Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Nṛsiṁha-caturdaśī Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.5.22–32

Prabhupāda: So today, appearance day of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva. Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva appeared on this Nṛsiṁha Cāturdaśī on account of His devotee Prahlāda. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, abhyutthānam adharmasya [Bg 4.7].

[Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.]

Paritrāṅāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtāṁ, sambhavāmi yuge yuge [Bg 4.8].

[In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.]

The Lord appears with two purposes. Paritrāṅāya sādhūnām: just to give protection and rescue the devotees, and to kill the demons, vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja, five-years-old boy, his only fault was that he was Kṛṣṅa conscious. He was devotee of Kṛṣṅa. That was his only fault. And the father was so unkind to a child, even five years old, he could not excuse, "Oh, let this boy do whatever, chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa." No. The demons are so much against God consciousness that even at his home he would not allow his own child to become God conscious. This is demoniac civili... So you'll find many critics, many enemies, because you are making progress in Kṛṣṅa consciousness. So the demons are always against this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. That is the whole history. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he was crucified. What was his fault? He was preaching God consciousness, that's all. This society is so cruel.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja was tortured in so many ways. The torturing methods, I think you will find...., you will see in today's picture, how Prahlāda Mahārāja was tortured.

[pause, looking for picture in book]

So one day, Hiraṅyakaśipu... After all, he was his son; affection was there. So one day, Hiraṅyakaśipu asked the boy,

prahrādānūcyatāṁ tāta svadhītaṁ kiñcid uttamaṁ kālenaitāvatāyuṣman yad aśikṣād guror bhavān [SB 7.5.22]

[Hiraṅyakaśipu said: My dear Prahlāda, my dear son, O long-lived one, for so much time you have heard many things from your teachers. Now please repeat to me whatever you think is the best of that knowledge.]

So he asked his son, "My dear son, what you have learned? The best thing, what you have learned from your teachers, so you kindly let me know." So Prahlāda Mahārāja informed that "I have learned like this." What is that?

śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ smaraṅaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

iti puṁsārpitā viṣṅau bhaktiś cen nava-lakṣaṅā kriyeta bhagavaty addhā tan manye 'dhītam uttamam [SB 7.5.23-24]

Tan manye 'dhītam uttamam: one who is engaged in the matter of hearing about Viṣṅu, śravaṅaṁ kīrtanam viṣṅoḥ. We are engaged in hearing and talking and chanting about so many things non-Viṣṅu. Just like you'll find thousands of, millions of different types of magazines sold in your country—in all countries. Some of the magazines are sex literature, some cinema literature, some this literature, that... So many different types.

There is one paper I have seen, Diabetes, diabetes literature. There are many patients of diabetes, so they have formed a society, Diabetic Society. I have seen it. [laughter] And there are many diabetic patient, they are being hoaxed, that "You pay two dollars per year, and you get all information how to protect yourself from diabetes disease." So in America two dollars is nothing, but it is collecting millions and millions of dollars, Diabetic Society, diabetic magazine.

So that sort of hearing and chanting is not needed. We are not interested in all these magazines, because we are followers of Prahlāda Mahārāja. He's our ācārya. He's guru. Prahlāda Mahārāja's guru is Nārada, and Nārada is also our guru. Nārada is guru of Vyāsadeva. So we are a branch, but the original guru is Nārada, Brahma-sampradāya. So Prahlāda Mahārāja is also a disciple of Nārada Muni.

So he teaches that śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ. We have to hear and talk and chant about Viṣṅu. Śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ smaraṅaṁ pāda-sevanam: to remember Him always, to worship His lotus feet, pāda-sevanam; arcanam, temple worship, to keep the Deity nicely worshiped, offer foodstuff, ārati, this is called arcanaṁ. Vandanam, offering prayers. Just like we offer prayer, govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi. These are prayers. There are so many prayers. Keśava-dhṛta buddha-śarīra, keṣava-dhṛta narahari-rūpa [Daśāvatāra-stotra]. These are all prayers. This is also part of devotional service.

śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ smaraṅaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sakhyam... [SB 7.5.23]

[Prahlāda Mahārāja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṅu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words)—these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kṛṣṅa through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.]

Arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyam. To be always in service of the Lord, dāsyaṁ; sakhyam, to make friendship with Him, to consider Kṛṣṅa as your friend. He says... Even if I do not say that He's my friend, He says, "I am friend of everyone." Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām [Bg 5.29].

