730114 - Lecture Pandal, Srimad-Bhagavatam Preface - Bombay

Lectures by Date, 1973

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

730114SB-BOMBAY - January 14, 1973 - 49:16 Minutes

Prabhupāda: (chants maṅgalācaraṇa prayers)

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya

jñānāñjana-śalākayā

cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena

tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ

sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale

svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ

dadāti sva-padāntikam

he kṛṣṇa karuṇā-sindho

dīna-bandho jagat-pate

gopeśa gopikā-kānta

rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te

tapta-kāñcana-gaurāṅgi

rādhe vṛndāvaneśvari

vṛṣabhānu-sute devi

praṇamāmi hari-priye

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca

kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca

patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo

vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya

prabhu-nityānanda

śrī-advaita gadādhara

śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma

rāma rāma hare hare

Before speaking on the verses already quoted by my disciples, I may be permitted to read a portion of my preface to the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. Those who are my . . . our Life Members, they have got the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, First Canto, Part One. There he will find this preface. But for general information as to the need of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, I may read a portion of it.

(reads) "We must know the present need of human society. And what is that need? Human society is no longer bounded by geographical limits." Just like we are traveling all over the world, not only once, but twice, thrice in a year. Because there is facility for traveling the airways, so it has become very easy to go from country to country. And practically, while I am in India, all my disciples are coming here from different parts of the world every morning. There are facilities now. Therefore the world is now not limited by geographical condition. Anyone can go anywhere very swiftly. You can go to London from Bombay within nine hours. So the world is not bounded any more by geographical limits to the particular countries or communities."

"Human society is broader than in the Middle Age, and the world tendency is towards one state of human society." There is already the United Nation. In New York they have constructed a big organization, establishment, United Nation. But actually, when we pass through that road—I think it is First Avenue—instead of being united, the flags of the nations are increasing. They are becoming disunited. Just like in India our independence movement was started by Mahatma Gandhijī for uniting all the different section of the people. But actually, the result was that instead of being united, India was partitioned."

"And the partition has become so poisonous that formerly there was only sporadic Hindu-Muslim riots in some place; now there is organized fighting between Pakistan and Hindustan. So although the tendency is to unite, but in fact it is not being united. They are becoming disunited more and more. Not only the Hindus and Muslims, now in India there are many provincial questions. Just like in Andhra the fight is going on for separation. Punjab is already separated. So actually we are not being united; we are being separated."

So "The ideals of human society is broader than in the Middle Age, and the world tendency is towards one state or one human society. The ideals of spiritual communism, according to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, are based more or less on the oneness of the entire human society, nay, on the entire energy of living beings." This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for not only uniting the human society but also all living entities. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ.

vidyā-vinaya sampanne

brāhmaṇe gavi hastini

śuni caiva śva-pāke ca

paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

(BG 5.18)

When one is actually paṇḍita, learned, he becomes sama-darśī. Vidyā-vinaya-sampanne: one learned brahmin, gentle brahmin, vidyā dadāti namratā. Education means one becomes gentle, sober, cool-headed. Therefore it is said, vidya-vinaya-sampanne. When one is learned, advanced in education, he must be very gentle, not haughty. So vidyā-vinaya-sampanne gavi hastini. And one side, the brāhmin with gentle behavior, learned scholarship, and the other side, an animal, say, a cow or a dog or an elephant, and another side the caṇḍāla, the lowest of the human society.

According to Vedic civilization, the dog-eaters are called caṇḍāla. Just like in Hindu society, a person is not permitted to eat cow's flesh. Even in human society, although they are eating different types of flesh, one is considered abominable than the other. The cow-eaters are taken as abominable than the goat-eaters. And the dog-eaters are accepted as abominable than the goat-eaters. So although they are eating flesh, they have got some distinction. That is material.

But according to Vaiṣṇava philosophy, because a Vaiṣṇava sees every living entity—not only human being, not only animals, birds and beasts, anyone—paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). If one is actually learned and advanced, he sees all living entities on the equal status because . . . the reason is that a learned Vaiṣṇava . . . Vaiṣṇava, brāhmin-vaiṣṇava, brāhmin-paṇḍita, these are the designations. A brāhmin cannot be illiterate or rascal. And after becoming brāhmin, one has to become Vaiṣṇava. brāhmin, generally, brahma jānātīti brāhmin: one who knows brahma, brahma-bhūtaḥ.

