Bhagavad-gītā As It Is

Bhagavad-gītā 1.43

[poor recording]

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [leads chanting of verse] [devotees repeat]

utsanna-kula-dharmāṅāṁ manuṣyāṅāṁ janārdana narake niyataṁ vāso bhavatīty anuśuśruma [Bg 1.43]

[O Kṛṣṅa, maintainer of the people, I have heard by disciplic succession that those who destroy family traditions dwell always in hell.]

[break] [leads chanting of synonyms]

utsanna—spoiled; kula-dharmāṅām—of those who have the family traditions; manuṣyāṅām—of such men; janārdana—O Kṛṣṅa; narake—in hell; niyatam—always; vāsaḥ—residence; bhavati—it so becomes; iti—thus; anuśuśruma—I have heard by disciplic succession.

[02:26]

Translation: "O Kṛṣṅa, maintainer of the people, I have heard by disciplic succession that those who destroy family traditions dwell always in hell."

Prabhupāda: Hm. So family tradition... Whose family tradition? Manuṣyāṅāṁ. Family... Manuṣyāṅāṁ, those who are human being, they have got family and family rituals, kula-dharma, jāti-dharma. Just like cātur-varṅyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṅa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg 4.13].

[According to the three modes of material nature and the work ascribed to them, the four divisions of human society were created by Me. And, although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable.]

This is meant for the human being, manuṣyāṅāṁ, not for the animals. So unless the human society accepts this principle of varṅāśrama-dharma ordained by Kṛṣṅa, the Supreme Lord, he is not considered amongst the human being. They are as good as animals, because there is no regular, systematic principles of how to live, a human being.

Therefore in the Viṣṅu Purāṅa... When Caitanya Mahāprabhu was talking with Rāmānanda Raya, so Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "What is the actual aim of life?" Sādhya-sādhana [Cc Madhya 8.118]. Sādhya and sādhana. "What is the aim?" Sādhya means what for this human form of life we have got. That is called sādhya, the goal, the goal of life. And sādhana. Sādhana means the activity by which we can attain, we can achieve that goal of life. This is called sādhya-sādhana.

The Darwin theory, although they are giving some idea of progressive evolution, but he does not know what is the goal of life, why this progress is there. That these rascals they do not know. Simply just imagining, taking some whims from the Padma Purāṅa, Brahmā Vaivarta Purāṅa. Aśītiṁś caturāṁś caiva, jīva-jātiṣu, lakṣāṁs tān jīva-jātiṣu. There are 8,400,000 types of jīva-jāti. Aśītiṁś catvarāṁś caiva lakṣāṁs tān jīva-jātiṣu. So this is already there. Brahmādbhiḥ. In this way, the living entity is wandering in the cycle of transmigration of the soul. So from this, Mr. Darwin might have taken some hints, but he could not explain properly. He could not catch up that brahmādbhiḥ, who is wandering. So it is a chaos.

So anyway, why this living entity is wandering, not fixed up? So there must be some goal. He is hankering after that. There must be some goal of life. To achieve that goal of life, that is called sādhya. Why we are struggling here for happiness or something else? We are struggling. So this question was raised by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that "What is the goal of life?" Unless there is goal of life, why there is struggle? Why... There must be some goal of life, sādhya. And sādhana. Sādhana means the means by which we can achieve that goal of life. That is called sādhana. Sādhana.

So Rāmānanda Rāya quoted... Because when there is talk between two learned persons, they... Just like nowadays it has become a fashion: "In my opinion"; "I think in this way." What, nonsense, what you can think? What is your knowledge? But he is very proud. Everyone like that. The other day, that Sir Alistair? Alistair Hardy came. He also says, "It is my opinion." Nobody thinks that he is a nonsense number one; what is the value of his opinion? Nobody thinks. But this is the Vedic principle.

Even Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He, when He was asked by Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī that "You are a sannyāsī. You do not engage Yourself in the study of Vedānta. You are simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa, Hare Kṛṣṅa," so... Because a sannyāsī is supposed to be always reading Vedānta philosophy especially, and all other philosophies. So "What is this, that you are chanting like a sentimental person?" So Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, "Yes, My Guru Mahārāja, spiritual master, saw Me a fool number one."

