Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.22
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Honolulu, May 22, 1976

Prabhupada: Srimad-Bhagavatam, Sixth Canto, Chapter One, text number 22. (aside:) Get on the… Om namo bhagavate vasudevaya, (devotees repeating) om namo bhagavate vasudevaya, om namo bhagavate vasudevaya.

bandy-aksaih kaitavais cauryair garhitam vrttim asthitah bibhrat kutumbam asucir yatayam asa dehinah

So gradually the history of Ajamila. We have already narrated, he was inhabitant of Kanyakubja. It is historical incidence. It is not a fiction, manufactured something. No. History, itihasa. So in the Vedic literature they are… Everything is itihasa, history. Just like in the park we were talking of the Milk Ocean. The Milk Ocean is there in some part of the universe, top, near Brahmaloka. So it is not fiction; it is itihasa, means history. We do not know the universal history. We may know some history of our country or this planet, that’s all. But there are millions and trillions of planets.

So that history is recorded in the Vedic literature. There are different varieties of planets, there are different standard of comfort, different standard… It is stated in the Brahma-samhita that yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti [Bs. 5.40]. The brahmajyoti, the effulgence of Krsna’s body… Just like effulgence of the sun-god’s body is the sunshine. We can very easily understand. This is a material thing. There is sun-god. The sun-god, his name is Vivasvan. Everything is there. Imam vivasvan, imam vivasvan yogam proktavan aham avyayam. Krsna says that “I spoke this philosophy of Bhagavad-gita to Vivasvan.” Vivasvan is the name of the person who is predominating in the sun globe. So we have to know from Krsna that sun globe is not vacant. When the king is there, the other things are also; the kingdom is also there. That is a planet with fire, just like this planet is earth predominant, and that planet is fire predominant. And there are five elements: earth, water, fire… Somewhere the water predominates, somewhere the fire predominates, somewhere… We can experience. Just like on the sea, beach we go. We are standing where the earth is predominant, but just a few yards after, the water is predominant. But on the earth there are so many living entities—birds, beasts, human being—why not in the water? Where is the wrong there? It is also one of the five elements. You cannot live in the water; that does not mean others cannot live. This is common sense. They have got different body. They can live. The fish, you take out of the water—it will die. And if you are put into the water, so long you can swim… Otherwise you’ll die.

Therefore in the Brahma-samhita it is said that yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti [Bs. 5.40]. On the effulgence, shining of Krsna’s body, there are innumerable universes. Jagad-anda. Jagad-anda, this anda. You were talking of that egg. Anda means egg, egglike. Jagad-anda. Yasya prabha jagad-anda koti, and kotisu vasudhadi-vibhuti-bhinnam [Bs. 5.40]. In each universe there are millions and trillions of planets, each one different from the other. Vibhuti-bhinnam. Bhinnam means separate. As here earth is prominent, somewhere the fire is prominent, somewhere the air is prominent, but the whole thing is made of these five elements— earth, water, air, fire—that’s all. So why should you deny that “Fire— no living entities”? You cannot live in the fire; you cannot live in the water. Does it mean others cannot? This is foolishness. This is foolish. And Krsna says that imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam: [Bg. 4.1] “I spoke this philosophy, Bhagavad-gita, to sun- god.” His name is also given, Vivasvan. So Vaivasvata Manu. So either Krsna is talking lies… How Krsna spoke unless he’s a person, living there? Everything is there. We cannot conjecture from here that “Because I cannot live in such atmosphere, therefore others cannot live.” No. There are different varieties of living entities, 8,400,000 varieties. How many you have seen? Therefore you have to take knowledge from the perfect source. Then we you can understand. Tad-vijnanartham gurum eva abhigacchet. This is Vedic injunction. If you want to know perfectly everything, then you must go to the proper teacher. Then you will learn. But how you can imagine from here? A dwarf is trying to touch the moon. How it is possible? That is not possible. The Vedic injunction is in order to… Tad-vijnanartham. Higher science. Vijnana means science. If you want to know higher science—not this science, simply filling of the belly, not this science—higher science, which is above fulfilling the belly, that, for that purpose, you have to go to guru. Guru means who knows more than you. That is guru. So who can know more than Krsna? Therefore we have to accept Krsna as guru and learn from Him. Then you’ll get perfect knowledge. And Krsna also says that tad viddhi. Here Veda says, tad-vijna… Tat, tat, sat, the real knowledge, transcendental knowledge, tat sat, which is eternal. So here Vedas says that tad viddhi, tad-vijnanartham, and Krsna also says, tad viddhi: “You try to understand this transcendental knowledge.” Tad viddhi pranipatena [Bg. 4.34]. Don’t go to a guru to challenge him: “I shall see how much my guru knows.” Then it will be useless. Pranipatena.

