Govardhana Püjä Lecture

—
New York, November 4, 1966

Prabhupäda: Today Govardhanadhäré, Giridhäré, Lord Kåñëa, today lifted

the mountain. According to Vedic literature there are different demigods.
Sometimes you will find in Greek mythology the gods of the water, gods of
the thunderbolt. These are not imagination. Actually they are facts. But
due to our insufficient knowledge we do not know how the material
nature is being controlled. So when Kåñëa was on this planet and He was
playing the part of a cowherd boy, and it was known to all over the
universe that "God has come, taken incarnation, and He is on the earth
planet, and He is at Våndävana playing the part of a cowherd boy..." So as
if somebody, if there is incarnation of God, somebody believes and
somebody does not believe, when Kåñëa was actually present on this earth,
it is not that everybody understood that Kåñëa was the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, not even up to date. Only few persons, the five
brothers of the Päëòavas and the damsels of Våndävana, only in the
fingers' count, say, out of the whole population, say, hundred or two
hundred men knew Him that He was the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Otherwise everyone thought that "He is an ordinary man just
like one of us, but most powerful. That's all." Similarly, the demigods in
other planets, they also thought, "Oh, he's a foolish person. They are
thinking of a cowherd boy as God," sophisticated, like that. And especially
Indra, the heavenly kingdom..., king of heaven. He was... He's very
powerful, so he thought, "What god he has come? My God, He cannot
come." This was some speculation. Even Brahmä also speculated. But
Kåñëa wanted to show Indra that "Yes, actually I have come." So that
incidence is today, Govardhana-püjä.
So,
bhagavän api tatraiva
baladeva-saàyutaù
apaçyan nivasan gopan
indra-yäga-kåtodyamän

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Indra-yäga-kåtodyamän. According to Vedic system, there are different
types of sacrifices to offer respect and obeisances to the demigods. Just like
the sun is supplying light, the moon is supplying moonshine. Similarly,
Indra is supplying the cloud. Similarly, there are different demigods. And
in the Bhagavad-gétä, devan ya yajayanté deva-bhavan—these things are
described. In the Vedic literature it is prescribed that "You should satisfy
these demigods by sacrifice, deva-yajan." So in the village of that
Våndävana, the father of Kåñëa, foster father of Kåñëa, Nanda Mahäräja
and his associates, they were yearly performing the Indra-yajïa. Because
they were agriculturists, they depended on rain, sufficient rains. And he
had many cows. Nanda Mahäräja was a farm man. He is agriculture and
cows. The mercantile people, the vaiçya community, they are
recommended three things: kåñi-go-raksya-väëijyam [Bg. 18.44]. Kåñi means
agriculture, and go-rakñya means cow protection, and väëijyam means
trade. So Nanda Mahäräja belonged to the vaiçya community. So he was
well-to-do man, very rich man, and he had 900,000's of cows. 900,000 of
cows he was protecting. Formerly, according to Vedic civilization, a man
was considered to be rich man in proportion of his stock of grains and
livestock, cows. That's all. Dhänyena dhanavän. A man was considered to
be rich man if he has sufficient quantity of grains in his possession.
Similarly, if one has sufficient number of cows in his possession, he was
considered rich man. Not that bank balance. There was no such bank,
neither this paper money. They actually possessing the foodstuff and milk.
And actually this is economic solution. If you have got sufficient milk,
then you can make so many nice nutritious, full of vitamin values
preparation and grains. There is no question of economic starvation if you
have got simply grains and cows. So that was the standard of economic
solution in days yore.
So they were preparing just to satisfy the demigod Indra, because he was
supposed to... Not supposed. Actually he supplies rains sufficiently.
Without rains you cannot have successful agriculture. So they were
preparing that sacrifice. So this preparation was being observed by Kåñëa
and Balaräma. Kåñëa is the youngest, and Balaräma is the eldest. Balaräma
is son of Rohiëé, and Kåñëa is son of Devaké. Both these ladies, Rohiëé and
Devaké, they were wives of Vasudeva, Kåñëa's father. So Balaräma was
born of Rohiëé, and Kåñëa was born of Devaké. Devaké-nandana-gopäla.

