0 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:15,718 SB 2-01-04 VRN 1974-03-19 A Madman's So-called Soldiers 1 00:00:15,719 --> 00:00:20,358 ANNOUNCER: The following is a class on the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 2nd canto, 2 00:00:20,359 --> 00:00:23,608 1st chapter, text number 4, 3 00:00:23,609 --> 00:00:29,488 given by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, 4 00:00:29,489 --> 00:00:47,288 recorded on the 19th of March, 1974, in Vṛndāvana, India. 5 00:00:47,289 --> 00:00:53,128 PRABHUPĀDA: dehāpatya- kalatrādiṣv ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api 6 00:00:53,129 --> 00:01:01,388 teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ paśyann api na paśyati” Ātma-tattva. 7 00:01:01,389 --> 00:01:05,158 Apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām [SB 2.1.2]. 8 00:01:05,159 --> 00:01:08,388 This verse we have discussed. 9 00:01:08,389 --> 00:01:19,208 People are blind about the interest of the soul, actually, his own person. 10 00:01:19,209 --> 00:01:24,549 The soul is the chief within this body. 11 00:01:24,550 --> 00:01:28,999 Neither the mind, nor the body—they are simply covering. 12 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:33,479 Just like we are covered by dress. 13 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:35,569 Dress is not important. 14 00:01:35,570 --> 00:01:42,999 But I, the man who is putting on the dress, I am important. 15 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:44,849 That we cannot see. 16 00:01:44,850 --> 00:01:50,259 Everyone is busy to see the body. 17 00:01:50,260 --> 00:01:55,009 And the body, expansion of the body, is described here. 18 00:01:55,010 --> 00:02:01,689 Body, deha, then from the body there are children, apatya. 19 00:02:01,690 --> 00:02:11,379 And then, through the wife, body expands, strī. Strī means “which expands.” 20 00:02:11,380 --> 00:02:20,159 In this material world the point of attraction is strī and puruṣa, 21 00:02:20,160 --> 00:02:24,889 man and woman, male and female. 22 00:02:24,890 --> 00:02:28,819 There is an attraction, natural. 23 00:02:28,820 --> 00:02:37,929 So the man wants woman, woman wants man, because there is attraction. 24 00:02:37,930 --> 00:02:41,729 And when, by that attraction, 25 00:02:41,730 --> 00:02:50,759 the man and woman is united, then the result is the children. 26 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:58,930 puṁsaḥ striyā mithunī-bhāvam etaṁ tayor mitho hṛdaya-granthim āhuḥ 27 00:02:58,931 --> 00:03:05,050 Then the attraction for this material world increases. 28 00:03:05,051 --> 00:03:11,260 When one is alone, he’s not so much attached with the material world. 29 00:03:11,261 --> 00:03:18,150 But, [splice] then he gets children, and the attraction increases. 30 00:03:18,151 --> 00:03:24,900 The real business is that we have to withdraw our attraction for this material… 31 00:03:24,901 --> 00:03:26,520 That they do not know. 32 00:03:26,521 --> 00:03:28,920 I am a spirit soul. 33 00:03:28,921 --> 00:03:35,610 Being attracted by this material nature, I am now encaged within this body, 34 00:03:35,611 --> 00:03:38,960 and I am changing this body. 35 00:03:38,961 --> 00:03:44,110 Just like I am changing this body from boyhood to childhood, childhood to, 36 00:03:44,111 --> 00:03:46,600 from childhood to boyhood, from youthhood. 37 00:03:46,601 --> 00:03:53,230 In this way, I have been entangled in this transmigration of the soul. 38 00:03:53,231 --> 00:03:55,760 This is my problem. 39 00:03:55,761 --> 00:04:03,410 Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, says, “Real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. 40 00:04:03,411 --> 00:04:05,520 This is not problem. 41 00:04:05,521 --> 00:04:11,350 Nowadays they have discovered so many problems. 42 00:04:11,351 --> 00:04:20,251 But actual problem—janma-mṛtyu-jarā- vyādhi—they are not very much serious. 43 00:04:20,252 --> 00:04:29,081 Therefore they have been described here as pramattaḥ, mad. 44 00:04:29,082 --> 00:04:31,751 He does not know what is the real problem, 45 00:04:31,752 --> 00:04:40,801 but he is very busy with the superficial problems. 46 00:04:40,802 --> 00:04:47,591 Therefore śāstra says that these people, blind, 47 00:04:47,592 --> 00:04:49,551 they do not know what is the problem. 48 00:04:49,552 --> 00:04:52,821 Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum [SB 7.5.31]. 49 00:04:52,822 --> 00:04:57,951 My real self-interest is to go back to home, back to Godhead. 