731203 - Lecture SB 01.15.24 - Los Angeles

Lectures by Date, 1973

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this lecture

731203SB-LOS ANGELES - December 03, 1973 - 30:49 Minutes

Prabhupāda: (leads singing of Jaya Rādhā-Mādhava; prema-dvani prayers) Thank you very much.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break)

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (leads chanting of verse) (Prabhupāda and devotees repeat)

sūta uvāca

evaṁ cintayato jiṣṇoḥ

kṛṣṇa-pāda-saroruham

sauhārdenātigāḍhena

śāntāsīd . . .

(SB 1.15.28)

Devotee: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: . . . vimalā matiḥ

Devotee: It's verse 24.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Devotee: He skipped a verse, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Pradyumna: Oh see.

prāyeṇaitad bhagavata

īśvarasya viceṣṭitam

mitho nighnanti bhūtāni

bhāvayanti ca yan mithaḥ

(SB 1.15.24)

(break)

Prabhupāda: Word meaning?

Pradyumna: prāyeṇa etat—it is almost by; bhagavataḥ—of the Personality of Godhead; īśvarasya—of the Lord; viceṣṭitam—by the will of; mithaḥ—one another; nighnanti—do kill; bhūtāni—the living beings; bhāvayanti—as also protect; ca—also; yat—of whom; mithaḥ—one another.

Translation: "Factually, this is all due to the supreme will of the Lord, Personality of Godhead. Sometimes people kill one another, and at other times they protect one another."

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Now read the purport also.

Pradyumna: "According to the anthropologists, there is nature's law of struggle for existence and survival of the fittest. But they do not know that behind the law of nature there is the supreme direction of the Supreme Lord Personality of Godhead. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is confirmed that the law of nature is executed under the direction of the Lord. Whenever, therefore, there is peace in the world, it must be known that it is due to the good will of the Lord, and whenever there is upheaval in the world, it is also due to the supreme will of the Lord. Not a blade of grass moves without the will of the Lord. Whenever, therefore, there is disobedience of the established rules enacted by the Lord, there is war between men and nations."

"The surest way to the path of peace is, therefore, dovetailing everything to the established rule of the Lord. The established rule is that whatever we do, whatever we eat, whatever we sacrifice, whatever we give in charity must be done to the full satisfaction of the Lord. No one should do anything, eat anything, sacrifice anything or give anything in charity against the will of the Lord. Discretion is the better part of valor, and one must learn how to discriminate between actions which may be pleasing to the Lord and those which may not be pleasing to the Lord. An action is thus judged by the Lord's pleasure or displeasure. There is no room for personal whims. We must always be guided by the pleasure of the Lord. Such action is called yoga-karmasu kauśalam, or actions performed which are linked with the Supreme Lord. That is the art of doing a thing perfectly."

Prabhupāda: (child sounds) (aside) That child . . .

So the Fifteenth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā, the statement is there by Kṛṣṇa:

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo

mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca

vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo

Vedānta-kṛd veda-vid ca aham

(BG 15.15)

Actually, everyone is suffering or enjoying. There is no enjoyment, only suffering. But the struggle for existence, to counteract the suffering, we take it as enjoying. Actually there is no enjoying.

In the Bhagavad-gītā you know . . .

(aside) It is disturbing, the child.

In the Bhagavad-gītā that . . . what I was speaking? Enjoying and suffering. Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says that, "This place . . ." The supreme authority says: "This place, this material world, is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15): it is the place for suffering." That is a fact. One person is trying to accept suffering as enjoying, and another person is trying to end actually suffering. This is the difference between sane and insane person. I'll give you a practical example, that in the prison, government prison house, there are some prisoners who are called first-class prisoners. They are given special favor by the government.

So . . . and there are third-class prisoners also. But both of them are prisoners. And prison is not meant for comfortable life. It is meant for suffering. The Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura therefore sings, anādi karama-phale padi' bhavārṇava-jale taribāre nā dekhi upāya (from Gītāvalī). One who is sane person, he knows that, "I may be first-class prisoner, but that does not mean I am not prisoner. I am prisoner." The suffering of the prison house, that I have no independence to do anything, that is prison life.

