731125 - Lecture SB 01.10.04 - London

Lectures by Date, 1973

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

731125SB-LONDON - November 25, 1973 - 36:54 Minutes

Pradyumna: (leads chanting of verse, etc.) (Prabhupāda and devotees repeat)

kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ

sarva-kāma-dughā mahī

siṣicuḥ sma vrajān gāvaḥ

payasodhasvatīr mudā

(SB 1.10.4)

(break)

Prabhupāda: Anyone can do it?

Pradyumna: Tenth Chapter, text 4. (break)

Translation: "During the reign of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, the clouds showered all the water that people needed, and the earth produced all the necessities of man in profusion. Due to its fatty milk bag and cheerful attitude, the cow used to moisten the grazing ground with milk."

Prabhupāda: Kāmam. Dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa (SB 4.8.41). In the human society, to make everything very regulated, the prescription is dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa. dharma means to be situated in one's position. That is called dharma. dharma is not a kind of faith. Faith is sometimes blind. That is not dharma. Just like we say, varṇāśrama-dharma. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). Varṇa. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra; brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsī.

This combination of eight makes dharma, constitutional position. Everyone is animal. So if one is not trained up in these eight principles of human society, so that is not dharma; it is sentiment. Less-intelligent class of men, they manufacture some process of so-called dharma, sentiment, but that does not stand very long. It will vanquish. But if dharma is accepted on the principles of this varṇāśrama-dharma, that is . . . for material purpose. That is not for spiritual purpose. Although there is hint of spiritual life, still, they are prākṛta.

So dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, CC Ādi 1.90). dharma means to stay in one's constitutional position. That is dharma. Artha means keeping oneself in one's constitutional position to get livelihood, artha. Without artha, livelihood, kāma, the sense gratification, or fulfilling the needs of life . . . that is kāma. Just like devotees, they have also got kāma. We are trying to become devotee. This is also one kind of kāma, but this is spiritual kāma. It is not material. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has described, kāma kṛṣṇa-karmārpaṇe (Prema-bhakti-candrikā).

Because there is kāma, and when the kāma is not fulfilled . . . generally, materially, kāma means lust, desire. So if our kāma, lust or desire, is not fulfilled, the next position is krodha. Kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mada, mātsarya, bhaya, these are different associates, one after another. If your desire is not fulfilled, then you become angry. Then after becoming angry, you become very greedy. Then you become bewildered, then become illusioned, then you become fearful.

Therefore there must be some regulative principle to fulfill our desire. And how the regulative principle comes to be fulfilled? Here it is said, kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ. Vavarṣa means showering. Showering. And parjanyaḥ means rain? Hmm? Parjanyaḥ, rains. So our all needs are showered from up. Therefore we pray. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). God. Rain is not under you control. Rain, it comes from sky, through the cloud. It is not under your control. When there is scarcity of rain, it is not your so-called science can produce rain. No. That is not possible. Drought. Drought, so many places, last two-three years. So kāmān, our necessities of life, from material point of view, it is fulfilled by rainfall from the sky. If there is no rainfall, you cannot produce anything.

Kāmaṁ vavarṣa . . . this is the description during the reign of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was the king of this earth, and he was so pious that on account of his piety, Kṛṣṇa supplied everything sumptuously. Sumptuously. Now, have you ever experienced . . .? Now, here it is stated, siṣicuḥ sma vrajān gāvaḥ. Now, we are hankering after milk, but in those days, during Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's time, milk was so sufficiently produced that before milking the cow, it supplied milk so sufficiently that the . . . what is called? Grazing ground?

Devotees: Pasturing ground.

Prabhupāda: Pasturing ground? They become muddy. They become muddy with milk. Now, with the scarcity of rain, the earth also does not become muddy. It becomes dry earth. But in those days, with milk it was muddy. Just imagine how much milk was . . . and how it is possible? Siṣicuḥ sma vrajān gāvaḥ payasodhasvatīr mudā. The milkbag was so fatty and full with milk. Why? Mudā, they were so happy. They were so happy.

So if you keep the cows happy, then cow will supply large quantity of milk. If the cow knows that you are going to kill it, she is always afraid, always fearful, "Oh, this man will kill." They can understand. I have seen in New Vrindaban, one cow was . . . she was crying because her calf was taken away. So she was feeling so sorry. Now in our New Vrindaban, we see how the cows are happy, how they are dealing. They are not afraid. This is our duty, to keep the cows happy. Just like I want to see my wife and children happy, similarly, it is the duty of the human society to see that the cows feeling very happy. This is human civilization. Otherwise it is tiger civilization, meat-eaters. Meat is not eaten by human being; it is eaten by the dogs, by the tigers, by the animals.

So we have created a society for killing cows and eating the meat and maintaining slaughterhouse, in the name of religion. This is going on. So how we can be happy? There cannot be happiness. It is not a sentiment. Therefore this is most sinful activity, meat-eating, cow killing. Most sinful activity. And you have to suffer for that. Unfortunately, these rascals, they do not know that what is the result of these sinful activities. They think the life will go on, and there is no more life. "After finishing of this body, everything will be finished." Atheistic theory. Bhasmī-bhūtasya dehasya kutaḥ punar āgamano bhavet (Cārvāka Muni). Kutaḥ. "Oh, who is coming?" But that they do not know, rascals. We get information from Kṛṣṇa, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13): "Oh, you have to accept another body after this finishing this body." But they are not responsible. They are so irresponsible, they do not care for the next life, the result of pious and sinful activities.

So it appears that how much strictly the cow protection was there, so that the gāvaḥ, payasodhasvatīr mudā. They were . . . you'll see Kṛṣṇa, He is always with cows, and how the cows look very happy with Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa is personally teaching how to protect cows. He became a cowherd boy. He was king's son, Mahārāja Nanda's, but His business was to take the cows and the calves daily to the pasturing ground. And it was very sportive engagement with the cowherd boys. The cows were grazing, and the boys, they took their meals in a pot, tiffin carrier—not tiffin carrier in those days; some way or other—and they used to eat them, distribute amongst the friends.

Sometimes a tiffin carrier was stolen by one boy, and he was searching, and then it was . . . so just like the boys do. This was the children's life, to take protection, to give protection to the cows, to the calves. The small children, up to six years, seven years old, they used to take care of the calves, and the elderly men, the used to take care of the . . . or elderly boys, they used to take care of the grown-up cows. So the cows were fed very nicely. Vrajān. Therefore Vṛndāvana is called Vrajabhūmi, "Where there are many cows." It is called Gokula. Gokula. Go means cows, and kula means group. Gokula. Govardhana. Govardhana Hill. Because the cows were grazing on the hill, and profuse grass was being grown, and they are enjoying. So there should be arrangement. Just like here we see, there are so many open fields, and the cows are grazing. But they cannot be happy, because they know that they are simply raised for being killed. They cannot be happy.

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a sentimental movement. It takes care of all-round social organization. It is not a something like religious sentiment. Everything should be take care of. Therefore we say cow protection. Cow protection. Here it is said, kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ sarva-kāma-dughā mahī. Mahī means land, bhūmi. Agnir mahī gaganam ambu marud-diśaḥ . . . mahī. In another, Brahma-saṁhitā, it is said mahī.

agnir mahī gaganam ambu marud-diśaś ca

kālas tathātma-manasīti jagat-trayāṇi

yasmād bhavanti vibhavanti viśanti yaṁ ca

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.51)

This mahī word is used there in the Vedas, Brahma-saṁhitā. What is that mahī? Agnir mahī. You require fire. You require land. You require sky. Agnir mahī gaganam ambu. You require water. Agnir mahī gaganam ambu marut. You require air. You require space. These are requirements. Agnir mahī gaganam ambu marud-diśaś . . . kāla. You require time, duration. Everything is there. Agnir mahī gaganam ambu marud-diśaś ca kālas tathātma . . . Ātmā, ātmā means this body, ātmā means the mind, and ātmā means the soul. So, the Brahma-saṁhitā you see, agnir mahī gaganam ambu marud-diśaś ca kālas tathātma-manasīti jagat-trayāṇi, yasmād bhavanti. Yasmād bhavanti. All these things, wherefrom they are coming? They do not know. Can the scientist say wherefrom so much water has come, so vast ocean, seas? But it has come from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca . . . bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). Bhinnā me prakṛtiḥ. It is Kṛṣṇa's energy. Kṛṣṇa's energy.

So the mahī, the land, the land is there. Just like in America or in Australia there are so much land. In Africa, so much land lying vacant. But they do not know that this land can produce all the needs of life. Sarva-kāma-dughā mahī. Sarva-kāma: whatever you want. Actually we are getting . . . just like this Western civilization has created so many slaughterhouse for eating purposes. But wherefrom they are getting? From mahī, from the land. If there is no pasturing ground, grazing ground, wherefrom they will get the cows and the bulls? That is also . . . because there is grass on the land and the cows and bulls eat them, therefore they grow. Then you cut their throat, civilized man, and eat, you rascal civilized man. But you are getting from the mahī, from the land. Without land, you cannot. Similarly, instead of cutting the throat of the cows, you can grow your food. Why you are cutting the throat of the cows? After all, you have to get from the mahī, from the land. So as they are, the animal which you are eating, they are getting their eatables from the land, why don't you get your eatables from the land?

Therefore it is said, sarva-kāma-dughā mahī. You can get all the necessities of your life from land. (Deity doors close; devotees offer obeisances) So dughā means produce. You can produce your food. Some land should be producing the foodstuff for the animals, and some land should be used for the production of your foodstuff—grains, fruits, flowers, and you take milk. Why should you kill these innocent animals? You take. You keep them mudā, happy, and you get so much milk that it will moist, it will make wet the ground. This is civilization. This is civilization.

And that was being maintained during the time of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. That is being described. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira maintained this standard of civilization. Just see how the economic problems will be solved simply by one Movement, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness Movement. Try to understand. Mahī. Because mahī will produce everything. Just like here in this Letchmore Heath there are so many . . . so much land lying vacant. You produce your own food. Why you are going to London, to the factories? There is no need. This is wrong civilization. Here is land. You produce your food. If you produce your food, there is no need of going hundred miles, fifty miles on your motorcycle or motor to earn your livelihood. Why? There is no need. Then you require petrol, and the petrol is scarcity. Then you require so many parts, so many . . . that means you are making the whole thing complicated unnecessarily. Unnecessarily.

There is no need. Simply you keep to the land and produce your food, and the cows are there; they will supply you milk. Then where is your economic problem? If you have sufficient grains, sufficient vegetables, sufficient milk from the land where you are living, where is your economic problem? Why you should go to other place? That is Vedic civilization. Everyone should remain in the spot and produce everything as he requires, and God will help you. Because you can produce from the land anywhere. The rainfall is there. If you have got land and the rainfall is regular, then you can produce anything. Kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ (SB 1.10.4). And how the rainfall will be possible? How regular rainfall? That is described in the Bhāgavata: yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ (BG 3.14).

(aside) Is there a Bhagavad-gītā here?

Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ. (break)

We are trying to give as much possible happiness to our students. Otherwise unless he is . . . one feels happy, how . . . it is little difficult. Unless one is very advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one cannot adjust things. Therefore our policy is that . . . what is called? Yogo bhavati siddhi. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhi (BG 6.17). We are yogīs, but we are not that kind of yogī, unnecessarily giving trouble to the body. No. Yuktāhāra. You eat. You require to eat; you eat. Don't starve. Don't unnecessarily fast. But don't eat voraciously. That is bad.

That is not yukta. You eat, but don't eat voraciously: "Because there is something very palatable, let me eat voraciously," and then again fall sick. And if you cannot digest, then you will sleep. You will sleep only. Therefore don't eat more, but eat whatever is necessary. Yuktāhāra. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhi. Eat whatever necessity, whatever you can . . . "One man's food, another man's poison." One man eats, say, so much voraciously; the another man cannot digest. If he imitates, "Oh, he is eating so much? I will also eat so much." No. He can digest it, let him eat. But if you cannot digest, don't eat more. That is required.

(aside) Then, what is that verse?

Pradyumna:

annād bhavanti bhūtāni

parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ

yajñād bhavati parjanyo

yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ

(BG 3.14)

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Translation?

Pradyumna: "All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajña, or sacrifice, and yajña is born of prescribed duties."

Prabhupāda: That's it. Everything is cycle. If you execute your prescribed duties as a brāhmaṇa, as a kṣatriya, as a vaiśya or as a śūdra, as a brahmacārī, as a gṛhastha, as a vānaprastha or as a sannyāsī . . . divisions are there. Division must be there. Just like government. For executing nicely the governmental business, there are so many departments. Not that one department, only king, queen. Then government . . . why the government is spending so much money, maintaining so many building? Simply queen's palace, that Buckingham Palace, that is sufficient? No.

There must be departments. So these are departments, this brāhmaṇa, this kṣatriya, the vaiśyas, the śūdras. Just like in your body there are departments. This department, brain, head. Therefore it is called head, head office. Head office. Why do you refer to the "Head office"? It has come from this head. Why Godhead? The Supreme Godhead, the Supreme. Therefore we say "Godhead." There may be many gods, but Kṛṣṇa is the supreme God, head, head God, Godhead. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7): "There is no more superior person than Me." So the divisions required. The divisions required.

So for these divisions, making these divisions to work very nicely the social order, there must be divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Without the division . . . so what is . . . read the verse again.

Pradyumna: Annād bhavanti . . .

Prabhupāda: Annād bhavanti, huh?

Pradyumna: . . . bhūtāni.

Prabhupāda: Ah, bhavanti bhūtāni. Annād. Anna means food grains. Either animal or man, they must eat sufficiently. Either you eat grass or you eat rice or wheat or oats, or . . . something must be. So they are called anna. In Sanskrit language it is called anna. Anna means food grains. So annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). Every living entity lives. Nowadays there are scarcity of food grains. Even the human being cannot eat sufficiently. But formerly the kings, they used to maintain elephants. They were supplied very nice cāpāṭis. Do you know that? Still there are kings, they have elephants. Therefore elephant can be maintained by very rich man. If suppose, if somebody comes, he says: "Take this elephant. I give you free," will you take? Will you accept? (laughs) You know that elephant will devour you, your all your means of income, all family income, because . . . you cannot maintain elephant. (laughs)

Therefore in India sometimes, when, a hundred years ago, some students would come in England, especially London, and make a European, English wife . . . in old days they are doing that. So people would say that, "This man is maintaining one white elephant." Because a European wife means very much expenditure. (laughter) So one Mr. P. R. Das, he was high-court judge, so he was taking bribe on account of maintaining white elephant. He married one European wife. The expenditure very high. In those days for Indian it was a fashion to get a European wife. So this man married one European wife, and his expenditures was very, very heavy. So high-court judge, he was getting only four thousand rupees, and his expenditure was ten thousand rupees, and therefore he was taking bribe. He admitted. So when he was detected by the chief justice, he was dismissed from the post. But this is the position. You should not expend more than your income.

So kāmam . . . yes, what is that? Annād, annād bhavanti bhūtāni. Bhūtāni means embodied, those who have taken, accepted, the living entities. They live by eating anna, either animal or human being. You require anna. Produce food grains. Food grains or grass or anything, as the animals eat and man eat, you must produce. And that production is there on the ground, not your factory. Not in the Birmingham factories. There are many factories in Birmingham? You cannot produce food grains there. Therefore it is said, annād bhavanti bhūtāni. Then, next?

Pradyumna: Parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ.

Prabhupāda: And parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. Parjanya means if there is water fall, rainfall, then you can produce anna. Parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. One after another. You require food grains, and for producing food grains, you require sufficient rainfall. Parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. Then?

Pradyumna: Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ.

Prabhupāda: Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ (BG 3.14). And the the rain supply be regular if you perform sacrifice. Therefore, what is that next?

Pradyumna: Yajñād bhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ.

Prabhupāda: Ah, yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ. Yajña, karma. karma means, according to the varṇāśrama, brāhmaṇa should work according to his own position. They will chant Vedic mantra. That is also one karma, activity. They must understand what is Vedas; they must explain. That is brāhmaṇa's business. And kṣatriya's business, karma . . . this is called kṣātraṁ karma svabhāva-jam. Brahma-karma svabhāva-jam. Vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam. Śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam. By nature, one has got a particular type of work. So yajñaḥ karma-sambhavaḥ, what is that?

Pradyumna: Yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ.

Prabhupāda: Ah, karma-samudbhavaḥ. If everyone is doing his duty nicely as a brāhmaṇa, as a kṣatriya, as a vaiśya or as a śūdra, then no . . . there is no question of that you are big, I am . . . everyone has to do his work according to his capacity. Just like in ordinary life also, we do not see that everyone is able to do everything. No.

There are certain class of men. If you want some help for repairing your electric wiring, you must call for a electrician, not a carpenter. But when you want to repair a door, you require a carpenter. That is Vedic division. Therefore there was caste system. Everyone . . . I have seen in India still—in you country also you'll find—the potters, during Diwali season, they make small dolls. So I have seen the potter's house. The children, five or ten years old, they are also making small dolls. Small dolls. Because by tradition, by family, the father is making doll, the mother is making doll, and the children also learning. Similarly, the weaver, you will find. You supply the . . . still there are this system. You supply. Gandhi wanted to introduce this system. You produce your thread and give to the weaver, and weaver will give you cloth. Why you are looking after this Manchester cloth? By this movement . . . (break) (end)