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So Devaké-nandana. So They were not very... There was not much
difference of Their age, say one year or two years, like that. So Balaräma
was eldest brother. They were playing together, and this is an incidence
when Balaräma was about eight years old and Kåñëa was about seven years
old. So, bhagavän tatraiva baladevena saàyutaù. Bhagavän, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, Kåñëa, along with Baladeva, His elder brother,
apaçyan, "saw." What is that "saw"? Nivasan gopa indra-yäga-kåtodyamän:
"All the cowherds men, including His father, they were preparing for
sacrifice of Indra-yajïa." Indra-yajïa.
tad-abhijïo 'pi bhagavän
sarvätmä sarva-darçanaù
praçräyavanato 'påcchad
våddhän nanda-puro-gamän

He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He knew everything what

they were doing and what was the purpose. Because He is present in
everyone's heart, so He knows everything. But because He was playing just
like a boy, cowherd boy, so as if He did not know anything, He asked,
inquired from His father, and the elderly persons who were assisting His
father for preparing the sacrifice.
Tad abhijïo 'pi. This very word is used here, that "He knew everything,"
Bhagavän. Because Bhagavän means He must know everything, past,
present future. There is no lack of knowledge. I have several times
described before you. Bhagavän means He is full of all opulences, and
there are six opulences: riches, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge, and
renunciation. So Bhagavän cannot be in lack of knowledge. He must
know everything. That is Bhagavän. So therefore it is said that "What is
the use of asking His father what they were going to do? He knew
everything." But it is specifically mentioned, atad abhijïo'pi. Although He
knew it, because He was playing the part of a boy, and the father knew
that "Kåñëa is my son..." They did not recognize Him that He is
Personality of Godhead. They knew, "Oh, He is my ordinary son." Tad
abhijïo'pi bhagavän sarvätmä. Sarvätmä means one who is situated in
everyone's heart. Sarvätmä sarva-darçanaù. Sarva-darçanaù means one
who can see everything past, present, and future. Still, praçräyavantaù,

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"Just like an obedient son, submissive son," apåcchad våddhän
nanda-puro-gamän, "the elderly persons of His father's friends and
associates, with very humbleness, He inquired." He inquired. And what is
that inquiry?
kathyatäà me pitaù ko 'yaà
sambhramo vä upägataù
kià phalaà kasya coddeçaù
kena vä sädhyate makhaù

etad brühi mahän kämo

mahyaà çuçruñave pitaù

"My dear father, I very respectfully and humbly I am inquiring. What is

this arrangement? Why you are busy in making some sacrificial ceremony,
and what is the reason, and what is the result?" Kià phalaà: "What is the
result of doing this?" Kià phalaà kasya ca uddeçaù: "By whom... Whom
you are trying to satisfy?" Kena vä sädhyate: "And what is the purpose of
this sacrifice? So I cannot understand. Will you kindly explain to Me?"
Etad brühi mahän kämo: "I am very much anxious. Kindly explain to me."
Etad mahän kämo mahyaà çuçruñave pitaù: "Oh, I am your most obedient
son, so you kindly explain to Me." This question was posed.

na hi gopyaà hi sädhünäà
kåtyaà sarvätmanäm iha
asya-svapara-dåñöinäà
amitro-däsastad viñäm

"Now, if you think that it is very confidential, it cannot be disclosed, then

I think for a person like you who is doing publicly such sacrifice, you
should (sic:) not explain to Me." Na hi gopyaà hi sädhünäm: "Sädhu, those
who are saintly person, for them there is no secret." There is no secret.
There is no privacy. A sädhu, sädhu has no privacy. Just now in our
ordinary social affairs, there is difference between private life and his
public life. Now, if somebody is teacher... Now, he is very good teacher. He
can very good... He can explain very nicely a subject matter, but his
private life is not very good. Then he is not a teacher. He is not a sädhu.

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That is Vedic conception. One must be a teacher according to his own
behavior in life. There is no secrecy or privacy. Now, we think that "We
don't mind what is private character. We don't mind. We are concerned
with his teaching." No. That sort of teaching will not have any effect.
Caitanya Mahäprabhu said, äpani äcäré prabhu jéveré çikñäya: a teacher
must demonstrate in his practical life what he is teaching. That is the
meaning of äcärya. Äcärya means the teacher must demonstrate things by
applying the same thing in his own life. That is called äcärya. Therefore
Kåñëa said that "You cannot disclose anything. You cannot keep anything
private. Please disclose." Udäséno 'rivad varyam ätmavat suhåd ucyate:
"And even if it is very confidential, I am your son. You can explain to
Him. I am your well-wisher."

