The following is a
class on the Srimad Bhagavatam 1st canto 2nd chapter text number
8 given by his divine grace AC BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupad
recorded on the sixth of September 1972 in New Vrindavan, West
Virginia:
Om namo bhagavate Vasudevaya Pradyumna Prabhu
does the Sanskrit iteration.
Prabhupad says: "That's
all, so dharmah svanusthitah pumsa, in the human society there
is always some kinds of religious institution; that is called
Dharma faith.
“...so if you are going on as a ethnic
program to the church to the temple to the math but there's no
spontaneous attraction for hearing about god then it is simply
labor simply a waste of time...”
Real
dharma means that I have already explained occupational duty,
constitutional duty that is called dharma functional duty. So,
real dharma, real religion is to become servant of or to render
service to god that is real religion, but we have manufactured so
many religions, different society, different circumstances,
different country; therefore it is advised here that you may
execute any kind of religious faith, but the result should be
perfect. You can say "I'm very perfectly executing the
ritualistic ceremonies and the tenors described in my scripture
bible, or Veda, or Koran that's very good, but what is the
result?
The result is that you must develop or increase
your tendency to hear about god, but if you are ultimate truth is
impersonal; mostly they consider "god has no form" then if god
has no form then what will you hear about him simply formless
formless. How long you can go on like this god is form less if
god is form less then your idea of hearing about him is finished,
because formless there is nothing- activities, but actually god
is not formless.
Several times I have explained gods
has got his form he's person he has got his activities; therefore
in the Bhagavad gita it is said "Janma Karma ajyopisum abi atma
----opisam" although he is aja nobody has to die aja. Aja means
birth nobody takes birth either the living entity or god na
jayate na mriyate. In the Bhagavd gita it is said that the living
entity is, we are all living entity, is na jayate they donot take
birth neither do they die "na jayate na mriyate va kada cit" at
any time then what is this death and birth? The death and birth
is simply change of the body the subtle body and the gross body
just like every night you die, the gross body remains inactive on
the bed and the subtle body takes me away I dream, I go in the
dream land, I go to some friend, I'm talking to some body, I'm
working in a different way that is our daily experience.
This means that we have got two kinds of body one body is this
gross body and the other body is subtle body. Made of mind
intelligence and ego, so foolish persons they don?t see the
subtle body, but the subtle body is there every one will accept
"I'm working with my mind intelligence and ego" everyone knows.
So, although we cannot see the subtle body it is there so death
means this gross body this over coat is left I'm carried away by
the subtle body and I enter into another body or gross body so
practically this is called death cause we have no vision of the
subtle body how the soul is being transferred, transmigrating
from one gross body to another gross body. Keeping the subtle
body intact and the subtle body is given up when one is liberated
and at that time he goes when he's liberated free from the subtle
body.
Also at that time he's promoted to the spiritual
kingdom in spiritual body; therefore while living in this
grossbody we have to educate our subtle body in such a way that
it becomes spiritualized. Completely the subtle body is mind
intelligence and ego, so if you think of Krishna in the mind
always and if we work intelligently for Krishna that is mind and
intelligence and if we change our false ego, ego means I am so I
am at the present moment thinking "I'm American I'm Indian I'm
white I'm black like that I'm human being I'm animal cat or dog"
so many things I am this I am has to be changed; I am eternal
servant of Krishna. In this way if you educate or transfer the
activities of the subtle body mind intelligence and ego then at
the time of death you will give up the subtle body the material
subtle body mind, intelligence, and ego and by your spiritual
body you will go back to home back to godhead.
This is
called Krishna Consciousness movement! Gross body automatically
we give up now we should practice to give up this subtle body. To
give up this subtle body one has to develop love for god, prema
and the process is how to give up this subtle body adau sraddha
first of all sraddha. Sraddha means a faith or some respect
actually it means respect just like you have come here out of
faith and respect. You hear their talking about god, "there is
temple of god let us go there" this is faith and respect adau
sraddha this is the beginning.
Now, after coming here
when you hear about god, because our only business is: you don't
talk here politics or sociology or anything that comes
automatically as subordinate things. But, our business is to talk
about god so those who talk about god they are called saintly
persons.
