Srila Prabhupada Nov 4, 1966
Prabhupäda: Today
Govardhanadhäré, Giridhäré, Lord Kåñëa, today lifted the mountain.
According to Vedic literature there are different demigods.
Sometimes you will find in Greek mythology the gods of the water,
gods of the thunderbolt. These are not imagination. Actually they
are facts. But due to our insufficient knowledge we do not know how
the material nature is being controlled. So when Kåñëa was on this
planet and He was playing the part of a cowherd boy, and it was
known to all over the universe that "God has come, taken
incarnation, and He is on the earth planet, and He is at Våndävana
playing the part of a cowherd boy..." So as if somebody, if there is
incarnation of God, somebody believes and somebody does not believe,
when Kåñëa was actually present on this earth, it is not that
everybody understood that Kåñëa was the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, not even up to date. Only few persons, the five brothers of
the Päëòavas and the damsels of Våndävana, only in the fingers'
count, say, out of the whole population, say, hundred or two hundred
men knew Him that He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Otherwise everyone thought that "He is an ordinary man just like one
of us, but most powerful. That's all." Similarly, the demigods in
other planets, they also thought, "Oh, he's a foolish person. They
are thinking of a cowherd boy as God," sophisticated, like that. And
especially Indra, the heavenly kingdom..., king of heaven. He was...
He's very powerful, so he thought, "What god he has come? My God, He
cannot come." This was some speculation. Even Brahmä also
speculated. But Kåñëa wanted to show Indra that "Yes, actually I
have come." So that incidence is today, Govardhana-püjä.
So,
bhagavän api tatraiva
baladeva-saàyutaù
apaçyan nivasan gopan
indra-yäga-kåtodyamän
Indra-yäga-kåtodyamän. According to Vedic system, there are
different types of sacrifices to offer respect and obeisances to the
demigods. Just like the sun is supplying light, the moon is
supplying moonshine. Similarly, Indra is supplying the cloud.
Similarly, there are different demigods. And in the Bhagavad-gétä,
devan ya yajayanté deva-bhavan—these things are described. In the
Vedic literature it is prescribed that "You should satisfy these
demigods by sacrifice, deva-yajan." So in the village of that
Våndävana, the father of Kåñëa, foster father of Kåñëa, Nanda
Mahäräja and his associates, they were yearly performing the
Indra-yajïa. Because they were agriculturists, they depended on
rain, sufficient rains. And he had many cows. Nanda Mahäräja was a
farm man. He is agriculture and cows. The mercantile people, the
vaiçya community, they are recommended three things:
kåñi-go-raksya-väëijyam [Bg. 18.44]. Kåñi means agriculture, and go-rakñya
means cow protection, and väëijyam means trade. So Nanda Mahäräja
belonged to the vaiçya community. So he was well-to-do man, very
rich man, and he had 900,000's of cows. 900,000 of cows he was
protecting. Formerly, according to Vedic civilization, a man was
considered to be rich man in proportion of his stock of grains and
livestock, cows. That's all. Dhänyena dhanavän. A man was considered
to be rich man if he has sufficient quantity of grains in his
possession. Similarly, if one has sufficient number of cows in his
possession, he was considered rich man. Not that bank balance. There
was no such bank, neither this paper money. They actually possessing
the foodstuff and milk. And actually this is economic solution. If
you have got sufficient milk, then you can make so many nice
nutritious, full of vitamin values preparation and grains. There is
no question of economic starvation if you have got simply grains and
cows. So that was the standard of economic solution in days yore.
So they were preparing just to satisfy the demigod Indra, because he
was supposed to... Not supposed. Actually he supplies rains
sufficiently. Without rains you cannot have successful agriculture.
So they were preparing that sacrifice. So this preparation was being
observed by Kåñëa and Balaräma. Kåñëa is the youngest, and Balaräma
is the eldest. Balaräma is son of Rohiëé, and Kåñëa is son of Devaké.
