Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.26 Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) mumuksavo ghora-rupan hitva bhuta-patin atha narayana-kalah santa bhajanti hy anasuyavah Translation: “Those who are serious about liberation are certainly nonenvious, and they respect all. Yet they reject the horrible and ghastly forms of the demigods and worship only the all-blissful forms and plenary portions of Lord Visnu.” Prabhupada: mumuksavo ghora-rupan hitva bhuta-patin atha narayana-kalah santa bhajanti hy anasuyavah So the first word: mumuksavah—it is very difficult. This class of men, to find out, mumuksavah, it is very difficult to find out. They do not know what is meant by mumuksava. Mumuksava means “desiring to be liberated.” They do not know what is liberation. The so-called scientists, philosophers of the modern age, they do not know what is meant by liberation, moksa. And still, they are the heads of education and public leaders. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanah. They do not know what is the objective of life, what for the human life is meant. They do not know. I was just talking with Guru dasa. Sometimes in the year 1950 or ’51 I went to Jhansi, and it happened so that the…, the friend in whose house I was staying, he was a leader, and there was a meeting for Gandhi’s disappearance day. So I was asked to speak. At that time I was not sannyasi. I was asked to speak something on nonviolence. So I explained that violence means if you have got some right and if somebody by force stops you to utilize your right, that is violence. That is violence. I have got some right to take something, so, or enter in some room, and, if somebody checks me by force, that “You cannot enter,” that is violence and it is criminal. So our land of Bharatavarsa, it is not ordinary thing to take birth in Bharatavarsa. Just see, practically, how many men, they are automatically circumambulating this temple. Even a common man. So in this way, if you study, by nature, they are God conscious, in Bharatavarsa. By nature. Even a very poor man, he’s satisfied in God consciousness. He doesn’t care, poverty-stricken. He’s satisfied: “Krsna has placed me in this position.” Neither he cares to know—we have studied—that “Why I am poverty-stricken?” Doesn’t care. “Now I am getting some food by grace of Krsna.” Not very long ago, say about two hundred, three hundred years ago, in Krishnanagara, there was a big zaminder, Raja Krishnacandra. So he went to a learned scholar, pandita, brahmana. In those… Brahmana, they voluntarily accept poverty. They don’t care. So Raja Krishnacandra came to him and asked him: “Panditji, can I help you in some way?” He replied, he replied, “I don’t require any help from you.” “No, I see that you are very poverty-stricken.” “No, I am not poverty-stricken. My students get some rice for me, and my wife cooks it, and I get some…” There was a tamarind tree. “So I get some tamarind leaves. So it is very nice. I don’t require any help.” You see. This is India’s… Canakya Pandita, he was the greatest scholar, politician. He was prime minister of Maharaja Emperor Candragupta, under whose name the Canakya Puri is going on. He was living in a cottage, not accepting any salary. And as soon as Maharaja Candragupta wanted some explanation, (he) immediately resigned. This is the standard of persons who are born in India. Vyasadeva—who can be greater scholar than Vyasadeva? He has written… His last contribution is Srimad-Bhagavatam, and each word, if you study for hundreds of years, still, you have to understand. Each word. Such a scholar. He was living in a cottage. So this is actually India’s culture. So I explained in that meeting that “After many, many births, one is given the opportunity to take birth in this holy land of Bharatavarsa. Unfortunately, you people, you are, by force, making them materialist. They had the opportunity to take advantage of the contribution of great sages, rsis, to study and to become a successful human being, but you are, by force, dragging them from that attitude to this materialistic way of life. This is violence. This is violence. What you are speaking of, nonsense, nonviolence? This is violence.” So about twenty years ago I was thinking like that. So actually, people are being killed not only in India, but outside also, by these blind leaders. They do not know how to lead people, how to make them happy, how to make them successful in their human form of life. Narottama dasa Thakura sung, hari hari biphale janama gonainu manusya janama paiya, radha-krsna na bhajiya janiya suniya bisa khainu “My dear Lord Krsna, I have simply wasted my time, simply.” Without Krsna consciousness, actually, simply we are wasting time. Simply. Such opportunity, human form of life. We are…, our attention is diverted simply for eating, sleeping, mating and defending. And our real business is spoiled. That is summarized by Narottama dasa Thakura, that: hari hari biphale janama gonainu. “I have simply spoiled my life.” Manusya janama. This human form of life was especially meant for understanding Krsna, Radha-Krsna. If not Radha-Krsna, at least Krsna, or Battle of Kuruksetra. Sometimes the politicians say… Our friend, Mr. Chatterji, M. C. Chatterji, he was, sometimes, he was nice friend of me, that “Swamiji, I want Krsna of the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, not of Vrndavana.” That’s all right. At least you take Battlefield of Krsna, Krsna on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra. But take to Krsna. If you are not so much fortunate to understand what is Radha-Krsna, at least you try to understand what is Arjuna-Krsna. So actually the whole world is being spoiled. I am especially drawing the attention of those who are thoughtful