[The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries.]

He's friend of everyone. We don't want His friendship, but He wants our friendship. He wants us to go back to home, Godhead; we don't want. So He is more anxious to take us, exactly like the father is more affectionate than the son. That's a fact.

So He's the supreme father. So He wants that we may be happy, and therefore He comes to show us. He sends His representative, son. He leaves behind Him books so that we may go back to home, back to Godhead. So sakhyam. He's always sitting with me, within my heart. I am in the heart, and Paramātmā is also within the heart as friend, to give me advice that "Why you are bothering in this material world? Please come back to home, back to Me." This is going on. Sakhyam ātma-nivedanam. Ātma-nivedanam means fully surrendered. So there are examples of devotees who, sarvātma-nivedanam. Just like Bali Mahārāja: he gave everything to Kṛṣṅa, even his body—everything, whatever: his kingdom, money, everything.

So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, iti puṁsārpitā viṣṅau bhaktiś cen nava-lakṣaṅā. All these items means hearing—hearing about Viṣṅu, chanting about Kṛṣṅa, giving everything to Viṣṅu, offering prayers to Viṣṅu, offering arcana, temple worship, Viṣṅu. In this way Prahlāda Mahārāja summarizes that "Anyone who is doing like this, everything about Viṣṅu," iti puṁsārpitā viṣṅau bhaktiś cen nava-lakṣaṅā, "this nine kinds of different devotional services," kriyeta bhagavatay addhā, "directly to the Supreme Personality of Godhead," tan manye 'dhītam uttamam, "I think he is the best learned man in the world. He is the most learned." Tan manye 'dhītam: "He has studied everything very nicely."

Actually, that is the fact. Jñāna, knowledge... Knowledge means to know Kṛṣṅa, God, and the Vedic injunction is, yasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavanti [Muṅḍaka Upaniṣad 1.3].

[If one can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the controller of all controllers, one can understand everything else.]

If you understand the Supreme Lord, then you understand everything. You haven't got to study differently different subject matters. Just like we sometimes talk of science, of astronomy, economics, politics. We talk sometime. But we are not going to, or we didn't study all the subject matter separately. But in course of our studying Kṛṣṅa consciousness, we know something of everything. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, tan manye adhītam uttamam [SB 7.5.24]: "One who is engaged in these nine kinds of devotional services directly."

So Prahlāda Mahārāja recommends, kriyeta bhagavaty addhā tan manye 'dhītam uttamam.

niśamyaitat suta-vaco hiraṅyakaśipus tadā guru-putraṁ cedaṁ ruṣā prasphuritādharaḥ [SB 7.5.25]

As soon as he heard, "Oh, what this nonsense boy is speaking?" he became so angry that sphuritādharaḥ. When one becomes angry, his lips vi..., I mean to say, jumps. What is called?

Devotee: Quiver.

Prabhupāda: Quiver, yes. So he became so angry that it is said, sphuritādharaḥ. Immediately called his teacher. He's king... Because he thought, "The rascal teachers, they have taught him like this. I have entrusted the boy to the teachers, to brāhmaṅas, and they have taught this Kṛṣṅa consciousness. So call him. Otherwise, how is that, this small boy, five years old only, he's talking just like a great saint? So call his teacher."

So,

brahma-bandho kim etat te vipakṣaṁ śrayatāsatā asāraṁ grāhito bālo yām anādṛtya durmate... mām anādṛtya durmate [SB 7.5.26]

Hiraṅyakaśipu became bitterest enemy of Viṣṅu, because his brother Hiranyakṣa, he was killed by Viṣṅu taking the shape of Varāha. You know the story. Since then, Hiraṅyakaśipu was bitterest enemy. "Oh, He has..., Viṣṅu has killed my brother, so He is my greatest enemy." So he won't hear anything about Viṣṅu. Any Viṣṅu devotee, he will punish him, even his own son. That was his policy.

So he immediately called him, the teachers, and addressed him,

brahma-bandho kim etat te vipakṣam śrayatāsatā asāraṁ grāhito bālo mām anādṛtya durmate [SB 7.5.26]

So here... Teachers are generally brāhmaṅas. Not generally; to become teacher is the business of the brāhmaṅas. Brāhmaṅa means they have got six kinds of... Everyone must have livelihood. This material world is that you must work; otherwise you cannot get your livelihood. That is the law, whatever you may be.

