751227BG.SAN
Bhagavad-gita 3.14

Sanand, December 27, 1975
Prabhupada:
annad bhavanti bhutani
parjanyad anna-sambhavah
yajnad bhavati parjanyo
yajnah karma-samudbhavah
[Bg. 3.14]
(to translator, who translates throughout:) You will translate? No. I'll speak in English.
So here is a verse from Srimad-Bhagavad-gita, third chapter, fourteenth verse. Annad bhavanti bhutani. When I was coming to your village I saw there are so many agricultural field producing so much. So tobacco-producing can give you some money, but you will be shortage of food grains. Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, said that if you want to make happy and prosperous the people in general, then you must produce anna, food grains. Bhagavan has not said anywhere that you produce tobacco, jute, and similar other things which are not required at all.
The whole purpose of life is to perform yajna. In the Visnu Purana there is a verse
varnasramacaravata purusena parah puman
varnasramacaravata purusena parah puman
nanyat tat-tosa-karanam
[Cc. Madhya 8.58] (Visnu Purana 3.8.9)
Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi su-medhasah [SB 11.5.32]. Yajna means to satisfy the yajna-purusa, Narayana, or Bhagavan. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam Prahlada Maharaja also says,
na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum
durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah
andha yathandhair upaniyamanas
te 'pisa-tantryam uru-damni baddhah
[SB 7.5.31]
The people do not know that the aim of life is to approach Visnu, Lord Visnu. That is the aim of life. Visnur aradhyate pantha nanyat tat-tosa-karanam.
So visnu-aradhana is the ultimate goal of life. In the Puranas also, Lord Siva was instructing Parvati, aradhananam sarvesam visnor aradhanam param. Lord Siva said that "Of all different types of worship, the worship of Visnu is topmost." So human life is specially meant for worshiping Visnu. Unfortunately, the blind leaders, they are not teaching people how to execute visnu-aradhana. So this Krsna consciousness movement is started just to educate people how to worship Lord Visnu. Visnor aradhanam paramthis is our mission to teach all over the world. [break] Krsna also says in the Bhagavad-gita that yajnarthe karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanah [Bg. 3.9]. Yajnarthe. Yajna means Visnu. Simply for satisfying Visnu one should act. Any work one is habituated to do, it should be aimed to satisfy Visnu. Otherwise we shall be implicated in the karma. Karma means we act in some way under the direction of material energy or illusionary energy, and we become implicated. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-janma-yonisu [Bg. 13.22]. According to our work and association with particular type of the modes of nature, we get different types of body. If we give up visnu-aradhana, if we give up the aim of achieving the favor of Visnu, then we are becoming implicated in the resultant action of our different activities.
Krsna therefore teaches, yat karosi: "Whatever you do... It doesn't matter. Yat karosi yaj juhosi yad asnasi yat tapasyasi kurusva tad mad-arpanam: [Bg. 9.27] "Whatever you give, that doesn't matter, but the result should be given to Me." So at the present moment in this age, all over the world people have forgotten Visnu, or God. They are whimsically doing things which will implicate them birth after birth, sad-asad-janma-yonisu. Either higher class of birth or lower class of birth, sat and asat. But this is not solution of life.
So here in this verse Krsna says,
annad bhavanti bhutani
parjanyad anna-sambhavah
yajnad bhavati parjanyo
yajnah karma-samudbhavah
[Bg. 3.14]
So karma... Everyone has got different types of occupation. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, brahma-karma, ksatriya-karma, vaisya-karma, sudra-karma. Sva-karmana tam abhyarcya samsiddhim labhate narah [Bg. 18.46]. There is no... In the worship of Krsna, there is no such distinction that only the brahmanas can offer prayers or worship to Krsna, but everyone can offer. Mam hi vyapasritya ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah. Even less than the sudras, they can also take the advantage of worshiping Krsna. So yajnarthe karmano 'nyatra. This karma should be performed for executing yajna. (aside:) Why... Translate.
So this yajna... Formerly yajna was performed very gorgeously. So many mounds of ghee and grains were put into the fire. But in this age, Kali-yuga, there is neither ghee nor grains to offer in the fire, yajna fire. Therefore in this Kali-yuga the yajna is performed by chanting the holy name of the Lord.
So I do not wish to take very much time. I have got another engagement. My only submission is that you produce enough quantity of food grains. Don't waste your time by producing tobacco. Besides that, in the sastra it is forbidden, striya suna pana dyuta yatra papas catur-vidha [SB 1.17.38]. Striya, avaidha, illicit sex, striya, suna, jiva ko hatya, killing the animals. Striya suna pana... Pana means smoking also. Drinking liquor and smoking. Dhuma pana. This pana is forbidden. Striya suna pana dyuta, and dyuta means gambling. So these four things, they are considered as sinful activities. And in the Bhagavad-gita it is said,
Unless one is free from the sinful activities, he cannot be fully engaged in worshiping the Supreme Lord, Krsna. So these four principle of sinful activities, illicit sex, and animal-killing, and intoxication, including smoking and drinking tea, and gambling... Anyone who wants really benefit of life, human life, they must give up these four principles of sinful life.
Krsna therefore says to every one of us,
It is not possible that we can give up sinful activities by our own endeavor because in this age, Kali-yuga, everyone is addicted to some sort of sinful activities. But if we surrender to Krsna as He is instructing, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], fully, without any reservation, He will help us to become free from the sinful reactions. (end)

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