Srila Prabhupada speaks on: Behave Ideally or Don't Preach

November 20, 2008

" Behave Ideally or Don't Preach " Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.4Vrndavana, September 8, 1975 listen

Prabhupada:

yad yad acarati sreyanitaras tat tad ihatesa yat pramanam kurutelokas tad anuvartate [sB 6.2.4]

Very important verse. Ideal class of men therefore needed in the society. Therefore Vedic society is divided -- ideal men: the brahmanas. Brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra. The brahmana, the saintly person, the sannyasi, the rajarsi. This is required. Imam rajarsayo viduh [bg. 4.2]. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that the Bhagavad-gita was taught to the rajarsi, not to the third-class men. Rajarsi, raja and rsi at the same time. Although king, but they were saintly king, just like Maharaja Yudhisthira, the ideal king. Bhagavan, Ramacandra, the ideal king, ideal king, so ideal that because some citizen criticized that " Lord Ramacandara, King Ramacandra, has accepted His wife who was kidnapped by Ravana, " and he was a low-class man, washerman, and still, the king, Lord Ramacandra, thought that " My citizens are criticizing Me. " Immediately He separated Laksmi-devi, Sita. This is ideal king, no criticism from the citizen, even Lord Ramacandra. This is called rajarsi.

Maharaja Yudhisthira, Maharaja Pariksit... Pariksit Maharaja was going on a tour. These Pandavas, they were the emperor of the whole world. So he saw that a black man was trying to kill a cow. So immediately he took action: " Who is this man trying to kill cow? " So he chastised him, punished him. He was going to kill him, but he saved himself, that " This is my time. I am Kali-yuga. I am the representative. So this is my business, to kill cow. So what can I do? " Then he said that " You better get out. Otherwise I shall kill you. " " So where shall I go? " " Now, out of my kingdom. " " Then where is not your kingdom? The whole world is your kingdom. Where shall I go? I am also your subject. You must give me a place. " Then he gave him the places -- striyah suna panam dyutam yatra papas catur-vidhah: " You can remain in four places. Where illicit sex is indulged, prostitution, you can remain there; and suna, " means unnecessary killing animals, slaughterhouse, " you can remain there. And brothel and liquorhouse, striyah suna pana, where intoxication is indulged, you can remain there. And gambling. " Pana dyuta [sB 1.17.38]. Dyuta means gambling. " You can remain in these places. " So it was very difficult for Kali to find out such place because Maharaja Pariksit's time the kingdom was so nice that there was no brothel, no slaughterhouse, no liquor shop and no gambling club. This is rajarsi. So you could not find. Therefore Kali made a conspiracy how to get out Maharaja Pariksit so that he could spread his influence. So long Maharaja Pariksit was there, there was no influence of Kali-yuga. So after all, the age has come. It is ordained. So Pariksit Maharaja was cursed by a brahmana to die within seven days, and after his death the Kali-yuga spreaded its influence. And now, by the advancement of ages, you will find these four places in every home. This is Illicit sex, and intoxication, gambling and meat-eating -- this is Kali-yuga.

So the king was very strict not to allow these things. The people were following. Yad yad acarati sreyan. The king was strict; the government was strict. Therefore people were following. So these sinful activities of the whole world can be stopped immediately if the government is strong. But the government members, they are themself, they are victims of Kali-yuga, so how they can stop it? Some big, big politician, when they enjoy, they bring naked girls and drinking, and this is their standard of enjoyment. So how you can expect good government? It is not possible. Why they should be bothering about people's happiness? They want to occupy big, big ministerial post to enjoy their life. Therefore the position of the whole world is so deteriorated because there is no ideal man. All rogues, thieves, I mean to say, in very fallen condition. Therefore people are deteriorating. Dampatye ratim eva hi. These will be the signs of Kali-yuga. Dampata means husband and wife. Their relation will stand so long they satisfy one another by sex, rati. Rati means sex. Dampate ratim eva hi. And as soon as there is sex disturbance: divorce -- " I don't want you. " Vipratve sutram eva hi: " A brahmana means one, two paisa thread. " That's all. " A sannyasi means a rod. " These are the explanations. And a very expert man means kutumba, daksyam kutumba-bharanam. If anyone can maintain a family -- family means one wife and one or two children -- then he is to be considered very expert, successful because... Therefore you will find in these days -- no wife, no children, no family. In Western countries they take dog as the best friend, and television. That's all. Because this is Kali-yuga, no family. But he must have some companion, but he doesn't want family, the botheration of family. Then dog is the best friend. What can be done? This is going on, and it will increase more and more, more and more.

