750722 - Lecture SB 06.01.41 - Los Angeles

Lectures by Date, 1975

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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750722SB-LOS ANGELES - July 22, 1975 - 30:28 Minutes

Pradyumna: "The supreme cause of all causes, Nārāyaṇa, is situated in His own abode in the spiritual world, but nevertheless He controls the entire cosmic manifestation according to the three modes of material nature—sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. In this way all living entities are awarded different qualities, different names (such as brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya), and different activities according to the institution of varṇāśrama. Thus Nārāyaṇa is the cause of the entire cosmic manifestation."

Prabhupāda:

yena sva-dhāmny amī bhāvā

rajaḥ-sattva-tamomayāḥ

guṇa-nāma-kriyā-rūpair

vibhāvyante yathā-tatham

(SB 6.1.41)

This is very important thing, how the supreme controller is controlling everything. It doesn’t require His personal presence; He is personally present everywhere by His energy. Just like it is now daytime, so anyone can understand that the sun is there in the sky. Only the rascal fools cannot understand. Otherwise as soon as we see daylight, we may not see the sun, but still any intelligent man will know there is sun. Similarly, those who are intelligent, they can see, "There is God." By the manipulation of the natural activities, they understand, "Now there is God."

So how God is working, that is known to us . . . not unknown to us. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8). Just like the sun is there in the sky, but somewhere it is cloudy, somewhere there is bright sun, and somewhere mixture—sometimes sunlight, sometimes cloudy—these three things we can see. It does not mean because here in Los Angeles or similar other countries it is smoky, foggy, therefore the sun has no appearance. No. Sun is there. So those who are fortunate, they are getting full sunlight, and those who are unfortunate is covered with clouds. Why these distinct?

kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya

sad-asad-yoni-janmasu

(BG 13.22)

As you are associating with different quality, we are put into such condition. If we associate with the sattva-guṇa and try to become qualified brāhmaṇa, we can do so, and then everything will be clear. Brāhmaṇa means sattva-guṇa, so to him everything is clear. Rajo-guṇa, mixture, not clear; and tamo-guṇa, darkness. These three guṇas are working by the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ

sūyate sa-carācaram

(BG 9.10)

"Under My control," Kṛṣṇa says. So who are in sattva-guṇa, in brāhmaṇa quality, they can understand. Therefore we are trying to bring some men in the brāhmaṇa qualities, because the whole world is in the rascal quality. Therefore attempt is to deliver them, to bring to the brāhmaṇa quality. Therefore you’ll find in this temple all devotees, they are in the brāhmaṇa quality; they are not in the rascal quality. It can be raised. That is necessary. If you keep the whole world in the darkness, then how they will be happy? They cannot be happy; it is not possible.

tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ

kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye

ceta etair anāviddhaṁ

sthitaṁ sattve prasīdati

(SB 1.2.19)

One has to come to the quality of sattva-guṇa, then he will be happy; otherwise there is no possibility. Kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye. If we remain in the passion quality and ignorance quality, then there is no question of peace. And they are trying to bring in peace, keeping men in the tamo-guṇa and rajo-guṇa. Just like if you bring a dozen of dogs, and if you teach them, "Please live peacefully," will they do? Is it possible? No. The dog is made, he must bark.

So the so-called humanity, philanthropy and so on, all these big, big names, isms, this parties, that party, they have no knowledge how to keep men in peace. They are simply, by superficial lecture, they want to make the dogs human beings. Is it possible? No. They must be trained up—training. If you can train a dog also can become like a gentleman, even a dog, and what to speak of the human society? But there is no such training. That is the defect. Therefore in spite of so much advancement in science, philosophy and so on, so on, so on, people are barking like dogs. The whole thing has to be changed automatically. Just like when there is epidemic, the physician, those who are in medical knowledge, they want to keep people unaffected by injection, by this, that, so that the epidemic may not touch. Similarly, the epidemic is going on, but if you keep yourself vaccinated, then it will not touch you.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to keep people vaccinated, that the infection of Kali-yuga will not touch. This is the movement. They think that "Swāmījī is very conservative that he does not allow to smoke even." Some of them think that I do not allow the primary necessities of life. (laughter) But the rascals do not understand that unless you become purified, you will never have peace. Forget peace. All this, it is not possible. Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means at least to . . . some man to bring in this platform of goodness. At least people will see, "Oh, here is an ideal class." Then they will try to follow.

yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas

tat tad evetaro janaḥ

(BG 3.21)

Just like when we started this movement in New York, I was alone, everyone knows. Then gradually there was increasing. How increase? Because there is a class, ideal, they are seeing and they are trying to follow. They come forward: "Please let me be initiated."

