751208 - Lecture SB 07.06.06 - Vrndavana

Lectures by Date, 1975

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this Lecture

751208SB-VRNDAVAN - December 08, 1975 - 24:32 Minutes

Harikeśa: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (devotees repeat) Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Seventh Canto, Six Chapter, sixth verse.

Prabhupāda: The other . . . (indistinct) . . .. (break)

Harikeśa: (leads chanting of verse, etc.)

puṁso varṣa-śataṁ hy āyus

tad-ardhaṁ cājitātmanaḥ

niṣphalaṁ yad asau rātryāṁ

śete 'ndhaṁ prāpitas tamaḥ

(SB 7.6.6)

(break) (00:58)

Translation: "Every human being's duration of life is maximum one hundred years. Out of these one hundred years, persons who cannot control the senses misuse half of them. Therefore such persons' duration of life is fifty years. The other balance, fifty years, is completely lost because at night he sleeps eight to twelve hours."

Prabhupāda:

puṁso varṣa-śataṁ hy āyus

tad-ardhaṁ cājitātmanaḥ

niṣphalaṁ yad asau rātryāṁ

śete 'ndhaṁ prāpitas tamaḥ

(SB 7.6.6)

Now, āyur-vyayaḥ. Prahlāda Mahārāja has already explained how these foolish persons are simply wasting time for economic development: "I shall get money, and with money, dharma, artha, kāma, I shall satisfy my senses." This is going on, dharmārtha-kāma. Nobody is trying for mokṣa. Dharma-artha . . . They come to the temple just to become a dharmī, but the real purpose is: "My dear Lord, I am very poor man. Please give me some money." Dharma, artha. And what he will do with money? Kāma: "I shall satisfy my senses." This is going on.

So Kṛṣṇa gives them. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). It is not that Kṛṣṇa does not give. Kṛṣṇa satisfies always. For this reason, it is recommended that even if you have got some lusty desires to fulfill, still, you go to Kṛṣṇa and He will satisfy it. Don't go to other demigods. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānā yajanty anya-devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Generally people go to other demigod for fulfilling their lusty desires: "Mother, Goddess Kālī, I am very great devotee of you. Kindly allow me to eat meat." That's all. Mother says, "All right, bring one black goat and offer me and then take prasādam." This is meant for the meat-eaters. The purpose is to restrain him. Instead of purchasing meat from the slaughterhouse, the śāstra says, "All right, you meat eat in this way."

This is restriction. This is not indulgence. Loke vyavāya-āmiṣa-madya-sevā nityāstu jantuḥ nāhi tatra codanaḥ. To eat meat, to have sex life, āmiṣa-madya-sevā, and to drink intoxication, these things are naturally there, so why śāstra should encourage them? "Yes, you can eat meat by offering pūjā, worship to Goddess Kālī." "Yes, you may have sex life by marrying." In this way, there śāstra, they are mentioned. But this is not encouraging. This is restraining, that if he is not married, he will enjoy sex life like cats and dogs; therefore śāstra says, "All right, don't become cats and dog. Become a human being and get married and have your sex life under restrain." Similarly, "If you are rākṣasa—you want to eat meat—don't eat like rākṣasa. Better offer a goat to be sacrificed before Goddess Kālī." This is śāstra. Because the goat will be benefited. Because it is offering his life before Goddess Kālī, he will immediately get the body of human being, immediately promotion. He is benefited, and he has the right to kill this man. These are the injunction in the śāstras.

So śāstra never encouraging this, but those who are in the tamo-guṇa, in the darkness, just to raise them gradually to the sattva-guṇa, some concession is given. Just like government. Government opens liquor shop. The liquor shop is opened not to encourage. Nowadays, of course, the situation is different. But the fact is that if the government does not open liquor shop, these rascals will distill liquor every home. Therefore government gives some concession. These are concession. These are not required at all. For human being they are not required. Therefore we restrict, "No intoxication, no meat-eating . . ." It is not required. Simply we are habituated to indulge in these sinful activities. They are not required. To speak frankly, there is no necessity even for marrying. There is no necessity. If one can remain a brahmacārī all through, that is a great benefit. Great benefit. Yan-maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). What is the benefit? It is increasing botheration. But they are trying to get out of botheration. Just like we see advertisement, "One, two, three, bās—no more children." And other . . . "What I shall do?" "Now, kill, that's all. Kill them by contraceptive method or directly. Don't allow more than one, two, three children." They understand that "This is botheration." And the śāstra also says, "Botheration."

