Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.5

Prabhupāda:

...bhavadbhir loka-maṅgalam yat kṛtaḥ kṛṣṅa-sampraśno yenātmā suprasīdati [SB 1.2.5]

So the sages in the Naimiṣāraṅya, their inquiry was that "After departure of Kṛṣṅa, the principles of religion, under whom they are now protected?" Religious principles should be protected. Therefore, Kṛṣṅa's another name is Dharmasetu: He protects. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham [Bg 4.7]. Just like it is the duty of the state, of the government, to give protection to the department of law and order, similarly Kṛṣṅa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He gives protection to religious principles.

But the world is so deteriorated that Kṛṣṅa comes, He gives protection, makes things in order, leaves His instruction... Just like when Kṛṣṅa came, He personally supervised the religious principles, and practically, He killed so many demons who were against religious principles. Demons means those who are against religious principles. And He left His instruction, Bhagavad-gītā, how to follow religious principles.

The sum and substance of religious principle is to surrender to God. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66].

[Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.]

This is religion. Religion means the order given by God. That's all. This is the simple definition of religion. If you, anyone asks, "What do you mean by religion?" religion means to abide by the orders of God. That's all. Just like good citizen means who abides by the order of the government. That's all. There is no difficulty to understand what is good citizen. Whatever the government gives you law, and if you follow, then you are a good citizen. Similarly, there is order by God, and anyone who follows that order, he's religious.

Religious does not mean a kind of faith. That English translation of the word religion is not sufficient. Faith—"I believe in this, I may not believe in this"—that is different thing. But law means you must. There is no question of you believe or not believe. You believe or not believe, it doesn't matter. Law is law. Suppose there is fire. I believe that "I'll touch the fire; it will not burn," that is not law. It must burn. Even a child catches the fire, it will burn. There is no excuse. Similarly, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṅītam [SB 6.3.19].

[Real religious principles are enacted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although fully situated in the mode of goodness, even the great ṛṣis who occupy the topmost planets cannot ascertain the real religious principles, nor can the demigods or the leaders of Siddhaloka, to say nothing of the asuras, ordinary human beings, Vidyādharas and Cāraṅas.]

[aside:] [Hindi] Let him come and sit down.

No, no... [Hindi]

So you cannot violate the laws of God. Any one of us, we know. Just like we, we eat...

[Hindi aside]

Eating is the law of God. Everyone should eat. But if you eat more, if you violate the law... You can eat whatever you require, little. But if you eat more, if you violate this law, then you'll be diseased, immediately. Daivī hy eṣā guṅamayī mama māyā duratyayā [Bg 7.14].

[This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.]

As soon as you violate the laws of God, you'll be punished.

Therefore Sūta Gosvāmī says, munayaḥ sādhu pṛṣṭo 'haṁ bhavadbhir loka-maṅgalam [SB 1.2.5]: "You have inquired about Kṛṣṅa. It is a very noble question." Sādhu. Sādhu means pious, noble. So if people simply inquire about Kṛṣṅa, what is Kṛṣṅa... Just like we are preaching all over the world to arouse this inquisitiveness about Kṛṣṅa. And actually, that is happening.

Our Kṛṣṅa books, wherever we present... Because this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is now spread all over the world, they are very much inquisitive to know about Kṛṣṅa. Our this Kṛṣṅa Trilogy is selling anywhere like hotcakes. They're inquisitive now to know about Kṛṣṅa. So this is very good sign. If you... If simply people try to inquire about Kṛṣṅa, day will come he will be liberated. Just like in Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said, kṛṣṅe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya, viśvāsa śabde...

Devotee: Śraddhā.

Prabhupāda:

śraddhā-śabde viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya kṛṣṅe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya [Cc Madhya 22.62]

Śraddhā, to advance in spiritual life, the beginning is śraddhā, faith. That is faith. Śraddhā... Not exactly faith. Śraddhā means respectful: "Oh, it is nice." That is called śraddhā.

So Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, in front of whom we are now speaking, he gave us the definition how one can make progress in spiritual life. Everyone is blind after material way of life. So the mission of human life is to get out of these clutches of māyā. That is the real mission of life.

We are missing the point. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṅape tri-dhātuke [SB 10.84.13].