We are . . . everyone is thinking that we are independent, but that is not the fact.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni

guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ

ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā

kartāham iti manyate

(BG 3.27)

Actually, everybody is being carried by the laws of material nature, but a foolish person is thinking that he is doing himself. So here it is said that prāyeṇa etad bhagavata īśvarasya viceṣṭitam: we cannot do anything without the will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like in the state you cannot do anything without the sanction of the government—similarly the supreme state, the supreme order-giver, Kṛṣṇa, or God, without His sanction we cannot do anything.

But here it is said that mitho nighnanti bhūtāni bhāvayanti ca yan mithaḥ. Sometimes by His will we kill one another, and sometimes we give protection one another. So does it mean that in different time Kṛṣṇa is giving different intelligence? No. Kṛṣṇa's action is daiva, superior. Just like the high court, the judge is . . . somebody condemning somebody that, "This man should be hanged," and other man, "Yes, he must get the degree. He will get the millions of dollars from that person." Now, is he partial? He is giving somebody millions of dollars, and somebody is ordered to be hanged. Is he partial? No. He is not partial. He is simply administering the law, that's all. This man has created such a situation that he should be condemned to death, and this man has created such situation that he will be rewarded by ten thousand, er, millions of dollars. It is his action.

karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). We are acting, and daiva-netreṇa, by superior administration, daiva-netreṇa, we are getting different types of body, and suffering the or enjoying the consequence. This is our position. Kṛṣṇa is . . . God is . . . it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu (BG 9.29): "I am equal to everyone." Otherwise how He is God? God is not partial, that somebody should be killed and somebody should be rewarded with ten thousand dollars. No. It is our own work. We situate . . . we create such situation. That we should know. We forget. Now, somebody I kill in my last life—just like here, if I kill somebody—then I shall be killed also, by the law, nature, or law of God.

Similarly, I forget that because I kill somebody, now that somebody is killing me. So forget. But Kṛṣṇa reminds, "Now this person killed you," or "This child killed you last life. Now you can kill in the womb. Now you kill." Viceṣṭitam. He reminds. Because Kṛṣṇa is described: anumantā. Anumantā upadraṣṭā. He is witness. Now this man has killed this man. Now he gets the opportunity to kill him again. And Kṛṣṇa reminds you, "Kill him. Here is opportunity." This is the position. Don't think when it is said that īśvarasya viceṣṭitam, it is by the will, that will. Because He is equal to everyone, so everyone should get chance to retaliate. That is going on.

So God is not partial. He is impartial. Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ (BG 9.29). Nobody in the material world . . . just like jail superintendent or the government. The government is not partial. Government is equal to everyone, but everyone is enjoying or suffering according to his own work. So that is reminded. That is reminded and sanction given that, "This body, this being, killed you in your last life. Now I give you sanction, you can kill him." This is called nighnanti. Mitho nighnanti. And "This man gave you protection, so you give him protection." So what is the wrong there? There is nothing wrong. It is equal justice. Because . . . don't think that because God, or Kṛṣṇa, gives sanction, viceṣṭitam, therefore He is partial. No. He is always impartial. We are suffering our own activities. karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). We are getting different types of bodies, suffering.

Now . . . therefore we should always try to understand the will of God. That is our duty. That will of God we can understand in the human form of life. That is an opportunity. Will of God is expressed very clearly: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is said already. Nobody can say: "What is the will of God? I do not know." No, you know. He says, God says, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, "You give up all other business. You just become surrendered to Me." "And then how shall I pull on? Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: "I shall give you protection. I will give you protection, and I shall release you from the effects of all sinful activity." Because we suffer on account of sinful activities, and we enjoy by pious activity. That is the law.

If you become nicely educated, cultured, then you get good position in the society. But if you are a rascal, then you suffer. Similarly, we are creating our position. But that . . . that is called karma-bandhana. karma-bandhana means so long we do not know what is our duty, we create our position differently and therefore sometimes we suffer, sometimes we enjoy. Therefore we must know what is our duty. That we have forgotten. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). In this material condition of life we have forgotten what is our actually aim of life. Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). Our duty, when we forget our duty, that is called dharmasya glāniḥ. dharma is not a religious sentiment. dharma means our occupational duty, real meaning. I think I have given it in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So when we forget our duty, that is called dharmasya glāniḥ. Glāniḥ means deterioration of our real occupational duty.