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, it was known to Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, He was a great learned scholar in His student life. So He is posing Himself as a fool number one. So this is the way. Caitanya-caritāmṛta, the author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, he is presenting himself: purīṣera kīṭa haite muñi sei laghiṣṭha [Cc Ādi 5.205]: "I am lower than the worm of the stool." Purīṣera kīṭa haite muñi sei laghiṣṭha. Laghiṣṭha means lower, lowest. Jagāi mādhāi haite muñi sei pāpiṣṭha. Jagāi and Mādhāi was taken, they were drunkards, woman hunters; therefore they were sinful.

So Caitanya-caritāmṛta kar says that jagāi mādhāi haite muñi sei papiṣṭha. Although... This is the way. Nobody think himself as one has become very big man and he has his own opinion to give. This is rascaldom. So everyone should think that "I am... What is my value?" That is really learned: humble and meek. Nobody should think that "Now I have learned everything. I can surpass everyone. I have become above all rules and regulation. Now I have become paramahaṁsa." This is rascaldom. Everyone should always think, "I am fool number one." Therefore the endeavor will go on, to become perfect. If we think that "Now I have become perfect, paramahaṁsa," then the spiritual regulative principles will never be followed, and you will fall down.

So here Arjuna also says that narake niyataṁ vāso bhavati iti anuśuśruma [Bg 1.43]: "Kṛṣṅa, I have heard it from authorative source." He never says, "Kṛṣṅa, in my opinion, if it is done like that, then people will go to hell." He does not give his own opinion. He says iti, "Thus," anuśuśruma, "I have heard." This is called paramparā system. Nobody should give his own opinion. He must quote the authoritative statement to support his proposition. So similarly, when Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked that "What is the aim of life, and how to achieve it?" so Rāmānanda Rāya, he did not give his own opinion, that "In my opinion, like this."

Here also Arjuna says, ity anuśuśruma, "I have heard it." He heard it means... Śuśruma means "heard from authority." So Rāmānanda Rāya said that "Real purpose of life, goal of life, is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Just like as we are citizens, what is our duty? We want to satisfy the authority, the government. When one serves the government nicely, in this country he is recognized as knight. He is recognized as earl, as lord, as... So many, they have got title. Every country, when a person is very exalted citizen, then he is recognized by the government.

So if this is the system in our ordinary life, then the aim of life should be to satisfy the supreme governor, or supreme government. It is very commonsense. But they have no supreme government. They think, "Whatever government we make, that is final." No. There are so many kingdoms, so many planets. In each planet there is government, there is authority, and above all of them, there is the supreme authority, Kṛṣṅa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṅaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ [Bs 5.1]. This is the śāstric injunction.

[Kṛṣṅa who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes.]

There are many controller. In this planet there is controller. There is another planet, another planet. Even Brahma is the controller of the whole universe. Just like in our government there is system: one department... Several departments is being managed by another director. Several director is being managed by another secretary. As... The same system. Kṛṣṅa is the supreme proprietor, sarva-loka-maheśvara [Bg 5.29], and He has got many secretaries, assistants. They are called Brahmā.

[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.]

So Brahmā means the manager of one brahmāṅḍa, universe. And there are millions of Brahmās, millions, trillions. They are numberless. Ananta-koṭi. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṅḍa-koṭiḥ [Bs 5.40].

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose effulgence is the source of the nondifferentiated Brahman mentioned in the Upaniṣads, being differentiated from the infinity of glories of the mundane universe appears as the indivisible, infinite, limitless, truth.]

Koṭi. Koṭi means unlimited. Jagad-aṅḍa. Jagad-aṅḍa means universe. Brahmāṅḍa or jagad-aṅḍa. Aṅḍa. Aṅḍa means it is egg-shaped, round, egg-shaped. Therefore it is called aṅḍa, brahmāṅḍa. Bhū-gola. Gola means round. I have heard that before the science, the people were under the impression that this world is square. Is it not?

Devotees: Flat.

