Prabhupada Vani

Śrī mad-Bhā gavatam 1.1.2

Type: Srimad-Bhagavatam
Date: Aug. 17, 1971
Location: London

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.2
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Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vā sudevā ya. [Prabhupā da and devotees repeat] [leads chanting of
verse, etc.]

dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarā ṇā ṁ satā ṁ

vedyaṁ vā stavam atra śivadaṁ tā pa-trayonmū lanam
śrī mad-bhā gavate mahā -muni-kṛte kiṁ vā parair ī śvaraḥ
sadyo hṛdy avarudhyate 'tra kṛtibhiḥ śuśrū ṣubhis tat-kṣaṇā t

[SB 1.1.2]

Prabhupā da: [Indistinct]

Pradyumna:

dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarā ṇā ṁ satā ṁ

vedyaṁ vā stavam atra śivadaṁ tā pa-trayonmū lanam
śrī mad-bhā gavate mahā -muni-kṛte kiṁ vā parair ī śvaraḥ
sadyo hṛdy avarudhyate 'tra kṛtibhiḥ śuśrū ṣubhis tat-kṣaṇā t

[SB 1.1.2]

Prabhupā da: Anyone else? [corrects pronunciation] Very good.

Pradyumna: ...lation: "Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this
Bhā gavata Purā ṇa propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are
pure in heart. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth
uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful Bhā gavatam, compiled by the great sage Śrī Vyā sadeva,
is sufficient in itself for God realization. As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message
of Bhā gavatam, he becomes attached to the Supreme Lord."

Prabhupā da: So, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra [SB 1.1.2]. Dharma, religiosity; kaitava, pretension or
cheating. Dharma artha kā ma mokṣa [SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ā di 1.90]. These four things are supposed to be
meant for spiritually or advanced people, advanced in civilization. Not spiritually, but advanced in
civilization.

So the first thing is dharma. Dharma is the basic principle of civilization. Dharmeṇa hī nā ḥ paśubhiḥ
samā nā ḥ [Hitopadeśa]. If there is no dharma, then it is the society of the animals. That is the distinction
between human society and animal society. There are eight million different species of life below the
human society, but there is no question of God consciousness.

In the human society, either they execute religious principles rightly or not, at least there is a symbol,
in the civilized society. There are Hindus, there are Muslims, there are Christians, there are Buddhists
and so many others also. Because it is in human society, there must be some idea or some principle of
understanding God. That is called religion.

But in the name of religion, there are..., so many things are going on. That is called kaitava, cheating.
We don't want to discuss, but more or less, at the present moment in whichever category of religion one
may belong to, nobody is following strictly the religious principles. That's a fact. That is called kaitava.

Another kaitava is that one who does not know the purpose of religion. Religion means, as we have
several times explained, religion means the rules or the laws given by God. That is religion. Not the
formulas. Formulas must be there, but the real basic principle of religion means the laws given by God.
Just like we are living in a state, either in England or in Germany or in America or in India, there are
state rules and regulations. Good citizen means who are abiding by the state laws.

Similarly, a devotee means who is abiding by the laws given by God. This is the... Just try to understand.
Just like a good citizen means that he is following the state law, as we do actually. When there is red
light, immediately you stop your car because you have to abide by the laws of the state; otherwise you
become criminal. Although there is none to look, still, you have to stop your car, "There is red light."
That is obedience. And then, when there is green light, you start your car.

So religion is like that. There are... As this is a small state or small city, London... It is small city in
comparison to the universe; it is nothing, a spot. So there are so many rules and regulation and laws,
and the Supreme Lord, who is maintaining, creating this universe, there is no law? How do you think
like that? For a small city, an insignificant city... In our estimation it is not insignificant, but in
comparison to the universe, what is the value of this London city or New York city? As soon as you go a
little high up, say, twenty-five miles above, you cannot see your city. It is all finished.

Similarly, there are so many cities in the stars and planets, upwards. So many universes, so many seas,
mountains, skyscraper, houses, we cannot see. Because in the universe these are all simply insignificant
particles only. So if in this insignificant particle there are so many state laws, you just imagine to
manage this universal affair, the Supreme Lord, how much laws and regulation must be there. Who
can deny it? Deny means he's a rascal. But intelligent man will understand that if in a small place there
are so many rules and regulations, and in so big place, so universal—aṇḍā ntara-stha-paramā ṇu—there
are laws.

The scientists also admit that the nature's law is so systematic. Even Professor Einstein, he agreed, that
"As I advance, I see there must be a big brain, God." Is it not? Did he not say?

Devotees: Yes.

