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721019SB.VRN
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)
dharmah svanusthitah pumsam
visvaksena-kathasu yah notpadayed yadi ratim srama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8] Translation: "Duties or dharma executed by men are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Supreme Lord."
Prabhupada: So dharmah svanusthitah pumsam [SB 1.2.8]. Dharma generally means occupational duty. We have several times explained. (In) the English dictionary, dharma is explained as faith. So faith may be changed. But actually, what is meant by dharma, that is constitutional position, activities in one's constitutional position. This has been explained by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Jivera svarupa haya nitya-krsna-dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. Real dharma, constitutional position of the living entity, is to serve Krsna. That is real dharma. Krsna also confirms in the Bhagavad-gita, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. So mam ekam saranam vraja, simply unto Krsna, surrender, that is real dharma. Otherwise it is pseudo-religious principles, pretension, dharmah projjhita-kaitavah.
There are two kinds of dharma: kaitava, cheating religious system, and real religious system. That is the subject matter of Srimad-Bhagavatam, to teach people the real religious system. In this chapter also, Suta Gosvami has explained, sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6]. You can execute your occupational duties or religious system very nicely, but if you do not develop your love for God, Krsna, then it is simply useless labor. It has no meaning. The test is how much you have developed your dormant consciousness for loving Krsna. That is the test. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat [SB 11.2.42]. If actually one is making progress in devotional service, he must be detestful to any other system. They are not interested. Actual interest is Krsna, Visnu. That is our actual interest. Especially when one comes to the form of a human being, his special interest should be how to approach Visnu. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. Svartha-gatim, self-interest. Everyone is inclined for his self-interest, but they do not know what is real self-interest. Somebody is thinking, "To satisfy the senses, body, that is self-interest." Somebody is thinking, "To satisfy the mind, whims of the mind, that is self-interest." Somebody is thinking, "Liberation of the self, moksa, moksa-vancha..." That is also not self-interest. But when one thinks in terms of serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is real self-interest.
So na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. People do not know. [break]... svartha-gatim hi visnum. Real self-interest is to become Vaisnava, servitor of Visnu. Visnur asya devata iti vaisnava. That is real self-interest. Why people do not become Vaisnava? Generally they worship various demigods-devotee of Lord Siva, devotee of Goddess Kali, Durga, so many. But they have been condemned by Bhagavad-gita, spoken by Krsna Himself: kamais tais tair hrta-jnana yajante anya-devatah. Hrta-jnanah. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura gives his comment: hrta-jnanah nasta-buddhayah, "One who has lost his intelligence, they are inclined to worship other demigods." Kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah [Bg. 7.20]. Because they do not know what is his self-interest. He thinks that his self-interest is to give comfort to this body, the senses, sense-gratification. That is his misguided self-interest. Durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. Bahir-artha-maninah. Bahir-artha means external energy. This body, gross body and the subtle body, they are made of the external energy. Bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca [Bg. 7.4].
So people, having no information of the spirit soul, they are interested in body and mind, and they have created some concocted religious system for benefit of the body and mind. So the varnasrama-dharma, beginning... Dharma begins from the varnasrama-dharma, which is now going on in the name of Hindu religion. Actually there is no such word "Hindu" in the Vedic literature. It is a concocted word given by the Muhammadans. Real Vedic system of religion is varna and asrama. Four varnas: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra; and four asramas: brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasa. So one has to execute... The brahmana must execute his system of life, satyam samo damas titiksa arjava, jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam [Bg. 18.42]. A brahmana must execute all these principles of life. Similarly, ksatriya, he should be very brave, not to go away from fighting. He must have a ruling capacity. He must be charitable. In this way, ksatriya must execute his system of life. Similarly vaisya, he must also execute his system of life: krsi-goraksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhava-jam [Bg 18.44]. Agriculture, cow protection. Nowadays, either brahmana or ksatriya or vaisya, practically everything is lost. Nobody is executing his occupational duties. Simply sudra, without any knowledge, without any enlightenment. Try to get some money and fill up your belly and go on sleeping, that's all. This is sudra-karma-svabhava-jam. Paricaryatmakam karma. Therefore sastra says kalau sudra-sambhavah. In this age practically 99.9% population are sudras, because they have given up, they have forgotten everything, what is the duty of brahmana, what is the duty of a ksatriya, what is the duty of a vaisya. Maybe some vaisyas are there and sudras are there.