There are two kinds of man in this world
materialistic person and transcendentalist or man interested in
spiritualism, so those who are interested in spiritual life they
talk of self realization and those who are materialistic person
they also talk, they talk about this body how to keep this body
nicely. Their are politics, sociology, welfare activities, so
many things all concerning to the body. So, there are many talks
just like in the news paper in your country especially bunch of
news paper, so many talks advertisement fashion this news that
news full of, so the materialistic person they read the
newspaper, but we read srimad bhagavata that is the difference.
We are also reading they are also reading so ninam santi sahasra
so tab byani rajendra ninam sant sahasra sukadeva goswami said
pariksit maharaj my dear king: there are many hundreds and
thousands of topics for the materialistic person, sahasra
sahasrah means thousands and that is fact.
So many
novels, so many fictions, so many so called philosophy, news
paper, cinema paper, this paper that papaer. So many sahasra so
tab byani rajendra ninam santi sahasratah apasyatam-atma tattvam
grihesu griha-medhinam apasyatam-atma tattvam, because they donot
know they have no information of the soul. Their talking about
this body or some times about this mind philosophical
speculation, concoction one philosophy is theorizing something
another philosopher is theorizing something.
Lots of
literature all nonsense because it is mental speculation. "I
speculate in one way you speculate in another way you refute me I
refute you". So therefore, these talks of the body and talks of
the mind there are varieties ninam sant sahasra apasyatam atma
tattvam why they are engaged in so many talks because they donot
know apsyatam they have no vision of the soul. atma tattva
grihesu griha medhi na grihamedhi those interested simply to
maintain this body they are called griha medhi, generally.
Athiest class they have no interseest in god. The athiest class
long long ago thousands of years ago there was athiest. Also
because, there are two classes of men always within this world,
athiest and thiest asur and deva devata.
Not, that
athiest class men had developed at the present moment it maybe
the number has increased but athiest class of man was long ago.
There was also charva muni he was also called muni, muni means
mental speculator or thoughtful. So this charvat muni he also
presented his philosophy atheism reenam kritva kritam pravet
javed jive sukham jivet- "so long you live you live very joyfully
by enjoying your senses" this is atheistic principle and in India
the sense enjoyment principle is based on ghee clarified butter;
because if they get they prepare so many nice preperations you
have also learned how to do it, but in India there are varieties
people. Sometimes go to India in Delhi there are shops many
varieties of food stuffs all from grains and fruits that?s all
grains fruits ghee sugar and salt varieties hundreds, so eating,
sleeping the basic principle is eating sleeping, mating. So,
charvar muni says that live very joyfully and eat very nicely
enjoy your senses finish your life that is atheism apasyatam
atma they have no vision there is soul. The soul is
transmigrating there are 8,400,000 species of body and you are
transmigrating one to another in this way. They don?t care for
it, even if he's informed that if you are acting like this you
are going to be a tree next life "o it doesn't matter let me
enjoy"
They say frankly "if I become tree what is the
harm I shall forget". People have become so rubbish they have
lost their self-interest. Just like if you say to a child that
you are always playing, you are not going to school, you are not
becoming educated, you will suffer in your future, you will have
no position in this society, but he will say I don?t care. He may
say that, but the risk is there. Similarly, the modern human
being you inform him about the transmigration of the soul and by
his activities he supposed to become next life very low grade
animal: aquatics, reptiles.
So, if they?re informed they
don?t care that is not very good intelligence. This is a fact!
Just like in my this life I can experience each stage of my life,
I have my passed present and future you are all young boys you
had your passed as a child as boy now your young and your future
is also there as old as I have become old. So, in any stage of
life there is past present and future, so why not I'm old man and
when I should die why is there no future, there must be future. I
had my past and I'm at present and there must be future also the
future is that I must get another body that maybe of animal, or
trees, or demigod or god. That is stated in the bhagavad gita
janti deva britha devam prithin janti prithah you can prepare
yourself for the next body. So, ultimate goal is to get a body in
the kingdom of god that is san siddhim paramapita that is highest
perfection. You can get a body next as a human being in rich
man's family, or as a king, or as a leader, or as a cat, as a
dog, as a tree that will depend on your work; similarly, you can
get your next body as associates of god that is stated that you
can have mad jyaji mopi nad those who are my devotees they come
to me Krishna says, and what is the benefit of going to Krishna
mam upeta kaunteya dukalayam asa sitam na pabanti if somebody
comes to me then he does not get anymore this material body.
