720307 - Lecture SB 07.09.09 - Calcutta

Lectures by Date, 1972

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

720307SB-CALCUTTA - March 07, 1972 - 51:42 Minutes

Prabhupāda: We are talking of Prahlāda Mahārāja's prayer. He was thinking himself unfit for offering prayers to the Lord. But still, because he was requested by the great demigods headed by Lord Brahmā and others, he thought that material qualification, namely high parentage, riches, beauty, bodily strength, yogic power, all of them are not qualification for becoming a devotee or qualified to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

manye dhanābhijana-rūpa-tapaḥ-śrutaujas-

tejaḥ-prabhāva-bala-pauruṣa-buddhi-yogāḥ

(SB 7.9.9)

These things I have already explained. Dhana means riches; abhijana . . . abhijata means aristocratic family; bala means bodily strength; buddhi, intelligence; pauruṣa, power in endeavor, industrious. These are material qualification. And the yoga, aṣṭa-siddhi-yoga, that is also material. By exercising the body to concentrate the mind, that is also material. Because mind is material, subtle form of matter. It is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). Mind, intelligence, ego, ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā. So they are subtle form of matter.

So yogic exercise means to control the mind, dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā (SB 12.13.1). In order to make the mind controlled and fully fixed up on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is required in yoga meditation. Dhyānāvasthita, one remains in meditation. What for? Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gata manasā, just in order to make the mind completely, completely absorbed in Kṛṣṇa. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti. By concentrating the mind upon Kṛṣṇa, generally Lord Viṣṇu, dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1), they are also material endeavor. They are not spiritual. Because spiritual life begins when one understands fully that he is not this body.

That is the beginning of instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā. When Kṛṣṇa saw that Arjuna was talking on the platform of bodily concept of life, He was not talking seriously anything. Arjuna could understand that, that Kṛṣṇa was just talking as friend, not very seriously. Therefore, he submitted himself as a student: śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). So . . . and He chastised him, that "You have no spiritual knowledge, still you are talking just like a great scholar." Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase (BG 2.11). "You are talking just like a very learned man." (break) That means one who is . . .

(break) . . . that is animal life. There is no beginning of spiritual life. Spiritual life begins when one understands that he is not this body. That is called brahmā-bhūta. Brahma-bhūta. So long one identifies with the body, he is jīva-bhūta. Jīva-bhūtā mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat (BG 7.5). And when one realizes ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I am Brahmin . . ." But unfortunately the Māyāvādī philosophers, they take it ahaṁ brahmāsmi means "I am the Supreme Brahmin." No. Brahmāsmi means "I am spirit soul." Spirit soul is Brahmin, and the Supreme Brahmin is different. Supreme Brahmin, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12), that is Kṛṣṇa, viṣṇu-tattva. So unfortunately these Māyāvādī philosophers, they accept brahmāsmi means "I am the Supreme." We are not the Supreme. We are subordinate. So long this knowledge lacks, one is not completely in knowledge.

Kṛṣṇa says, therefore, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Amongst the persons who have realized themselves as Brahman, as spirit soul, they also, after trying many, many births . . . that means they are not muktas, that is still baddha, conditioned. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān. Not ordinary person; those who are wise. Wise means those who are in the spiritual platform to understand his position as spirit soul, not this body, such persons, after many, many births, surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. That is the ultimate knowledge. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate, vāsudevaḥ (BG 7.19)—to make it clear more—vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti. Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is the Supreme. He is everything.

So yoga, yoga, this bodily practice, that if I am not body, then what shall I get by bodily exercise? Bodily exercises can help me little, but that is not spiritual platform. The ṣaṭ-cakra, kuṇḍalinī, these are through the bodily concept of life. Actually, to tell the truth, those who are too much bodily absorbed that, "I am this body," for them this yoga practice is recommended. Not for the intelligent man. Because one who identifies himself with this body, he is not very intelligent. But because such persons are not very intelligent, for them this bodily exercise of yoga, aṣṭāṅga-yoga, is recommended. Not for the intelligent person. Intelligent persons, they take immediately to the devotional service. Immediate.