So even one executes his sva-dharma very nicely, but if he does not develop his Krsna consciousness, then srama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8]. This is also simply spoiling the life. On the other hand, Narada Muni gives his opinion, tyaktva sva-dharmam caranambujam hareh [SB 1.5.17], "If one gives up his occupational duty and takes shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna," caranambujam hareh, "so even he is not mature and falls down from the devotional service on account of so many reasons, still, he is not loser, whereas a person who is executing his occupational duties very nicely, but he has no Krsna consciousness, no idea of Krsna consciousness, he doesn't get anything. He's loser." Ko vartha apto 'bhajatam sva-dharmatah. Sva-dharmatah, keeping in his own position as a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra, if he is executing his duties very nicely, but has not developed Krsna consciousness, then it is to be understood that he has lost everything. This is the verdict of sastra.
So dharmah svanusthitah pumsam visvaksena-kathasu yah, notpadayed yadi ratim [SB 1.2.8]. This hearing process is very, very important. But people are not interested in hearing. They are simply busy in some other duties. My Guru Maharaja used to say... One who was not interested in hearing, he used to call him a dandavat-class. Dandavat-class of men. That means simply he knows how to make dandavats, that's all. (laughter) Anyone who will come to him, he would see whether he is a dandavat-class of man or hearing class of man. So dandavat is nice, but by offering dandavat, if one does not develop the intent of hearing, sravanam, then he is not making very much progress. As you know, because I was little interested in hearing, my Guru Maharaja, he accepted me as his disciple. He marked this. "This boy is interested in hearing. He does not go away." Actually, I do not know. I could not understand what he was speaking in the beginning, but still I was very much interested to hear him, out of curiosity or something like that.
So hearing is very important thing. Notpadayed yadi ratim, visvaksena-kathasu yah. Katha. Hari-katha. This is accepted by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. When He was talking with Sri Ramananda Raya on various subject matters, Sri Ramananda Raya began from the varnasrama-dharma, sadhya-sadhana. "What is the aim of human life? How a human being executes his religious principles?" Sadhya-sadhana. So Ramananda Raya began from the varnasrama-dharma. Actually, unless the human society comes to the category of varnasrama-dharma, he is not a human being; he is animal. Still, in India, because they are still inclined to the system of varna and asrama, there are so many benefit for the Indians. I have traveled all over the world so many times. Because there is no varnasrama-dharma, how loose they are. That has been experimented. I have seen. So actually, unless one comes to the standard of varnasrama-dharma, he is not considered to be a human being. Therefore the Vedic civilization begins from the varnasrama-dharma. And in the Visnu Purana it is said, varnasramacaravata purusena parah puman, visnur aradhyate [Cc. Madhya 8.58]. Because the ultimate goal is to approach Lord Visnu, visnur aradhyate pantha nanyat tat-tosa-karanam.
So this varnasrama-dharma was proposed by Ramananda Raya, but Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, eho bahya age kaha ara: "This is not feasible. Better if you know something better than this, you propose." Because Caitanya Mahaprabhu knew that in the Kali-yuga, practically the varnasrama-dharma will never be observed, or it will be very difficult to observe. So people by simply observing the varnasrama-dharma will not be able to make very much progress in devotional service. Stereotype. In this way, gradually, Sri Ramananda Raya presented so many proposals. Varnasrama-tyaga, jnana, jnana-misra-bhakti, so many ways, and Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu rejected all of them. Eho bahya age kaha ara. But when Ramananda Raya read one version which was spoken by Lord Brahma,
jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva
jivanti san-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir ye prayaso 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyam This verse, when Ramananda quoted from Srimad-Bhagavatam, immediately Caitanya Mahaprabhu accepted, and He said, eho haya, "This is nice. This is nice." What is that? That sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. "You remain in your position." It doesn't matter what you are. You may be Indian, you may be American, you may be European, you may be a brahmana, you may be sudra, you may be engineer, you may be doctor, you may be fool, you may be rascal. Whatever it may be, it doesn't matter. Sthane sthitah. Don't be disturbed. Don't try to change your position. But jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. Don't try to speculate, "God is like this, God is like that." Speculator, mental speculator. Give up this habit. Just become humble, namra. Jnane prayasam namanta. Namanta means namra. Namra, offering obeisances. Just like we offer dandavats. So similarly, namanta, to surrender. In a surrendering spirit, in a humble spirit, try to hear about the Supreme from the realized souls. This is the process. San-mukharitam. Not professional. One who has actually realized, from him, if you hear, meek and humble, without speculating mentally, then by this process only, one can realize the Supreme Lord very easily. Supreme Lord is called Ajita; nobody can conquer Him. But if one adopts this process, hearing from the realized soul in an attitude of humbleness, then he can conquer the ajita. He can understand. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately accepted this process, eho haya, age kaha ara. Eho haya "This is nice."
