Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.5.7

Pradyumna: Translation: "Even though one may be very learned and wise, he is mad if he does not understand that the endeavor for sense gratification is a useless waste of time. Being forgetful of his own interest, he tries to be happy in the material world, centering his interests around his home, which is based on sexual intercourse and which brings him all kinds of material miseries. In this way one is no better than a foolish animal."

Prabhupāda:

yadā na paśyaty ayathā guṅehāṁ svārthe pramattaḥ sahasā vipaścit gata-smṛtir vindati tatra tāpān āsādya maithunyam agāram ajñaḥ [SB 5.5.7]

So one has to be vipaścit, learned, to understand the interest of life, self-interest. Everyone is working, especially the karmīs, the jñānīs, the yogīs, and mixed devotees, they are working for self-interest. The devotees also, so long there is self, there is self-interest also. So there is little difference, that the devotees, they work for Super–self-interest. There is self, but it is Super–self-interest. And the karmīs, jñānīs, yogīs, they work for individual self-interest. Self-interest there must be. That is the difference between lust and prema, or love. It has been defined in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, what is the difference between lust and love. It appears almost the same, but Kṛṣṅadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī has given a definition very clear, ātmendriya-prīti-vāñchā-tāre bali 'kāma' [Cc Ādi 4.165]. When one is interested for his personal sense gratification, that is called kāma, or lust. And kṛṣṅendriya-prīti-vāñchā dhare 'prema' nāma: and when one is interested for satisfying the senses of Kṛṣṅa, that is prema. And the concrete example is there in the Bhagavad-gītā, that in the beginning Arjuna was thinking of interest of the family: "How can I kill my brother, my nephews, my master, teacher, my grandfather?" in terms of his family interest.

There are, for the materialistic person, there are two varieties of self-interest. One is concentrated interest and other is expanded interest. Just like a child, if you give him some foodstuff, a cake, he will immediately eat, himself, and if he is little liberal, then his other friends also he will give. First of all, first is, he wants to eat, and then the other friend, "Oh, you are eating, give me something." "All right, you also take." So this is called extended interest, and the beginning is self-interest, anna brahma[?], "I shall..." Self-preservation is the first law of nature. So in our ordinary activities we find the same thing. Suppose a big political leader, in the beginning he is interested with his family, with his family members, but sometimes he takes to national interest for all members of the country or the society, community. And then there is fight between one community to another community, one family to another family, one nation to another nation, because that extended self-interest does not make the thing perfect. That extended self-interest must be up to Viṣṅu. Then it will be perfect. But that they do not know, because they have no idea that there is Viṣṅu, the Supreme Lord, or Kṛṣṅa. 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.]

They do not know. They think that "I have extended my self-interest to my country, to my family. I have become a big man." And people also give him honor. This we have practical experience. But that is extended self-interest. That is not actually philanthropy.

Philanthropy is when one becomes interested in Kṛṣṅa's interest. That is real philanthropy. Otherwise it is all kāma. There is no question of prema. It is going on as prema, deśa-bhakti, love for humanity. Hmm? The whole world is going on, but these are all imperfect things. The so-called philanthropism, altruism, humanitarianism, they are all..., means imperfect, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṅum [SB 7.5.31]. That is not self-interest. Self-interest... Just like this finger, pick up some nice cake, rasagullā. But if the fingers think that "We have got it, we shall use it," all the fingers together, it will be spoiled. But if the fingers think that "Give it to the stomach," then it will be everyone's interest. As soon as the rasagullā goes to the stomach, the energy is distributed not only to these fingers of the right hand, but the left-hand fingers also. This law they do not know. This law they do not know. Therefore it is yadā na paśyanti, paśyaty ayathā guṅehām. Everyone is trying communally, nationally, individually for his or their interest. So that is not good. Svārthe pramattaḥ. They do not know what is real self-interest.

Yadā na paśyaty ayathā guṅehāṁ svārthe. Everyone should be interested, but svārtha. This is svārtha, that if you get a nice foodstuff, if you put to the stomach, then real svārtha. Not only the fingers which have picked up the foodstuff, not only his interested, tasmin tuṣṭe jagat tuṣṭaḥ. Yathā taror mūla, prāṅopahārāc ca yathendriyāṅām [SB 4.31.14].

[As pouring water on the root of a tree energizes the trunk, branches, twigs and everything else, and as supplying food to the stomach enlivens the senses and limbs of the body, simply worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead through devotional service automatically satisfies the demigods, who are parts of that Supreme Personality.]

If you put the foodstuff through this one way, not foolish way, that we have to put the foodstuff within the body. So there are nine holes in the body: this mouth, the eyes, the ears and the genital, the rectum, the navel. There are nine holes. If some rascal says that any hole will do, you put the foodstuff through any hole... Sometimes it is done. When one cannot eat, the foodstuff is forced through the body through the rectum, through the nose. That is very troublesome. But the real process is, one process, you put the foodstuff through the mouth. It must go to the stomach, and then the energy will be distributed, everyone will be happy. Similarly, if we serve Kṛṣṅa, if we abide by the orders of Kṛṣṅa and satisfy Him, as He says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66], that is the perfection of life. If we work otherwise, forgetting Kṛṣṅa... Here it is said, gata-smṛtir vindati tatra tāpān. If we forget Kṛṣṅa, if we make our own plan to satisfy myself, community, society, nation, this is forgetfulness, and the result will be gata-smṛtir vindati tatra tāpān. You get simply trouble. That is being done, actually. The whole world is forgetfulness of Kṛṣṅa, or God. Kṛṣṅa, forgetfulness, and they are making so many plans to become happy, but the result is vindati tāpān, simply suffering, simply suffering. It will never be successful.

The same example, yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ [SB 4.31.14].

The process is that you have to pour water at the root of the tree, then the tree will luxuriantly grow. But if you do not know the process, if you begin watering leaf to leaf, branch to branch, twig to twig, it will be simply waste of time. You can say, "I am pouring water on this leaf, on that leaf, on that..." It will take... You cannot. There are so many leaves in the tree, it is not possible individually you can do it. But if you put the water, pour the water on the root, it is very easy, and all the leaves and twigs and flowers and fruits, they get nourishment. That is wanted. Yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ, prāṅopahārāc ca yathendriyāṅām [SB 4.31.14]. And by offering food to the stomach, all the indriyas, senses, they become vigorous, or strong. Similarly, sarvārhaṅam acyutejyā, if you satisfy Kṛṣṅa, acyuta ijyā, then the whole society, whole community, whole living beings, everyone will be satisfied. If you simply push on this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, then all different activities of the human society will be very, very nicely performed. Or if you do this nationalism, communism, it will never be perfect.

So we have got example in our country. Many countries; not only our country. Your country also, that President Kennedy, he was killed. Many other presidents also—in our country Gandhi was killed—because in that way, you cannot satisfy everyone. It is not possible. The so-called socialism, communism, altruism, humanitarianism will never be able to satisfy everyone. That is not possible. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśās teṣāṁ jātā mayi na karuṅā na trapā nopaśāntiḥ [Cc Madhya 22.16].

[O my Lord, there is no limit to the unwanted orders of lusty desires. Although I have rendered them so much service, they have not shown any mercy to me. I have not been ashamed to serve them, nor have I even desired to give them up. O my Lord, O head of the Yadu dynasty, recently, however, my intelligence has been awakened, and now I am giving them up. Due to transcendental intelligence, I now refuse to obey the unwanted orders of these desires, and I now come to You to surrender myself at Your fearless lotus feet. Kindly engage me in Your personal service and save me.]

These different types of "isms," that is simply satisfying different desires. It is not the program.

dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsāṁ viṣvaksena kathāsu yaḥ notpādayed yadi ratiṁ śrama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8]

[The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead.]

So that is simply waste of time. The same thing is repeated, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṅuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ [SB 7.5.31].

Durāśayā. People are trying to be happy by so many bahir-artha, external desires. Artha, artha means actual interests. And anartha, anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje [SB 1.7.6]. Artha means how to satisfy Kṛṣṅa. This is artha. It is said, arthadam. Arthadam. You can get real interest in this life.

kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha durlabhaṁ mānuṣo janma adhruvam apy arthadam [SB 7.6.1]

This human form of life, although adhruvam... Everybody, we cannot continue this body for all the time. It will be ended, dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg 2.13],

[As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.]

another body. So this is the general rule for all living entities, either dog's body or hog's body or man's body. It will not stay; it will not endure. You have to change. Therefore it is called adhruvam. But the special advantage of this human form of life—Prahlāda Mahārāja says—although it is adhruvam, it will not stay, but arthadam, you can have your real interest fulfilled.

kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam [SB 7.6.1]

This we must understand, that although we have got also a body, and the dog has also a body, the same composition, kṣitir āp marud vyoma—mind, intelligence and ego... There is no difference. The dog has also mind, and I have got mind, you have got mind. The dog has also intelligence; we have got also intelligence. The dog also can eat; you can also eat. The dog can sleep; you can also sleep. So there is no difference so far the bodily constitution. And superficially, if you cut my body there will be blood, if you cut the body of an animal there will be blood. So in every respect, so far the material body is concerned, it is the same, either of the human being or of a small insect. The same construction, physiological, anatomical, everything is the same. But the difference is, in other body there is no arthadam, but in the human body there will be arthadam. You can realize your position, you can act accordingly, you can make your life successful. That is the special advantage of this human form of life.

Therefore it is said, yadā na paśyaty ayathā guṅehām. We are struggling, guṅe, in this material world. Guṅamayī. Māyā, māyā is called guṅamayī. Guṅe means in the māyā. Īhā, īhā means aspiration. So everyone is trying according to different modes of material nature. Everyone is working—sattva-guṅa, rajo-guṅa, tamo-guṅa. That is, everything is guṅe īhā. So when one does not become conscious that "I am working under the influence of material nature in different status of life, they're all useless..." As soon as you see that it is all useless, sahasā vipaścit, that is actually enlightenment. So as soon as we find, by the guidance of spiritual master, bona fide spiritual master, by the guidance of Kṛṣṅa personally, as soon as we come to this understanding, that we are simply wasting our time, simply wasting our time, śrama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8].

[The occupational activities a man performs according to his own position are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Personality of Godhead.]

When, in the beginning, when I understood the one song of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, māyā-jāle baddha ho'ye ācho miche kāj lo'ye, Bhaktivinoda says. Many times he has said.

māyār bośe jāccho bhese' khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi jīv kṛṣṅa-dās, ei viśvās, korle to' ār duḥkho nāi

[Everyone chant, chant, chant, 'Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa'!" Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityānanda are dancing all over the land of Nadia giving this teaching to all. O brother, needlessly under the control of māyā you suffer and are carried away by her waves, sometimes floating and sometimes sinking in this ocean of illusion.]

[If you have this faith that the soul is the eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa, then there will be no more misery. And when you chant the holy name of Kṛṣṅa, your body will shiver in ecstasy and your eyes will shed tears in love of God. This is what I say.]

Very instructive, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's songs. Very instructive, simple. And Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura's.

So,

hari hari biphale janama goṅāinu manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṅa nā bhajiyā, jāniyā śuniyā biṣa khāinu

[O Lord Hari, I have spent my life uselessly. Having obtained a human birth and having not worshiped Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa, I have knowingly drunk poison.]

Regretting, lamenting, "My Lord, I got this human form of life. Unfortunately I have simply wasted." Why? Rādhā-kṛṣṅa nā bhajiyā manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṅa nā bhajiyā. "It is exactly like drinking poison knowingly." Sometimes we become poisonous unknowingly—sometimes food poison or something poison. But if one takes poison knowingly, that means he's killing himself. He knows it. Similarly, in this human form of life, if we do not come to this understanding, sahasā vipaścit, that "Without Kṛṣṅa consciousness, I am simply taking poison," then his life is spoiled. Gata-smṛtir vindati tatra tāpān. He will simply be put into miserable condition. That is the nature's way, daivī hy eṣā guṅamayī mama māyā dur... [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.]

You cannot escape the stringent laws of material nature. You will go on suffering, suffering. Mṛtyu-saṁsāra vartmani [Bg 9.3].

[Those who are not faithful in this devotional service cannot attain Me, O conqueror of enemies. Therefore they return to the path of birth and death in this material world.]

You will suffer again and again, this body and next body, next body. That is nature's way. But ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate [Bg 3.27].

[The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.]

These rascals, on account of false prestige, false knowledge, false education, he is thinking that "I am independent. I can do what ever I like," ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham [Bg 3.27]. We have to give up this. Then vipaścit, sahasā vipaścit. Otherwise we have to continue the miserable condition of life. Gata-smṛtiḥ: because we have forgotten our real position.

What is our position? Our position is as described by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṅa-dāsa [Cc Madhya 20.108-109]. Our real position is that I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa. So gata-smṛtiḥ, I have forgotten that. And therefore, bhuliyā tomāre saṁsāre āsiyā peye nānā-vidha byathā. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's song, "My Lord, forgetting You, I came in this material world. I am simply suffering." Peye nānā-vidha byathā. These... The same thing is there in the Vedic literature; the same thing is instructed by the advanced, enlightened, liberated devotee. The same thing: this forgetfulness. We have forgotten what is our position. Temporarily, because I have got this body in India, I am thinking, "I am Indian, so my interest is Indian." And somebody is thinking, "My interest is American," "My interest is brāhmaṅa," "My interest is śūdra," "My interest is this, that." We have created so many interests. That has to be rectified.

vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca buddhayo 'vyavasāyinām [Bg 2.41]

Be businesslike. People say, "Talk businesslike. Why you are talking nonsense?" So Kṛṣṅa says, "Yes." For businessman there is one interest, real businessman: vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana. One who is actually interested in businesslike way to make some profit, arthadam, then there is only interest is how to become Kṛṣṅa conscious. Otherwise you will manufacture so many interests. Bahu-śākhā hy anantāś buddhi avyavasāyinām. One who is not actually businessman, he is a rascal, he creates so many branches of different interests. The only one interest is how to satisfy Kṛṣṅa. This is our only business. But forgetting this business, gata-smṛtir vindati tatra tāpān: whatever business we are doing, we are simply suffering. Tāpān āsādya, he is actually tasting miserable condition. Then how they are working? This is the conclusion of this verse, how they are being baffled in every stage, and how they are working so hard.

We see people are working so hard, day and night. They go to business or go to office from morning, five; up to ten o'clock at night, they work. You will see in big, big cities, how they are going by the daily passengers, how they are hanging in the buses, going. Why? Why they are working so hard? It is not very simple thing. Why they are working so hard? The answer is maithuna, sex indulgence, that's all. They have no other happiness except that sex intercourse at night he will enjoy. Therefore he is working so hard. Otherwise there is no other happiness. Everything is zero. The only positive happiness, he's thinking like that. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tucchaṁ kaṅḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham [SB 7.9.45].

[Sex life is compared to the rubbing of two hands to relieve an itch. Gṛhamedhīs, so-called gṛhasthas who have no spiritual knowledge, think that this itching is the greatest platform of happiness, although actually it is a source of distress. The kṛpaṅas, the fools who are just the opposite of brāhmaṅas, are not satisfied by repeated sensuous enjoyment. Those who are dhīra, however, who are sober and who tolerate this itching, are not subjected to the sufferings of fools and rascals.]

That is the only happiness. There is no secrecy. The people are working so hard, simply maithunyam agāram. It is a prison house, agāram. Agāram means packed up, shackled with iron chains. And the only happiness is maithunyam agāram. And this is only abominable, tuccham. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham. So how he has accepted this lowest class of happiness as the aim of life? Ajñaḥ, rascal. The conclusion is ajñaḥ. So don't become ajñaḥ; be intelligent. And kṛṣṅa yei bhaje, sei baḍa catura. Don't be rascal, don't remain as...

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. [end]