Just like Kṛṣṇa . . . Lord Caitanya begins immediately spiritual life, and He instructs Sanātana Gosvāmī, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (CC Madhya 20.108-109). This is spiritual life. You . . . from the very beginning, you take it for granted that, "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. I am not this body. Neither I have anything to do in relationship with this body." Because as soon as I identify with my body, then the family relation, the society relation, the national relation, the country relation, so many things in relationship with the body we accept as truth. But that is not truth. As soon as the body finishes, everything finishes. Therefore, Prahlāda Mahārāja says, yoga is also not helpful for approaching the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

manye dhanābhijana-rūpa-tapaḥ-śrutaujas-

tejaḥ-prabhāva-bala-pauruṣa-buddhi-yogāḥ.

(SB 7.9.9)

This is plural number, yogā, all these kind including. Nārādhanāya hi bhavanti. They are not qualification for worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Na ārādhanāya hi bhavanti. Nārādhanāya hi bhavanti parasya puṁsaḥ. Parasya. Parasya puṁsaḥ. Puṁsa means enjoyer, puruṣa. The Lord is puruṣa, the male. The Lord, the Supreme Truth, Absolute, cannot be female. Just like so many others, Māyāvādī philosophers, they think that the Supreme Absolute Truth can be female. No. He can be female, but the real form is puṁsa. Just like Arjuna accepts the Absolute, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ śāśvataṁ (BG 10.12). The Lord is puruṣa; He is not female. Here also puṁsa.

Another meaning of puruṣa means "enjoyer." Just like we have got experience that the male is considered to be the enjoyer and the female is considered to be the enjoyed; although in this material world everyone is under illusion, everyone is thinking that he is enjoyer or she is enjoyer. So long we have got this false identification that, "I am enjoyer," that is māyā. We are not enjoyer. We are enjoyed. That is real philosophy. Therefore it is said, parasya puṁsa, predominated. We are not predominator. That is liberation.

Everything is prakṛti. The jīvas, they have been described as prakṛti. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parā. In the Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says that these material elements—earth, water, air, fire, mind, intelligence, ego—they are bhinnā me prakṛti aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). Prakrti. He is puruṣa. Prakṛti means female. So they are also all energy. Energy. Just like here, try to understand, the karmīs, unless they have got a wife, they cannot work; they are not very enthusiastic. Therefore, according to the karmīs, when the boy is developed, immediately the parents get him a wife for him. Otherwise he will be dull, he cannot work. Energy, śakti. If one has got good wife, then he gets energy to work. Therefore, prakṛti. She is called prakṛti, energy.

Similarly . . . this is a fact. Kṛṣṇa has got also energy, the original puruṣa—Rādhārāṇī, energy, prakṛti. Kṛṣṇa is engladdened in the presence of Rādhārāṇī. That is nature. Similarly, a man, he becomes energized if he has got a good wife or good mother. This is the history of the whole world. Any great man in this world, you will find that behind him he has got a good wife or good mother. Prakṛti, energy. That energizes him. In our country we have seen many persons, just like Sir Gurudas Banerjee, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. They had very good mothers, and they became very great men. Similarly, we saw one Englishman, Lord Willingdon, he had a very intelligent wife and he became great man.

So this prakṛti is energy. By the energy of one woman, one becomes very great. That is the material arrangement. Not only material, in the spiritual world also the same thing. Just like Kṛṣṇa is energized in the presence of Rādhārāṇī. In the presence of Rādhārāṇī. Kṛṣṇa is called Madana-mohana, and Rādhārāṇī is called Madana-mohana-mohinī. So the law is the same. But here in this material world, everything is perverted. Perverted. Therefore, we do not get the real energy. There is frustration, there is confusion. So we have to come to the real platform. Disease, diseased person . . .

A diseased person, there are nice eatable things, enjoyable things, but he cannot eat, he cannot taste it, diseased person. Liver function is not working; therefore, he cannot taste it. So this spiritual life means to come to the original position, where everything will be tasty. Everything will be tasty. Rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śaktir asmād ekātmānāv api deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau (CC Adi 1.5). Then we can understand what is spiritual life, what is spiritual love.

