750727 - Lecture SB 06.01.46 - San Diego

Lectures by Date, 1975

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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750727SB-SAN DIEGO - July 27, 1975 - 32:32 Minutes

Nitāi: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (Prabhupāda and devotees repeat) Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Sixth Canto, First Chapter, verse number 46. (leads devotees in chanting verse, etc.)

yatheha deva-pravarās

trai-vidhyam upalabhyate

bhūteṣu guṇa-vaicitryāt

tathānyatrānumīyate

(SB 6.1.46)

(break) (01:21)

"O best of the demigods, as we can see three different varieties of life on account of different contamination of the three modes of nature, and thus the living entities are seen to be peaceful, most restless and foolish, or happy, unhappy and in between, or religious, nonreligious and in between, similarly we can infer that in the next life these three kinds of material nature exist."

Prabhupāda:

yatheha deva-pravarās

trai-vidhyam upalabhyate

bhūteṣu guṇa-vaicitryāt

tathānyatrānumīyate

(SB 6.1.46)

Anumīyate. Anumīyate means hypothesis. This is also an evidence. Pratyakṣa, anumāna and. . . Pratyakṣa, anumāna and śruta. According to Vedic principles, there are three different types of evidences. Everything must be proved by evidence. So these are primarily three evidences. Pratyakṣa, direct perception. Pratyakṣa, anumāna and śruti. Anumāna means I cannot see directly, but by the symptoms I can imagine. That is anumāna. Just like I have seen that in the month of April, May, June, we can get mangoes. That is our direct experience. So similarly we can say, in the month of January, we can say that "In the month of April, May, June, we shall have mangoes." In the January there is no mango. But because I know, I experienced in my last April, May, June, so similarly, this intuition is nothing but experience of my last life. That is called intuition. The rascals, they say that there is no experience. Whatever life we have got just now, here experience. No. The intuition. . . Just like a dog's cub born, it is also trying to find out milk from the body of the mother, and exactly in the same place putting his mouth. Or human child also. This is last experience. That proves that life is continual. Just like I came here about two, three years ago?

Jayatīrtha: San Diego? Yes.

Prabhupāda: So I immediately, while getting down, I immediately understood, "Oh, the same house." So this is called intuition; means past experience.

Then the most authentic evidence is śruti; out of three evidences, the śruti, hearing from the authority. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). So Kṛṣṇa says. . . Kṛṣṇa is the authority, best authority, supreme authority. So we can understand from His speech that in the sun planet there is a king whose name is Vaivasva. . . Vivasvata. And Kṛṣṇa says that "I spoke to Vivasvān." So Vivasvān. . . Now, nobody can say when the sun planet was created. But we can calculate, as it is said, vivasvān manave prāhuḥ, that Vivasvān, he explained to Manu. So Manu's age we can calculate. Manu's age. . . There are seventy-two Manus in one day of Brahmā. And the one day of Brahmā means forty-three hundred thousands of years multiplied by one thousand and divided by seventy-two. Then we can immediately calculate what is Manu's age. So by Manu's age we can calculate that forty millions of years ago Kṛṣṇa spoke to the sun-god about this philosophy. This is called śruti. The exact calculation, by śruti you can make. So śruti-pramāṇa.

So here it is said deva-pravarāḥ. The Viṣṇudūtas, they are coming from Vaikuṇṭha, so beautiful, so nicely dressed, four-handed with ornaments, helmet, garland. So they have experience of the demigods. But the Viṣṇudūtas do not belong to this material world. They belong to the spiritual world. Therefore they are addressed deva-pravarāḥ, "more than the demigods." Deva-pravarāḥ. They are very much pleased to see the Viṣṇudūtas, although argument is going on. Immediately after seeing them, they are, the Yamadūtas, they are very much pleased upon them, that "They are not ordinary living being." And with four hands. Therefore they are addressing, deva-pravarāḥ. Yatheha deva-pravarās trai-vidhyam upalabhyate. Vidhi, tri-vidha. Tri-vidha means three varieties. Vidha mean variety, and tri means three. So from tri-vidha it is said, trai-vidhyaṁ bhāvaḥ.

