Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.1 Prabhupada: …sadvaitam savadhutam parijana-sahitam krsna-caitanya-devam sri-radha-krsna-padan saha-gana-lalita-sri-visakhanvitams ca Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. kaumara acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha durlabham manusam janma tad apy adhruvam arthadam [SB 7.6.1] This verse we have been discussing in our last meeting. The purport is: “From very childhood, very childhood, the boys, the children, should be taught about this God consciousness, or Krsna consciousness.” The mistake of modern civilization is that we are, I mean to say, bringing up spoiled children. So when they are grown up, if they become hippies or communists, it is not their fault. It is the fault of the guardians. It is the fault of the guardians. When the people become just something against the social convention, it is not the fault of the youngsters, but it is the fault of the education system, it is the fault of the parents, it is fault of the teachers. Because they are not teaching. Prahlada Maharaja says that from the very childhood one should be taught. I have seen in India. The Muhammadans, they are very much particular about it. The small children, within ten years, they are… From the very beginning they are taught Koran in the mosques. I have seen. In my Delhi headquarter, it is just behind the Jama Musjid. You have heard the name of Jama Musjid. That is the greatest mosque in the world. Many foreigners go to see it. It was constructed by Emperor Shah Jahan, say, about three hundred years or little more than that. So the Muhammadans, they are very particular to teach the Koran from the very beginning. That’s a very nice system. Either you teach Koran or you, Koran, Bible, or you teach Bhagavad-gita, it doesn’t matter. One should have the idea of God consciousness. Then he can develop. So this opportunity should be offered to the children. If not, they are not real guardians, real parents, or real teachers. Why? Durlabham manusam janma. This Prahlada Maharaja teaching is not this Bhagavatam. Just mark it. Prahlada Maharaja says, dharman bhagavatan, “the religion of God consciousness.” He does not say Hindu religion or Muhammadan religion or Christian religion. Dharman bhagavatan. As I explained already last days, Bhagavata means pertaining to God. So whatever your idea of God may be, that must be impressed from the childhood, that “There is God.” Actually there is God. To deny God or “God is dead” is simply rascaldom. So whatever religion or sect you may profess, the Prahlada Maharaja says that one should have the idea of God consciousness. We don’t say, neither Prahlada Maharaja says, that Krsna conscious. Of course, Krsna means God. But if somebody has got objection, Krsna, because this name is Indian name or Sanskrit name or Krsna appeared Himself in India, it doesn’t matter. We are concerned with the philosophy, with the teachings. Just like Buddha. He was also Indian. He was Hindu, ksatriya. And why Buddhism is accepted by so many people of the world? Whole Japan, whole China, Burma, and… Why? The philosophy is concerned. Just like Christian, Christian religion. Lord Jesus Christ, he appeared in Jordan. But… Jordan or Jerusalem? Hayagriva: He appeared in Palestine. Prabhupada: Palestine. Near about that place, yes. So anyway, he was not European or American or Indian or Chinese, but there are many Chinese Christians, there are many Indian Christian, European Christian, American Christian. So if some idea of religion is developed in a particular country, we should not take it that it is meant for that particular country. No. That is mistake. God is one. Just like the sun. The sun is one. It does not mean if the sun appears in America, he becomes American sun. No. Sun is sun. He is neither American nor Indian. But he rotates. He rotates. He sometimes appears on the American land, sometimes on the Indian land, sometimes on the Chinese land. There is a very nice verse in Canakya-sloka that… He gives the example, I mean to say, broadmindedness. Na hi harate jyotsna chandras candala-vesmani. Candala. Candala, according to Vedic conception, a candala, a class who are dog-eaters, and they are meant for very low-class duty. So they are out of the caste system. Candala means fifth dimension. Brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra— these four classes are accepted. And beyond that, they are called candala. So Canakya Pandita says that “Even one is candala, that does not mean that moonshine will not be delivered there.” The moon is so liberal that it doesn’t matter whether it is the house of brahmana or it is the house of a candala. It doesn’t matter. Just like when rain falls… You have seen, experienced. There is no necessity of rain on the sea. A vast mass of water there is, but rain is falling there also. Why? It is liberal, meant for everyone. Rain is not only meant for land. It is meant for the sea also. Similarly, any God consciousness movement, it does not mean that it is meant for that particular country or for that particular section. No. Bhagavad-gita or Srimad-Bhagavatam, don’t consider it, that it is meant for the Hindus or for the Indians. It is meant for everyone. Just see. Dharman bhagavatan. Prahlada Maharaja said that “From the childhood, one should be taught the science of God.” Dharman bhagavatan means the science of God. Just try to understand the word dharma. Dharma is generally translated into English as religion. But dharma does not mean a particular type of faith. That is not the Sanskrit import. Dharma means the natural quality. That is. Everything has some natural quality characteristic. Everything. So natural characteristic for every living entity is to serve. That is the natural