750519 - Lecture SB - Melbourne

Lectures by Date, 1975

Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this lecture

750519SB-MELBOURNE - May 19, 1975 - 49:01 Minutes

Prabhupāda: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (devotees repeat)

(Video - 07:26)

Hmm. This is a conversation between Mahārāja Parīkṣit and Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Mahārāja Parīkṣit, five thousand years ago he was the emperor of the whole world. Formerly, up to five thousand years ago, the whole world was being controlled and ruled over by kings whose capital was Hastināpura, New Delhi. There was only one flag, only one ruler, one scripture, Vedic scripture, and the Āryans. Ārya, they were the civilized persons. You Europeans, Americans, you are also Āryans, Indo-European stock. Mahārāja Yayāti, grandson of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, he gave to his two sons the portion of Eastern Europe, Greek and Roman. That is the history, Mahābhārata. Mahābhārata means great India. So there was no different religion. One religion: Vedic religion. Vedic religion means to accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the Supreme Person, Absolute Truth. This is Vedic religion. Those who have read Bhagavad-gītā . . . it is said there in the Fifteenth Chapter, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). Vedic knowledge means to understand God. This is Vedic religion.

Later on, with the progress of Kali-yuga . . . Kali-yuga means the dark age, or the sinful age, or the age for argument, unnecessary talks and fight. This is called Kali-yuga. That is going on. Since the last five thousand years, the Kali-yuga has begun, and the beginning of Kali-yuga was cow-slaughtering. When Mahārāja Parīkṣit was touring all over the world, he saw one black man was attempting to kill one cow. And Mahārāja Parīkṣit saw this and immediately . . . the cow was trembling for being slaughtered. And Mahārāja Parīkṣit saw, "Who is this man, trying to kill a cow in my kingdom?" So immediately he took his sword. That is kṣatriya. Kṣatriya means that . . . kṣat means injury, and trāyate—it is called kṣatriya. There are persons who want to do harm to others. It has increased now. But during the time of Mahārāja Parīkṣit's time, it was not allowed. The king is responsible. The government is responsible that any one of his subject, either animal or man, he is not disturbed; he feels secure of his property, of his person. And it is the duty of kṣatriya to save, to protect. This was the system of government.

So that's a long story. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was very pious. That was the system. A king, monarch, is supposed to give protection everyone within the kingdom. It doesn't matter whether he is man or animal. Even trees. There was no law, unnecessarily cutting or killing. No. Actually, if you are reasonable, national . . . national means anyone who is born in that land. At the present moment the governments take care of the man only, not of the animals. What is this nationalism? What the animal has done that they should not be protected? So this is called Kali-yuga, the sinful age. Sinful age. That is increasing. That is increasing. But during Mahārāja Parīkṣit's time, nobody could do anything injustice. Therefore it is said in the śāstra that kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ (SB 1.10.4). Because everything was right, the nature's way of giving us all comforts, all necessaries of life, that was also complete. As soon as you become injurious or harmful or disobedient to the laws of the king or God . . . king is supposed to be representative of God. Therefore, in India the king is accepted as the representative of God. So formerly the kings were trained up in such a way that one man is sufficient to govern the whole universe, whole . . . at least one planet. That was the system. The king was so pious. There are many, I mean to say, statements about these king. Why they were pious? Because they were also governed. The kings were governed by first-class brāhmaṇas, sages. The brāhmaṇas should not take part in the management of the government, but they would advise the kṣatriya kings that "You rule over the citizens like this." If the king would not do that, the brāhmaṇas had so much power—there are many instances—they will dethrone the king or kill him. But they will not occupy the power themselves. His son will be given the chance. This was the system.

So that Parīkṣit Mahārāja was condemned to death within seven days. That is also very nice, interesting. Not interesting very much; it is very sorry plight, that Parīkṣit Mahārāja was cursed by a brāhmaṇa boy to die within seven days, bitten by a snake. What was the incident? The incident was that Mahārāja Parīkṣit was in the forest, hunting. Hunting is allowed only to the kṣatriya kings. Because they were to rule over, and formerly the rogues and rascals by the order of king or king himself would kill him immediately, so they had to practice how to kill. And that practice was done by hunting some ferocious animal in the forest, not for eating. Nowadays hunting is going on for eating purpose. No, that is not the law. So Mahārāja Parīkṣit was in the hunting excursion and he became very thirsty. So he entered one āśrama of saintly person. He was at that time meditation. So he entered, and he asked him, "Give me drinking water. I am very thirsty." He thought, "It is āśrama." But the sage who was engaged in meditation could not hear him. So the king became little disgusted, that "I am king. I am asking water, and this man is silent." So he became little enraged, and there was a dead snake. So he took that snake and coiled over his neck and went away.