50 00:04:57,952 --> 00:05:02,181 That is my real self-interest. They do not know. 51 00:05:02,182 --> 00:05:09,681 They want to live here, which is described as duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam [Bg. 8.15], 52 00:05:09,682 --> 00:05:14,881 simply a place of miserable conditions and repetition of birth, death, 53 00:05:14,882 --> 00:05:17,431 old age and disease. 54 00:05:17,432 --> 00:05:21,211 So apaśyatām ātma-tattvam [SB 2.1.2], 55 00:05:21,212 --> 00:05:28,481 those who are not very intelligent to see about the truth of ātmā, 56 00:05:28,482 --> 00:05:33,671 they are entangled. How it is entangle…? Now, deha-apatya. 57 00:05:33,672 --> 00:05:38,881 This body and the offspring, children, 58 00:05:38,882 --> 00:05:49,231 born out of this body through the wife, dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu ātma-sainyeṣu. 59 00:05:49,232 --> 00:05:53,582 Everyone is thinking that “I have got my good wife. 60 00:05:53,583 --> 00:05:56,782 I have got very nice children. 61 00:05:56,783 --> 00:06:03,002 I have got my nice society, nation,” and so on, so many. 62 00:06:03,003 --> 00:06:06,082 Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu. 63 00:06:06,083 --> 00:06:10,192 And he’s thinking that “They are my soldiers.” 64 00:06:10,193 --> 00:06:14,052 Here is this fight, struggle for existence. 65 00:06:14,053 --> 00:06:22,142 Everyone is struggling to exist, and everyone is thinking, “They are my soldiers. 66 00:06:22,143 --> 00:06:26,952 These, my wife, children, society, friendship, nation, 67 00:06:26,953 --> 00:06:29,642 they’ll give me protection.” 68 00:06:29,643 --> 00:06:36,762 But nobody can give protection. Therefore he’s explained here as pramattaḥ, pāgala. 69 00:06:36,763 --> 00:06:38,662 Nobody can give you protection. 70 00:06:38,663 --> 00:06:43,452 Not only will be able to give protection, but they will be also finished. 71 00:06:43,453 --> 00:06:47,552 dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api, 72 00:06:47,553 --> 00:06:50,902 teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanam 73 00:06:50,903 --> 00:06:53,652 At any moment, you can be finished. 74 00:06:53,653 --> 00:06:59,282 Paśyann api na pa… He’s seeing that “My father died. 75 00:06:59,283 --> 00:07:03,192 My father’s father died. The uncle died. 76 00:07:03,193 --> 00:07:07,233 So they’ll also die. I’ll also die.” 77 00:07:07,234 --> 00:07:12,283 So how, all we are dead bodies, how we can help one another? 78 00:07:12,284 --> 00:07:15,473 But because he’s mad, he does not see. [splice] 79 00:07:15,474 --> 00:07:19,873 He’s thinking that “These things will give me protection.” 80 00:07:19,874 --> 00:07:23,023 No, that is not possible. 81 00:07:23,024 --> 00:07:30,853 You cannot get rid of the four principles of material life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi, 82 00:07:30,854 --> 00:07:33,633 by these soldiers. That is not possible. 83 00:07:33,634 --> 00:07:36,283 They will die, you will die. 84 00:07:36,284 --> 00:07:40,983 Your… Formerly, your father died. Your father’s father died. 85 00:07:40,984 --> 00:07:44,243 Everyone will die. This is called martya-loka. 86 00:07:44,244 --> 00:07:46,923 Everyone will die. 87 00:07:46,924 --> 00:07:52,523 But we are actually hankering after existing. 88 00:07:52,524 --> 00:07:54,333 We do not wish to die. 89 00:07:54,334 --> 00:07:58,333 That is our natural propensity, because we are eternal. 90 00:07:58,334 --> 00:08:02,113 “Oh, why shall I wish to die?” 91 00:08:02,114 --> 00:08:08,753 So the solution is not depending on these so-called soldiers, 92 00:08:08,754 --> 00:08:12,813 but the solution is different. 93 00:08:12,814 --> 00:08:15,603 That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: 94 00:08:15,604 --> 00:08:19,623 Mām upetya kaunteya duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam 95 00:08:19,624 --> 00:08:24,914 nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ [Bg. 8.15]. 96 00:08:24,915 --> 00:08:32,064 If you some way or other can reach Kṛṣṇa, Viṣṇu, then you’ll be saved. 97 00:08:32,065 --> 00:08:34,934 Otherwise, mām upetya kaunteya. 98 00:08:34,935 --> 00:08:41,944 Then you’ll not have to come to this material world again simply to suffer. 99 00:08:41,945 --> 00:08:44,924 This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy. [splice] 100 00:08:44,925 --> 00:08:51,144 Every living being, beginning from the Brahmā… 101 00:08:51,145 --> 00:08:55,924 It is not that… Brahmā has got very long duration of life. 102 00:08:55,925 --> 00:09:01,974 We cannot even calculate Brahmā’s one daytime. 