At the present moment we are under the bodily concept of life, every one of us. "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am brāhmin," "I am kṣatriya," "I am sannyāsī," "I am brahmacārī," "I am gṛhastha . . ." There are so many designations. So these designations are pertaining to the body and mind. But when you transcend the bodily and the mental concept of life, then you can become Vaiṣṇava.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu

mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

(BG 18.54)

Mad-bhakti. Vaiṣṇava means bhakta, devotee. So this Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-bhāgavatam or Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for devotee. Without becoming devotee, one cannot become Kṛṣṇa conscious. The nondevotees . . .

(aside) Water.

The nondevotees accept Kṛṣṇa as ordinary person. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Because Kṛṣṇa comes before you as a human being, therefore because one has not sufficient knowledge about Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ, therefore such foolish person accepts Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being—or a little greater than ordinary human being. But that is not the fact. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam: "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." That is the verdict of Vedic instruction. Ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28).

There is a list of incarnation of God in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Lord Buddha is also accepted as śaktyāveśa avatāra, especially empowered incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. Although Buddhism, we do not accept the philosophy of Buddhism—we Vaiṣṇava, we do not accept—but we accept Lord Buddha as incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. Keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. Sadaya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātam (Daśāvatāra Stotra 7). Lord Buddha appeared, being very much compassionate on the matter of animal slaughter. As nowadays animal slaughter is going on without any check, similarly, sometime before, about 2,500 years ago, in India the same condition prevailed.

Vedic civilization is very liberal. According to Vedic civilization, the king has to give protection to all the prajās. Prajā means one who has taken birth in his kingdom. Prajāyate. So the animal is also prajā of the government. The trees are also prajā of the government. So formerly nobody could slaughter an animal, nobody can cut even a tree without reason, without sanction by the Vedic injunction. At the present moment in our country . . . this Bhārata-varṣa is called puṇya-bhūmi. Actually it is so, because on this land all the great saintly persons appeared. The incarnation of God, Lord Rāmacandra, Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Buddhadeva, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and all the big, big ācāryas—Śaṅkarācārya, Śrī Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī . . . so . . . Vyāsadeva . . . all of them appeared on this sacred land of Bhārata-varṣa.

But the present Bhārata-varṣa has degraded so much that we have lost our Vedic culture. We are now eating meat. We are eating . . . drinking wine, and we are having illicit sex life and indulging in gambling. This is India's position. It is due to this Kali-yuga. Otherwise, the land is puṇya-bhūmi. Because the land is puṇya-bhūmi, therefore in spite of so much fallen condition, still, you are anxious to hear about Kṛṣṇa. You ladies and gentlemen who have come here, sacrificing your time, why? Because still the Vedic culture is twinkling within your heart, and you are anxious to hear about Kṛṣṇa, to hear about Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Even somebody wants to cheat you, but because it is advertised in the name of Bhagavad-gītā, many people flock here.

So bhārata-bhūmi is puṇya-bhūmi, the land of piety. We should understand this. After many pious activities . . . I have traveled all over the world. They have got enough money, enough material facilities, but still, the Vedic culture is different. It is so high. And it is taken still in estimation, in adoration, all over the world. So my request, especially to the Indians, that do not neglect your culture, the Vedic culture. Vedic culture means Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no other different meaning of Vedic culture. In the Bhagavad-gītā you have seen:

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo

mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca

vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam . . .

(BG 15.15)

Kṛṣṇa is to be understood. Vedic culture means to understand Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa. Vedic culture . . . all the Vedas, they are meaning how to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva. Vedānta. Vedānta means . . . Veda means knowledge, and anta means the end. There is . . . everything has got the ultimate, the supreme summum bonum. The summum bonum of Vedic knowledge or Vedānta is Kṛṣṇa. So that Vedānta knowledge, Kṛṣṇa personified, He is explaining Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Everyone is searching after God: "Where is God? What is God? What is the meaning of God? What God does? What is the power of God?" So many things. So everything is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, what is God. Sarvasya . . . in the Vedānta-sūtra it is said what is God. That is the first question of the Vedānta-sūtra: athāto brahma jijñāsā. The human life especially meant for inquiring about God. Unfortunately, people, instead of inquiring God, they are very much eager now to inquire about dog. This is the position. There are big, big dog shows in India. At the present moment we have seen many places.