Prabhupā da: There is knowledge. That is knowledge. Everything is being maintained so nicely and
there is no brain, there is no manager? One who says, "God is dead. There is no God," he's a rascal
number one. Nothing else. Immediately take him he's a rascal number one, that's all, however
educated he may be, because he does not know the psychology, how we accept the Supreme.

Suppose a child has come to London. So he cannot see the Queen. Or even a child's father. So many
people are coming to visit London. It is not that everyone is seeing the Queen. But if he says, "Oh, there
is no Queen," or "Queen is dead," will it be accepted? Similarly, some rascals who do not know how this
universe is being managed, he may say, "God is dead. There is no God," but that will not be accepted by
a sane man.

A sane man will say, "There must be somebody, the origin of everything." Janmā dy asya yataḥ [SB
1.1.1]. That is the Bhā gavatam. Janmā dy asya. First aphorism in the Vedā nta-sū tra is that "What is the
Absolute Truth?" Athā to brahma jijñā sā . "Let us discuss about the Supreme Truth, Absolute Truth." The
answer is that Brahman, the Supreme, is that from whom everything comes out. He is the origin of
everything. Very simple description. Janmā dy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1].

So dharma, religion, actually means to understand that origin, Absolute Truth. That is dharma. So that
dharma, principles of religion, is there in every human society, either in Europe or America or Africa
or... There is some. That is the significance of human being. If it is a human being society, there must
be some principles of religion. Without religion... It doesn't matter what type of religion it is, there
must be some religion. If there is no religion, then it is animal society. Try to understand. And what is
the purpose of religion? The purpose of religion is, if religion is the code given by God, then we must
know.

Just like a child. A child is abiding by the laws, but he does not know who is the law-giver, how the
street is managed, what are the laws. He's to be considered as in ignorance. Just like in our schools and
colleges, the state constitution, laws, lawyers, they study. So one may not know, but that is not very good
position. But one who knows, his position is better. So simply to know, "There may be somebody, God.
He has given us some laws. All right, let us abide by the laws," just like ordinary man doing. But to
know, that inquisitiveness is called brahma-jijñā sā . That is required. Human society, human being must
be interested in knowing that, the Supreme Absolute Truth, who has given us these codes and laws.

So that is explained in the Bhagavad-gī tā , that these laws, these material laws of nature, they are very
strong. They are enacted by the Supreme Lord, as we understand from the Bhagavad-gī tā ,
mayā dhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sū yate sa-carā caram [Bg. 9.10]. Mayā dhyakṣeṇa, "Under My superintendence."
The laws... Just like laws are there; at the same time, the government has got a department which is
called law and order department. The laws are going on nicely, the law and order department
examines. So that examiner, departmental, may be, but the original examiner is the Supreme Lord,
Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mayā adhyakṣeṇa: "Under My superintendence."

Just like in our institution, International Society for Krishna Consciousness, although I am the head, still,
I have got so many assistants, the GBC members. They are assisting me, departmental. Somebody is
here, somebody is there. Similarly, God has departmental management, and because it is such a huge
affair, there are... What is a koṭi? Koṭi means ten million? Huh? Ten millions multiplied by thirty-three.
How many it comes?

Devotees: 330,000,000.

Prabhupā da: So there are 330,000,000's officers of Kṛṣṇa. Must be. Such a huge affair. If for managing a
small shop we have got so many things... This is manager, this is assistant manager, this is... In such a
huge universal affair, there Kṛṣṇa has got assistants. And 330,000,000 assistants within one universe,
and there are innumerable universes. And each and every universe, there must be similarly
330,000,000's or like that. They are called demigods.

Demigods means exactly under the position of God. Just like here there is governor. Immediately under
him there are secretaries. Similarly these demigods, they are different officers, secretaries, directors
under God. We don't deny the existence of demigod, but we don't worship that he is God. We worship,
we give him all respect.
Just like if the queen's secretary comes here, we shall give him all respect because he's queen's
secretary. But we'll never accept that he is king. No. That is not possible. That is sane. It is not that... We
Vaiṣṇavas, we are prepared to offer respect even to the ant, and why not to the secretary? When we
offer to a big officer, it is not that we are flattering. It is the etiquette, it is the duty, to offer respect to
the respectable persons.

So we give all honor to the demigods, but we don't accept the demigods as the Supreme. That is
Vaiṣṇava philosophy. There may be 330,000,000's or 330,000,000's of secretaries, but we say... Just like it
is stated in the Caitanya-caritā mṛta: ekale ī śvara kṛṣṇa. Ī śvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ [Bs. 5.1]. The only
master, or controller, is Kṛṣṇa. Ā ra saba bhṛtya. And all other demigods... Just like Lord Brahmā , Śiva, so
many others. Indra, Candra, Varuṇa. 330,000,000's, how many we can remember? It is not possible. But
there are. So they are all servants.

ekale ī śvara kṛṣṇa, ā ra saba bhṛtya

yā re yaiche nā cā ya, se taiche kare nṛtya

[Cc. Ā di 5.142]

He is pulling the wire. Just like the doll dancing, there is a man pulling the wire. These are the
descriptions in the śā stras, or Vedic literatures. So we should not equalize or we should not place the
demigods on the same level with God. That is offense.