Both these ladies, Rohiëé and Devaké, they were wives of Vasudeva,
Kåñëa's father. So Balaräma was born of Rohiëé, and Kåñëa was born
of Devaké. Devaké-nandana-gopäla. So Devaké-nandana. So They were
not very... There was not much difference of Their age, say one year
or two years, like that. So Balaräma was eldest brother. They were
playing together, and this is an incidence when Balaräma was about
eight years old and Kåñëa was about seven years old. So, bhagavän
tatraiva baladevena saàyutaù. Bhagavän, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Kåñëa, along with Baladeva, His elder brother, apaçyan,
"saw." What is that "saw"? Nivasan gopa indra-yäga-kåtodyamän: "All
the cowherds men, including His father, they were preparing for
sacrifice of Indra-yajïa." Indra-yajïa.
tad-abhijïo 'pi bhagavän
sarvätmä sarva-darçanaù
praçräyavanato 'påcchad
våddhän nanda-puro-gamän
He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He knew everything what
they were doing and what was the purpose. Because He is present in
everyone's heart, so He knows everything. But because He was playing
just like a boy, cowherd boy, so as if He did not know anything, He
asked, inquired from His father, and the elderly persons who were
assisting His father for preparing the sacrifice.
Tad abhijïo 'pi. This very word is used here, that "He knew
everything," Bhagavän. Because Bhagavän means He must know
everything, past, present future. There is no lack of knowledge. I
have several times described before you. Bhagavän means He is full
of all opulences, and there are six opulences: riches, strength,
fame, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation. So Bhagavän cannot be in
lack of knowledge. He must know everything. That is Bhagavän. So
therefore it is said that "What is the use of asking His father what
they were going to do? He knew everything." But it is specifically
mentioned, atad abhijïo'pi. Although He knew it, because He was
playing the part of a boy, and the father knew that "Kåñëa is my
son..." They did not recognize Him that He is Personality of
Godhead. They knew, "Oh, He is my ordinary son." Tad abhijïo'pi
bhagavän sarvätmä. Sarvätmä means one who is situated in everyone's
heart. Sarvätmä sarva-darçanaù. Sarva-darçanaù means one who can see
everything past, present, and future. Still, praçräyavantaù, "Just
like an obedient son, submissive son," apåcchad våddhän
nanda-puro-gamän, "the elderly persons of His father's friends and
associates, with very humbleness, He inquired." He inquired. And
what is that inquiry?
kathyatäà me pitaù ko 'yaà
sambhramo vä upägataù
kià phalaà kasya coddeçaù
kena vä sädhyate makhaù
etad brühi mahän kämo
mahyaà çuçruñave pitaù
"My dear father, I very
respectfully and humbly I am inquiring. What is this arrangement?
Why you are busy in making some sacrificial ceremony, and what is
the reason, and what is the result?" Kià phalaà: "What is the result
of doing this?" Kià phalaà kasya ca uddeçaù: "By whom... Whom you
are trying to satisfy?" Kena vä sädhyate: "And what is the purpose
of this sacrifice? So I cannot understand. Will you kindly explain
to Me?" Etad brühi mahän kämo: "I am very much anxious. Kindly
explain to me." Etad mahän kämo mahyaà çuçruñave pitaù: "Oh, I am
your most obedient son, so you kindly explain to Me." This question
was posed.
na hi gopyaà hi sädhünäà
kåtyaà sarvätmanäm iha
asya-svapara-dåñöinäà
amitro-däsastad viñäm
"Now, if you think that it is very confidential, it cannot be
disclosed, then I think for a person like you who is doing publicly
such sacrifice, you should (sic:) not explain to Me." Na hi gopyaà
hi sädhünäm: "Sädhu, those who are saintly person, for them there is
no secret." There is no secret. There is no privacy. A sädhu, sädhu
has no privacy. Just now in our ordinary social affairs, there is
difference between private life and his public life. Now, if
somebody is teacher... Now, he is very good teacher. He can very
good... He can explain very nicely a subject matter, but his private
life is not very good. Then he is not a teacher. He is not a sädhu.
That is Vedic conception. One must be a teacher according to his own
behavior in life. There is no secrecy or privacy. Now, we think that
"We don't mind what is private character. We don't mind. We are
concerned with his teaching." No. That sort of teaching will not
have any effect. Caitanya Mahäprabhu said, äpani äcäré prabhu jéveré
çikñäya: a teacher must demonstrate in his practical life what he is
teaching. That is the meaning of äcärya. Äcärya means the teacher
must demonstrate things by applying the same thing in his own life.