So trai-vidhyam, three kinds. Three kinds. Here also, in this world, we see varieties of men, varieties of animals, varieties of trees, varieties of insects—so many varieties. It is already informed that altogether, within this universe, there are 8,400,000 varieties of life. Life is one. The varieties means body. Just like we are sitting; every one of us has got a particular type of body. You will never find that this man or this boy or this girl exactly of the same bodily feature. Varieties. So altogether there are classes, or species, 8,400,000. So those who are experienced, thoughtful men, by reading scripture. . . Just like Kṛṣṇa says that imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān. He said to the sun-god or the president of the sun planet, Vivasvān. So that means that is also a similar place like this. You cannot say there is no living entity. Anumīyate. That is intelligence. Because this planet is also one of the material things. Everything is made here, earth, water, air, fire. So somewhere some element is very prominent. Here in this planet the earth is prominent. In the sun planet the fire is prominent. But that does not mean there is no living entity. This is foolishness. Anumīyate. This is intelligence, that everything within this universe, this material universe, everything is made of these five elements: earth, water, fire, air, sky. We see here practically that the aquatics, they have got a different type of body, and they are very peacefully living in the water. And if you are thrown in the water, you will die. And the fish is taken from the water; he will die. So land, water, fire—the particular type of body.

So here it is said that it is anumīyate. As here we find varieties, similarly, in other planet or in next life there are varieties. This is intelligence, human intelligence. Why you should say there is no next life or there is no life in other planet? Therefore we have to refer to the śāstras, śāstra-vidhi. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma . . . (BG 16.23). If you unnecessarily becomes too much intelligent and theorize, then he is never successful, he is never sukhi. Na sukhaṁ na. . . Na siddhiṁ sa avāpnoti na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim (BG 16.23). Such a rascal, who does not consult the śāstras and thinks whimsically according to his mad conception, such person, na siddhim avāpnoti. That is spoken by Kṛṣṇa. He will never get success. He will simply speculate. There is no definite knowledge. Na sukham, and he is not happy. And what to speak of going back to home, back to Godhead? He is a rascal. There is no hope. So do not conclude in your foolish way anything. Just refer to the śāstra, authority, śruti. Therefore it is called śruti. We cannot imagine that there is possibility of living entity in the sun planet or moon planet, but śruti. . . Just like Kṛṣṇa says that "I spoke to sun-god." So by hearing this śruti, we understand that there is also life and there is also system, the government, the chief executive. Everything is there. And that is by śruti anumīyate. Anumīyate means you can imagine; it is a fact.

So from śāstra we can get the different varieties of life there are, 8,400. . . Some of them living for a few second, some of them are living few hours, some of them are living for years, and some of them are living for a few millions of years, some millions of years, just like Brahmā. You cannot calculate Brahmā's duration of life. But the duration of life is given in the Bhagavad-gītā, sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17). So you have to understand like that, that here is Brahmā's twelve hours, one day, millions and millions of years. And he lives for hundred years. So his hundred years and my hundred years is not the same. That is scientific, relativity. Or the ant's hundred years and my hundred years is not the same. The space, time, they differ according to position. I think Professor Einstein has got this knowledge, relativity, law of relativity. Everything is. . . My one moment and Brahmā's one moment, different. My one moment, the ant's one moment is different, according to my body. But time is unlimited, eternal. But according to my body, it is past, present and future. An ant's past, present, future and my past, present, future—different. My past, present, future and Brahmā's past, present, future—different. It is the relative. Just like by speed we are calculating this whole world is twenty-five thousand miles. But it has been proved by the. . . what is that? Weapon for going to the space? Sputnik, sputnik. It rounded over the world—one hour, twenty-five minutes. That is experience, relative. If you increase your speed, then the round about time decreases. Similarly, if by yoga system you increase your speed, then you can travel all over the universe, as Durvāsā Muni said. Durvāsā Muni, he crossed over this universe and went to the Vaikuṇṭhaloka. It took only one year. This is relative. It took one year only. And you cannot go in so many years. Panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyaḥ (Bs. 5.34). Everything is relative.

So first of all the Yamadūtas are so experienced because they are servant of Yamarāja. He is not ordinary living being. Therefore they are explaining that how people are happy, unhappy in one position or other. . . It is due to past activities: dharma, adharma. That is the next verse. So the example is given that why there are so many varieties of living entities? It is due to varieties of three guṇas. Last evening I was talking with that Hope(?) professor that "Why in country like America and Europe there are hippies lying on the street? Why? They are not poor. In India you can say that they are poor, they have no shelter; therefore lying down on the street." I thought when I came that there is no man in America who is lying down in street, because that is rich country. But when I actually saw in Bowery, hundreds of men are lying down in the street. They are not poor, but they are destined to lie down on the street. So the three orders, traigunya, trai-vidhya, must be there. Either it may be America or Europe or India or Czechoslovakia or anywhere. The three must. . . one high class, one middle class and low class. There must be there. And then again take these three varieties and multiply it again with three, nine. Then nine into nine, eighty-one.