[One who identifies his self as the inert body composed of mucus, bile and air, who assumes his wife and family are permanently his own, who thinks an earthen image or the land of his birth is worshipable, or who sees a place of pilgrimage as merely the water there, but who never identifies himself with, feels kinship with, worships or even visits those who are wise in spiritual truth—such a person is no better than a cow or an ass.]

We are accepting this body as everything. And the modern civilization means to enjoy bodily comforts as much as possible. That is perfection of civilization. No. That is not perfection of civilization. That they do not know. Especially the demons, the nondevotees, they do not know.

This question was raised by Hiraṅyakaśipu before Prahlāda, that "Why you are after so much Kṛṣṅa, nonsense God?" So he replied his father, 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.]

"My dear father, generally, demons like you..." [laughter] Yes. He addressed his father asura-varya. Asura-varya means "the best of the demons." He was not afraid. He was a five-years-old boy. And he inquired some question, "My dear boy, what you have learned first class from your teachers?" [Hindi] So Prahlāda Mahārāja addressed his father, tat sādhu manye asura-varya. Asura-varya. His father was addressed not "Father"; he was addressed, "My dear the best of the asuras..." Asura-varya. Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām.

So when you become actually preacher of God consciousness, you cannot make any compromise. You must call the spade a spade. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja is one of the mahājanas. Out of the twelve mahājanas, he's one of them. Because he was very bold. He was not afraid of his demonic father. He chastised him in so many ways, but he was never afraid. So just like our people are being persecuted in Australia. You know? They have been put into jail because they are preaching Hare Kṛṣṅa.

So this is not very easy thing, easy-going. My Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, he did not like that his disciples would be easy-going, cheap Vaiṣṅava. Cheap Vaiṣṅava. Mana tumi kisera vaiṣṅava. He sang a song, "My dear mind, oh, you are going to be a Vaiṣṅava. And what kind of Vaiṣṅava you are?" Mana tumi kisera vaiṣṅava, pratiṣṭhāra tare, nirjanera ghare, tava hari-nāma kevala kaitava. "You are chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa, imitating Haridāsa Ṭhākura or Rūpa Gosvāmī, in a solitary place... Not solitary place. You are thinking of woman and money. That's all. Mind is filled with dirty things."

So this kind of bhajana is simply cheating. Cheating. He was after preaching. First of all, go door to door. Just like Nityānanda Prabhu did it at the risk of life. He was hurt by Jagāi-Mādhāi. Blood came out of His head. Lord Caitanya became very much angry. He wanted to kill immediately Jagāi Mādhāi. Lord Nityānanda said, "My dear Sir, You promised that this incarnation You'll not take any weapon. Please be kind upon them."

So this is Nityānanda. Nityānanda-vaṁśa means one who takes the risk of preaching work, he can claim Nityānanda-vaṁśa. Not that easy-going. The preaching work is not easy-going. There are so many difficulties. All the big, big preachers... Śrī Rāmānujācārya. His life was attempted to be killed. Why Rāmānujācārya? My Guru Mahārāja was attempted to be killed. Twenty-five thousand rupees were raised fund for bribing the police officer. He told me personally. The Navadvīpa..., Navadvīpa gosāis, they wanted to kill him.

So preaching work is always risky. Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām. So kṛṣṅa-sampraśnaḥ. If you want to make the whole world peaceful, yenātmā suprasīdati. Suprasīdati. Prasīdati means to become satisfied, and su means super, extra satisfied. Then people should be educated to inquire about Kṛṣṅa. That's all. Simply. This very word. Yat kṛtaḥ kṛṣṅa-sampraśnaḥ. Make such propaganda in a way that everyone becomes inquisitive, "What is this nonsense, Kṛṣṅa, they are speaking?" At least...

Just like Jagāi-Mādhāi, when they... In the beginning, they were very much adverse to saṅkīrtana, hari-saṅkīrtana, but one day, the Mādhāi was telling to Jagāi, "My dear brother, Jagāi, after all, these rascals sing very nicely, [laughter] Hare Kṛṣṅa. They sing very..." "Oh, you are going to be Vaiṣṅava?" "No, no. I am not going to be Vaiṣṅava. [laughter] I'm just appreciating. They sing very nice." So you go like that. They will arrest you. You have got good experience. In London, they were arrested.