That is called äcärya. Therefore Kåñëa said that "You cannot
disclose anything. You cannot keep anything private. Please
disclose." Udäséno 'rivad varyam ätmavat suhåd ucyate: "And even if
it is very confidential, I am your son. You can explain to Him. I am
your well-wisher."
jïätväjïätvä ca karmäëi
jano 'yam anutiñöhanti
viduñaù karma-siddhiù syät
tathä na viduño bhavet
"Whether this is a superstition?" Just see how Kåñëa is speaking.
"Whether it is a superstition or it has got some actual effect." You
should not do anything, religious rituals, under superstition. That
is the recommendation of Kåñëa. Kåñëa does not like that people
should perform anything under superstition. Suppose if you are
sacrificing, if you are doing some ceremony, you must have thorough
knowledge that there must be the result. There must be the result.
Just like there are many sacrifices recommended in the Vedic
literature, putreñöé-yajïa. Putreñöé. Suppose a man has no son, and
if he performs that sacrifice, he will have a son. That is a fact.
Similarly, so many things there are.
So any rituals, religious rituals... Now, according to Kåñëa... How
practical He is. He said that "No religious ritual should be
performed without practical effect, without practical effect."
People have become atheist because in the modern age there are so
many rituals in all religions, not only Hindu religion, but
Christian religion. But, they say, simply formality; there is no
effect. There is no effect. Such sort of rituals, religious
ceremony, is not recommended by Kåñëa. You must actually the effect.
Just like in Puräëas there was a talk between Lord Caitanya and Kazi,
Chand Kazi. Chand Kazi was a Muhammadan magistrate, and Lord
Caitanya, when He started this saìkértana movement, there was many
complaints. Just like we are receiving daily reports that our
saìkértana movement is disturbing some tenants here. Similarly, when
Lord Caitanya, He started His, this saìkértana, some of the
brähmaëas... Because Lord Caitanya said that "This is the only
religion. In this age, this chanting of
Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare
Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare
This is the only religious principle, and everyone will have all his
desires fulfilled by this chanting." So the brähmaëas, those who are
priestly class, they thought that "If people take to this only
chanting, then what about our churches and mosque and temples? They
will not come." So they lodged a complaint to the magistrate that
"This is not Hindu religion. He has discovered something in His own
fertile brain, so we do not recognize it." So this complaint was
lodged before the magistrate, and the magistrate took step, first of
all warned Him that "Don't chant Hare Kåñëa." Then, when He did not
care, then sent some constables, and the drums were broken. Then
Caitanya Mahäprabhu started civil disobedience movement. So He did
not care for the magistrate. He started saìkértana throughout the
whole city of Nabadwip. Then they approached the magistrate's house.
Just the other day there was a procession in your city. So this
civil disobedience movement was started first by Caitanya Mahäprabhu.
Now, there was some compromising talk with the magistrate, and in
that talk the Caitanya Mahäprabhu first questioned. Because he was
Mohammedan, Caitanya Mahäprabhu said that "In your religion there is
killing of father and mother. What sort of religion this is?" The
Kazi replied, "How do you say that we are killing our father
and...?" "Yes. You are killing your mother. Cow gives you milk,
delivers milk. You drink the milk, and you kill the cow. Therefore
you are killing your mother." So the Kazi replied that "In your
Vedic literature also, I have seen. There is cow sacrifice." So
Caitanya Mahäprabhu replied, "That is not cow sacrifice. That is
rejuvenation of cow. Old cows were sacrificed in the fire, and again
a new life was given by the Vedic mantra. But because there is lack
of such expert brähmaëas to chant that mantra, therefore cow
sacrifice in this age is forbidden."
So when the things are not practical, that becomes a forbidden. If
you actually get the result by some spiritual or religious rituals,
performance, then it is very good. Otherwise it is superstition.
Lord Caitanya's opinion is that because all these Vedic injunctions,
sacrifices, they are not possible to be performed in this age...
