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Prabhupada:
The answer, Pariksit Maharaja's question to Sukadeva Gosvami, that this atonement, once committing some sinful activity, and counteracting it by so-called atonement, confession, has no meaning. If one is suffering from certain type of disease, goes to a doctor, physician, he gives some medicine, it is cured for the time being, and again if he's attacked with such disease and goes to the doctor, again he gives medicine, then what is the use of this business? Again and again. That is the question, very intelligent question. How to cure the disease completely?
So this was the question of King Pariksit. The answer is given by Sukadeva Gosvami that karmana karma-nirharo na hy atyantika isyate. Karma, fruitive activities, counteracting it by another activity, that is not final decision. Just like people in modern age, they are trying to have some peaceful situation in the world by the intervention of the United Nations, but they cannot stop it. Again there is war. There was First War in 1914, then they manufactured League of Nations. Perhaps you, most of you may not know. We were, at that time, boys, students, and we know about this League of Nations, how it was manufactured. Then again the Second War. And now they have manufactured United Nations. But the war is going on, Vietnam or here or there. But actual medicine is how to stop war. That cannot be done by... By one action there is war, and by another action the war is stopped for the time being. And again, when the opportunity's there, again war. So sinful activities and atonement is like that. But actual, what we want, that no suffering, no warthat is our hankering. We want that. That is not happening.
So the answer is given by Sukadeva Gosvami. But that one kind of war causes some disturbances and another kind of war stops it for some time, for the time being, that is not ultimate solution of the problem. Any intelligent man can understand it. Therefore Sukadeva Gosvami recommends that these things happen on account of foolishness, avidvad-adhikaritvat. Avidvad means without sufficient education, or without sufficient knowledge, lack of knowledge. Avidvad adhikaritvat prayascittam vimarsanam. Real prayascitta, atonement, is knowledge. Why we are fighting? This knowledge required. Why you are fighting? Why there is miseries? This "why" question, this "why" question is in the Vedas. It is called Kena Upanisad, asking "Why?" Unless this question arises in a human mind, "Why?" "Why I am suffering?" that is not human life. This question must arise. "Wherefrom I have come? What is my constitutional position? Where I shall go after death? Why I am put into this miserable condition of life? Why there is birth, death, old age, disease? I do not want all of them." So that, this is called vimarsanam, jnanam, thoughtful, how to solve these questions.
Now Sukadeva Gosvami says, nasnatah.
nasnatah pathyam evannam
vyadhayo 'bhibhavanti hi evam niyamakrd rajan sanaih ksemaya kalpate [SB 6.1.12] If you want to stop some diseased condition of life, then you have to follow a regulative principle. Just like when you go to a doctor for curing some disease, he gives you some medicine and some direction also, that "You should not eat like this, you not sleep like this, you should do like this." Some do's and some do not's. That prescription is followed. So here, Sukadeva Gosvami gives this example that na asnatah pathyam eva annam. Suppose if you have got indigestion. You cannot digest food very nicely. So you have to eat such things which are easily digestible, or which may not cause acidity, flatulence, air. The doctor prescribes. So if you neglect those principles, then how you can be cured? Similarly, if you want to eradicate your ignorance, how miserable conditions are arising, problems are arising, and you do not try to subside them with real knowledge, how there can be solution of the problems? Try to understand. Just like if you do not follow the program given by the physician for curing your disease, you cannot be cured. If you violate the rules given by the doctor, then how you can expect cure of your disease? Similarly, if you do not think wisely, like wise man, as they're prescribed in the Vedic knowledge, how you can stop the problems of life? That is not possible. Simply by atonement there may be temporary suppression of something, but it will arise again. The same example can be given. The whole world is trying to stop war. But by some means like League of Nation, United Nation, but it is stopped for the time being, but again, after some years, there is huge war.
So, so Sukadeva Gosvami says that this material world, sinful life, we are acting in a way, we are forced to commit some sins, and you are suffering as a resultant action. This is going on. But if you want to stop this businessone suffering and one again becomes victimthen you have to become advanced in knowledge. Karmi-jnani. Ordinary people, they are karmis, or fruitive actors. Fruitive actors. They're working whole day and night, and getting some result, enjoying, again suffering, again there is problem. This is going on. They are called karmis. So this will not solve the question, problem. He suggests that you have to elevate yourself to the platform of knowledge. How it is done? That is prescribed herein. The first thing is tapasya. The first... Tapasya means you have to accept some austerity. The same example can be given that the doctor says... Suppose a diabetic patient. So doctor prohibits him that "You cannot eat. You have to starve for some days." So I do not like to starve, nobody likes to starve. But because doctor says you have to starve, if you want to cure a disease, then I have to voluntarily accept, accept starving. This is called tapasya: voluntarily accept some miserable condition of life. That is good. And human life is meant for that purpose.