To come to this material world what is the harm if I
come to the material world dukalayam susatriyam this material
world is full of miseries and that also temporary even if I
accept that I shall adjust my miserable condition of life, but
still nature will not allow you to live there. You may think that
we are Americans we have got enough money vast land resources I
shall live as American, you can live as Americans for lets say
fifty years, you will not be aloud to live as American or as
Indian, this or that even as Brahma you will not be allowed.
Brahma has got his one day millions of years he will also not be
allowed, the ant will not be allowed, the cat will not be
allowed, an ant will not be allowed, the man will not be allowed
the demi god will not be allowed, to live forever. Hyranya kasipu
tried to live forever he underwent sever penances to become
immortal, it was not possible of course the lunatic scientists
says that by scientific advancement we shall become immortal they
are lunatic. It is not possible because in the passed there is no
such incidents, so in the presence there is no such incidence, so
how can you expect in the future such incidents? That is not
possible, therefore; intelligent person they should try to get
ultimate transmigration ultimate transmigration, means go back
home back to godhead that should be the actual aim of life. That
is first class intelligent, but they donot know; therefore we are
trying to render our humble service to the human society to give
this information. That you are trying for so many things for
becoming happy but instead of being happy you are becoming
hippie, so please take this Krishna consciousness and actually
you will be happy that is our mission that is our
mission.
Therefore, the bhagavata says the civilized
human being(those who got some religious principle)church
religious institution " that you're executing your religious
principle very nicely that's alright, but if you do not develop
the propensity for hearing about god, just like we have got this
temple we are worshipping Radha Krishna deity it's alright, but
side by side we MUST develop to hear about Krishna. Otherwise,
it will be finished after a few days sravanam, kirtanam, as soon
as there will be no interests for hearing about god all these
churches and temples and mosks will be finished.
In
the Christian world that is happening, not only Christian in
other also. They are selling churches nobody is going to church
because simply officially going on Sunday without any
enlightenment, without any understanding about god.
How
long will it be prolonged? It cannot be prolonged people will be
disinterested and they will not go. Actually, it is happening
there are so many churches nobody is going.
In London I
have seen in your country also there are so many churches vacant,
we have purchased so many churches. Los Angeles we have purchased
that church, when it was running as church it was deserted since
we have taken that, every night, every day hundreds of people are
gathering like this because there are words of Krishna and people
are hearing about Krishna visaksena katha sriya so you can have
your churches Temple or Mosque, but if you donot develop your
tendency to hear about god then it will not be
successful.
sravamayih kevalam dharmasan sritam pumsan
dharma visvaksena katha sriya (sorry if the sanskrit incomplete
it was uttered so rapidly)by going daily to the temple or to the
church or to the mosque or anywhere any religious building or
institution if you DO NOT DEVOLOP your propensity to hear about
god then you have wasted your time.
Going and coming it
is simply labor so that is the test; therefore either in temple,
or in church, or mosque there must be regular recitation on the
talks of god, otherwise people will lose interest and the temples
and churches have to be closed.
So, that talks of god
is here in Krishna consciousness, because our god is not
impersonal void no he's the supreme person Krishna you can see
personally how he's standing, how he's enjoying with his eternal
consort lover Srimati Radharani here is god actually god is not
engaged in punishing somebody.
Original god is engaged
in enjoying with his eternal consort Srimati Radharani, Srimati
Radharani is enchanting Krishna and Krishna is enchanting
Radharani this is the buisness of god.
due lage ua hari
in the Caitanya Caritamrta it is said that when Krishna comes
before Radharani she becomes so much engladened by seeing the
beauty of Krishna that she becomes more beautiful and as soon as
Radharani becomes more beautiful Krishna becomes enchanted and he
becomes more beautiful, so unlimitedly there is competition of
becoming more beautiful. du he lage hurai that is this statement
competition because in the spiritual world everything is
unlimited so unlimitedly both of them are becoming beautiful and
both of them are enjoying unlimitedly this is Krishna conscious.
So, similarly if we develop our propensity to hear about god and
his activities with his cow heard boy friend with his girl
friends the gopis with his mother with his father with his
teacher so many. Every thing is imitation perverted reflection
here. Also we have got those relationships, relationships between
father and son relationships between conjugal lovers the boy and
the girl, relationships between friend and friend, relationships
between master and servant everything is here also.
