Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.46 Devotee: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: “O best of the demigods, we can see three different varieties of life, which are due to the contamination of the three modes of nature. The living entities are thus known as peaceful, restless and foolish; as happy, unhappy or in-between; or as religious, irreligious and semireligious. We can deduce that in the next life these three kinds of material nature will similarly act.” Prabhupada: yatheha deva-pravaras trai-vidhyam upalabhyate bhutesu guna-vaicitryat tathanyatranumiyate Just like, now this month of June, we have got a certain type of experience, what are the natural changes, atmosphere, in this month of June. Similarly, when you are in month of December, you can foretell what will be the next month of June. It is not difficult. Because you have got experience, the atmospheric changes and situations in this month of June. Just like in Bombay there is practical calculation that by the tenth of June, the rain, rainy season will begin. Actually so happens. In different places, different types of seasonal changes. So everything should be seen through the sastra. Sastra-caksusat. This is Vedic process. In the sastra it is said that urdhvam gacchanti sattva-sthah: elevation in this material world is when a person is in the sattva-guna, the modes of goodness. And middle, via media, is rajo-guna. Madhye tisthanti rajasah. And jaghanya-guna-vrtti-stha adho gacchanti tamasah. Those who are very, very low class, jaghanya-vrtti, their behavior is very, very abominable, they go down, adho gacchanti. But our, this Krsna consciousness movement, is to go above the modes of goodness. Here, either goodness or passion or ignorance, they sometimes overlap. Just like a brahmana, he is in goodness. But this Ajamila, he was born in a brahmana family. We have begun that history, kanyakubje dvijah. He was born in a brahmana family of Kanyakubja city, historical fact. Kanyakubja is still there in India; it is now called Kanauj. [break] …family. Everything was there. But accidentally, one day he was bringing flowers and other paraphernalia for worshiping Deity for his father. On the way, he saw one sudra, fourth-class man, was embracing one sudrani. This kind of embracing, kissing, on the public street, they’re never indulged in India. Especially among the high class, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya. No. The sudras, they also do it very carefully. But sudras can do. Prostitution, these things are the low-class. The high-class, no, not allowed. The high-class society, a woman cannot mix with any man. Especially unmarried. The fathers, parents, will not allow. So this person, this Ajamila, happened to see that a young sudra, he’s embracing another young sudrani, and naturally, he became excited. And then he made contact with that prostitute, and whatever money he had he was spending for her. In this way he fell down, sadacaro. That is stated here, that nasta-sadacaro, on account of mixing with a prostitute, he became completely fall down. So the point is that although he was born in a brahmana family, he was being trained up as a pure brahmana, but he fell down to the modes of ignorance. Therefore one has to surpass the platform of goodness also. There are many cases, very good boy, all of a sudden falls. In our society, you have seen very nice boy, doing nicely, all of a sudden, finished. So that is possible. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita: overlap. The rajo-guna is overlapping tamo-guna, tamo-guna is overlapping sattva-guna; in this way, it is going on. Therefore we see varieties. So that is stated here, that deva-pravaras trai-vidhyam upalabhyate, guna-vaicitryat. Guna-vaicitryat, by mixture of different gunas. Just like color, painter. There are three colors originally: red, yellow and blue. Now those who are expert, they can mix these. If you mix yellow and blue, it becomes green. Those who are painters, they know. And yellow mixed with red, it becomes orange. In this way those who are painters, they know how to mix color, and varieties come. Guna-vaicitryat. So there are originally three colors. Similarly, originally three gunas. Now they become mixed up. Three into three equal to nine; nine into nine equal to eighty-one; and again eighty-one, and eighty- one… Nature’s law is very subtle. Those who are botanists, scientists, they know how the color of the flower… So many varieties. They calculate, a little… There is regular principle. Not that by chance it has become yellow, chance it has become red. This is rascaldom. No. There is regular. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. Everything is being done by the manifestation of energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10]. Everywhere there is control of Krsna. So don’t think that in the flower some nice color has come without any supervision or control. Don’t think. That is nonsense. Not by chance. It is under Krsna’s direction. He has got artistic sense. Not like us. He can dictate to show(?) the various varieties of living entities, all varieties, trees and so many things, there are varieties. Jalaja nava-laksani: nine hundred thousand different forms of fishes, from big to small. There are whale fishes. There is another big fish; they can swallow up the whale fishes, so big, jala-hasti. They are within the ocean. How many we know? We are… The Nirvisesa-vadis’ philosophy is like that, that on the ocean we see it is simply water. No, that is not actual vision. You should take knowledge from the experience. What is that? Now within the ocean there are nine hundred thousand different forms of life. You rascal, you are thinking that there is nothing, nirvisesa. So nirvisesa-vadi, impersonalists, are like that. In the creation of God, there are varieties, not impersonal. Therefore we see, we are sitting here, you won’t find two men of the same feature of the body. Even there are twin, still, we’ll find some difference. The father, mother can see. There is variety. Here it is said, bhutesu guna-vaicitryat. They are guna-vaicitryat. Therefore we don’t find two men of the same nature, two men of the same thinking. Varieties, varieties, this is going on. But that is our cause of bondage, varieties. But if we can surpass these varieties, as Krsna advises in the Bhagavad-gita, trai-gunya-visaya veda nistrai-gunyo bhavarjuna. Nistrai-gunyo, nirguna. Nirguna does not mean no varieties. Nirguna means not these material varieties—the spiritual varieties. So they misunderstand. Spiritual varieties they think material varieties. So nistraigunyo: we have to overcome the varieties of this material nature. We have come to the spiritual platform. And how it is possible? That is stated in Bhagavad-gita: mam ca yo ’vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena sevate sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26] One who is engaged in devotional service, he becomes transcendental to these three gunas and its varieties. Mam ca yo ’vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena [Bg. 14.26]. Avyabhicarena, without any adulteration, pure devotion. Pure devotion means anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady anavrtam: [BRS 1.1.11] only concentration of Krsna. Krsna is the root. Krsna is vasudevah sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19] One who knows this… This knowledge is not so easy. Bahunam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19]. After many, many births cultivating knowledge, if one is fortunate, he can understand that Krsna is the root of everything. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma su-durlabhah [Bg. 7.19] But that is the ultimate goal. So if we understand this central point, that Krsna is the root of everything, then we are successful in life. Otherwise, it is not. So it is said, mam ca yo ’vyabhicarena bhakti-yogena sevate [Bg. 14.26]. People are missing this point, that Krsna is the center. If any way we act, making Krsna in the center, you may draw many thousands of circles, it will not overlap. It will not overlap. So our, this Krsna consciousness movement is… To become Krsna conscious means not to remain within this guna-vaicitrya, the varieties of material color, or material gunas. Above that. Center Krsna. Make center Krsna. Then whatever you do, it will be perfect. Make Krsna center. It doesn’t matter whether I’m a businessman or professional man, or engineer, doctor—there are so many varieties—or a mendicant or brahmacari, grhastha. Never mind. It is, make Krsna center. Atah pumbhir dvija-srestha. This was decided in the resolution of the Naimisaranya meeting. Atah pumbhir dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasah. There were very, very learned scholars, brahmanas, and sages, and that is not ordinary meeting. Just like our, this meeting, is not ordinary meeting; this is Krsna conscious meeting. Similarly, there was a big meeting, Naimisaranya, wherefrom Bhagavata was given to the public. So in that meeting Suta Gosvami said, dvija-srestha: “You are all selected first-class brahmana in this meeting.” So, atah pumbhir dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasah. There is division, varna and asrama. Brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha. Now, varnasrama-vibhagasah, everything has got varieties of duties. Brahmanas have got varieties of duties. Ksatriya has got varieties. Just like brahmana: sattva samo-damas-titiksa arjavam jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. There must be a class of men, brahmana. Otherwise, society will go to hell. Who will guide? Just like in this body there must be the head. Otherwise, what is the use of these hands and legs? There is no use. Who will give direction? They are now trying to make classless society. Therefore they are bringing the whole human society into ruination. It cannot be done. There must be classes. Just like in my body there are four divisions: brain, arms, belly, leg. So they are required. Leg is also required, hand is also required, belly is also required. Similarly, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari— varieties. And when the varieties center around Krsna, it becomes beautiful. Krsna center, and the circle, rasa dance, it becomes very beautiful. So unless people accept this principle, that Krsna center, their, all their plans will be futile. Moghasa mogha-karmano mogha-jnana [Bg. 9.12], everything. You try the history. They are trying to do so many things, planning. In every country, there is a planning commission, but according to Bhagavad-gita, any plan you do, it is all rascaldom if it is without Krsna. It will fail. History will… Take, for example, in our India, Mahatma Gandhi made so many plans to get our independence. He was taking Bhagavad-gita in his hand and publicly said that “I get solace from Bhagavad-gita.” He was very fond of Bhagavad-gita. But unfortunately he could not make Krsna as center. This is the unfortunate. Therefore whole plan failed. Gandhi wanted nonviolence—failed. Gandhi wanted Hindu-Muslim unity—failed. Why? Because he never said that Krsna is the center. Find his lecture. He’ll never say Krsna. Missing. Krsna is missing. Similarly, so many… One French professor has admitted, Aurobindo or Dr. Radhakrishnan, they have written Bhagavad-gita, annotation, so many others also, but Krsna is missing. They’re faulty. Krsna is missing. Through Bhagavad-gita, they want to make the society Krsna-less. That is their policy. So nothing has become… For the last two hundred, three hundred years, from India so many swamis, yogis came. But because they missed Krsna, it was all useless. And now this Krsna consciousness movement, because we are making Krsna as the center, you see practically, thousands of devotees. Successful. So that is a fact. If you don’t make Krsna the center, never mind the varieties of qualities are there… That will continue. It is everywhere, the varieties will be there. But if Krsna is the center, the varieties will be very nice bouquet, bunch of flower. And without Krsna, it is all useless. So make Krsna center. Then these varieties of guna, mixture of guna, that will not… Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate [Bg. 14.26] This will not affect our spiritual position. Krsna says: sa brahma-bhuyaya, brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. So the aim is how to make people brahma-bhutah. Aham brahmasmi. Aham brahmasmi does not mean that I have become Bhagavan or God. No. I am not matter; I am spirit soul. That is aham brahmasmi. This is called Brahman realization. And when one is in Brahman realization, then that is the peaceful condition of life. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54] So take this Krsna consciousness movement. I am very pleased that you are doing, endeavoring. So do it very nicely and… Apratihata. And this Krsna consciousness movement cannot be checked by any material impediments. Ahaituki apratihata yayatma suprasidati. This devotional service to Krsna can be done by anyone, by everyone, in any place, in any condition. This is Krsna consciousness movement, to become happy and peaceful. Thank you very much. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Detroit, June 12, 1976