Therefore, at the present moment it is a great necessity to have some ideal men. Yad yad acarati sreyan. Therefore we are endeavoring to create some ideal men, Krsna conscious men, their character, their behavior, their ideal aim of life. So those who have taken to Krsna consciousness seriously, they should be ideal men. The society will be benefited at least by seeing their behavior. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us, apani acari prabhu jiveri siksaya. If you don't behave yourself as an ideal man, you cannot preach. Your preaching will not be successful. Apani acari prabhu jiveri siksaya. Because the nature's law is that ordinary men, they follow the ideal. If there is rajarsi, ksatriya, ruler, king, just like saintly person, like Maharaja Yudhisthira, Pariksit, Lord Ramacandra -- there are many -- Maharaja Ambarisa, then people will be happy. Just like it is described, during the reign of Maharaja Pariksit there was no trouble at all of the citizens. They were free from even ordinary minor diseases. It is said there, in the Srimad Bhagavatam. And so far production is concerned, it is said that the land was producing all the necessities. Sarva-dugham mahi. Sarva-kama-dugham mahi. Actually we get everything from the earth, all supplies. We are getting these flowers from earth. We are getting these fruits from earth. We are getting foodstuff from the earth. We are getting minerals from the earth -- everything. Sarva-dugham mahi. So nature will supply you sufficiently, provided you follow ideal life. Otherwise nature will punish you. There will be no supply.

These are all described in Srimad Bhagavatam. The nature was not supplying sufficiently, and then Maharaja Prthu, the personified Prithivi, he was going to kill her, punish her. King's business is, if somebody is doing wrong, then the king must punish. So he was prepared to punish Prthvi. She submitted that " King, why you are trying to punish me? It is my business when people become demons, I restrict my supply. " So this is nature's law. As soon as you become demons, godless, nature will restrict supply. There will be no rain, no production. There will be scarcity, everything. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [bg. 3.27]. Everything is being carried by prakrti. And prakrti is working under the direction of Krsna. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [bg. 9.10]. Without prakrti's cooperation you cannot get anything. You may have big, big mills and factories -- useless. You cannot manufacture, I mean to say, rice, grains. Even if you eat meat, the cows and the animals, they must eat vegetables. There will be no vegetables. How you will be able to eat meat even? So nature has got the restricting power. As you become more and more demons and sinful, nature will restrict supply and you'll suffer. This is the law.

daivi hy esa gunamayimama maya duratyayamam eva ye prapadyantemayam etam taranti [bg. 7.14]

Therefore our Krsna consciousness movement is just to teach people how to become Krsna conscious, surrender unto Him. Then they will be happy. This is the way of Krsna consciousness movement. We want to create some ideal men. People will see them, and at least they will understand that " Here are the ideal men. " They will be ashamed. So those who are in Krsna consciousness movement, they should be sreyan-yad yad acarati sreyan -- the best men in the society. Otherwise useless. If you waste your time to make a free hotel and sleep -- useless. That will not make our mission successful, if you take advantage of free hotel and no work. That will not be successful. We must be sreyan, first-class men. That is wanted because there is no first-class men. All fourth-class, fifth-class sudra. Kalau sudra-sambhavah. Sudra means fourth-class men, and candala means fifth-class men. So nowadays they are mainly candalas. Kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah [sB 2.4.18]. Yavana and candalas. By the grace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, this movement is able to pick up even candalas and yavanas to become brahmanas.