So these varieties of bodies are there. You cannot change the law of nature. Struggle for existence: we are trying to conquer over the laws of nature. That is not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). So these are the subject matter of studies. Why there are. . . everyone is unhappy and happy to some extent? According to these qualities. So here it is said, therefore, that "As here we see in this life, in duration of life, there are varieties, similarly, guṇa-vaicitryāt, by the varieties of the guṇa, guṇa-vaicitryāt. . ." tathānyatrānumīyate. Anyatra means next life or next planet or next anything. Everything is being controlled. Traiguṇya-viṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna (BG 2.45). Kṛṣṇa advises Arjuna that "The whole material world is being controlled by these three guṇas," guṇa-vaicitryāt, "therefore you become nistraiguṇya: where these three guṇas cannot act." Nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna.

So how you can stop the action of these three guṇas? That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā:

māṁ ca vyabhicāriṇi

bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate

sa guṇān samatītyaitān

brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

(BG 14.26)

If you engage yourself in pure devotional service incessantly, without any stop, then you always remain transcendental, above these three guṇas. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to keep the devotee above the three guṇas. Just like in the ocean, if you are fallen in the ocean, it is very dangerous position. But if somebody helps you to lift you from the ocean water and keep one inch above the ocean water, there is no danger. Your life is saved.

So that is wanted, that guṇa-vaicitryāt, if you want to save yourself from these varieties of life—birth, death, old age and disease—and accept so many varieties of life. . . Just like you were telling while walking that there are trees in California, they are living for five thousand years. That is also another variety of life. People are trying to live for many, many years. By nature's way, here is a tree, five thousand years. So is that kind of living is very profitable, to stand up five thousand years in a forest? So any variety of life within this material world is not good, either you are demigod or tree or this or that. That is education. That is education. So one should understand that any varieties of life, either as demigod or dog, here the life is troublesome. The demigods even, they are put into so many dangers, many times, and they approach God. So here you will be always in danger. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). It is futile to attempt to make this material world dangerless. That is not possible. As there are varieties of bodies, varieties of dangers, calamities, so one after another, you will have to. . .

So best thing is, therefore, stop this business, material. That is Vedic civilization. The whole Vedic civilization is based on this idea, that "Stop this nonsense business, repetition of birth, death, old age." Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). This is knowledge. What knowledge, this technical knowledge, this knowledge? You cannot stop these things. Therefore main business is how to stop it. And because they are foolish people, they think that "These things cannot be stopped. Let us go on with this repetition of birth and death, and in each life let us struggle for existence." This is material civilization, ignorance, no knowledge.

The knowledge is given by Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, that "Here is the solution: janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo janati tattvataḥ, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9)." The problem is punar janma, repetition of birth, and if you want to stop it, then try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Then you will be able to stop. As soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa. . . To understand Kṛṣṇa means even if you blindly accept, that is also beneficial. Kṛṣṇa says what He is, that He is the Supreme Lord. So you accept Him. That's all. Simply have this faith, that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." That will make you sufficiently advanced. But this is very difficult for the materialistic person. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19): "After endeavoring for many, many births," bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate, "jñānavān, who is actually wise, he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa." Otherwise, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāh (BG 7.15): "Otherwise he remain a rascal and implicated in sinful activities, lowest of the mankind, knowledge is taken away." Na māṁ prapadyante: "He never surrenders to Kṛṣṇa."

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to propagate this knowledge that you understand Kṛṣṇa, that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by His activities which are recorded in the śāstra. When Kṛṣṇa was present on this earthly planet, He showed according to our understanding. Just like one man cannot maintain one wife; He married sixteen thousand wife. And He maintained them how? Sixteen thousand palaces. And will the women will be satisfied simply having very good palaces? No, she must have husband. So Kṛṣṇa expanded Himself into sixteen thousand husband. This is Kṛṣṇa. But because I cannot do it, we say, "Oh, this is all an allegory, fiction. It is not fact." That is our defect. If God comes, explains, then we do not believe Him. Then how we will be convinced about God? God is omnipotent, and when He shows His omnipotency and it is recorded in the śāstra, we don't believe. So therefore why we do not believe? Now, yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpam. Yeṣām. . . Kṛṣṇa says everything.

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ

janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇāṁ

te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā

bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

(BG 7.28)

One who is completely free from the reaction of sinful life, anta-gataṁ pāpam, and only engaged in pious activities, that such person can be engaged in His devotional service.

So you engage yourself in the routine devotional service of Kṛṣṇa. Either understanding or not understanding, your life will be successful. Just like if you touch fire, understanding or not understanding, it will burn. Similarly, take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is nothing blindly accepting. Everything is explained in the śāstra, preliminary knowledge in Bhagavad-gītā, further explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So utilize your human life in understanding Kṛṣṇa, and then your life will be successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end).