Therefore our Krsna consciousness movement is to give chance to the people in general hearing about Krsna, that's all. Either hearing Hare Krsna mantra or hearing Bhagavad-gita or hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam, anything you like, hear about Krsna. Try to hear about Krsna in meek and humble attitude. Then gradually, everything will be revealed. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. By simply speculation you cannot understand what is Krsna, what is His name, what is His form, what is His quality, what is His pastimes. We cannot. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih. By these blunt senses we cannot understand what is Krsna. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah. But if you engage yourself in His transcendental loving service, beginning with the tongue, sevonmukhe hi jihvadau... So hearing by the ear and chanting by the tongue is the supreme method recommended by all authorities. This is sravanam kirtanam.
sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam sakhyam atma-nivedanam [SB 7.5.23] So we must be inquisitive. We must be very eager. That eagerness should be aroused: "Where krsna-katha is being taught, let me go there, let me hear." In this Vrndavana you will find, there are many places they are hearing about Krsna. So either Vrndavana or anywhere else, wherever Krsna is heard, that is Vrndavana. Not that Vrndavana is limited with a certain space. Vrndavana is transcendental. Tatra tisthami narada yatra gayanti mad-bhaktah. Krsna says, "I stay there where My pure devotees chant about Me." Yatra gayanti mad-bhaktah. So if you become pure devotee and if you chant this Hare Krsna mantra, you can create Vrndavana anywhere, any part of the world. Not that you have got to come here. You come here. That's all right because it is established, Vrndavana. When Krsna comes here, whenever He comes on this planet, He comes here. There are so many devotees. Certainly there is meaning, there is importance of this dhama. But still, if it is not possible to come here, you can create Vrndavana anywhere, provided you are a pure devotee and you are chanting Hare Krsna mantra without any offense. Just like we have got our New Vrindaban. This year we have seen practically how these American boys and girls, hundreds and thousands, always who are remaining, not less than five to seven hundred... And for one week continually, in Janmastami, we observed Janmastami festival. Actually it was as good as this Vrndavana, because the chanting of the holy name was going on and hearing about Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam was going on. There was tulasi plants, devotees, sri-vigraha. Everything was there. So actually, it was replica of Sri Vrndavana.
So therefore the most important thing is, to make advance in devotional service, to increase the appetite for hearing. Visvaksena-kathasu yah, notpadayed ratim, kathasu ratim. Kathasu means, rati means attraction to kathasu, that means hearing. Sravanam. So this is the test, that anyone who is supposed to be advancing in devotional service, bhakti-yoga, the test will be how much he has awakened his intense desire for hearing about Krsna. That is the test. That is the test. So the perfectional platform is stated here, that "You may execute your different occupational duties, dharma, but the test will be whether you have developed your consciousness, you have developed your Krsna consciousness." That is the test. So you can read the purport.
Pradyumna: "There are different occupational activities in terms of man's different conceptions of life. To the gross materialist who cannot see anything beyond the gross material body, there is nothing beyond the senses. Therefore his occupational activities are limited to concentrated and extended selfishness. Concentrated selfishness centers around the personal body. This is generally seen amongst the lower animals. Extended selfishness is manifested in human society and centers around the family, society, community, nation, and world with a view to gross bodily comforts."
Prabhupada: This is very important point. People are very much interested in welfare activities for the human society. So they think that by feeding poor men or giving cloth or opening hospitals, schools, colleges"These things are required. What is the use of hearing about Krsna?" That is their opinion. But these welfare activities are extended selfishness. This word we learned from our Guru Maharaja: "extended selfishness." Just like I love myself for my sense gratification, and then I extend it to my son. I am gratifying my senses. I have got my wife. And to get my son another wife... The principle is the same. Then my grandchildren, then my great-grandchildren. Or, not only limited with the family, then society, then community, then nationally, then internationally. But they are all extended selfishness. Yes. Without knowing what is the real self-interest. Therefore we find so many faults in such welfare activities. In... They are opening hospitals for the human beings, daridra-narayana-seva, but the poor goats and cows, daridra-narayanathey are also daridra-narayana according to the definitionbut they are being killed. For one daridra-narayana, another daridra-narayana is being killed.
