Transcription
The following is a class on Bhagavad Gita as it is chapter 16 text number 11 to 12 given by his Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada recorded on February 7th 1975 in Honolulu.
So sometimes people say the modern age, modern age, and past time or future, past, present, and future. The real principles of life, they are the same. It does not change. Millions of years ago, the past and present and future, as they were at the present moment, also the same past, present, and future are there. So there is no question of modern age or past age. The nature's law is the same. Millions of years ago, the sun was rising early in the morning, and it is rising early in the morning at the present moment. There is no change. Millions of years ago, all the entities are interested in eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. The same thing is going on. There is no change.
So Krishna spoke all these words 5,000 years ago. Apart from taking account of millions of years, because nature's law is the same. So even in those days, 5,000 years ago, you'll find the demonic people as they are now. These words about the demons, there are demons like Ravana and Hiranyakashipu, Kamsa. So many demons, there were historical demons. But their process of life was the same as the modern demons. There is no change. Therefore, shastra means it is for all the time. Not that shastra was meant in the past for something else, and now something else. That is not the fact. That is means shastra that it does not change. The time, place, and atmosphere, according to that, everything is the same.
Now, formally it is said, "anaya nartha sanchaya," to secure money by black market. "Anayana naya" means legal, and "anaya" means illegal. So "anaya nartha sanchaya," the practice was there also at that time. It may be small scale, but the same thing is going on at the present moment, which is known as black market. Black market means "anaya nartha sanchaya." Getting money by unfair means. That is called "anaya nartha sanchaya." "Anaya" means illegal. "Naya" means legal.
So these demons who are very much eager to accumulate money by black market, they have "chintam aparimeyam," unimaginable anxiety. Anything you do in the material world, there will be "chinta," anxiety. It's like in our this Krishna consciousness movement, the movement, all the activities, they are not material. They are all spiritual. But it's still, because it is being enacted in the material world, we have also so much anxiety. Because we are in the material world. Although that anxiety also, "bhakti," that is nothing. That is not material. When we are anxious how to protect the property, how to push on this movement, how people will take it, what line of action we shall take, these are anxiety. But that anxiety is for Krishna. Therefore, it is "bhakti." Anxiety, even in Vrindavan, there is anxiety. Radharani is in anxiety. That Krishna is not here, how Krishna will come. The gopis are also in anxiety. Gopis are so in anxiety that about them it is said that when Krishna used to go to the forest for tending the cows, the gopis were thinking at home that Krishna's feet is so soft that we hesitate to take his feet on our breast. But he is now walking in the forest, and there are so many stones and bricks, and they are giving pain to Krishna's lotus feet. And thinking like this, they fainted. This is "go." Krishna is out of the village, and they are at home, and they're thinking of Krishna, and they fainted. This is anxiety. So much anxiety that fainted. But that is for Krishna. Therefore, gopis are exalted. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, he recommends, there is no better type of worshiping Krishna than it was planned by the gopis. So there is also anxiety.
So, anxiety is spiritual anxiety and material anxiety. Spiritual anxiety means you are advancing in spiritual life. And material anxiety means going downhill. So, "chintam aparimeyam," but we are speaking of the demons, materialistic person. Demon means materialistic person. Who are simply busy for this temporary bodily comfort. They do not know anything else. The body is material. Therefore, all these activities are comforts of the body. That is the man, more or less. So "chintada" demands, they have anxiety. Everyone has anxiety. But their anxiety, or for the mayor. This is an ordinary man. He has got some anxiety. How to maintain my family? How to get some money to maintain family, like that? But the demands, they are immeasurable, unlimited. You'll find big, big businessmen, they have got very, very long projects. How to do this? How to this? How to increase this factory? How to make it world-renowned, and so on, and so on, and so on. There is no limit of anxiety. "Chintada" operating show unlimited means they have no idea of future life. They do not believe, mostly, at the present moment. Formally, they used to believe. Even these "asuras," Kamsa was a great "asura," but he still, he was thinking of future life. When he was informed that his sister's son, eighth son, will kill him. So he was trying to kill his sister. Because sister is the source of the nephew coming. So better I finish the sister. So he's still, you are thinking, what people will say? I shall kill my sister. So they are also thinking of future. But at the present moment, the "asuras" are so advanced that they don't think of future life. Don't think.