men. People are being killed without this Krsna consciousness. People are being killed. They got this opportunity, human form of life—they should have been educated to understand Krsna. And by understanding Krsna, they become liberated. Here, as it is here: mumuksavah. Mumuksavah, those who are desiring for liberation. But they do not know what is liberation, what is transmigration of the soul, what is soul—nothing. Simply rascals, and they are leading the whole people. They do not know what is liberation. The Darwin’s theory, bodily concept of life, but…, and, and anthropology. That is going on in the university. A false theory, without any idea. So here it is said, mumuksavah, “desiring for liberation.” But the people do not know what is liberation. They are thinking liberation in terms of politics. Just like we have become liberated from the British rule. What sort of liberated? Liberation? During British rule, people were free to move, free to spend their money. Now you are so liberated that you cannot move, you can (not) spend your money. This is liberation. Formerly there was no restriction for going outside. And for a sannyasi like me, I had so much difficulty to obtain the permission of the government to go out. So much difficulty. I remember all those… How, oh, with what great difficulty I got out of this country. And because I, some way or other, by Krsna’s grace, I got out of this country, I could spread this Krsna consciousness movement all over the world. Otherwise, it was not possible. I wanted to start this movement from India, but I was not at all encouraged. I was not at all encouraged. I approached so many friends that “You have got four sons. Kindly give me one, one of your sons. I want to make him brahmana.” “Oh, Swamiji, what he will do, becoming brahmana? We have to earn our livelihood.” You see. So people have forgotten what is the aim of life, what is the purpose of life. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara janma sarthaka kari’ kara para-upakara [Cc. Adi 9.41] “Everyone who has taken birth on the land of Bharatavarsa, he must make his life successful.” Because here we have the opportunity in, what is mumuksava, what is liberation, actually. We have got this information in Bharatavarsa. No other country. Their liberation means so-called political liberation and making humbug all these things. Fighting with one an… That is not liberation. Liberation means to get out of the cycle of repetition of birth and death. That is called liberation. But they have no idea whose liberation, what is liberation, after liberation, where to go. All this knowledge, practically blocked. So it is very difficult to understand the statements of Srimad-Bhagavatam like this verse: mumuksavo ghora-rupan hitva bhuta-patin atha. They do not understand. People are so misguided, ill-educated, that they do not understand it. Otherwise, the land of Bharatavarsa is meant for liberation. In other land they take birth. They have no information of liberation. Here, in this land, Bharatavarsa, there is the idea of liberation, mukti. Mukti. So we should be interested in that liberation. Mumuksava. Mumuksa icchavah, “those who are desiring.” Those who want to remain within this bondage, material bondage of transmigrating from one body… Abrahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino ’rjuna [Bg. 8.16]. Abrahma-bhuvanal lokah. We are trying to improve our material condition. Sometimes we are going up, sometimes we are coming down. This is going on. But actual life, this human form of life, is meant for to get out of this darkness of material world. Tamasi ma jyotir gama. This is the information, Vedic information: “Don’t remain in this darkness.” Darkness, this, this material world is dark. Just like night. It was dark. actually it was dark. And because the sunshine is there, now we are seeing each other. Actually it is dark. And dark also— ignorance. We do not know what is the aim of life. Therefore, the whole world is darkness. And the Vedic information is: “Do not remain in the darkness. Come to the light.” But that education is wanting. That is called mukti, to get out of the darkness of ignorance and darkness of this material world. So mumuksava, if one is serious to go out of this darkness to the light, then his duty is to… Here, as it is mentioned: narayana-kalah santa bhajanti hy anasuyavah. Anasuyava. Asuya. Asuya means envious. Just like when we present Krsna, especially in India… This botheration is not there in other countries, outside India, because they had no information. I have placed before them that “Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You are searching after God. Here is God. Here is God’s name, here is God’s address, here is God’s activities. You try to understand God. Why you are speculating?” So they have accepted it. They are not asuyava. They are not envious. Here, if I present Krsna, one may say, “Why not Kali?” Ghora-rupan. “Oh, Kali is very active. It has got so long tongue. And it has got a sword in her hand, cutting the heads. It is very nice. And we are, we shall be able to eat goats.” You see. Actually the Kali-puja means for the meat-eaters. The Kali- puja… Now this, this season is Kali-puja. This Kali-puja means because the Vedic sastras are so made that from the lowest rascal to the highest intelligent man should be elevated. That is the purpose. From the lowest rascal to the highest intelligent brahmana. Because all classes of men are there. Some of them are influenced by the modes of goodness; some of them are influenced by the modes of passion; some of them are influenced by the modes of ignorance. But the Vedas are meant for study for the human being. Anadi-bahirmukha jiva krsna bhuli’ gela, ataeva krsna veda-purana kaila. The Vedas are