But in neither of the paths you'll be happy, because that is not your proper position. You cannot enjoy or you cannot renounce. Actually the whole thing belongs to Krsna. Nothing belongs to anyone. Whatever you have got in possession, that is Krsna's property. Isavasyam idam sarvam [Iso mantra 1]. Everything. You do..., you try to understand. The trees, the plants, the water, the landhave you produced it? Then how do you claim that it is your land, it is your country, it is your water, it is your tree? That is the wrong position. And similarly, tyaga, renouncement... What can you renounce? What you had? What is the meaning of renouncement? You had nothing. You came here in this world from the womb of your mother empty-handed, a child. Then you falsely claim: "This is my country, this is my home, this is my wife, this is my children, this is my property, this is my bank balance, this is my skyscraper building..." All these false. Because you did not brought this. You came empty-handed, and when you go, you go empty-handed. The things are there. The bank balance is there. The building is there. You cannot take anything. So what is the meaning of bhoga and tyaga? There is no meaning. Either now, neither able to enjoy, because it is not your property. If you want to enjoy other's property, then you'll be implicated in criminal offenses. And if you say others' property, "I renounce this bank, I renounce this Bank of America," when did it belong to you, that you are making renouncement? It is all lunacy.

Then what to do? That is direction given by Krsna: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. You have created different types of religion on the basis of this bhoga and tyaga. So you give up all them. Then? Mam ekam saranam vraja: "You surrender unto Me." Because you cannot enjoy nor make any renunciation. But here it is said tapasa, tyagena, by renouncing. Renouncing means that you're falsely possessing. So you give it to Krsna, the original proprietor. Just like one hundred dollars note, a child has taken from the father. The child does not know how to use that hundred dollars note, but he, he'll not give it to the father. "No, I shall not give it." Father is begging: "Oh, my dear child, you are so nice. Kindly give it to me." Actually the note belongs to the father. But because he's child, he's innocent, ignorant, he does not know. Therefore Krsna says, dadasi yat kurusva mad-arpanam. Dana, this tyaga, "You renounces this world for Me. You renounce your wealth, your property for Me." The same thing. Everything belongs to Krsna. He's not a beggar. But He's patting the child, "Oh, you are very good boy. Kindly give it to Me." That is the way. Krsna is so kind. Because... The same example: the child does not know how to utilize that hundred dollars note. He'll simply spoil it. The best thing is to give it over, hand it over to the father. He knows how to use it. It is his property.

Similarly this tyagena means to practice, to give everything to Krsna. Everything. Tyagena. Samena damena tyagena. This is the different steps of elevating yourself to Krsna consciousness. Tapasa brahmacaryena samena ca damena ca, tyagena satya-saucabhyam [SB 6.1.13]. Satya means truthfulness. One should know what is truth, ultimate truth, Absolute Truth. We are concerned with relative truths, but we have to know the Absolute Truth. Just like in the Bhagavata Vyasadeva is offering his respect, obeisances: satyam param dhimahi [SB 1.1.1]. "I offer my respect to the Supreme Truth, not to the relative truth." We are concerned with relative truth, categorical truth, not the summum bonum. Saucabhyam: cleanliness. This is also required. Cleanliness. You should take bath, twice, thrice, at least once. That is hygienic. Bahyabhyantara-sucih. One should be cleansed. Bahya means externally, and abhyantara, internally. Externally, you take soap, water, soda, and cleanse yourself, body. Take bath, cleanse, keep your clothing very cleansed. Unclean habit will not help you, unclean habit. Cleanliness is godliness. Truthful. Truthfulness. These are the qualities of brahmana. Satyam samo damas titiksa arjavam astikyam jnanam vijnanam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. Those who are brahmanas, they must be qualified with all these symptoms. Satyam. This satyam, truthful. How truthful? You, even before your enemies, you'll disclose everything. Such truthful. That is the instruction of acaryas. We don't want to disclose everything, hide. But truthfulness means even to a enemy you should be truthful. Satyam samam. This samam, controlling the mind. Damam, controlling the senses. Satyam samo damah saucam, cleanliness. Arjavam, simply sitting, no duplicity, simply sitting. Arjavam astikyam. Faith in Vedas, that is called astikyam. Just like Bhagavad-gita, part of Vedas. Here Krsna says, "I am the Supreme Lord." So you have to accept Him by faith. This is called astikyam. Astikyam, jnanam. Not foolishly, but with knowledge, full knowledge. And vijnanam, practical application in life. Brahma-karma svabhava-jam. This is the natural symptoms of a brahmana.

