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Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.9

Auckland, February 20, 1973
Pradyumna: (chants verse, etc.)
Prabhupada: This is the most important. First of all, Suta Gosvami was selected because he received the knowledge from Vyasadeva and other sages very perfectly on account of his becoming submissive and serious. This is the first qualification. Now they are asking, "What you have thought, the best way of achievement, the highest goal of life. Anjasa, just make it easy." In the next verse it will be explained why easy things are required in this age. Very difficult execution of spiritual life, austerities, penance, that is not possible. People are so fallen that they cannot accept any severe type of austerity. It is not possible. Therefore the yoga system is not at all possible in this age. As we have several times discussed, it is very difficult, yama, niyama. The very beginning is yama, niyama, controlling. Everything controlling, not to be licentious, everything controlling. Yoga life begins, yoga indriya samyama. The real purpose of practicing yoga is controlling the senses. Our senses are so strong. We have discussed many times that even the greatest learned man falls victim to sense enjoyment. Even the greatest learned man. In the sastra therefore, it is ordered,
Matra means mother, with mother. Svasra, with sister. Duhitra, with daughter. Naviviktasano bhavet, "Never sit down in a lonely place even with your mother, even with your sister, or even with your daughter." Balavan indriya-gramah, the indriya-gramah, all the senses, especially the sex, is so strong that vidvamsam api karsati, even one is very learned, very well educated, still he is attracted. Therefore our... This is the basic principle of our conditioned life, the sex. We are in this material world... Material world means to get this material body, and material body means subjected to the tribulations of material nature. This is called conditioned life. As soon as you get a material body, you have to undergo the pains of pleasures of this. No pleasures, all pains. You have to undergo, this is subjected. Matra-sparsa. As soon as you get a material body, immediately according to the seasonal changes... Just like in London city sometimes you are feeling cold, sometimes you are feeling very warm as the season changes. So the material nature will go on changing and because your material body is susceptible to all the influence of such changes, you will feel pains and pleasures. No pleasure, always pain. The same warm is pleasure at some time and the same warm is pain at the same time. In summer season warm is not very pleasing but in the winter season the same warmth is pleasing. So warmth is pleasing or painful according to the seasonal changes. Krsna advised Arjuna that, "Don't be subjected to the seasonal changes, agamapayino 'nitya, they come and go. Don't be very serious about that. Whenever there is some reverse condition of life, don't be disturbed because they will come and go." So our real business is Krsna consciousness.
So how this Krsna consciousness can be developed by the easiest method? tatra tatranjasayusman bhavata yad viniscitam. Now, this question is asked from a person who is self-realized, not from a shop-keeper. Tad vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. Here is a guru because he has learned sufficiently from Vyasadeva and other sages therefore they are asking from him, not from a... Ayusman. They are blessing, "Be blessed with long span of life." Although he was young, still he's asking, they're asking, great, great learned brahmanas and sages, "What you have decided to be the easiest process to achieve the highest goal of life?" Pumsam ekantatah sreyas. Ekantatah, absolute. Sreyas. Sreyas means benefit.
There are two kinds of benefit: one is called preyas and one is called sreyas. Preyas means immediately very pleasing, immediately. The senses, sense satisfaction, very pleasing immediately. But sreyas means ultimate goal, ultimately. Just like a child, for him preyas means he wants to play, he doesn't want to go to school and, but his sreyas means he must go to school, must be educated so that his future life may be secure. That is called sreyas. So our life, this human form of life, should be used for sreyas. It is said, pumsam ekantatah sreyas. We should not be attracted by the preyas. Preyas. But modern education is so nasty that they encourage preyas. Especially in the, not in this country, everywhere. That boys and girls are not checked, rather encouraged, encouraged in the matter of immature sex life. Preyas. They want it, "All right, do it, take tablets and enjoy." This is dangerous. For this reason, the generation are becoming degraded, because they are not aiming at the sreyas. They are simply aiming at the preyas, immediate pleasing thing. They do not know that immature sex life spoils the brain, spoils strength. Everything is spoiled. In student life, brahmacari system is very nice. If he keeps brahmacari without any sex life, then his brain becomes very potent. He can remember, memory becomes very sharp, bodily sense becomes very solid. In this way his life becomes very solid for future sreyas. But that is not being taught at the present moment. But here the rsis, the great sages, they are asking, pumsam ekantatah sreyas. Tan nah samsitum arhasi, "Kindly describe what we should accept." This is called inquiry. Everyone should be inquisitive for the ultimate benefit of life. What is that ultimate benefit of life? The ultimate benefit of life is to stop this repetition of birth and death, old age and disease. That is ultimate benefit of life. But they do not know. Then?
