760829 - Lecture SB 05.05.01 Hindi - Delhi

Lectures by Date, 1976

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

760829SB-DELHI - August 29, 1976 - 29:59 Minutes

(Translated from Hindi into English)

śrī ṛṣabha uvāca

nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke

kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye

tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ

śuddhyed yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam

(SB 5.5.1)

Rsabhadeva who was the father of Mahārāja Bharata, that Mahārāja Bharata after whom this planet earth is called Bharatavarsa, his father Rsabhadeva, an incarnation of the Lord, He was instructing his sons before retirement. In earlier times people used to retire, whether king, especially brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, especially brahmana and ksatriyas would retire. Nowadays nobody retires. This is not the Vedic system. The Vedic system is varnasrama. What goes on in the name of Hindu religion, nowadays that has become hodge-podge. The real thing is varnasrama dharma. And what is the purpose of varnasrama dharma? Devotional service, viṣṇur ārādhyate:

varṇāśramācāravatā

puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān

viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā

nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam

(Visnu Purana 3.8.9)

The whole civilization, mission of Vedic civilization is visnu aradhana, viṣṇur ārādhyate. (child crying) (aside) Where is that child? But it is difficult, that, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ (SB 7.5.31), that they do not know where their real self interest lies, svārtha-gati. mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja(BG 18.66), this is svārtha-gatiṁ, as instructed by the Lord.

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

(BG 18.66)

This is real self interest. This has been explained in all the scriptures that to reach the goal of life, what is the goal of life, the goal of varanasrama dharma is also the same:

viṣṇur ārādhyate pumsam

nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam

For the worship of Visnu, visnu ārādhana, there are social divisions, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra; and spiritual divisions brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha and sannyāsa. This is called varnasrama dharma. So the varnasrama dharma has been dismantled, there in name only, not in practice.

That is why Caitanya Mahaprabhu for Visnu worship, the goal is Visnu worship only, the system of varnasrama is now dismantled, to re establish it once again is very difficult. So based on the principles of scriptures Caitanya Mahaprabhu propagated this kirtana, sankirtana. This is based on the principles of scriptures.

kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann

asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ

(SB 12.3.51)

In Kali-yuga, in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in Twelfth Canto, there is a description of Kali-yuga. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was written 5000 years ago and in that was predicted what will happen in the future in this Kaliy-uga has been given. In that context Sukadeva Goswami tells Mahārāja Pariksit that this Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults. Till where are you going to explain the faults and merits of this age. Just understand that it is an ocean of faults. Only faults and more faults. But there is a great merit especially in this Kali-yuga because especially in Kali-yuga everyone is fallen, and they are fallen because the goal of life they have forgotten. They are working hard day and night only for sense gratification. But they do not know the goal of life. This is one of the special symptoms of Kali-yuga. In every yuga the same thing is there, they forget the Lord and to maintain their body they work very hard day and night.

So not only now but many thousands of years ago this same symptom was explained by Rsabhadeva to his son, that son this body, ayam śarīram, this body, nṛloke, in human society . . . everyone gets a body, a dog also, a donkey also, but this human body we have got, nāyaṁ deha, this body, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke, one who has got a body in the human society, kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye, to engage this body day and night in hard work and to forget the goal of life which is to worship Visnu, this is not correct. This has been instructed so many years ago, na arhate.

Because the facilites of this body, eat, sleep, defence and sex—need something to eat, need someplace to sleep–āhāra—nidrā; bhaya-need to defend from fear; āhāra-nidra-bhaya-maithuna, and sexual relationship between man and woman. So Rsabhadeva says all these even the hog does. There is no chivalry in doing this. viḍ-bhujāṁ, especially it is mentioned viḍ-bhujāṁ, viḍ means dirty things and one who eats dirty things (stool), the hog, they also work hard day and night for this only – Where is the food to eat? Where is the place to sleep? Where is the arrangement for sex? And where to defend oneself? (Human form of life) is not meant for this. This even an animal does, even a hog is mentioned, viḍ-bhujāṁ.

Then what is this for? tapo divyaṁ, this human form of life is meant for austerities. This is Vedic civilzation, tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ śuddhyed, this existence of ours "I am" everyone know this, that "I exist", to purify this existence. Is it not pure? Yes it is definetly not pure. It is not pure because you have to die. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord Himself says, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20) the living entity does not die on the destruction of the body. antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ (BG 2.18), antavanta, what is destroyed is the body and the spirit soul within the body that is not going to be destroyed. So this purification of existence, śuddhyed sattvaṁ means spiritual, this existence is not pure, it is impure because traiguṇya, prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27), the journey of this body, prakṛteḥ guṇaiḥ, three modes of material nature – goodness, passion and ignorance, it is based on this. One who is in mode of goodness they gets a good body, that of a brahmana, that of a demigod. If he is mode of passion he gets the body of a ksatriya, in the same way, kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu (BG 13.22). What is the reason for getting this higher and lower forms of body? kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya. With whatever I associate with the three modes of material nature – goodness, passion and ignorance, I will get a body accordingly. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur dehopapattaye (SB 3.31.1) What is the reason for getting these different types of body? kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya, the way we associate with the modes of material nature, just like there is a disease, infection, whether knowingly or unknowingly if we contract the infection then we have to suffer the disease. Similarly kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya, the way we associate with the modes, we get a corresponding body.

