So this theory, modern scientists, that there was no human being or there was no man, they are all rascal speculation. It has no value. Here we get the knowledge, that originally the Vedic knowledge was given to Lord Brahma, and from Lord Brahma, Narada received the knowledge, and from Narada Vyasadeva received the knowledge. And from Vyasadeva, by parampara disciplic succession, we have received this knowledge. The knowledge is the same. There is no alteration. Because it is coming through the parampara system there is no breakage. Just like from a very top height, if you give something, but if it is given hand to hand it does not break. But if you drop anything from very high place it will be spoiled. Therefore it comes through the parampara. Take for example one fruit, ripened fruit. This Bhagavatam is accepted as the ripened fruit of the Vedic desire tree. Nigama-kalpa-taror galitam phalam idam [SB 1.1.3]. It is the ripened fruit of all Vedic knowledge. Because Vedic knowledge means to understand God. That is Vedic knowledge. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. That is Vedic knowledge. To understand the Supreme Lord, the original person. That is the end of Vedic knowledge. So that Vedic knowledge is presented in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, and therefore in the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam Vyasadeva offers his respectful obeisances, om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Vasudeva is the origin. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19]. One who has known that vasudevah sarvam iti, "Vasudeva is everything," sa mahatma sudurlabhah. He's not only ordinary mahatma, he is su-durlabhah. Durlabhah means "very rare," and when you add this word su, it is "very, very difficult." Su-durlabhah. That kind of mahatma... (aside:) You sit down properly. Who is that man? You sit down properly. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma su-durlabhah [Bg. 7.19].

So how one can understand Vasudeva? Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan [Bg. 7.19]. After many, many births. Because we areall living entities in this material worldwe are all rascals. We must know it. All rascals. Abodha-jatah. Everyone who is born in this material world, either he may be... Even Lord Brahma, and down to the small insect. Anyone who has come to this material world... Because we are not material. We are spiritual identity. Na jayate na mriyate va. Never takes birth, never dies. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. This is the identification given by Lord Krsna. But we are so foolish and rascals we never question that "My position is na jayate na mriyate va. I never take birth, never I die. Then why I am afraid of death and why I am actually undergoing birth and death? I am born, everyone knows. I come out from my mother. Therefore jayate. So why I have taken birth? And again everyone knows, 'As sure as death,' mriyate va. So why this discrepancy?" This is human being. The cats and dog, they cannot question these things.

So this question is called brahma-jijnasa, that "I am spirit soul, aham brahmasmi. So 'ham. I am the same quality as the Supreme Lord. So why I am put into this condition?" This is beginning of human life. This is the beginning of human life. And if one does not inquire this, then he is animal. Plain thing. Just like Sanatana Gosvami. He was minister, but he could understand that "What to speak of becoming a minister... Minister can become any rascal. I am the fool number one." Therefore he came to Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and the first question was ke ami kene amaya jare tapa-traya. He was never proud, that "I am minister, I am so learned scholar. Why shall I go to Caitanya Mahaprabhu and ask Him who am I?" This is humbleness, and this is the qualification of becoming a disciple. When one becomes humble, when actually one understands that he is fool number one, he has to go to guru to understand the value of his life. Then he is intelligent. And so long he keeps himself in the darkness, that "I know everything. Who is richer than me? Who is learned than me? Who is powerful than me? I am this, I am that," that means he is rascal. Abodha-jatah. Parabhavas tavad abodha-jatah. So long we keep ourself in this misunderstanding that "I know everything. I am very great person," then whatever he is doing, it is his defeat. Abodha-jatah. Parabhavah. That is going on. The so-called leaders, they do not know what is their spiritual identification, and becoming unnecessarily proud, they are doing anything and everything. Abodha-jatah. They do not know they'll have to suffer for this ignorance. We have repeatedly said that if you keep yourself in the ignorance and if you do... Because wrong thing is done by rascals and ignorant. No intelligent man will do any wrong thing. That's a fact. Violation of the law is done, either a criminal willfully doing or a person, one who does not know the law, he commits. But you know or not know, if you have violated the law, then you have to be punished.