characteristic. Every one of us who are sitting in this meeting, nobody can say that “I am not servant.” Everyone of us is a servant. You go up to the highest man, your prime minister, or USA, the president, everyone is servant. Nobody can claim that “I am not servant.” So therefore, either you are a Christian, or either you are a Hindu, either you are a Muhammadan, but you have to serve. It is not that because one is Christian or Hindu, he hasn’t got to serve. Just like so many Indians, they have come here. What is the profession? They are serving. They are serving here some company or some institution or some university. So serving was there in India. Service is also here. So this is religion. Religion means the characteristic. Characteristic… You cannot change your characteristic. In whatever circumstances you may be, the characteristic will continue. That is the meaning of religion. Dharman bhagavatan. And bhagavatan means pertaining to God. And what is that, that characteristic of relationship between God and myself? That is called religion. Religion means that oh, characteristics of God, characteristics of the living entity, and to dovetail them. The characteristic of God is God is great. That is the characteristic. And we are small, little. This is our character. If we are not small, then why we are serving the great? Serving means there must be somebody greater than me. At least, the money is greater than me. If I don’t serve the man, but the man, my master who supplies me the money, that is greater. So actually in this material world, there is no genuine service. Everyone is serving the intention of sense enjoyment. Just like from tomorrow there will be postal strike. What is that? They are not serving the government or the public. They are serving their salary. Is it not? As soon as there is some less salary, they strike. Therefore I have got my service spirit, and I have to serve somebody. That is my natural characteristic. You cannot deny it. Now you have to find out where your service should be engaged so that you may not be frustrated. That is required. There is one verse in Bhagavatam. One devotee, he has taken sannyasa. Sannyasa means the renounced order of life. Just like as you see me by my dress, this is called sannyasa. Sannyasa means… This is Sanskrit word, sat-nyasa. This is sannyasa. Sat means the Supreme, the Absolute Truth. And nyasa means renounced. One who has renounced everything for the service of the Supreme, he is called a sannyasa. Sannyasa does not mean a particular type of dress or particular type of beard. Sannyasa means you can become a sannyasi even with your, this coat-pant. It doesn’t matter, provided you have dedicated your life for the service of God. That is called sannyasa. In the Bhagavad-gita it is clearly said, anasritah karma-phalam karyam karma karoti yah, sa sannyasi, sa sannyasi sa yogi ca na canya akriya. The meaning of this verse is that anasritah karma-phalam. Everyone is working in this material world for some salary or for some remuneration, but if one works not for salary or for remuneration but as a matter of duty… Anasritah karma-phalam karyam. Karyam means “It must be done.” Karma karoti yah: “In such a way, if somebody acts, then sa sannyasi, he is sannyasi.” Just try to understand. Anasritah karma-phalam. You are doing some work. Why you are doing some work? Either for some salary or for some profit or for some gain. Otherwise nobody is working uselessly. He must have some gain. But one who does not utilize that gain for his sense gratification but works as a matter of duty, karyam karma karoti sa sannyasi sa yogi ca. Such person is actually a sannyasi and yogi. You have heard the name of yogi. Yogi means that he has no other business. The sannyasi and yogi is the same because yogi has no other business. He is simply trying to concentrate his mind on the Visnu. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1]. Yoginah, not these black yogis. The real yogi. Real yogi means he is always in meditation, dhyanavasthita. Dhyana means meditation. Dhyanavasthita manasa. Where meditation is performed? In the mind. That means concentrating the mind. Dhyanavasthita manasa. Then what is that concentration? Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1]. Yam, whom. That means the Supreme Visnu. One who sees the Supreme Visnu always within his mind by concentration, he is called yogi. Yogi does not mean to show some magical or gymnastic feats. These are This practice of asana or breathing exercise, that will help you for concentrating, pratyahara. There is a term, pratyahara. Pratyahara means you draw your engagement of the senses from matter, and you engage them in the Visnu. That is yogi. So bhakta-yogi, which we are teaching in Krsna consciousness, they are the topmost yogis because they are being trained to draw the engagement of the senses from anything outside Krsna consciousness. They are trying to draw the senses from everything and applying it in Krsna. Just like we are trying to chant Hare Krsna. When we chant Hare Krsna, that means we withdraw our mind from all other engagement and try to engage my mind and ear on the sound vibration of Krsna. This Krsna, being Absolute Truth, there is no difference between the person Krsna and the name Krsna. In the absolute world there is no relativity. Therefore when you concentrate your mind on the sound vibration of Krsna, that means you are concentrating on the Absolute Truth, and that is the process of yogi. Yogi, somebody may think, “Here there is no bodily exercise, no breathing exercise. How they become yogi?” Real yogi means to concentrate the mind in Visnu. Dhyanavasthita. So the original form of Visnu is Krsna, and therefore concentrating the mind on Krsna, even by vibration, because