Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.10.4
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
London, November 25, 1973

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

kamam vavarsa parjanyah sarva-kama-dugha mahi sisicuh sma vrajan gavah payasodhasvatir muda [SB 1.10.4]

Translation: “During the reign of Maharaja Yudhisthira, the clouds showered all the water that people needed, and the earth produced all the necessities of man in profusion. Due to its fatty milk bag and cheerful attitude, the cow used to moisten the grazing ground with milk.”

Prabhupada: Kamam. Dharmartha-kama-moksa. In the human society, to make everything very regulated, the prescription is dharma, artha, kama and moksa. Dharma means to be situated in one’s position. That is called dharma. Dharma is not a kind of faith. Faith is sometimes blind. That is not dharma. Just like we say, varnasrama-dharma. Catur-varnyam maya srstam [Bg. 4.13]. Varna. Brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasi. This combination of eight makes dharma, constitutional position. Everyone is animal. So if one is not trained up in these eight principles of human society, so that is not dharma; it is sentiment. But that does not stand very long. It will vanquish. But if dharma is accepted on the principles of this varnasrama-dharma, that is… For material purpose. That is not for spiritual purpose. Although there is hint of spiritual life, still, they are prakrta.

So dharma, artha, kama, moksa. Dharma means to stay in one’s constitutional position. That is dharma. Artha means keeping oneself in one’s constitutional position to get livelihood, artha. Without artha, livelihood, kama, the sense gratification, or fulfilling the needs of life…That is kama. Just like devotees, they have also got kama. We are trying to become devotee. This is also one kind of kama, but this is spiritual kama. It is not material. Narottama dasa Thakura has described, kama krsna-karmarpane. Because there is kama, and when the kama is not fulfilled… Generally, materially, kama means lust, desire. So if our kama, lust or desire, is not fulfilled, the next position is krodha. Kama krodha lobha moha mada matsarya bhaya. These are different associates, one after another. If your desire is not fulfilled, then you become angry. Then after becoming angry, you become very greedy. Then you become bewildered, then become illusioned, then you become fearful.

Therefore there must be some regulative principle to fulfill our desire. And how the regulative principles come to be fulfilled? Here it is said, kamam vavarsa parjanyah [SB 1.10.4]. Vavarsa means showering, showering. And parjanyah means rain. Parjanyah, rain. So our all needs are showered from up. Therefore we pray. Eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. God. Rain is not under you control. Rain, it comes from sky, through the clouds. It is not under you control. When there is scarcity of rain, it is not your so-called science can produce rain. No. That is not possible. Drought. Drought, so many places, last two-three years. So kaman, our necessities of life, from material point of view, it is fulfilled by rainfall from the sky. If there is no rainfall, you cannot produce anything. Kamam vavarsa…

This is the description during the reign of Maharaja Yudhisthira. Maharaja Yudhisthira was the king of this earth, and he was so pious that on account of his piety, Krsna supplied everything sumptuously, sumptuously. Now, have you ever experienced…? Now, here it is stated, sisicuh sma vrajan gavah [SB 1.10.4] Now, we are hankering after milk, but in those days, during Maharaja Yudhisthira’s time, milk was so sufficiently produced that before milking the cow, it supplied milk so sufficiently that the… What is called? Grazing ground? Pasturing ground, they become muddy. They become muddy with milk. Now, with the scarcity of grain, the earth also does not become muddy. It becomes dry earth. But in those days, with milk it was muddy. Just imagine how much milk was… And how it is possible? Sisicuh sma vrajan gavah payasodhasvatir muda [SB 1.10.4]. The milk bag was so fatty and full with milk. Why? muda, they were so happy. They were so happy. So if you keep the cows happy, then cow will supply large quantity of milk. If the cow knows that you are going to kill it, she is always afraid, always fearful: “Oh, this man will kill.” They can understand. I have seen in New Vrindaban. One cow, she was crying because her calf was taken away. So she was feeling so sorry. Now in our New Vrindaban, we see how the cows are happy, how they are dealing. They are not afraid. This is our duty, to keep the cows happy. Just like I want to see my wife and children happy, similarly, it is the duty of the human society to see that the cows feeling very happy. This is human civilization. Otherwise it is tiger civilization, meat-eaters. Meat is not eaten by human being. It is eaten by the dogs, by the tigers, by the animals.