So . . . but the material things cannot help us. That is the statement of . . . nārādhanāya hi bhavanti parasya puṁso. Parasya puṁsaḥ. Not this material person—parasya. He is transcendental puruṣa, not puruṣa like us. Today in this life I have got a dress of a puruṣa, or next life I can get a dress of a female. Because here all are living entities, they are prakṛti. Actually they are prakṛti, but they are falsely dressed as puruṣa. Falsely dressed. Jīva-bhūtaṁ mahā-bāho (BG 7.5). They are superior, superior energy, superior prakṛti, but they are not puruṣa.

So the Māyāvādī theory, that by salvation means he becomes one with the Supreme. One with the Supreme, how it is possible? The Supreme is puruṣa and I am prakṛti. So there must be difference between puruṣa and prakṛti. The prakṛti cannot . . . a female cannot artificially become a male. That is not possible. And because we are trying artificially to become the supreme male, therefore that is māyā. That is māyā. Māyā means which is not fact. Mā-yā: it is false. So falsely we are trying to be puruṣa, enjoyer. This whole world is struggling to become puruṣa, enjoyer, everyone. Nation-wide, society-wide, they are trying to be puruṣa.

So therefore these material qualities will not help us to become . . . to approach the Supreme Brahmin. How? Bhaktyā tutoṣa bhagavān gaja-yūtha-pāya. Gaja-yūtha-pāya, the Gajendra, he was in danger. But although it was animal, but by simple devotional service, he satisfied the Supreme Lord and he was saved. And another thing is then we should not think that opposite, as it is said, dhana jana . . . dhanābhijana-rūpa-tapaḥ-śruta. Now Prahlāda Mahārāja says that material wealth is not sufficient qualification to become a devotee to approach the Lord. Does it mean if we become poor, then we can approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead? No. That is also not a qualification.

In material sense, this dhana . . . dhana, riches, it is relative. A poor man has got, say, ten rupees, he is thinking, "Oh, I am very rich man." And a rich man to our consideration, another man, he has got ten lakhs of rupees, he is thinking, "I am poor man because I have no ten crores of rupees." So it is not the money which makes one rich, because it is a status of mental concoction. The poor man, he hasn't . . . he gets one paisa, two paisa, he sometimes he gets ten rupees, he thinks, "I am very rich man." And another man, he earns one lakh, two lakhs at a time. So unless he comes to ten crores of rupees, he does not think himself rich man. So which one is rich and which one is poor? It is very difficult to ascertain.

So the fact is that bhakti does not depend on such poverty or richness. That is to be understood. It is not that the poverty-stricken man will be a great devotee. No. That is also not a qualification. And it is also not a qualification that a very rich man can become devotee. No. Therefore, Caitanya Mahāprabhu suggests . . . not the suggestion of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, it is in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ (SB 10.14.3). Sthāne sthitāḥ. You remain in your place, it doesn't matter.

In your consideration whether you are rich or poor, it doesn't matter. You remain in your position. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatām. You simply give your aural reception. What is that aural reception? San-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. San-mukharitām: those who are devotees, from their mouth you try to understand the glories of the Lord. This is the first-class qualification. Not that to become rich or poor.

Richness or poverty is no hampering. Because spiritual life is so great, so sublime, that is this ahaitukī hata. No material thing can check your spiritual progress. The only qualification you require, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted when he was talking with Rāmānanda Rāya, he was prescribing one after another different processes—karma, jñāna, yoga, dhyanavista, bhakti, so many things—and Caitanya Mahāprabhu was denying one after another, eho bāhya āge kaha, "This is not. This is external."

He began from the varṇāśrama-dharma, because that is the beginning of civilization.

varṇāśramācāravatā

puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān

viṣṇur ārādhyate puṁsāṁ

nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam

(CC Madhya 8.58)

Because unless one comes to the institute of varṇāśrama-dharma—brāhmiṇ, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, vānaprastha and sannyāsa, gṛhastha—they are not considered as civilized. So he began from this, Rāmānanda Rāya. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, eho bāhya āge kaha: "This is external. If you know something more, you can explain." Then he recommended karma-tyāga. That is also Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, eho bāhya, "It is external."

In this way, when Rāmānanda quoted one verse from Brahmā's prayer in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām . . . (SB 10.14.3) Jñāne prayāsam. Brahmā recommended that one should not endeavor by his individual effort to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One's business should be that he may not change his position. Means he may remain a gṛhastha, he may remain a brāhmiṇ or śūdra or a sannyāsī, it doesn't matter. In whatever position he is, he is all right. The only business is that you should not be proud of mental speculation, jñāna-tyāga.

