28--Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.13–15

Prabhupada:

This verse we have been discussing last week, that we are in a very awkward position. We should understand that. That is the mistake of the present civilization. Not only present; this is the way of materialistic way of life-forgetfulness. One does not know what is his position. That requires knowledge. That ignorance is not very good for human being. That may be good for the animals; not for the human. Human being has got developed consciousness, so he can utilize it properly. The animals cannot. So our awkward position is that we are entangled in the three modes of material nature. Therefore by repetition of birth and death and different species of life, we are wandering, and actually we do not want this. And that is not our natural position.

This repetition of birth and death is unnatural for us, but we do not know. We are thinking that it is natural. No. This is unnatural; therefore we want to live. We want to be perpetually happy. We want to be vastly wise, because that is our prerogative, constitution. We are simply struggling in this material condition of life. So we are in dilemma. The first beginning of this instruction is that I do not want to do something, but I am forced to do it. This is my position. This is due to ignorance. Just like we have seen many persons in the beginning of their life, they're villains; but by good association, by endeavor, by education, by knowledge, one comes out very nice.

So that processes is first of all described, that one has to elevate oneself by this methods, which we have already discussed: tapasa, austerity, penance. Not that we shall give away ourselves in the waves of material nature. No. We have got developed consciousness; we should use it properly. So that means tapasa, restraining. Restraining, I have repeatedly explained, restraining is meant for the human beings, not for the animals. A simple example: "Keep to the right." This instruction, this law of the state, is meant for the human beings, not for the dogs. If a dog violates, it goes from right to the left, it is not punished, because it is animal. But if a human being, driving his car, instead of driving on the right he drives on the left, he is immediately prosecuted.

Therefore we should know that all scriptures, all laws, all knowledge-everything-for human beings, not for the animals. Therefore we have to utilize them. We should not be like animals. If we degrade ourself to the animal propensity, then we go again to the animal kingdom. That we do not know. It is a great opportunity, that gradual process of evolution from lower-grades animal life, plant's life, beast life, insect's life, bird's life, we have come to the civilized human form of life. That you should know. And if we do not utilize this chance given by God, or nature, then we shall again go back: punar mūsiko bhava.

Perhaps I have told this story, punar mūsiko bhava. This is a Sanskrit story. Punaḥ means "again," and mūsika means "mouse." Punar mūsiko bhava. Bhava means "you again become." The story is that a mouse came to a saintly person and begged, "Sir, I am in difficulty. If you kindly help me." "What is your difficulty?" "Sir, the cats trouble me. I am mouse, and the cats are always after me." "So what do you want?" "Sir, let me become a cat." "All right, you become a cat." So he became a cat. So after a few days again he came, "Sir, I am in trouble." "What is that?" "The dogs are troubling me." [laughter] "So what do you want?" "Let me become a dog." "All right, you become a dog." Then in this way he comes again, "The fox are troubling." In this way, up to the tiger, the biggest animal. So the saintly person said, "What do you want?" "Now I want to become a tiger." "All right, you become a tiger." So when he became a tiger, he was staring on the saintly person. The saintly person asked him, "What do you mean by this?" "Argh, that means I shall eat you." "Oh, you want to eat me? By my mercy you have become from mouse to tiger, and now you want to eat me? Oh you again become mouse!" [laughter] Punar mūsiko bhava. [laughter] This is the position. We have come through the evolutionary process to this human form of life, and if we stare on God, "What is God?" then again, we have to again become the animal. Punar mūsiko bhava. This is the way of nature.

So we should be very careful that in this human form of life, if we become godless animals, then our next life is very precarious. That we should remember. We are meant for elevating ourselves, more and more, up to the level of God. That is our business, because God…, we are sons of God. God wants us that we become all good sons and become like Him. In the Vaikuntha planet all the living entities are of the same features, svarūpya. Svarūpya means of the same bodily features. As Narayana-you've seen the picture of Narayana here-He has got four hands and very beautiful body and very ornamented, and with four hands. So all the inhabitants there in the Vaikuntha planets, they are of the same features, svarūpya. Salokya: you can live on the same planet where God is there. Svarūpya, salokya, samipya. You can associate with God, just like Krsna. Krsna's associates, the cowherd boys, they are not ordinary human beings; they are associates of Krsna. When Krsna comes, they also come; or some of the devotees, they are elevated to that position. Therefore Sukadeva Goswami describes in the Srimad-Bhagavatam,