[aside:] You were in London. How many times you were arrested?

Gurudāsa: Three.

Prabhupāda: Three times. Our record is that our people were arrested thirty-six times. They... Now the police has become disgusted. They don't arrest. Yes. But this thing is going on in Australia, especially in Melbourne. I have got, received... So they asked me what to do. To do? "Chant Hare Kṛṣṅa, and you'll get good opportunity. When you are put into jail, you'll be free to chant Hare Kṛṣṅa." So they are doing that. They are not eating. The minister in charge of the jail department, he was perturbed that "These people are not eating," and they were allowed to that "You can cook." But they refused, because the same kitchen, they're cooking, I mean to say, flesh. So refused. So then after few days, they were let loose: "All right. You go home." Yes. So this is going on.

So religious persecution is always there. Even the father, what to speak of others. The father, Hiraṅyakaśipu, he chastised his son. So don't be afraid. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted. 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.]

Caitanya Mahāprabhu said. This is the mission of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Anyone you meet, any damn rascal or gentleman, it doesn't matter, try to convince him about Kṛṣṅa and let him inquire about Kṛṣṅa. Then his life will be successful. Simply he begins to inquire, "What is Kṛṣṅa?" Then his, means, he'll, path of liberation becomes open immediately.

Therefore Sūta Gosvāmī says, yat kṛtaḥ kṛṣṅa-sampraśno yenātmā suprasīdati. Actually, everyone is suffering. That is the law of material nature. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, he says, viṣaya-viṣānale, dibā-niśi hiyā jvale, tore vare nā koinu upāy [from Prārthanā]. Viṣaya. Those who are materialistic, that is called viṣaya. Viṣaya means eating, sleeping, sex intercourse and defense. How I shall be protected, how shall I enjoy sex, how I shall eat more, I shall sleep more: this is called viṣaya. Viṣaya does not mean a very rich man, viṣayī. A poor man can be viṣayī, and a rich man can be renounced.

Just like Rāmānanda Rāya. He was governor, a gṛhastha, not even sannyāsī. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted him not as gṛhastha—more than a sannyāsī. So viṣaya. Viṣayī means..., does not mean that if one is very rich, then he's viṣayī. Viṣayī means one is only interested with these four things: eating, sleeping, mating and defending. The whole world is going on like that. The modern civilization, they're simply interested how to eat, how to sleep... In your country, in America, you know very well. They're whole day working: how to construct a skyscraper building, how to own at least four cars.

So, so long we shall be attached to this viṣaya, simply, there cannot be any peace. There cannot be any peace. It is impossible. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that viṣaya-viṣānale. Anala means fire. There are different types of fire also. Vi..., viṣānala, the burning sensation by drinking poison. Viṣaya-viṣānale, dibā-niśi hiyā jvale. "Whole day and night, twenty-four hours, my heart is burning." Viṣaya-viṣānale, tore vare nā koinu... "I did not try how to get out of this blazing fire." Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-saṅkīrtana, rati nā janmila kene tāy: "The only, only relief is this kṛṣṅa-saṅkīrtana, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana."

Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu ordered that,

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra [Cc Ādi 9.41]

[One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India [Bhārata-varṣa] should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people.]

So para-upakāra. This human life is meant for doing, do..., doing well to others, not exploiting others. That is animalism: "I kill this animal and eat." Tiger, very powerful. That is animalism. It has no value. Who is..., who is asking for a tiger, although he's so powerful? There must be some upakāra. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is not tigerism, but welfare activities. People are very much so-called philanthropist. They open hospitals, schools and other things, but actually, they do not know what is the real disease of the human being. The real disease is that he has forgotten Kṛṣṅa. That's all. Otherwise, there is no scarcity in the world.

As I have repeatedly told you, that... Especially I have seen practically in America, in Africa, in Australia, there are so much immense scope for producing food that ten times of the whole population of the world could be fed simply by utilizing the open land still available. So there is no question of scarcity. We have simply mismanaged. Due to lack of Kṛṣṅa consciousness, we have mismanaged things.

Kṛṣṅa says,

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati [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.]