When Rsabhadeva, the father of Maharaja Bharata, after whose name this planet is called Bharatavarsa The name Bharatavarsa is not only the name for India, but it is the name for this planet. Formerly, five thousand years ago, the whole planet was known as Bharatavarsa. The Vedic culture was all over the world. These Europeans and Americans, they are coming of the same stock, Indo-Aryan stock. There is a great history behind this, how some of the ksatriyas, they left India during the time of Parasurama. He declared war against the ksatriyas and he was incarnation of God. He was killing the ksatriyas like anything and some of the ksatriyas fled from India and came to this part of the world. So from historical point of view you Europeans and Americans, you belong to the ksatriya stock of old India, and somehow or other you have forgotten this Vedic culture. Originally you belonged to this Vedic culture. The Vedic culture was all over the world, even in Americadifferent types of worship or concept of God. The Red Indians also had some religion.
So, apart from that historical point of view, the Vedic culture prescribes tapasya. Tapasya. Tapasya means voluntarily accept some bodily inconvenience. That is called tapasya. There are many tapasvis undergoing austerity. They meditate in winter in water up to..., up to the neck, standing within water, meditating. To stand within water in winter, severe cold, is not very comfortable business, but they voluntarily accept it. This is called tapasya. And summer season, they blaze fire all round and sit down in the midst and meditate. I am giving you some of the examples, how severely they accept tapasya. So tapasya is required. Without tapasya you cannot make advancement in spiritual life, or life of knowledge. If you simply give away..., in the animal propensities of life, eating, sleeping, mating and defending and don't accept the process of tapasya, then your human life is failure. You have to accept some tapasya if you want to make solution of the problems of life. Sukadeva Gosvami first recommends tapasya. Just like here, in our institution, whoever comes and becomes an initiated member, we first of all ask them to undergo tapasya. Tapasya. Especially in your country, it is a great tapasya to give up illicit sex life, to give up intoxication up to the point of smoking and tea drinking, and to give up meat-eating, and to give up gambling. Although they're only four, but it is very difficult to give up these four items. Even Lord Zetland, in England, when he was asked to do this, one of my Godbrothers, Lord Zetland, Marquis of Zetland, he inquired from my Godbrother, "Swamiji, whether you can make us brahmana?" So he said, "Yes, why not? You have to give up these four principles of life, prohibited: no illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling, and no meat-eating." The Lord Zetland replied "Impossible." Yes, it is impossible. Because in Europe and America, this is the way of life from the very beginning. And from India, our Indian gentlemen come here to learn this art, how to do it nicely. And they think it is advancement. India is automatically taught this tapasya by their culture, but they come here to forget that culture and accept another type of life.
But real, real fact is if you want to advance in spiritual understanding, if you want to make a solution of all the problems of your life, then you have to accept this life of austerity, tapasya. Restriction. Restriction is meant for human beings, not for the animals. Just like in our common dealings, when you drive your car, you have got some restriction. You cannot drive your car on the left side. That is offense. "Keep to the right." You cannot drive your car when there is red light, or yellow light. You have to follow the restriction. But the dog, if it keeps to the left or crosses the street when there is red light, it is not punished, because it is animal, dog. But if you violate the laws, you'll be punished. Why? That means you have got advanced consciousness. If you do not follow the rules and regulation, then you are nothing but animal. Human being, human life means voluntarily accepting the laws, the rules and regulation. That is human life. But now the propaganda is that everyone, one wants to be free, no regulative life. This is animal life. Just try to understand. The regulations, lawbooks, restrictions, they are meant for human being, not for animals. And if you want freedom from all restrictions, then you come to the animal life. Therefore Sukadeva Gosvami recommends first tapasya. If you want to stop the problems of life, then you have to accept the life of austerity, tapasya.
