The Religion Above All Cheating

July 28, 2003

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"The Religion Above All Cheating" Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.5October 9, 1976, Aligarhlisten

(little conversing in Hindi)

Prabhupada:

munayah sadhu prsto 'hambhavadbhir loka-mangalamyat-krtah krsna-samprasnoyenatma suprasidati [sB 1.2.5]

By the sages in Naimisaranya, the question was put before Suta Gosvami that "After Krsna's departure from this world to His own abode, where the responsibility was given for religious propaganda?" So it was krsna-samprasno, question about Krsna. And the question was that religious principle, where did it rest? Because religion means the law of God. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [sB 6.3.19]. As you cannot manufacture law at home The law is enunciated in the legislative assembly of the government. Not that you can manufacture law in your home or in your office or in a big conference by the public. No. Similarly, the word dharma, religion, is explained in the English dictionary, "a sect of faith." And people have interpreted in a different way, that "I can manufacture my own way of religion." It is going on very strong nowadays by some missionary sect, yata mat tata pat. As many ways there are, they are all perfect. That somebody said that to cut throat is

my religion. That is also accepted. But that is not religion. Religion means dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [sB 6.3.19]. What is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead or what is ordained by the supreme authority, that is dharma. Therefore in the next verse it is explained,

sa vai pumsam paro dharmoyato bhaktir adhoksajeahaituky apratihatayayatma suprasidati [sB 1.2.6]

If you want actual peace, atma, suprasidati, then you have to accept paro dharma. Para means supreme or superior. There are two kinds of dharmas, para and apara. Apara means this material world. Bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca. There are two natures, one spiritual nature and one material nature. People do not understand what is spiritual nature. But Krsna explains very nicely, and one can understand very easily what is spiritual nature and what is material nature. In the Bhagavad-gita, the matter, five elements, earth, water, air, fire, sky, mind, intelligence, ego, these are material nature. Prakrti me bhinna astadha. Apareyam. Then Krsna says this is apara. Apara means inferior. Bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh. The modern scientist or philosophers, they are engaged in studying this inferior nature. They have no information of the superior nature. But Krsna says that these five elements, eight elements. Five gross and three subtle. The mind is also

material. Kham mano buddhir. These are material. People think this mental speculation, poetry, philosophy, that is spiritual. No. So long the subject matter is material, the concoction of the mind, speculation of the mind, the so-called philosophy, is also material.

When mind is engaged at the lotus feet of the Lord... As it is stated in the Srimad-..., sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor. When the mind is fixed up in the lotus feet of the Lord, then the words are used, the vibration of the tongue used... Vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane. Then the words are utilized for describing about the spiritual world. The spiritual world is called Vaikuntha. There is no kuntha, anxiety. That is spiritual world. When you become spiritualized, brahma-bhutah prasannatma [bg. 18.54]. There is no more kuntha. This is the sign of becoming brahma-bhutah. At the present moment we are jiva-bhutah. Manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati [bg. 15.7]. Therefore our struggle for existence is with the mind and the six senses. But when your existence is spiritualized, then brahma-bhutah, you have no more anxieties. That is the sign. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na Prasannatma means na socati na kanksati [bg.

18.54].

We have got two diseases in the material world. One is socati, and the other is kanksati. The things which we haven't got we desire to possess, kanksati. And the things which we possess, it will be spoiled, it will be lost. Canakya Pandita says that everything in this material world is temporary. Smaro nityam anityatam. So when we engage our mind in these temporary things, that is socana and akanksa. And when we are elevated to the spiritual platform, then there is no more socana and akanksa. This is the symptom. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati, samah sarvesu bhutesu [bg. 18.54]. At that time it is possible to re-establish samata. We are very much anxious to re-establish our universal brotherhood, but from the material platform it is not possible. Unless we come to the platform of brahma-bhutah, we cannot expect samah sarvesu bhutesu. Panditah sama-darsinah [bg. 5.18]. These things are there in the

Bhagavad-gita.