If you want peace, then you try to understand these three principles of life. What is that? That Kṛṣṅa is the supreme enjoyer. No one else. All servants. Ekale īśvara kṛṣṅa āra saba bhṛtya [Cc Ādi 5.142].

[Lord Kṛṣṅa alone is the supreme controller, and all others are His servants. They dance as He makes them do so.]

This... Everyone is servant. Not that "Oh, everyone is equal to Kṛṣṅa." That has become a cheap business. So many kṛṣṅa-avatāras and so many demigods, they are counted as good as Kṛṣṅa. But Kṛṣṅa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya [Bg 7.7]:

[O conqueror of wealth [Arjuna], there is no Truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.]

"There is no more superior authority than Me."

So therefore this kṛṣṅa-sampraśnaḥ, if simply people become inquisitive what is Kṛṣṅa, and you simply try to answer them—we have got so many books now—then the whole world will be peaceful. Yena ātmā suprasīdati. Everyone is hankering after, "Where is peace? Where is peace?" You know, you European and American boys. You have come to Kṛṣṅa consciousness because on account of your hankering, "Where is peace?" Is it not?

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: What is that? So you were..., you were not after money; because money and woman, you have seen enough. There is no scarcity of money and woman in Europe and America. You can earn any, as much as you like, and you can enjoy. But still, why they are coming out confused? They want something. That I have several times repeated, that your only qualification is, you are advancing in Kṛṣṅa consciousness because you are..., you have no other material desires.

Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11].

[One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṅa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service.]

Nobody can allure you by material inducements: "Oh, here is money. Please come. Here is woman. Please come." That you have seen. You want something. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate [Bg 2.59].

[The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.]

So that's a very good qualification. Not only you who have come to me as my disciples—I am speaking of the whole Europeans and Americans.

So try to impress the whole Western world about kṛṣṅa-sampraśnaḥ. Then they'll be happy. That is our mission. Yat kṛtaḥ kṛṣṅa-sampraśno yenātmā suprasīdati. Munayaḥ sādhu pṛṣṭo 'ham. And Sūta Gosvāmī welcomed the inquiry, "Oh, it is a nice inquiry, very nice inquiry. You are inquiring about Kṛṣṅa. Oh, I have got this opportunity to answer." Anyone, any devotee, any servant of Kṛṣṅa, as soon as he'll be questioned by somebody about Kṛṣṅa, he'll be very, very happy: "Oh, here is an opportunity to speak about Kṛṣṅa." Just like when Nāradajī inquired from Brahmā that "I know that you are everything, but at the same time, I see that you are meditating upon somebody else. What is that?" So Nara... Brahmā welcomed this inquiry, "My dear Nārada, it is a very nice question. Now you have given me opportunity to speak about my master."

So great sages, they were congratulated by Sūta Gosvāmī, all the sages in the Naimiṣāraṅya. Just like you are sitting here. This is the process of understanding kṛṣṅa-praśna. Formerly there were no big halls. Just like in your country or all over the world, we are speaking in big, big halls. Formerly the method was... Just like here, in this very sacred place, [taps podium] all the Gosvāmīs used to study Bhāgavatam under the leadership of Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī. This is a very... This is the most important place in the world. So you have got this opportunity. So... [Hindi]

Indian man: [Hindi]

Prabhupāda: Ācchā. So at least for a few days let us sit down here, and under the protection of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī and Jīva Gosvāmī. This place is a very sanctified place. They used to assemble here. So we are not going to imitate them, but we want a place under the shelter of their lotus feet and discuss something of their contribution. Then our life may be one day successful.

Thank you very much. [break]

Indian: [indistinct question]

Prabhupāda: Three principles means to understand that Kṛṣṅa is the supreme, sole proprietor...

Indian man: That is one

Prabhupāda: Yes. And the second point is because He's the supreme proprietor, He's the supreme enjoyer. And generally, one who is enjoyer, people do not like. Now, just like these capitalist and the Communists. Capitalist, they have made their program for becoming enjoyer. And the capitalist, uh, Communist, they do not like it. Because they know, "These people are enjoyers. They cannot fulfill our desires." But Kṛṣṅa is not like that. Although He's the supreme enjoyer, although He's the supreme proprietor, He is the best friend of everyone—suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām [Bg 5.29].

Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām—He's not friend of the rich class of men or the...

Just like we be..., these political leaders, they become friend of the country. But they are their own party men. "I am Congress Party," "I am this party," so "I, I love my this party." And even if he loves all human beings, he sends the animals to the slaughterhouse. So he cannot be friend of everyone. But Kṛṣṅa is friend of everyone. You have seen Kṛṣṅa's picture. He's embracing the calf also, and He's embracing Rādhārāṅī. Not that He's simply attached to Rādhārāṅī and the gopīs. He's attached to everyone, every living entity. Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūr... [Bg 14.4].

[It should be understood that all species of life, O son of Kuntī, are made possible by birth in this material nature, and that I am the seed-giving father.]

Therefore Kṛṣṅa is the best friend of everyone.

So if you want friendship, you make friendship with Kṛṣṅa. And because He's the proprietor, He'll protect you. These are the three points. Is that clear? Or you have got any question, you can question. Let it be clear. This is very intelligent question. So if we have to search out a friend, just search out Kṛṣṅa. Make friendship with Kṛṣṅa. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. He'll satisfy you in all respects. And He's not poor, because bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram [Bg 5.29].

He's... He's the proprietor of everything. What do you want? Everything will be supplied. He's so nice friend. So if you one understand these three points about Kṛṣṅa, then our life becomes successful.

Devotee: Devotees should try... [break] ...a person to inquire about Kṛṣṅa consciousness. On the other hand, it should be...

Prabhupāda: No.

Devotee: ...uncompromising.

Prabhupāda: No. No. Thing is that if you chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra, this very process will make his heart clean. Kṛṣṅa consciousness can be understood not in dirty condition of mind. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam. That is the definition given by Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa..., to understand Kṛṣṅa is not so easy. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṅya-karmaṅām. Persons who are simply engaged in pious activities and completely, all sinful reaction of his life has ceased, te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante mām [Bg 7.28],

[Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination.]

he's no..., no more hesitating, or checked. Ahaituky apratihatā. He can serve Kṛṣṅa, he can love Kṛṣṅa.

So this process of chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa means making him cleansed of all sinful reactions. So he'll chant, he'll hear, and as he hears, his heart becomes clean. Then he will naturally inquire about Kṛṣṅa. So you have to create that situation. You go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa, and as people will hear, his heart will be cleansed. Naturally he will be inquiring about Kṛṣṅa. They do not inquire about Kṛṣṅa because the heart is...

[break] ...hearing and chanting. Then he'll be cleansed.

Devotee: Prabhupāda? We were talking about the importance of preaching. Does it make any difference whether it's in India or in the United States?

Prabhupāda: No.

[no audio]

Prabhupāda: Everyone is Kṛṣṅa's. Where is your neckbeads?

Gurudāsa: Oh, here.

Prabhupāda: Why?

Gurudāsa: They came..., they came untied, and so I tied them together just like this.

Prabhupāda: You must have your neck..., neckbeads tight.

Gurudāsa: Right around the neck?

Prabhupāda: Yes. So what is your question? There is no question... Preaching..., preaching is... Preaching... Haridāsa Ṭhākura was inquired by Caitanya Mahāprabhu that, that "You are chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa. Is it for everyone?" Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied: "Yes, it is for every... Even the trees, the birds, the beasts, they'll be benefited." So what is the question of human society? Here or there, it doesn't matter.

Gurudāsa: We've developed...

Indian man: If hearing is more important than chanting, then from whom a man should hear about Kṛṣṅa? It is from anyone?

Prabhupāda: What is that question?

Devotee: He says hearing, hearing is more important...

Prabhupāda: Everything is more important, but hearing is especially given.

Indian man: From whom one should hear about Kṛṣṅa?

Prabhupāda: From Kṛṣṅa devotee, not a professional man.

Indian man: How one can tell that he is a devotee of Kṛṣṅa?

Prabhupāda: That requires little intelligence. One has to learn. It cannot be... You have to see that by chanting Kṛṣṅa, what he is doing? He is maintaining his body, or he is actually desirous of advancing in Kṛṣṅa consciousness. That you have to know. Chant. [end]