So we have created a society for killing cows and eating the meat and maintaining slaughterhouse in the name of religion. This is going on. So how we can be happy? There cannot be happiness. It is not a sentiment. Therefore this is most sinful activity, meat-eating, cow killing. Most sinful activity. And you have to suffer for that. Unfortunately, these rascals, they do not know that what is the result of this sinful activity. They think the life will go on, and there is no more life. “After finishing of this body, everything will be finished.” Atheistic theory. Bhasmi-bhutasya dehasya kutah punar agamano bhavet. Kutah. “Oh, who is coming?” But that they do not know, rascals. We get information from Krsna, tatha dehantara-praptih: “Oh, you have to accept another body after finishing this body.” But they are not responsible. They are so irresponsible, they do not care for the next life, the result of pious and sinful activities.

So it appears that how much strictly the cow protection was there so that the gavah, payasodhasvatir muda. They were… You’ll see Krsna. He is always with cows, and how the cows look very happy with Krsna. And Krsna is personally teaching how to protect cows. He became a cowherd boy. He was king’s son, Maharaja Nanda; but His business was to take the cows and the calves daily to the pasturing ground. And it was very sportive engagement with the cowherd boys. The cows were grazing, and the boys, they took their meals in a pot, tiffin carrier. Not tiffin carrier in those days. Some way or other. And they used to eat them, distribute amongst the friends. Sometimes a tiffin carrier was stolen by one boy, and he was searching, and then it was… So just like the boys do. This was the children’s life, to take protection, to give protection to the cows, to the calves. The small children, up to six years, seven years old, they used to take care of the calves, and the elderly men, the used to take care of the… Or elderly boys, they used to take care of the grown-up cows. So the cows were fed very nicely. Vrajan. Therefore Vrndavana is called Vrajabhumi, “where there are many cows.” It is called Gokula. Gokula. Go means cows, and kula means group. Gokula. Govardhana. Govardhana Hill. Because the cows were grazing on the hill, and profuse grass was being grown, and they are enjoying. So there should be arrangement. Just like here we see, there are so many open fields and the cows are grazing. But they cannot be happy because they know that they are simply raised for being killed. They cannot be happy.

So our Krsna consciousness movement is not a sentimental movement. It takes care of all-found social organization. It is not something like religious sentiment. Everything should be take care of. Therefore we say cow protection, cow protection. Here it is said, kamam vavarsa parjanyah sarva-kama-dugha mahi [SB 1.10.4]. Mahi means land, bhumi. Agnir mahi gaganam ambu marud-disah… Mahi. This is mahi. In another, Brahma-samhita, it is said, mahi.

agnir mahi gaganam ambu marud-disas ca kalas tathatma-manasiti jagat-trayani yasmad bhavanti vibhavanti visanti yam ca govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

This mahi word is used there is Vedas, Brahma-samhita. What is that mahi? Agnir mahi. You require fire. You require land. You require sky. Agnir mahi gaganam ambu. You require water. Agnir mahi gaganam ambu marut. You require air. You require space. These are requirements. Agnir mahi gaganam ambu marud-disas ca kalas tathatma. Atma, atma means this body, atma means the mind, and atma means the soul. So in the Brahma-samhita you see, agnir mahi gaganam ambu marud-disas ca kalas tathatma-manasiti jagat-trayani yasmad bhavanti. Yasmad bhavanti. All these things, wherefrom they are coming? They do not know. Can the scientist say wherefrom so much water has come, so vast ocean, seas? But it has come from Krsna. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita,

bhumir apo ’nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca ahankara itiyam me bhinna prakrtir astadha

Bhinna me prakrtih. It is Krsna’s energy, Krsna’s energy.

So the mahi, the land, the land is there. Just like in America or in Australia there are so much land. In Africa, so much land lying vacant. But they do not know that this land can produce all the needs of life. Sarva-kama-dugha mahi. Sarva-kama, whatever you want. Actually we are getting… Just like this Western civilization has created so may slaughterhouse for eating purposes. But wherefrom they are getting? From mahi, from the land. If there is no pasturing ground, grazing ground, wherefrom they will get the cows and the bulls? That is also… Because there is grass on the land and the cows and bulls eat them, therefore they grow. Then you cut their throat, civilized man, and eat, you rascal civilized man. But you are getting from the mahi, from the land. Without land, you cannot. Similarly, instead of cutting the throat of the cows, you can grow you food. Why you are cutting the throat of the cows? After all, you have to get from the mahi, from the land. So as they are, the animal which you are eating, they are getting their eatables from the land. Why don’t you get your eatables from the land? Therefore it is said, sarva-kama-dugha mahi. You can get all the necessities of your life from land. So dugha means produce. You can produce your food. Some land should be producing the foodstuff for the animals, and some land should be used for the production of your foodstuffs, grains, fruits, flowers, and take milk. Why should you kill these innocent animals? You take. You keep them muda, happy, and you get so much milk that it will moist, it will make wet the ground. This is civilization. This is civilization.

