Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.6 – Sunday Feast – June 29, 1975, Denver

What is nationalism?

Nitai: Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. [Prabhupada and devotees repeat] First Canto, Second Chapter, text number 6. [leads chanting of verse, etc.]

saḥ-that; vai-certainly; pumsam-for mankind; paraḥ-sublime; dharmaḥ-occupation; yataḥ-by which; bhaktiḥ-devotional service; adhoksaje-unto the Transcendence; ahaituki-causeless; apratihata-unbroken; yaya-by which; atma-the self; suprasidati-completely satisfied.

[02:56]

Translation: "The supreme occupation, dharma, for all humanity, is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service to the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted in order to completely satisfy the self."

Prabhupada:

Atma, the self, we are all seeking happiness of atma. Atma means this body, atma means the mind, and atma means the soul. So everyone is seeking happiness either of these three: body or mind or the soul, because we are combination of all these things. I am... So long I am not spiritually advanced, or I am materially engrossed, I want to satisfy my body. Body means the senses. So bodily satisfaction means sense gratification. When we are baffled in the sense gratification, then we try to satisfy the thinking, feeling, willing of our mind. And when we fail satisfaction of the mind also, then we seek satisfaction of the soul. That is supreme. Here it is stated, sa vai pumsam paro dharmo.

For the satisfaction of the body we are working as karmi on the material platform. For the satisfaction of the mind we are working as philosopher, scientist, poets. But all these platform of satisfaction will not give us that happiness which we are seeking after. Therefore, Sukadeva Gosvami is describing here that if you want really satisfaction, then you come to the platform of the spirit soul. That is called paro dharmo. There are two things: para and apara. Apara means which is not myself, and para means transcendental to the senses. So we have manufactured different types of religious system concerning the body.

Take for example nationalism. What is nationalism? Nationalism means I have got this body in certain area, I have got my this body in India, you have got this body in America. So you are thinking national of USA, I am thinking national of India. Similarly, others also thinking. So this is called apara dharma. Apara dharma means temporary regarding the body. But we have come to the platform of paro. If we want satisfaction really, then we have come to the platform of para, the spiritual platform. [aside:] The children are disturbing.

Our senses, they are at the present moment on material conception of life, our senses are taken as the supreme. Satisfaction of the senses. Indriyebhyaḥ param manaḥ. Above that, satisfaction of the mind. Above that, satisfaction of intelligence. Above that, satisfaction of the soul. Actually we are seeking after satisfaction of the soul because we are ultimately soul, not this body. This is the first instruction in the Bhagavad-gita.

Asmin dehe, in this body, the proprietor of the body, the soul, is there. Unfortunately there is no educational system by which one can understand that he is not this body but he is within the body, the soul. This is the first instruction. Spiritual life, if you do not know what is spirit, then where is the question of spiritual life. Spiritual life cannot be executed on the material platform. So when Arjuna was bewildered on the bodily conception of life, he was on the battlefield of Kuruksetra, out of sympathy for his brothers, relatives, he declined to fight. Because he took others in bodily concept of life. But Krsna wanted to bring him on the spiritual concept of life. Therefore, Bhagavad-gita was spoken to him. And when Arjuna understood Bhagavad-gita, and Krsna also, what He wanted to do, and when he understood that his business was to satisfy Krsna, then he agreed to fight. Personally, from a bodily concept of life, he was puzzled. But when he came to the platform of spiritual concept of life, he agreed to abide by the orders of Krsna, and he said, karisye vacanam tava [Bg 18.73], "Now I shall execute Your order." So this Krsna consciousness movement means to learn how to satisfy Krsna. This is Krsna consciousness. To learn the science how one can satisfy Krsna. That is called bhakti. Bhakti means,

Bhakti means, first of all one has to become free or liberated from all kinds of designation. I am Indian, I am American, I am brahmana, I am ksatriya, I am black, I am white, I am this--these are all designations. So the first business is how to become free from the designation. sarvopadhi, upadhi means designation. Vinirmuktam, being freed from. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam. In Krsna consciousness one becomes purified, nirmalam. Just like in our society we have got devotees from different parts of the world, different groups of religion, different groups of nationality. But when they are in Krsna consciousness, they forget their nationality, their body, they accept themselves as servants of God.

This is the platform of unity. You cannot be united on the bodily platform, neither you can be united on the mental platform. The United Nation, big, big nations. The United Nation headquarter is there in New York. So they are trying to be united, but they cannot be united even within their country. You have heard the news of India, there is now a fever between parties. So even there is unity of the nations, there will be fight between the parties. In every country we have got this experience. So the so-called unity is impossible. Just like dogs. You bring the dogs together and ask them very politely, "My dear dogs, do not bark. Because another dog is coming from another neighborhood, you do not bark." Will they hear? Bow, bow, bow. [laughter] You see? So if you keep them as dogs, how there can be unity? That is not possible.