They are very difficult. There is no expert leader to perform all
these ceremonies and rituals. Therefore, take to this Hare Kåñëa.
Take to this. There is no need of rituals. There is no need of
expenses. Simply God has given you tongue, and God has given you
ear. Just go on chanting: Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare
Hare/ Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare, and it will
fulfill your spiritual advancement. Similarly, Kåñëa said, jïätvä
ajïätvä ca karmäëi jano 'yam anutiñöhanti: "Generally, mass of
people, they are ignorant. They perform some religious rituals
knowingly or unknowingly as a matter of superstition or custom." So,
viduña karma-siddhiù syät. But one who is intelligent, he should
know that "By this sacrifice, I must get the result." Viduño karma-siddhiù
syät tathä na viduño bhavet: "And those who are fools, they, simply
by superstition, they do it."
So Kåñëa did not recommend that you should do something under
superstition. No. You must do it for practical result. This
dogmatism, fanaticism—"Oh, why I shall chant Hare Kåñëa? I am
Christian. I am Jews"—this is fanaticism. If you find actually
ecstasy by chanting Hare Kåñëa, why should you not? Why should you
not? "No. I am Jew." "I am Christian." "I am Muhammadan." Well, it
is transcendental vibration from the spiritual platform. Your
Muhammadism, Christianism, Hinduisim, Buddhism, this is skin
disease. This is... Because you have got some particular body at
particular circumstances, therefore you claim like that. But
actually we are all spirit soul, and this sound vibration is from
the spirit soul. It will appeal to everyone. See the effect. Then
don't be fanaticist. Don't be, I mean to say, sectarian. So Kåñëa
wants that, that simply by custom, one should not follow the
rituals. One should see the effect.
tatra tävät kriyä-yogo
bhavatäà kià vicäritaù
athavä laukikas tan me
påcchata sädhu (bhaëyatäm)
"So, whether you are confident of the result of this sacrifice?" He
is asking His father. Just see. Kåñëa was a boy, and He is asking
His father, "Whether you are confident of the result of this
sacrifice? You are going to satisfy the demigods, sacrifice. Or,"
athavä laukikaù, "or it is simply a custom, village custom, that you
are doing it?" Laukikas tan me påcchata sädhu bhaëyatäm: "Now I am
very much inquisitive to learn from you. Please explain."Now His
father is explaining:
parjanyo bhagavän indro
meghäs tasyätma-mürtayaù
te 'bhivarñanti bhütänäà
préëanaà jévanaà payaù
He says, "My dear boy, water is very essential because without rains
we cannot have any produce. Therefore... This rain is controlled by
Bhagavän Indra. The heavenly king Indra, he controls the megha."
Megha means cloud. He is the master of the cloud. He can send cloud,
and he can stop cloud. He is representative of God, so he has got
the power. Te 'bhivarñanti bhütänäà préëanam: "So when he allows
this raining, people become satisfied. They get their produce."
taà täta vayam anye ca
cärmucäà patim éçvaram
dravyais tad-retasä siddhyair
yajante kratubhir naräù
"Therefore it is our duty. Because he supplies us water, so it is
our duty to show him respect by this sacrifice." This is the Vedic
injunction. Just like we pay departmental tax. We pay to the Con
Edison bills for the supply of electricity and gas. Similarly, we
pay the bills of the telephone. But we have no program to pay the
bills of the sun who is supplying us so much light. (aside:) What is
that?
Dineça: That needle doesn't seem to be working.
Prabhupäda: So it is our duty to sacrifice, and according to Vedic
rituals, these are recommended, that we should satisfy. So Nanda
Mahäräja explained,
tac cheñeëopajévanti
tri-varga-phala-hetve
puàsäà puruña-käraëäà
parjanyaù phala-bhävanaù
"Now, this water is so important that it will produce grains and we
shall live. And for perfection of our life we must first live. So
this is very important thing, so we have to satisfy Indra."
ya evaà visåjed dharmaà
päraà paryägataà naraù
kämä lobhäd bhayäd dveñät
sa vai näpnoti çobhanam
He says, "My dear boy, we should not give up this paramparä."
Parampara means coming from disciplic succession or from generation.