And what is the tapasya? That is also... Brahmacaryena. Brahmacaryena. Brahmacaryena means restricted sex life. Real meaning is no sex life, no sex, celibacy, completely. This is tapasya. Therefore, according to Vedic culture, the first beginning of life is brahmacari. [break] But in the brahmacari life there is no sex life. Only in the grhastha life there is sex life, married life. I was reading the other day a magazine, Watch... What is that? Watchtower. So this paper was criticizing so many immoral activities in the Christian world. And one item I was surprised to read that a Christian priest has sanctioned marriage between man to man. That was written there. I do not wish to discuss all those things, but people are degrading for want of this tapasya. People are not taught how to execute tapasya life, tapasvi life. Simply by criticizing will not do. Practically you have to be trained in the life of tapasya. Then it will be effective. Just like we are doing. Here, in our Krsna consciousness movement, in every center, everyone, at least who are living within this temple, must get up at four o'clock to perform the aratrika. This morning I was asking somebody that if you cannot rise, then you cannot live in this temple. Because this temple is meant for tapasya, not for extravagancy. Unless you follow the life of tapasya, you cannot make progress.
So this temple, we are inviting everyone to live here, to live with us, and practice tapasya. Then your life will be advanced. Then you'll understand what is your constitutional position, what is God, or Krsna, what is your relationship with Him, what is the aim of life, how to execute it, how to make life successful. These things are taught here. This is called tapasya. And in the Vedas it is said that those who are executing the regulative life of tapasya, they are brahmanas. Etad viditva yah prayati sa eva brahmanah. Etad aviditva yah prayati sa krpanah(?). These are the Vedic injunctions. One who is dying... Everyone is dying. Nobody can live here permanently. That's a fact. But one who is dying after executing the life of tapasya, he's a brahmana. And one who is dying like cats and dogs, without any execution of tapasya, he's called krpana. The two words are there in the Vedic literature: one is brahmana and one is krpana. Krpana means miser, and brahmana means liberal, broad-minded. Brahma janati iti brahmanah, or one who knows the Supreme, the Absolute Truth, he's brahmana. And one who does not know, that is animal. This is the difference between animal and man. Man should be educated to understand the Absolute Truth. Therefore in the human society there is school, colleges, universities, philosophers, scientists, mathematician. Because human life is meant for knowledge. The animal life, they're not required to take education. They are simply busy with how..., with the business how to eat, how sleep, how to mate and how to defend. That's all.
So the tapasya life begins from celibacy, brahmacaryena. Sukadeva Gosvami recommends. Brahmacarya is described in the sastras that smaranam kirtanam kelih preksanam guhyam asanam(?). Sex life, smaranam, thinking of sex life, that is against brahmacarya. Complete celibacy means one should not think of even sex life. Smaranam. Or talk of sex life. Our modern literature, newspaper and everything, simply full with talks of sex life. But this is against brahmacarya life. Smaranam kirtanam keli. And actually indulging in sex life. Preksanam: looking, overlooking a nice boy or nice girl, that is also against brahmacarya. Guhyam asanam: whispering between girls and boys, that is also against brahmacari. Guhyam asanam sankalpam. Then determination of sex life. Vyavasaya: endeavoring how to effect sex life. So when we can stop all these activities, that is real brahmacarya. It is very difficult at the present age. Etan maithunyam astangam pravadanti manisinah vikarita brahmacaryam eda astanam laksanam iti(?). So brahmacarya means that you cannot think of sex life, you cannot talk of sex life, you cannot whisper about sex life, or you cannot endeavor for sex life. These eight types of activities in sex indulgence are against brahmacari life. But here it is prescribed that if you want to make solution of the problems of life, then you adopt, you have to adopt a life of tapasya, austerity, which begins from brahmacari.
To summarize this brahmacarya life in this age, we have given a simple formula, that "No illicit sex." Sex is there. Sex is not bad. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, dharmaviruddhah kamo 'smi: "Sex life which is not against the religious principles of life, that is I am." Krsna says. So dharmaviruddha, according to Vedic civilization, one should have sex indulgence only once in a month. That is the prescription. And when the wife is pregnant there is no sex life. That is dharmaviruddha. That is not against the religious principles. Even in your life, married life, if you indulge sex life more than once in a month, or in pregnancy, that is against religious principles. So Krsna dharmaviruddhah kamo 'smi: "Lust, sex indulgence, which is not against the rules of religious principles, that is I am." That means only for begetting children, nice children, so that there may not be disturbance. Unless there are nice population, children born in a systematic way, how you can expect peace in the world? That is described in the Bhagavad-gita. When there are varna-sankara the whole world becomes hell. This is described in the Bhagavad-gita. So the life of austerity begins from the life of celibacy, brahmacarya. So brahmacarya, the descriptions are given here, how you can execute brahmacari life. You cannot think of sex life, you cannot talk of sex life, you cannot whisper about sex life. There are eight types of different regulation to stop sex life. But these things are very difficult in this age. Therefore we have simply summarized that don't have sex life beyond the married life. That is not good.
