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tan—those; atisthati—follows; yah—anyone who; samyak—completely; upayan—principles; purva—formerly; darsitan—instructed; avarah—inexperienced; sraddhaya—with faith; upetah—being situated; upeyan—the fruits of activities; vindate—enjoys; anjasa—very easily.

One who follows the principles and instructions enjoined by the great sages of the past can utilize these instructions for practical purposes. Such a person can very easily enjoy life and pleasures.

tasya vyabhicaranty artha

The Vedic principles (mahajano yena gatah sa panthah) urge us to follow in the footsteps of great liberated souls. In this way we can receive benefit in both this life and the next, and we can also improve our material life. By following the principles laid down by great sages and saints of the past, we can very easily understand the aim of all life. The word avarah, meaning “inexperienced,” is very significant in this verse. Every conditioned soul is inexperienced. Everyone is abodha jata—born a fool and rascal. In democratic government at the present moment all kinds of fools and rascals are making decisions. But what can they do? What is the result of their legislation? They enact something today just to whimsically repeal it tomorrow. One political party utilizes a country for one purpose, and the next moment another political party forms a different type of government and nullifies all the laws and regulations. This process of chewing the chewed (punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]) will never make human society happy. In order to make all human society happy and prosperous, we should accept the standard methods given by liberated persons.

SB4.18.5

TEXT 5

tan anadrtya yo ’vidvan

arthan arabhate svayam

arabdhas ca punah punah

tan—those; anadrtya—neglecting; yah—anyone who; avidvan—rascal; arthan—schemes; arabhate—begins; svayam—personally; tasya—his; vyabhicaranti—do not become successful; arthah—purposes; arabdhah—attempted; ca—and; punah punah—again and again.

A foolish person who manufactures his own ways and means through mental speculation and does not recognize the authority of the sages who lay down unimpeachable directions is simply unsuccessful again and again in his attempts.

At the present moment it has become fashionable to disobey the unimpeachable directions given by the acaryas and liberated souls of the past. Presently people are so fallen that they cannot distinguish between a liberated soul and a conditioned soul. A conditioned soul is hampered by four defects: he is sure to commit mistakes, he is sure to become illusioned, he has a tendency to cheat others, and his senses are imperfect. Consequently we have to take direction from liberated persons. This Krsna consciousness movement directly receives instructions from the Supreme Personality of Godhead via persons who are strictly following His instructions. Although a follower may not be a liberated person, if he follows the supreme, liberated Personality of Godhead, his actions are naturally liberated from the contamination of the material nature. Lord Caitanya therefore says: “By My order you may become a spiritual master.” One can immediately become a spiritual master by having full faith in the transcendental words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and by following His instructions. Materialistic men are not interested in taking directions from a liberated person, but they are very much interested in their own concocted ideas, which make them repeatedly fail in their attempts. Because the entire world is now following the imperfect directions of conditioned souls, humanity is completely bewildered.

SB4.18.6

TEXT 6

pura srsta hy osadhayo

brahmana ya visampate

bhujyamana maya drsta

asadbhir adhrta-vrataih

pura—in the past; srstah—created; hi—certainly; osadhayah—herbs and food grains; brahmana—by Lord Brahma; yah—all those which; visam-pate—O King; bhujyamanah—being enjoyed; maya—by me; drstah—seen; asadbhih—by nondevotees; adhrta-vrataih—devoid of all spiritual activities.

My dear King, the seeds, roots, herbs and grains, which were created by Lord Brahma in the past, are now being used by nondevotees, who are devoid of all spiritual understanding.

Lord Brahma created this material world for the use of the living entities, but it was created according to a plan that all living entities who might come into it to dominate it for sense gratification would be given directions by Lord Brahma in the Vedas in order that they might ultimately leave it and return home, back to Godhead. All necessities grown on earth—namely fruits, flowers, trees, grains, animals and animal by-products—were created for use in sacrifice for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu. However, the planet earth in the shape of a cow herein submits that all these utilities are being used by nondevotees, who have no plans for spiritual understanding. Although there are immense potencies within the earth for the production of grains, fruits and flowers, this production is checked by the earth itself when it is misused by nondevotees, who have no spiritual goals. Everything belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and everything can be used for His satisfaction. Things should not be used for the sense gratification of the living entities. This is the whole plan of material nature according to the directions of this material nature.