Therefore, "prayantam," "prayantam" means annihilation. The result is at the same, because at the time of death, "prayantam" means at the time of death, when we give up this body, then we get a similar body, next life. That is, I mean to say, arranged by the nature's law. Nature has nothing to do. It will automatically follow. Just like you infect some disease, nature's law is that you must suffer from that disease. Nobody has got to do anything. The law is so. The nature's law is like that. If you take more food than you can digest, with that child, then immediately there will be dysentery. This is nature's law. If you take more than you can digest, then immediately there will be indigestion. When you cannot assimilate so much food, that is nature's law. If you touch fire, either you touch, or your innocent child touch, the fire will burn it. Fire will not consider that here is a child, let me excuse. No. It will burn. This is nature's law. Similarly, the thoughts which you are maintaining during our lifetime, if that thought becomes prominent, naturally it becomes at the time of death, then you are going to get a similar body. If you are thinking like a demon, then you get the demon's body next life. And if you are thinking like a devotee, then you get your next life back to home, back to Godhead. This is nature's law.
Therefore, if you practice, instead of thinking like the demons, how to gratify senses, that is the demonic thought. They're concerned with this body. If you think of Krishna, how to serve Him, that is your perfection of life. Because you will think at the time of death of Krishna, "ante Narayana smriti," that is the perfection of life. "Ante," at the time of death, if, if you remember Krishna, then your life is successful. So we have to do like that. Not like the "asuras" and demons. Thinking must be there. But if you think of this body, how to keep it very comfortably, how to enjoy senses, how to have more money, how to have more men or women, how to see naked dance, how to do, how to this, how to this, then you will be a demon. And at the time of death, naturally we shall think of, then I get again demonic life, or animal life, or tree life. There are so many different forms of life that is in our presence before us. There are so many examples. If you get a life of a tree, naked tree is naked. It's not a shame to live a naked. And for 10,000 years you stand up. But from this life comes, it requires thought. Why the world is not full of one kind of forms of life? Why is there a different types of life? Because different desires and nature's law. Nature's law, there is no excuse. The same thing. That is, if a child even touches fire, nature is not very merciful. It will burn. Similarly, at the time of death, we have to think very rightly. That is required. That is human life. You have to train yourself in such a way that at the time of death, you think of Krishna.
Therefore, Krishna advises, "asamsam," without any doubt. If you want to go back to home, back to Godhead, which is known as Krishna-loka, Vaikuntha-loka. Vaikuntha-loka means "kuntha" means this anxiety. And "Vaikuntha," "bigata kuntha," "bigata" means without. There is no more any anxiety. That is Vaikuntha-loka, spiritual world. Material world is "kuntha." "Kuntha" means anxiety, full of anxiety. And Vaikuntha means there is no anxiety. Everything is freedom. "Saccidananda." Vaikuntha life means "sat cit ananda." Krishna's body, "saccidananda vigraha." Not only Krishna's body, anyone who lives in the spiritual world, his body is spiritual body. And the spiritual body means "sat cit ananda." "Sat" means eternal. Spiritual body never annihilates. The material body annihilates. Uh, every one of us, we have got now material body. It will annihilate. But in the spiritual world, when you have got spiritual body, it does not annihilate. Eternal. Eternal life. And "cit" means knowledge. So, in this material body, we have no knowledge. We are, even if we have got the imperfect knowledge, uh, limited knowledge. But in the spiritual life, we have got full knowledge. That is spiritual life. And "ananda." There is no "ananda." In this material world, "ananda" means pleasure. Please. But they, here it is not possible. Uh, first of all, you have to die. You may manufacture some so-called "ananda," but it dies. Now, suppose we are dancing here. And if we understand that immediately death will take place, then we shall not be able to enjoy the dance. Immediately the anxiety will come. Uh. So, here "ananda," there is no "ananda." Why there is "ananda?" This body is subjected to so many miserable conditions of life. Uh, we become hungry. We become thirsty. There is death. There is fearfulness. There is enemy. And so many things. If you study analytically, that this body is simply meant for suffering. So, where is "ananda?" There is no "ananda." There is no complete knowledge. There is no eternity. Therefore, uh, it is called material. Uh, the just the opposite is spiritual life. Uh, just the opposite. There is no death. Eternity. Uh. So, civilization means that the process by which we can transfer ourselves from this uh, non-permanent life to permanent life. Uh, life of ignorance to life of knowledge. Life of suffering to life of enjoyment. That is spiritual life. So, everyone, every human being should be intelligent. So, this is my position. So, what is the use of living like a demon? Here is Krishna. He says that you just become my devotee. You just think of me. "Man mana bhava mad bhakto." Always think of me. "Man mana." And "mad bhakto," my devotee. "Mad yaji," worship me. "Mam namaskuru." Offer obeisances unto me. If you follow this principle, then "mam evaisyasi," you come to me. So, why not sacrifice one life for Krishna consciousness? So far the bodily enjoyment, especially sex enjoyment, we had in dogs' life, cats' life, in beasts' life. So, if by restricting this kind of sex life, little organized, if I can get back to home, back to Godhead, and solve all the problems of life, is it not the decision of the intelligent man? Uh. Why should I give me away to the animal life?