So considering from all these point of view, Bhagavan Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He's teaching us that paro dharmah. We have distinguished para and apara. Apareyam. The material elements, mind, intelligence, and ego, they are all material. Apara. Itas tv viddhi me prakrtim param jiva-bhutam maha-baho yayedam dharyate jagat. So we have to come to that spiritual platform, brahma-bhutah platform. Samah sarvesu bhutesu. That is wanted. That kind of religious system is explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Paro dharmo. And others, they are aparo dharma. Apara, inferior. Therefore one Vrndavana Dasa Thakura, a great Vaisnava acarya, he has said,

prthivite yaha kichu dharma name cale bhagavata kahe taha pari purna chole

Prthivite, upon the surface of the earth there are many systems of religion. Yaha kichu dharma name chole. So what is that? Bhagavata kahe. He does not say, but he says on the authority of Srimad-Bhagavatam. That is scholarship. A scholar will not speak anything as he is thinking. No. He will give authoritative quotation to support. That is Vedic system. When you support your proposition with the Vedic version, then it is accepted. Otherwise not. Veda pramana.

So Vrndavana Dasa Thakura said bhagavata kahe. He doesn't say, "In my opinion." Nowadays it has become a very good fashion, "I think.In my opinion." Without knowing his own value, he gives his opinion. He does not know that he's imperfect. He's imperfect in his senses, he's liable to commit mistake, he's illusioned, and he's a cheater. Everyone knows that "How I am cheating the other party." Especially amongst businessmen, when there is conference, so each one is trying, "Now how much I have cheated him." So this cheating, vipralipsa, is one of the qualification of the conditioned soul. Bhrama pramada vipralipsa karanapatava. So a person, authorized person in the line of disciplic succession, he does not speak by his own authority. Immediately he'll quote from the Vedic literature to support his proposition. So Vrndavana Dasa Thakura says bhagavata kahe. He doesn't say that, "I say" or "In my opinion." No. Bhagavata kahe taha pari

purna chole.

prthivite yaha kichu dharma name calebhagavata kahe taha pari purna chole

So how is that Bhagavata says? The Srimad-Bhagavatam you'll find, in the introductory portion, Vyasadeva says, dharmah projjhita-kaitavo 'tra [sB 1.1.2]. Atra, srimad-bhagavate, kaitavo dharma, projjhita. Kaitava means cheating. Cheating type of religion is completely kicked out. Projjhita. Prakrstha rupena ujjhita. Just like we sweep over the floor and throw away the dust just to make the floor very clean. The Srimad-Bhagavatam, just to make it very clean from this cheating type of religious system It is written by Vyasadeva, religion means that yato bhaktir adhoksaje. This is religion. Here it is said. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [sB 1.2.6]. It doesn't matter whether you are Hindu or Muslim or Christian or Buddha or Jaini or so on, so on. There are so many, hundreds. But the test is yato bhaktir adhoksaje, whether you have developed your love for God. That is wanted. It doesn't matter.

Just like if you want to be a mathematician, so you may pass from any university, Calcutta University or Delhi University or London University -- any university. Mathematics two plus two equal to four everywhere. It is not that in Calcutta University two plus two equal to five, and in London University two plus equal to three. No. Everywhere two plus two equal to five, four. Similarly, dharma means obedience to the laws of God. That is dharma. Either you become Christian or Hindu or Muslim, whether you accept God as the supreme authority and whether you abide by the laws of God, then you are dharmic. Otherwise, it is cheating. If there is no conception of God, if one does not know what is God and what is the order of God, then that type of religion is cheating religion and that kind of religion is completely thrown out from Srimad-Bhagavatam. Therefore Vrndavana Dasa Thakura said, prthivite ache yata..., prthivite yaha kichu dharma name

cale. Cale means it is passing on in the name of religion but it is not religion. Because religion without conception of God, what is the meaning of that religion? If that is religion, that is not para dharma. That is apara dharma. Apara dharma. Just like sometimes we take desa-dharma. Samaja-dharma, grha-dharma, and so many things.