jïätväjïätvä ca karmäëi
jano 'yam anutiñöhanti
viduñaù karma-siddhiù syät
tathä na viduño bhavet

"Whether this is a superstition?" Just see how Kåñëa is speaking. "Whether

it is a superstition or it has got some actual effect." You should not do
anything, religious rituals, under superstition. That is the
recommendation of Kåñëa. Kåñëa does not like that people should perform
anything under superstition. Suppose if you are sacrificing, if you are
doing some ceremony, you must have thorough knowledge that there must
be the result. There must be the result. Just like there are many sacrifices
recommended in the Vedic literature, putreñöé-yajïa. Putreñöé. Suppose a
man has no son, and if he performs that sacrifice, he will have a son. That
is a fact. Similarly, so many things there are.
So any rituals, religious rituals... Now, according to Kåñëa... How practical
He is. He said that "No religious ritual should be performed without
practical effect, without practical effect." People have become atheist
because in the modern age there are so many rituals in all religions, not
only Hindu religion, but Christian religion. But, they say, simply
formality; there is no effect. There is no effect. Such sort of rituals,
religious ceremony, is not recommended by Kåñëa. You must actually the
effect. Just like in Puräëas there was a talk between Lord Caitanya and

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Kazi, Chand Kazi. Chand Kazi was a Muhammadan magistrate, and Lord
Caitanya, when He started this saìkértana movement, there was many
complaints. Just like we are receiving daily reports that our saìkértana
movement is disturbing some tenants here. Similarly, when Lord
Caitanya, He started His, this saìkértana, some of the brähmaëas...
Because Lord Caitanya said that "This is the only religion. In this age, this
chanting of
Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare
Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare

This is the only religious principle, and everyone will have all his desires
fulfilled by this chanting." So the brähmaëas, those who are priestly class,
they thought that "If people take to this only chanting, then what about
our churches and mosque and temples? They will not come." So they
lodged a complaint to the magistrate that "This is not Hindu religion. He
has discovered something in His own fertile brain, so we do not recognize
it." So this complaint was lodged before the magistrate, and the magistrate
took step, first of all warned Him that "Don't chant Hare Kåñëa." Then,
when He did not care, then sent some constables, and the drums were
broken. Then Caitanya Mahäprabhu started civil disobedience movement.
So He did not care for the magistrate. He started saìkértana throughout
the whole city of Nabadwip. Then they approached the magistrate's house.
Just the other day there was a procession in your city. So this civil
disobedience movement was started first by Caitanya Mahäprabhu. Now,
there was some compromising talk with the magistrate, and in that talk
the Caitanya Mahäprabhu first questioned. Because he was
Mohammedan, Caitanya Mahäprabhu said that "In your religion there is
killing of father and mother. What sort of religion this is?" The Kazi
replied, "How do you say that we are killing our father and...?" "Yes. You
are killing your mother. Cow gives you milk, delivers milk. You drink the
milk, and you kill the cow. Therefore you are killing your mother." So the
Kazi replied that "In your Vedic literature also, I have seen. There is cow
sacrifice." So Caitanya Mahäprabhu replied, "That is not cow sacrifice.
That is rejuvenation of cow. Old cows were sacrificed in the fire, and
again a new life was given by the Vedic mantra. But because there is lack
of such expert brähmaëas to chant that mantra, therefore cow sacrifice in

