Srimad-Bhagavatam 5.5.15 Pradyumna: “If one is serious about going back to home, back to Godhead, he must consider the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead the summum bonum and chief aim of life. If he is a father instructing his sons, a spiritual master instructing his disciples, or a king instructing his citizens, he must instruct them as I have advised. Without being angry, he should continue giving instructions, even if his disciple, son or citizen is sometimes unable to follow his order. Ignorant people who engage in pious and impious activities should be engaged in devotional service by all means. They should always avoid fruitive activity. If one puts into the bondage of karmic activity his disciple, son or citizen who is bereft of transcendental vision, how will one profit? It is like leading a blind man to a dark well and causing him to fall in.” Prabhupada: putrams ca sisyams ca nrpo gurur va mal-loka-kamo mad-anugraharthah ittham vimanyur anusisyad ataj-jnan na yojayet karmasu karma-mudhan kam yogayan manujo ’rtham labheta nipatayan nasta-drsam hi garte So there are two kinds of ruler or controller. One is the government, and the other is the teacher. Or guru means spiritual master. Spiritual master can control. The disciples obey the order of the spiritual master out of love. Guror-hitam. This is brahmacari. Brahmacari guru-grhe vasan danto guror hitam. What guru wants, the brahmacari has to do, not for his hitam. Just like Arjuna accepted Krsna: sisyas te ’ham sadhi mam prapannam. So Arjuna, for his personal benefit he did not want to fight, but for Krsna’s sahitam, hitam, for benefit of Krsna, he fought. This is the example. He did not like to kill his kinsmen for his hitam. “Oh, if I kill my kinsmen I’ll go to hell, I’ll be responsible, this, that…” So many arguments he put forward. That means he was considering his hitam, not Krsna’s hitam. But Krsna wanted that fight, and when Arjuna agreed, “No, no more my hitam. Your hitam,” oh, that is wanted. That is wanted. Guror-hitam. So there are two different, I mean to say, controller. One is guru and the other is the king or the government. When the… Now it is government. Government or the king, the same thing. Whatever government orders, you have to accept. There is no question of disobedience. So the aim… What is the… Why he should order and why one should accept the order? What is the purpose? The purpose is mal-loka-kamo mad-anugraharthah. This is the ideal life. One should seek the benediction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. This is the aim of life. Mad-anugraharthah. And what is the benefit of pleasing Krsna? Now, mal-loka-kamo. He comes back. He is suffering in this material world. The same thing is there in every book of Vedic knowledge. In the Bhagavad-gita also, the same thing stated, aprapya mam nivartante mrtyu-samsara-vartmani. Two things are there: either you get the mercy of Krsna or go to hell. Nivartante mrtyu-samsara-vartmani. Two things are there. Asraddhadhanah purusa dharmasyasya parantapa. Krsna comes. Here is also Krsna’s incarnation, Rsabhadeva. He is instructing. So Krsna comes to instruct us. He becomes guru. So the aim of life is to go back home, back to Godhead. And we do not know what is the aim of life, why we are suffering. Ke ami’, ‘kene amaya jare tapa-traya’. This was the question of Sanatana Gosvami. But people have become so animalistic, they cannot understand that they are suffering. They cannot un… The brain has become so dull, rascal, that they do not understand even that they are suffering. The suffering, tri-tapa-yantrana… Now, just like this fan. We don’t require it now. Now running of the fan is suffering. But in the summer season it is required. It is pleasing. That means either in the summer or in the winter we are always suffering, this way or that way. The same water, it is pleasing during summer and it is suffering during winter. The water is the same, but it is sometimes suffering, sometimes pleasing. So these things will go on. You cannot stop. That means suffering will go on. You cannot stop it. Matra-sparsas tu kaunteya sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah. So long we have got this body, we must suffer. This is the truth. Asann api klesada asa dehah [Bhag. 5.5.4]. We are getting different types of bodies, tatha dehantara-praptih. Each body is for a short period. It will not last forever. But so long it will last, it will be cause of suffering. That we do not understand. This is the ignorance, mudha. And this suffering can be ended only by surrendering to Krsna. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. The suffering is inflicted by maya. Bhunkte prakrti-jan gunan. But there is no education, the people are so dull, rascal, they cannot understand that they are suffering, and the suffering they are accepting as enjoyment. In this way they are rotting in this material world. The whole purpose is therefore how to get out of this suffering. Vindate tapan mudha. So the aim of life is how to stop this suffering. The guru or the government should rule over the dependents with this point, with this aim in view. Mal-loka-kamo mad-anugraharthah. These two things required: how to get the pleasure or the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and how to go back home, back to Godhead. This is the aim, not that we are making plan to be happy. Unless we go back home, back to Godhead, there is no question of peace or happiness. This place… We are trying to be happy within this material world by material adjustment. That is not possible. Duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. Abrahma-bhuvanal lokan punar avartino ’rjuna. These things they do not… They say it is brainwash, brainwash. We are enforcing something by controlling the mind, some ideas, “There is God, and we have to go to back home, back to Godhead.” They are accusing us of brainwash, “mental control.” But this is the fact. We are not brainwashing; we are clearing the brain. The rascal brain is full with cow dung. We are clearing. You see? That is our movement. But these rascals are understanding that we are enforcing some idea. What to speak of others, even in our country they do not believe that there is God. Nowadays, not formerly. We have become so rascal: “There is no God,” “There is no…,” “These are all,” what is called, “mythology.” “These are mythology ideas—there is God and there is sin, there is pious activities.” Big, big sannyasis, they are asking that “Don’t care for all this, ‘There is God, there is sinful, there is pious.’ You can do whatever you like because you are yourself God. This is… There is no papa-punya. You are immune from papa-punya because you are God.” So this is going on. But that is not the fact. Fact is different. Therefore, putrams ca sisyams ca. Sisya… The citizen, they are also sisya. Sisya means one who is controlled. That is called sisya, who is disciplined, disciple. The same meaning. Disciple means one who is controlled, one who is disciplined. So controller is the teacher or spiritual master and the government. So the government rules and regulation, teacher’s rules and regulations should be in such a way that the dependent, either the sisya or the citizen, they must know that this is not life. This material life is not life. Real life is in the spiritual world. Satyam param dhimahi. That is real truth. And this is… This material world is illusion, illusion, the mirage. We are finding here happiness. Krsna says, “No, no, there is no happiness.” Duhkhalayam asasvatam: [Bg. 8.15] “Why you are finding out happiness here? It is not possible.” Krsna personally teaching. This is duhkhalaym asasvatam. “If you don’t want it, then come to Me.” Mam upetya kaunteya duhkhalayam asasvatam napnuvanti mahatmanah [Bg. 8.15]. That is mahatma. One who is trying to be happy in this material world, he is duratma; he is not mahatma. Duratma. Durasaya. Durasaya or duratma, the same thing. Durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah. These rascals, duratmanam, they are trying to be happy. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. These rascals, they do not know that here there is no happiness. There cannot be any happiness, however you may be expert. Just like if you are thrown in the ocean, so you may be very expert swimmer, but that does not mean you are happy. Manah-sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati [Bg. 15.7]. Manah-sasthani. This is struggle for existence. These things should come to our brain. It is not brainwash; it is brain-clearing. Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni [Cc. Antya 20.12]. If you want to end this suffering, then you must wash your brain—or heart, the same thing. Ceto-darpana-marjanam. But they are taking it otherwise. Therefore either the government or the spiritual master, they should not give program, big, big program, plans. Nowadays in material world… In material world this is always. The plan is… There is planning commission by the government. Why? To engage them to work very hard. That is going on. So when you are ruling, controlling, there may be some disobedience. Therefore it is the duty of the spiritual master not to be angry because the disciples or the followers, they are fools. Sometimes they commit mistake; they do not obey. But the ruler, the spiritual master, the government, has to tolerate. And still, vimanyava, sadhava. That is sadhu, vimanyava. So ittham vimanyur anusisyad ataj-jnan. But they are foolish. Ataj-jnan. There is no knowledge. So simply see. Na yojayet karmasu karma-mudhan. They have natural tendency to work and get the benefit and make a plan, “How I shall become very rich man. How I shall own so many houses and so many properties, so many lands, so many, and…” Therefore why these people are so busy? Karma-mudhan, day and night. Ataj-jnan. They do not know that such persons cannot improve their economic position simply by working hard. That is not possible. Then everyone would have been rich man. In big, big cities like Calcutta, Bombay, London, New York, everyone is working very hard. Not that in big cities one can get their food easily. No. Everyone has to work. And everyone is working hard. Do you think that everyone is on the same level of position? No. That is not possible. Destiny. Destiny. One man is working hard day and night, twenty-four hours; simply he is getting two chapatis, that’s all. We have seen in Bombay. They are living in such rotten condition that even in the daytime they’ll have to a kerosene lamp. In such a place they are living, and so dirty condition. Does it mean that everyone in Bombay is living very luxuriantly? No. Similarly, every city. It is not possible. You cannot improve your economic position simply by working hard. That is not possible. You work hard or not work, whatever is destined to you, you’ll get it. Therefore our energy should be utilized that mal-loka-kamo mad-anugraharthah. The energy should be utilized how to please Krsna. That should be done. Energy should be utilized for that purpose, not waste energy simply for a false hope that “I shall become happy. I shall do this. I shall do that. I shall make money like this. I…” The story of the potter The potter is planning. He has got few pots and he is planning, “Now I have got these four pots and I will sell. I will make some profit. Then there will be ten pots. Then I’ll sell ten pots, I’ll make some profit. I’ll get twenty pots and