So there must be an ideal class of men in the society. It is not possible that cent percent people will become Vaiṣṇavas, brāhmaṇas. That is not possible. Nature is so strong that it is not. But if there is an ideal class of men, then people will be guided. That is required. Just like brain is required. Without brain, what is the use of this hand, leg? The brāhmaṇa, Vaiṣṇava, is the brain of the society, and the kṣatriyas are the hands of the society, to give protection. Whenever there is an attack, hands first of all are used, naturally, by nature. You haven’t got to ask the hands. Automatically. Nature is so perfect that if someone is coming to attack your head, the hands will push up. Similarly, these brāhmaṇa quality of the society must be maintained. Must be maintained. It is not a fashion. There must be brain; otherwise the whole thing is useless. That is going on. Everyone is drunkard, everyone is woman hunter, everyone is motor driver, everyone . . . What is this? All śūdrās and rascals, fourth-class, fifth-class men. How they can be happy?

So they should be trained. That is the nature's way. Kṛṣṇa wants this, as it is said here that,

guṇa-nāma-kriyā-rūpair

vibhāvyante yathā-tatham

(SB 6.1.41)

Kṛṣṇa wants it, that the human life means the opportunity of understanding Kṛṣṇa, or God. Dogs, cats cannot do that, and if you keep yourself cats and dogs then your life is spoilt. Here is the opportunity. Nature has given you opportunity. Now you can get out of this law, natural law, repetition of birth and death. But the doggish society, they are so foolish, exactly like dogs, they cannot understand even that there is transmigration of the soul; there is soul; it is existing; it is eternal. No discussion about these things, although it is a fact. Kṛṣṇa teaches these things from the beginning.

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

Dhīra. Dhīra means "sober," "gentle." Dhīras tatra na muhyati. Just like a father: The child is growing, the baby has become now grown-up, the boy has now grown up. So father knows that "This is my same child who took birth from the womb of his mother, small. Now he is growing, or changing his body." So dhīras tatra, he does not cry, "Oh, where is my baby? Where is my baby?" The rascals will say; but dhīra, one who knows things, he knows that the same baby has now grown up. Na muhyati. Dhīras tatra na muhyati. Similarly, when this body is changed, dhīras tatra na muhyati, he knows that the same child who came as a child, now he has grown old, now he has died; means he has accepted another body. Dhīras tatra na muhyati. Like they are making the shirts—ordinary thing, anyone can understand. But Kṛṣṇa says dhīras. That means in spite of so much education, advancement, there is no dhīra. All adhīra. Adhīra means no knowledge, or ruffian, thieves, restless. Adhīra.

Now the other day we were walking in the university . . . Was it California University, in San Francisco?

Devotee: Berkeley University.

Prabhupāda: Berkeley University. And somebody told me, I asked her, "Why this tower is covered?" "Because the students sometimes jump from them." So this is education (laughter): after taking education, make suicide. (laughter) After taking education, become hippies. This is going on. Why? Why such disappointment? Because we are not made dhīra—adhīra. They are restless: this life, that life, this life, that life, this manufacture, that manufacture, some . . . So human society should be trained up how to become dhīra.

Now, who can become dhīra unless he is a devotee of Nārāyaṇa?

harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā

manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ

(SB 5.18.12)

If you do not train them how to become a devotee, he will be wandering on the mental plane, concoction. And asato dhāvato bahiḥ: and he will do something which is asat. Asat means which is not good or which is not eternal; some temporary. Asato mā sad gama. The Vedic injunction is: don’t keep yourself in asat; come to the sat. Tamasi mā jyotir gama: don’t keep yourself in the darkness; come to the light. These are the instructions. Therefore we discussed for the last few . . . Veda-praṇihito dharmo. You have to follow the Vedic instruction. That is dharma; that is religion. Not that you manufacture something and you’ll become religious. No. We have discussed already,

veda-praṇihito dharmo

hy adharmas tad-viparyayaḥ

(SB 6.1.40)

If you do not follow the Vedic instruction, that is adharma, or irreligious. The Vedic dharma, just like I have quoted so many Vedic: "Do this. Do this."

So Kṛṣṇa, or Nārāyaṇa . . . Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa—there is no difference—He is doing everything; everything is His knowledge. Vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). Kṛṣṇa says, "I know everything." In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the beginning, janmādy asya yato 'nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ (SB 1.1.1). That is Absolute Truth; it is abhijñaḥ. Absolute Truth is not a chunk, that chunk all of a sudden become burst and hail(?) creation. What is that, very sensible theory? No. Veda says, abhijñaḥ: the creation was taken place not from the chunk, but abhijñaḥ, the person who knows everything. By His brain. So the scientists are now, some of them, are realizing that there is a big brain behind this all creation, and some of the rascals, they are saying that chunk. It is not chunk: some being, the Supreme Being, who has got supreme brain, He is working. That is knowledge.

Therefore in the Vedas you will find this instruction, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13), that what is the substance to . . .? He is the supreme eternal amongst all eternals. All eternals. But He is supreme eternal. Why supreme? Now, although we are eternal, we sometimes fall down in this material world and become attracted, so we forget our eternity. We think that we are subjected to these material laws, therefore death is inevitable. We cannot understand that death can be avoided. Therefore because we are prone to this forgetfulness, we are not freed(?). But Kṛṣṇa, although He comes, He is not prone to be affected by this material energy; that is the difference between. But fools and rascals think of Kṛṣṇa,

avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā

mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam

(BG 9.11)

They think that "Kṛṣṇa is also like me. Kṛṣṇa is dancing with gopīs—we can also find out some gopīs and dance."