So desa-dharma, nationalism. Now you are in this country, suppose in India, and next life, because you have to change your body, next life it may not be that you have taken birth in India. You might have taken birth in the heavenly planet or in the animal society. Because there is no guarantee. Krsna says tatha dehantara-praptir. Death means change of the body. But what kind of body you are going to accept, that will depend on the superior arrangement. But you can arrange also. Just like if you pass medical examination, there is possibility of your becoming a medical officer to get a service in the government medical service board, but still, it must be selected by the medical board and so on, so on. There are so many condition. Similarly to get the next body, that is not your selection. That selection depends on superior authority. Karmana daiva netrena jantur dehopapattaye [sB 3.31.1]. That we do not know, that next life. Neither we

endeavor what is next life. We have to accept a next life after giving up this body.

Therefore we must be prepared for that purpose. So preparation means In the Bhagavad-gita it is said yanti deva-vrata devan [bg. 9.25]. If you prepare yourself to go to the higher planetary system, Candraloka, Suryaloka, Indraloka, Svargaloka, Brahmaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka -- there are so many, hundreds. If you want to go there, then you prepare in that way. Yanti deva-vrata devan pitrn yanti pitr-vratah. So if you want to go to the Pitrloka, you can go there. If you want to go to the higher planetary system, in the devaloka, you can go there. And if you want to remain here, you can remain here. And if you want go to go to the loka, Goloka, Vrndavana, mad-yajino 'pi yanti mam. You can go there. Back to home, back to Godhead. That is possible. Krsna says tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti [bg. 4.9]. If you like you can go back to home, back to Godhead. That is possible. So therefore the intelligent persons, they must know

"If I go to the devaloka, what is the result of going there. If I go to the Pitrloka, what is the result. If I remain here, what is the result. And if I go back to home, back to God, what is the result." The ultimate result is that if you can go back to home, back to Godhead, then Krsna says what is the result. The result is tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [bg. 4.9], that you don't get birth again in this material world. So that is the highest gain. Punar janma naiti mam eti.

mam upetya tu kaunteyaduhkhalayam asasvatamnapnuvanti mahatmanahsamsiddhim paramam gatah [bg. 8.15]

That is the highest perfection. And therefore here it is said, sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje [sB 1.2.6]. So if you want to go back to home, back to Godhead, then yato bhaktir adhoksaje. You have to adopt this means, bhakti. Bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [bg. 18.55]. Krsna, or the Supreme Lord, cannot be understood by karma, jnana, yoga. No process will be sufficient to understand Krsna. Therefore you have to take to this process as recommended by Krsna, bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yass casmi tattvatah [bg. 18.55]. Therefore we do not indulge in Krsna's lila unless it is performed or it is executed by the devotees. Not professional men. That is forbidden. Caitanya Mahaprabhu never indulged in. Because the subject matter of Krsna can be understood only by the process of bhakti. Yato bhaktir adhoksaje. Without bhakti, it is not possible. The bhakti process one has to adopt if he actually wants to go back home, back to

Godhead. That is Krsna consciousness movement.

Our movement, this Krsna consciousness movement, is educating people how to become advanced in devotional service and how to go back home, back to Godhead. And this is not a very difficult task. It is very easy. If it is not easy how the Europeans, Americans, are now taking seriously? Because they, I think at least before ten years, before starting of this movement, most of them, they did not know what is Krsna. Now they are all devotees of Krsna. Even the Christian priests, they are surprised. In Boston, one Christian priest, he admitted that "These boys, they are our boys, coming from the Christian group or the Jewish group. So before this movement they did not take care even to see us or to ask any question about God or to come to the church. They completely neglected. And now, how it is they are mad after God?" They are surprised. "Why? Why have they become so...?" Because they have taken to the process. The process is important.