yan-maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tucchaṁ

kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham

tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ

kaṇḍūtivan manasijaṁ viṣaheta dhīraḥ

(SB 7.9.45)

"All right, I have begotten one child. I have to take care of, so much care always." But, "All right, you have trouble, taken so much trouble. Stop here. No more." "No, again." Tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ. There's so many botherations, but still, we do it practically. Why? It is said that ajitātmanaḥ, cannot control the senses, become victimized, victims of sense enjoyment, ajitātmanaḥ.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja is speaking of these ajitātmanaḥ, those rascals who cannot control the senses. Their first their business is sleep as much as possible—twelve hours, fourteen hours; in the Western countries sometimes sixteen hours or twenty-four hours. In the beginning, in that Second Avenue, 26, when our morning prayer was going on, at seven, not very early, and so many other tenants, half-naked . . . Mr. Judah was our landlord. "Mr. Judah, what is this going on? What is going on? Stop it. Stop it. Stop." So Mr. Judah used to say, "No, no, they'll not stop. I cannot say. You go to the police." So sometimes police were coming to stop us, but we did not stop. (laughter) So ajitātmanaḥ. Ajitātmanaḥ. Jitātmanaḥ . . . The human life is meant for gaining victory over the senses. "No, better be victimized by the senses"—this is modern civilization. Modern civilization means the more you become victimized by senses, you are advanced. So here, the ajitātmanaḥ, their first business is to eat voraciously and to sleep unlimitedly. This is ajitātmanaḥ.

So this ajitātmanaḥ in another place, Bhāgavata, it is said, paśyatam ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām. Nidrayā hriyate naktam.

nidrayā hryate naktaṁ

vyavāyena ca vā vayaḥ

apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ

gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām

(SB 2.1.2)

This family life, gṛheṣu, gṛha-medhinām, who are very much attached, this is māyā. Prahlāda Mahārāja, from the age of five years he condemned, hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpam (SB 7.5.5): "The gṛha, this so-called family life, is a dark well." We are thinking we are very happily living with nice wife and children and working very hard, getting money. But śāstra says, "You are fallen in the dark well." Gṛham andha-kūpam. And "All right, let me remain here." "No." Ātma-pātam. If you remain in this way, then you will kill your soul. Ātma-pātam. Therefore in the Vedic civilization there is compulsory: "Get out." Pañcaśordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. "Now you are fifty years old past. Immediately get out." "No, I have got so many duties. I have got this." "No, no." Vrajet, "compulsory." This verb is used, vidhiliṅ, where there is no argument; you must. Just like when natures calls you, you must do it, similarly . . . This is Vedic civilization. Not that unless you are killed or being shot down by somebody else, you are not leaving the gṛham andha-kūpam. This is not Vedic civilization.

Vedic civilization is that brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. You must be prepared, especially the higher castes, especially the brāhmaṇas. The brāhmaṇas must observe the four adhyātmika principle: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha . . . Brāhmaṇa, they do not go even to the gṛhastha life. Remain brahmacārī. But even he goes, only for twenty-five years. It is said, puṁso varṣa-śataṁ hy āyuḥ. So divide this varṣa-śatam, hundred years: twenty-five years, brahmacārī; twenty-five years, gṛhastha; twenty-five years, vānaprastha; and last twenty-five years, sannyāsa. That is real civilization, not that no brahmacārī, no vānaprastha, no sannyāsa, simply gṛhastha. They are not gṛhastha. They are called gṛhamedhi. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2).

There are two words: gṛhamedhi and gṛhastha. Gṛhastha means that is only for twenty-five years, not more than that. That is gṛhastha. And those who are gṛhastha up to the point of death, or unless he is killed, that is gṛhamedhi. Gṛhamedhi means he has made his center the wife and family. Just like one cow is, I mean, tied with the rope and with a fixed-up wood, and he is going round here this way, and he is thinking that he is going round the world. Yes. So gṛhamedhi means he has fixed up his center, the wife and children, and going round throughout the whole life, no ending. They are called gṛhamedhi. And gṛhastha means gṛhastha-āśrama. Gṛhamedhi-āśrama nahi. Gṛhamedhi, only gṛhamedhi. And gṛhastha-āśrama. Gṛhastha-āśrama means it is as good as other āśrama, sannyāsa-āśrama, gṛhastha-āśrama. If he lives according to the regulative principle, that is āśrama. That is also not for all the time, only for twenty-five years. So those who do not observe these rules and regulations, they are called ajitātmanaḥ, uncontrolled victims of senses, victimized by the senses, ajitātmanaḥ. So their business is to sleep as much as possible. They are never practiced to get up early in the morning. Unless they are bound, or knot, they cannot take to this practice. These are ajitātmanaḥ.