Rupa Gosvami, when he was in Vrndavana, he was known, the most learned scholar. So one mundane scholar came, and he approached Rupa Gosvami and said, “Sir, I want to talk with you on sastras.” So Rupa Gosvami said, “Why talking with me about sastras?” “Now, you are well known, so well known about sastra, Vedic literatures. So I want to test you.” “So what is the purpose?” “Now, if I can defeat you, then I will be renowned.” “All right. I am defeated.” So there is no question of talking, because Rupa Gosvami saw, “What is the use of talking with this rascal? He is for material name and fame.” “So what do you want?” “Now, if you think that you are less intelligent, then give me in writing.” “All right, I am giving in writing that ‘This scholar has defeated me.’ ” So he gave him. But Jiva Gosvami, his nephew, at the same time disciple, he was standing outside, that… He said, “What is that?” “Now your uncle has already given me in writing that he is defeated.” “Let me see.” So he took the paper. So he said, “All right, let us talk now.” So when he talked with Jiva Gosvami, what is his learning? He became defeated. So sometimes, if somebody goes to challenge the guru, the real guru will say, “What is the use of talking with this nonsense? Better say that ‘You know better than me.’ That’s all. ‘Go away.’ ” Upeksa. Upeksa. Neglect him, because he has no intention to learn. He has come to simply waste time.

So a person like Rupa Gosvami, why he will waste time talking with a nonsense? No. Actually teaching is for the student, not for outsiders. All these talks should be between… So student means who has surrendered. That, he is student. Otherwise what is the use of wasting time? There is no use. Therefore Krsna said that tad viddhi pranipatena [Bg. 4.34]. Pranipatena means fully surrendering. If you have still doubts to surrender, then don’t waste time. Don’t waste time. That is not the way. Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya. Guru has to be given service, that nicavat. That nicavat. Nicavat means menial servant. Whatever guru says… Guru says, “Just brush my shoes.” “Yes, sir.” You cannot think, “Oh, I am coming from such a respectable person, I am so much learned, and my guru is asking me to ‘Brush my shoe’? No, I am not doing it.” No, then you are not disciple. Nicavat. That is the training. So pranipata, if you find out somebody where you can fully surrender, then accept guru. Don’t make guru a fashion, just like you keep a dog, fashion, pet dog. People, they generally do that, that “Everyone has a guru. Let me collect. Let me pick up some guru who will be dancing dog.” That kind of guru will not help you. You must be convinced that “Here is a guru where I can surrender.” So then you can make prasna, or question. Then the question will be answered. Otherwise it is waste of time. That is not the Vedic system, simply waste of time. And if there is really talk between one philosopher to another philosopher… Just like Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya and Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was a great scholar, and Caitanya Mahaprabhu…? Who can speak about scholarship? So Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya was defeated by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He was elderly person. There may be talks on philosophy, but if one party is defeated, the defeated person, he must be disciple of the winning, victorious party. But at the present moment we’ll go on talking for years together, and nobody is defeated; nobody is going to be disciple. Then what is the use of talking like that? So this kind of things will not do. We have to follow the Vedic principle that either remain without guru… And if you want to make a guru, first of all be convinced that “He is fit to become my guru.” But generally people, they don’t want transcendental knowledge. They want some material profit. So if the guru can give him some gold, not all, then he accepts him guru or the God or something like that. So this way will not help us.