But,
because they are material they donot stand "I'm servant of
somebody if he does not pay me salary I give up his service I'm
friend of somebody if my intention is not fulfilled then I give
up that friendship my love with a boy or girl is there but as
soon as discrepancy there is divorce" so here everything is
perverted so many faulty ideas, but this very thing is there in
the kingdom of god. In relationship with god Krishna and there
everything is eternal by becoming servant of god you eternally
enjoy him as master, by becoming a friend of god, you enjoy
eternal friendship, by becoming father or mother of god you enjoy
the parental affection between father and son, and by becoming
lover of god you become eternally happy. So, unless you hear
about these things then how you can be intensified to go to god?
Just like when I hear about something some country this country
is like this, such and such happiness and such and such
enjoyment, then we think of making a tourist lease to go there;
therefore to go back to home back to godhead unless we hear about
him how you can be inclined; therefore god comes Krishna comes he
manifests his pastimes in Vrindavan.
How he's dealing
with friends servants mother father lover so that we maybe
inclined to go back to home back to godhead this is gods
mercy; therefore executing religious principles means the
result must be to develop our propensity to hear about god not
parye da gatim this rati rati means just like rati is called
sexual appetite. The goswamis they have described rati how rati
is explained jugatana jatah juno just like young boy and young
girl they meet together immediately their sex impulse becomes
agitated it hasn't got to be taught to them naturally if he want
to talk or she wants to talk so this is called rati spontaneous
attraction this is called. It has not to be taught spontaneous,
so as soon as there is spontaneous attraction to hear about god.
That means that you're attaining perfection in religion so if you
are going on as a ethnic program to the church to the temple to
the math but there's no spontaneous attraction for hearing about
god then it is simply labor simply a waste of time, that's all.
That is explained here: 1.2.8 so to come this platform of
spontaneous attraction you have to execute some other
formulas. Was, is that that as you are coming here with some
faith or respect here is a temple you should come regularly why
adau sraddha tato sadhu sanga if you come regularly then these
boys and girls who are engaged in the worship of Krishna or who
are developing the life of devotee practicing under the direction
of a spiritual master they are called sadhu.
Sadhu means
those who are acting very pious. So, those who are acting for
Krishna they are automatically pious because god is pure and
those who are acting for god they are pious. Each and every
activity in this temple are pious activity; therefore they are
pious adau sraddh tato sadhu sanga and as soon as you associate
with the pious devotees naturally there will be inclination to
act like them why not act like them.
Actually, that is
happening they are dressing like this, they are keeping there
body like this, they are chanting Hare Krishna Mantra, in the
back they are worshipping, they are reading why not become like
them? So, adau sraddha first with respectful tendency to come in
the center then to make association with them and the next stage
is to become like them then he approaches the spiritual master
"kindly initiate me" bhajana kriya and as soon as you take to
this bhajana kriya to devotional service anartha nvriti syat
anartha some unwanted things which you have practiced what is
that illicit sex, or if you want sex why don?t you marry and live
respectfully, husband and wife. Why illicit sex? This is
unwanted, but you are practicing, but if you become devotee you
can give up this nonsense practice illicit sex, meateating. Why
meat eating? We have got so many nice preparations sandesh,
rasagual, hallavah puri, ruci why shall I eat these nasty things
rotten it is slaughtered and kept for three thousand years in the
refrigerator (devotees laugh) and that rotten thing is taken and
eaten. So, why should we take that? Why smoking this nonsense? It
is stated in every cigarette box it is injurious to health or
something like that was is that warning? But, still they are
eating that poison they are drinking so these are anarthas
unwanted, things by bad association we are a habituated to this
nonsense practice but, if you become devotee and render service
to Krishna under the direction of your spiritual master these
things will automatically vanquish anartha nvrirti syat tato
nistha then your faith becomes firm tato nistha tato ruci tata
asakti, asakti spontaneous attraction.
Religious
principle means you have to execute the preliminary formulas, but
the ultimate end will be you will have spontaneous attraction for
hearing about god or Krishna that is wanted. If that thing is not
done then you're simply wasting time by going to church or temple
or mosque or any nonsense nas ravhe navahi kevaklla 1-2 simply
waste of time. So, don't become a saw bottle of religious
matters actually try to understand what is religion, what is god,
and make your life successful.
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