Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.2 Prabhupada: sri-visnuduta ucuh aho kastam dharma-drsam adharmah sprsate sabham yatradandyesv apapesu dando yair dhriyate vrtha So the conversation between the Yamaduta and Visnuduta… So this material world is for Yamaduta, and the spiritual world is for Visnuduta. We have discussed all these points. So in the material world, more or less, we are susceptible for being punished by the Yamadutas or Yamaraja, not all. Who are punishable? They are nondevotees, those who are sinful. So anyone who is not following the principles of religion, they are to be punished, because the human form of life is meant for executing religion. Not the animals. So if we do not follow religious principle, then we are punishable. You cannot escape. Exactly if you do not follow the state laws, then you are punishable, criminal. Similarly the original law or original controller, the original king is Krsna, Visnu. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. These rascals, those who manufacture religion, they do not know that religion can be given by Visnu, and we have to satisfy Visnu. Therefore there is varnasrama-dharma: four varnas and four asramas. The brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, and brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, and sannyasa. This is the conception of human civilization, Aryan civilization. There are Aryans and non-Aryans. Aryan means who follow the varnasrama-dharma. They are Aryans. In India they were following strictly this varnasrama-dharma; therefore they were Aryans. Not now, formerly they were. Why? By the varnasrama-dharma one can please the Supreme Lord Visnu. varnasramacaravata purusena parah puman visnur aradhyate pumsam nanyat tat-tosa-karanam The aim of human life is to satisfy Visnu. That is Vedic civilization. atah pumbhir dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasah svanusthitasya dharmasya samsiddhir hari-tosanam [SB 1.2.13] Samsiddhir hari-tosanam. You are brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha… Varnasrama-vibhagasah. But what is the aim of life? Aim of life is to satisfy the Visnu, Lord Visnu. But they do not know it. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31] At least at the present moment, nobody knows that he has to satisfy the Supreme Lord. That is the aim of life. He does not know. He does not know even what is God. Just like animal. The animal does not know what is God. They are making research what is God, the theosophists, the theologists, making research. God is canvassing, “Here I am.” Krsna, He comes. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati, tadatmanam srjami [Bg. 4.7]. When these rascals forget what is God, He comes. And still, they are making research. He is acting as God; He is instructing as God; He is accepted by the acaryas as God; still, these rascals are searching out God. This is their position. Why you are searching out? Here is God. God says, aham sarvasya prabhavah mattam sarvam pravartate, aham adir hi devanam maharsinam sa saptasah. And still you are searching God? That is the folly. Even God comes before you, and if you are demon, then you cannot understand what is God. Therefore we have to follow the acaryas. We are ignorant. To become ignorant is not any fault. But when the ignorant thinks that he knows everything, then he’s fault. Therefore the ignorant people are advised in the Vedas, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet srotriyam brahma-nistham [MU 1.2.12]. “So I am ignorant, I am fool, I am rascals. I shall remain like that”? No, that is not human life; that is animal life. Animal is also ignorant. A dog, he cannot go to a guru. That is not possible. But a human being, he must. Abhigacchet. It must. It is not optional, that “I may go, or I may not.” No, you must. That is the injunction. That is the Vedic injunction. Acarya-parampara. Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. Rajarsayah. Formerly the king was responsible, responsible king. Responsible government means responsible king. So what is the responsibility of the king? The responsibility that all the citizens, all the inhabitants of the state, they should live very comfortably and develop Krsna consciousness. This is the responsibility of the king. He has to see that everyone is free from anxiety, everyone is feeling secure, everyone has no disease, no mental anxiety, and in peaceful condition they are executing bhagavata-dharma. That is real dharma, bhagavata-dharma. Bhagavata-dharma means to understand the science of God. That is Bhagavata. And it is advised, kaumaram acaret prajno dharman bhagavatan iha. Kaumara, from the very boyhood, childhood, one should be instructed and educated about bhagavata-dharma. Dharma means bhagavata-dharma. Otherwise it is not dharma; it is cheating. Otherwise, why Krsna said sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]? Because that is bhagavata-dharma. Bhagavan is speaking. Therefore, what Bhagavan is speaking, that is in relationship with Bhagavan. Therefore it is called bhagavata-dharma. Bhagavata means in relationship with God, or Bhagavan. Bhagavata-sabda and then Bhagavata. That is dharma. So bhagavata-dharma. Dharma means bhagavata-dharma. Dharma does no mean I manufacture at my home some religion and it becomes dharma. No. That kind of religion is rejected. Dharmah projjhita kaivato ’tra: “That kind of cheating religion is rejected.” Projjhita. Prakrsta-rupena ujjhita. That is not religion. Religion is for… Religion means the relationship between Bhagavan and me, or everything. Bhagavata-dharma. So the Bhagavata-dharma is spoken by Bhagavan Himself, Bhagavad-gita. So He says that catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13] The human society must be divided into four classes: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. He