750717 - Lecture SB 06.01.32 - San Francisco

Lectures by Date, 1975

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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750717SB-SAN FRANCISCO - July 17, 1975 - 32:27 Minutes

Devotee: (leads chanting of verse, etc.)

ūcur niṣedhitās tāṁs te

vaivasvata-puraḥsarāḥ

ke yūyaṁ pratiṣeddhāro

dharma-rājasya śāsanam

(SB 6.1.32)

(01:57)

"Being forbidden in this way, the order carriers of the son of the sun-god, Yamarāja, immediately replied: Who are all of you who have the audacity to oppose the ruling jurisdiction of Yamarāja, the king of religious principles?"

Prabhupāda:

ūcur niṣedhitās tāṁs te

vaivasvata-puraḥsarāḥ

ke yūyaṁ pratiṣeddhāro

dharma-rājasya śāsanam

(SB 6.1.32)

Dharma-rājasya śāsanam. There is a ruling all over the universe under the jurisdiction of Dharmarāja, or the supreme judge, for considering sinful and pious activities. There is a big government within this universe. But those who are thinking very poorly, without any advanced knowledge, atheist, they think that everything is coming automatically. Anīśva, anīśvara rahuḥ.(?) They say there is no īśvara, supreme ruler, and everything is happening by nature. But they cannot explain what is nature. At least, they have to admit nature is a power which is controlling him. We are not independent of the laws of nature. That is not possible. Even if you accept nature, then you are under the control of nature. That is a fact. Who is controlling nature, that you may not know because your knowledge is very poor. But nature is controlling you, that you can understand, everyone can understand. You cannot supersede the laws of nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Just like ordinary criminal, thief. The police is chastising him. He does not think that there is any other power over the police. He thinks the police is the father and mother, and he is poor class. He does not know that police is not the supreme power. The supreme power is the president or the minister of law and order. He thinks, "This constable is everything." So poor-class thinking, they think nature is everything. But any way, everyone is under the control of nature.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni

guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ

ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā

kartāham iti manyate

(BG 3.27)

The so-called scientists, thinker, they are thinking that "We are everything. We can create, and we can control over the nature." These are all mad thinking. It is not possible. Nobody has ever been able to control over the nature, what to speak of understanding God. God is the controller of nature. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Nature is not independent.

So anyway, we are dependent on the laws of nature. That nobody can deny, even the greatest scientist, he cannot also deny. And because we are under the control of the laws of nature, we must admit, if we are sane man, that there is a system of ruling. If we deny the supreme ruler, we may do it madly, but there must be a systematic, I mean to say, action, reaction. So here is Dharmarāja. Just like we have got magistrate, so magistrate's duty is, when a criminal is brought before him, to judge what kind of punishment he should be allowed. Justice there is. Similarly, this Dharmarāja means the criminals are brought before him. Dharmarāja is appointed magistrate by the Supreme Lord. So everyone, after death, he is brought before Dharmarāja, the Yamarāja, and he judges what kind of next body this criminal will have. That is Dharmarāja. He is judged by his work. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deha-upapattaye (SB 3.31.1). Just like the magistrate punishes the criminal, what kind of punishment he should be awarded, how he will be allowed to live within the prison house. Just like a political prisoner. In our country just now they have . . . so many big, big leaders have been arrested. But they are not put in the same level of ordinary criminals. They are given all facilities. They are given nice house, servants and newspaper. They are given all facilities of indepen . . . outside life, according to the position. They are called first-class prisoners. And there are similarly second-class prisoners, third-class prisoners. So this is judged by a person.

So here we are all prisoners within the material world, and some of us are first-class prisoners, and some of us second class, and some are third class. Therefore, we see the higher class of men in the society, middle class of men in the society, either in human society or even animal society. There is first-class animal, second-class animal, third-class animal. In the trees also, the same work is going on by nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). One tree is supplying mango, so this mango tree is respect; and another tree, which is producing nothing, they are cut and made into fuel, because useless, no use. So amongst the trees also you will find first class, second class, third class. Among the birds, beasts, animals, there is . . . Just like lion, he is also animal, and dog is also animal. They are not on the same level. Amongst the birds there are swans and there are crows. The crow is different from the swan, although they are birds. The standard of enjoyment by the crows is different from the standard of enjoyment of the swan, white swan.

tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavo

yasmin prati-ślokam abaddhavaty api

nāmāny anantasya yaśo 'ṅkitāni yat

śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ

(SB 1.5.11)