So the brāhmaṅas' means of livelihood, six things: paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana dāna pratigraha. Paṭhana means he must be a very learned scholar, study the Vedic literature, and must teach others also. That is brāhmaṅa's business. And in that way, whatever the disciples bring, that is his income. No salary, no contract, that "If you pay me hundred dollars or five hundred dollars weekly, then I can teach you." No. There is no such contract. Teaching is free. It is the business of a brāhmaṅa to give free education to everyone. Now it is the... Just like in our institution, I am your teacher, but there is no such contract that you have to pay me. But you pay me more than anything.

So... So paṭhana pāṭhana, that is the means of livelihood of brāhmaṅa. And kṣatriya, they are kings. They can levy tax of the citizen, because they are giving protection from being hurt by others. Kṣatriya means one who gives protection [to] a man being hurt by others. That is the real root meaning, kṣatriya. And vaiśya means they should kṛṣi-gorakṣya-vāṅijyam, they should engage themselves in producing foodstuff, food grains, kṛṣi, protect cows. Especially gorakṣya. As the king is meant for giving protection to the man, similarly, a vaiśya is supposed to give protection to the cows, or they keep cows and produce milk product. They are vaiśya. And śūdra, simply service.

So these are the different types of employment of different kinds of social order. And a king, the king has to see that everyone is employed. Not that hundreds of people are unemployed, and government has to give welfare, subsidy. Not like that. The king's duty is that everyone is independently earning his livelihood. That is king's duty.

So here the teachers are addressed here brahma-bandho. Brahmā-bandho means a person who is born by a brāhmaṅa father but is not acting as a brāhmaṅa. He's called brahma-bandho, dvīja-bandhu. Dvīja-bandhu: one who is born of a, actually born of a brāhmaṅa father, but he's not acting as a brāhmaṅa. So Hiraṅyakaśipu addressed the teachers brahma-bandho, not brāhmaṅa. "Because you are untrustworthy. I gave you..., I entrusted you with my son to be taught, and you have taught him this Kṛṣṅa consciousness. So against my will..." He says practically, brahma-bandho kim etat te vipakṣaṁ śrayatāsatā: "I entrusted my child for being educated by you, and you have instigated him to speak in favor of my enemy, Viṣṅu? Viṣṅu is my enemy. How is that?" Asāraṁ grāhito bālo mām anādṛtya durmate. "This rascal boy, he does not care for me, and he has learned this Kṛṣṅa consciousness, and you have taught him. How is that?"

santi hy asādhavo loke durmaitrāś chadma-veśiṅaḥ teṣāṁ udety aghaṁ kāle rogaḥ pātakinām iva [SB 7.5.27]

"So I think these demigods who are followers of Viṣṅu, they are coming in disguise and poisoning my son by teaching Kṛṣṅa consciousness, and you did not take care of him. So what is this?"

Then the teachers replied,

na mat-praṅītaṁ na para-praṅītaṁ suto vadaty eṣa tavendra-śatro naisargikīyaṁ matir asya rājan niyaccha manyuṁ kad adāḥ sma mānaḥ [SB 7.5.28]

They said, "My dear King, don't think we have taught him like this. It is not... I know it is not our duty to teach him against your will. But his Kṛṣṅa consciousness is not due to our teaching; neither somebody is coming in disguise and teaching him." Na mat-praṅītaṁ na para-praṅītam. "He is neither taught by us, nor by anyone else."

Suto vadaty eṣa tavendra-śatro. Indra-śatro, the enemy... The Hiraṅyakaśipu is the enemy of the demigods; therefore he is addressed as Indra-śatro. As he addressed the brāhmaṅa, brahma-bandho, so they retaliated also, that "You are enemy of the demigods." Naisargikīyam. Naisargikīyam: "By nature he is doing that. We try to forbid him. We try to stop him chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa, but still he's doing." Matir asya rājan niyaccha manyuṁ kad adāḥ sma mā. "You don't be angry upon us. We never did it." So... "He is, by his own nature he chants, he preaches, he is doing all this."

guruṅaivaṁ pratiproktaṁ bhūya āhāsuraḥ sutaṁ na ced guru-mukhīyaṁ te kuto 'bhadrāsatī matiḥ [SB 7.5.29]

Then he again asked his son, "Now I understand that your teacher has not taught you all these things. You rascal, where you have learned all this Kṛṣṅa consciousness?" [laughter] Abhadra. He is... Kuto abhadrāsatī matiḥ: "Wherefrom you got this rascal wisdom? Tell me." So this is the position, you see. Even father becomes enemy.