So his one boy, he was ten, twelve years old. He was playing, and his friends told him that "The king has insulted your father in this way." And the boy became very angry, "Oh, the king is so rude that he has insulted my father." He saw that a dead snake is over his neck. He immediately cursed Mahārāja Parīkṣit that "You will die within seven days, bitten by a snake." So when he was crying very loudly and this, I mean to say, sound was going on, the saintly person, the sage, he got up. "What has happened, my dear boy, you are crying?" "No, no. The king has insulted you, so I have cursed him." Oh, he became very sorry, that "You have cursed such a saintly king? Oh, you have brought defamation to the whole brāhmaṇa community. You have allowed Kali-yuga to come in. It is the Kali-yuga's conspiracy." Anyway, he sent the news to the king that "My son foolishly has cursed you. This is . . . but what can I do? It is God's wish. It has been done. So you be prepared." Now, just see, even a boy born of a brāhmaṇa, how much he was powerful, if a ten years boy old, he could curse such a great king and he had to abide by that. This was the condition of kṣatriya, brāhmaṇa and, I mean to say, vaiśya and śūdra. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). The human society, by the will of God there are four classes of men. The first class is the brāhmaṇa; the second class, the kṣatriya; the third class, the vaiśyas; and all others, fourth class, śūdras.

So at the present moment, practically there is no brāhmaṇa, no kṣatriya, no vaiśya, only śūdras, fourth-class men. So you cannot expect any happiness guided by the fourth-class men. That is not possible. Therefore throughout the whole world there is chaotic condition. Nobody is happy. So this is essential that the human society must be divided into four divisions. The brāhmaṇa class means the first-class ideal men, so that by the seeing their character, their behavior, others will try to follow. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ (BG 3.21). So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are trying to create some first-class men. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this movement. So therefore we have got these rules and regulation: no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling. This is the preliminary qualification of a first-class man. So we are trying our bit to make some men ideal first-class men. But formerly it was there. Catur . . .

Still there is. You don't think that all men are of the same intelligence or same category. No. Still there is intelligent class of men. Just like those who are scientists or philosophers, religionist, they are supposed to be first-class men. But unfortunately, now nobody can recognize who is first class and last class. So for proper management of the whole society the first-class, second-class, third-class men must be there. Just like in your body there are different parts of the body: the head, the arm, the belly and the leg. This is natural. So without head, if we have simply the arms and belly and legs, it is a dead body. So unless you are guided, the human society, by the first-class men, the whole society is dead society. There must be division according to cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma . . . (BG 4.13). Not by birth, but by quality. So anyone can be trained up first class, second class, as he likes. That is called civilization.

Some men should be trained up as first-class men, some men should be trained up as second-class men, and some men should be trained up as third-class men, and balance, who cannot be trained up, they can assist the other three higher class. That is called śūdra. So . . .

(break) . . . that is not possible. A human being, if he is properly trained up, if he is willing to take the instruction, he can be made first class. Never mind. By birth one may be born in a low class, it doesn't matter. But by training, he can become first class. That is the injunction of the Bhagavad-gītā.

māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya

ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ

striyaḥ śūdrāḥ tathā vaiśyā

te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim

(BG 9.32)

Parāṁ gatim. Parāṁ gatim means to go back to home, back to Godhead—that is our real home, the spiritual world—and live there eternally, blissfully, with full knowledge. That is our real position. So here we have come in this material world for material enjoyment. And the more we are making plan for material enjoyment, the more we are becoming entangled. That we do not know. They are thinking that material sense enjoyment is the aim of life. No, that is not the aim of life. That is the way to become more and more entangled.