My father did it, my father's fathers did it. So every religious
ceremony, and according to Vedic rituals, they are from paramparä,
family or society-wise or community-wise. In every country there is.
So he says that "This paramparä, this successive generation, we have
been doing this, and we should not give it up." He understood the
Kåñëa's purpose, that "He is asking. He is very intelligent boy, so
He is asking me all these questions just to forbid me." That He's
just... "Like father like son." The father was also intelligent.
So, ya evaà visåjed dharmam. Dharmam means one must execute. That is
dharma. Just like to become hungry, it is my religion. This is
called religion. We should know what is the meaning of religion.
Religion means which we cannot separate from myself. The religion
which you can change, that is not religion. Suppose I am Hindu; I
become Christian. So neither this Hinduism is religion or Christian
is religion. It is a dictionary, English dictionary, word. But
dharma, according to Sanskrit word, dharma does not mean that which
you can change. I have several times explained this fact. Dharma
cannot be changed. Therefore we must find out what is our dharma,
what is our religion. Which we are professing, that "Christianity is
my religion," "Hinduism, my religion," that is not religion. That is
faith. Religion is different. Religion you cannot change. You cannot
change. That is the meaning of religion. Here it is said that ya
evaà visåjed dharmam. Dharmam means you cannot change. So päraà
paryägataà naraù, kämät, kämät lobhät. Now, religion sometimes, when
it is taken as faith, they have changed. How they have changed?
Kämät. For some gain. Just like in India formerly Christian religion
was preached, giving some facilities. And generally we see that
Christian priests who go to foreign countries... I have seen. They
offer some hospital facilities, some economic facilities. The poor
men, they supply clothing and education. So those who are poor, they
become captivated, and they... They have practically no religion.
Anyway, they are facing the economic problems. So kämät. Kämät means
for some gain. For some gain, kämät, and lobhät... Lobhät means by
some greediness. And bhayät. Bhayät means out of fear. And dveñät.
Dveñät means out of enviousness. For all these things one should not
give up his faith or religion.
So that, that was the explanation of Nanda Mahäräja, the father of
Kåñëa. Now Kåñëa, replying, çré bhagavän uväca. The reason of that
sacrifice, as explained by Nanda Mahäräja is that "Indra, the
heavenly king, he supplies us water. Therefore we must perform the
sacrifice to satisfy him." Now Kåñëa is giving reason just like an
atheist. Just like an atheist, karma-mimäàsä. There are six
philosophers. Out of that one is karma-mimäàsä. Karma-mimäàsä means
one who takes work and the result of work and nothing, no God,
nothing of... "You work like this; you get the result." Just like
modern theory. So Kåñëa is putting up that karma-mimäàsä. What is
that? He says, karmäëa jäyate jantuù karmaëaiva praléyate: "Everyone
is born here out of, as the effect of his past deeds." And
karmaëaiva praléyate: "And he is going to have his next birth
according to the work, as he is doing here." This is called karma-mimäàsä.
The karma-mimäàsä philosophers, they do not believe that "Oh, our
liberation from this material world and entrance in the spiritual
kingdom to be associated with God, that will make us happy." Their
belief is that "You simply do good work. Then you gradually get your
promotion." That is also a fact. That is not a misconception. If you
do good work, then you get good birth. Janmaiçvarya-çruta-çré [SB
1.8.26]. Four things: good birth, mean a good family or good
nationality, and janma... Birth means... Janma means birth, good
birth. Janma aiçvarya, and to become rich. Çruta, to become very
learned; and çré, and to become very beautiful—these are results of
past good work. So here Kåñëa says that "People are concerned with
his work. A man is concerned with his work." Karmaëä jäyate jantuù
karmaëaiva praléyate: "He gets his facilities of life according to
the past good work, bad work, and he is preparing his life, next, by
that work." Sukhaà duùkhaà bhayaà kñemaà karmaëaiväbhipadyate: "So
therefore, either happiness or distress or fearfulness or poverty or
economic question, everything on this karma, on this work."
asti ced éçvaraù kaçcit
phala-rüpy anya-karmaëäà
kartäraà bhajate so 'pi
na hy akartuù prabhur hi saù
"Now, supposing there is somebody." Because these atheists, they do
not believe in God, now they are giving arguments. "Now, suppose
there is somebody as God or some supervisor or something like that.