Now here we are studying Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhagavad-gītā. This is . . . This literature is meant for the swans, not for the crows. That is the division. And other literatures, sex literatures and these criminal literatures—there are so many literatures—they are meant for the crows, crow-class men. And this literature is meant for swan class of men, swan, paramahaṁsa. We are also reading . . . We are not interested with the lump of newspaper. We are interested in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Why? Because within this literature there is glorification of the Supreme Lord, how He is conducting the whole universal affair, how the sun is rising exactly in time by His order, the moon is rising exactly by His order, not a minute's deviation. The big, big ocean, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, very big, powerful, but still within the limit. The Pacific Ocean cannot come beyond the jurisdiction. So who is managing this? Yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kāla-cakraḥ (Bs. 5.52). Even the biggest planet within this universe, the sun, it is also rotating in his orbit by the supreme order. So there is supreme order everywhere. There is government. There is ruling. But the rascals, they cannot see. They simply believe in the direct experience. Direct experience is not first-class experience. The first-class experience is to receive knowledge from the person who knows. That is first-class experience.

There are three types of experience. One kind of experience is direct experience. That is third class. And another experience is by history, by books. And another experience is by hearing from the Supreme. So we are gathering experience by hearing from the Supreme. Just like here Śukadeva Gosvāmī is narrating Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He has heard it from his father, Vyāsadeva. His father has heard it from Nārada Muni, his spiritual master. Nārada Muni has heard it from Brahmā, the first living creature within this universe. And Brahmā has heard it from Kṛṣṇa. This is called paramparā system. So this kind of knowledge is perfect knowledge. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). This Vivasvān . . . Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). Kṛṣṇa said, "I first of all narrated this yoga system to Vivasvān, Vivasvān, the sun-god." Vivasvān manave prāha: "So Vivasvān, the sun-god, from him, Manu heard it." Here also it is said, vaivasvata-puraḥsarāḥ. The vaivasvata, this word, comes from Vivasvān. The Yamarāja is authorized because he also heard everything about truth from Vivasvān. Therefore his name is vaivasvata-puraḥsarāḥ. And his servants, they heard it from their master. This is the way. This is the way of understanding.

So ūcur niṣedhitās tāṁs te. They are the servants of Yamarāja, vaivasvata. So therefore they are vaivasvata-puraḥsarāḥ. The important assistants of Vaivasvata, Yamarāja, they heard that somebody is warning, "Don't touch him." In the previous verse we have learned, vārayām āsuḥ, forbidden, "Don't touch," ojasā, very strongly. So they became surprised, "Who are these persons? They are interfering with our business. We have come from supreme authority, magistrate." Just like police comes with his warrant of magistrate—nobody can check it. If somebody wants to check it, then he'll be punished. The whole government force is behind the warrant of the police. Nobody can check it. If there is riot, then government will bring military forces to accept. So this is called ruling. So we are under these rulings. However foolishly we may declare we are independent, that is our completely foolishness. When the warrant is there, you cannot check it. The whole power is behind. Either you become the great scientist or philosopher, when the warrant of death will come from Yamarāja, there is no power to check it. That is . . . Therefore they were surprised, that "Who is this foolish?" But they saw that the persons, they are coming from Vaikuṇṭha. They had different features, so beautiful, four-handed, nicely decorated. So they were surprised.

Therefore in the next verse it is:

kasya vā kuta āyātāḥ

kasmād asya niṣedhatha

kiṁ devā upadevā yā

yūyaṁ kiṁ siddha-sattamāḥ

(SB 6.1.33)

"You are so nice." Because they are Yamarāja. Their bodily features already described: twisted face, and the hair standing just perpendicularly. So they never saw. Why they? Even . . . We are supposed to be civilized man. We have not seen how the bodies are there in the Vaikuṇṭha. Here you can understand that in the Vaikuṇṭha planets, as the Lord Viṣṇu is four-handed, similarly, all the inhabitants there, they are also four-handed and equally dressed. Just like here, if your President Ford comes, he also dressed like a nice gentleman. And there are many others also, equally nicely dressed. You cannot distinguish who is president and who is ordinary man. Similarly, in the Vaikuṇṭhaloka all the inhabitants are equally in external feature: four-handed, with the weapons—the disc, the club, the conchshell, the lotus flower. All the Vaikuṇṭha's inhabitants: the same dress, same garment, same ornaments, same weapons. But still, there is distinction, that kaustubha jewel. That you will find Him hanging. By that kaustubha jewel, one can understand that "Here is Lord Viṣṇu, and here is ordinary living being." Just like the president has got his confidential plaque. If one challenges his credential, he can show, "Yes." The same principle.