You have to give up this practice of mental speculation, but you try to understand the Supreme Lord by hearing from a realized soul, san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. Then the result will be, gradually, although the Supreme Lord is never conquerable, still He will be conquered. Ajito 'py jito 'py asi. Ajita, nobody can conquer. But simply by hearing about Him, you go on hearing, hearing about Him, one day you will find that the Supreme Lord has been conquered by you. You have become victorious.

That conquered means you have understood the whole science of Kṛṣṇa, whole spiritual science. This is recommended by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement follows this principle. We are trying to give opportunity, every man, to hear about Kṛṣṇa. There is no need of practicing in the beginning. If you can practice, it is all right. But there is no need. Simply you hear about Kṛṣṇa. The Bhagavad-gītā . . . to hear about Kṛṣṇa means the Bhagavad-gītā is spoken by Kṛṣṇa, you can hear. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam you can hear. And you remain in your position. We don't want to disturb your position. Whatever you are, you remain. But you hear about Kṛṣṇa. Then gradually Kṛṣṇa will be conquered by you. Ajita, Ala-Kṛṣṇa.

So these things, people think that these riches or yogic power or bodily strength or influence, these are the qualification. They are not actually qualification, neither they are disqualification, if, provided . . . but the difficulty is, one who is rich, one who is very powerful, one who is very influential, he thinks, "What shall I do by hearing about Kṛṣṇa? I have got everything, I am so powerful, I am so rich." That is the disqualification. If he simply agrees to hear about Kṛṣṇa, then it is all right. We, according to Gosvāmīs, we don't say that riches, wealth, is a disqualification. But it must be engaged in the service of the Lord. Nirbandhe kṛṣṇa sambandhe yukta vairāgyam ucyate (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.255).

Just like Rāmānanda Rāya. He was very rich man, he was governor, but he always engaged himself in Kṛṣṇa's service. He was one of the most confidential servant and devotee of Lord Caitanya. So the conclusion is that richness or aristocracy, they are not qualification and they are not disqualification also, provided we agree to hear about Kṛṣṇa from the right source. This is the conclusion.

Then he says, viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābha-pādāravinda-vimukhāt śvapacaṁ variṣṭham (SB 7.9.10). Viprād, brāhmiṇ, dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa, a brāhmiṇ not by birth but with quality. Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. That is śāstra. Śāstra means, Lord Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). A brāhmiṇ or a kṣatriya or a vaiśya or a śūdra or a brahmacārī or a gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsī, they are divided according to the quality. According to the quality. Never says janma. Quality.

So here also it is said, viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād. Dvi means double, twice, and ṣaḍ means six, then means twelve. Twelve kinds of qualities a brāhmiṇ meets. The twelve kinds of qualities are also mentioned here. (reads from Śrīdhara Swami commentary) Evaṁ bhaktyeva kevalaya hari . . . (indistinct) . . . sambhavati tukta idaniṁ bhaktiṁ vinā na kiñcit toṣa . . . (indistinct) . . . dviṣaṭ . . . (indistinct) . . . guṇa . . . (indistinct) . . . variṣṭhaṁ manye. Even a brāhmiṇ, unless one is qualified by the twelve prescribed qualities in the śāstra, he cannot be accept . . . he cannot be accepted as brāhmiṇ.

Śrīdhara Swami says that even though one is qualified with all those good qualities which indicates that one is brāhmiṇ . . . Prahlāda Mahārāja also says that viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād (SB 7.9.10). Even though he is qualified, but he is not a devotee. Generally, those who are very highly qualified brāhmiṇ, they are very proud, and they do not become a devotee, generally. "Oh, devotion, this is for poor man. This is for the . . . those who are not highly educated, for them. They are chanting, dancing." They criticize like that.