For sense enjoyment I have got this now body, Indian body; you have got this Australian or American or European body. But you have to change this body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). We are eternal. Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit (BG 2.20). The soul does not take birth, neither it dies. We simply change body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. Just like we are changing our body.

In mother's womb we had a small body. It grows, and we come out. Again it grows. Grows . . . it is not actually growing; it is changing. The child is changing his body to baby, the baby is changing his body to boy, and the boy is changing his body to youthhood. Then . . . in this way you are changing body. That you have got experience. You had a child's body—you remember. Or you had a boy's body—you remember. But the body is no longer existing. But you are existing. Therefore the conclusion is that when this body will be no more fit for existing we shall have to accept another body. This is called tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ. So we have to change. That is nature's law. The soul is immortal. Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). The soul is not finished; simply a particular type of body being finished. No. The people do not know it. And because they are simply engaged in sinful activities, their brain has become so dull that they cannot understand this simple truth that as you are changing body in this life, therefore you will change this body to another life. This is very simple truth. But at the advancement of material civilization, we have become so dull and rascal that we cannot understand it.

But India still, although it is so fallen, you go to a remote village: a common man, he has no education, he believes. He believes. And here in the Western countries, I saw many, many big, big professors, they have no idea. I met one big professor, Kotovsky, in Moscow. He said, "Swāmījī, after finishing this body, everything is finished." Just see. He is a big professor and in charge of a very big department, Indology. He has no idea. But this is not the fact. The fact is that we are all sparks, spiritual spark, part and parcel of God. Somehow or other, we have come into this material world for sense enjoyment. In the spiritual world there is no sense enjoyment. There is sense purification. In the material world the senses are impure. They simply want to enjoy material things. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness means that you have to purify your senses. That is the way.

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ

tat-paratvena nirmalam

hṛṣīkena hṛṣīkeśa-

sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate

(CC Madhya 19.170)

This bhakti means that we have to clear ourself from the designations. What is that designation? Everyone is thinking, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am European," "I am Australian," "I am cat," "I am dog, "I am this," "I am that"—bodily. We have to cleanse this bodily conception of life, that "I am not this body." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am spirit soul." This we have to realize. Then there will be no distinction that "Here is an American, here is an Australian, here is an Hindu, here is a Muslim, here is a tree, here . . ." No. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Paṇḍitāḥ means learned, one who knows things as they are. For them,

vidyā-vinaya-sampanne

brāhmaṇe gavi hastini

śuni caiva śva-pāke ca

paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

(BG 5.18)

A person, very learned, vidyā, and very gentle . . . vidyā means, educated means, he is gentle, sober. He is not rogues and ruffian. That is vidyā. That is the test of education. He must be very educa . . . sober and silent. That is called gentleman, in one word.

So vidyā-vinaya, one gentleman, very learned scholar, vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi, and a cow, and hasti, an elephant, vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini, and śuni—śuni means dog—and śvapāk . . . śvapāk means a dog-eater. There are many persons, they prefer to eat different types of flesh. But one who eats the dog's flesh, he is considered to be very lower class. So śuni caiva śva-pāke ca paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). One who is paṇḍita, learned, he sees every one, them, on the same level. What is that same level? Spirit soul. He does not see the outward body. That is called brahma-darśina. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ. And if one becomes situated in that position,

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu

mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

(BG 18.54)

When one is self-realized that he is not this body, he is the spirit soul, brahma-bhūtaḥ, then what are the symptoms? Now, prasannātmā: he becomes immediately very jolly.

So long we are materially engrossed, bodily concept of life, there will be always anxiety. This is the test. Anyone who is in anxiety, means he is materially situated. And anyone who is elevated to the spiritual platform, he is prasannātmā. He is jolly. What is the meaning of prasannātmā? Na śocati na kāṅkṣati: he does not want anything, and if anything he has got, if is lost, he does not cry for it. That's all. Here in the material world we are hankering after something which we do not possess. And if we possess something, if it is lost, then we cry. Two business: śocana and ākāṅkṣa. Everyone is trying to be very big man. That is called ākāṅkṣa. And if he is lost of his possession, then he cries. So these two things will be finished if you become spiritually situated.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu . . .

(BG 18.54)

Unless one is spiritually realized, he cannot see equally everyone. Then, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām. Then one can become real devotee of the Lord, after surpassing the brahma-bhūtaḥ stage.