Now, Prahlāda Mahārāja is replying. Prahlāda Mahārāja is replying,

matir na kṛṣṅe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṅānām [SB 7.5.30]

[Prahlāda Mahārāja replied: Because of their uncontrolled senses, persons too addicted to materialistic life make progress toward hellish conditions and repeatedly chew that which has already been chewed. Their inclinations toward Kṛṣṅa are never aroused, either by the instructions of others, by their own efforts, or by a combination of both.]

"My dear father, don't be afraid. It is not a thing to be taught." Matir na kṛṣṅe, "Nobody can become Kṛṣṅa conscious," matir na kṛṣṅe parato, "being taught by others," matir na kṛṣṅe parataḥ svato vā, "or by mental speculation or thinking oneself," mitho 'bhipadyeta, "or by making conference meeting, religious meeting, conference." No. Three things: One thing is to learn Kṛṣṅa consciousness by speculative method, self-realization. Just like so many people are very much interested that "Why shall I go to a guru? I can realize myself. I shall meditate." So that is called svataḥ. And parataḥ means by others' instruction. And mitho, mitho means by assembly.

So who? Now, gṛha-vratānām. If one is gṛha-vratā... There are two things: gṛhastha and gṛha-vratā, or gṛhamedhi. "So those who are gṛha-vratā..." because he is pointing out his father's position, that he's gṛha-vratā. He has no other business; he simply wants to get money, hiraṅya. Hiraṅya means gold, and kaśipu, a nice apartment. That's all. So he says that gṛha-vratānām, "If one makes it his point to remain in a comfortable home life, for him, either by speculation or by teaching or by meeting, he'll never develop Kṛṣṅa consciousness." Gṛha-vratānām.

Then what is their position? Now, adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamiṣram: "They are unable to control their senses, and as such, they are entering into the darkest region of material existence." Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṅānām: "Their only business is chewing the chewed." They have no other ways. Gṛha-vratānām, those who want to be happy materially, actually they are chewing the chewed.

Material happiness means sex life, ultimate, utmost, topmost happiness. So people are simply trying to, how to utilize this sex life in so many ways, in pictures and in—I do not wish to discuss—in dancing, in club, in so many ways. Because they cannot control the senses. The same thing, same thing, the same sex life in different way—sometimes a naked dance, sometimes in this way, sometimes in that way. Therefore it is called punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṅānām. I have heard that some people go to Florida and they spend fifty thousand dollar per week for organizing naked dance. You see? So naked woman he has seen so many times, but still he spends more money to see it in a different way. That is called punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṅānām, "chewing the chewed."

So persons who are too much attached to sense gratification, and they have made it their conclusion that "We shall be happy within our family life or this social life..." Vidyāpati sings, tātala saikate vāri-bindu sama suto-mita-ramanī-samāj. Our society means... Society, friendship and love: there must be woman, must be children, suto-mita-ramanī-samāje. So there is some pleasure, undoubtedly. Otherwise, why people are working so hard to stick to this position? Vidyāpati sings that tātala saikate vāri-bindu sama suta-mita-ramaṅī-samāje. There is undoubtedly some pleasure, but that pleasure is so insignificant that it can be compared: a drop of water on the desert. Desert, if you want to utilize desert to make it a garden or productive field, you have to pour water. The whole ocean water you have to pour there. Now, if somebody says, "All right, you want water. Now take this one drop water," then what it will do?

Similarly, our heart is hankering after so many things. We are hankering... Actually we are hankering after Kṛṣṅa, but we do not know. We are trying to satisfy our hankering in so many ways in material [indistinct]. Actually we are hankering after Kṛṣṅa. Just like a small child, it is crying. It cannot express, but it is wanting the mother's breast feeding. So you cannot stop him crying unless it is transferred to the mother. Similarly, actually we love Kṛṣṅa. That is a fact. Because we love Kṛṣṅa... Therefore you, who did not hear even the name of Kṛṣṅa, say, four or five years ago, why you after so much Kṛṣṅa? This is the proof, that actually we are after Kṛṣṅa. This Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is being accepted in Western countries by the younger generation. Why? Because every one of us, we love Kṛṣṅa. But it is now covered by māyā. We have to simply take out the covering, māyā; then we are Kṛṣṅa conscious.

