730217SB.SYD
Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.6

Sydney, February 17, 1973
Prabhupada: This is a verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sixth Canto, First Chapter, verse number six. [SB 6.1.6] In the course of conversation... Not conversation. Maharaja Pariksit was hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam from Sukadeva Gosvami. This Srimad-Bhagavatam is the summit of all knowledge. Vidya bhagavatavadhih. Amongst the Vedic scholars, the topmost knowledge means to understand Srimad-Bhagavatam. Everything is there. (aside:) This noise has to be stopped. So in all subject matterphysics, chemistry, astronomy, religion, politics, sociologyeverything has been fully described, and above all, the science of God is also described. Therefore it is called Bhagavatam. Bhagavatam, the word is derived from bhagavan, bhagavatam. Bhagavan is the first nominative case from the word bhagavata, and from bhagavata-Bhagavatam. Bhagavatam means in relationship with God and in relationship with the devotees of God. Srimad-Bhagavatam amalam puranam.
So this Krsna consciousness movement means we are preaching the cult of Bhagavatam. It is a scientific method. So there were many discussions, and in the Fifth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam there is a chronological description of people suffering due to different kinds of sinful activities. Unfortunately, at the present moment people are unaware. They are kept in darkness. Therefore each and every sinful activity, there is punishment. They do not believe in the next life, but they can see practically in this life that if you violate a little laws of nature, you'll be punished immediately. Immediately punished. Just like I have got some pain in this finger, I scratch some nail, that I should not have done. Immediately there is reaction, I'm suffering. Every... You cannot do anything whimsically. As soon as you do it, there is reaction. Take for example just like salt. Salt is necessary. Unless you put little salt in the foodstuff, you cannot eat it. So salt is necessary, but if you put little more, immediately you cannot eat. It will not, not eatable. Because God has given you salt, the seas and oceans of salt, you cannot make it use more than is necessary. If you think that "There is so much salt, let me eat it,'' no, you can not do. Any, any action. Just like in this material world, sex life is very pleasing, but if you enjoy more, then you become impotent, the reaction. If you can eat say four ounce, and if you eat five ounce, immediately there is indigestion; two days you will have to starve.
So why don't you see? People have become so rascal that they do not think of sinful activities. By nature's law it is so strict that you have to follow the laws given by God. If you don't follow, then you'll be punished. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Dharma means the laws given by God. That is the simple description of dharma. If you do not know what are the laws of God, then that does not mean you'll not be punished. Innocence of law is no cause for excuse. If you go... Suppose if you have done something criminal without your knowledge, and if in the court you say, "My lord, I did not know this law, that committing something criminal like this I would have been punished.'' So that is no excuse. Ignorance of law is no excuse. Nature's law is so strict. Just like a small child, if a child puts his finger on the fire, the fire will not excuse the child: "Oh, he is an innocent child. He does not know.'' No. It must burn, never mind it is child. So there is description of different types of punishment in the Srimad-Bhagavatam for different kinds of sinful activities. Therefore, after hearing the description... Pariksit Maharaja is a Vaisnava. Vaisnava is very sympathetic. If actually there is any welfare worker, that is Vaisnava. This Krsna consciousness movement is going on. The Vaisnavas are taking so much, I mean to say, trouble. Just like in Melbourne our, these preachers are being punished regularly. They are taken to the jail, and still they are doing their duty. Still they are going for sankirtana. Just like one side they are violating the so-called laws of the state, they are being punished. Similarly, important laws of God, if one violates, how you cannot be punished? This is an instance. Must be punished.