So this bhakti line is not so easy. But (Video - 19:15 splice) by Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy we have installed the Deity here in your country. You are very fortunate that Caitanya Mahāprabhu has come to your country to teach you how you become free of all anxieties. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Everyone is full of anxiety, but everyone can be free from all the anxieties if he follows the path chalked out by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And what is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction? Very simple.

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam

kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā

(CC Adi 17.21)

This is not Caitanya Mahāprabhu's personal version. This is in the scripture, Vedic scripture, Bṛhan-Nāradīya-Purāṇa. This instruction is there. As people are fallen in this age, the method also has been offered very simple. They cannot follow any strong or severe austerities. It is not possible. They have been recommended simply to chant the holy name of God. That's all. Anyone can do. It is not difficult at all. Then if you say that "You are from India. Your Caitanya is Indian, and He is recommending Hare Kṛṣṇa. Why shall I chant? I have got my own God," all right, if you have got your own God, then you chant His name. Caitanya Mahāprabhu doesn't say that you chant simply Kṛṣṇa's name. If you have got any relationship with God, and if you know His name and address, (laughter) then you chant His name. Unfortunately, you do not know who is God; neither you know His address, neither His activities. So take this Kṛṣṇa. Here is a solid name. And we give you His address, His father's name, His mother's name, everything. So if you have got your own God's name, Caitanya Mahāprabhu said you can chant. Have you got any name, anyone, God's name? Nobody knows?

Devotee: Jehovah.

Prabhupāda: Jehovah. All right, you chant Jehovah. So that is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's recommendation, that if you think that this is God's name, you chant. Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktiḥ tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ (CC Antya 20.16, Śikṣāṣṭaka 2)). This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction, that name of . . . holy name of God is as good as God. We cannot see God. We can see, but not immediately. When we are advanced we can see God, talk with Him. But because we are not competent now, so if we know this is the name of God, let us chant it. That's all. Is it very difficult job? Anyone will say it is very difficult job? Chant the name of . . . holy name of God. Then what will happen? Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Your, if you chant the holy name of God, then your heart, which is considered to be mirror . . . just like you see your face on the mirror, similarly, you can see your position on the mirror of the heart, core of the heart. You can see. That is called meditation.

So at the present moment our heart is covered with the dust of material conception: "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am this," "I am that," "I am that." This is all dust. You have to cleanse this. Just like on the mirror if there is a layer of dust you cleanse it. Then you see your real face. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam: "By chanting the holy name of the Lord, you will gradually cleanse the dust which is covering the core of your heart." Very simple thing. Go on chanting. And then what will be the position? Bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam: "This blazing fire of anxieties of material existence will be over immediately." Simply by this method, chanting. If you have got any name, if you have got objection to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, so whatever name of God you know, you chant. This is our movement. We don't say that you have to . . . but this is accepted by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that harer nama (CC Adi 17.21). So if you have no objection, you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. And if you think that "The Hare Kṛṣṇa is imported from India. We shall not chant," all right, you chant your own God's name. Where is the objection? But chant the name of, holy name of God. That is our propaganda.

Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). And as soon as you become cleansed of your heart, then the anxiety . . . na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 12.17). You'll gradually increase. Then you will understand that "I am neither American, neither Indian, nor cat, nor dog, but I am the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord." Then, if you understand that you are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, then you will understand your business. Just like in your body you have got so many parts and parcels. You have got the hands, you have got the legs, you have got the head, you have got the fingers, you have got the ear, you have got the nose—so many parts. So what is the business of all these parts of your body? The business of parts of the body: to maintain the body properly, to serve the body. Just like this finger is there. I am feeling some incomfort; immediately my finger comes and serves, automatically. Therefore the conclusion is that it is the business of the part and parcel of God to serve God. That is the only business, natural business. So when you are engaged in the service of the Lord, because you understand—by chanting the holy names Lord you will understand who is Lord and what is His advice, what does He want service from me—then you will be engaged in that service. That is the perfection of your life. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇam. And as soon as you become cleansed of all dirty things, then your actual progress of life begins.