So that false attempt is going on. They are keeping themselves as good as dogs, and they are going to be united. It is not possible. It is futile attempt to be united on the bodily concept of life. It is not my manufactured words. It is stated in the sastra,

Go means cows and kharaḥ means ass. So those who are in the bodily concept of life and, yasyatma-buddhi-kunape tri-dhatuke. This body is a bag of tri-dhatu-kapha, pitta, vayu. So in other words, we can take it is a bag of bones, flesh, muscles, blood, urine, stool, and so many other things. Do you think this combination of blood, stool, urine, muscle, bones, all these things can produce life? Do you think? They are trying to prove chemical evolution at the present moment, that life is born of matter. So here are the matters. Everyone knows in my body these things are there in body, these things are there. And without this body outside, you go to the slaughterhouse, you'll find all these things. You'll find blood, bones, urine, stool, everything.

Can you produce life? If life can be produced from matter and if you think this combination of material things is the life, then produce life. These are available. No. That is not. If anyone thinks like that, that this combination of matter is life, then he is no better than cows and asses. This is the statement. Actually that is... That is going on. So we are trying to be united on the basis of combining this blood and stool and urine, other things. No. That is not possible. We have come to the spiritual platform, we have to seek out the spirit soul who is now encaged within these material elements. If you seek that, if we create our religion... Religion means occupational duty. In the English dictionary, it is said religion means a kind of faith. No. Faith may be wrong or right. Therefore religion, there cannot be two religion. Because as spirit soul, we are all one. You are spirit soul, I am spirit soul, he is spirit soul, she is spirit soul, everyone. Therefore, those who have got spiritual knowledge, they are called panḍit, panḍitaḥ sama-darsinaḥ. Panḍitaḥ means learned.

There are many other statements,

So if you study Bhagavad-gita, you'll get all these knowledges, different branches of knowledges, they are combined together. It is the essence of all Vedic knowledge. So, and when you understand Bhagavad-gita and when you understand God and your relationship with God, then your activities will be perfect. If you do not know what you are, why you are working so hard day and night, then it is said in the sastra, srama eva hi kevalam, [SB 1.2.8] it is simply laboring for nothing. Human life is very important life. By evolutionary process, we have passed through eight million, at least three hundred thousands of different species of life. Then we have come to this human form of life, especially in Bharatvarsa, in India. So we should not waste this life simply imitating the cats and dogs. That is not our aim of life. This is the instruction of Srimad-Bhagavatam.

This life... Everybody has got body. The cats and dogs and hogs, they have also body, and we have also got body. But this is special body, ayam deha nrloke, in the human society. There is no question of who is he, whether he is American or Indian or this or...no. Human society. In the human society, this kind of life like cats and dogs and hog is not desirable. Nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke. Cats and dogs, hogs life means working day and night for food. Especially the hogs are mentioned. The hogs they work day and night, "Where is stool? Where is stool? Where is stool?" So, and as soon as he gets some stool, little strength, then, sex without discrimination. No consideration of brother, sister, or mother, nothing. You have seen hog's life at least in India. So this is practical example.

To work so hard for eating, sleeping, mating, mating, sex life, and defending, this is being done by the cats, dogs, and hogs also. Human life is meant for extra endeavor which the hogs and dogs cannot do. That is required. What is that? Tapasya, tapo divyam putraka yena sattvam suddhyed satya [SB 5.5.1]. Human life is meant for getting release from a kind of disease which is birth, death, old age, and disease. This is the business of human life. Jivasya tattva-jijnasa [SB 1.2.10]. We are hearing from the supreme authority, Krsna, and we, if we meditate, if we think soberly we can understand that every one of us is eternal. Then why I am dying? This should be the question. Athato brahma-jijnasa.

This is human life's business. Jivasya tattva-jijnasa. Human life should be very eager to understand tattva, the truth, the truth of life. So when we are engaged in the matter of inquiring the truth of life, that is called paro dharma. That is explained here. The Hindu dharma, Christian dharma, Muslim dharma, Buddha dharma, we have created so many dharmas. But real dharma is when we inquire what is our identity, what is our constitutional position. Am I this body or something else? That answer is given in the Bhagavad-gita in the beginning of teaching,

"My dear Arjuna, you are talking as very learned man. 'If I kill this, then what will happen to this, what will happen to this.' So many questions you have raised. Hmm. [child screaming] So you are thinking that you are very learned man. You are talking with Me like that." Because in the bodily concept of life he was talking. So that was at once rejected by Krsna. When Arjuna submitted to Krsna, sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam [Bg 2.7]. "My dear Krsna, let us stop now friendly talks." Krsna was Arjuna's friend. So they were talking on friendly terms.

But Arjuna understood that these friendly talks will not come to any conclusion. So he submitted to Krsna as His disciple, sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam. "My dear Krsna, now I am becoming Your disciple," sisya. sisya means one who agrees to be disciplined by the spiritual master. He is called sisya. So then serious talks took place. And the first instruction of Krsna was that first of all try to understand that you are not this body. So when we actually understand that I am not this body, then there is possibility of unity.