So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to revive the Vedic culture. And the Vedic culture, another name of Vedic culture is sanātana-dharma. Sanātana means eternal, and dharma means characteristic. Dharma generally in English is translated "religion." Religion means a kind of faith: "I believe in such-and-such faith"—"I believe in the Muhammadan faith," "I believe in Christian faith," "I believe in Buddha faith." But actually, dharma does not mean faith. Dharma means characteristic. What is that characteristic? Just like every thing, every little item, has got its characteristic. Just like take for example chili: it is very hot. The more the chili is hot, it is good. But if the sugar becomes hot like chili, immediately rejected. But if the chili is hot, you accept, "It is good chili." Similarly, dharma means characteristics of the living entity. That is dharma.

The living entity is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūta jīva-loke sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). Sanātana means eternal. God is eternal sanātana, we are eternal sanātana, and there is an eternal place also. This material world is not eternal. The characteristics of this material world is that it appears at a certain date, it continues to stay for a certain period, it develops, then it dwindles and then vanishes. Just like our body, your body, my body: It has got a date of appearance. It is growing, or changing from one shape to another. It will stay for some time. From this body, some by-products will come out, sons and daughters, and then it will become old, dwindling, diminishing, and then it will vanish. One day it will come—no more this body.

Similarly, this material world is also like that. It is a gigantic body only. Whole cosmic manifestation has a date of its creation. It is expanding and it is giving so many by-products. Then time will come which is called devastation—there will be no more rain, and everything will dry up. All living entities will die. Then there will be devastating rainfall. Everything will be absorbed in water and then vanish. We have got this information from Vedic literature. So this is not sanātana-dhāma. This is not eternal dhāma. This is temporary. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). It comes into existence and it disappears; therefore it is not sanātana-dhāma.

But there is another dhāma, sanātana, eternal. That is also, there is information in the Bhagavad-gītā. Paras tasmāt tu bhāva anya 'vyaktya 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). So there is sanātana-dhāma, the living entity is sanātana, and God is sanātana, Kṛṣṇa is sanātana. So these three sanātana . . . just like we have our dealings. In Bombay there are so many businessmen. The place is Bombay, and two parties, business parties, they are dealing. Similarly . . . but these are all temporary. Our staying in Bombay city is temporary. The dealing is temporary. But there is another place, which is called sanātana-dhāma. That place is eternal, and the parties, namely God and the living entities, both of them eternal; their dealing also eternal. That eternal dealing is called nitya-līlā, eternal pastimes. These descriptions are there in the Vedic saṁhitā, Brahma-saṁhitā.

cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-

lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam

lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.29)

Govinda has dealing. That dealing He represents exactly when He comes, when He appears on this planet, and that dealing is exhibited in Vṛndāvana-dhāma. You know Vṛndāvana-dhāma. When Kṛṣṇa comes . . . about forty-three crores of years' interval Kṛṣṇa comes. This estimation, these things are there. Kṛṣṇa comes in one day of Brahmā. The duration of Brahmā's day you know, that is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). This means forty-three lakhs of years multiplied by one thousand. That is the duration of one day of Brahmā. And similarly, the duration of his night. So Kṛṣṇa comes in one day during that duration.

So when Kṛṣṇa comes, He comes here the same place, Vṛndāvana. Therefore Vṛndāvana is held in so much estimation by the devotees. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayaḥ. Ārādhya, worshipable Deity, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, who appeared as the son of Mahārāja Nanda. Vrajeśa. Ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayas tad-dhāma vṛndāvanam. Similarly, His place Vṛndāvana is also worshipable; therefore those who are Vaiṣṇavas, especially Gauḍīya-Vaiṣṇava, they live in Vṛndāvana in numbers. There are hundreds and thousands of Gauḍīya-Vaiṣṇava still living in Vṛndāvana because they worship the land, Vṛndāvana, as good as Kṛṣṇa, because it is Kṛṣṇa's place.

So the sanātana-dhāma . . . Vṛndāvana is also part of the sanātana-dhāma. The living entity is sanātana, eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). We do not die after destruction of this body. This is the preliminary instruction to understand Vedic knowledge, or spiritual knowledge. If you do not understand the plain fact that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul. I live within this body . . ." Dehino' smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Dehina. Dehina means the proprietor of the body. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhiyate (BG 13.2).