Then how brahmacarya can be executed? That is also given here: tapasa brahmacaryena samena [SB 6.1.13]. Samena means controlling the mind. The yoga system, astanga-yoga system, practicing the asana, sitting posture, breathing exercise, controlling the senses from outside engagement, pratyahara, these are, this yoga system is meant for controlling the mind and controlling the sense. If there is no control of mind and no control of senses, the so-called yoga practice is bogus. It has no meaning. Yoga indriya samyama. Yoga means to control the senses. That is the real meaning of yoga. So if one is unable to control the senses... I have seen in some yoga practice institution in New York. They are practicing some, this asana, and just after finishing, immediately smoking. You see. This much control they learned. So these, these are all bogus. This is not yoga system. Yoga system is not so easy, especially in this age. Yoga system means to control the senses, control the mind; and control the mind means you have to control so many thingsyour eating, your sleeping, your behaving. These are prescribed in the Bhagavad-gita, how to practice the astanga-yoga. You have to find out a suitable place, a sacred place, a solitary place. Therefore real yogis, they used to go to Himalaya. Sometimes some young men, here, in your country, they inquire from me how to go to Himalaya, and what you'll do there, going there, Himalaya? So you are not practiced. So instead of practicing yoga in the Himalaya, you practice yoga here. We have come here to help you. Here this Krsna consciousness movement is there. If you are serious about practicing yoga, this, take bhakti-yoga. That will come, how it happens in the next lines.
So this astanga-yoga is not possible in this agesamo damah, controlling the mind, controlling the senses. Because nobody can properly practice the astanga-yoga system. Impossible. It is not only impossible noweven five thousand years ago, when Krsna was advising about this astanga-yoga to Arjuna. Arjuna was not ordinary man. He was friend of Krsna. He was a great son of a royal family. And Arjuna's name and fame, everyone knows. So he said to Krsna: "My dear Krsna, this yoga practice is not possible to be performed by me. I am unable." So Arjuna said frankly that he was unable to practice this yoga system. And what we are, in comparison to Arjuna? So this astanga-yoga system is not possible at all in this age. If you are satisfied by learning some sitting posture, artificially, that may give you some chance of good exercise of the body. You can keep good health. But there is no chance of spiritual realization by astanga-yoga practice in this age. So Sukadeva Gosvami says samena. Sama means manasa-niyamam, controlling the mind. The mind's business is acception, acceptance and rejection. This is mind's business. Even one is very elevated, the mind's business is mind's business. Mind will accept something: "It is very good," and next moment it will reject. That is mind's business. But you have to fix up your mind in something which you cannot reject. That is only the lotus feet of Krsna. If you fix up your mind on the lotus feet of Krsna, then your mind cannot go elsewhere. You practice it and you'll see it. Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh [SB 9.4.18].
Therefore Ambarisa Maharaja fixed up his mind always... Our Krsna consciousness movement we are teaching our students, how to fix up the mind always in Krsna, some way or other. That is the first-class yoga system. And Krsna also advises. [break] ...feet, and pray, bhajate. "Krsna, I am Your eternal servant. Kindly again engage me in Your service. Somehow or other, without being engaged in Your service, I have been dragged to the service of maya. Service I am going. I am rendering service. Because I am eternal servant, therefore my serving process is going on. But where it is going on? I am serving my lust, I am serving my anger, I am serving my greediness. So that means, in one word, I am serving my sense gratification. So kindly help me. Instead of serving my sense gratification, let me serve Your sense gratification." That is yoga. That is first-class yoga. Pray always, fix up your mind in Krsna's lotus feet, and pray that "I am eternal servant. Now I'm engaged in the service of my sense gratification, and You please help me. I have come to my senses, to engage my(self) in Your sense gratification." The business is there, sense gratification. But Krsna consciousness means instead of satisfying one's own senses, one should be ready to satisfy the senses of Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness. It is not very difficult. In the Caitanya-caritamrta this distinction has been clearly made, what is love and what is lust. Lust means satisfying to gratify one's personal senses. And, and love means trying to satisfy the senses of the lover. And who is the lover? Krsna, the supreme lover. So one, one is called prema, love, and the other is called lustalthough the process may appear to be the same.