In this verse the words asadbhih and adhrta-vrataih are important. The word asadbhih refers to the nondevotees. The nondevotees have been described in Bhagavad-gita as duskrtinah (miscreants), mudhah (asses or rascals), naradhamah (lowest of mankind) and mayayapahrta-jnanah (those who have lost their knowledge to the power of the illusory energy). All these persons are asat, nondevotees. Nondevotees are also called grha-vrata, whereas the devotee is called dhrta-vrata. The whole Vedic plan is that the misguided conditioned souls who have come to lord it over material nature should be trained to become dhrta-vrata. This means that they should take a vow to satisfy their senses or enjoy material life only by satisfying the senses of the Supreme Lord. Activities intended to satisfy the senses of the Supreme Lord, Krsna, are called krsnarthe ’khila-cestah. This indicates that one can attempt all kinds of work, but one should do so to satisfy Krsna. This is described in Bhagavad-gita as yajnarthat karma. The word yajna indicates Lord Visnu. We should work only for His satisfaction. In modern times (Kali-yuga), however, people have forgotten Visnu altogether, and they conduct their activities for sense gratification. Such people will gradually become poverty-stricken, for they cannot use things which are to be enjoyed by the Supreme Lord for their own sense gratification. If they continue like this, there will ultimately be a state of poverty, and no grains, fruits or flowers will be produced. Indeed, it is stated in the Twelfth Canto of Bhagavatam that at the end of Kali-yuga people will be so polluted that there will no longer be any grains, wheat, sugarcane or milk.

SB4.18.7

TEXT 7

apalitanadrta ca

bhavadbhir loka-palakaih

cori-bhute ’tha loke ’ham

yajnarthe ’grasam osadhih

apalita—without being taken care of; anadrta—being neglected; ca—also; bhavadbhih—like your good self; loka-palakaih—by the governors or kings; cori-bhute—being beset by thieves; atha—therefore; loke—this world; aham—I; yajna-arthe—for the purpose of performing sacrifices; agrasam—have hidden; osadhih—all the herbs and grains.

My dear King, not only are grains and herbs being used by nondevotees, but, as far as I am concerned, I am not being properly maintained. Indeed, I am being neglected by kings who are not punishing these rascals who have turned into thieves by using grains for sense gratification. Consequently I have hidden all these seeds, which were meant for the performance of sacrifice.

That which happened during the time of Prthu Maharaja and his father, King Vena, is also happening at this present moment. A huge arrangement exists for the production of large-scale industrial and agricultural products, but all these products are meant for sense gratification. Therefore despite such productive capacities there is scarcity because the world’s population is full of thieves. The word cori-bhute indicates that the population has turned to thievery. According to Vedic understanding, men are transformed into thieves when they plan economic development for sense gratification. It is also explained in Bhagavad-gita that if one eats food grains without offering them to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Yajna, he is a thief and liable to be punished. According to spiritual communism, all properties on the surface of the globe belong to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The population has a right to use goods only after offering them to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the process of accepting prasada. Unless one eats prasada, he is certainly a thief. It is the duty of governors and kings to punish such thieves and maintain the world nicely. If this is not done, grains will no longer be produced, and people will simply starve. Indeed, not only will people be obliged to eat less, but they will kill one another and eat each other’s flesh. They are already killing animals for flesh, so when there will no longer be grains, vegetables and fruits, they will kill their own sons and fathers and eat their flesh for sustenance.

SB4.18.8

TEXT 8

nunam ta virudhah ksina

nunam—therefore; tah—those; virudhah—herbs and grains; ksinah—deteriorated; mayi—within me; kalena—in course of time; bhuyasa—very much; tatra—therefore; yogena—by proper means; drstena—acknowledged; bhavan—Your Majesty; adatum—to take; arhati—ought.

Due to being stocked for a very long time, all the grain seeds within me have certainly deteriorated. Therefore you should immediately arrange to take these seeds out by the standard process, which is recommended by the acaryas or sastras.