That is explained in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta,

nitya-siddha kṛṣṅa-bhakti 'sādhya' kabhu naya śravaṅādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya [Cc Madhya 22.107]

[Pure love for Kṛṣṅa is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens.]

That Kṛṣṅa consciousness is not an artificial thing, that we are making some propaganda on Kṛṣṅa consciousness, publishing some books, magazines, and our preachers are going place to place. No. There are so many propaganda is going on. But they are not so effective. And our, what means we have got to make propaganda? We simply make this propaganda, "Please chant Hare Kṛṣṅa." That's all. Of course, we do sincerely. So if we propagate sincerely and seriously, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu has ordered, yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṅa' upadeśa... [Cc Madhya 7.128].

[Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṅa as they are given in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land.]

We must be sincere. Then, if we canvass, "Please chant Hare Kṛṣṅa," it will be effective. It will be effective. The business is not very serious or very difficult. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṅa'...: "Anyone you meet, you simply request him about hearing about Kṛṣṅa." So... But if one is so much covered by materialistic enjoyment, it takes little time. It takes little time. Otherwise, automatically there is love for Kṛṣṅa, and śravaṅādi-śuddha-citte.

Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja says śravaṅam. If we hear about Kṛṣṅa constantly, through realized souls, not professional—if we hear, satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido [SB 3.25.25]—then automatically, our dormant Kṛṣṅa consciousness come out. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, therefore, that "Those who are determined to become happy within this material world, they cannot be raised to Kṛṣṅa consciousness either by personal teaching or by making conference or by mental speculation." That is not possible, because he is determined. So our duty is that we should know that in the materialistic way of life we shall never be happy. This is called knowledge and vairāgya.

So this vairāgya and knowledge is not so easy. Prahlāda Mahārāja says, adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisram: it is not possible. That means he assures his father, "Don't be worried. You will never be Kṛṣṅa conscious. [laughter] Because your only aim is to stick to home and money and women. Therefore rest assured, you'll not be... It is not that a persons like [that] will be raised to Kṛṣṅa consciousness." Then? "How you have done," the next question should be. Why they are sticking to this materialistic way of life?

That is answered by Prahlāda Mahārāja, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṅum [SB 7.5.31].

[Persons who are strongly entrapped by the consciousness of enjoying material life, and who have therefore accepted as their leader or guru a similar blind man attached to external sense objects, cannot understand that the goal of life is to return home, back to Godhead, and engage in the service of Lord Viṣṅu. As blind men guided by another blind man miss the right path and fall into a ditch, materially attached men led by another materially attached man are bound by the ropes of fruitive labor, which are made of very strong cords, and they continue again and again in materialistic life, suffering the threefold miseries.]

"These persons, those who are so much materially attached, they do not know the ultimate goal of life is Viṣṅu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṅu." That is actually the ultimate goal of life. We are here in this material world, forgetting Kṛṣṅa, to enjoy, to lord it over the material nature. Everyone is trying to become the lord, master of material... That is struggle. Nobody can become lord or master of this material world. But that struggle to become master, they are taking it happiness. They are taking it happiness. That is the nature of persons who are influenced by the modes of passion. They'll work hard, and that will..., they will take it is very good, pleasing. Because they do not know that the... Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṅuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ [SB 7.5.31]. They are hoping against hope to become happy within this material world.

That is the whole history. Take the history, any history, modern history. There are so many empires: the Roman Empire, the Carthagian Empire, the Greek Empire, the British Empire recently, Hitler's Nazism, and so many. For some time they become very powerful. Just like Hiraṅyakaśipu. He's now very powerful. He's thinking, "Nobody can..." Now today he will be killed. He's, Nara..., keśava-dhṛta hari rūpa is coming. So this demonic civilization will never be successful. That's a fact. But they are so fool, they do not see even historical evidences. So many empires failed. The Roman Empire failed, the British Empire failed. Still, somebody is trying to create another empire, another, different empire.