Prabhupāda: Flat. Flat, yes. But in the Vedic śāstra, millions of years ago it is mentioned: bhū-gola. Gola. Gola means round. Just see. And these rascals say that formerly people were not so intelligent. They are intelligent because they are thinking this world is flat. And those who have spoken millions of years ago, "It is round," they will have less intelligence. Just see. Bhū-gola. Gola means round. Bhū-gola. Similarly, jagad-aṅḍa. Aṅḍa means round, just like egg. Aṅḍa means egg. Jagat-aṅḍa. This universe is egg-shaped. And we can see also, the sky is round. This is the wall of this universe.

So anyway, so as we are here, in this small government, our business is to satisfy the governor. You publicly... Suppose if you decry the queen. If you say publicly in a meeting that "Queen is a prostitute," then what will be? Immediately you will be arrested and punished. In your private house you can say. Nobody will hear. But if you say such thing nonsense in public, immediately you will be criminal. Therefore your duty is to respect the Queen, to abide by the orders of the government. That is your aim of good citizenship. What is the difference between good citizen and outlaws? The difference is a good citizen is always trying to satisfy the government by abiding the laws given by the government.

So therefore our ultimate goal is to satisfy the supreme government, Kṛṣṅa. Because Kṛṣṅa is the supreme. These universes, they are Kṛṣṅa's kingdom. There are many kingdoms. Just like we have got many universes within this material world, similarly, there are many spiritual planets in the spiritual world. These are commonsense affair. Why people will not understand? Therefore our business is to satisfy Kṛṣṅa, to become perfect, satisfy Kṛṣṅa. Viṣṅur ārādhyate [Cc Madhya 8.58].

[The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Viṣṅu, is worshiped by the proper execution of prescribed duties in the system of varṅa and āśrama. There is no other way to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One must be situated in the institution of the four varṅas and āśramas.’]

So how viṣṅur ārādhyate? This is the philosophy. 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.]

Just suppose in an office your immediate boss, some superintendent of the office, you follow his orders, although he is not final. Above the superintendent of the office, there is another secretary. Above the secretary, there is one other director. Above the director, there is managing director. These are commonsense things. Similarly there are many, many controllers, but the supreme controller is Kṛṣṅa, or Viṣṅu. So it is commonsense affair that our aim of life is to satisfy the Supreme Lord, Viṣṅu, or Kṛṣṅa. This is common sense. Is there any other reasoning that "Why He should be satisfied?" No. You have to satisfy.

So this is Vaiṣṅavism. One who wants to satisfy Viṣṅu, he is called Vaiṣṅava. That is Vaiṣṅavism. Viṣṅu means the Supreme Lord. So everything is arranged to satisfy the Lord Viṣṅu. So wherefrom it begins? The cats and dogs, they can be trained up for satisfying Viṣṅu? No, there is no possibility. They are dogs, animals. They are simply busy with four principles of life: eating, sleeping, sex life and defending. That's all. They cannot be trained up, that "You become very obedient to Lord Viṣṅu. Become a devotee." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad yājī māṁ namaskuru [Bg 18.65].

[Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.]

"You become the devotee of Kṛṣṅa." No, that is not possible. Therefore it is said that manuṣyāṅāṁ. Manuṣyāṅāṁ. It is the duty of the manusya, not of the dog. Manuṣyāṅāṁ. Utsanna-kula-dharmānāṁ manuṣyāṅāṁ janārdana [Bg 1.43].

So human life has got a great responsibility. If you become like cats and dog, the hippies, then utsanna, everything is destroyed. Utsanna-kula-dharma. They have no family. They don't care for any rules and regulation. Utsanna, everything destroyed. Jaghanya-guṅa-vṛtti-sthaḥ [Bg 14.18].

[Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets; those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets; and those in the mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds.]

No family life, no taking bath, no worship, nothing of... All irresponsible. I have seen it in Amsterdam. What is that park?

Haṁsadūta: Vondelpark.

Prabhupāda: Horrible. Actually this, this, what was spoken by Arjuna five thousand years ago, it is now happening. Utsanna, all destroyed, finished. Kula-dharmānām. No family life. So therefore for human being, it is the duty to understand his position, and it is his duty to satisfy the Supreme Lord, Viṣṅu. This is the whole plan. Therefore Rāmānanda Rāya quoted the verse from Viṣṅu Purāṅa that varṅāśramācaravatā puruṣeṅa paraḥ pumān, viṣṅur ārādhyate [Cc Madhya 8.58].