So Vaisnava is always thinking how people will be happy. This Krsna consciousness movement is going on just to make people happy. They do not know so many things and for which they are suffering in this material world in so many stages of life, in so many forms of life. Huh? They are transmigrating from one life to another. There are 8,400,00 species of life. Huh? In this way, actually their existence is being spoiled. Therefore Krsna consciousness movement is to give them right knowledge so that they may become happy. So this question was raised by Pariksit Maharaja, that,
adhuneha maha-bhaga
yathaiva narakan narah
nanogra-yatanan neyat
tan me vyakhyatum arhasi
"I heard that people suffer such-and-such kind of punishment for such-and-such kind of sinful activities. So how to get them released from this suffering?'' Just like a friend, suppose another friend for criminal activity is put into jail, but the friend is thinking, "Anyway, my friend is now put into jail, suffering. How to get him released?'' That is friend's actionfather, mother or friend. Similarly, Vaisnava, Vaisnava is patitanam pavanebhyo vaisnavebhyo namo namah. We offer our respectful obeisances to Vaisnava because Vaisnava is meant for delivering the fallen souls. That is Vaisnava's business. They have taken so much trouble just to deliver the fallen souls from the sinful activities, and those who are being punished, to save them, this is Vaisnava's business. So Pariksit Maharaja, not for himself, but for others he inquired this question: "My dear Sukadeva Goswami, I understand that these people are suffering so many different types of punishment. But how to rescue, rescue them? Is there any method to rescue them? If there is, kindly describe, kindly describe.'' Adhuneha maha-bhaga yathaiva narakan narah. Adhunanow; ihain this world; maha-bhaga. Maha-bhaga, the Sukadeva Goswami is described, maha-bhaga, most fortunate. A Vaisnava is most fortunate. Vaisnava is most fortunate because he has got the shelter of Krsna. Krsna says,
If one takes shelter of Krsna, he's immediately released from these resultant actions of sinful activities. So maha-bhaga means those who have no sufferings, they're always possessed of all good fortune, he is called maha-bhaga. Bhagavan. The Sanskrit word is used, bhagavan, fortunate.
So Pariksit Maharaja addressed Sukadeva Goswami as maha-bhaga, the most fortunate. Because he's perfect Vaisnava, therefore he addresses, "My dear, the most fortunate,'' maha-bhaga. Adhuna, "Now,'' yathaiva narakan narah, "these people are suffering in the hellish condition of life. How they can be rescued?'' Nana ugra-yatanan. Very severe punishment they are undergoing. People cannot see. They have no eyes to see, you see? They suffer in great calamities, and still they cannot see that "I am suffering.'' Just like when you pass through the streets of Australia, we go daily, morning walk, big, big skyscraper buildings have been constructed, and people are making plans, designs, working very, very hard, lifting so many heavy things. These are very heavy tasks, but they are thinking, "It is very happiness.'' (laughter) They are thinking, "We are making progress, we are making progress. We are bringing stones and irons on head and putting together, and it is progress. We are very happy.'' (laughter) This is going on. This is called varata maninah(?). They are enamored by the external energy of the Personality of Godhead. These material things are products of the external energy of the Lord. Bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca [Bg. 7.4]. Bhumi, the earth, the iron, stone, wood, they are nothing but transformations of earth. Similarly, apo, water. So whatever we are manufacturing here, they are simply combination of earth, water, air, fire, that's all. Nothing but. Tejo-vari-mrdam vinimayam. Exchange of teja, fire. Teja means fire, vari means water, and mrd means earth. Just like the bricks. What is this brick? You take earth, you take earth and mix it with water and put it in the fire, it becomes brick. So whole thing, either earth, stone or iron, anything, they are simply mixture of these five elements. So I am spirit soul. I have been engaged in mixing these five things and big, big lumps and gathering them just like children play in the sea beach, gathering so much sand and making like this, big house, and then it is fallen down. So we are engaged in these material activities, but we forget at the same time that there is ready, atom bomb. As soon as there will be declared war, these things will be finished, immediately. These people are not declaring war. America is not declaring war against Asia, Russia or China. They are thinking because they know they have got the deadly weapons, atom, and that is the now diplomacy. When there will be war, the first dropping of atom bomb will be victorious. Aah, victorious.
So this is called material civilization, that we do not know that these things will be finished today or tomorrow or hundred years after. It will be finished. And I am living soul, I am eternal, and I have been engaged in these material activities without knowing my progress of life, or without knowing my transmigration from... Suppose I spent all of my energy in this piling of stone and wood in this life, and next life if I become a rat or cat in this house, then what is the profit? (laughter) And there is possibility. There is possibility, because after death you cannot say that "I am going to be like this.'' That is under the hands of nature.