The Mā yā vā dī s, because they think that "God is formless, impersonal, but I cannot meditate upon
anything which is formless. So let me imagine something..." That is their theory. They say, "Let me
imagine a form of God." Sā dhakā nā ṁ hitā rthā ya brahmaṇo rū pa-kalpanaḥ. Kalpana, "imagine." The
Mā yā vā dī philosophy is that, that "You imagine a form of God. Actually, there is no form of God." That is
their theory. And we say, "No. Ī śvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ā nanda-vigrahaḥ [Bs. 5.1]. He has got
form, but not a form like me." That we know. It is a different type of form. Different material. Or we
don't say material: different ingredient, spirit, complete spirit.

So that is our philosophy. God is a person like you and me. As we are sitting together; you are seeing
me, I am seeing you. Similarly, if you become elevated to the perfection of devotional service, you'll go
to God and you'll see Him as you are seeing me, I am seeing you. You'll see Kṛṣṇa. Try to understand.
Therefore there are so many religious systems which say, "God has no form. There is no God. Let us
imagine." These are..., this kind of religion is cheating religion.

Therefore it is said here, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra [SB 1.1.2]. Cheating. Because there is no real
information. Real information is ī śvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ [Bs. 5.1], the Supreme Lord has got His
spiritual body, and He is... In the Christian Bible also, it is said, "Man is made after God." Is it not? So
unless God has got form, two hands, two legs, like that, how man has got two hands, two legs? If we are
imitation of God, then God must be person. This is natural conclusion.

So impersonal concept of God is imperfect conception of God. That is not perfect. They are puzzled
because Kṛṣṇa, God, is sac-cid-ā nanda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1]. They cannot imagine that a form of sac-cid-
ā nanda can be possible. That is their lack of knowledge. But we learn from Vedic literature that God has
got form, complete form, like us. Just like Kṛṣṇa, you see, He has got also two hands, He is also playing
flute, with consort, Rā dhā rā ṇī . He has also got two hands, nice face, nice head. Everything is there. Only
the ingredients are different.

These ingredients, at the present moment... I have also got form, spiritual form. You have also spiritual
form. Now that spiritual form is covered by material dress. Just like my body is covered by this shirt.
You cannot see the actual body. Similarly, the spiritual body is now covered by this material body;
therefore we cannot see. Besides that, our present eyes, that is also material. So with material eyes, we
cannot see God. But God has got form. That's a fact. Now we are unable to see. Therefore the process is
that we have to purify our eyes, our legs, our hands, and everything, so that we may be able to serve
God.

So this arcana-paddhati, the devotional service, although we have got this material body, under the
direction of śā stra, under the direction of spiritual master, we are working, we are trying to serve God,
Kṛṣṇa. So that service is as good as the service in the spiritual world. There is no difference. Just like...
The example is: just like you have got a green mango. Green mango. So the green mango is not so
tasteful, but when it is ripe, it is tasteful. The mango is not different. The same mango. You wait. You
wait for the time when it is ripened, you will taste it, nice.

Similarly, in the beginning, in the neophyte stage, when we say, "You must rise early in the morning,
you offer maṅgala-ā rati, you do this, you take your bath," these things, because we are not ripened, in
the neophyte stage, these things appear to be botheration, not tasteful. But you have to do it under the
order of the spiritual master and the order of the śā stras. Because unless you practice, how you can...
But when it is ripened by practicing, practicing, when one is accustomed... Say by practicing he
develops love for God. Then, when he's in love for God, he cannot do without it. Automatically he will
rise early in the morning, automatically he'll do everything. It is simply the question of time to arrive to
that ripened stage.

So this is the process, that we are serving here Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is also very kind. Because if Kṛṣṇa in His
spiritual form, He is present... Of course, there is no difference. For Kṛṣṇa, there is no difference,
material and spiritual, because everything is spiritual ultimately. But still, taking it accepted that we
cannot see spiritual form at the present moment... Ataḥ śrī -kṛṣṇa-nā mā di na bhaved grā hyam indriyaiḥ
[Cc. Madhya 17.136]. Because our senses are now blunt, we cannot see the spiritual form of Kṛṣṇa at the
present moment. Therefore because we cannot see Kṛṣṇa with your present eyes, because we cannot
serve Kṛṣṇa with our present hand, therefore Kṛṣṇa appears in a way so that we can see, we can touch.
That is Kṛṣṇa.