Just like your President Nixon, he's trying to influence all other nations under his control. Why? Of course, I should not speak all these things; there may be criticism. But that is the way, going on. That is the way. We can understand. We can understand politics, economics, everything, but we do not bother about. But our aim is that this way of life, to increase materially happiness, it will never be successful. That is our conclusion. We are not fools that we have given up everything for advance in Kṛṣṅa consciousness. Because we know that this..., this way we shall never be happy. It is not possible.

That is explained by Prahlāda Mahārāja. These rascal people who are so much materially attached... Kṛṣṅa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā,

bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ tayāpahṛta-cetasāṁ vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ samādhau na nigacchati [Bg 2.44]

[In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment and material opulence, and who are bewildered by such things, the resolute determination of devotional service to the Supreme Lord does not take place.]

Those who are too much attached, bhoga, material enjoyment, aiśvarya, material opulence... Bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ tayāpahṛta-cetasām. Persons whose heart has been misled by this kind of civilization, they cannot take to Kṛṣṅa consciousness.

Therefore to become too much materially opulent is a disqualification for attaining Kṛṣṅa consciousness. It is a disqualification. Because they don't care. Just like in our temple, not very rich men they are coming, because they say, "What is this nonsense, Kṛṣṅa consciousness? We have got everything. These boys, they haven't got to eat anything; therefore they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa on the street. That's all." They think like that. "They're needy. All right, they are needy. Give them some money." That's all. They don't like to take anything from us, because the same business, matir na kṛṣṅe parataḥ svato vā. They'll never understand, because their aim is gṛha-vratānām. They want to [be] happy... Although they are seeing there is no happiness, they never can be happy, still... This is called punaḥ punaś carvita-carvanānām [SB 7.5.30], chewing the chewed. One, the sugarcane, is chewed by somebody, it is thrown away, and if somebody else comes and chew it again, what juice he will have it? So punaḥ punaś carvita... Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṅuṁ [SB 7.5.31].

[reads Sanskrit commentary] Durāśayā ye..., durāśayā viṣaya vāsī tantraya kāraṅaṁ te hi viṣṅuṁ na viduḥ. Tatra hetu svasminn eva arthe puruṣartha yeṣāṁ teṣāṁ gatiṁ grāmyaṁ. Na tu te 'pi guru pati syāt viṣṅu jñāsyasi tatra bhak bahir viṣaye bahavo yeṣāṁ te bahir arthas tann eva guru tena mantra śīlaṁ yeṣāṁ te. So one who is fixed up in this conclusion, that "We shall become happy with this materialistic way of life," they cannot take to Kṛṣṅa consciousness. And they do not know also that our ultimate goal of life is Kṛṣṅa, Viṣṅu.

Then why it is so? Now, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ [SB 7.5.31]. They have become blind. They are blind themselves, and they are also led by blind leaders. The leaders, at the present moment, leaders, they say that "Why you are going to church? Why you are going to temple? If you want your bread..." Just like in Christian religion you go to church, "O God, give us our daily bread." But the atheist class, they are propagating, "For bread, why you are going to church? You make industry, you make business, and you get bread." But actually... We were just talking that there are so many unemployment. Our Karandhara Prabhu was... No. Who was talking? Śyāmasundara. Śyāmasundara said that the computer... What is called? Computer?

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: It can do thousands of men's business. So they have discovered this machine. That means thousands of men will be unemployed. That is actually happening in your country due to so many machine. Now, take for example, formerly... You have seen the picture, Kṛṣṅa, Vṛndāvana picture, Kṛṣṅa's father transferring Kṛṣṅa—they were going on bullock carts, no motorcar. You have seen the picture. So formerly, transport was bullock carts. The cows and the bulls, the bulls were employed for agricultural purpose, for drawing the carts. So there was no necessity of motorcar. Now you have got motorcar, motor-tractor, you don't want the bullocks; therefore kill them. How you can utilize them? Therefore you must have slaughterhouse to kill them. And as soon as you kill them, then you have to eat them. So this is the, I mean to say, entanglement. If you kill, then you become responsible for being killed. The subtle laws...

Therefore, without knowing our ultimate goal of life is Viṣṅu, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṅum... [SB 7.5.31].