"Visaya khalu sarvatrasya." "Visaya" means the four necessities of material life. That is called "visaya." Uh, "visaya," four necessi- What are the four necessities? That so long you have got this material body, we have to eat. We cannot starve. That is not possible. So, similarly, we have to take rest, sleeping. And similarly, we have to enjoy our, give satisfaction to our senses. And similarly, we have to depend. This is called "visaya." Uh, the shastras say that this "visaya khalu sarvatrasya." In any form of life, you will get full facilities for the bodily necessities of life. Full facilities. Just see the birds and bees. They have no anxiety on maintaining the body, on fulfilling the necessities of life. Early in the morning, uh, they are not anxious. They dawn and they chirp. And they fly to somewhere in any tree. And the fruit is there. A little fruit, that is sufficient. And they're eating and sleeping. Any tree, and they'll sit down on the top and sleep. So, eating, sleeping, and mating. The other sex is born along with the bird. At least two legs, eggs are there. One male, one female. Uh, so he has no anxiety for sex. He has no anxiety for eating. He has no anxiety for sleeping. And defense, everyone knows. All birds, beasts know how to defend himself. Uh. The birds on the ground eating something, as soon as it sees some danger, immediately go up. That is his defense. So, shastras says therefore that these four necessities of life, you will get any form of life. Any insignificant form, a very important form, it doesn't matter. You'll get all. This is arranged. Uh, you have no anxiety for that. Krishna has given you. Uh, just like even if you are put into the jail life, prison life, for these things, government has arranged already. In the jail life, there is eating, sleeping, uh, arrangement. Uh. So, for these things, we should not be very much anxious. That is human life. Uh, simply, he has to, uh, see intelligently things. How things are going on. Uh. There are 8,400,000 forms of life. Out of that, the human forms in different status, 400,000. And 8 million, they are lower animals. Birds, beasts, aquatics, insects, serpents. Uh. So many. They are 8 million. The number of uh, you can see the number of human being, uh, the other beings, just like even a small ant, from your room, thousands of small ants will come out. But in that room, as human being, you cannot be more than two, three. That is the nature's way. Uh. You'll find so many sparrows, so many other birds, beasts, even elephants. So, they are getting their food. They are getting their sleeping accommodation. They have facility for sex life. And they know how to defend. So, human life is also meant for like that. Simply for eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. But the modern civilization has gone down so low that they are very much anxious. Therefore, it is said, "cintā parimeyāñ ca." How to arrange for eating? How to arrange for sleeping? Not only for me, but for my son, for my grandson, for my great grandson. "cintā parimeyāñ." Then why you are so much in anxiety? Huh? Who is your son? Who is your great grandson or great grandson? Huh? We by chance we have come together. And after death, like football, it is suited to somewhere we do not know. Who can say, "My father is here there or my grandfather is there?" Huh? It is example given just like some straw. They mix together in the waves. Huh? And again by the waves, they are thrown here and there. No more assembly. Huh? So the material life is that. Material life, by chance we have come in a family or in a nation or in a community. But this will be after some years, it will be broken. And everybody will be thrown in the laws of nature. We do not know where, according to his karma. Huh? Now I am father, he's son. But after death, I, he, my son may become demigod, I may be my dog. Huh? Then where is my relationship? Huh? Everything is broken. Huh? And here I may keep my, I keep the photo of my father, and father, and maybe rotting somewhere as a dog. You cannot avoid these laws of material nature. Huh? This is called māyā. Huh? Actually, we are busy with something which is not permanent, a temporary arrangement by the laws of nature. Therefore, those who are too much, uh, full of anxiety for all these things, they are called demons. "cintā aparimeyāñ ca." Your "cintā" will not act. You may think, uh, for the safety or satisfaction. But that does not mean we should neglect our duty. Uh. But, uh, as far as possible, we should be