Kṛṣṇa can appear in any way. He is all-powerful. So when He appears just like a stone statue, that does
not mean Kṛṣṇa is stone or statue. Kṛṣṇa is the same Kṛṣṇa, but He appears before me just like stone
statue because I cannot touch anything beyond this stone. I cannot see beyond this stone. So it is His
mercy. Therefore it is called arcā -avatā ra, incarnation of worshipable Deity. So we should never think
that "Kṛṣṇa is not seeing. If I commit some offense, or..., Kṛṣṇa is in Vaikuṇṭha. Here I can do whatever I
like." [laughter] Don't do that. That is a great offense. Therefore there are... We should always think,
"Oh, Kṛṣṇa is here." We should be respectful just exactly as Kṛṣṇa is here. Don't make differentiation,
that "This Kṛṣṇa is stone statue."

Similarly... Therefore the śā stra injunction is arcye śilā -dhī r guruṣu nara-matiḥ [Padma Purā ṇa, Brahma
Khaṇḍa 25.15-18]. To think of the Deity as made of stone, to think of the spiritual master as ordinary
man, arcye śilā -dhī r guruṣu nara-matir vaiṣṇave jā ti-buddhiḥ, to accept a Vaiṣṇava as belonging to some
caste and creed... Just like in India there are many so-called brā hmaṇas, they think that "These
Europeans, they are coming from low-grade family. How we can accept them as brā hmaṇas?" No.
Vaiṣṇave jā ti-buddhiḥ.

When one has taken the Vaiṣṇava initiation and properly discharging duties, he should be not be
considered belonging to such caste. A spiritual master should not be counted amongst ordinary human
beings. Similarly, this Deity, although we know that we have made it from stone, He's not stone. He is
stone to the stone-hearted. If one is stone-hearted, then Kṛṣṇa will stand as stone forever. But if one is
soften-hearted by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then he'll talk with Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference. Kṛṣṇa
is always present.

Therefore it is said here... Any religion which does not teach about God, which does not know what is
God, that is cheating religion. That's all. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra [SB 1.1.2]. Cheating religion. And
the Vṛndā vana dā sa Ṭhā kura has said,

pṛthivī te yā hā kichu dharma-nā me cale

bhagavat prahe tā hā ṅ paripū rṇa chale

"In the all over the world, what is going on..." It is a strong criticism. In the name of religion, the
Bhā gavata says, "They're all cheating." That's all.
Because they have no idea what is God. Neither in their principles there is service of God, there is
dedication to God. Simply official in the so-called religion. Therefore Vṛndā vana dā sa Ṭhā kura said,
"These are all cheating religion." Religion means when one accepts some religion, he must know, "What
is God; what I am; what is my relationship with God; what are the laws of God; how I am to act." So
many things you have to learn. That is religion. Simply stamping myself with some rubber stamp, that
"I belong to this religion," "I belong to that religion," that will not help. That is cheating. You are
cheating yourself.

Another point is that it doesn't matter... I don't say that your religion is cheating or my religion is bona
fide. I don't say that. We have no right to say that. I want to see... "I" means we are bhā gavata. We are
representative of bhā gavata-dharma. Or bhā gavata wants to see. Any religion you may profess—it
doesn't matter—I want to see whether you have got the result of religion. The result of religion is you
will love God. That is result of religion. If you have become actually lover of God, then your religion—it
doesn't matter whatever religion you profess—that is perfect.

But if instead of developing your love for God, you have developed love for so many nonsense things,
then you have simply wasted your time. That is the verdict of Śrī mad-Bhā gavatam.

dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsā ṁ

viṣvaksena-kathā su yaḥ
notpā dayed yadi ratiṁ
śrama eva hi kevalam

[SB 1.2.8]

Dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ. Not that anyone who is not following strictly the religious principles. Even if he
is following strictly the religious principle... Svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsā m, dharmaḥ svanuṣṭhitaḥ puṁsā m. But
the result should be that he should be a lover of God. Viṣvaksena-kathā su yaḥ. Unless one becomes lover
of God, he is not interested to hear about God. Here you are sitting, a few boys and girls. There are
millions of people. Because you have little love for Kṛṣṇa, therefore you are sitting. Therefore you are
sitting. So without development of love for God, nobody is interested to hear about God.

So by following any system of religion, if we do not develop our dormant love for God, then following
such religious principle means simply waste of time. That's all. Because it has no effect. Effect should be
by following religious principle you must develop love of Godhead. That is our bhā gavata-dharma. What
is time now?

Śyā masundara: Eight o'clock almost.

Prabhupā da: All right. Have little kī rtana. [end]

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