Because the aim is to satisfy Viṣṅu, to become Vaiṣṅava.

To become brāhmaṅa is also lower status. You will hear from the Caitanya-caritāmṛta that our Mādhavendra Purī, he was installing Deities. So there are many brāhmaṅas, caste brāhmaṅa, born in... So in order to give charge of worship to those brāhmaṅas, he initiated them to become Vaiṣṅava. Because without becoming Vaiṣṅava, nobody has got right to worship Viṣṅu. Viṣṅu will not accept anything from anyone unless he is devotee. And Viṣṅu is poverty-stricken, that He has come to take from you? He cannot eat? He has no eating means? No. He agrees to accept our offering just on the basis of love. The Vaiṣṅava loves Viṣṅu, and Viṣṅu agrees to accept any foodstuff. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati [Bg 9.26].

[If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.]

That bhakti is main thing, not your palatable dish. Viṣṅu is quite competent to prepare thousand times better palatable dishes than you can offer. But the real thing is bhakti.

So viṣṅur ārādhaṅam means viṣṅur ār..., that should be the aim of human life. Viṣṅur āradhana means one must become a Vaiṣṅava, and Vaiṣṅava means regulated life, not destroyed everything, finished, to become hogs. That is not Vaiṣṅavism. Vaiṣṅavism means regulated; aim—to, how to satisfy Viṣṅu. So whole Vedic scheme is there, how to satisfy Viṣṅu. Therefore it is said that utsanna kula-dharmānāṁ manuṣyāṅāṁ [Bg 1.43]. In the human life, if they do not follow the regulative principles of family life, family tradition and systematic arrangement of four division of the society, brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra... In this way we can satisfy the Supreme Lord.

Our aim is to satisfy the Supreme Lord, and this can be done perfectly if we follow the regulative principles of jāti-dharma, kula-dharma. Jāti-dharma means if you are born in the family of a brāhmaṅa, you have got particular duties. Simply if you think yourself that "I am born in a brāhmaṅa family; my duty is all finished. Now I can do whatever nonsense..." They think like that. I have spoken. They are very much proud of taking birth in brāhmaṅa family. So when others are engaged in devotional service, they say, "Oh, you are born in lower family. You have got to do this.

We are born in brāhmaṅa... We have nothing to do." You see? But they do not know that jāti-dharma kula-ghnānām, utsanna-kula-dharmānam. Even if you are actually brāhmaṅa, you must keep your family tradition. That is brāhmaṅa. Otherwise, if you sacrifice everything of your family tradition... Just like in your country, the Lord family. The Lord family is maintained. The government... The Lord family has got money deposited with the government, and government gives the interest so that the family tradition may be maintained, the aristocratic style. Or if they spoil, then no more cares for them. Then their house will be sold and they will be street-beggar. That's all. No more Lord family.

So everywhere, you take politically or socially or spiritually, for human being, if you want to make your life successful, then you must keep the tradition of brāhmaṅa-vaiṣṅava. So our, we are Vaiṣṅava. Our only tradition is how to satisfy Viṣṅu. That is the tradition of everyone, but especially Vaiṣṅava.

[audio skips due to faulty equipment]

They must be very alert, very careful, how to keep Lord Viṣṅu or Kṛṣṅa satisfied. That is our only business. So you should not neglect it. Then utsanna-kula-dharmānām..., then you will spoil everything. When you have invited Viṣṅu or Kṛṣṅa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, to accept your service, you must be very, very careful how to render service—how cleansely, how nicely you have to serve. Otherwise everything will be spoiled. Utsanna-kula-dharmānām. A Vaiṣṅava's kula-dharma is simply to satisfy Kṛṣṅa.