But actually that is not the fact. Jīva Gosvāmī was the most learned scholar. Rūpa Gosvāmī was most learned scholar. All the . . . Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself, the most learned scholars. His one description of the Bhāgavata śloka . . . what is that śloka? Ātmārāmāś ca munayo (SB 1.7.10). He explained in sixty-four ways to Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was very proud of his knowledge. He was a great scholar, Bṛhaspati's . . . he is considered to be incarnation of Bṛhaspati, the learned scholar of heaven. And still, when he argued with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu about Vedānta-sūtra, he was defeated. He was defeated, and then he became His disciple. Similarly, Caitanya Mahāprabhu had talks with Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, another Māyāvādī sannyāsī scholar. So He also explained Vedānta-sūtra.

So it is not that this devotional line, disciplic succession, they are necessarily very poor in knowledge. They are full in knowledge. One many not be personally very learned, but because we follow the disciplic succession, the conclusion given by the learned scholars like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī, therefore we follow the conclusion, therefore we are also learned. Because we do not follow any other path, we follow mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186), we follow Jīva Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī. Therefore, we are called Rūpānuga Vaiṣṇava, Vaiṣṇava who are followers strictly. My Guru Mahārāja is described, rūpānuga-viruddha-apasiddhānta-dhvānta-hāriṇe. Rūpānuga-viruddha.

There are certain principles given by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. Just like Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, he is giving the definition of bhakti:

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ

jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-

śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā

(Brs. 1.1.11)

He is giving. This is bhakti. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ, without any material desires. Material desires, bhakti, that is not śuddha-bhakti. So these are the direction of the Gosvāmīs. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that, ei chay gosāi yāra tāra mui dāsa (Nāma-saṅkīrtana 6), "I am servant of such person who follows strictly the principles of Gosvāmīs."

So the Gosvāmīs have given their principles, especially for general public, in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. We have translated this book into Nectar of Devotion. So our business is everything is there, we have to follow. And my Guru Mahārāja is described as rūpānuga-viruddha-apasiddhānta-dhvānta-hāriṇe. He was strictly to follow the rūpānuga principle. Rūpānuga principle, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī directs in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, "You some way or other engage people in Kṛṣṇa consciousness."

yena tena prakāreṇa

manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet

sarve vidhi-niṣedhā syur

etayor eva kiṅkarāḥ

(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.4)

Just like in Europe and America, some of our friends criticize that, "Swami Mahārāja, he is not doing this, not doing that." We are doing everything, but our main business is just to induce them to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the secret. You have to induce them. Then even there is some discrepancies in the rules and regulation, it does not matter.

Rūpa Gosvāmī says, sarve vidhi-niṣedha syur etayor eva kiṅkara. First of all, we must be Kṛṣṇa conscious somehow or other. We must find out. It can be changed according to country, climate and circumstances. But the result, we have to see by the result whether one has become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is wanted. That is wanted. Then we say that this is the rule, you don't do this, we don't do this. In the beginning we have many difficulties. Because their behavior, their culture, everything just opposite. Just opposite. How you can expect everything to the right point? That is not possible. So we have to find out means how he becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is my first business. So that is the secret.

So Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī followed strictly the Rūpa Gosvāmī. Just like Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī introduced that a sannyāsī should go for begging alms in motorcar. You see? In motorcar. They should live in palatial buildings. Now if in this age if we follow that rūpānuga . . . Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī used to live underneath a tree, and if we say: "Now we shall also imitate . . ." just like there are many bābājīs in Vṛndāvana, they are imitating, a small loincloth, but doing all nonsense.

So imitation is not required. Real thing is required. How . . . what is the purpose of Gosvāmī? They say that yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe. Somehow or other first of all engage him in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is my Guru Mahārāja's gift. He first of all started that there is no need of going to Vṛndāvana and imitate the Gosvāmīs. Live in big, big cities, in big, big palatial houses, but preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness. People may understand. Give chance to the people how they will understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He opened many centers. So similarly, in big, big cities, so we are doing that. And because we are following strictly the principles of Rūpa Gosvāmī, rūpānuga, therefore it is somehow or other coming out very successfully. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should be pushed according to the rūpānuga principle.

So here it is said, manye . . . here it is said, viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābha-pādāravinda-vimukhāt śvapacaṁ variṣṭham (SB 1.7.10), Prahlāda Mahārāja recommends. Śvapacam, śva means dog. Dog . . . pacati, those who eat dog's flesh, they are considered very low born. There are different kinds of flesh eaters. In the Āyurveda-śāstra they are called, those who are eating the flesh of dog, they are called śvapaca. Those who are eating the flesh of cows, they are go-kaga, māṁsada, these are so many. But in the Manu-saṁhitā it is said that if one eats the flesh of cow, he is called go-kaga, if one eats the flesh of dog, he is called śvapaca, if one eats the flesh of this—he is giving description—but one who eats fish, he eats all the fleshes. Matsada-sarva-māṁsada. If anyone eats fish, he eats all kinds of fleshes.

Devotee (1): Fish?

Prabhupāda: Fish, yes. Fish is abominable according to Manu-saṁhitā. Matsada-sarva-māṁsada, tasmāt matsa vivarjet. Therefore, even you can eat the flesh of cow, but don't eat fish. That is the stricture in the Manu-saṁhitā. Because if you are eating dog's flesh, then you are sinful in the matter of dog's flesh only. But if you eat fish, then you become sinful of eating all kinds of flesh. Matsada-sarva-māṁsada. These are the strictures.

Of course, we have nothing to do with these dog-eaters or fish-eaters or cow-eaters. (laughs) (laughter) We are concerned with kṛṣṇa-prasādam. We are interested in eating Kṛṣṇa's prasāda. If Kṛṣṇa says that, "Give Me dog" or "Give Me cow flesh," we shall give and eat. But not before that. So we have no quarrel with these fish-eaters or cow-eaters. We are concerned Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26).

Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If He likes, He can eat everything. Because when Yaśodā-mayī suspected that Kṛṣṇa has eaten earth, and the boys, His playmates, were accusing Him, "Mother Yaśodā, your son has eaten earth," and Kṛṣṇa denied, "No, mother, I have not eaten," she did not believe. "All right, open Your mouth. I want to see." So when Kṛṣṇa opened, he (she) saw all the universes within. So therefore what is the question of this flesh or that flesh? Everything is there. Kṛṣṇa, because He is all-powerful, if He likes He can . . . but He does not. He does not.

So He says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Kṛṣṇa is giving. Kṛṣṇa is all-powerful, He can do everything. He has no restriction. If He is restricted, then He is not God. He can do anything, but He does not do so, because He is teaching us. You cannot say that, "Kṛṣṇa can eat this; therefore we can give everything." No. Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ. You can give vegetable, flowers, grains, milk, and we take that. So we have no quarrel with that.

Śvapaca. Śvapaca means the dog-eaters. The dog-eaters, they are considered to be the most abominable. The dog-eaters are there still. We have received report from our Hong Kong center that there is regular dog-eaters. And I am going there in Hong Kong. (laughter) But we are not concerned with the dog-eaters. But here Prahlāda Mahārāja says . . . dog-eaters were there . . . (indistinct) . . . millions of years ago. All kinds of people are there, always. It is not that now somebody has developed. No. Everything is perpetually existing.

We don't believe in Darwin's theory, evolution. Everything is . . . but sometimes the dog-eaters are very less, and sometimes the dog-eaters are very great. Sometimes the cow-eaters are very great, and sometimes . . . but everything is there. First-class, second-class, third-class men, asura and devata, they are all existing, always existing. Otherwise, how Prahlāda Mahārāja mentions śvapacaṁ variṣṭham—śvapaca means dog-eaters—that during his time, millions and millions of years ago, there were dog-eaters? Otherwise how he says?

So all classes of men are existing always, and everyone has got chance to become a devotee. Otherwise how Prahlāda Mahārāja says śvapacaṁ variṣṭham? The dog-eater is better than the brāhmiṇ with twelve qualification. Viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād. Vipra means real vipra, qualified, not the so-called birthright vipra. But he said dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād, a brāhmiṇ who is actually qualified with the twelve guṇas. These guṇas are mentioned here, Śrīdhara Swami. He says, (reading from commentary) dharmasya sattvaṁ ca damas . . . (indistinct) . . . titikṣa anasūya yajñasya danaṁ ca dhṛti sūtaṁ ca vratāni dvādaśa brāhmiṇs. He is quoting from śāstra, this is brahminical twelve qualifications.

What is that? He must be religious; he must be truthful; he must be controlling the senses; he must be controlling the mind; he should not be envious; he must be very intelligent; he must be very tolerant, titikṣa; anasūya, he is not envious; yajñasya, he must engage himself always in sacrificing, yajñasya; danaṁ ca, he must be charitable; and dhṛti, he must be . . . very powerful memory he must have; and then śrutasya, very learned scholar; sūtaṁ ca, vratāni, he must be endowed with vows, "I must do it," vratāni; dvādaśa brāhmiṇ. These are the twelve qualities of brāhmiṇ.

So here Kṛṣṇa . . . Prahlāda Mahārāja says, viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād: that brāhmiṇ who is qualified with these twelve kinds of high qualities, this is guṇa-yutād. But if he is not a devotee, aravinda-nābha-vimukhāt, he does not like to accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead as worshipable, such . . . better than this kind of brāhmiṇ is a śvapaca Vaiṣṇava. Why? The reason is given there that:

. . . pādāravinda-vimukhāt śvapacaṁ variṣṭham

manye tad-arpita-mano-vacanehitārtha-

prāṇaṁ punāti sa kulaṁ na tu bhūrimānaḥ

(SB 7.9.10)

This śvapaca, if he becomes a devotee, he is qualified to deliver his whole family. But not the brāhmiṇ who is so proud, he cannot deliver himself, what to speak of his family, because he is proud with these qualification.

But a Vaiṣṇava . . . just like it was in case of Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja did not ask anything for his personal benefit, but he was so kind, he asked some benediction from the Lord for his father. This is Vaiṣṇava. He was so much tortured by his father, but still he remembered that, "After all, he is my father. So I pray something for my father." He did not ask anything for himself. He prayed at last, "My dear Lord, my father is a . . . was a great offender at Your lotus feet. If You will kindly excuse him." So Nṛsiṁha-deva said: "My dear Prahlāda, not only your father—your father's father, his father, his father, all are delivered because you are in the family."

So that is the quality of a devotee. He can deliver all the members of the family, sa kulam. Sa kulam means with all the members. Prāṇaṁ punāti sa kulaṁ na tu bhūrimānaḥ. And the proud brāhmaṇa who is qualified with all these qualities, he cannot deliver himself. But a śvapaca, a dog-eater, if he is a devotee, he can deliver all his family. These are the Vaiṣṇava qualifications.

So if one becomes Vaiṣṇava in a family, he is giving the best service to the family. Unfortunately, if somebody comes within our Society, the father, mother become disturbed, "Oh, he is going to be a Vaiṣṇava. Let him become a Naxalite, that's all right. But why he should become a Vaiṣṇava?" Immediately disturbed. We have got experience, you see. But he does not know that any boy who becomes a Vaiṣṇava, who is strictly following the Vaiṣṇava principles, he is doing the . . . he is giving the best service to his family. Here Prahlāda Mahārāja says, and it is confirmed by Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva.

So these are the advantage of become Kṛṣṇa conscious and Vaiṣṇava. So therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended that we may remain in different position of social and other status of life, but if we give our submissive aural reception to the teachings of Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa-kathā, Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, then our life is successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break)

Devotee (1): . . . come to the varṇāśrama-dharma system that he cannot be considered civilized. But Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu said: "I am not brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra."

Prabhupāda: But that is Lord Caitanya. Ordinary person is not Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is liberated. He is talking from the liberated platform. But not everyone is on the standard of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore first of all, one has to come to the standard of varṇāśrama-dharma. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu's position can be obtained, by the grace of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by this saṅkīrtana movement. He is giving that.

That means we have to come to that position when we don't identify with this body. This varṇāśrama-dharma is identification with this body: "I am a brāhmiṇ." "I am a brāhmiṇ," what does it mean? This is bodily qualification, but I have got little more knowledge than others. I know what is Brahmin. But still, I am not a Vaiṣṇava. Unless I become a Vaiṣṇava, I come to the position of a brāhmiṇ and then I engage himself in the Brahmin's service, that is Vaiṣṇava. That is required. Simply . . .

But in order to raise oneself to the highest standard of life, these principles of varṇāśrama-dharma should be followed. You cannot become M.A. without becoming a student in the school and college. But if there is any special service . . . just like Dr. Rabindranath Tagore, he was given doctor title from the Oxford University. (break) (end)