Simply speculation... Bhakti is not theoretical. It is practical. Yato bhaktir adhoksaje. If you want to take to the bhakti process, it is not speculation. You must actually engage yourself in the process. Yato bhaktir adhoksaje. That process is

sravanam kirtanam visnohsmaranam pada-sevanamarcanam vandanam dasyamsakhyam atma-nivedanam [sB 7.5.23]

This is nine different [break] Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir. Simply by hearing. You remain in your place, there is no need of changing your place. If you are businessman, do your business. If you are a medical man, remain in your medical profession. Or lawyer, or whatever it may be. That is the recommendation of Brahma and confirmed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir. If we hear, sruti-gatam, if we receive the message of bhakti, then you can remain in your place. But if you hear and try to implement it employ it in practical life, then one day the Supreme Lord whose another name is Ajita, you'll be able to conquer Him. Jito 'py asi. These are the recommendation in the sastra. So this is first-class or superior dharma. Everyone can accept it. Simply hear. And that hearing process is also made very easy. This chanting Hare Krsna maha-mantra you chant and hear. Anywhere you can do it. You sit down in your home

or in your office, in your factory, underneath a tree or anywhere, you can chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. And you can hear. This process will make you advanced in everything. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given His benediction, iha haite sarva siddhi hoibe tomara. By, simply by this chanting and hearing of Hare Krsna mantra, all perfection you'll get. It's very easy.

Therefore our request is that whatever you may be, in whatever position you may be, it doesn't matter. Sthane sthitah. Just sit down together, the family members, and chant Hare Krsna. It is very easy. Nobody can say it is very difficult. And if it is difficult to chant then it should be understood that we are most unfortunate. Etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has taught that namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah. The Lord's holy name is as powerful as the Lord Himself. Na 'bhinnatvan nama-naminoh. This is the sastric injunction. There is no difference between Krsna name and the Krsna person. Because Krsna is absolute. Advaya-tattva. Advaya-jnana. So He has descended in this age, kali rupe, kali yuge nama rupe krsna-avatara. This nama, Hare Krsna, is the sound incarnation of Krsna. Don't think it is ordinary sound. Hare Krsna. Therefore

Narottama Dasa Thakura has sung, golokera prema-dhana hari-nama-sankirtana, rati na janmilo kene tay. This sound vibration is coming, this is transcendental sound. It is coming from Goloka Vrndavana. It is not this mundane sound. Just like in radio you receive sound from other places. Similarly, this sound is received, I mean to say, released from the Vaikuntha. Golokera prema-dhana.

So the sound vibration, Caitanya Mahaprabhu gives it to the people in general. He says that the name, holy name, is as powerful as Krsna. Namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah. And to smarane, to hear and chant, there is no particular time. Just like gayatri-mantra and other things you have to chant in a different atmosphere, three times, tri-sandha. After taking bath. There are so many rules and regulations. But this Hare Krsna maha-mantra you can chant anywhere and everywhere at any time, without any regulative principles. Niyamitah smarane na kalah. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu regrets, etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi. "My Lord, You are so merciful upon Me, but still, durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah, I am so unfortunate that I am reluctant to chant this Hare Krsna mantra." So our this movement is teaching very simple thing, that whatever you may be, wherever you may be, there is no expenditure.

There is no loss. You chant Hare Krsna. This is our movement.

So the ladies and gentlemen who are present here, kindly take this instruction of the sastra. Then you become situated in the transcendental, first-class system of religion. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje ahaituky apratihata [sB 1.2.6]. Ahaituki. But don't chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra with any motive. That is not good. Even if you chant with motive, that will take little time to become pure devotee, but better without any motive. As a matter of duty, you chant regularly. Ahaituky apratihata. Then there will be no hindrances. You'll make progress without any hindrances. Ahaituky apratihata. And then you'll be pleased. Yenatma samprasidati. Then you'll be feeling transcendental bliss. Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni [Cc. Antya 20.12]. And all the blazing fire of this material world will be extinguished. Bhava-maha-davagni. Here, in this material world, it is compared with davagni. Davagni means the forest fire.

