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Imported quote 16554 All living beings are stated to be the parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord, and how they are so is explained in this verse. The four divisions of human society, namely the intelligent class or the brahmanas, the administrative class or the ksatriyas, the mercantile class or the vaisyas, and the sūdra class or the laborers, are all in different parts of the body of the Lord. As such, no one is different from the Lord. The mouth of the body and the legs of the body are nondifferent constitutionally, but the mouth or the head of the body is qualitatively more important than the legs. At the same time, the mouth, the legs, the arms and the thighs are all component parts of the body. These limbs of the body of the Lord are meant to serve the complete whole. The mouth is meant for speaking and eating, the arms are meant for the protection of the body, the legs are meant for carrying the body, and the waist of the body is meant for maintaining the body. The intelligent class in society, therefore, must speak on behalf of the body, as well as accept foodstuff to satisfy the hunger of the body. The hunger of the Lord is to accept the fruits of sacrifice. The brahmanas or the intelligent class must be very expert in performing such sacrifices, and the subordinate class must join in such sacrifices. To speak for the Supreme Lord means to glorify the Lord by means of propagating the. knowledge of the Lord as it is, broadcasting the factual nature of the Lord and the factual position of all other parts of the whole body. The brahmanas, therefore, are required to know the Vedas or the ultimate source of knowledge. Veda means knowledge, and anta means the end of it. According to Bhagavad-gita, the Lord is the source of everything (aham sarvasya prabhavaḥ), and thus the end of all knowledge (Vedanta) is to know the Lord, to know our relationship with Him and to act according to that relationship only. The parts of the body are related to the body; similarly, the living being must know his relationship with the Lord. The human life is especially meant for this purpose, namely to know the factual relationship of every living being with the Supreme Lord. Without knowing this relationship, the human life is spoiled. The intelligent class of men, the brahmanas, are therefore especially responsible for broadcasting this knowledge of our relationship with the Lord and leading the general mass of people to the right path. The administrative class is meant for protecting the living beings so that they can serve this purpose; the mercantile class is meant for producing food grains and distributing them to the complete human society so that the whole population is given a chance to live comfortably and discharge the duties of human life. The mercantile class is also required to give protection to the cows in order to get sufficient milk and milk products, which alone can give the proper health and intelligence to maintain a civilization perfectly meant for knowledge of the ultimate truth. And the laborer class, who are neither intelligent nor powerful, can help by physical services to the other higher classes and thus be benefitted by their cooperation. Therefore the universe is a complete unit in relationship with the Lord, and without this relationship with the Lord the whole human society is disturbed and is without any peace and prosperity. This is confirmed in the Vedas: brahmano 'sya mukham asid, bahū rajanyaḥ krtaḥ.
(More...) So this is culture. You may do your business. Just like Arjuna: Arjuna was doing his business. He was a fighter, ksatriya, but he did not forget his culture, hearing Gita from the master. That is culture. If you simply do business and do not cultivate your spiritual life, then it is useless waste of time. Srama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8], the sastra says. Svanusthitasya dharmasya samsiddhir hari-tosanam [SB 1.2.13]. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasaḥ. So our Krsna consciousness movement is being spread up that "Do not forget your cultural life." We do not say that you stop your business and become a sannyasi like me and give up everything. We do not say, neither Krsna said that. Krsna never said Arjuna that "You give up your business." "You are ksatriya. You are declining fighting. Oh, it is very abominable. You should not say like that. You must fight." That was Krsna's instruction. So similarly, we Krsna conscious people, we are also advising everyone that "You do not give up your business."
(More...) Mad-gata antaratmana. If you feel Krsna in every step of life... It is not very difficult. And, above that, if you practice the chanting-Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare... There is no tax. Your..., there is no loss of your business. You are all businessmen. But if you chant Hare Krsna mantra, if you remember Krsna while drinking water, what is your loss? Why don't you try it? This is cultivation of knowledge. If you cultivate this knowledge, at the same time go on doing your business, your life will be successful.
(More...) Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/?qg=2909
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