But still, he is obliged to give Me the effect. Therefore I am not
going to ask mercy from that superior personality, God or something
else. I have to work." And this is also fact. Suppose you are going
to appear in some examination. Now, the university is giving you
some designation. Now, that designation practically depends on your
passing the examination. What is the use of flattering that
examiner? That is the argument. There is no... His argument is that
"You are after the sacrifice of satisfying the Indra." So indirectly
He says that Indra is appointed by the Lord and he has to supply
water. He is officer. So what is the use of flattering him? Just
like there are many officers in the New York City. One is in charge
of the waterwork department. So there is no question of flattering
that waterworks department officer. You pay your tax, you work
nicely, and water will be supplied to you. But if you don't pay your
tax, however you flatter that officer, your connection will be cut
off. So it depends on your work. It depends on your work.
So, asti ced éçvaraù kaçcit: "Supposing there is some God..." "There
is some God." Just see. A God is preaching atheism. He is God
Himself, and He says, "Supposing if there is some God." "Supposing
if there is some God," kaçcit phala-rüpy anya-karmaëäm, "and He
gives the result of your work." The karma-mimäàsä philosophers, they
accept God in this way, "Suppose there is God and He is to give us
the result. So He is obliged. If we do nice work, He is obliged. So
what is the use of flattering God? Let us do our duty nicely. Then
He will be obliged." So Kåñëa is following that argument. Asti ced
éçvaraù kaçcit phala-rüpy anya-karmaëäm, kartäraà bhajate so 'pi:
"He also worships the worker. The worker has not to worship God.
Because God gives you good result out of your good work; therefore,
because you are doing good work, therefore God is worshiping you."
Just see the argument. He says, kartäraà bhajate so 'pi na hy
akartuù prabhur: "And one who does not do good work, even God does
not like him. So there is no necessity of worshiping this heavenly
god or any god, so let us have our duty done nicely. That will fetch
us the desired result."
kim indreëeha bhütänäà
sva-sva-karmänuvartinäm
anésenänyathä kartuà
svabhäva-vihitaà nåëäm
"So, therefore, there is no... Father, there is no necessity of
satisfying this Indra. You are simply wasting your time. You are
simply wasting your time."
Oh,
svabhäva-tantro hi janaù
svabhävam anuvartate
svabhäva-stham idaà sarvaà
sa-deväsura-mänuñam
"Everyone is acting according to the modes of nature he has
acquired, so whatever nature we have acquired..." His purpose is
that "By nature we are mercantile people." Because His father was
maintaining cows, so he is considered a mercantile man. Vaiçya-karma
svabhäva-jam. Kåñi-go-rakñya-väëijyaà vaiçya-karma svabhäva-jam [Bg.
18.44]. So He is giving stress that "Let us perform our duty as
mercantile men honestly, and that will bring us result. Why should
we go to worship these demigods?"
Now, here is a point, that Kåñëa does not approve the worship of
demigods. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gétä. Kämais tais tair
håta-jïäna yajanty anya-devataù: [Bg. 7.20] "Those who are out of
intelligence, they simply worship the demigods." In the
Bhagavad-gétä or in the Bhägavata, anywhere, worship of demigods is
not very much recommended. So here also the same thing, that
svabhäva-tantro hi janaù: "Everyone is carried by the modes of
nature." Svabhävam anuvartate: "And he cannot surpass the spell of
the modes of nature." Svabhävam anuvartante, svabhävas tam idaà
sarvam: "Everyone is under the control of the nature he has
acquired." And sa-deväsura mänusaù. Sa-deväsura. "Always, either he
is man or superman or animal, everyone is being controlled by the
modes of nature."
dehän uccävacäï jantuù
präpyotsåjati karmaëä
çatrur mitram udäsénaù
karmaiva gurur éçvaraù
He is giving so much stress on karma. There is no question of bhakti
here. So dehän uccäväcäï. There are difference of high-grade body
and low-grade body. There are different kinds of body. Somebody has
got very high grade body—very intelligent, very rich, very
beautiful, very wealthy—and somebody has low-grade body. So dehän
uccävacäï jantuù präpyotsåjati karmaëä: "Now, these high-grade and
low-grade bodies are obtained according to the work he has done."