Nobody goes to set fire in the forest, but it takes place. Similarly, however cautious you may be, you cannot make this material world without davagni. That is not possible. The davagni will continue. Visaya visanale, diva-nisi hiya jvale. Narottama Dasa Thakura has sung that the material world is such that it is just like a blazing fire. Visaya visanale diva-nisi. Here, everyone, even the Prime Minister, even the President, very opulently situated, but always full of anxieties. Very, too much anxieties.

So if you want to be yayatma samprasidati, then you must take to this process, this bhakti-yogam. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam [sB 7.5.23]. There are so many different items. And the most important item is sravanam. We can sit down, family members, and we can read from Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, and hear and chant Hare Krsna mantra. Very easy thing. That we want to introduce every home. That is our only request, that in whichever position you are, it doesn't matter. You simply begin this chanting of Hare Krsna mantra and reading of Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Don't try to be ustad in interpreting. That is very dangerous. Ustadi is not good. Simply try to understand Bhagavad-gita as it is. Bhagavan says, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [bg. 7.7]. "My dear Arjuna, there is no more superior authority than Me." You accept it. That's all. You haven't got to interpret foolishly. No, then you are gone. Then

you become condemned.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission is that. Yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna'-upadesa. He says, amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Ei desa. Just like Surendra is here. So I'll request Dr. Sukla is here. It doesn't matter that you have to go out. You are in Aligarh, you become a guru. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's "How shall I become guru? I am grhastha, I'm engaged this..." No. You haven't got to learn very much, to be puffed-up. Yare dekha tare kaha ‘krsna'-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. That's all. You simply decide what Krsna has spoken. Then you become guru. If you want to manufacture something and show some magic, then you do not become guru. If you simply repeat what Krsna has said. Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [bg. 18.65], mam evaisyasi asamsayam. What is the difficulty? You can say all the same thing. "Sir, you always think of Krsna." Krsna says man-mana bhava mad-bhakto. You don't say

that "You think of me." That is rascaldom. You say that "You think of Krsna." Krsna says man-mana but you don't say man-mana. You say Krsna. Krsna said. "You always think of Krsna." Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto. "You just become a devotee of Krsna. You just worship Krsna." Mad-yaji. "And just offer little obeisances to the Lord." These four things. Even a child can do. And you can preach. You can become guru. What is the difficulty? Everyone.

amara ajnaya guru hana tara' ei desayare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna'-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]

You become a guru. Don't manufacture ideas. Yenatma samprasidati. So is there any difficulty? No difficulty. The Bhagavad-gita explains everything very nicely, how to become Krsna conscious, how to worship Krsna, how to understand Krsna. Everything is explained there very lucidly. So people can take it very easily, and then he will be perfect. Then he'll not come... Mam upetya tu kaunteya duhkhalayam asasvatam [bg. 8.15]. It is very easy. So take it very seriously. That is our propaganda. We don't manufacture anything, any jugglery of words, any magic or any new ideas of God. These nonsense things we do not do. We simply carry out the order of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and we simply repeat ‘krsna'-upadesa. That's all. This is Krsna consciousness movement. You can take it and also you can do it. You can also become guru. That we want. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. Any question? If there is any question you can put.

Indian man: (Hindi)

Indian man: Adhoksaja, I want to...

Prabhupada: Hmm, Adhoksaja. Aksaja. A-i-e-oo -- then at the end, ksaya. So beginning from ah and ksaya, up to the end of ksaya, aksa. So we manufacture...

Indian man: Maharaja, (Hindi -- asks Prabhupada to speak in Hindi)

Prabhupada: (Hindi) (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.5 -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976