When there is a scarcity of grain, the government should follow the methods prescribed in the sastra and approved by the acaryas; thus there will be a sufficient production of grains, and food scarcity and famine can be checked. Bhagavad-gita recommends that we perform yajna, sacrifices. By the performance of yajna, sufficient clouds gather in the sky, and when there are sufficient clouds, there is also sufficient rainfall. In this way agricultural matters are taken care of. When there is sufficient grain production, the general populace eats the grains, and animals like cows, goats and other domestic animals eat the grasses and grains also. According to this arrangement, human beings should perform the sacrifices recommended in the sastras, and if they do so there will no longer be food scarcity. In Kali-yuga, the only sacrifice recommended is sankirtana-yajna.

In this verse there are two significant words: yogena, “by the approved method,” and drstena, “as exemplified by the former acaryas.” One is mistaken if he thinks that by applying modern machines such as tractors, grains can be produced. If one goes to a desert and uses a tractor, there is still no possibility of producing grains. We may adopt various means, but it is essential to know that the planet earth will stop producing grains if sacrifices are not performed. The earth has already explained that because nondevotees are enjoying the production of food, she has reserved food seeds for the performance of sacrifice. Now, of course, atheists will not believe in this spiritual method of producing grains, but whether they believe or not, the fact remains that we are not independent to produce grain by mechanical means. As far as the approved method is concerned, it is enjoined in the sastras that intelligent men in this age will take to the sankirtana movement, and by so doing they shall worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Caitanya, whose bodily complexion is golden and who is always accompanied by His confidential devotees to preach this Krsna consciousness movement all over the world. In its present condition, the world can only be saved by introducing this sankirtana, this Krsna consciousness movement. As we have learned from the previous verse, one who is not in Krsna consciousness is considered a thief. Even though he may be materially very advanced, a thief cannot be placed in a comfortable position. A thief is a thief, and he is punishable. Because people are without Krsna consciousness, they have become thieves, and consequently they are being punished by the laws of material nature. No one can check this, not even by introducing so many relief funds and humanitarian institutions. Unless the people of the world take to Krsna consciousness, there will be a scarcity of food and much suffering.

SB4.18.9-10

TEXTS 9–10

vatsam kalpaya me vira

yenaham vatsala tava

dhoksye ksiramayan kaman

anurupam ca dohanam

dogdharam ca maha-baho

bhutanam bhuta-bhavana

annam ipsitam urjasvad

bhagavan vanchate yadi

vatsam—a calf; kalpaya—arrange; me—for me; vira—O hero; yena—by which; aham—I; vatsala—affectionate; tava—your; dhoksye—shall fulfill; ksira-mayan—in the form of milk; kaman—desired necessities; anurupam—according to different living entities; ca—also; dohanam—milking pot; dogdharam—milkman; ca—also; maha-baho—O mighty-armed one; bhutanam—of all living entities; bhuta-bhavana—O protector of the living entities; annam—food grains; ipsitam—desired; urjah-vat—nourishing; bhagavan—your worshipable self; vanchate—desires; yadi—if.

O great hero, protector of living entities, if you desire to relieve the living entities by supplying them sufficient grain, and if you desire to nourish them by taking milk from me, you should make arrangements to bring a calf suitable for this purpose and a pot in which the milk can be kept, as well as a milkman to do the work. Since I will be very much affectionate towards my calf, your desire to take milk from me will be fulfilled.

These are nice instructions for milking a cow. The cow must first have a calf so that out of affection for the calf she will voluntarily give sufficient milk. There must also be an expert milkman and a suitable pot in which to keep the milk. Just as a cow cannot deliver sufficient milk without being affectionate to her calf, the earth cannot produce sufficient necessities without feeling affection for those who are Krsna conscious. Even though the earth’s being in the shape of a cow may be taken figuratively, the meaning herein is very explicit. Just as a calf can derive milk from a cow, all living entities—including animals, birds, bees, reptiles and aquatics—can receive their respective foods from the planet earth, provided that human beings are not asat, or adhrta-vrata, as we have previously discussed. When human society becomes asat, or ungodly, or devoid of Krsna consciousness, the entire world suffers. If human beings are well-behaved, animals will also receive sufficient food and be happy. The ungodly human being, ignorant of his duty to give protection and food to the animals, kills them to compensate for the insufficient production of grains. Thus no one is satisfied, and that is the cause for the present condition in today’s world.