mam ca (yo) 'vyabhicarinibhakti-yogena yah sevatesa gunan samatityaitanbrahma-bhuyaya kalpate [bg. 14.26]

" One who is engaged in devotional service, he becomes immediately transcendental to this infection of the three qualities of material nature. " Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate. That is actually happening. This powerful Krsna consciousness movement is so strong that we can pick up from the lowest stage of life and bring him to the highest stage of life if we follow the rules and regulation. It is possible. Practically we are seeing. So that is required, yad yad acarati sreyan, a class of men. Maybe minority; it doesn't matter. But their ideal behavior, character, will lead other people to appreciate: " Yes. We should be like this. " Now, who was telling this night? I think Pranava was telling that some friend has told that in the Western countries they are appreciating this movement because I have stopped amongst my members this intoxication. There are. Are you not telling?

Pranava: Yes.

Prabhupada: Yes. They are gradually appreciating that " Oh. " Yes, Professor Judah also, he says that. They are appreciating now, that " How is this, nice movement, that our students, they were habituated to all these and they have now become God conscious? They are mad after God? " And one priest in Boston, he also agreed. One priest came to see me. He said, " Swamiji, how is that? Your disciples look so bright. " They are appreciating. This is wanted, everyone sreyan. So this movement is very important movement because it is creating first-class men so that others will see and follow. So this is required. Yad yad acarati sreyan tad tad itarah ihate. It is natural. A father may be drunkard, but he doesn't like to see his son has become drunkard. This is natural. Everyone appreciates good quality. So similarly, if we can create an ideal class of men, then others who are fallen will try to become like us.

So don't take this movement very insignificantly. Very serious. And those who are members, they should become ideal. We have got very easy, easy method to become ideal. Avoid these four principles of sinful life and chant Hare Krsna sixteen times -- you become ideal.

ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanamsreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanamanandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamrtasvadanamparam vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam

[Cc. Antya 20.12]

So in the very beginning the first thing is ceto-darpana-marjanam. We are all suffering on account of ignorance. There are so many nasty, dirty things within our heart. It will be cleansed. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya.

tada rajas-tamo-bhavahkama-lobhadayas ca yeceta etair anaviddhamsthitam sattve prasidati [sB 1.2.19]

nasta-prayesv abhadresunityam bhagavata-sevayabhagavaty uttama-slokebhaktir bhavati naisthiki [sB 1.2.18]

These are the formulas. If we hear Bhagavatam from Bhagavatam, not from the professional men who have made business for reciting Bhagavata... No. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya.

There are two bhagavatas: grantha-bhagavata and the man bhagavata. So therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu's secretary, Svarupa Damodara, he recommended a brahmana. He came to see him, writing something that was full of mistakes. Then he chastised him that " You do not know what is what. You have tried to explain Bhagavata. " But when the brahmana was submissively hearing and tolerated the chastisement, then he gave the advice, bhagavata pora giya bhagavata-sthane: " Go. Hear Bhagavata from a person whose life is Bhagavata. " Bhagavata para giya bhagavata-sthane. Not the professional bhagavata. They are aiming Therefore they immediately open the rasa-lila chapter and explain it very nicely. People will like: " Oh, Krsna and myself, the same. He is also embracing the young girl. I shall now try to find out young girl. " This is going on. They are going to hell by hearing Bhagavatam from these rascal professionals. Bhagavata is meant, from the very beginning First of all try to understand what is God. Janmady asya yatah anvayad itarah [sB 1.1.1]. Nine cantos to explain what is God. Then Tenth Canto, God, Vasudeva, Krsna, is there, not Tenth Canto immediately. So everything is misused only for " Money, money, money. Bring money. " This is Kali-yuga. Everything will be judged by money. And as soon as there is money there will be himsa. Therefore this bhagavata-dharma is not for this class of men. Dharma-projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsaranam [sB 1.1.2]. Those who are above enviousness, those who are above after hankering after money, for them, this bhagavata-dharma is not for them. Paramo nirmatsaranam. Paramhamsaya.