So Vyasadeva, he is giving us this knowledge. Vidvan lokasyajanatah. The whole population, the total number of the living entitieseither he is Brahma or a smallproportionately, they are all in ignorance. Otherwise why Brahma required Vedic knowledge? It is said, tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye [SB 1.1.1]. Adi-kavaye, Brahma, he is svayambhu. He's so great that he's directly born from Narayana, svayambhu, not through any material mother. Just imagine how he is great. And Brahma is great, everyone knows. So he had to take knowledge also. Otherwise, why it is said tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye? Even though he's the most learned, adi-kavaye, he had to take knowledge. So you can say "He is the first creature, there was nobody there. How he took knowledge? Who gave him knowledge?" The answer is there in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, that Vasudeva gave him. "Where is Vasudeva? There was nothing." No. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. Vasudeva means who stays everywhere. Vasati sarvatra. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma su-durlabhah [Bg. 7.19]. So Vasudeva is there. So Brahma was, although there was nobody else except Brahma, he was in the darkness. Still, Vasudeva was there. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna [Bg. 18.61]. So He gave the knowledge. Tene brahma. Brahma means Vedic knowledge.

So vasudevah sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19]. Vasudeva is everywhere, and He is ready to help us, and if we become sincere to take knowledge from Vasudeva... Even you are in the wilderness, anywhere you are, you are with Vasudeva. You are not alone. He is so friendly that He is living with you as your most intimate friend. That is described in the Vedic literature. Two birds are sitting in one tree. This is the tree, and two birds, atma and Paramatma, they are sitting in the same tree. One is acting according to his whims for enjoying senses, and another is simply looking over: "When this rascal will turn his face towards Me?" This is going on. (aside, referring to microphone:) Why it is stopped? Oh. So Vasudeva is always ready to help us, provided we want to take help from Him. And He, not only internally He is helping, externally also, He's sending His representative to teach us. And there is sastra, just like this Srimad-Bhagavatam. Sadhu, sastra, guru. Guru is there, sastra is there, saintly persons are there. You take advantage. And the Lord is there within yourself. So why don't you take? This is intelligence. If we don't take the advantage... And this is possible in the human form of life. A cat and dog cannot take advantage of the sadhu, sastra and guru. Only the human being can accept it. Therefore here it is said, yasyam vai sruyamanayam. Yasyam vai sruyamanayam krsne parama-puruse [SB 1.7.7]. The Srimad-Bhagavatam, satvata-samhitam, given by Vyasadeva... Not given by Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva is simply delivering what he has received from his guru, caitya-guru. He is delivering that knowledge. Vedic knowledge he is delivering, and he has written this book. Lokasyajanatah. People are all rascals.

So the advantage we must take. What is that advantage? Yasyam vai sruyamanayam. If you simply hear, that's all. Just like you are hearing. If you kindly come here and listen the instruction of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, you become perfect. Simply by hearing. You haven't got to make any gymnastic or any physical labor. Simply come into the temple. Man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah. Simply see the Deity. Naturally you will think of Deity: "Oh, how nicely the Lord is dressed." That is thinking. Man-manah. Immediately thinking. The temple is constructed after spending so much money. Why? To give you chance of thinking. Because there is the beginning. It is not the money is wasted. Rascals are thinking that "Unnecessarily they have spent so much money." No. Paropakara, giving chances to the rascal people to come here and see the Deity and think of Krsna, this is wanted. If he simply thinks, "Oh, how Krsna is nicely dressed," that is thinking. Man-manah. And if you offer little obeisances, mam namaskuru, then you still make further progress. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. And if you hear about Himself, in this way you become perfect. There is no necessity of very high education, M.A., Ph.D., D.H.C. No. This simple. Yasyam vai sruyamanayam. Here it is said, "Simply by hearing." Yasyam vai sruyamanayam krsne parama-puruse [SB 1.7.7]. The whole idea is how to become Krsna conscious. That is the perfection of life, how to become Krsna conscious. So if we hear this literature given by Vyasadeva, satvata-samhita... Yasyam vai sruyamanayam Simply by hearing. Krsne parama-puruse bhaktir utpadyate. Because we require, man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah. Krsna says directly. Bhava mad-bhaktah. So how you can become bhagavad-bhakta, here is the process: bhaktir utpadyate pumsah.