So in order to control your mind, in order to control your senses, if you simply divert your activities for Krsna, or you act in Krsna consciousness, then you become the perfect yogi, first-class, topmost yogi. There is no comparison of this yogi. Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantaratmana, sraddhavan bhajate yo mam [Bg. 6.47]. Krsna. Mam means Krsna. Sa me yuktatamo matah. He's the highest, topmost yogi. So this Krsna consciousness movement is not any concocted idea of a bluffing movement. It is authoritative, based on Vedic authority, and Bhagavad-gita is there, Srimad-Bhagavata is there, accepted by all the acaryas. So if you kindly take advantage of this Krsna consciousness movement and try to accept this devotional yoga system, bhakti-yoga, bhakti-yogena sevate... Mam ca yo 'vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena sevate [Bg. 14.26]. This bhakti-yoga... Sa gunan samatityaitan. He immediately transcends all the influence of the three material modes of nature. Brahma-bhuyaya kalpate. Immediately he's on the transcendental platform called Brahman. So if you want to solve the problems of life, without any difficulty, very easily, then this is the movement, Krsna consciousness. Very simple and easy. You are seeing practically. You boys and girls who are participating in this movement... We have got sixty branches all over the world. Outside India... India, we have got four branches only. But fifty-six branches are outside the world, outside India. And they're all foreigners. Four years, or three years ago, they did not know who is Krsna. Now they are chanting, dancing, enjoying Krsna conscious life. This is practical proof how Krsna consciousness movement is effective. Before me, from India, many swamis came, but actually they could not induce the Westerners, especially the young generation, to any Indian cultural movement except this Krsna consciousness movement. That's a fact, historical.
So my request to you all, those who are present here: try to understand the philosophy. You're educated, grown-up boys and girls, gentlemen, ladies. We have got books, immense literature, big, big voluminous book. If you want to understand this philosophy through books, we are not in scarcity. We can supply you volumes of books. These books, some of them are demonstrated, but, if you do not like to take so much trouble to read over the book, then simply come and chant and dance with us and take prasadam, go home happy.
Thank you very much. (pause) Question? Yes.
Devotee: How do you feel about self-expression, art, as a path back to Godhead?
Prabhupada: Back to Godhead means God is a person, a person like you and me. Jut like your father is a person. That is a practical knowledge. Your father's father is also a person. His father is also a person. His father is also a person. Immediately you can understand. Therefore the supreme father must be a person. It is very difficult to understand? Any one of you can say it is very difficult to understand? God is called supreme father, not only in your Bible, but in the Vedas also. In all literature. And actually He's father, because the Vedanta says the Absolute Truth is the original father, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1], from whom everything has taken birth or emanated. So the supreme father cannot be impersonal. He's a person. And in the Vedas, it is confirmed: nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13). He is the supreme eternal amongst all eternals. We are all eternal, living entities, and He's the supreme eternal. And we are all living entities, cetana, life symptoms. We have got everything, all desires. So similarly the supreme father has got all desires. Our desires are born because He has got desires. Just like we like to love, young boy, young girl. They're in love. Wherefrom this idea of love comes? It comes from there, Radha and Krsna. Because we are part and parcel of God, we have got all the instincts of God in minute quantity. But because here we are in this material world, material world means where God is forgotten. That is called material world. In this temple we are not in the material world. We are not in New York. We are in Vaikuntha. Because we have not forgotten Krsna. Yes. That is the definition given by the Vedic literature. Transcendental. Anyone who's living within this temple... I'll give you one example. Just like if a ship comes from foreign country, that ship may be within the border of your country, or within your countrythat ship is not within the law of your country. The ambassadors, the embassies, they are not within the law of USA. I give you some practical example. Similarly, anyone who is engaged in Krsna's service, anyplace it may be, that spot is not within the material world. That is transcendentally situated. So for practical going back to Godhead, you come to our temple. That's all. You'll never forget Krsna. You'll be engaged in the service of Krsna. Therefore you'll live in Vaikuntha or Vrndavana. This is the easiest process of going back to Godhead. And then, after death, surely you're going to Vaikuntha or Krsnaloka. Hare Krsna. Yes?
Guest: I (indistinct) something. How does one learn to control the senses, overwhelming?
Prabhupada: This is very easy. If you apply your senses for the service of Krsna, then your senses cannot act independently. That is controlling. Just like if you absorb your mind in something you forget everything. Similarly, if you practice how to make yourself Krsna conscious, then automatically the senses and mind become controlled. It is not very difficult. Therefore we say that for solution of all problems you come and join with us. Here is a big temple. You live here. You learn how to do it. All right, thank you. (end)
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/sb/6/1/11/new_york/july/25/1971 Previous: Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.10 -- Honolulu, May 11, 1976 Next: Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.11 -- Honolulu, May 12, 1976
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