The same instruction was given by Rsabhadeva to his sons, tapo divyam putraka [SB 5.5.1]: "My dear boys, this life…." Rsabhadeva was the emperor of the world, and his sons, very rich, so they could enjoy life. And here in the material world, meant for... Enjoyment means sense gratification, that's all. They do not know anything more. But that is not enjoyment. Enjoyment is different. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita:

The real happiness is to be enjoyed by the transcendental senses, not these blunt senses. Our present senses is covered. You cannot enjoy life with covered senses. It must be open in its own nature. So that is not possible now, because this material body is covering my real body, my spiritual body. We are not impersonal; we are person, each one of us. This body is described as dress: vasamsi jirnani yatha vihaya [Bg 2.22].

So how your dress is made? Your coat has got two hands. Why? Because your real body has got two hands. Otherwise, how your coat gets two hands? How your pants gets two legs? Because you have got two legs. Because you have got two hands, therefore it is cut according to your body. Similarly, if this material body is our dress, then we must have our real body with hands and legs and like that. So we are not impersonal. That is the wrong conception. How we can be impersonal? We are all, each one of us, person. God is person; you are person; we are person. Everything is personal. Therefore because our body, our real spiritual body and senses, are now covered by this material covering, we have to discover, uncover. And when it is uncovered, when the senses are without, I mean to say, without any covering, with that senses you can enjoy. That is the Krsna consciousness process.

The definition is given in the Narada Pancaratra:

Sarvopadhi. Upadhi. Upadhi means "external designations." Now this body, your body, you are thinking, "I am American," because by nature's way you have got a body which is called American. I have got a body which is called Indian. But this is the external dress, designation, covering. My actual form is neither American nor Indian. Aham brahmasmi: my actual form is brahma, spirit soul. So we have to come to that stage. Therefore, just like one has to follow some restriction to recover himself from disease, so we have to recover ourselves from this diseased condition of material life. That is our real aim of life, and that requires tapasya. That is mentioned.

Rsabhadeva also says to his sons, "My dear sons, don't be led away by the sense gratification process." This sense gratification process is available in the dog's life, hog's life. That is not a very difficult thing. We have created problem. Four things needed for this maintenance of the body, four things: eating, sleeping, mating and defending. These are necessary. But just see: in the animal kingdom, in the bird's kingdom, they have no problem for these things. In the morning the birds will very gladly chant that "Now it is morning and we shall go somewhere," and they are confident somewhere there is food for them. Any tree, the fruit is ready. So they are not anxious how to get their food. For sleeping they are also not anxious. Just in the evening they come to the tree and take shelter and pass night. So eating, sleeping, there is no problem for them. Mating-immediately from the birth the bird, male and female, is born. So from the very beginning the female has got a male company and the male has got a female company. So sex life and mating there is no problem. And defending-they defend according to their own way. They have got two wings. They're always very careful; as soon as something obstructive comes, immediately fly away. That's all. These are nature's way. So why there has to be problems for the human beings for these four things? There is nonsense. That is nonsense. We have created such a civilization that we have got problems how to eat, how to sleep, how to mate and how to defend. Just see.

So our advancement of civilization means at the present moment we are lesser than the animals and birds. They have no problems, but we have problems. This is our civilization. Just study. Our modern civilization means we have created problems. That's all. They are not solved problems; they are created problems. If the civilization, if the technology, would have solved these problems, then there is no more problems for eating, sleeping, mating. No. That problem has aggravated. It has increased. Just try to understand. So we should understand that these things for elevating ourselves on these problems, to increase the method of eating or increase the method of sleeping or increase the method of mating and increase the method of defending, that is not civilization. Because if such things are not problems to the animals, why they should be problems to the human beings? But because we have misused our consciousness, we have misused our intelligence, these things have become a problem. Therefore Rsabhadeva says, "My dear boys, don't think that if you increase the method of your sense gratification, especially sex life…" Just like we see here so many advertisements. Just like here by the side of our temple, there is advertisement, naked dance. What is this? Increasing the method of the sex life, that is all. That is not a problem, but we have made it a problem. That is advanced civilization.