So you are all initiated to become brahmana. You have become brahmana. Don't become false brahmana. Real brahmana. It is not by birth; it is by education, by practice, by knowledge. So we are offering the sacred thread to the Americans and Europeans in the Western countries, and some of our Indian contemporaries, they are not very happy with my action. They are under contemplation that a brahmana can be, I mean to say, seen by birthright. No. No. Brahmana is by qualification. Brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. That is the verdict of Krsna. We are concerned with Krsna, not any other else. Krsna says, catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah: [Bg. 4.13] "By division of quality and, guna, and work, one must have the symptoms, the quality of a brahmana, and work as a brahmana." Not that... Quality will be tested by work. Suppose if you are engineer. You have got the quality of... But if you sit down at home, what is your value? You must be engaged in some engineer work. Suppose you are lawyer, and if you don't go to the court and sleep at your home, then what is the worth of your studying law? Therefore guna-karma. One should not be simply qualified as engineer or lawyer, but he must work also, as engineer, as lawyer. Then he's bona fide. Similarly, unless you work as a brahmana, simply saying that "I am a brahmana," what is the value? Useless. They..., therefore Krsna says, guna-karma-vibhagasah. There must be quality and work also. So here we are qualifying the students to be raised in the brahminical platform, and they're working also as brahmana. How they are working as brahmana? Because they're fully engaged in Param Brahma's service, Krsna's service. Therefore they are brahmanas. Brahma janati iti brahmanah. Without knowing, nobody can render service. They are not rendering service in the ear. They are serving Krsna factually. Here is sitting Krsna with Radharani. Therefore they're brahmana by quality and work. Guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13].

So this is param satyam dhimahi. They are worshiping the Supreme Truth, Krsna. Krsna is the Absolute Truth.

Therefore he's saying that actually atonement is knowledge. "Why I am stealing? What is the use?" Vimarsanam, prayascittam vimarsanam. Vimarsanam means to be thoughtful. Without being thoughtful, philosopher, how one can understand, what is his position? Thoughtful. And that thoughtfulness comprehends so many things. Tapasa. One has to learn it by tapasya. Just like if one wants to pass M.A. examination, then he has to go school, follow the principle of the schools, college, study, and take some pains. Then gradually he'll come a passed M.A. student. And if he plays all the day on the street, how he can...? That is not possible. Therefore the process is being explained by Sukadeva Gosvami: tapasa. First thing is tapasya, austerity. Even it is painful... Austerity's painful. Brahmacarya is painful. Because we want, unrestricted, to do everything. But no. As soon as it is regulated it appears to be painful. When it is practiced, it is not painful. One brahmacari in Indian city, in severe cold, he was sleeping in the open air, without any covering. And it was severe cold. But it was practice. During Magha-mela, many saintly persons come there on the bank of the Ganga, Ganges. This year we had our own camp; we have seen. The whole night they are sitting in the open air, without any covering.

So practice. So practice means if you undergo austerity, tapasya, everything will be practiced. That is a Bengali proverb: sarire na mahasaya(?). Mahasaya is a word used in India, a very respectable gentleman, mahasaya. So this sarira, this body is mahasaya. Ya sa haye sa taicha(?). Whatever he'll practice, it will be accustomed. So practice. So here this Krsna consciousness movement is bringing them to the practice. Therefore you find, so nice, boys and girls, they're practiced. As soon as they're neglectful to the practicefalls down. They cannot stay. Immediately goes out. So that is called austerity, tapasya. Practice. Practical life. So these are the processes.