Pradyumna: (reading purport) "In the Bhagavad-gita, worship of the acarya is recommended. The acaryas and the gosvamis are always well-wishers for the general public."
Prabhupada: Yes. The acarya or gosvami, their business is... Just like our acaryas, sad-gosvami, they left their service, big service, ministership, and by the order of Caitanya Mahaprabhu they went to Vrndavana. But what for, going to Vrndavana and sleeping and eating? No, no, not for that purpose. They, rather at home they had time to sleep more, but when they went to Vrndavana they were sleeping only one half-hour to two hours only. At the present moment when a man becomes old, he requires more rest. But according to Vedic civilization, no more rest, more work, more work. But these gosvamis, they were deputed by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu... At that time this Vrndavana, which you have seen, now it is nice city, but during the time of Caitanya Mahaprabhu it was a big field only, that's all, nothing was there. Everything, all Krsna's lila were vanished. Not vanished, it was not visible. Caitanya Mahaprabhu saw one small hole, little water, and He indicated, "This is Radha-kunda." Then Radha-kunda was discovered. So these Gosvamis were working very hard. And special business was there, nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau. They were very expert in scrutinizingly studying all the Vedic literatures. Nana-sastra, sastra, not ordinary knowledge. They were also reading(?). Nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau. Just like Rupa Gosvami has quoted so many verses, so many incidences from different sastras, how the biography is stated there in compiling Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, which we've translated, Nectar of Devotion. So this Nectar of Devotion, because formerly whatever is given under Vedic evidence it will be accepted always correct. Therefore nana-sastra-vicaranaika. They used to collect all the Vedic references and put into Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu to establish that bhagavad-bhakti, devotional service to the Lord, is the ultimate goal of life. Nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau sad-dharma-samsthapakau. Sad-dharma. Not asad-dharma. Asad-dharma means referring to the body, karma-kandiya. Karmis they are engaged in asad-dharma not sad-dharma. Because the body is asat. antavanta ime deha nityasyoktah saririnah [Bg. 2.18]. Ime deha. This body is antavat, it is to be perishable, therefore asat. Asato ma sad gama. The Vedic injunction is that. Don't be addicted to this asat, this bodily comforts of life. Sad-gama, try to revive your eternal life. These are the Vedic injunctions. Therefore Bhagavata says, yasyatma-buddhih kunape tridhatuke sa eva go-kharah [SB 10.84.13]. Anyone who is accepting this body as self, he is no better than animal. Go-kharah. Go means cow and kharah means ass. The whole Vedic literature is like that. How to get the spirit soul who is now entangled or encaged in this material body. That is sad-dharma, that is sanatana-dharma. Sad means sanatana, which exists. Sanatana means eternal. What is sat that is eternal. What is asat that is temporary. So these Gosvamis they engaged themselves in studying all the different Vedic literatures. Nana-sastra-vicaranaika-nipunau. They are very expert scrutinizingly studying and it was put in his Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, so many other books also. Why? Sad-dharma-samsthapakau. Sad-dharma. Sad-dharma means spiritual life, not this material.... Just like these modern material scientists they are discovering so many things simply for the comfort of this body, not for any spiritual advancement. Therefore asat. Narottama dasa Thakura says, (Sanskrit). "I have given up sat-sanga, association wherein I can learn about spiritual advancement of life. (Sanskrit) I am engaged enjoying this asat, body. Body means the senses. (Sanskrit) I have become entangled in the action and reaction of fruitive activities." That is the lamentable position of present civilization. People are becoming entangled. He does not know, one does not know, that so long the mind will be absorbed in this karmakarma means bodily activitiesI'll have to accept another body. And there is risk. I do not know whether I shall be able to accept a body, human body. There are 8,400,000 bodies, any body I have to accept as it is given by nature. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani. I am associating in different qualities and prakrti is recording all, automatically it is being recorded what type of body you'll have next life.
Karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu [Bg. 13.22]. Why one is born in high family, rich family, why other is poor family or one is born in lower animals, one is born as demigods? What is that reason, karana? The reason is karanam guna-sango 'sya. He has associated with a particular type of the material qualities therefore he has to accept a particular type of body. Karanam guna-sango 'sya. Therefore we are instructing our students, "Associate with the good qualities, good qualities." The best qualities of association is devotional service, a devotee. Because they're transcendental, above goodness, above goodness. Just like you are living in this temple. This is above goodness according to Vedic.... If you live in the forest that is goodness, association with goodness, because there is no material contamination, simple life in the forest. Or in the village, not in the village, in the forest. Therefore formerly all the sages and saintly persons they used to live in the forest. That is goodness. And if you live in the city that is association with passion. And in the city if you live in the brothel, the liquor shop, gambling, that is association with ignorance. Three kinds. But if you live in the temple, that is transcendence, that is Vaikuntha. So in this way we have to detach ourselves from the association of the three gunas. Krsna advised Arjuna, traigunya-visaya veda nistraigunyo bhavarjuna. "My dear Arjuna, just become transcendental to the three gunas." Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26]. Who can transcend these three gunas, you have to go above goodness. Here in this material world goodness is supposed to be very nice quality, but here the goodness also, nice temporary. There is chance of being affected, infected with the other qualities, sattva-rajas-tamo guna. So we can, at least we have to transcend the rajas-tamo guna. Tada rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye [SB 1.2.19]. Rajas-tamo, the quality of passion and ignorance, mean the symptoms of these qualities is kama and lobha, lust and greediness. So long there is lust and greediness... Lust for sex, lust for opposite sex, this is called lust. And greedinessto eat more, more than you can digest. When these two things are there, lust and greediness, that means you are now being conducted by the ignorance and passion. I am.... When there is prominence of goodness then we can understand what is what, what is God, what I am, what is this world. That is knowledge. And above this, transcendental, not only knowledge but practical application of knowledge in life. That is called suddha-sattva, practical application. Only theoretically know, "Yes, there is God.... [break] ...when you engage yourself in the service of the Lord, that is suddha-sattva. So here the question is that pumsam ekantatah sreyas tan nah samsitum arhasi. "Now we are very much eager to hear from you, to listen from you, kindly let us know what is the easiest method to achieve the highest goal of life." This is the question. So next verse. Read. Oh, purport. Hm.
Devotee: "...they are especially spiritual well-wishers. Spiritual well-being is automatically followed by material well-being."
Prabhupada: Yes. Spiritual well-being, that is our Krsna consciousness movement. That if the society becomes Krsna conscious or spiritually advanced, the so-called material advancement will automatically be there. There is no scarcity. For example, take for practical example, we have got about 100 centers. So we are simply engaged in Krsna consciousness business. So, so far our material necessities are concerned we are not badly situated. We are living in a nice house, we are eating nice foodstuff, we have got nice dress and the devotees look very nice, bright faces. What is the wrong there? What is the wrong there? But they are not busy for earning money or going to the office or going to the factory or so many other sources of revenue(?). They are depending on Krsna and Krsna is supplying them. Krsna says, "yoga-ksemam vahamy aham tesam nityabhiyuktanam [Bg. 9.22]. If anyone is completely engaged in spiritual advancement of life then yoga-ksemam vahamy aham. I take charge of yoga-ksemam." Yoga-ksemam means what is not in possession, to supply that thing. And ksema means what is already possessed, to protect, or for welfare activities. So just like if a child is completely dependent on the father, parents. The parents has the sense that, "My child requires at this time this thing." They already there, he has got to bother. The child does not know to ask from the parents but the things are there. Similarly, our Krsna He is supplying everything, everyone. Eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman. Actually Krsna is supplying everything. Whatever you have got. Whatever you are eating you cannot manufacture in the factory. It is supplied by Krsna. Eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman. Everything is being supplied. What to speak of animal, human life, in the animal life the necessities are eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Everything is there. Eatingthere is enough fruit in the tree. The birds will very nicely jumping over from one tree to another, eating. Sleepingthey have got a nest, at night without any disturbance, they sleep. Matingwith the birth they are two eggs, one male and one female. Sex life is there. And defendingthey know. The bird, if you attack, they immediately go up. He knows how to defend. The (?) in the (?) Park, the swans, as soon as they pass, immediately jump over the water. They know how to defend. This morning a small mouse he has gone up to collect a small sweetmeat. So these intelligence are there even in the lowest animals, even in the ant. So advancement of civilization, how to make this body comfortable, that is not advancement of civilization. That kind of civilization is there even in the cats and dogs. They know. Nobody has to go to the university to learn how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex life, how to defend. Nobody hasn't got to. It doesn't require education. It is already there, everyone. If you attack me, I shall immediately defend with my hands. You see? Natural. So ekantatah sreyas means don't spoil this human form of life only for satisfying the animal propensities. You try to advance in spiritual consciousness. That is ekantatah sreyas. Hm. What is the next?
Devotee: (reading purport) "The acaryas therefore give directions in spiritual well-being for people in general."