says. That is bhagavata-dharma. If you abolish this, everyone is sudra, no brahmana. That brahmana means guna-karma-vibhagasah—guna, quality and action, not by birth. He never says, “by birth.” Anyone who is qualified… Just like in ordinary life, anyone who is a qualified medical man, he is given the title “doctor,” “medical practice,” not that a doctor’s son is necessarily a doctor. Even if he is a son of a doctor, still, he has to be educated as a medical man, then he will be accepted as doctor. This is bhagavata-dharma. Catur-varnyam maya srstam [Bg. 4.13]. And in another place it is stated, yasya hi yad laksanam proktam varnabhivyanjakam. It it said by Narada Muni to Maharaja Yudhisthira, yasya hi yad laksanam proktam. There are symptoms that he has… Here are the symptoms of a brahmana: satva sama dama titiksa arjavam, jnana-vijnana astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. So then Narada Muni said that yasya hi yad laksanam proktam: “In the sastra, as the symptoms are described, if such symptom,” yadi anyatra vidrsyeta, “if such symptoms are visible in other place,” tat tenaiva vinirdiset [SB 7.11.35], “if the symptoms of a brahmana is found in a place, other place than, either in the sudra family or vaisya family or ksatriya family, then he should be accepted as a brahmana. Similarly if somebody in a brahmana family, his symptoms are like ksatriya or vaisya or sudra, then he should be designated like that.” So this is bhagavata-dharma, strictly following the words and the injunction of God. That is bhagavata-dharma. And that is real dharma. So this man deviated from bhagavata-dharma. Therefore he was to be arrested by the Yamadutas for purification. That was his external affair. But by chance, by the grace of the Lord, at the time of his death he chanted “Narayana,” not exactly meaning the Supreme Lord Narayana, but his son’s name was Narayana. He was thinking that “I am being dragged by the Yamaduta. So my son will save me.” Therefore he exclaimed, “Narayana, please save me.” So he meant his son, but Narayana, actual Narayana, heard it—“O Narayana, please save me.” This is the… Narayana is so kind that although the name of Narayana was called by Ajamila, meaning his son, still, because he has chanted the name, holy name of Narayana, it was immediately taken seriously by Lord Narayana, and His order- carriers, the Visnudutas, were sent to save this man. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. So this process of Krsna consciousness is so nice that svalpam apy asya dharmasya, even slightly executed in due time… Because the process is we are educating people to chant Hare Krsna to practice, so in due time, Hare Krsna at the time of death especially, if we can chant this holy name of God, Hare Krsna, then our life is successful. So unless we practice, how it will be possible to chant at the time of death? Because at the time of death the whole system, anatomical- physiological system, becomes disturbed, in bewilderedness, in coma, in unconsciousness. But still, if one has practiced, there is possibility of chanting the holy name of the Lord, Hare Krsna, Narayana. Then that is success of life. In a Bengali there is a proverb, bhajana kara sadhana kara murti janle haya(?), that “Whatever you are executing as a bhajana, sadhana, that’s all right, but it will be tested at the time of your death.” It will be test. Just like a parrot is chanting, “Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna,” but when some cat comes in, “Kaw, kaw, kaw.” No. Then missing. So parrot life will not help you. You must be really chanting without any offense. Then it is possibility that at the time of death… Death will be there. You may be very proud of your body, that “I am permanent.” No. “As sure as death.” And after death you have to change your body. Tatha dehantara-praptih. That we do not know, what kind of body I will enjoy. Now I have got Serji’s(?) body. That’s all right. But your karma will decide the next body. So intelligent person, they should be Krsna conscious, krsna-karma, always engaged in Krsna’s service. Then it is mad-yajino ’pi yanti mam. Krsna says, “One who is always engaged in My service, activities,” Krsna says, “he comes back to Me.” Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. So practice that. This is Krsna consciousness movement. This life will be finished, and you do not know what kind of body you are going to get next. The best guarantee is that you execute Krsna consciousness, chant Hare Krsna mantra constantly, remain pure by following the regulative principles, and satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah [Bg. 9.14] Then everything is assured, and your life is successful. At the time of death you go back to home. Just see how Krsna, Narayana, is so kind that because he feelingly chanted at the time of his death, “O Narayana, please come and save me…” But he was meaning his son. But Krsna did not take that. Just like Putana. Putana wanted to kill Krsna. That was his (her) plan. But Krsna, because He sucked the breast of Putana, He took him (her) as His mother. This is Krsna. Krsna never takes the bad side. Krsna takes always the bright side. Putana, although she came to cheat Krsna, but how Krsna will cheat? Krsna thought that “I have sucked her breast, so she is My mother. She should go to the same place where Yasodamayi is going.” This is Krsna. So we should always remember that Krsna is very, very kind, and a slight devotional service to Him will please Him, and therefore He is begging, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati. What you will give to Krsna? He is self-sufficient. But if you give something to Krsna, your life becomes successful. Thank you very much. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Vrndavana, September 6, 1975