So Rsabhadeva says, "My dear boys, this is not problem. These things are available in the animal life-easily, automatically. Why you should create problems for this?" The real problem is different. What is that? You are wanting happiness, uninterrupted. That you want to attain. That is your problem. You are hankering after happiness which will be uninterrupted and shall continue for good. If you remain in a happy life, you will desire, "Oh, now I am positioned…, in a position here to enjoy my life. If I can continue like this." That is our natural prerogative. We want to be happy, and by our spiritual existence we shall be happy: Ananda-mayo 'bhyasat [Vs. 1.1.12] the Vedanta-sūtra says, because by nature you are joyful; therefore joyfulness is your prerogative. You must have. But how to have it? Therefore it is said, tapasa: you have to undergo tapasa. But Rsabhadeva advised his sons, "My dear sons, don't be carried away by this method of sense gratification. This is not good." Tapasa, tapo divyam [SB 5.5.1]: you put yourself in austerities, penance. Why? Divyam.

Divyam means for transcendental realization, to make yourself transcendentally situated. Because without being transcendentally situated, you cannot enjoy. You cannot, even sense gratification; that is also not possible. Senses are not denied. That is natural. But the method of gratification at the present moment is abominable. You no more will be happy in that. Tapo divyam. Therefore undergo austerities for transcendental realization. Why? Tapo divyam yena suddhyed sattvam. Sattvam means "existence." You exist, eternally, but your existence is being interrupted by the change of body. Don't think that you shall continue your nice material American body for good-say for fifty years, hundred years. Next you may get another body, it may be Vietnam body. So there is no guarantee. Tapo divyam. Yena suddhyed: you make your existence permanent, sattva. Tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam suddhyed. Suddha means "purified." Just like we try to purify ourselves when we are infected. We go to a doctor, we take some medicines, we take some injection, just to purify yourself from the contamination. Therefore we have to undergo austerities, penances, just to purify our existence. Tapo divyam yena suddhyed sattva. Then what will be the result? Tasmad, by which brahma-saukhyam anantam. You will attain this platform of enjoyment eternally. That is our problem. That is our problem.

So here also Sukadeva Goswami is advising Maharaja Pariksit that if one wants eternal life, blissful life, life of full knowledge, then one has to deliver himself from this contaminated life of material existence. And the method is prescribed here. We have described this elaborately,

Yama, yama, niyama: the yoga system. And the first thing is yama, niyama. Astahga-yoga, eightfold yoga system-not this farce yoga system, but real yoga system, that is eightfold. You have to first of all yama. Yama means regulative life. And niyama, under routine. Yam, niyama, then asana, then pranayama, then dhyana, then dharana, then samadhi, pratyahara. These are different stages of yoga system. So here also says, yamena va niyamena. So you have to elevate yourself.

Then it is said,

So those who are following the regulative principles, religious principles, austerities, penances, then you will be able to get out of this material entanglement, exactly like if you want to clear one field, dry grass, you set fire, and it will burn; everything will be automatically cleared. Venu-gulmam ivanalaḥ. Now again he says that these processes-that means austerities: brahmacarya, celibacy, controlling the mind, controlling the senses, renunciation, tyagena yamena-these are principles, but at the same time they are especially in this age very difficult. So Sukadeva Goswami is suggesting another alternative. What is that?

A very nice example. Niharam means the dews. What is called, the morning on the grass? It is called dew? The dews, you will find thousands of millions of grasses, and on the head of each grass is a drop of water. So if you want to clear them one after another, it takes long time. But as soon as there is sunrise, a little after, immediately all disappears. Immediately, automatically. So here the example is given, niharam iva bhaskaraḥ. Bhaskaraḥ means "the sun." Just like all the dews are disappear immediately after the sunrise, similarly, kecit kevalaya bhaktya, some fortunate persons, they simply take to Krsna consciousness, or devotional service, and immediately all their sinful activities and resultant activities disappear. Immediately. Immediately. For Krsna consciousness…, to become Krsna conscious, there is no need of previous qualification. Any other method you take, other methods of self-realization-just like karma, jnana, yoga, these are also methods, but they are very difficult, especially in this age. Kevalaya.