detached. Uh. It is not that because this, all these are temporary arrangement, we should not be, uh, unfaithful to our family member, to our children, to our wife. That is duty. We should take care. But we should not be simply absorbed in such thoughts. Our other business is how to become fit for going back to home, back to Godhead. That is our real business. Uh. This is temporary business because we have got some bodily relation. That is duty. Uh. That's therefore Rupa Goswami, the example when he wanted to retire from family life, he gave 50% to Krishna. He was a very rich man. Uh. He, after retirement, he brought, uh, one full load of boat, uh, golden coins. Just imagine the wealth. Huh? Now, what is the price of gold coins now? I think there is no gold coin at the present moment. Huh? It is all finished. Now it is paper coin. It is going on. But even 500 years ago, or 400 years ago, there are gone. Not 400 years ago, in our childhood, we have seen gold mohar, guinea. Uh, they were used in practical use, and silver coins, gold coins, we saw. But now it is everything paper. Uh. So, we are so advanced that there is no more gold and silver. Uh. So, anyway, uh, uh, "cintā parimeyāñ ca," uh, that, that should be transferred to Krishna "cintā." Uh, "satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ." Uh, if you, uh, always be busy in, uh, glorifying, chanting the holy name of the Lord, then your "cintā," anxiety is transferred. By same "cintā," "cintā" will go on. You cannot stop it. Mind, you cannot stop thinking even for a moment. Either you shall think of this material life, or you shall think of Krishna. So, the Krishna consciousness, instead of thinking of this material life, you think of Krishna. Thinking is not to be stopped. That is not possible. You cannot stop thinking even for a moment. Simply you have to practice, instead of thinking these material things, you think of Krishna. That is all. That Krishna advises. "man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru." Uh, "man-manā." If you think of Krishna always, then naturally you become devotee of Krishna. "man-manā bhava mad-bhakto." And "mad-yājī." And if you actually become devotee of Krishna, then you shall worship Krishna. And if you actually worship Krishna, then you must offer obeisances to Krishna. Therefore, Krishna advises these four things. "man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru." Huh? Then what will be the result? "mām evaiṣyasi." Simply by practicing these four things, it does not require any, MA, PhD degree. Simply you have to agree. Yes, I shall think of Krishna, chant Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna. You have to agree. That's all. That is required. Uh, then gradually you become "bhakta." Gradually you worship, and gradually you offer obeisances, surrender. That one, that is wanted by Krishna. "sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ." So, it does not require any high education, high birth, or great riches or money to become very beautiful. Nothing required. Uh, beautiful or not beautiful, everyone can become Krishna conscious. There is no impediment. Uh, educated or not educated, it doesn't matter. Rich or poor, it doesn't matter. Uh, "ahaitukī apratihatā." The devotional service, "bhakti-yoga," is without any cause and without impediment. "ahaitukī apratihatā." And if you attend that stage, "yayātmā samprasīdati," then "ātmā," the soul, will be fully satisfied. Uh. So, it does not require much education or much wealth. From any, uh, status of life, one can practice this. "man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru." Uh, these four things only. Uh. So, we who are propagandizing, making propaganda for this Krishna consciousness movement, uh, it is not very difficult. And it is not meant for any particular class of men or community or country. It is meant for all living entities. If he can, then what is the difficulty? Uh. So, it may be difficult in other forms of life, but in the human form of life, it is not at all difficult. So, we should fully utilize this human form of life. Fully utilize this human form of life, uh, in Krishna consciousness. And the process is always thinking of Krishna. And you stop thinking of man and money. If we, that is what is very difficult also. Uh, the Maya is so strong that as soon as I'm sitting in a solitary place, then I think of money and woman. Therefore, we should live always in an assembly and chant Hare Krishna and save ourselves from the danger of material fall down. Thank you.