When this education will be spread all over the world in the human society, then you talk of unity. Otherwise there is no question of unity. I have given the example. If you keep the dogs as dogs and if you say that "You be united," that is not possible. You have to raise the human society to the standard of spiritual life or spiritual understanding. Then there will be unity. Otherwise it is not possible. So the Krsna consciousness movement is to bring the human society on the spiritual platform. That is called paro dharmo. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo. That spiritual society is situated on the central point of Krsna or Bhagavan or God.

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje

Adhoksaje. Adhaḥ krta aksaja jnanam yatra. [From word for word. Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati.] God's or Krsna's another name is Adhoksaja. Where our sense perception fails, He is called Adhoksaja. Adhaḥ krta aksaja. Aksaja means direct sense perception. Aksa means this sense perception, direct perception. Or aksa means a to ksa. Our knowledge is limited, beginning with the alphabet a and ending with the alphabet ksa. That is called aksa. So this material aksaja, jnana, knowledge, cannot approach the Absolute Truth. But there is process.

That process is described in every sastra. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, bhaktya mam abhijanati. [Bg 18.55] If you want to know God, then you have to adopt the principle of devotional service, bhaktya. Krsna never says that "By jnana, yoga, karma you can understand Me," no. Bhaktya mam abhijanati. Bhagavad-gita was spoken to Krsna, Arjuna, because Krsna says bhakto'si [Bg 4.3] priyo'si me. [Bg 18.65] . "My dear Arjuna, you are My devotee and very dear friend. Therefore, I am speaking to you Bhagavad-gita." So Bhagavad-gita cannot be understood by the karmis, jnanis, yogis. It can be understood by the bhaktas. And it was spoken to a bhakta. And if you perform the religious system as enunciated by Krsna,

That is called bhakti. Yato bhaktir adhoksaje. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje. That bhakti should not be with a motive, with a business mind. "I am becoming your bhakta, My Lord, You have to satisfy my this desire." Of course, this is the preliminary stage of bhakti, arto artharthijijnasur jnani ca bharatarsabha [Bg 7.16]. But pure bhakti means anyabhilasita-sūnyam, unmotivated. Jnana-karmady-anavrtam anukūlyena krsnanu-silanam bhaktir uttama [Cc Madhya 19.167].

So therefore it is said, yato bhaktir adhoksaje means ahaituki. Ahaituki means without any motive. "I am going to the temple to offer my obeisances for getting some material benefit," this is not pure bhakti. "Oh God, give us our daily bread." God is giving daily bread to everyone. Why you are praying for that? It will come without even prayer. You just learn how to love God, that is wanted. Not for praying bread. Of course, in the beginning we do that. That is not pure devotion.

Therefore, it is called ahaituki. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje ahaituky, without any motive. Apratihata. And this devotional service cannot be checked by any material impediment. It is not that because I am poor man I cannot execute devotional service, or because I am rich man, therefore I cannot. No. Apratihata, either you be rich or poor, uneducated, noneducated, or this national, that national, anything material impediments will not check. If you want to be devotee of Krsna, if you want to become a servant of Krsna, there is no checking in any stage of life, any form of life you can begin devotional service. Ahaituki apratihata. And if you do that then the...your ultimate goal, you are trying to become happy. That is your nature, our nature. Sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. We are part and parcel of God. Sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. He is eternally blissful, full of knowledge. Sat means eternal, cit means knowledge, and ananda means bliss. So Krsna is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. [Brahma-samhita 5.1] And we are part and parcel of Krsna, therefore we are also sac-cid-ananda. Just like a small particle of gold is also gold. Therefore, the Vedic realization is aham brahmasmi. [Brhad-aranyaka Upanisad 1.4.10] Param brahma is Krsna, Supreme Brahman. Param brahma param dhama, pavitram paramam bhavan. [Bg 10.12] This is the statement by Arjuna.

So He is param brahma. Param means the Supreme, and we are part and parcel of the Supreme Brahman. So we are not param brahman but we are brahman. This realization is required. This is Vedic realization, aham brahmasmi. When you realize this, that you are part and parcel of Krsna, param brahma, then what will be your state of life? That is also described in the Bhagavad-gita. Brahma-bhūta, brahman realized. Brahman realized. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannatma. You'll be joyful always. This is the symptom. If you realize yourself as soul, part and parcel of God, then in the material world we are always full of anxiety. But when you spiritually realize brahma-bhūtaḥ, just the opposite. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannatma. No more anxiety. So what is the symptom of no more anxiety? Na socati na kahksati. He does not desire anything to gain and whatever he has got if he's lost, he does not lament. Na socati na kahksati. Samaḥ sarvesu bhūtesu. At that time he can see all living entities... [break] [end]