meant for human being. So there are different types of human being; therefore there are different types of sastras, to attract all classes of men. So the meat- eaters, for them, the Vedas says, “Yes,” loke vyavayamisa-madya-seva nitya hi jantoh, “every living being, entity, has a general tendency…” Because he has come here to enjoy, to satisfy the material senses, and material senses means eating meat, drinking wine, and have sex life. This is material, satisfying the material senses. So they are regulated. “All right. You want meat, you want to eat meat, all right, then sacrifice one goat before Goddess Kali and worship her on the on the amavasya, dark moon night.” So many regulations. The real purpose is to restrict him, but if it is directly said that “Don’t eat meat,” he’ll be revolting. Therefore there are so many prescription of worshiping different demigods. Otherwise, there is no necessity. There is no necessity. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita: kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah yajante anya-devatah [Bg. 7.20] Those who are worshiping other demigods, they have become blind, they have lost their senses. Hrta-jnana. Hrta-jnana. Real knowledge is lost. Real knowledge is lost. Therefore they’re after so many demigods. Krsna says, “It is not My manufactured word.” Kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah yajante anya-devatah [Bg. 7.20]. There is no need of worshiping any demigods. This is the Govardhana-puja. This Govardhana-puja, Nanda Maharaja was arranging for worshiping Indra, and Krsna stopped it. And He engaged him for worshiping Govardhana, which is representation of Krsna. That is the Govardhana-puja. So here it is said, mumuksavo ghora-rupan hitva bhuta-patin atha. Bhuta-patin atha. So those who are actually desiring liberation from this entanglement of material life, transmigration from one body to another… We can get different types of sense pleasure in different bodies. That’s all right. But this is not a very good business. Sometimes I become a demigod, and sometimes I become a eucalyptus tree, standing for three hundred years. So why should we waste our time in that way? That is intelligence. But they do not know that “This time I am very nice American. I have got my skyscraper building and motorcar and very good bank balance. I am very happy.” They don’t care. But he does not know that next life he may become a cats or dog. That he does not know. There is risk. This science is not taught in any university. They are so fools and rascals. It is a great science, transmigration of the soul, immortality of the soul, how to elevate the soul to the highest perfection; these things are… They do not know, the rascals, they do not know. Neither do they teach. Mumuksavo ghora-rupan. A so unfortunate time it is. Therefore there is great necessity of spreading this Krsna consciousness movement to actually educate the human being to the highest perfect of life. That is required. It is not a religious system, competing with some other religion. Just like they are thinking that we are making Christians, Hindus. This is nonsense. We are not concerned with Hindus, Muslims or Christians. We are not… If these boys… They’re educated boys; they have no business to come…, become Hindu from Christian. They have no business. They’re… Many people before me, many swamis went there to make Christians, Hindu. They kicked there on their face. They did not become successful. Because they talked nonsense. Why one should, Christian become Hindu, Hindu become Christian? They should know what is God, what He is, what is his relationship with God. This Krsna consciousness movement is. It is not a movement for making Hindus to Muslim or Muslim to Hindus or Christian to Hin… This is not that movement. They clearly understand this. Therefore they are following. They are accepting. If I would have preached that Hindu religion is better than Christian religion, they would have kicked me out long ago. It is a science; it is a philosophy. So there is great necessity of educating people what is the aim of life. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s mission. Therefore He said that bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara [Cc. Adi 9.41]. He was appealing to the human beings, those who are actually human being, not to the cats and dogs. He was appealing to the human being that “You study the contribution of the great sages and make your life successful and go outside, preach this mission.” That is going on, under the name of Krsna consciousness movement. It is not a sentimental movement. It is scientific movement. Mumuksavo ghora-rupan. We are therefore restricting not to worship any other. Therefore when I started this mission many friends advised me “Why don’t you make it ‘God consciousness’?” This is bogus, God consciousness. “Krsna consciousness.” Otherwise, they’ll put so many gods. “Here is another god, here is another god, here is another god, here is another god, here is another incarnation, here is another avatara,” all nonsense. Place actual who is God. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Narayana-kalah santah. So try to understand our mission. Here it is said. We have to accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krsna also says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam sa… [Bg. 18.66]. “Unto Me only. Then you’ll be saved.” Otherwise you’ll go to hell. So this mumuksavo ghora-rupan, we don’t advise that you…, either you worship Kali, or either you worship Siva, either you worship… Oh, it is all the same. yata mata tata patha. We don’t speak all this nonsense. We simply say, “Come to Krsna. Then you’ll be saved.” Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Vrndavana, November 6, 1972