That was being maintained during the time of Maharaja Yudhisthira. That is being described. Maharaja Yudhisthira maintained this standard of civilization. Just see how the economic problems will be solved simply by one movement, this Krsna consciousness movement. Try to understand. Mahi. Because mahi will produce everything. Just like here in this Letchmore Heath there are so many, so much land lying vacant. You produce you own food. Why you are going to London, to the factories? There is no need. This is wrong civilization. Here is land. You produce your food. If you produce your food, there is no need of going hundred miles, fifty miles on your motorcycle or motor to earn your livelihood. Why? There is no need. Then you require petrol. And petrol there is scarcity. Then you require so many parts, so many That means you are making the whole thing complicated unnecessarily. Unnecessarily. There is no need. Simply you keep to the land and produce your food, and the cows are there. They will supply you milk. Then where is your economic problems. If you have sufficient grains, sufficient vegetables, sufficient milk from the land where you are living, where your economic problem? Why you should go to other place? That is Vedic civilization. Everyone should remain in the spot and produce everything as he requires, and God will help you. Because you can produce from the land anywhere. The rainfall is there. If you have got land and the rainfall is regular, then you can produce anything. Kamam vavarsa parjanyah [SB 1.10.4]. And how the rainfall will be possible? How regular rainfall? That is described in the Bhagavata. Yajnad bhavati parjanyah parjanyad anna-sambhavah [Bg. 3.14]. Is there a Bhagavad-gita here? Yajnad bhavati parjanyah.

We are trying to give as much possible happiness to our students. Otherwise unless he is, one feels happy, how… It is little difficult. Unless one is very advanced in Krsna consciousness, one cannot adjust things. Therefore our policy is that… What is called? Yogo bhavati siddhi. Yuktahara-viharasya. Yuktahara-viharasya yogo bhavati siddhi. We are yogis, but we are not that kind of yogi, unnecessarily giving trouble to the body. No. Yuktahara. you eat. You require to eat. You eat. Don’t starve. Don’t unnecessarily fast. But don’t eat voraciously. That is bad. That is not yukta. You eat, but don’t eat voraciously: “Because there is something very palatable, let me eat voraciously,” and then again fall sick. An if you cannot digest, then you will sleep. You will sleep only. Therefore don’t eat more, but eat whatever is necessary. Yuktahara. Yuktahara-viharasya yogo bhavati siddhi. Eat whatever necessity, whatever you can… “One man’s food, another man’s poison.” One man eats, say, so much voraciously. Another man cannot digest. If he imitates, “Oh, he is eating so much? I will also eat so much.” No. He can digest it, let him eat. But if you cannot digest, don’t eat more. That is required. Then what is that verse?

Pradyumna:

annad bhavanti bhutani parjanyad anna-sambhavah yajnad bhavati parjanyo yajnah karma-samudbhavah [Bg. 3.14]

Prabhupada: That’s it. Everything is cycle. If you execute your prescribed duties as a brahmana, as a ksatriya, as a vaisya, or as a sudra, as a brahmacari, as a grhastha, as a vanaprastha, or as a sannyasi… Divisions are there. Division must be there. Just like government. For executing nicely the governmental business, there are so many departments. Not that one department, only king, queen. Then government… Why the government is spending so much money, maintaining so many building? Simply queen’s palace, that Buckingham, that is sufficient? No. There must be departments. So these are departments, this brahmana, this ksatriya, the vaisyas, the sudras. Just like in your body there are departments. This department, brain, head. Therefore it is called head, head office, head office. Why do you refer to the head office? It has come from this head. Why Godhead? The Supreme Godhead, the Supreme. Therefore we say, “Godhead. That is described in the Bhagavad-gita. Mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya: [Bg. 7.7] “There is no more superior person than Me.” So the divisions required. The divisions required.

So for these divisions, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra… Without the divisions… So what is… Read the verse again.