SB4.18.11

TEXT 11

samam ca kuru mam rajan

deva-vrstam yatha payah

apartav api bhadram te

upavarteta me vibho

samam—equally level; ca—also; kuru—make; mam—me; rajan—O King; deva-vrstam—fallen as rain by the mercy of King Indra; yatha—so that; payah—water; apa-rtau—when the rainy season has ceased; api—even; bhadram—auspiciousness; te—unto you; upavarteta—it can remain; me—on me; vibho—O Lord.

My dear King, may I inform you that you have to make the entire surface of the globe level. This will help me, even when the rainy season has ceased. Rainfall comes by the mercy of King Indra. Rainfall will remain on the surface of the globe, always keeping the earth moistened, and thus it will be auspicious for all kinds of production.

King Indra of the heavenly planets is in charge of throwing thunderbolts and giving rainfall. Generally thunderbolts are thrown on the tops of hills in order to break them to pieces. As these pieces are spread asunder in due course of time, the surface of the globe gradually becomes fit for agriculture. Level land is especially conducive to the production of grain. Thus the planet earth requested Maharaja Prthu to level the surface of the earth, breaking up the high land and mountains.

SB4.18.12

TEXT 12

iti priyam hitam vakyam

bhuva adaya bhupatih

vatsam krtva manum panav

aduhat sakalausadhih

iti—thus; priyam—pleasing; hitam—beneficial; vakyam—words; bhuvah—of the earth; adaya—taking into consideration; bhu-patih—the King; vatsam—calf; krtva—making; manum—Svayambhuva Manu; panau—in his hands; aduhat—milked; sakala—all; osadhih—herbs and grains.

After hearing the auspicious and pleasing words of the planet earth, the King accepted them. He then transformed Svayambhuva Manu into a calf and milked all the herbs and grains from the earth in the form of a cow, keeping them in his cupped hands.

SB4.18.13

TEXT 13

tathapare ca sarvatra

saram adadate budhah

tato ’nye ca yatha-kamam

duduhuh prthu-bhavitam

SYNONYMS

tatha—so; apare—others; ca—also; sarvatra—everywhere; saram—the essence; adadate—took; budhah—the intelligent class of men; tatah—thereafter; anye—others; ca—also; yatha-kamam—as much as they desired; duduhuh—milked; prthu-bhavitam—the planet earth, controlled by Prthu Maharaja.

TRANSLATION

Others, who were as intelligent as King Prthu, also took the essence out of the earthly planet. Indeed, everyone took this opportunity to follow in the footsteps of King Prthu and get whatever he desired from the planet earth.

PURPORT

The planet earth is also called vasundhara. The word vasu means “wealth,” and dhara means “one who holds.” All creatures within the earth fulfill the necessities required for human beings, and all living entities can be taken out of the earth by the proper means. As suggested by the planet earth, and accepted and initiated by King Prthu, whatever is taken from the earth—either from the mines, from the surface of the globe or from the atmosphere—should always be considered the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and should be used for Yajna, Lord Visnu. As soon as the process of yajna is stopped, the earth will withhold all productions—vegetables, trees, plants, fruits, flowers, other agricultural products and minerals. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita, the process of yajna was instituted from the beginning of creation. By the regular performance of yajna, the equal distribution of wealth and the restriction of sense gratification, the entire world will be made peaceful and prosperous. As already mentioned, in this age of Kali the simple performance of sankirtana-yajna—the holding of festivals as initiated by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness—should be introduced in every town and village. Intelligent men should encourage the performance of sankirtana-yajna by their personal behavior. This means that they should follow the process of austerity by restricting themselves from illicit sex life, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. If the intelligent men, or the brahmanas of society, would follow the rules and regulations, certainly the entire face of this present world, which is in such chaotic condition, would change, and people would be happy and prosperous.

SB4.18.14

TEXT 14

rsayo duduhur devim

indriyesv atha sattama

vatsam brhaspatim krtva

payas chandomayam suci

rsayah—the great sages; duduhuh—milked; devim—the earth; indriyesu—in the senses; atha—then; sattama—O Vidura; vatsam—the calf; brhaspatim—the sage Brhaspati; krtva—making; payah—milk; chandah-mayam—in the form of the Vedic hymns; suci—pure.

All the great sages transformed Brhaspati into a calf, and making the senses into a pot, they milked all kinds of Vedic knowledge to purify words, mind and hearing.