That is our interest. The human form of life is offered by nature after so much evolutionary process, just to understand Viṣṅu, God. This is the only business. But instead of attending our real business, we are trying to be happy in other ways. Then you can say that "If we are engaged in real business, then how the economic question will be solved? We have to work." That's all right, you work. But work simple. Why you have invented so much botheration? Work is there. If you have cows and if you have got land, then you till the land, get grains, and there is milk, there is fruit, there is flower. Anywhere, you can live peacefully. Whole economic question is solved.

And because we have forgotten, we have missed the real point, that our life is meant for God-realization, we are simply increasing botheration. Punaḥ punaś carvita. Adānta-gobhir viṣatāṁ tamisram. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. The leaders are blind; we are also blind. So they are advising that "If you want to solve your economic problem, why you are going to church? Why you are going to temple? Come here, increase business, industry. Take loan and start business." That's all. This is going on. But actually, the more we are trying to mislead this people... Because they are thinking it is all right. They are..., the social condition is becoming more and more grave. That's a fact. We are trying to solve one problem, but many other problems are coming, because we do not know what is the ultimate goal of life, because we are missing the real point.

Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṅuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ [SB 7.5.31].

These rascals, they are thinking that by so-called economic development, by exploiting material resources, we shall be happy. That is not possible. The best example your country has given: You have exploited the material resources, and other countries are also following, but where is the happiness? Instead of happiness, there is "hippie-ness." [laughter] So still, they have no eyes to see that "Where we are going?" Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisram punaḥ punaś carvita-carvanānām [SB 7.5.30].

Because we cannot control our senses, we are driving, we are being pushed towards the darkest region of material existence, very hard to leave. Darkest region means that we are going to become animals next life. Because this is animalistic civilization. Nature gave us the opportunity to realize God, but God-realization is meant for human being.

The human being, if he does not realize God, he's simply engaged in animalistic way of life—eating, sleeping, mating—then nature will call, "All right, sir, again become animal." Punar mūṣiko bhava: "Again become a mouse." You know this story, punar mūṣiko bhava? There is a story. There is a very nice story. One rat, a mouse, he came to a saintly person. Everyone comes to saintly person for some blessing, you see. Real blessing they don't want. Some material blessing. Real blessing, Kṛṣṅa, they don't want. But if you give him some blessing that "You become very rich man and this...," they'll be very much pleased. So this mouse also came and begged the saintly person, "Sir, I am in difficulty. If you give me some blessings?" "What is that?" "Now, the cat chases after me always. I'm very unhappy." "So what do you want?" "Now, if you make me a cat, then I can get relief from this." "All right, you become cat." So he became cat.

So after few days, again he comes: "Sir, again I am in trouble." "What is that?" "The dog is chasing me." [laughter] Don't laugh; hear seriously. "Dog is chasing." "All right, then what do you want?" "Now, make me a tiger." "All right, you become a tiger." So when he became a tiger he was staring on the saintly person like this [gesticulates]. So he asked, "Why you are staring upon me? You want to eat me?" "Yes." So he again curses, punar mūṣiko bhava: "Again you become mouse. Again you become mouse."

So that is our position. We are advanced in civilization; now we want to kill God. So we are again going to be uncivilized, to remain in the forest and to remain naked. Actually, they are practicing that: nature's life. So again they are going to be aborigines. And that is being practiced. They are going to the forest; they remain naked. So actually, punar mūṣiko bhava: "Again become mouse." Civilized human being means God conscious, happy life, no trouble, no enviousness, everything happy, no hard labor. Why hard labor? Everything is there. You just employ your little intelligence, you get sufficient food by grains, by fruits, by flowers, milk. There is no difficulty if we remain in our own way.

So that is the difficulty, that we do not know that our ultimate goal of life is God-realization. Then God has got all arrangement. You cannot produce fruits and grains in factory. They are given by God. Why? That "You eat them and be Kṛṣṅa conscious and chant Hare Kṛṣṅa." But we don't want that. We want slaughterhouse, unnecessarily. Actually, if you go to the store... There are so many storehouses. How many stores are selling only meat? It is not possible. Ninety-nine percent fruits, vegetable, grains you are taking, and maybe a little percentage of meat. So why you cannot give up this little percentage? If you think that meat is very palatable, why don't you live on meat? Russia is also trying like that. That has become the fashion. In Moscow, it was very difficult to find out nice grains. With great difficulty Śyāmasundara used to spend two hours daily to secure these things.