there is no difference of identity between the vibration of the name of Krsna and Krsna, therefore this is the highest form of yoga practice. And life dedicated for Krsna’s service. All the students, all the disciples, they are engaged, how to broadcast the message of Krsna. They are trying to find out the opportunity in so many ways. They are making arrangement for distribution of prasadam so that one may be attracted, or at least he may hear the word Krsna for once when he comes to take Krsna- prasadam, or he may hear the vibration of Krsna, or he may hear something, teachings of Krsna. So this is the movement of Krsna consciousness. And it is recommended in the Bhagavad-gita that yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantaratmana: [Bg. 6.47] “He is the first-class yogi.” Who? “Who always thinking of Krsna within himself.” That is yoga practice. So the bhagavata-dharma and bhakti-yoga or yoga practice—everything synonymous. There is no difference. But this is the easiest process. Here you will find the students, although they are not exercising the bodily asana, pranayama, it is automatically being done because the mind is the center of all activities. So mind is always engaged in Krsna. That is bhagavata-dharma. So as we have explained several times in these classes, that this concentration is required. And that should be taught from the very beginning of life, kaumara. Kaumara means from five years to fifteen years. From sixteenth year, one becomes, one’s youthfulness begins, say, up to forty years. Then middle age up to sixty years. Then after sixty years, one is old. This is the definition of different ages. So kaumara acaret prajnah. If one is intelligent, if one is wise… Prajna means wise. If he’s a fool, rascal, it is not for them. Caitanya-caritamrta therefore says, krsna yei bhaje sei bada catura. Catura means very intelligent. Unless one is very intelligent, he cannot understand the philosophy of Krsna consciousness. And if you try to find out intelligent class of men, naturally the number will be very small. If you want that in this street find out some boys who have passed their M.A. examination and Ph.D. examination, hardly you will find one or two. But if you try to find out the illiterate or without any education, you will find many. So we should not judge by the number. We should judge by the quality. What is the quality. So this Krsna consciousness, even though you may not find many students, but any one student who has understood this philosophy, he is very intelligent. He is very intelligent. If you like, you can talk with them and you can try to understand what they have understood about the science of God, and you will be pleased. Even a neophyte student, he will answer very satisfactorily. Because as soon as you become Krsna conscious and you follow the rules and regulations under the direction of your bona fide spiritual master, at that time you become yourself bona fide. And as soon as you become bona fide, the response from within will come because Krsna is within you. Krsna is everywhere. Krsna does not mean… Just like the sunshine, the sunlight, is everywhere, similarly, Krsna is everywhere. As we understand from the Brahma-samhita, andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham: “Krsna, or God, is within this universe and within this room, within your heart, even within the atom.” Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham. So Krsna is within you. As soon as you become sincere, Krsna responds from within. If you want Krsna, or God, sincerely, then the help will come two ways: from without, from within. From without, by these books of knowledge, by the instruction of spiritual master, you will get help from without. And as soon as you are serious to follow, then you will get instruction from within also, within. It is said in the Bhagavad-gita, tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam: [Bg. 10.10] “One who is seriously engaged in My service with faith and devotion.” Priti-purvakam. Priti means love, not that official. As soon as there is less salary, oh, there is strike. Not that kind of love. They are considered that government servant and very faithful to the country’s service, but as soon as a country or government does not pay, everything is rejected. So Krsna service does not mean like that, that as soon as Krsna Practically, Krsna gives everything. One who knows, one who is intelligent, he knows that Krsna is supplying him everything. Actually, Krsna is supplying, either you give service or not service. Krsna is so kind. Even those who are not serving Krsna directly Everyone is serving Krsna but not directly. What is the difference between ordinary man and this Krsna consciousness man? The difference is that Krsna consciousness man knows that “I am eternal servant of God. Therefore let me willingly serve Krsna.” And others, they are also serving Krsna, but by force, by maya, by the qualities of nature. Just like a citizen of a state who has violated the laws. He is also obeying the laws in the prisonhouse, forced: “If you don’t obey, then you will be punished.” That is called prison life. And if you become obedient to the laws, then you are not outlaws. You are free, out of the walls of the prisonhouse. So either you obey or not obey, you have to serve the laws of the state. Similarly, either you be Krsna conscious or not Krsna conscious, you have to serve. But in non- Krsna consciousness condition, you have to serve your senses. And in Krsna consciousness condition you serve Krsna directly. That is the difference. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170] And you serve Krsna. Then you become purified. Your senses are purified exactly like the same example, that when a citizen is free and willingly obeying the laws of the state, he is free from contamination. And as soon as he is disobedient, he is contaminated. Therefore he is put into the jail. Similarly, our material existence means that we have revolted against the will of Krsna or God. Therefore we are dragging the struggle for existence, and as soon as we become again obedient to Krsna, we shall always remember that our characteristic is to serve. So by natural way, if we serve God, then we are happy, and by unnatural way, if we serve our senses, then we are unhappy. This is the difference. Service you have to give. So intelligent man, he thinks that “Throughout my whole life I have given service to the lust, anger, and desire, and so many things.” We are serving. Always remember that whenever we serve somebody, we do not serve that person, but we serve our lust. Because the person will pay me something, and out of that payment I shall be able to gratify my senses, therefore I am not serving anyone, but I am serving my senses. That is the sum and substance. That is the sum and substance. Similarly, if you serve Krsna, the same service is there. Only difference is that it is not service to the sense grati…, senses, but it is the service to the sense proprietor, Hrsikesa. Krsna’s another name is Hrsikesa. Hrsika means senses, and isa means the Lord. Krsna is the Lord of the senses. Therefore His another name is Govinda. So instead of serving the senses, if you serve the Lord of the senses, then you are in natural condition, and that is called bhagavata-dharma. So bhagavata-dharma is nothing unnatural, or Krsna consciousness is nothing unnatural. It is very natural. Simply you have to change from one platform to another. Instead of serving your senses, you have to serve the senses of God, or Krsna. That is called bhagavata-dharma. Thank you very much. [break] Devotee (1): In which way one can engage oneself to the best service of Krsna, or best use one’s time for Krsna? Prabhupada: Therefore you have to be guided by your spiritual master. Otherwise how can you know? It is not possible. Any school you go, you have to be guided by the school teacher. Otherwise you don’t have any education. So this is also a kind of education, Krsna education. So you have to find out a bona fide school, you have to find out a bona fide teacher, and then you learn. That’s all. If, for Krsna consciousness, you go to somebody who is engineer, then you cannot have Krsna consciousness. But if you go to engineer, how to become engineer, you can become engineer. Unfortunately, we have got departments of knowledge in our educational system, but actually there is no department of knowledge where Krsna consciousness is taught scientifically. That is the great necessity of the present day. But if you are sincere to learn, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12], it is indicated by the direction of the Vedas, “Then you have to approach a bona fide person who can teach you Krsna consciousness.” Then you will learn it. Woman (1): If you don’t pronounce the Sanskrit prayers that are in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, if you don’t pronounce them properly or… Prabhupada: Why not? You can pronounce them properly. Everything you can learn. Just like I am speaking in English. English is not my mother language, but I have tried to learn it, and I am doing my business. That’s all. Similarly, you can learn any language. You can learn Sanskrit. You can pronounce very nicely. It requires learning. That’s all. Woman (1): Would there be any effect if they’re not pronounced properly? Prabhupada: Well, the pronouncement may be little different. That doesn’t matter. Just like I am speaking English. It may not be just like American or Canadian English, but I am doing my business. That’s all. That does not make any difference. Nobody is asking me that “Swamiji, you are not pronouncing like an Englishman.” They are concerned with the subject matter. That’s all. [break] Devotee (2): How do you teach Krsna consciousness to a five year old who is only a children? What it means to be a teacher? What teaching…? Prabhupada: How you are learning? You are also young. Anyone who is completely, I mean to say, unaware of Krsna consciousness, he is to be taken as child. Doesn’t matter one who has got age. It doesn’t depend on the age. It depends on the knowledge. So not only young children, but anyone who is unaware of the science, he is also child. And anyone who knows this science, he is old. Vrddhatvam vayasa vina. There is a Sanskrit word that “One man has become old even without age.” This is contradictory. How one can become old without age? Suppose a man, a boy, is sixteen years old, just like Sukadeva Gosvami. He was teaching Srimad-Bhagavatam when he was only sixteen years old, but he was so learned that when he entered the assembly, all the great sages, including his father, stood up to receive him. So he was oldest. So he was older than his father even. Why? Because he was so learned. So our childishness or experience, old age, means according to the acquirement of knowledge. If one is advanced in knowledge, he is to be understood older. And if one is not advanced in knowledge, he is a child. That’s all. So child does not mean that a five years old boy. Just like Prahlada Maharaja, he was only five years old, and just see how nicely he is teaching. So he is older than any other man. At least, he is older than his atheistic father. So you should always remember that any man who is not aware of a particular subject matter, he is a child in that subject matter. And one who is fully aware in his particular subject—it doesn’t matter what is his age—he is to be considered as a… (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Montreal, June 12, 1968