The dhira example is given by Kalidasa Pandita, a great poet in India, Sanskrit poet, long, long ago. He has written one book: Kumara-sambhava. Kumara-sambhava. In our college we read that book in Sanskrit class. Kumara-sambhava. So he has given one example of dhira about Lord Siva, Mahadeva. He was meditating and the demigods, they had a plan, that "The demons are fighting with us. We are being defeated. We want a commander in chief, who must be born out of the semina of Lord Siva." But he was in meditation. So how to do it? So Parvati, she was sent. She was young girl. And she was worshiping the genital of Lord Siva. So a young girl, touching the genital, and she's present, but still Lord Siva was in meditation. So Kalidasahere is the example of dhira. He's called dhira. In spite of presence of a young girl touching the genital, he's not, I mean to say, disturbed. Just like Haridasa Thakura. You have heard the Haridasa Thakura. He was chanting Hare Krsna mantra, and somebody wanted to cut down. He was young man. So young prostitute was sent at dead of night. And he, she proposed... Haridasa Thakura said, "Yes, it is very nice proposal. Please sit down. Let me finish my chanting, and I shall enjoy." So it became morning. The prostitute became, I mean to say, perturbed. And Haridasa Thakura replied, "I am very sorry. I could not finish my chanting. Please come this night again." The first night, second night..., third night the prostitute fell down on his feet and said, "Sir, this was my intention. I was induced to do this act by some man who is your enemy. So kindly excuse me." So Haridasa Thakura replied, "I knew that. But because you came to me, therefore I allowed you to come here, three days, so that you may be converted to be a devotee. So now take these chanting beads. You sit down. Go on chanting. I am leaving this place." Here is another dhira.

So here it is said, deha-vag-buddhijam dhira dharmajnah. One who has control, deha, the body, vak, the words, buddhi, intelligencethey are dhira. So this tridandi. This tridandi-sannyasa means to become dhira, controlling sarira; deha, the body; vak, words; and intelligence. These things should be utilized. How? By dhira, those who are dhira. Dharmajna. One who knows actually the principle of religion. Dharmajna. Deha-vag-buddhijam dhira dharmajnah sraddhayanvitah, ksipanty agham mahad api. So because our life is continuously committing sinful activities, from time immemorial... You do not know when it began. Evolution, many births. Therefore this life is meant for rectifying all mistakes that we had committed in our previous life or in this life. How? By this process. Ksipanty agham. Agham means the resultant action of sinful life. Mahad api. Although it is very great, mahad api, how? Venu-gulmam, venu-gulmam ivanalah. Just like if you set fire to unwanted grass and creepers in the field. You set fire, and they will be all burned. Similarly, by this process, tapasa brahmacaryena [SB 6.1.13], you can liquidate all of your sinful activities of life and you become purified.

So the next process, another alternative process is being suggested by Sukadeva Gosvami.

So Sukadeva Gosvami is prescribing, kecit kevalaya bhaktya [SB 6.1.15]. Kevalaya bhaktya. Kevala-bhakti. There is no mixture. Kevala means only pure devotional service. What is that pure devotional service?

Just like Dhruva Maharaja, he was repentant, that "I came to Krsna for asking some material..." The example is given: Just like one has pleased a very big, rich man, and the rich man said, "All right, you ask me whatever you want. I shall give you." So when he's asked to beg whatever he wants, then if he asks that "Give me some broken rice grains," is that very good proposal? If he's asking that "You can ask anything else from me"he's a rich manask him for millions of dollars or something like that. But instead of..., if you ask for your foolishness, that "Please give me some broken grains of rice..." So similarly, to go to Krsna and to ask some material benefit is exactly like this, to go to some rich man and ask from his "Please give me some broken grains of rice." Why one should ask for material happiness from Krsna? Material happiness will roll on his feet: "Please take me, please take me." These Krsna conscious boys and girls, in sixty centers, just see how they are materially opulent. They're living in the best house. They're eating best food. They're in best consciousness. They have got the best hope. Everything best. Their feature of body is best. What you want material happiness more than this? They have got wife, children, happiness, homeeverythingfull. So material happiness is nothing to a Krsna conscious person. He gets automatically by the grace of Krsna. There is no need of asking for it. Simply be steady to ask Krsna, "Please engage me in Your service." Anukulyena krsnanusilanam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. How Krsna will be satisfied? Then your satisfaction will automatically come. Don't bother for material happiness.

Thank you very much.