So our real occupational duty is to serve the Supreme. That is our real occupational duty. We are meant for serving. But when we forget serving Kṛṣṇa and we try to serve so many other things . . . that means . . . "So many other things" means our lust, our greediness, our illusion, our so many problems we serve. We have to serve. That is our position. Nobody can be free from service. That is not possible. But we do not know where to give our service. That is forgetfulness. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā na pālitā durnideśāḥ (Brs. 3.2.35, CC Madhya 22.16). Here, the human being, in ignorance they are serving the kāma, lust, greediness, moha, anger—so many things they are serving. They are serving. A man is killing another body by lust, lusty desires. Or by illusion. So many other reasons. So we are serving. There is no doubt about it. We are serving. But we are serving our kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mātsarya—lust, desire, avarice, like that. Now we have to learn that we have been frustrated by serving so many things. Now we have to turn that service attitude to Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's mission. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66): "You are serving already. You cannot be free from service. But your service is misplaced. Therefore you just turn your service unto Me. Then you become happy." That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśāḥ. Because we are greedy . . . just like a greedy man, he is suffering by eating more. There are so many diseases, just like diabetes or dysentery. There are so many things. These are the diseases for eating more. That's all. So we are suffering—at the same time, we are eating more, because we are greedy, we are lusty. This is the cause. So therefore kāmād . . . we are serving. We are serving our lust, our greediness, and suffering. This is practical. If you have no hunger, if you eat . . . if you have no appetite, if you eat, then you suffer. If you infect some disease, you'll suffer. That is practical. So we are associating in . . . being infected by lust, greediness, illusion, fearfulness, so many things. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat (SB 7.5.5). If you steal, then you will be under fearfulness, "Oh, I may not be arrested. I may be arrested." Because you have done that. Asad-grahat. You have done something wrong, therefore you are under the influence of fearfulness. It is very easy to understand.

So we are creating our situation and serving a different type of desire. That's all. Kāmādīnāṁ katidhā na . . . and sometimes we are doing something which we should not do. Still, we are doing. But doing so, teṣāṁ karuṇa jāta. Although we have done so much for . . . to serve the lust, greediness, but they are not merciful. They are still dictating, "Go on doing this, go on doing this, go on doing." He is suffering—still, he is following the dictation of lust and desire. We are creating our own karma. Therefore any sane man will see that, "I have served so long, so much, our desires, but I am not happy. I am not happy, neither the desire is happy." The desire is never satiated that, "You have killed so many animals. Now you don't . . ." No. He will go on, go on killing, killing, killing, killing, killing, killing. He is never satisfied, "Now I have killed so many. No more. Stop." No, there is no stoppage. That will go on. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā.

The injunction is, "Thou shall not kill," but he will kill and kill and kill and kill, and still, he wants to be satisfied. Just see. The Bible says: "Thou shall not kill," and they are simply engaged in killing business, and still they want to be happy. Just see the fun. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says: "Yes, you be killed by occasional world war. You must be killed. You have created this situation. You must be killed. You may be American or Englishman or German or this or that. You may be very proud of your nationality. But you must be killed." This is the position. Īśvarasya viceṣṭitam (SB 1.15.24). "You have killed so many animals. Now wholesale killing, one bomb, one atom bomb. Be killed."

These rascals, they do not know how things are going on. Īśvarasya viceṣṭitam. "Tit for tat." There must be. If in ordinary laws, in the state laws, that if you have killed somebody you must be hanged, so do you think you can simply bluff the supreme authority, Kṛṣṇa, that you are going, killing, killing, killing, and you will be saved? No. You will be killed in pestilence, in famine. Even within your mother's womb, you will be killed. Where it is supposed to be good protection, there also you will be killed. The human nation being degenerated in such a way, the killing business is increasing daily, daily, daily, daily. Īśvarasya viceṣṭitam.

So we therefore must submit to Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya . . . (BG 18.66). Because we cannot become free. We cannot go out of the laws of God. That is not possible. Therefore we must surrender, that "Kṛṣṇa, God, I have acted freely so many births. I did not become happy. Neither I am happy at the present moment. So now I surrender unto You. You say that 'I give you protection.' So kindly give me protection." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya. (end)