So that kind of philanthropy is not accepted in the Srimad-Bhagavatam as very advancement of civilization. The advancement of civilization will be tested, how the nation, individually or collectively, has advanced in Krsna consciousness. It is very difficult to understand this, but the fact is this. Bhagavata says that you cannot rectify the destiny of another man. That is not possible. Balasya neha saranam pitarau nrsimha. It is not that because one has got good parents, therefore he will be happy. No. Not necessarily. Balasya neha saranam pitarau nrsimha. So similarly, it is not that a diseased person, because he is being treated by a first-class physician and he is being supplied first-class medicine, therefore he will be cured. No, there is no such guarantee. Because if the supreme authority does not sanction... Suppose a man is diseased; he is going to die or suffering. So his relatives and friends are trying to save him. The sastra says that "You cannot save him simply by giving him first-class medicine or first-class medical treatment." They, they can also, cannot guarantee. Ask any qualified doctor, that "This man is being treated by you. Can you guarantee that he will be cured?" They will say, "No, that is not possible. We are trying our best."
Therefore we should know the ultimate sanction depends on Krsna. I have got practical experience, because I was dealing in medicine. So the attending physician of my pharmacy, he came back from a call and told me that "I saw one patient lying in a very precarious condition, suffering from pneumonia. So according to our science, he could not live. I do not know how he is living." There are so many cases. I had dealings with medical men. One big medical man in Gaya, he told me that "Mr. De," that "we give very first class medicine to a patient, to my best knowledge. He dies. And I try one small medicine, and he is saved. That is my practical experience." He was Muhammadan doctor. He told me.
So actually unless one is saved by the supreme authority, there is no question of saving him by so many philanthropic work. Actual saving is this Krsna consciousness movement. Because if one is raised to his Krsna consciousness, the whole problems of his life will be solved. That is real welfare activity. Other things you cannot change. If one is destined to suffer by some agency, you cannot stop. Therefore Bhagavata says, tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatam upary adhah [SB 1.5.18]. You simply try to awaken your Krsna consciousness, which was impossible in other living conditions. Either going to the heaven planet or going to the hell planet or becoming Brahma or ant... Do not try for all these elevations. Simply try for awakening your Krsna consciousness.
Then why so many people are trying for happiness? The answer is: tal labhyate duhkhavad anyatah sukham kalena sarvatra gabhira-ramhasa. Nobody tries for distress, but distress comes; similarly, even if you do not try for your happiness, if you are destined, happiness will come. But if you take to Krsna consciousness, it is simply happiness. There is no more distress. If we become steadily situated in Krsna consciousness, then it is simply happiness. As Prabodhananda Sarasvati has explained, visvam purnam sukhayate. There is no problem for a devotee. Visvam purnam... Everyone is perplexed with the problems of this universe, but for a devotee, visvam purnam sukhayate.
(aside:) I think time is up. Thank you very much. [break]
Bhaktivinoda Thakura says,
He was family man. So he surrendered everything: his body, his mind, his family, his children, everything under Krsna.
Marobi rakhobi jo iccha tohara... In this way, there is a nice song. So you cannot take charge of your family, society or community or country. No. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. Everything is going on under the influence of different modes of material nature. Just like in our country, when Gandhi was living, he got sva-rajya, but still, he was thinking he had to do something, he had to do something. And he did not separate from politics. He was old man. He should have retired, but he did not, unless he was killed by somebody. This is the attachment for material things. All these leaders, they think, "Without me, the country will go to hell." But so many leaders came and gone. The country is going on. Therefore, in the Bengali it is said, raja mare, rajya acara. "Because the king has died, therefore kingdom will stop." That is not the... It, it will go on. Why do you bother? That is knowledge. Krsna is taking care. You just engage yourself in the service of Krsna. That is your duty. (end)
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/sb/1/2/8/vrndavana/october/19/1972 Previous: Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.8 -- New Vrindaban, September 6, 1972 Next: Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972
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