta philosophy, and he has written a comment personally, so that in future, rascals may not misrepresent Vedānta. There are so many bhāṣyas, but that is not commentary. Real commentary . . . The author knows what he wants to speak. So Vedānta is the compilation by Vyāsadeva. So he knows what, what he wants to speak. What others have got the right? Just like Bhagavad-gītā. The purpose of Bhagavad-gītā is known by Kṛṣṇa. Why the rascals comment in different way? They may write their rascal philosophy, other. Why they touch Bhagavad-gītā and give different interpretation? They have no right. I have written a book; I have got my purpose. Why you should poke your nose and make it a different purpose? This is very mischievous rascaldom. So we want to stop this. We present Bhagavad-gītā as it is, as Kṛṣṇa says. We don't allow any rascal to comment upon Bhagavad-gītā in a different way. That is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. This is very natural. If you have got a different type of philosophy, you can write. Why you should touch Bhagavad-gītā and misrepresent it? So because they are śūdras—their business is to cheat—they do that. But a brāhmaṇa will not do that. Yathānugītānām. Yathānugītānām. Brāhmaṇa means as it is, they will describe. That is brāhmaṇa. And if one has got some motive, that "Bhagavad-gītā is popular book. Let me utilize it and make my rascal philosophy popular . . ." This is going on. Big, big politician, big, big mental speculator . . . No. That is wrong. That is śūdra. A brāhmaṇa should present as it is. Yathānugītānām. This word is used.

So this dvijaḥ, brāhmaṇa . . . Brāhmaṇa means one who has acquired these qualifications, satya śama damo titikṣa. The first qualification of brāhmaṇa is to become truthful. He'll never speak lies. That is the first qualification. Satya śama, then controlling the senses; dama, controlling the mind. Śama means controlling the mind, and dama is controlling the senses. Śama dama titikṣa (BG 18.42). Titikṣa means tolerance. Titikṣa ārjava, simplicity; and full knowledge, jñānam; vijñānam, practical. Simply theoretical knowledge, no practical application—he is not brāhmaṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, guṇa-karma. Only guṇa is not good. Guṇa and karma. Karma means some act.

Suppose you are initiated as a brāhmaṇa. That is not finish, that "Now I am initiated. I have got sacred thread. I can do all nonsense thing." No. You must act as a brāhmaṇa. Then you are brāhmaṇa. You always remember that. They are criticizing in India that I am giving a brāhmaṇa's position to these mlecchas and yavanas. You should be very careful so that we may not be subjected to criticism. If there are so many foreign brāhmaṇas in India and I am making brāhmaṇa in the Western countries, if they are still fallen, then what is this attempt? My attempt is futile. So kindly be responsible, those who are second initiated. If you fall down, then the whole movement becomes false. That is happening. So kindly rectify if that is happening, that guṇa-karma. You must acquire the qualities and must act accordingly. That is practical. Suppose one man is educated as medical man, but after taking his degrees he is playing football. So will anybody call him a medical man? He might have the qualification, medical qualification, but because he is not practicing as medical man he is useless. That is the śāstric injunction. Yady anyatrāpi dṛśyeta tat tenaiva vinirdiśet (SB 7.11.35). If one has acquired some quality but he practices differently, then he should be called by the name of that practice. A medical man, after passing medical examination—I am giving you crude example—if he is, he becomes a football . . . then he will be called a football player, not a medical man. These are the śāstric injunction.

But there is no culture. There is no attention. Therefore the whole world is in chaotic condition. But if we accept the Vedic civilization, which is in nutshell—everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā—then the whole world will be Vaikuṇṭha. You haven't got to go in the Vaikuṇṭha. Here you'll have Vaikuṇṭha. And next life will be Vaikuṇṭha. Janma karma ca divyaṁ me yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Kṛṣṇa is giving the civilization, Vedic civilization. And if we thoroughly understand it, then we are fit for going back to home. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). So this Vedic civilization is so nice, and it is given in nutshell in simple words by the Supreme Lord Himself. If we take it, then immediately the face of the world will change. Immediately. They have got this United Nation organization. If they take up Bhagavad-gītā and introduce the teachings all over the world, then it is successful, United Nation. Otherwise where is unity? All false.

So these are the duties of the brāhmaṇa. To give proper education, he himself should be properly educated. That is called brahminical culture. And we offer our respect to Kṛṣṇa because He gives the brahminical culture. Namo brahmanya-devāya. Because He is giving the brahminical culture. Without brahminical culture, useless. That is not civilization. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is offered obeisance, namo brahmanya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. He is first concerned for the cows and the brāhmaṇa. Go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. Then jagad-hitāya. Then He's concerned for the whole . . . other things. The first concern means cows and brāhmaṇa. Many times He has repeated, go-rakṣya. Why He did not say "pig-rakṣya"? No. He said go-rakṣya, because without cows' milk there is no civilization. You will not have nice brain to understand things; simply speculate. We are discussing the philosophy of so many speculators, simply talking nonsense. Simply . . . Why? This speculator to another, he says, "I think, I . . ." What you are, you can think? First of all you become brāhmaṇa; then you can think properly. Where is your education as brāhmaṇa? Where is that brain? Eating all nasty things, and you become a brāhmaṇa? Therefore Kṛṣṇa is go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca.