103 00:09:01,975 --> 00:09:09,594 Forty-three lakhs of years, multiplied by one thousand, 104 00:09:09,595 --> 00:09:16,144 that is twelve hours of Brahmā. So he will also die. [splice] 105 00:09:16,145 --> 00:09:23,214 …down to the microbial germs, who live for a few seconds only, 106 00:09:23,215 --> 00:09:26,134 he’s struggling for existence. 107 00:09:26,135 --> 00:09:31,644 Therefore this life is a sort of fight with material nature, 108 00:09:31,645 --> 00:09:35,604 which imposes death upon all. 109 00:09:35,605 --> 00:09:36,824 This is struggle. 110 00:09:36,825 --> 00:09:44,024 Everyone wants to live, but… He may live for some time—for few seconds, 111 00:09:44,025 --> 00:09:50,754 for few minutes, or for few years, or for few millions of years. 112 00:09:50,755 --> 00:09:52,485 But death will come. 113 00:09:52,486 --> 00:09:58,685 And our struggle is how to overcome death. 114 00:09:58,686 --> 00:10:00,345 In the human form of life 115 00:10:00,346 --> 00:10:04,425 a living being is competent enough to come to an understanding 116 00:10:04,426 --> 00:10:07,015 of this great struggle for existence, 117 00:10:07,016 --> 00:10:11,095 but being too attracted [splice] …society, country, etc., 118 00:10:11,096 --> 00:10:19,085 he wants to win over the invincible material nature by the aid of bodily strength, 119 00:10:19,086 --> 00:10:22,745 children, wife, relatives, etc. 120 00:10:22,746 --> 00:10:27,185 Although he is sufficiently experienced in the matter 121 00:10:27,186 --> 00:10:33,655 by dint of past experience and previous examples of the diseased predecessors, 122 00:10:33,656 --> 00:10:41,675 he does not see that the countrymen are all fallible in the great struggle. 123 00:10:41,676 --> 00:10:47,925 One should examine the fact that the father or father’s father has already died, 124 00:10:47,926 --> 00:10:51,755 and therefore he himself is also sure to die. 125 00:10:51,756 --> 00:10:57,055 And similarly his children, who are the would-be fathers of their children, 126 00:10:57,056 --> 00:11:00,305 will also die in due course. 127 00:11:00,306 --> 00:11:04,665 No one will survive in the struggle with material nature. 128 00:11:04,666 --> 00:11:08,125 Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā [Bg. 7.14]. 129 00:11:08,126 --> 00:11:14,765 So our real problem is how to revive our original, eternal life. 130 00:11:14,766 --> 00:11:16,935 That is struggle. 131 00:11:16,936 --> 00:11:19,576 The modern people, scientists, 132 00:11:19,577 --> 00:11:26,146 philosophers, they even do not know what is our original constitutional position, 133 00:11:26,147 --> 00:11:29,406 and… Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre [Bg. 2.20]. 134 00:11:29,407 --> 00:11:33,946 I do not die, even after the destruction of this body. 135 00:11:33,947 --> 00:11:35,496 These things are unknown. 136 00:11:35,497 --> 00:11:41,756 And still, they are posing themselves as leader of the society. 137 00:11:41,757 --> 00:11:46,916 Therefore the śāstra says, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānā. 138 00:11:46,917 --> 00:11:52,316 “One blind man is leading several other blind men.” 139 00:11:52,317 --> 00:11:55,776 te ’pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ 140 00:11:55,777 --> 00:12:04,156 “They do not know that they are bound up by the laws of nature very tight, 141 00:12:04,157 --> 00:12:05,706 hands and legs.” 142 00:12:05,707 --> 00:12:08,046 There is no question of freedom. 143 00:12:08,047 --> 00:12:10,886 Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ 144 00:12:10,887 --> 00:12:15,376 ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate [Bg. 3.27]. 145 00:12:15,377 --> 00:12:22,036 So real life is to know what is the value of my life, 146 00:12:22,037 --> 00:12:27,576 how I have to attain the original position. 147 00:12:27,577 --> 00:12:30,316 Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre [Bg. 2.20]. 148 00:12:30,317 --> 00:12:34,216 And now I am getting this śarīra, or body, 149 00:12:34,217 --> 00:12:37,466 and I am being annihilated one after another. 150 00:12:37,467 --> 00:12:42,257 And I am getting one body annihilated, again getting another, next body. 151 00:12:42,258 --> 00:12:47,147 This great science is unknown to the modern civilization, 152 00:12:47,148 --> 00:12:52,157 and therefore they are considered as pramattaḥ, all madmen, 153 00:12:52,158 --> 00:12:57,147 hankering after some temporary happiness. 154 00:12:57,148 --> 00:13:00,447 Pramattaḥ. They are called pramattaḥ. 155 00:13:00,448 --> 00:13:07,881 Thank you very much. 156 00:13:07,882 --> 00:13:07,883 Subtitles by Gaurāṅga Sundara Dāsa, Causelessmercy.com