So ruling is there. You can say foolishly that "There is no ruling. I can do whatever I like." That you can do. Just like Ajāmila was doing. But now the two classes of messengers have come. The Yamadūtas have come to take him away because externally he is the most sinful man. Therefore they are protesting, "How is that? It is already settled up. This man has committed so many sinful activities. So they are under our jurisdiction. Who are you, you are forbidding us?" But the Viṣṇudūtas have come there because although he was sinful, although he was most impious, although he was a prostitute-hunter and cheater and so many good qualities, still, he has chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa at the end of his life. Immediately Viṣṇudūtas . . . This is the facility. Whole life sinful—ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6), but he has remembered Nārāyaṇa at the end of his life. Very painful life.

At the time of death it is very, very painful. We have got experience. Therefore you do not wish to die, because it is very, very painful. Similarly, after death, immediately, by the discrimination of Yamarāja, he gets another body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). Daiva-netreṇa, by the supervision of superior power, the Yamarāja takes away, and then he gives a body. First of all he is put into the hellish condition of life as he will get. Then, when he is little practiced, then he is given the similar body. Otherwise how it . . .? It will be . . . Suppose a person from . . . coming from very high family or king's royal family, but he has acted just like hogs and dogs. Then next life he is going to have a body of hog or dog. So therefore he is put into such life, subtle life—that is Yamarāja's business—to be used in that way of life. Then he is given a solid body or gross body, so that the same royal prince, he can very easily eat stool. This is the process, nature's process is going on. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). They are simply explaining "nature." How nature is working, these foolish rascals, they do not know. They do not know. Nature is working. That is fact. But how the nature is working, how different forms of body, different activities are going on, by whose judgment, who is looking after, these things they do not know. This is the modern education.

But Kṛṣṇa conscious person, they know how things are going on, how nature is working, what is the effect. Everything we will find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: how many different planetary systems are there, what is the situation each and every planet. You will get all this description in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There are . . . We have got description, there are many planets. They are simply thousands and millions of miles only gold, thousands and millions of miles only copper. We have got this description from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. There are oceans of milk, oceans of liquor, oceans of oil, oceans of yogurt. These things are there. What information you have got? You do not know fully what is the material nature. Therefore we do not believe that these men went to the moon planet. We have got different description of the moon planet. The moon planet is situated 1,600,000's of miles above the sun. We have got this description: 1,600,000 miles above the . . . And there is also blazing fire like the sun planet. Sun planet is very hot, and the moon planet is surrounded by very cool atmosphere. Just like when there is cold and heat together, you enjoy it, so moon planet is like that. And those who are in the karma-kāṇḍīya, means fruitive activities, those who are actually acting very piously, they are allowed to enter into the moon planet. And there you get life, ten thousands of years' duration of life. And that year is very, very big than our years. Our six months equal to one day in the moon planet. Now, such ten thousands of years you can get your duration of life, and very cold; therefore you can drink there soma-rasa.

So these are the explanation in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And it is situated above the sun planet, and above . . . The distance is also given there: 1,600, er, 1,600,000's of miles. And above that, similarly 1,600,000 miles, there is Mars, there is Jupiter, there is Venus, like that. So universe is not so small that you can ride on your 747 and go. (laughter) It is not so easy. It is not so easy. So therefore, from the circumstances we can conclude that they could not approach the moon planet. And now they are saying that "It is useless. There is no need of going there. The grapes are sour." (laughter) The jackal jumping, jumping, jumping. When he could not get the grapes, then he is rejecting, "Oh, this is sour. It is no use." So after jumping so many years and spending so much money, they are now rejecting: "The moon planet is not habitable." But we get there . . . This is one of the heavenly planets, and it is habitable by the most advanced pious men. So these are the difference. Now it is your business to believe the so-called scientist or the śāstra, as you like. But we cannot believe. Because we are Kṛṣṇa conscious, we have to believe what is stated in the śāstra.

So there is government. Therefore they were surprised that "Who are you that you are trying to . . ." Dharma-rājasya śāsanam. Śāsanam means government. "You are trying to resist us, from the government of Dharmarāja? We have never experienced. How is this? Who are you?" So this is the question. Now we shall discuss next day how this government of Dharmarāja is violated and why it is violated. We will hear next.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end).