This śarīra, this body, is called kṣetra, and the person, or the living entity, who is working on this body, he is called kṣetra-jña. Those who have read Bhagavad-gītā, they have come to this understanding of kṣetra and kṣetra-jña. Ksetre-jña means I, you. I know about my body, about the interest of my body. If somebody wants to kill me, I take protection because it is my body, kṣetra. Just like your land, if somebody comes to encroach upon it, you take care. Similarly, this body is kṣetra, the field of activities, and I or you, the proprietor of the body, is kṣetra-jña, one who knows about the body.

But there is another kṣetra-jña. That is Kṛṣṇa. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: ksetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata. Sarva-kṣetreṣu. Kṛṣṇa is also kṣetra-jña, Kṛṣṇa is also sitting . . . as I am sitting within this body, similarly, Kṛṣṇa is also sitting within this body.

īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati

bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni

yantrārūḍhāni māyayā

(BG 18.61)

He is directing. Actually, under His instruction we are taking permission. Just like you do business in your business office, establishment, but you have to take permission, license, from the government. It is very easy to understand. Although you are proprietor of the business, you cannot do anything without being permitted by the government. Similarly, although this body is yours—you are the proprietor of this body, you have been given freedom to utilize the body to your best interest—still, you cannot do anything without the permission of Kṛṣṇa.

That is the subject matter to understand spiritual life. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi . . . Kṛṣṇa confirms this in Bhagavad-gītā. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo (BG 15.15): "I am entered in everyone's body." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca: "Through Me, one remembers and one forgets." Because our capacity is very limited. We forget very soon. Even we do not know two hours before what we were doing. So that is our nature. Therefore Kṛṣṇa helps us from within. Even though we forget, Kṛṣṇa does not forget. That is also there in the Bhagavad-gītā. When Arjuna asked Him, "Kṛṣṇa, You say that You gave instruction on Bhagavad-gītā long, long ago, some forty thousands of millions of years ago, to sun-god. How can I believe it, because we are contemporary?" So Kṛṣṇa answered, "Yes, at that time you were also present, but you have forgotten. I have not forgotten."

That is the distinction between ordinary living being and the Supreme Being. The Supreme Being is also nitya. The Supreme Being is also conscious, as we are eternal, nitya, and conscious. That is the statement of the Vedas. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He is the supreme conscious. He is the supreme living being. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is person. Kṛṣṇa is not imperson. Impersonal feature is one of the partial manifestation of Kṛṣṇa. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: brahmaṇo ahaṁ pratiṣṭhā. Kṛṣṇa is the basis of Brahman. But the original Brahman is Kṛṣṇa, Para-brahman, as Arjuna accepted: paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12).

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is India's movement, because it was started from India. It is meant for everyone, because every living entity is sanātana, eternal. It is not that only Indians are eternal. Everyone is eternal. Even the animals, they are also eternal. They have got different body according to their karma. Therefore paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). The paṇḍita does not see the outward dress. As if we talk with you, I do not see what kind of dress you have got—I talk with you as gentleman—similarly, a paṇḍita sees the inner soul. He does not see the outward dress, that "Here is a human being" or "Here is an American," "Here is an Indian," "Here is a brāhmin," or "Here is an elephant" or "dog" or "caṇḍāla" or "tree." No. He sees only the spirit soul, the part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as one sees the part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, he immediately remembers Kṛṣṇa.

So therefore one who is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even though he sees a tree, immediately he sees Kṛṣṇa. But as soon as he sees the tree, he understands that "This tree is standing here for seven thousands of years according to his karma, but here is a living entity, and this living entity is the part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa." And as soon as he remembers Kṛṣṇa, he sees Kṛṣṇa. Just try to understand. Therefore a mahā-bhāgavata, advanced devotee, he sees everything, but in everything he sees Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's energy. That is perfection of life. That is brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20) life, realization of Brahman in everything. He understand himself, he understands others. Just like when there is sunrise . . . in the darkness of night I cannot see you properly, neither you can see me properly. Suppose if the streets are dark, we cannot see, even we pass very near. Similarly, in darkness of ignorance, we do not know actually what is our position. But as in the daytime, when there is sunrise, you can see the sun, you can see the world, you can see yourself, you can see your friend, you can see the whole world . . . therefore we have to see Kṛṣṇa. Then this stage will come.