So this is the problem. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṅuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha māninaḥ [SB 7.5.31].

They are trying to be happy by the arrangement of these material activities. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām. They do not know that the material nature is so strong that you cannot get out of it unless you are prepared to suffer more and more. If you take to natural life and live peacefully and take to Kṛṣṅa consciousness, that is your real life. And if you simply increase botheration and problem, then you'll have to suffer. That is the position of modern civilization.

Actually, superficially we see that material advancement of material science, people have got so many machines, so many facilities. But actually, they are in trouble. Just like I gave you one example: the computer machine. It can work for thousands of men. So thousands of men means the thousands of men must be unemployed. And especially in your country they are taking advantage of this machine, because the salary is... If you want to pay to the worker a big, big salary, so they want to save. They are taking machine, and they think they will save money, so many worker. But the workers are becoming unemployed. The government has to give them welfare. The government will tax. That's all. [laughter.] Government will not give money, welfare, from government's pocket. The government will increase your taxation.

So you are..., you stop payment by importing some machine; now you have to pay that money to the government. This is called entanglement. This is a crude example. I don't say that you stop all this business, but the material world is like that. You want to solve something; instead of solving, you'll create so many problems. This is material life. Because our life is not meant for solving problems and creating problem. Our life is meant for understanding God. Then everything is all right. But that you have given up.

na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṅuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ [SB 7.5.31]

They do not know that you cannot go an inch beyond the stringent laws of material nature. That is not possible.

Then the next question is that how... People are not interested in Kṛṣṅa consciousness, and then, they are misled by blind leaders. So how..., what is the solution? That is Prahlāda Mahārāja saying,

naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ spṛśaty anarthāpagamo yad-arthaḥ mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekaṁ niṣkiñcanānāṁ na vṛṅīta yāvat [SB 7.5.32]

Therefore one has to take shelter of a pure devotee. That is the only solution. He says, naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅgrhim. The beginning was that "They are not interested in Kṛṣṅa consciousness." Then how to become Kṛṣṅa conscious if that is the solution? Then Prahlāda Mahārāja says, naiṣāṁ matis tāvad: "So long one does not approach a pure devotee," mahīyasāṁ niṣkiñcanānām, "great personalities, who has no more any material interest," niṣkiñcana, "and takes the dust of his lotus feet on the head..." Naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghrim: "So long one does not approach such personality, there is no possibility of becoming Kṛṣṅa conscious." Naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghrim. As soon as one approaches the pure devotee and takes the dust of his lotus feet and puts it on his head, immediately, anartha apagamaḥ, he'll be freed from all this nonsense. That means he'll forget this idea that "Materially we can advance." This is the process.

So we have to approach a niṣkiñcana, who has nothing to do with this material world. His only ambition is to serve more Kṛṣṅa. And if somebody approaches him and takes the dust of his lotus feet, then he can understand. Mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekaṁ niṣkiñcanānāṁ na vṛṅīta yāvat.

[aside:] Our time is over?

Devotee: It's [indistinct].

Prabhupāda: All right. So in this way Prahlāda Mahārāja talked with his father, and the father became more angry. Instead of taking the lesson... Mūrkhāya upadeśa hi prakopāya na śāntaye [Hitopadeśa 3.4]. If you teach lesson to a foolish person, he'll be simply angry. He'll not take your lesson. How it is so? Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam. If you keep a snake and if you want to make friendly behavior with him, that "My dear snake, don't bite any more. I'll give you milk and banana. You eat here and stay here nicely," he'll not... His poison will increase, and one day he will... There is a story in the Hitopadeśa: one day, one... The same thing. That's all. So payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅgānāṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam [Nīti Śāstra]. So these are lessons, stories.

So his father, Hiranyakasipu, became more and more angry. So one day... Because after all, son and father. The son was simple boy. So one day he said, "Prahlāda, I shall now kill you. I shall see how your Kṛṣṅa saves you." So immediately, Prahlāda was seeing to the pillars of the hall. He was king. So Hiraṅyakaśipu asked him, "Is your God, Kṛṣṅa, in the pillar?" He said, "Yes, sir. Yes, my father, He is there." So immediately, with anger he broke the pillar and Hiraṅyakaśipu, er, Narasiṁha-deva came out.

Now we can honor Him.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. [obeisances] [end]