Now what is the use of bhakti? Just see how Bhagavata is compiled, how nicelybecause it is transcendental literature. You can say, "What is the use of bhakti? Why shall I waste my time, come in the temple and hear about Krsna?" Actually they are doing that. Nobody is coming. Such a big temple. Of course, there are many temples they are going, but in other places also people have lost interest, all interest. Either temple or church or mosque, they do not go. Therefore they are surprised. In America the Christian priests are surprised because they are closing their churches. In London I have seen hundreds of churches are now closed. Nobody is going. If there is meeting, only the caretaker and few old ladies go. Because why they will go? That's a fact. And actually churches are being sold. It is not lying propaganda. Anyone, English boy, he'll confirm this statement. Yes. People are losing interest. So here it is said that bhaktir utpadyate. The bhakti can be awakened. It is not an artificial thing. If it was artificial thing, why the English and American boys... They had nothing to do with Krsna, they never heard in their life about Krsna. How... This is admitted by the Christian priest, that "These boys, they are our boys, and formerly, before this Krsna consciousness movement, they never came to church, never inquired about God. Now how it is that these boys are mad after God?" They are surprised. And it is actually surprising. Why? Because the bhakti is there. It was not awakened by the so-called leaders and the priests. It was not awakened. Religion means to awaken that Krsna consciousness. That is religion. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [SB 1.2.6]. That is religion. Religion is not formalities and ritualistic ceremonies. Religion means how to awaken the normal condition, to become lover of God. That is normal condition. Love is there, but because we have no objective, because we have no instruction where to place our love we are loving so many thingsup to the dog. Instead of God we are loving dog. Love is there.

So bhakti means yato bhaktir adhoksaje. That means..., bhakti means love. Unless you have bhakti... Just like you are giving me so many garlands. Why you are giving me? Because you love me. Otherwise there was no necessity. There was no necessity. A third person is not coming. But because you have got some love, therefore you are worshiping your spiritual master. So bhakti means love. Without love there is no question of bhakti. So this bhakti has to be awakened. That is stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta: nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti. Bhakti is there. Otherwise as I have said many times, how you have become bhakta? There are European, American girls here present. For krsna-bhakti they have sacrificed everything. Even they do not dress attractively so that they may be attractive to other boys, and their life may be spoiled. Why? For bhakti. For Krsna. This is the bhakti. That is wanted. Krsne parama-puruse bhaktir utpadyate. This is success of life. Krsne parama-puruse, Krsna says, and in the sastra it is said, and all the sages, all the learned scholars, acaryas, they accept krsna parama-purusa. The Supreme Father:

Therefore krsne parama. The life, success of life means how you can awaken your love for Krsna. Krsne parama-puruse. Parama-puruse, that is explained in the Caitanya-caritamrta. Nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti sadhya kabhu naya. It is not artificially awakened. There is, already nitya-siddha. As we are nitya-siddha... Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13). We are nitya; similarly krsna-bhakti is also nitya. Krsna consciousness is there along with the living entity; it is not an artificial thing. Just like sugar-sweetness is already there. It is the nature of sugar. It is not an artificial thing. Sugar means sweetness. Living entity means krsna-bhakta. If he's not krsna-bhakta, he's a rascal. Therefore Krsna said na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah [Bg. 7.15]. Those who are naradhamas, lowest of the mankind, they do not become krsna-bhakta. They become other. Therefore they are duskrtina. Why they are not krsna-bhakta? Duskrtina, full of sinful activity.

So you cannot become krsna-bhakta and indulge at the same time in sinful activities. Then it will be spoiled. You must be very careful. We have selected, summarized the essence of sinful activities is illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication, and gambling. This is the essence. If you save yourself from these four principles, then you become sinless. And unless you become sinless, there is no question of krsna-bhakta. Rest assured.

Similarly krsna-bhakti is there. If we carefully study, yasyam vai sruyamanayam... Study means you can say that it requires education. No. It doesn't matter. sruyamanayam. Krsna has given you the ears. Therefore Vedic knowledge is called sruti. You go to a proper person, guru, and hear from him. Therefore this word is used: sruyamanayam. If you hear from the right person, then krsne parama-puruse bhaktir utpadyate. Then you develop your Krsna consciousness. And if you say, "What is the use of bhakti? Let me enjoy." No. It is required, if you are serious. What is that required? Soka-moha-bhayapaha. Things are going on soka, moha and bhaya. Bhaya means fearfulness. Even a small bird, he's also fearful. You see the bird is sitting up. It is not coming down. Why? Sometimes it comes down when we are not there. What is that? Fearfulness. Fearfulness. It is a small bird. We have nothing to do with them. Nobody has got... But still it is fearful. So any body, any material body you accept there will be fearfulness. And why you are fearful? There is loss and gain. So when there is loss there is soka, and the soka..., and fearfulness is moha, illusionbecause I don't belong to this material world. Artificially you have accepted this body. On account of this body I am subjected to these principles: soka, moha, bhaya. So as you become advanced in Krsna consciousness, more and more you advance, then these three thingssoka, moha, bhayawill be completely eradicated. That is the gain of bhakti-yoga.

Thank you very much. (end)