So whether we get the body of a brahamana, or demigod or dog or still lower form, antavanta ime dehā, these are all going to be vanquished. And in the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says in the beginning itself, tathā dehāntara-prāptir:

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

(BG 2.13)

The body will change, and how it will change, what type of body we will get in the future we do not know. Although everything is mentioned in the scriptures, the kind of body that you want you will get, so work accordingly.

yānti deva-vratā devān

pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ

bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā

yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām

(BG 9.25)

If you want to go to the heavenly planets Svargaloka, Janaloka, Mahaloka, Tapaloka, there are many higher planets, you can go there. Yānti deva-vratā devān; pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ, you can go the ancestors planets; bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā, if you want to remain here you can do that also; yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām and if you want to go to the Lord, then do devotional service. All options are available, whatever we desire, yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63) the Lord tells Arjuna that I have told you everything, now you think and contemplate on it and do whatever you wish to do.

So everything is in our hands. If I want I can go to heavenly planets, ancestors planet, remain here in the earthly planet or if I want I can go back to Godhead. All this is mentioned in the scriptures on the process of going to these places. The same thing is being told by Rsabhadeva that this human form of life, this is a junction, whatever type of body you desire you will get that in the future because you will have to change your body, tathā dehāntara-prāptir, dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13), one who is intelligent, who is dhīraḥ (sober), he understands quickly that yes the body will change. But an extremely foolish person he doesn't understand the change of body. This is the education of today. They are extremely foolish, big big university professors they are extremely extremely foolish, they don't understand the change of body. They say, "Swamiji, when this body is vanquished, everything is finished." Big big leaders, big big professors, educationists, they don't understand what is transmigration of body.

And the Lord is Himself speaking and giving an example that, kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā yathā (BG 2.13), there is a child, he has to become a youth, change of body. The child's body will not remain. He will get the body of a youth. If he says I don't want to become a youth, so what is the use of saying such a thing? It is the law of material nature that he has to become a youth. And if a youth says that I will not become old. What is the use of saying such a thing? One has to grow old. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir, what is the use of your speaking like this that I will not change my body, will finish everything in this body. Just saying so will not make it happen.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni

guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ

ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā

kartāham iti manyate

(BG 3.27)

If you speak like this obstinately can you escape? No! That is not possible. So this type of education is given nowadays that there is no change of body, there is no next birth, there is no previous birth, there is no heaven, there is no hell, and so many things which have been mentioned in the scriptures, they don't accept. What can be done? They have become so foolish.

And the Lord Himself says:

yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya

vartate kāma-kārataḥ

na sa siddhim avāpnoti

(BG 16.23)

Those who don't accept scriptural injunctions and act whimsically, their life can never be successful, na sa siddhim avāpnoti. And na sukhaṁ, he will never be happy and forget about the supreme destination (parāṁ gati). All this is going on. That is why we are making some efforts in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement that what has been written in the scriptures should be accepted, life should be corrected and to be successful in achieving the goal of life.

So all this is being spoken by Rsabhadeva not today but long ago, that dehāntara-prāptir, and the question as to why there should be a change of body? The change of body takes place because the existence is not pure. Just like if a man is diseased the he has to suffer. So the scriptures say that when you have accepted a human body, you have to suffer. There are different kinds of suffering. One or another type of misery you have to undergo because asann api kleśa-da āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4), although this body is not permanent, but till the time it is there, it will give you trouble. All of us try to reduce our suffering, how to reduce the suffering. But we don't know what it means to reduce our suffering.

That's why the Lord Himself says that your real suffering is birth, death, old age and disease. So your efforts to reduce the suffering in your current body, will go away when the body is vanquished. Then you will have to accept another body according to your karma and then suffer that. So if you want to permanently become free from sufferings then purify your existence. For that you have to do austerities, tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattvaṁ, purify your existence. And when do you get a chance to purify the existence? ayam dehaḥ, nṛ-loke,

nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke

kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye

This body which is so valuable, in which you can destroy all your sufferings, in this body, such a body if you use it like a hog or dog only for eating food, sex with woman, for āhāra-nidra-bhaya-maithuna, and to struggle hard for this day and night, this is not correct. This is the instruction of Rsabhadeva. nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke. Things are needed, when you have got a body, we need something to eat, that is necessary. And we need a place to sleep and we have got senses and they also need some gratification, and to defend oneself from danger, these are all necessary. But to believe that this life is only for this purpose, this is extreme foolishness.