The Vedic civilization, the brāhmaṇas, they used to live in the forest, and the king would offer them some cows, so they will draw some milk. And in the forest there are fruits, so they will eat fruits and milk. And if the disciples go to the village, beg some food grain, then sometimes they cook some food grains. Otherwise the brāhmaṇas used to live in the forest, drink milk and take fruit. That is sufficient. There was no need of jumping here and there. Anywhere you keep cows. And what cows to maintain? No expenditure. The fruits? The skin thrown away, and the cow will eat. And in exchange it will give you nice foodstuff, milk. Or it will eat in the grazing ground, some grass. So there is no expenditure of keeping cows, but you get the best food in the world. The proof is that the child born simply can live on milk. That is the proof. So anyone can live only on milk. If you have got the opportunity to drink one pound milk maximum, not very much—half-pound is sufficient; suppose one pound—then you don't require any other foodstuff. Only this cow's milk will help you, it is so nice. And it gives very nice brain, not pig's brain. (laughter) So it is so important thing. Other, why Kṛṣṇa says go-rakṣya? He did not say that "pig-rakṣya." No. "Dog-rakṣya," no. Now they are interested in dog-rakṣya instead of cow-rakṣya. This is the civilization. They'll spend millions of dollars for dog, not for cow.

So this kind of civilization will not bring any peace and prosperity. You have to take Kṛṣṇa's civilization if you want actually . . . That is human civilization. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ

sarva-loka-maheśvaram

suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati

(BG 5.29)

If you actually want śānti, peace, then you try to understand only three things. What is that? Sarva-loka-maheśvaram: Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of everything. Just like we ask every day, "Who is the proprietor of the sea?" They do not know. Theories. But Kṛṣṇa said, "I am the proprietor," sarva-loka-maheśvaram, "not only of this sea." This Pacific Ocean is only one, insignificant. There are millions of Pacific Ocean flying in the sky. So who is the proprietor? Sarva-loka-maheśvaram. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am." You are not proprietor. There must be some proprietor. So who is that proprietor? Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the proprietor." You have to know it, whether Kṛṣṇa is not proprietor. He says, "I am proprietor," but if you are doubtful, prove that He is not proprietor. But that you cannot do. Or bring another person who can claim like that, that "I am the proprietor." Therefore you have to accept Kṛṣṇa as the proprietor. And it is accepted by all great personalities: Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita, Devala, all the ācāryas, Nimbārka, then Madhvācārya, Rāmānujācārya, and our worshipable Deity, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Everyone has accepted. So unless we are grand fool, we can't deny this. It is not possible. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). We have to take knowledge by the disciplic succession.

So latest admission by Caitanya Mahāprabhu: kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Caitanya Mahāprabhu's, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement propaganda, what is this propaganda? He says that "Every one of you become guru." He wants not rascal, imitation guru, but real guru. That He wants. Because people are in darkness, we require many millions of gurus to enlighten them. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is, He said, that "Every one of you become guru." Āmāra ājñāya guru haya tāra ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). You haven't got to go foreign countries. Wherever you are, you teach; become guru. It doesn't matter. Ei deśa. He says, ei deśa. If you have got power, you can go other country, but it doesn't require. In whichever village, whichever country or town you are, you become a guru. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Āmāra ājñāya guru haya tāra ei deśa. "This country, this place." So, "But I have no qualification. How can I become guru?" There is no need of qualification. "Still I can become guru?" Yes. "How?" Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128): "Whomever you meet, you simply instruct what Kṛṣṇa has said. That's all. You become guru." Everyone is very anxious to become guru, but rascal does not know how to become guru, a simple thing. So many gurus come from India in this country, all rascal, but they will not speak what Kṛṣṇa has instructed. Maybe for the first time this has begun, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise all rascals, they instructed something else, some meditation, this, that, all cheating.

Real guru is he who instructs what Kṛṣṇa has said. It is not that you manufacture your teaching. No. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's . . . There is no need of manufacturing. The instruction is already there. You have simply to say, "This is this." That's all. Is it very difficult task? Father said, "This is microphone." A child can say that "Father said this is microphone." He becomes guru. Where is the difficulty? The authority, father, has said, "This is microphone." A child only can say, "This is microphone." So similarly, Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the Supreme." So if I say, "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme," where is my difficulty, unless I cheat others to become the Kṛṣṇa or the Supreme? That is cheating. But if I say the simple truth, that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the proprietor of everything. He is to be worshiped," then where is my difficulty?

So that is our mission. All of you who have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that is our request, that you, all of you, become guru but don't speak nonsense. That is request. Simply speak what Kṛṣṇa has said. Then you become brāhmaṇa, you'll be guru, and everything.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end).