then thirty pots, forty pots. In this way I shall become millionaire. And at that time I shall marry, and I shall control my wife in this way and that way. And if she is disobedient, then I shall kick her like this.” So when he kicked, he kicked the pots and all the pots broke. (laughter) So then his dream is gone. You see? Similarly, we are simply dreaming. With few pots we are simply dreaming that “These pots will be increased into so many pots, so many pots, so many pots,” then finished. Don’t make imagination, make plan. That is… The guru, the spiritual master and the government should be careful that “These rascals may not make plan. This rascal may not make plan to be happy.” Na yojayet karmasu karma-mudhan. This is karma-jagat, this world. This material world is that. They are already inclined, so what is the use? Loke vyayayamisa-madya-seva nityastu jantuh. Just like sex life. Sex life is natural. It does not require any university education how to enjoy sex. They will enjoy it. Nobody… “Nobody is taught how to cry or how to laugh or how to enjoy sex life.” There is a Bengali saying. That is natural. You don’t require any education for this karma. Now they are making big, big plans to educate people how to work hard. This is waste of life. Educational institution should be for teaching people how to become Krsna conscious, not to become this or that. That is waste of time, because that program will never be successful. Tal labhyate duhkhavad anyatah sukham kalena sarvatra gabhira-ramhasa. The nature’s law is working Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. Whatever… Therefore our Vedic civilization is that people are satisfied in his own position, a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. Whatever by God’s grace he got, he was satisfied. The real energy was utilized how to become eligible to receive mercy of Krsna. That is wanted, how to learn how to surrender to Krsna. Then aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami. That was the end. In India we find not that… The great sages, rsis, they wrote so many books, but they used to live in a cottage. Only the kings, the ksatriya, because they had to rule over, they used to construct big, big palaces. No one else. They lived very simple life, very simple life. Not waste time for so-called economic development, skyscraper building, subways and so on, so on. This was not Vedic civilization. This is asuric civilization. So we have… People are becoming inclined to karma-sukha(?). So it is a very difficult position to convince them that this is not needed. The real life is to become Krsna conscious, and for that purpose one should undergo austerities, pen… Tapo divyam putraka yena suddhyet sattvam. You have to purify your existence. You are suffering. You are not meant for birth and death. Na jayate na mriyate va kadacit. You are not meant for that. Then you are undergoing birth and death and do not know what kind of life you are going to get next life. You have no information. Today you may be very big man and tomorrow you may be a dog. These things going on. They do not know. They simply working hard, making plan to be happy. That is not possible. Therefore it is forbidden. Na yojayet karmasu karma-mudhan. Engage them how to acquire Krsna’s favor. Krsna’s favor, mad-anugraharthah. Teach them like that, how. So Krsna will be very much pleased if you simply… Krsna says… Here it is said that mal-loka-kamah. How one can go to Krsnaloka or Vaikunthaloka? Very easy. Very easy. Krsna personally says. It is not our manufactured word. Krsna said, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Do these four things: “Always think of Me.” That is Krsna conscious. Manmana bhava mad-bhaktah: “Become My devotee. Worship Me and offer obeisances to Me,” and asamsaya, “you’ll come.” Mal-loka. Very good. Very easy thing. Asamsaya. “Without any doubt you’ll come to Me.” Why do they not accept this proposal of Krsna? It is not our manufacture. We are not washing brain. It is Krsna’s word, that simply by doing four things, manmana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru mam evaisyasi asamsayah [Bg. 18.65], without any doubt. That is required. Krsna will be pleased. So don’t waste your time making material plan, big, big plan. “Big, big monkey, big, big belly, Ceylon jumping, melancholy.” One European gentleman, he translated this Bengali proverb. Baro baro badare, baro baro pet, lanka dingake mata kare het.(?) There are many monkeys. The one monkey, he jumped over the Indian Ocean, went to the other side. So there were other monkeys also. They were asked, “Can you do it?” And mata kare het:(?) “He simply bowed down.” So this plan is meant for how to, by chanting “Jaya Rama,’’ I’ll jump over the other part of the material world. That is required. Not to work hard to improve your material condition. That will never be possible. Tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovido na labhate yad bhramatam upary adhah. You cannot get happiness within this material world. Bhramatam upary adhah. Upary adhah means, upari, in the higher planetary system, and down, lower planetary system. We are wandering like this, sometimes in the Svargaloka, sometimes in the Patalaloka, sometimes in naraka, sometimes in heaven. This is going on. Ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kono bhagyavan jiva, guru-krsna-krpa paya bhakti-lata-bija. So try to take bhakti-lata-bija by the mercy of guru, by the mercy of Krsna, and make your life successful. Don’t engage yourself in the material fruitive activities for improving your material condition. That will never be successful. Thank you very much. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Vrndavana, November 3, 1976