Life has some other goal. What is that goal? tapasya divyaṁ, to achieve the transcendental one needs to perform austerity. That is why there is a division in the society, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. The brahmins shows through his own life how to undergo austerity.

śamo damas tapaḥ śaucaṁ

kṣāntir ārjavam eva ca

jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ

(BG 18.42)

The brahmins lead the ideal life and by such leading they teach, that is why a brahmana is a teacher, guru, this is told in the scriptures. And the ksatriya they take instrucions from the brahmins and guide the subjects on how to lead such an all auspicous life. And the duty of a vaisya is to ensure that foof stuff is available for all the people.

kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ

vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam

(BG 18.44)

One will get food stuffs if one engages in agriculture, by cultivating food stuff. The Lord Himself says annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14), produce grains in large quantities, not in large quanties but as much as required, annād bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ (BG 3.14) and grains can be produced when there is adequate rainfall. parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ yajñād bhavati parjanyo and if you perform sacrifices then you will get timely required rainfall and you will be able to cultivate very easily grains. yajñād bhavati parjanyo parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ, these are all scriptural injunctions. If you can acquire food stuffs easily and you lead a happy life and the remaining time that we have, tapo divyaṁ, perform austerities. This is civilization, this is stated.

And if we don't all this and only like a hog search for stool, search, search, search. This is not civilization. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān, and to work hard day and night for this, get money, get money, get money,

idam adya mayā labdham

imaṁ prāpsye punar dhanam

(BG 16.13)

This demoniac civilization, now I have got so much money, I need to get so much more, I must have so much bank balance, in this way working like a hog day and night just for eating, sleeping and mating, such a civilization is not correct. At least in the human form of life this is not correct. One must perform austerity. Tapo divyaṁ, and in Kali-yuga that austerity is very simple. Like we have been telling you, this Kali-yuga is full of faults only but there is one facility? What is that?

kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya

mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet

(SB 12.3.51)

Just by chanting the names of Kṛṣṇa, one is liberated from material bondage. This fault which is there, kaler doṣa-nidhe(SB 12.3.51), we can get freedom from this fault. We become faultless, that is stated by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ (CC Antya 20.12, Śikṣāṣṭaka 1), where are all the faults? They are all in the heart. All the faults that we have, dirty things, that is in our heart only. This chanting of Kṛṣṇa's name has been explained by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that by chanting Kṛṣṇa's names the first thing that happens is ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ, the heart will be cleansed. What I am thinking that I am Hindu, I am Muslim, I am Indian, I am American, what are all these? These are all designations. In reality I am, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, this is the real designation.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

(BG 18.54)

Everything has been explained in the scriptures in a very simple way. So we have to work hard for this, and perform a some austerity for this. And just see as a proof of this fact, these people who are accepting this in Europe and America, they are performing some austerity for this. What is that austerity? Four things – no illicit sex, no meat eating, no intoxication and no gambling. Four things. Just like I am sitting on this seat with four wheels, similarly these are the four wheels of a sinful life. This illicit sex, eating meat etc, and to do gambling and to take intoxication. That's all. In Kali-yuga these four things are spread all over the world. So to give up all this is a bit difficult but perform austerity. To give up will be difficult for us but tapa means to voluntarily bear some inconveniences. That is called tapasya. Tapasya does not mean that I remain as I am and sit on the table and chair and smoking a cigarette I undergo austerity. No! For undergoing austerity you have to bear some inconveniences.

So these young mean, the austerities they are performing, to give up these four things, have they all died because of this? From childhood, when they are very young their parents teach them, feed them forcefully with spoon meat powder mixed with water . . . (indistinct) . . . it is not her mistake because she has been taught from the very beginning to eat meat etc. The parents drink liquor and the child is sitting and they give him soda water, lemonade, so that he also learns, he cannot drink liquor now so let him drink soda water. So he learns. This is called soft drinking, soft drinking. So they are taught this. They have given up all these to perform austerities, so is it so difficult for the Indians to do this? But they will not perform austerities. But one must perform austerities. Without performing austerities life will not be successful. In earlier time big big saints, sages, kings would leave home and go to the forest for thousands of years to perform austerities. But this is not possible at all in Kali-yuga.

So there is a little bit of austerity that you give up these four things and chant the holy names of the Lord. Is this difficult to do? This should be done. This is what our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is preaching all over the world and this applies to India of course. All of you accept this. To lead a demoniac life is of no use.

idam adya mayā labdham

imaṁ prāpsye punar dhanam

(BG 16.13)

Today I have so much money, tomorrow I will have so much money, then the day after I will have some more, some more and one day Yamaraja will come and kick you, take away everything and say go become a dog! (laughter) This is what happens . . . tathā dehāntara-prāptir, as you do karma, like that you get a body. That is material nature, prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ, that is in the hands of material nature. There is no point in being a boss at that time. At that the boss is material nature that, "Son you now become a dog!" You were given a human form of life but you did not take advantage of it. You have worked like a dog. (break) (end)