So here this Ajamila… Ajamila was trained up, the son of a brahmana. Dvija, this very word is used. Kanyakubje dvijah kascid asid dasi-patir ajamilah. But unfortunately he became the husband or keeper of a prostitute. Dasi-pati. Pati means husband, or pati means the chief. So dasi-pati. Dasi-pati means… Formerly, if one is prostitute-hunter, then the maidservant… Still in India the lower class, the servant class, they become prostitute. First of all no gentleman is prostitute-hunter, but if he is… He cannot make in the society a innocent girl a prostitute. That is a… There is no possibility in India still, because no respectable man’s daughter will mix with any unknown young man, still. So how he (she) can become prostitute? There is no possibility. So if anyone wanted prostitute, there is this professional. The prostitute… Even in Krsna’s time there were prostitute. We have seen. When Krsna came from, came back from Hastinapura, many prostitute devotee went to receive Him. So that means in the Vedic society prostitutes are allowed. Those who are not satisfied with one wife or legitimate wife, they can go to the prostitute. But they cannot intermingle in the society and spoil the society. So this rascal became a prostitute-hunter, dasi-pati. Therefore it is called dasi-pati. Dasi means sudra, sudra, fourth class. The first class, brahmana; second class, ksatriya; third class, vaisya; and the sudra, the fourth class, the servants, they are women.

So he became a dasi-pati, Ajamila, namna, by the name. And what was the result? Nasta-sadacarah. Sadacara means well behavior, gentleman’s behavior. And acara. (sic:) Acaryavan puruso veda. Acara. One who teaches acara, sadacara, he is acarya. Acarya means one who teaches sadacara. Just like in our society we teach, “No illicit sex.” This is sadacara. “No gambling. No drinking or intoxication.” This is sadacara, gentleman, how to become gentleman. If one is prostitute-hunter, drunkard, meat-eater, gambler, he’s not even a gentleman, what to speak of becoming a devotee and philosopher? Impossible. Those who are addicted to these bad habits, in their hundreds and thousands of life they will never be able to understand what is God. The door is locked for them. So nasta-sadacara. As soon as you become illicit sex hunter, prostitute-hunter, addicted, then you will lose your sadacara. All good behavior finished. Nasta-sadacara. Why? Dasyah samsarga-dusitah. On account of association with the prostitute, one will lose all his good qualities.

In this way the next stage is, as soon as he lost all sadacara, then his profession became bandy-aksaih kaitavais cauryair garhitam vrttim asthitah. Bandy-aksaih. Just like it is very common thing, nowadays especially, that as soon as you find somebody solitary: “Yes, what you have got? Give me. Otherwise I shall kill you. Here is knife.” This is called bandy-aksaih. Arrest somebody and take whatever he has got. This is called bandy-aksaih. And kaitavaih, cheating: “I shall give you this. I shall…” There are so many cheating processes. Bandy-aksaih kaitavais cauryaih. Cauryaih means stealing. Cauryair garhitam. All these are condemned things. Vrttim asthitah. He became situated in this profession for earning his livelihood. Because he lost sadacara, he must be coming… You’ll find this. As soon as there is no sadacara, people will be addicted to all these means. Any way get money. Bandy-aksaih kaitavais cauryair garhitam vrttim asthitah. Why? Now, bibhrat kutumbam. He is thinking that “I have to maintain my family, my children, so any way I must get money.” So bibhrat kutumbam. Kutumbam asucih, unclean. This is unclean method, asuci. And yatayam asa dehinah. And as soon as one takes all this profession, it means his business will be to give trouble to the all living entities. Yatayam asa dehinah. Dehinah means one who has accepted this material body. So he will not hesitate to kill anyone because he is practiced to give pains and misery to other living entities, and what to speak of killing animals under the plea, “The animal has no soul”? This rascaldom will go on.

So the civilization is how to make human being elevated to the standard of becoming a brahmana, dvija. And if one dvija falls down by bad association, especially by prostitution, then he comes to this. This is the Ajamila’s life.

Thank you very much. (end)