Prakrti will take charge of you immediately. As soon as you give up this body, prakrti will take charge. Take charge means the prakrti will test what is the mentality at the time of your death, and he will give you a body like that, automatically. The nature's law is working so nicely, so perfectly, that everything is becoming manifest automatically. Just like fire, ah, flower. You see how beautiful flower, rose flower, is coming into existence automatically. Don't think that there is no brain. There is brain, but the brain is so perfect and instant that you are seeing that it is becoming automatically grown. No. There is brain. Just like electric, electrons. Just like here is a machine working, and pushing some buttons it is recorded, and pushing some buttons it is stopped. A child may think that it is being done automatically. No. There is a big brain behind this machine, big brain. But a foolish man sees that it is being automatically. Similarly, nature's law is parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. Na tasya karyam... These are the Vedic versions. Na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate. Just like if we have to construct a skyscraper building, then we have to work so hard to collect the materials and piling them and making them secure and so many things. So..., but this material creation, this universe, was created not like that. Just like it is said in the Bible, '' 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation.'' Similarly, actually it is so. Parasya saktir. God's potencies are so subtle and perfect, as soon as He desires, immediately thing is ready. This is called yoga system, yoga system. Therefore Krsna is known as Yogesvara. Of all the yogis, He is the supreme yogi. Yatha yogesvara. So, there is work, but do not think that "There was no work; automatically it comes.'' No. There was work, but it is so subtle and perfect. The same thing, the working, so many things are working, going on within the machine, that simply I push it on and it acts. Similarly, work is there for creation. The work is there, but it is actuated by the perfect potency of Krsna. That is real understanding. Don't think that it has come like mantra. No. The mantra is like that, but we cannot see how subtle work is going on. If we cannot see even in our body... Suppose there is some injury in your finger or any part of the body. You do not know how subtle work is going on to cure it. Medicine is not cure; medicine is only helping. But there is automatic way of curing. Even your energy, this is your energy. My bodily pains and pleasures, so many things are going on. Just like so many, you cannot count even how many hairs are there on your head. You cannot count. But it is your hair, and it is produced by your energy. You have got so much energy that as soon as you cut your hair, immediately next moment it begins to grow. Thousands and millions automatically growing. As soon as the body is dead, then no more growing, because energy is gone. So similarly, as in your body so much subtle energies are working, just imagine this universal body of Krsna, virat-rupa, how much subtle energies are working. So that we do not know. That is our ignorance.
So any slight deviation from the law and we are put into undesirable condition. That is a fact. Just like here, according to Vedic principle, the laws are given by Manu, Manu. From Manu, the word manusya has come, or "man.'' And there is Manu-samhita. In the Manu-samhita it is stated that if a man commits murder then he should be hanged. He should be hanged. That is followed by every human society. Why? Because the sinful activities which he has enacted, if he is punished in this life, then he'll not so suffer again in the next life. His punishment will be finished. So that is a favor. If a murderer is hanged, then that is a favor shown by the government, because the next life you'll not have to suffer. So when Pariksit Maharaja inquired,
adhuneha maha-bhaga
yathaiva narakan narah
nanogra-yatanan neyat
tan me vyakhyatum arhasi
"Kindly describe how these sinful men who are suffering, how they can be rescued from this sinful reaction?'' So Sukadeva Goswami replied,
na ced ihaivapacitim yathamhasah
krtasya kuryan mana-ukta-panibhih
dhruvam sa vai pretya narakan upaiti
ye kirtita me bhavatas tigma-yatanah
He says, "My dear King, that unless he makes atonement for the sinful activities in this life, then next life he'll have to suffer.'' This is the answer. Ihaivapacitim yathamhasah. Amhasah means sinful activities, as he has done. How he has done? Kuryan manah-ukta-panibhih. Just see. We are committing sinful activities even by thinking, even by thinking. If I think that "I shall kill that man,'' this is mental activity. Still it is sinful. Manah uktih. If I unnecessarily chastise you by words, "You rascal this and that,'' so many..., that is also a kind of sinful activity. And if I commit by action, oh, that is sure. Therefore it is said, krtasya kuryan mana-ukta-panibhih. Panibhih with hands, or by mind or... The concession for this age, when we think of any sinful activities it does not affect us, but when we actually... Suppose I'm thinking of killing you. This thinking of killing you is also sinful, but unless I kill you, the sin is not so prominent. In this age that is a concession. But we are actually thinking, feeling, and willing and acting so many sinful activities that we do not know. That is the ignorance. So dhruvam sa vai pretya narakan upaiti. If he does not atone in this life... Just like if I take some money from you, if I do not pay you, then I will have to pay four times next life. That you do not know. Four times, many times, with interest. Just like bank gives you interest, you have to pay. But we cheat so many people. We are thinking that we are very clever: "I can cheat so many persons and take money and enjoy.'' That is atheistic. Rnam krtva ghrtam pibet yavaj jivet sukham jivet. The atheistic philosopher... Everything there are in Indian Vedic culture. Everything is discussedatheistic, theistic, scientific, everything is there.
So this Carvaka Muni was an atheistic philosopher. His philosophy was that so long you... Now that philosophy is being followed at the present moment, that "You don't care for sinful activities, there is no life, and after finishing this body, everything is finished; enjoy life as you like.'' This is going on. That is Carvaka's philosophy. Rnam krtva ghrtam pibet. He said that "You enjoy life by eating as much as quantity as you can provide ghee.'' Because Indian philosophy means if you can eat... Just like in Western countries, if you can eat meat you think that "I am very much fortunate.'' Similarly, in India still, in villages also, they think that "If we can eat more ghee then we are very fortunate.'' (laughter) So rnam krtva ghrtam pibet yavaj jivet sukham jivet. So "Beg, borrow, steal, eat ghee.'' Eat ghee, because so long you live, you'll live very sumptuously eating ghee and become fatty. That's all. (laughter) So rnam krtva ghrtam pibet yavaj jivet sukham jivet. Live very happily. And then if you say that "I have no money. If I borrow from friends ghee, then I'll have to pay...,'' because these are the injunctions in the sastras. But he is atheistic. He says, bhasmi-bhutasya dehasya kutah punar agamano bhavet. According to Vedic culture, the body is burned into ashes. So when the body is burned to ashes, who is coming again and paying him back? (laughter) "Don't think about it. Everything is finished.'' So this is the atheistic nonsense. But actually it is not. If you take real knowledge from Bhagavad-gita, na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20], that is real knowledge. After destruction of this body, don't think that you are finished. You live, tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati, dehino 'smin yatha dehe [Bg. 2.13]. This is the first instruction. If you want to enter into spiritual life, you must know that you, spirit soul, you are eternal. You don't die; you are not finished. That after the destruction of this body, you accept another body, tatha dehantara praptir. These are the versions in Bhagavad-gita, authoritative. And dehantara means another body. There is no guarantee what kind of body you get. That will depend on your work. You may get the body of a king or you may get the body of a hog, as you have done work in this life. This life is a preparation for the next life.
So here Sukadeva Goswami says that if one does not atone his sinful activities... That is prayascitta vidhi, according to Vedic culture. In Christian also they have got prayascitta, confession. Confession, the Christians are supposed to go into the church and confess the sinful activities and pay some fine and then he becomes free. But that free, that excuse can be done once, twice, thrice, not perpetually. It is not possible. Suppose if you have done something wrong, and if you go to the court and say, "Sir, excuse me. I did not know,'' the court may excuse you one time, second time, but not for the third time. Third time you will be severely punished. So these people who are thinking, "By going to the church, by confession, I become free from all sinful activities, and then let me go again, commit the same thing for the whole week, come again and confess,'' this is not very good business. (laughter) This is not very good business. Similarly, if you think also, you are chanting Hare Krsna mantra, Hare Krsna mantra means you become free from all sinful reaction of life. But if you think that "I have got an instrument, chanting Hare Krsna mantra, so let me commit all sinful activities, then I shall chant Hare Krsna, it will be nullified,'' no. That is the greatest offense. That is the greatest offense. Out of ten kinds of offenses, this is the greatest offense. Namno balad yasya hi papa-buddhih. So God can excuse you once, twice, thrice, not more than that. Then you will be punished. Because you are knowingly criminal, your punishment will be very severe. So those who think that "This atonement, confession, or chanting Hare Krsna is the counteraction of our sinful activities,'' they're greatest sinners. They're greatest sinners. They'll be severely punished. Just like a police, a policeman, a constable, if he commits theft, he's severely punished. He's to detect criminality, but he becomes himself a criminal, then he's very highly punished. That is the law.
So here Sukadeva Goswami says that unless one atones his sinful activities done in this life, then he has to accept severe punishment in the next life. There is no excuse. This is the conclusion. Dhruvam sa vai pretya narakan upaiti. Dhruvam, dhruvam means sure. Surely he must suffer the hellish condition of life, next life, if he does not atone in this life. That is called prayascitta, confession, so many things. Ye kirtita me: "And I've already described them in the Fifth Chapter, that if you commit this kind of sin, you suffer like this. If you commit this kind of sin, you suffer like this.'' And he's giving a nice example:
"Therefore, my dear King, according to the gravity of sinful activities, one has to atone similarly.'' The example is, according to the gravity of the disease, the physician prescribes different types of medicine. If your disease is very severe then the physician says, "You have to take this medicine. This is very costly. You have to live like this.'' You know, you know everyone. Ordinary disease, that can be cured by giving some tablet, but if the disease is very severe, then you have to undergo severe medical treatment and suffering and so on. This very example. This is practical. This is practical. There is no question of doubt. The example is given that in this life, if you have some severe type of disease, you have to pay the doctor's bill, also severe. That you cannot avoid. So why not for sinful activities? And what is disease? Disease infection means that is also violating the laws of nature. That is disease. Just I gave you the example, a little scratching of nail, again means (indistinct) so much trouble. So you cannot violate, that is, that is breaking the laws of nature, breaking the laws of God. That is sinful. Either you take it as disease or take it as sinful activities or whatever you call it. This is... So you have to atone.
So Pariksit Maharaja is answering, he's very intelligent, drsta-srutabhyam yat papam. (aside:) You sit down properly if you are feeling sleepy.
drsta-srutabhyam yat papam
janann apy atmano 'hitam
karoti bhuyo vivasah
prayascittam atho katham
[SB 6.1.9]
So Pariksit Maharaja says that "I accept that unless one atones, then he'll be punished, but what is the value of this atonement?'' Just like a man falls diseased. He's habituated to some certain habits, and he falls diseased on account of that. He knows that "I committed this mistake in respect of my healthy condition, so I'm now punished by this disease. He knows and he has suffered, but why he commits again? This is the question. Why he commits again? So Pariksit Maharaja says that drsta-srutabhyam yat papam janann apy atmano 'hitam [SB 6.1.9]. A person knows that this is not good for him. For example a thief. A thief knows that stealing is not good. It is against law, and against our revealed scriptures also. No religious book or scriptures will say that "You go on stealing.'' No. Neither the state laws also allows stealing. A man knows. And suppose he's stolen in the past and he was punished or he sees that one who has stolen property, he is arrested by the police and he's being taken into custody. He has seen it, he has heard it. We experience. We gather our knowledge by seeing and by hearing. So both things he has done, but still he is stealing. Why? This is the question. So suppose if I knowingly do something and I make atonement and again I do it. Or a disease. I know that if I attack this infection I'll suffer, still I, ah, become infected, and again I suffer. Again I go to the physician, he gives me medicine, again I'm cured, again disease. This is going on. Why this is? He has got experience, and still he has experienced, he has seen, he has heard, he has full knowledge that "This kind of sinful activity will be fruitful in this way, and I'll have to suffer.'' Why does he do it? Therefore, he says,
"My dear Sukadeva Goswami...'' If a man knows it, by knowing he may refrain for sometime from sinful activity, but again he does it. Again he does it. He's forced, he's forced: "Let me do it. All right, I suffer, doesn't matter.'' But again he suffers, and when he suffers he says, "Oh, I'll not do it again, I'll not do it again.'' But when he's again cured, again he does it. Therefore, Pariksit Maharaja... The same, confession, or anything you take, atonement. So Pariksit Maharaja is comparing it, kunjara-saucavat. It is just like the elephant's taking bath. The elephant... This is natural, one can see. The elephant takes bath very thoroughly, he washes the body in the water, in the tank, very thoroughly for long time, becomes very cleansed. And as soon as it comes on the shore it takes some dust and throws it. (laughter) That is nature, we have seen. So Pariksit Maharaja... This is just like cleaning the body of an elephant like. The elephant cleanses the body very nicely, but as soon as he comes to the land, he takes dust and throws over it. So what is the use of such atonement if I have to commit again? I do it again and again. Again I commit sinful activities and again I atone. So what is the benefit of this atonement? This is a strong criticism of so-called confession and atonement.
Then because, as Sukadeva Goswami is the most intelligent instructor of Bhagavata principles, the audience, Pariksit Maharaja, he is also very important, very intelligent audience, and he has put this, "What is the use of this atonement? I don't find any benefit. If I have to commit the same sinful activities, what is the use of such atonement? It is just like the bath taken by the elephant, kunjara-saucavat.'' Therefore he replied,
badarayanir uvaca
karmana karma-nirharo
na hy atyantika isyate
avidvad-adhikaritvat
prayascittam vimarsanam
"Yes, my dear King, you are right. Your question is very intelligent. Actually, by committing something wrong and reacting it by something else, that is not very beneficial. The real prayascitta is knowledge.'' Real prayascitta is knowledge. A thief is committing theft and going to the prison, suffers for six months, again he comes out, and again he commits theft, and within four days again he is put into the prison. We have seen many such cases. He..., the thief comes out of the jail, and exactly after four days he's again put into the jail. So this action and reaction... One has committed theft, and the reaction is that he is put into the jail. This is not exactly beneficial. Real is that thief must be given knowledge. Knowledge... For want of knowledge, the whole world is suffering for want of knowledge. Therefore Krsna consciousness movement is giving actual knowledge of the living entity, mimamsa. Mimamsa means that think over the matter, that "Why I am doing this?'' This is called brahma-jijnasa, this is called brahma-jijnasa. Means when a person becomes inquisitive about this "Why?'' "Why I am suffering?'' then he becomes intelligent. The he comes to the standard of human life. And there is Upanisad, Kena Upanisad. Kena means "why.'' Just like Sanatana Gosvami, when he approached Caitanya Mahaprabhu, he placed this question, "Why? Why I am suffering?'' Ke ami, kene jare tapa-traya. "I do not want to die. Why there is death? I do not want to suffer from disease. Why there is disease? I do not want to take birth. Why I am put into the womb of mother again and again? Janma-mrtyu jara-vyadhi [Bg. 13.9]. And I do not want to become old. Why I am forced to become old?'' When a person comes to this standard, to inquire "Why these things are there?'' this is real intelligence. Intelligence does not mean you gather, like asses, all the stones and iron and put them together and be satisfied that "Oh, I am very happy.'' That is asses' business. Ass is very expert to overload his body with heavy tons of... You know that? Maybe you do not know, but in India there is washerman, he puts tons of cloth over the back of the ass, and it carries. It cannot move, still it carries it. And it goes to the washing ghata, washing place, and it stands there whole day eating little morsel of grass. He's thinking that "Unless I overload my back with this cloth, I cannot get this grass.'' Although he sees there are so many thousands and thousands of grasses all over, still he'll serve that washerman. Therefore it is called ass. (devotees laugh) You see? Ass. (more laughter) No intelligence, simply working for others, and eating a morsel of... I've seen in New York, very big publisher, he's very busy, but he's eating a few slice of bread and cup of tea and nothing more, that's all. You see? There are so many big, big men, they cannot eat much but they work more than us, all day and night. Therefore they are called asses. Karmis, they are called asses. Not for his personal benefit, but he does not know for whose benefit he is working so hard, but still he is working, without benefit. Therefore sa eva go-kharah. Those who are under the impression, the bodily concept of life, sa eva... Yasyatma buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih [SB 10.84.13]. So when the asses will come to this standard, "Why I am working so hard?'' then he's human being; otherwise he's no better than the cows and the asses.
Therefore Pariksit Maharaja here, Sukadeva Goswami, "Yes. Real prayascitta is to inquire, to become inquisitive.'' This is the Vedanta-sutra, beginning of Vedanta-sutra philosophy. Athato brahma jijnasa. Vimarsanam. And,
nasnatah pathyam evannam
vyadhayo abhibhavanti hi
evam niyamakrd rajan
sanaih ksemaya kalpate
[SB 6.1.12]
He's prescribing first thing. Just like if you live regularly, if you take foodstuff not more than what you require, if take nice foodstuff, healthy foodstuff, if you follow the hygienic principles, then you will never be attacked with disease. Very reasonable (indistinct). Similarly, we have to live very regulated life; then we shall not be affected or infected by sinful activities. That is the prescription. This is required. If we do not live regulated life, if we do not follow the regulative principles as they are given in the sastra, then in spite of being put into jail, in spite of my suffering, as soon as I come back, I again commit the same thing and again go to jail. This is... The example is given very nicely here that if anyone does not know how to live hygienically, healthfully, he must fall diseased. That's a fact. Similarly, one must have knowledge what is the value of this life, how I shall live, then he will be not subjected to the sinful activities. This is the conclusion. And if he lives like ass and cow, without any knowledge, without knowing the values of human life, then he must be subjected to sinful activities and will be punished one after another, accepting different types of bodies.