If you simply… The point was that we do not require any qualification. If you want to be a karmi-karmi means pious actor-then you will have to perform so many sacrifices, for which money is required and energy is required. That is very difficult in this age. If you want to be great philosopher, and if you want to realize yourself by the philosophical method, then you have to learn so many books of knowledge, philosophy, and speculate. That is also very difficult in this age. Similarly, if you want to perform yoga system, that is also very difficult in this age. You require so many quali..., previous qualifications. For becoming a learned philosopher you require so much previous qualification. For becoming a great pious actor, you require so much money for offering sacrifice. If you want to become a great yogi, then you have to learn this yama, niyama, asana, pranayama then pratyahara. That is also very difficult. But for coming to Krsna consciousness you don't require any previous qualifications. That is the special advantage. Whatever you may be, that is all right. Our process you are seeing practically: we are inviting all friends and guests to come here. What is that process? The process is, "Please come here. Chant with us, dance with us, take a little prasadam and go home." That's all. We don't ask you that you require this qualification or that qualification, that... No. Simply bhakti. Bhakti, this devotional service is so strong. Therefore Sukadeva Goswami is recommending that those who are intelligent, instead of undergoing so many difficult processes, kevalaya bhaktya: simply unflinching, unalloyed devotional service. That should be kevalaya. Kevalaya means "without any adulteration." Kevalaya. That is... that qualification required. Krsna, in the Bhagavad-gita, demands that thing, that,

"You just surrender unto Me." This qualification required. That's all. One must be ready to surrender: "My dear Lord, whatever is done, my past history, I'll forget, and You kindly forget also. Excuse me. Now I surrender unto You." This, this only surrendering process makes you sufficiently qualified to become elevated transcendentalist. Simply this, "My dear Krsna, my dear Lord Krsna, I was forgotten; I forgot You for so many lives. Now…" So many lives, that is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita. This knowledge, this surrendering process, does not come all of a sudden. For many yogis, for many jnanis, after many, many births this knowledge comes. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita:

After many, many births of philosophical speculation, when one has become perfectly wise… What is that perfect? What is wisdom? The perfect wisdom: "God is great; I am small." Therefore I must surrender. This is knowledge.

Devotees: Jaya! Jaya!

Prabhupada: This is knowledge. And so long I shall remain puffed-up, "I am this, I am that, I am lusty, I am God," then that is all nonsense. That is not knowledge. That is ignorance, ignorance. When rascal class of men say, "I don't believe in God," that is a false statement. He believes in God. He believes in God, but he falsely says that "I don't believe in God." But how does he believe? He believes God as death. God… You see God's picture, Narayana's picture, four-handed. In two hands He has got the club and the disc. This is for death: club hammering and disc cutting the throat. This is the… Two hands are engaged. God's two hands are engaged for this purpose: cutting and hammering. Another two hands: lotus flower, peace and prosperity; and conchshell, auspicious. So these two things are there. In the Bhagavad-gita you will find, Krsna says,

"Just to deliver the pious and to kill or annihilate the impious." So the impious atheists, they will believe in God when death comes.

Devotees: [laugh] Hare Krsna.

Prabhupada: Because they cannot… What is the definition of God? "God is great." So if you say that "I don't believe in God," that means you don't believe anyone who is greater than you. But when death comes, you understand that "It is greater than me."

Devotees: Jaya! Jaya! Jaya! Jaya!

Prabhupada: Yes. "It is greater than me." So God comes to the atheist as death, and God comes to the theist, or the devotee, as lover. That's all. You find that picture, Hiranyakasipu. He was atheist. So Lord Nrsimha appeared as death for Hiranyakasipu. And his son, his young child, Prahlada Maharaja, He blessed him: "My dear Prahlada, you have suffered so much." So God is there, but the atheist will believe God when death is there, and the theist and the faithful will believe God by devotional service. That is the difference.

Therefore we can save ourselves completely if we are intelligent enough. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita: bahūnam janmanam ante. That intelligence comes to the ordinary man after many, many births of philosophical speculation.

What is that knowledge? He at that time, he understands that Vasudeva, Krsna, is everything: vasudevaḥ sarvam iti. Krsna is the original, sarva-karana-karanam [Bs 5.1], original cause of everything, janmady asya yato-that knowledge. When he comes to that knowledge, then he surrenders: "O my dear Lord, I was challenging so many births after births. Now I have come to this knowledge, I surrender unto You. Please accept me." Sa mahatma su-durlabhaḥ [Bg 7.19].

Such kind of great soul is very rare, but this Krsna consciousness movement is making very cheaply a mahatma like that. Although they are distributing this knowledge very cheap, don't think it is very cheap thing. It is very valuable. Those who are intelligent, they will understand, and they'll take to it. Thank you very much!

Devotees: Jaya! Haribol! Jaya! Jaya! Jaya Prabhupada! [end]