So we have taken this Bhagavatam. We should be very, very careful to become first-class men so that others will follow. Sa yat pramanam kurute. If you become a first-class man, sa yat pramanam, whatever you will do, lokas tad anuvartate, people will follow, naturally. Lokas tad anuvartate. Unfortunately nowadays first-class man means kill Krsna. This is first-class man. All these so-called rascal scholars of Bhagavad-gita, their only business is how to kill Krsna, pounce Him, (Kamsa?), as Kamsa was planning how to kill Krsna. That was his plan, demon. He was also thinking of Krsna, but he was thinking Krsna, how to kill Him. So that is not bhakti. Krsna consciousness... He was also Krsna conscious. He was thinking always, twenty-four hours, Krsna, how to kill Krsna. So that is not bhakti. Bhakti means how to serve Krsna. That is bhakti. Anukulyena krsnanusilanam, na tu pratikulyena [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. Pratikula means adverse. Yes. If you think of Krsna adversely, how to kill this Krsna consciousness movement... Of course, Krsna is so nice that even if you think of Krsna adversely, because you'll chant " Krsna, Krsna, " you will get benefit. Krsna is so nice. Because you are chanting unconsciously... Just like there were so many propaganda in Germany, " The Hare Krsna people are so bad. " But every paper chanted Hare Krsna. " Hare Krsna movement is bad, " but in the beginning, " Hare Krsna. " So therefore, in spite of their propaganda, we are existing there. We are existing. We have come out triumphant. They could not do anything.

So the Hare Krsna movement is so strong, and indirectly, directly, or some way or other, if you chant Hare Krsna, you become benefited. It is so. So if you neglectfully chant Hare Krsna you become so benefited, then how much you will be benefited if you carefully chant Hare Krsna. That should be the ideal. Therefore, sa yat pramanam kurute lokas tad anuvartate. Unfortunately, those decrying this Krsna movement or Krsna... They directly making propaganda. When Krsna says, man-mana mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru, the so-called scholars, they say, " It is not to Krsna. " They're misleading. Lokas tad anuvartate. The people are becoming against Krsna: " Why Krsna should be God? I have got another God, manufactured. Here is God. " Krsna was so beautiful, and I am God, so ugly God? No. There are so many ugly Gods nowadays that ferocious face and he is God. We worship God, so nice face, people come and become enchanted, and they bring a God, a ferocious head, and he becomes God. This is going on. The whole propaganda is like that. Even big, big political leaders, they'll say, " We don't believe in Krsna, there was a person as Krsna living ever. " So people are being misled. Lokas tad anuvartate. He has taken the position of sreyan, big leader, big scholar, and he is decrying Krsna. So what people will do? They are helpless. They will give, " Oh, Mr. such and such said it is fiction. Krsna is imagination. " This is going on. In Vrndavana you'll find so many big, big Mayavadis. They're explaining that this Krsna concept is an imagination, and people are thronged together to hear him, in Vrndavana, and what to speak of other places. So this is the position of the world, and they are suffering and they will continue to suffer. Nature will punish them. Yamaraja will take them. That is their next life. So you try to save them. This is Krsna consciousness movement.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.4 -- Vrndavana, September 8, 1975

-- At the present moment we are the slaves of our senses. When our senses dictate, " Give me this or give me that " , we dutifully accommodate them. What we fail to realize is that the senses are not us and that satisfying them therefore does not satisfy us. If we want actual happiness, we should limit the senses to what they actually need not giving them everything for which they feel greed. In this way we can channel the major portion of our serving propensity towards the Supreme Person, the source of all existence. When we water the root of a tree all the leaves and branches. Similarly when we serve the Original Person we become fully satisfied and we give full satisfaction to all living beings.

Chant:Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare HareHare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare