690120 - Lecture SB 05.05.01 - Los Angeles

Lectures by Date, 1969

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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690120SB-LOS ANGELES - January 20, 1969 - 61:16 Minutes

(kīrtana) (Prabhupāda plays gong) (prema-dhvani) All glories to the assembled devotees. All glories to the assembled devotees. Thank you very much.

Prabhupāda: (aside) Where is that table light? Table light?

(maṅgalācaraṇa prayers)

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā

cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave-namaḥ

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale

svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam

vande 'haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca

śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitaṁ taṁ sa-jīvam

sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-sahitaṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaṁ

śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān saha-gaṇa-lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāṁś ca

he kṛṣṇa karuṇā-sindho dīna-bandho jagat-pate

gopeśa gopikā-kānta rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te

In the last meeting we are discussing about the life of a fallen brahmin, Ajāmila. He was addicted to prostitute. Therefore his high standard of life became degraded.

This morning also we were reading in the Īśopaniṣad that God is apāpa-viddham. 'A' means not, and ‘pāpa’ means sin, and ‘viddham’, infected. The God is never infected by sin, sinful activities. Common sense. Just like a king orders somebody to be killed, "This man should be killed." This killing is sinful for the ordinary citizen, but killing by the order of the supreme executive head, the president or the king, that is not criminal. If you say that "Killing by me is criminal. Why it is not criminal for you, you, the president or the king?" I am giving a crude example.

Similarly, if you go higher and higher, when you come to God . . . first of all, what is the conception of God? Conception of God is "God is great. Nobody is greater than Him, and nobody is equal to Him." That is God. Asama-ūrdhva. The exact Sanskrit word is asama-ūrdhva. Asama means "not equal." Nobody can be equal to God. This is analyzed by great ācāryas. They have analyzed the characteristics of God. They have characterized the characteristic as sixty-four. And out of that sixty-four, we have, we living entities, we have got fifty only. And that is also in very minute quantity. Fifty qualities of God we have got, but that is very . . . in minute quantity.

Take, for example, just like God has got also the tendency to love young girl. Take it for a crude example. Just like God is dancing with young girl. But we have also the same tendency. We also want to be surrounded by young girls and dance; we enjoy. But the thing is that you can enjoy in the company of a few girls. That is minute quantity. But God can dance with unlimited number of girls. That you cannot. These are crude examples.

So these sixty-four qualities, they have analyzed that we living entities, we have got in minute quantities. And amongst the living entities, the highest perfection is to be seen in the life of Brahmā, who is the chief living entity within this universe. So similarly, Lord Śiva has got fifty-five. Lord Nārāyaṇa has got sixty.But Kṛṣṇa has got in full sixty-four—cent percent, hundred percent all the qualities. Therefore either Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā or the living entities, nobody can be equal to Him. This is the conception of God. Asamora-udhva.

And in the Bhagavad-gītā you have seen that Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nāsti kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7):

"My dear Dhanañjaya, My dear Arjuna, there is nobody superior to Me." So just like some heating agent. You have got several heating agent. You have got heater in your apartment, oven in your apartment. There are so many different varieties of heater. But the heat of the sun cannot be compared with any other heat. You cannot say that, "Because I have got little heat, I have become sun." (chuckles)

This is ludicrous; it is not possible. So those who are claiming that, "I am God," "Everyone is God," they are simply, what can I say, less-intelligent persons. (laughter) They have no conception what is God. They do not know what is God. This claim that, "I am God," that means he has no idea what is God. Therefore he is falsely claiming.

You may have minute quantity of God's quality, but that does not mean you are God. Just like the same example, you may have a minute quantity of the total heat of the sun, but that does not mean you are sun. So qualitatively we are one—everyone has got some temperature, 98 degrees. But not that a million degree. That is not possible. Why the million? If you rise your temperature to 107 degrees, then finished your life. These are practical.

So because Lord Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful, you cannot compare with Kṛṣṇa. He's apāpa-viddham. No contamination can touch Him. But for that reason you cannot say . . . you cannot imitate Kṛṣṇa and you cannot say that, "No contamination can touch me." No. That is not possible. Therefore the whole life, our this human form of life, is a chance to purify so that we may approach. At least, if we get that fifty-five, fifty degrees, fifty parts or fifty fractional portion of God's quality, even in minute quality (quantity), then we can approach God.

In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that pavitraṁ paramam (BG 10.12).

Pavitram. Pavitra means purity. So, "You are, Kṛṣṇa, You are the supreme pure." So because we are trying, by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we are trying to approach Kṛṣṇa . . . like if you want to approach the sun, the same example can be given. Everything is there in the nature. If you study minutely, you become learned philosopher. But if we want to enter the sun planet, then you must equip yourself. Just like you are trying to go to the moon planet by artificially dressing, but still, you cannot stay there more than a few hours - if we suppose that somebody has gone there.

So this is the position. If you want to enter into the sun planet also . . . that is also a planet. That is also possible. If it is possible to enter into the moon planet, then it is also possible to enter into the sun planet. Why not? And there are living entities. We get information from Vedic literature. But you have to raise your temperature so that you can exist there. Similarly, God is supreme pure. If you want to go back home, back to home, back to Godhead, then you have to become pure, without any contamination of this material world.

The contamination of material world is called sin. That is sin. Just like you infect some disease, germ, you become diseased. I have got some infection, so I am diseased. You may know it or not know it, that doesn't matter. If you infect, knowingly or unknowingly, you will be diseased. So what is that infection? That infection, that is stated in the Īśopaniṣad, we read in the . . . every morning, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (Īśo mantra 1).

This everything what we see, either in the sky or in the water or outside our vision, everything belongs to God. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam.

So everything God's property. You cannot, even you are son of God, you cannot take anything without God's permission. Just like even your father's property. You'll inherit your father's . . . that's a fact. But suppose a father has got on the table one thousand dollars. If you take it without his permission, if you think that "It is my father's money," but by law you become a criminal. Your father can prosecute you criminally. That is the state law. Even it is your father's money, even your father is very kind, but if you take your father's money without his permission, then you are a criminal. And what to speak of others? Similarly, we are all sons of God. That's a fact. Kṛṣṇa says:

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya

sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ yāḥ

tāsāṁ mahad yonir brahma

ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

(BG 14.4)

Aham. Kṛṣṇa says that, "All these living entities in 8,400,000's of species . . ." He doesn't mean that only human being. The animals, the birds, beasts, trees, everything—all living entities—they are all sons of God. He says, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ. The material nature is the mother.

Just like in ordinary way, the father and mother requires to give a birth to a child. Similarly, this material nature is the mother. We have got this body from the mother, material nature. Just like we get the body from the mother's womb. Father gives the seed and mother gives the body. In the combination we get out. Similarly, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4): Kṛṣṇa impregnates this material nature with the living entities, and when there is creation they come out. This is the process.

So we are fallen in this material condition of life, and because we have disobeyed without the permission of father, we have misused our independence; therefore we are condemned within this material world. The īśāvāsya, the Īśopaniṣad teaches us, therefore reminds us that, "My dear human being . . ." The śāstras, the scriptures, the Vedas, they're meant for human being, not for the dogs, cats. Those who are not taking advantage of these scriptures of Vedic literatures, they are no more than animals. Because animals, they cannot take advantage of this knowledge. But human being can take.

Therefore it is said, indicated, in the śāstras, that this body is very suitable boat for crossing over this ocean of nescience. We are in the ocean. This outer space, the big space within this universe, it is to be considered just like a big ocean, and all the planets, they're just like islands. Therefore in the Vedic literature sometimes these planets are called dvīpa. Dvīpa means island. Śvetadvīpa. This planet is called Jambūdvīpa. Just like in the ocean, there are many hundreds of small, big island. Similarly, the ocean of air or outer space, there are so many planets. They are called dvīpas.

So īśāvāsyam . . . so all this belongs to God. And we, we are, because we are His sons, we have got the right to use our father's property, but not illegally. What is allotted to us by our father we can accept it. That's all. One who lives . . . that is stated in the Īśopaniṣad that, kurvann eveha karmāṇi jijīviṣec chataṁ samāḥ (Īśo mantra 2).

If you accept this principle, then you can live for hundreds of years without any sin. Otherwise, you become complicated in the laws of material nature. And so long we are complicated, entangled, by the laws of material nature, then we shall have to transmigrate from this one kind of body to another kind of body, and our material existence will be prolonged.

So her I shall try to explain the teachings of Ṛṣabhadeva, His teachings to His sons. "My dear son . . ." Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke, "My dear sons, this body," nṛloke . . . He has particularly mentioned nṛloke, this body in the human society. Ayaṁ dehaḥ, this body, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke. Deha-bhājām means anyone who is embodied. So the cats, dogs, trees, birds, beasts, insects, reptiles, they have all body. But He's specifically mentioning nṛloke, the body in the human society.

Ayaṁ dehaḥ, "This body in the human society," nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye. (SB 5.5.1)

"It is not meant for working very hard to satisfy the senses." Why you are working so hard? What is the principle? What is the aim? Everyone is working very hard. What is the . . .? Sense gratification. So Ṛṣabhadeva says, "Simply for sense gratification we should not work so hard."

That is the verdict of Vedic literature. If you say that we have got senses, so in order to keep the body fit, we have to give something for the enjoyment of the senses, that is accepted. Yes. But don't aggravate it. The śāstra says that do not increase artificially the demands of the senses. Then you will be entangled. Just like eating. We have got tongue, we have got belly. We require to eat something for maintaining the body. That's nice—you maintain. But do not try to satisfy the senses, tongue or belly or any other senses unreasonably.

Why? That is unreasonable . . . what is that unreasonable? Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthāḥ (Īśo mantra 1).

What is ordained to you, what is allotted to you, you eat. Just like for human being. Human being—Kṛṣṇa, or God, has given so many nice things. God has given us grains, rice, pulses, vegetables and fruits, flowers—so many—milk. Are they not sufficient for maintaining our body and soul together? Yes. Why not?

Those who are vegetarians . . . simply you take, for example, we, all the members in the temple, we live simply on these things: fruits, vegetables, grains, milk, that's all. So are we dying for want of food? Then why should we eat meat? What is the reason? Simply for satisfaction of the tongue? If I can live peacefully, otherwise which is allotted to me by God, why shall I give trouble to another animal for satisfaction of my tongue? What is the reason?

If you have no food . . . of course, in the deserted country, just like Arabia, simply desert, sand, so for them they can kill some animal and eat, because they cannot die for want of food. But here, in America, you have got sufficient foodstuff. Why should you kill animals? You have got sufficient grains, sufficient food, sufficient milk, and is it very nice thing that you take milk from the cow, who is your mother, and kill at the same time? Is that very good reason?

Oh, therefore Ṛṣabhadeva says that this human form of body is not meant for mismanaging the whole thing for the satisfaction of the senses. That is not meant for human being. Nāyaṁ nṛloke. Nṛloke: a human society. He is speaking to the human society. We are speaking to the human society. We are not calling cats and dogs, "Come here. Please hear Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam." That is not possible. They cannot. But we are inviting those who are enlightened human being, "Please come. Just try to understand what is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and be happy." That's all. We want to see every human being to be happy. That is our program.

So Ṛṣabhadeva says, kaṣṭān kāmān. Just like we are not criticizing the modern method of living—of course, automatically it becomes criticized—but we are speaking from the śāstras. He says, Ṛṣabhadeva says, kaṣṭān kāmān. For your sense gratification do not arrange something very dangerous, or very tiresome, laborsome. Make your life simplified, that is allotted by Kṛṣṇa. We have got in . . . a place, New Vrindaban, in West Virginia. With little effort they produce so much vegetables that they cannot eat, they cannot finish. They cannot finish.

So God has given us land, God has given us producing experience, so wherever you live, it doesn't matter. If you have got a little plot of land and a cow, your whole economic question is solved. Why you should work so hard day and night?

So we have created a civilization simply working hard day and night, and the purpose is sense gratification. That's all. That is prohibited. Make your life simplified. Save your time for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the program. Don't be implicated with sinful activities. Simple life. Just like your father says, "My dear boy, you take your food just in time, and you do this work, and I'll be satisfied." If you do that, then father is satisfied. But if you take from the pocket of your father or from the cash box without his permission, then you are criminal.

So by God's arrangement, everything is there. Everything. Pūrṇam idam. Pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate (Īśopaniṣad, Invocation).

Everything is complete in this world. There is no scarcity. We have simply created scarcity by our mismanagement. But if we take up the laws as they are prescribed in the scriptures and live peacefully, there is no scarcity. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that in this world there is no scarcity by the arrangement of God. But the only scarcity is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. People are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, they're materially conscious—they're sensually conscious. That has to be changed.

So Ṛṣabhadeva says that to satisfy our senses, that is also available in the life of a hog. Kaṣṭān kāmān arhate yad viḍ-bhujāṁ (SB 5.5.1).

Viḍ-bhujam, a animal who eats stool, viḍ-bhujam. That means the hog. The hog is also an animal, a living entity, and you'll find that it is working whole day, wherever there is stool, simply searching out. Research work—"Where there is stool?" Because he has been made into that abominable condition of life that he is eating stool, he, still, he has to find out, "Where is stool? Where is stool?" You see?

So there are different grades of life. So does it mean that we shall live a life like a hog while we have got this human form of body? Just try to understand. The hog is eating stool, which is rejected by everyone. And still, he is searching that out, "Where is that stool?" You see? And it is called research work. So we should not make our life complicated like the hog. And what is the aim of his life, the hog? The aim of his life is sex. The hogs and . . . especially hogs and goats, they're very sexually influenced. The hog does not discriminate. The monkeys, they do not discriminate—mother, sister or anyone—they must have sex.

So especially mentioned here: not like hog. Don't live like hog. This is the instruction of Ṛṣabhadeva. This human form of life is not meant for living like a hog. Then what it is for? That is stated in the next line, tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1): "My dear boys, this life is meant for tapasya." Tapasya means restraining your senses. That is. That is human life. That is human civilization. The more you restrain your senses from its activities, the more you're advanced, civilized, advanced in life. Tapasya. Tapasya means . . . tapa, tapa, from tap, tapa comes. Tapa means temperature.

So if I restrain my senses, because we are, from time immemorial, we have been practiced to indulge our senses for gratification, and in the human form of life, because we have to control the senses, it sometimes gives us some pains. "I am accustomed to do something, but my spiritual master said . . . just like in this country I say that you cannot take meat, you cannot smoke. So all my students, they were accustomed to this habit, but by my order they have restrained. In the beginning there is some pain.

So that pain is called tapasya, voluntarily accepting little pain. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). And what for that pains taking? Divyam, for realizing the Absolute Truth. Not for that . . . just like a student is working very hard to find out the possibilities of nuclear weapon. That is also tapasya. But what is that? For finding out some means to kill the human society. That sort of tapasya is not required, like Rāvaṇa's tapasya or Hiraṇyakaśipu's tapasya. Tapasya . . . here it is especially mentioned that you accept, voluntarily accept some pain for realizing the Absolute. Tapo divyam.

So you may answer that, "Why shall I take so much pains for realizing the Absolute? I can take some pains here for material acquisition, I shall be happy here. I do not . . ." - that answer is also given: Tapo divyam . . . tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ śuddhyet (SB 5.5.1): "My dear boys, you just take to this austerity, life of austerity, for realizing the Absolute, by which your existence will be purified."

We began . . . because we require . . . this human form of life is meant for being purified. So just like a diabetic patient is advised by the physician not to take so many things—not to take sugar, not to take this, not to take this—that prohibition is meant for his curing.

Similarly, here also, if we accept some voluntary pains in giving up our sense gratificatory process, then our existence will be purified. Tapo divyam. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvam (SB 5.5.1). Sattvam means your existence. Yena sattvaṁ śuddhyet. Śuddhyet means becomes purified. Then you may ask, "What is the result? Suppose if I purify by your prescription." Śuddhyed yasmād brahma-saukhyam anantam (SB 5.5.1) . . . because if you purify your existence, then you get unlimited pleasure.

Your life is, you are finding out where is pleasure. That is ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12).

Every living entities is fit for enjoying, because he's part and parcel of God. Because he is part and parcel, he's also enjoyer, although in the minute quantity. But he can enjoy in association with God. So in order to enter into the association of God, he has to purify himself. Yasmād brahma-sau . . . Brahma, brahma-saukhyam. Brahma means the unlimited, or spiritual. Spiritual means unlimited, unending, eternal—the greatest. These are some of the meanings of brahma.

So you are searching after pleasure; that is your prerogative. That is your right. You must be. But you are searching in this sense gratificatory platform, you'll never get it. If you purify your this existence, then you get unlimited pleasure in your spiritual existence. Unlimited pleasure. Brahma-saukhyam anantam (SB 5.5.1). Anantam means unlimited.

So this life we should utilize for purifying, not for extravagancy in sense gratification. You'll not suffer at . . . you'll . . . this is māyā. Actually, just like a child, a boy, wants to play, and the father prescribes him, "My dear boy, do not play so long. Please read." So he's thinking that "My father is prescribing something which is very troublesome." But actually this tapasya, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness regulated life, is not for trouble. It is for your progress of life to the spiritual understanding, where you get unlimited eternal life, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1).

God is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha. Sat, cit, ānanda. Sat means eternal, cit means full of knowledge, and ānanda, full of pleasure.

So as soon as you become purified from this material existence, then you enter into the spiritual kingdom, and you get your body sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha and live there eternally in full knowledge and full bliss.

Thank you very much. (devotees offer obeisances)

Devotee: Should we do kīrtana?

Prabhupāda: Yes. If you have any questions, you can ask.

(pause) All right, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

(kīrtana) (break) (end)