So this is called daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī (BG 7.14). Guṇa-mayī. There it is said, guṇa nāma. So according to guṇa, then you are named. If you are in the sattva-guṇa, means the mode of goodness, or if you are in brāhmaṇa . . . or if you are in sattva-guṇa, then you are a brāhmaṇa. If you are in rajo-guṇa, then you are a kṣatriya. And if you are in tamo-guṇa, then you are a śūdra. And if you are mixed up, you are a vaiśya. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says,

cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ

guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ

(BG 4.13)

So in this material world, if you want to adjust things . . . The Vaiṣṇava, he's not within the guṇas. This is to be understood. Vaiṣṇava is guṇa-tīta: he is above all these guṇas. The other day someone was asking me . . . Potter. A Vaiṣṇava may work as a potter, but the next moment he can be called to worship the Deities. The materially, a potter cannot worship the Deities; a brāhmaṇa must worship. So how is that? One who is working doll-making and he is immediately called, "Go to the Deity room and worship," because a Vaiṣṇava is guṇa-tīta.

sa guṇān samatītyaitān

brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

(BG 14.26)

A Vaiṣṇava is not under these guṇas. But those who are not Vaiṣṇavas, not devotees, they must according to this law of brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they must work. Otherwise there will be disruption in the social order—varṇa-saṅkaraḥ. Varṇa-saṅkaraḥ means there is no discrimination who is brāhmaṇa, who is kṣatriya, who is a vaiśya, who is śūdra: chaos. Strīṣu duṣṭāsu varṇa-saṅkaraḥ abhibhavāt (BG 1.40). This is also discussed. If you allow the woman to be polluted, then there will be varṇa-saṅkaraḥ. You cannot distinguish who is brāhmaṇa, who is a kṣatriya, who is a vaiśya. Therefore social order should be adjusted, varṇa-saṅkaraḥ. You have . . .Varṇa, varṇāśrama; that is the instruction of the Vedas.

varṇāśramācāra-vatā

puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān

viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā

nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam

(CC Madhya 8.58, Visnu Purana 3.8.9)

Because the whole process of life is to understand God. This is human being. That is the aim of human civilization. But unfortunately these rascals, they do not know it. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ (SB 7.5.31). They are making different goal of life according to their own whims, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa . . . No sattva-guṇa; rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. Sattva-guṇa, we understand the aim of life is to please God. That is sattva-guṇa. And rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, they do not know—in darkness. So rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa is tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhā (SB 1.2.19). People, when they are influenced by rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, their activities are kāma—lust—and lobhā—greediness. The whole people you see, taken by greediness; there is no satisfaction. There is no satisfaction. They are committing sinful activities one after another. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Vikarma means sinful activities, one after another. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma. Why they’re doing all these sinful activities? Yad indriya-prīti: simply for sense gratification. Hmm? Simply for satisfying the tongue. The tongue is satisfied in so many ways, but little taste, they’re killing millions of cows daily. I have seen in the airship (airplane). They are eating little really, very little meat—not much, not lump. But for little, little eating, there are millions and billions of men, so unnecessarily cows are being killed. It can, they can tolerate: "Oh, why should I eat meat, this meat? I can substitute with some other food." There are so many other foods. We have got fruits, we have got flowers, we have got vegetables, we have got . . . Kṛṣṇa has given so many things for human use. So for little taste, why we are . . . (indistinct) . . . so many slaughterhouse maintained, and we become implicated in sinful life?

But pramattaḥ. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ: they are called mad after sense gratification. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma. This is not . . . The killing of animals should be for the uncivilized man who cannot produce food, who do not know how to make agriculture, how to cook. The Darwin's theory proved that way, throwing some stone, and one animal is killed, and then they eat. Why? What is the state if they stay uncivilized men? But when you’re civilized, when you cut the forest, make it plain ground, and produce food grains, fruits, flowers and keep the cows, take milk, and from milk you produce so many nice . . . This is civilization. And if you remain like the old primitive, uncivilized man, then there is a question of eating meat. Otherwise there is no necessity. But because we are not trained up how to become brāhmaṇa, they’re doing like that. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma, yad indriya-prīti: simply for satisfaction of the senses. The sun . . . Sex life is there, married life, . . . (indistinct) . . . good life. No: they will hunt after another sex, another sex, another sex. This is uncivilized life. I require sex; that's all right. You man, you take one; you woman, all right, you take one. Be satisfied and make progress in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Why jumping from this sex to that? That is uncivilized life. Then you have to suffer. Therefore I see the example: the sun is there. Even on this planet, somewhere you will find bright sunshine, and somewhere you will find cloudy, and somewhere there is no sunshine in the whole world here. This is nature's working.

So these persons are condemned. One who does not get sunshine, that is mentioned in the śāstra . . . (break) (end).