So niṣphalaṁ. These ajitātmanaḥ means they are passing their days without any benefit, niṣphalaṁ, without any result. Human life is meant for good result. Arthadam adhruvam. Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam (SB 7.6.1). That is the Prahlāda Mahārāja's description. That is the fact. The human life is so valuable, and I shall waste it simply by sleeping? Therefore the Gosvāmīs, our predecessor gurus, they have shown. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau. They conquered over these things, nidrā, sleeping . . . Nidrā is very dangerous according to Vedic civilization. It is simply waste of time. If one is not serious about the value of this human form of life, he may waste his time by sleeping. But no. The . . . If we follow our predecessors, our Gosvāmīs, who were all ministers . . . But they came to Vṛndāvana to practice. What? Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau, to conquer over sleeping, eating and mating. And coming to Vṛndāvana, if we indulge in that way, then what is the use of coming to Vṛndāvana? Go to hell and live there. So Vṛndāvana life is that. You have to practice nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau. That is wanted.

So those who are ajitātmanaḥ, although they have got one hundred years' age, still, fifty years they are wasting at least, because they will sleep at night twelve hours. So fifty years wasted. And the other fifty years? That will be described in the next verse: twenty years by sporting, because a man, a boy, up to . . . It is natural, every country. They are students. Instead of becoming brahmacārī . . . Brahmacārī guru-gṛhe vasan dāntaḥ. Instead of becoming śānta, dānta, very peaceful, they are indulging in sporting. This is introduced in India also. I have seen in Calcutta many young men. At twelve o'clock, no, they are playing football. Why? There is no engagement. What he'll do? Unemployment. There is no employment. Because education means to become servant, to write one application and go office to office: "Sir, give me some service." "No, no, no. No vacancy. Get out." This is education. After taking the M.A., B.A. degrees, they have no employment. So what they'll do? They'll form party of anarchist and Naxalite and play football, because they must have some engagement.

So this is advancement of civilization. Instead of utilizing the valuable form of human life, there is always wasting. And at night they are sleeping, and at noon they are playing football, you see, wasting in this time. So this will be explained next verse, mugdhasya bālye kaiśore krīḍato yāti viṁśatiḥ (SB 7.6.7): "By so-called sporting life, twenty years passed—fifty years by sleeping, and twenty years by football." Then seventy years passed. And jarayā grasta-dehasya yāty akalpasya viṁśatiḥ. And when he is old man: "Here is pain. Here is rheumatism. Here is. . ." what is called, "diabetes and so on, so on." So by treatment, by blood examination, by this. . . viṁśati, another twenty years. So twenty years sporting, twenty years diabetes and fifty years sleeping—then what is left? Where is the opportunity for Kṛṣṇa consciousness? This is modern civilization.

So we are trying to save people from this modern civilization. This is . . . Modern means in this age it is excessively has increased. But this process was existent. This is the way of material life. So in the Satya-yuga it was less, in the Tretā-yuga it was more, and the Dvāpara-yuga, it is still more, and Kali-yuga, it is full. This is the difference of ages. Therefore kalau, in this age, nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). Kalau saṅkīrtanaiḥ prāyaiḥ yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ. There is no hope for liberation from this material bondage except chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Other things, it is not possible. If you want to revive the old Vedic civilization, brahmacārī and gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vai . . . These are all spoiled. Everything is spoiled. Then what is the position? Kalau śūdra samabhavaḥ. In this age simply they are śūdras. "So how the śūdras will be delivered? By your Kṛṣṇa conscious . . ." Yes. They'll be. Not only śūdras; those who are less than śūdras. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā (SB 2.4.18). Not only śūdras, the less than the pañcamas, the fifth grade, sixth grade, seventh grade, tenth grade, all rascals and all sinful men, they will be all delivered simply by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Pāpī tāpī yata chilo hari-nāme uddhārilo (Hari Hari Biphale). Take this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, and your life will be saved.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya. Haribol. (end).