Çatrur mitram udäsénaù karmaiva gurur éçvaraù: "And one is the
leader or one is a teacher or one is enemy or one is
friend—everything is judged by this karma, by work." Just see how
much he is giving stress on work. Karmaiva. Karmaiva gurur éçvaraù.
tasmät sampüjayet karma
svabhäva-sthaù sva-karma-kåt
aïjasä yena varteta
tad eväsya hi daivatam
"Therefore you don't bother yourself about worshiping this god or
that god, demigod. You just be faithful to your work, and then that
will give you good result." Aïjasä yena varteta tad eväsya hi
daivatam.
äjévaikataraà bhävaà
yas tv anyam upajévati
na tasmäd vindate kñemaà
järän näry asaté yathä
He is condemning, that one's profession... He has... Lord Kåñëa has
in the Bhagavad-gétä also said like that. Sva-karmaëä tam abhyarcya
[Bg. 18.46]. One should not give up his own profession. Never mind
even it is faulty. You have heard it from me. Just like He has given
the example that fire, fire is so pure, still there is fault. There
is smoke. So in spite of all fault one should not give up his own
work, but he should do it faithfully and nicely and the result will
come. Äjévaikataraà bhävaà yas tu. And He says here that "Anyone who
gives up his own natural profession, natural aptitude, profession,
so..." Na tasmäd vindate kñemaà järän näry asaté yathä.
Now, this is a very important question. Näry asaté. Asaté. Asaté
means not chaste, not chaste woman. Just like... In India, of
course, it is very strict, that the woman is not to give up her
husband and acquaint herself with any other man. This example is
given that "An unchaste woman gives up her own husband and makes
friendship with others; similarly, one who gives up his own
profession and takes other profession, he is also similarly
unchaste." Unchaste. Näry asaté yathä. Varteta brähmaëo vipra
räjanya rakñayä bhuvaù: "Therefore one should not deviate from his
professional duties, just like the brähmaëas..." Brahman..., varteta
brähmaëo vipraù: "Those who are brähmaëa, they should stick to their
principle of life, simply spiritual culture." Räjanya rakñayä bhuvaù:
"And those who are kñatriyas, they should stick to their protecting
the citizen." The kingly order, royal order, their duty is to give
protection to the... They should not simply collect tax. The
kñatriyas, this king is allowed to collect tax because he is
supposed to give all protection to the people. So therefore it is
said, räjanya rakñayä bhuvaù. Räjanya means the royal order stick to
his principle, how to give protection to the people. Similarly,
vaiçyas tu värtayä jévet çüdras tu dvéja-sevayä: "Similarly, these
mercantile, they should live on their trade, and those who are çüdra,
those who are laborer class, they should serve all these three
classes." That is the rules.
Now,
kåñi-väëijya-go-rakñä
kusédaà türyam ucyate
värtä catur-vidhä tatra
vayaà go-våttayo 'niçam
"Now, according to scripture, we are vaiçya, and we should live not
in the brahminical way or kñatriya's way or çüdra's way, but we
should live just like vaiçyas; and we are actually agriculturists,
and we are actually protecting cows. Therefore we are vaiçyas. Our
duty is to stick to our, faithfully stick to our business, stick to
our work. What is the use of worshiping this god or that god?"
sattvaà rajas tama iti
sthity-utpatti-anta-hetavaù
rajasotpadyate viçvam
anyonyaà vividhaà jagat
Now He is forwarding the atheistic theory of Kapila, säìkhya
philosophy. Säìkhya philosophy. Säìkhya philosophy theory is that
there is no controller, there is no God, but the world is moving
under nature's interaction. Just the modern scientists also say like
that. The world... Every action of this material world is being
acted... Just like säìkhya philosophy is based on this philosophy,
that a man and woman is attracted and they have sex life and the son
is produced, and there is no other reason for population. Simply a
man wants a woman and a woman wants a man. That natural tendency is
there, and when they combine together there is a birth of a child.
So this is a natural sequence. Säìkhya philosophy is based on this
principle. They do not believe that above this, there is God. Niréça.
Above this, there is God. There is God's control. Actually there is
God. Sexual intercourse is not the cause of a child. According to
Bhägavata, a living entity, before his death he is, by superior
judgement it is thought that "Where this living entity, where this
particular man or dog or anything... He is dying. Where it will be
placed?" So when that place is sanctioned, the place is selected,
that "This particular man should go in such and such body," then he
is at once transferred to the semina. That small particle, spiritual
particle, is transferred to the semina of the father, and the father
injects the semina into the mother's womb, and it gets a particular
type of body according to his karma. That is Bhägavata's version.
But the Säìkhya philosophy, they say, because they have no idea that
there is spiritual spark, they think simply that, simply the father
and mother's or man and woman's sex life produces life.
So here practically the same thing is advocated by Kåñëa, that
sattvaà rajas tama iti sthity-utpatty-anta-hetavaù. Now, the
creation of this material world is the three modes of material
nature. There is no other cause. There is no other cause. Rajasä
coditä meghä varñanty ambüni sarvataù: "So when there is too much
heat by, I mean to say, aggravation of the modes of passion, there
is evaporation of water, and that becomes cloud, and that is the
cause of... The cloud is the cause of rain. Why do you go to this
Indra and Candra and all these things?" Just see Kåñëa, how He is
speaking atheistically. So prajäs tair eva sidhyanti mahendraù kià
kariñyati: "Therefore that rain constitutes agriculture. So why do
you bother about this Mahendra?" Just like modern scientists say
that "We shall artificially make raining so that where there is
scarcity of rain we shall fertilize the land, we shall get
production," so similarly, the säìkhya philosophy, according to
säìkhya philosophy, that rain is caused by the heat, and by the heat
there is cloud in the sky, and the cloud is the cause of the rain.
So there is no question of Mahendra, the controller of the cloud, or
anything else.
prajäs tair eva sidhyanti
mahendraù kià kariñyati
na naù puro jana-padä
na grämä na gåhä vayam
vanaukasas täta nityaà
vana-çaila-niväsinaù
"So therefore we are not going to the city. We are inhabitants of
this village. So it is better to worship this land, this land, this
land, Govardhana." Because Kåñëa was herding His cows on the
Govardhana Hill, so indirectly He hinted that "We should worship
this Govardhana Hill, and that is our duty."
So it is a long story, three, four chapters. Of course, it will take
some time. I don't think you can give us so much time. The net, the
result is that when Kåñëa talked like this, then His father agreed
not to perform the sacrifice. Because all the inhabitants of Vraja,
Våndävana, they are so much fond of Kåñëa, whatever Kåñëa will say,
they will accept. So although Kåñëa was a boy, He implored his
father and other elderly gentlemen present there that "There is no
need of performing this sacrifice." So they stopped sacrifice. As a
result of this stopping, Indra became very much angry, and there was
torrents of rain, incessant rain, and very vehemently. So the whole
village and whole tract of land comprising the Vrajabhümi, they
became overflooded. And the cows and the animals and the people
became too much afflicted. So they had no other source. They
approached Kåñëa, "Protect us. Kåñëa, protect us." So at that time
Kåñëa said, "Yes, I will give you protection." So He was, although a
boy of six or seven years old, He lifted that hill. That is... We
are... If any time you go to India you will see the hill. It is not
less than at least five, six miles area, very big hill. That hill
was lifted by Him, and He kept that hill in His hand for seven days.
And then everything was cleared. Then Indra prayed Him.
So there are many things after this. So today Kåñëa lifted this
hill; therefore His name is Giridhäré. Giridhäré means who held the
hill. Giri means the hill, and dhäré means one who holds up. So
today is that, is the annual ceremony of today, this Govardhana-püjä.
So we follow that principle. Because we are devotees of Kåñëa, we
are trying to follow His instruction. So at noontime we shall
perform that püjä, and you are invited to take prasädam. I think
prasädam will be ready by eleven o'clock, and you will kindly
participate in taking prasädam. (end)
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