Just like kairava-candrikā, just like the moon, on the first day it is just like a line, then gradually increases—the body and the moonshine increases. Therefore this comparison is given. The more you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, the shining of your life increases. Śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam. Then this life will be full of knowledge. Vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam. Ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. And to increase the life of knowledge means ananda. Ānanda means pleasure. We want pleasure. So you will get more and more pleasing life. Ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. And prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanam: and every step of life, as we are . . . in the material way of life we are experienced only unpleasure, difficulties, the just opposite. Ānandāmbudhi-vard . . . āmbudhi means the ocean. So this ocean does not increase, but when you come to the spiritual ocean of ānanda, blissfulness, it will increase daily. Just like these boys. They are coming from Europe, America. They are not Indians. But why they are sticking to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement unless they are increasing their transcendental pleasure? They are not fools and rascals. They are educated. Why they have taken to this? Ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. It is increasing their transcendental pleasure.

So anyone who takes to this process, he will increase his ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. Prati-padam pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanam: and he will be able to taste what is the meaning of life, what is the meaning of pleasure. Paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam: "All glories to the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra."

So this is the process. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spreading this knowledge as far as possible, and by Kṛṣṇa's grace we have got this temple in Melbourne, and it is all very creditful to our disciple Śrīman Madhudviṣa Swami. And you take advantage of it. That is my only request. If you do not do anything, simply come and join chanting, you will gradually know very soon. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). The . . . Kṛṣṇa, His name, His form, His activities, His qualities, we cannot understand with these blunt material senses. It is not possible. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ. "Then? We have got this only possession, indriyas. How we shall understand?" Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. If you engage your senses in the service of the Lord, svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ, then Kṛṣṇa will reveal to you that "Here I am." This is the process. Now this word is very significant, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. Jihvā means tongue. If you simply engage your tongue in the service of the Lord, you will gradually develop. So how to engage the tongue? It is not said that "If you see, or if you touch, if you smell." No: "If you taste." So what is the business of the tongue? The business of the tongue—that we can taste nice foodstuff and we can vibrate. Do these two jobs. Vibrate with your tongue Hare Kṛṣṇa, and take as much as possible prasādam. (laughter) And you become a devotee.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

(text from Video inserted here)

Madhudviṣa: Do you want to have any questions, or . . . (Śrīla Prabhupāda nods his head) If there are any questions . . . (break)

(end inserted text)

Madhudviṣa: Is it possible for a dog-eater to become a first-class man?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Engage this tongue for these two business: chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and take prasādam. He will forget dog-eating. (laughter) There is no exception. Everyone can become Kṛṣṇa conscious if he follows, beginning, these two rules: chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and take prasādam. That's all. Test it. Make a trial. The temple is here. We are inviting. Come here. Do these two business. And our Madhudviṣa Mahārāja is ready to give you prasādam and chance for dancing and singing. That's all. Where is the difficulty? You haven't got to pay for it. No loss. If there is any gain, why don't you try it?

Madhudviṣa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, why is it necessary for someone to come here and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and take prasādam?

Prabhupāda: Just to . . . because here is the center. Everything is being done properly. You will learn. Just like you have to go to school or college to learn. So just similarly, if you have to take the education of spiritual life, they will come here and see how people are doing, ideal. And you should be ideal. If you are not ideal, then it will be useless to open center. You behave nicely, they will come, they will see, and they will learn. If you go to some school and the professors are rascals, then what you will learn? It is both, reciprocal. You shall act as professor, teachers. Your life should be ideal, and they will come and see, and they will learn.

Girl devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda, if the kings were taught to govern the whole universe, does that mean all the worlds, all the worlds in the universe?

Madhudviṣa: She's just wondering how it would be possible for one king to rule the whole world. It seems like it is very difficult. Nowadays we have so many leaders, and they cannot manage . . .

Prabhupāda: Forget that. Why you are thinking that you cannot rule over, therefore others cannot? You are thinking in your term. But there are. That is possible. So that is not our field of activities. It is others', politics and . . . but let us . . . our business is how to improve our spiritual condition of life. Even if you don't rule over the world, it doesn't matter. So why you are anxious to rule over the world? It is not our business. You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and take prasādam.

Devotee: That's right.

(Video 55:41)

Prabhupāda: All right, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Jaya. (kīrtana) (end)