So in the... Manuṣyāṅāṁ. Actually, human life begins when he is ready to serve the Supreme Lord, Viṣṅu. That is human life; otherwise the animal life. Therefore the whole world is in chaos. They are not eager to serve Viṣṅu. They are simply eager to serve their senses. Go-dāsa, servant of the senses. So instead of becoming servant of the senses, you have to become master of the senses. That is called gosvāmī. If you remain servant of the senses, then you are go-dāsa. Kāmādināṁ katidhā kati na... [Cc Madhya 22.16].

That is animal life. But when you become master of the senses... How it is possible, master of the senses? Now, if you employ your senses always in the service of Kṛṣṅa, your senses are already controlled. Just like your tongue. Your tongue asks you, "Go to the restaurant and eat some nice thing." But if you are a Vaiṣṅava, if you have this vow that "I shall not allow my tongue to eat anything except prasādam," it is already controlled. Gosvāmī. That means, to control the senses means to engage the senses in the service of the Lord. This is control. Otherwise, by force...

Just like the yogīs, they try artificially by some gymnastic. That may be possible for some time, but it is... There are many instances, it became... [break] Because by force they cannot control the senses. That is not possible. You must give better engagement. [break] By force, if you think that "I shall control my tongue, I shall control my eyes, I shall control my genital, I shall control my belly..." Artificial. That may be possible for some time, but they are so strong, the senses are so strong, artificially it cannot be stopped. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā...

[break] ...stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. You give the senses better engagement. Then you can control. Hṛṣīkeṅa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir uttamā. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena... [Cc Madhya 19.170].

[Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and one’s senses are purified simply by being employed in the service of the Lord.]

[break] You have to purify the senses. How? By engaging the senses in the ser...

[break] ...tat paratvena.

[break] Then you will be able to purify the senses. And with purified senses, when you are engaged in the service of the Supreme, that is called bhakti.

So if we are actually human beings, manuṣyāṅāṁ...

[break] Kula-dharma, this family tradition, is not meant for the cats and dogs. If you live like cats...

[break] ...there is no question of family tradition. But if you live..., want to live like human being, manuṣyāṅāṁ, then this system must be...

[break] ...puruṣeṅa paraḥ pumān [Cc Madhya 8.58].

Catur-vārṅyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṅa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg 4.13].

Then society must be divided into four classes. As we have got four divisions in... [break] ...brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra must be there. [break] And each one should serve according to his guṅa-karma, quality and capacity to work. Then the whole society is organized... [break] ...will be perfect, there will be peace... [break] ...no war, nothing of the sort, and gradually making progress back to home, back to Godhead. Otherwise it will be chaos... [break] ...become at the present moment.

So... [break] ...utsanna kula-dharmānāṁ manuṣyāṅāṁ. Manuṣya, janārdana. Jana means general public, and "one who controls." Kṛṣṅa controls every... [break] ...Janāradana. So "My dear Janārdana, Kṛṣṅa, in the human society, if we spoil this traditional process, then what...? It becomes..." Narake niyataṁ vāso [Bg 1.43]. If you do not... [break] ...if we live like cats and dog, then next life we get cats and dog... [break] But these rascals, they do not know. They do not believe in the next life. So it is horrible condition. Purposefully you put yourself, if you do not follow... [break] ...process. The varṅāśrama-dharma... [break] ...society. Utsanna-kula-dharmānāṁ manuṣyānāṁ janārdana, narake niyatam. Niyatam means always. [break] Just like the hog, hellish life... [break] ...eating stool, living in filthy place. Māyā is dictating, "You are... [break] ...more than a king." Yes. Sometimes Indra became a hog, and... By the curse of Bṛhaspati. So when Brahmā again came to recall him... [break] ...he was Indra. He denied. [break] ...responsibility. Family... [break] The hog... [break] ...āvaraṅātmikā-śakti. [break] ...lowest standard of living. He will think that "I am very happy." This is called āvaraṅa... [break] So if the hog thinks that "I am living..." [break] Then he will die. In the human mind... [break] ...hellish condition of life, then he can make progress in spiritual life. And for so long he thinks that "I am living very peacefully, very happily..." [break] ... then athāto brahma jijñāsā. Unless one comes to that... That sense will come when one follows the tradition of family life. [end]

Bhagavad-gītā 1.43

Referenced verses