Prabhupada: That is acarya. Acarya does not write any book of sex psychology, Freud's philosophy. That is not acarya, that is rascal. Acarya gives direction how one can make advance in spiritual consciousness, that is acarya. Then?
Devotee: "Foreseeing the incompetencies of the people in this age of Kali, or the iron age of quarrel, the sages requested that Suta Gosvami give a summary of all revealed scriptures because the people of this age are condemned in every respect."
Prabhupada: But the directions should be taken from scriptures. But there are many scriptures. So acarya means, just like Gosvamis, they would read all the scriptures and take the essence of it and give it to his disciples that, "You act like this." Because he knows what to give, how to manipulate, so that his ekantatah sreyas will be achieved. Ultimate goal. Therefore the acarya knows how to adjust things, at the same time keep pace with the spiritual interest(?). That is acarya. It is not that the same thing to be applied everywhere. He is eager to engage actually the people in the real benefit of life, but the means may be different. Just like my Guru Maharaja. He is the first time that he allowed the sannyasis to drive in a motorcar. A sannyasi never drives in a motorcar, you see? But not for sense gratification. Suppose we are going by aeroplane. A sannyasi should walk. The Jain sannyasis they never ride on a car, you know that. You know that. They will never ride on a car. But now they are also riding. But suppose we are preaching now. I came from India. If I were to say, "I am a sannyasi, I will not ride in a car or aeroplane, I must walk." Then what kind of preaching there would have been? You see? So therefore it depends on the acarya how to adjust things. So, my Guru Maharaja, "Alright go on preaching on a motorcar, it doesn't matter." These Gosvamis, they went to Vrndavana, severest type of austerities. They used to life underneath a tree. Now if in this age I advise you that you also live underneath a tree, then it will be difficult to preach. You see? Nobody is accustomed in that way, such severe type of austerity. They must be given, as far as possible, comfortable accommodation otherwise they will not come. They will not take. Now this.... This is adjustment. The acarya knows how to adjust things. The real purpose is how one will take to spiritual consciousness, or Krsna consciousness. Keeping one's aim to that point some concession may be given. As far as possible, keeping pace with the time, circumstances. Then? "The sages, therefore, inquired..." Huh.
Devotee: ".... inquired of the absolute good, which is the ultimate good for the people. The condemned state of affairs of the people of this age is described as follows."
Prabhupada: The condemned state at the present moment, how the whole world, whole atmosphere, is condemned is described in the next verse.
prayenalpayusah sabhya
kalav asmin yuge janah
mandah sumanda-matayo
manda-bhagya hy upadrutah
[SB 1.1.10]
This is the condition. Prayenalpayusah. The first qualification is short span of life, short span of life. As I repeatedly say, now in our India the average age, span of life, is thirty years. The vitality is so reduced. In this country also the vitality is being reduced, strength is being reduced. The more the Kali-yuga will advance the vitality will be reduced, the strength of the.... Therefore the span of life will be reduced. So much so that at the end, almost end, people will live not more than thirty years. Now we are seeing they are living seventy years, eighty years, or sometimes up to ninety years but gradually.... (tape is severely garbled with another recording) ...to thirty years he will be considered as a very old man. You see? Prayenalpayusah kalav asmin yuge janah. Asmin kalau. Their first qualification is their life is very short, short span of life. Then the next, mandah, lazy. They do not know, ill-educated. They do not know what is the aim of life. Mandah or slow. Sumanda-matayo, and if one is really, not really, but superficially so-called spiritually they will capture some baba, some god, some yogi, some bluffer, and they will follow them. Sumanda-matayo. So many religious sects have come out but originally there is this Vedic religion. But after that, so many religions they have come, so they have got history. I know this Christian religion, Mohammedan religion, Buddhist religion, Jain religion, this religion, that religion, this ism, that ism, they are all history. History. It is limited, within the limit of time. But this Vedic religion has no beginning or end. Therefore, Sumanda-matayo, they will theorize, "In our religion it is said this." "Oh, whatever your religion may be, but the real purpose of religion is to understand God. How far you have understood God?" That is practically nil. But the formulas and dogmas and this and that they're full of. Sumanda-matayo. Mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya [SB 1.1.10]. And almost everyone is unfortunate. They haven't got even means to accommodate the bare necessities of lifeeating, sleeping, mating. They're also deficient. mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya hy upadrutah. And above all these there is always disturbance. Sometimes war, sometimes famine, sometimes earthquake, sometimes this, overflood. Just like recently in New York there was overflood, you know? So in this way we are so much complicated, this is the position. Now in this condition of life how you can take up very serious type of self-realization, that is not possible. Alright, thank you very much.
Devotees: All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

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