Pradyumna: Annad bhavanti

Prabhupada: Annad bhavanti, huh?

Pradyumna:bhutani.

Prabhupada: Ah, bhavanti bhutani. Annad. Anna means food grains. Either animal or man, they must eat sufficiently. Either you eat grass or you eat rice or wheat or oats, or…, something must be… So they are are called anna. In Sanskrit language it is called anna. Anna means foodgrains. So annad bhavanti bhutani. Every living entity lives. Nowadays there are scarcity of foodgrains. Even the human being cannot eat sufficiently. But formerly the kings, they used to maintain elephants. They were supplied very nice capatis. Do you know that? Still there are kings, they have elephants. Therefore elephant can be maintained by very rich man. If suppose, if somebody comes, he says, “Take this elephant, I give you free,” will you take? Will you accept? You know that elephant will devour you, your all your means or income and all family income, because you cannot maintain elephant. (laughs)

Therefore in India sometimes, when, a hundred years ago, some students would come in England, especially London, and make a European, English wife… In old days they are doing that. So people would say that “This man is maintaining one white elephant.” Because a European wife means very much expenditure. So one Mr. P. R. Das, he was high court judge. So he was taking bribe on account of maintaining white elephant. He married one European wife. The expenditure very high. In those days for Indian it was a fashion to get a European wife. So this man married one European wife, and his expenditures was very, very heavy. So high court judge, he was getting only four thousand rupees, and his expenditure was ten thousand rupees, and therefore he was taking bribe. He admitted. So when he was detected by the chief justice, he was dismissed from the post. But this is the position. You should not expend more than your income.

So kamam, yes, what is that? Annad, annad bhavanti bhutani. Bhutani means embodied, those who have taken, accepted, the living entities. They live by eating anna, either animal or human being. You require anna. Produce foodgrains. Foodgrains or grass or anything, as the animals eat and man eat, you must produce. And that production is there on the ground, not you factory. Not in the Birmingham factories. There are many factories in Birmingham? You cannot produce foodgrains there. Therefore it is said, annad bhavanti bhutani.

Then, next?

Pradyumna: Parjanyad anna-sambhavah.

Prabhupada: And parjanyad anna-sambhavah. Parjanya means if there is waterfall, rainfall, then you can produce anna. Parjanyad anna-sambhavah. One after another. You require foodgrains, and for producing foodgrains, you require sufficient rainfall. Parjanyad anna-sambhavah. Then?

Pradyumna: Yajnad bhavati parjanyah.

Prabhupada: Yajnad bhavati parjanyah [Bg. 3.14] And the the rain supply be regular if you perform sacrifice. Therefore, what is that next?

Pradyumna: Yajnad bhavati parjanyo yajnah karma-samudbhavah [Bg. 3.14]

Prabhupada: Ah, yajnah karma-samudbhavah. Yajna, karma. Karma means, according to the varnasrama, brahmana should work according to his own position. They will chant Vedic mantra. That is also one karma, activity. They must understand what is Vedas; they must explain. That is brahmana’s business. And ksatriya’s business, karma… This is called ksatram karma svabhava-jam. Brahma-karma svabhava-jam. Vaisya-karma svabhava-jam. Sudra-karma svabhava-jam. By nature, one has got a particular type of work. So yajnah karma-samudbhavah, what is that?

Pradyumna: Yajnah karma-samudbhavah.

Prabhupada: Ah, karma-samudbhavah. If everyone is doing his duty nicely as a brahmana, as a ksatriya, as a vaisya or as a sudra, then no…, there is no question of that you are do… Everyone has to do his work according to his capacity. Just like in ordinary life also, we do not see that everyone is able to do everything. No. There are certain class of men. If you want some help for repairing your electric wiring, you must call for an electrician, not a carpenter. But when you want to repair a door, you require a carpenter. That is Vedic division. Therefore there was caste system. Everyone… I have seen in India still. In you country also you’ll find. The potters, during Diwali system, they make small dolls. So I have seen the potter’s house. The children, five or ten years old, they are also making small dolls, small dolls. Because by tradition, by family, the father is making doll, the mother is making doll, and the children also learning. Similarly, the weaver, you will find. You supply the… Still there are this system. You supply. Gandhi wanted to introduce this system. You produce your thread and give to the weaver, and waver will give you cloth. Why you are looking after this Manchester cloth? By this movement… (end)