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne

brāhmaṇe gavi hastini

śuni caiva śva-pāke ca

paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

(BG 5.18)

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for this purpose, that one can see in terms of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "In terms of Kṛṣṇa consciousness" means that every living entity is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūta (BG 15.7): "All these living entity, they are My part and parcel." In another place He says:

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya

sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ

tāsāṁ mahad-yonir brahma

ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

(BG 14.4)

So Kṛṣṇa is the ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. Just like the father gives the bīja, yoni . . . the mother is the yoni, and the father is the bīja. Yathā bījaṁ yathā yoni. We get our body by the bīja and yoni. Similarly, this material world is the yoni, mother, and the Kṛṣṇa is the bīja. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. So in this way different forms of life are coming—8,400,000 species of life.

So they are all sanātana. All these living entities are sanātana. But on account of their forgetfulness, being diverted, misled by the illusory energy, māyayā apahṛta-jñānam . . . that is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Na māṁ prapadyante mūḍhā duṣkṛtino narādhamāḥ, māyayā apahṛta-jñānam (BG 7.15). Their jñāna, their knowledge, has been taken away by māyā; therefore they do not understand Kṛṣṇa. Na māṁ prapadyante mūḍhā. "Because they are foolish rascal, therefore māyā has taken their knowledge, and therefore," na māṁ prapadyante, "They do not surrender unto Me." Therefore Kṛṣṇa's last instruction is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66).

So we shall gradually discuss all these points. The preliminary is that at the present moment, although we are trying to be united: United Nation, united society, united religion, united . . . so many things we are trying to be united—Communism, united community . . . but this unity can be possible only when we are actually learned in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne

brāhmaṇe gavi hastini

śuni caiva śva-pāke ca

paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

(BG 5.18)

One has to become learned. And the process of learning is not very difficult. It is very easy, especially for the men of this age. That is this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. If you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, is it very difficult for you? God has given you tongue. We are talking so many things, whole day and night. But if we utilize this tongue for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, what is the loss there? That is the injunction of the śāstras. Kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). Caitanya Mahāprabhu preached this cult.

ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ

. . . vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam

ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ

sarvātma-snapanaṁ paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam

(CC Antya 20.12)

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spreading this cult of Kṛṣṇa understanding . . .

(break) . . . and we have got very good scheme of communism, as I have stated here in this . . .

(reads) "The ideals of spiritual communism, according to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, are based more or less on the oneness of the entire human society, nay, on the entire energy of the living beings." This is spiritual communism. The Communist cult is concentrating on the state. That is also limited. Not only on the state; there are so many limitations. Actual communism is this:

vidyā-vinaye-sampanne

brāhmaṇe gavi hastini

śuni caiva śva-pāke ca

paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

(BG 5.18)

Paṇḍitāḥ sama, when we see equally, not only the learned brahmin . . . the learned brahmin or the elephant or the cow or the dog or the caṇḍāla. No matter. Whatever the bodily condition is there, the spiritual condition is the same. Paṇḍitāḥ sama . . . this samatā, this communism, equality, is perfect. Their modern theory of communism, that "I am good, my brother is good, and all bad," this is not communism. When we are . . . we can see that, "I am good, my brother good, the dog is good, the cat is good, the Englishman is good, the every living entity is good," that is communism. That is perfect communism.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, or the Bhāgavata-dharma, there is ideal communism. You will find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the Seventh Canto, Nārada Muni is giving . . . instructing to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira about this communism that, "A gṛhastha, before taking lunch, he must see that every insect, every lizard, every cat, every rat . . . (break) . . . even a snake in that house must have been fed, must have taken their food." This is so hospitable that the householder, the owner of the house, not only see that his wife, children, servants are well-fed, but even the rats, cats or the insect or the lizard, or even the snake has got his food. This is the ideal of communism.

Because when you are paṇḍita, learned, you cannot distinguish that "This is animal and this is human being." You can treat them differently because their consciousness is . . . but on the basic principle the living entity—any living entity—it doesn't matter whether it is animal or man, he is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. So you cannot kill one living entity for the satisfaction of the tongue of other . . . (end)