The different types of bodies means that is our punishment. We may think it as happiness, but as soon as you accept a material body, you are subjected to the four principles of material distresses. What is that? Janma, mrtyu, jara, vyadhi. You may think that you are very scientifically advanced"There is no more distress in my life''but Krsna says, "No. If you are intelligent, then you should think of these four principles as distresses.'' What is that? Birth, death, old age and disease. But the modern so-called scientists, they cannot make any solution to birth, death, old age and disease; therefore they have left them aside: "Oh, don't care for them.'' That is ignorance. Our real problem is not this temporary problem that we are in such and such distressed condition. That is temporary. But real problem is, as Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam [Bg. 13.9]. If anyone is intelligent enough, he should always keep before him that there are, these are my distresses: janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. I don't want to die, so what I have done for stopping my death? What have I done to stop my birth? Huh? Because as soon as I die, again I enter into the womb of a particular type of mother. Hm? Again I have to live there, packed up. That is the... Everyone knows. I cannot move even. No independence. The insects biting my delicate body, I cannot protest. I'm simply suffering. So many things. After coming out of the womb, still there is suffering. Suffering, suffering, sufferingthe whole life is sufferingbut I do not know how to compensate the suffering. That I do not know. That is ignorance. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi duhkha-dosanudarsanam. Just like the ass cannot understand that he's suffering, loading so much cloth upon his back. That is ass, one who cannot understand the suffering. And we are taking it, "This is now pleasure. This is not suffering, this is pleasure. I am working so hard.'' I remember long ago, about forty years ago, one of my servants, he left my service and he was pulling on thela. You know thela, a hand-pulled cart? So after that he came to see me. I asked him, "How you are doing now?'' So he was very pleased that "I am working, pulling on this thela and eating sumptuously, and by evening it becomes all digested and again I'll eat.'' That is the (indistinct). He's eating sumptuously, and by working, by pulling on the thela, hard labor, whole thing is digested and again goes in the evening he eats very sumptuously, he is very pleased. That is his success of life. So people are doing like that. They are eating in the morning and working very hard whole day, and in the evening again he becomes hungry and eats more sumptuously. That is his happiness. That is his happiness. But he does not think that these distresses are there, janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam [Bg. 13.9].
So there is no solution for them made. The so-called scientists and philosophers, they do not..., "Oh, death is natural. What is this? I'll have to, I'll die.'' But when there is warning, "Now death,'' there is... I have, everyone has seen that as soon as there is earthquake, they began to scream, "Oh, now I'm going to die.'' As soon as there is any shaking in the airplane, they begin to scream. (laughter) He's afraid of death, but he says, "Oh, that is not a problem.'' He has got his experience that at the time of death it is very severe punishment. Therefore Bhagavad-gita says, janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam: "You may be satisfied with your foolish idea that you are very happy, but if you are intelligent then you must always keep yourself...'' The Canakya Pandita also said that those who advancing in spiritual life, they should place before him that "Here is death,'' just before him. And those who are karmis, like ass, they'll always think that "I'll never die.'' The spiritualist always thinks that "I am dying, dying, dying, going to die next moment.'' And the karmis, he should think that "I'll live forever.'' Otherwise he cannot work. He cannot. Unless he is put into this ignorance that he'll never die, he cannot work.
So at the modern age the people are simply kept into ignorance so that they can work like ass and cow and be satisfied. This is the present civilization. And this Krsna consciousness movement is a fight against this civilization, this wrong civilization. This Krsna consciousness... the people are being denied their privilege. The human life is meant for getting out of this ignorance of life. But people are being put into ignorance, and their human life is being spoiled. So therefore this Krsna consciousness movement is the greatest welfare activity to the human society. Those who are intelligent enough, they should try to understand it and help it as much as possible. Otherwise it is very risky civilization. People are kept into ignorance. He does not know what is the value of life. He does not know what he is. He does not know what is God. He does not know what is life. He does not know what he is going to become next life. He's completely in darkness. Therefore Bhagavata says, parabhavas tavad abodha-jato yavan na jijnasata atma-tattvam. So long he does not inquire that "What I am? What is my necessity? Why I am suffering?'' Unless one comes to this position of inquisitiveness, whatever he is doing, it is all defeat for him. It is all defeat for him because he does not know what is his position. So this Krsna consciousness movement is just to giving him the chance to understand himself, and it is very easy, it is very easy. And it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita,
If you simply try to understand Krsnawhy Krsna advents Himself, why does He come, why does He disappear, what are His activities, what is His philosophy, this is Krsna consciousness. If you simply try to understand Krsna, then the result will be tyaktva deham. After giving up this body, no more accepting. Then you stop your janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi [Bg. 13.9]. This is the science of Krsna consciousness.
Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

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