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this age is forbidden."
So when the things are not practical, that becomes a forbidden. If you
actually get the result by some spiritual or religious rituals, performance,
then it is very good. Otherwise it is superstition. Lord Caitanya's opinion
is that because all these Vedic injunctions, sacrifices, they are not possible
to be performed in this age... They are very difficult. There is no expert
leader to perform all these ceremonies and rituals. Therefore, take to this
Hare Kåñëa. Take to this. There is no need of rituals. There is no need of
expenses. Simply God has given you tongue, and God has given you ear.
Just go on chanting: Hare Kåñëa, Hare Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare/
Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare, and it will fulfill your
spiritual advancement. Similarly, Kåñëa said, jïätvä ajïätvä ca karmäëi
jano 'yam anutiñöhanti: "Generally, mass of people, they are ignorant. They
perform some religious rituals knowingly or unknowingly as a matter of
superstition or custom." So, viduña karma-siddhiù syät. But one who is
intelligent, he should know that "By this sacrifice, I must get the result."
Viduño karma-siddhiù syät tathä na viduño bhavet: "And those who are
fools, they, simply by superstition, they do it."
So Kåñëa did not recommend that you should do something under
superstition. No. You must do it for practical result. This dogmatism,
fanaticism—"Oh, why I shall chant Hare Kåñëa? I am Christian. I am
Jews"—this is fanaticism. If you find actually ecstasy by chanting Hare
Kåñëa, why should you not? Why should you not? "No. I am Jew." "I am
Christian." "I am Muhammadan." Well, it is transcendental vibration from
the spiritual platform. Your Muhammadism, Christianism, Hinduisim,
Buddhism, this is skin disease. This is... Because you have got some
particular body at particular circumstances, therefore you claim like that.
But actually we are all spirit soul, and this sound vibration is from the
spirit soul. It will appeal to everyone. See the effect. Then don't be
fanaticist. Don't be, I mean to say, sectarian. So Kåñëa wants that, that
simply by custom, one should not follow the rituals. One should see the
effect.
tatra tävät kriyä-yogo
bhavatäà kià vicäritaù
athavä laukikas tan me

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 påcchata sädhu (bhaëyatäm)

"So, whether you are confident of the result of this sacrifice?" He is asking
His father. Just see. Kåñëa was a boy, and He is asking His father,
"Whether you are confident of the result of this sacrifice? You are going to
satisfy the demigods, sacrifice. Or," athavä laukikaù, "or it is simply a
custom, village custom, that you are doing it?" Laukikas tan me påcchata
sädhu bhaëyatäm: "Now I am very much inquisitive to learn from you.
Please explain."
Now His father is explaining:
parjanyo bhagavän indro
meghäs tasyätma-mürtayaù
te 'bhivarñanti bhütänäà
préëanaà jévanaà payaù

He says, "My dear boy, water is very essential because without rains we
cannot have any produce. Therefore... This rain is controlled by Bhagavän
Indra. The heavenly king Indra, he controls the megha." Megha means
cloud. He is the master of the cloud. He can send cloud, and he can stop
cloud. He is representative of God, so he has got the power. Te 'bhivarñanti
bhütänäà préëanam: "So when he allows this raining, people become
satisfied. They get their produce."

taà täta vayam anye ca

cärmucäà patim éçvaram
dravyais tad-retasä siddhyair
yajante kratubhir naräù

"Therefore it is our duty. Because he supplies us water, so it is our duty to

show him respect by this sacrifice." This is the Vedic injunction. Just like
we pay departmental tax. We pay to the Con Edison bills for the supply of
electricity and gas. Similarly, we pay the bills of the telephone. But we
have no program to pay the bills of the sun who is supplying us so much
light. (aside:) What is that?
Dineça: That needle doesn't seem to be working.
Prabhupäda: So it is our duty to sacrifice, and according to Vedic rituals,

8
these are recommended, that we should satisfy. So Nanda Mahäräja
explained,
tac cheñeëopajévanti
tri-varga-phala-hetve
puàsäà puruña-käraëäà
parjanyaù phala-bhävanaù

"Now, this water is so important that it will produce grains and we shall
live. And for perfection of our life we must first live. So this is very
important thing, so we have to satisfy Indra."

ya evaà visåjed dharmaà

päraà paryägataà naraù
kämä lobhäd bhayäd dveñät
sa vai näpnoti çobhanam

He says, "My dear boy, we should not give up this paramparä." Parampara
means coming from disciplic succession or from generation. My father did
it, my father's fathers did it. So every religious ceremony, and according to
Vedic rituals, they are from paramparä, family or society-wise or
community-wise. In every country there is. So he says that "This
paramparä, this successive generation, we have been doing this, and we
should not give it up." He understood the Kåñëa's purpose, that "He is
asking. He is very intelligent boy, so He is asking me all these questions
just to forbid me." That He's just... "Like father like son." The father was
also intelligent.
So, ya evaà visåjed dharmam. Dharmam means one must execute. That is
dharma. Just like to become hungry, it is my religion. This is called
religion. We should know what is the meaning of religion. Religion means
which we cannot separate from myself. The religion which you can
change, that is not religion. Suppose I am Hindu; I become Christian. So
neither this Hinduism is religion or Christian is religion. It is a dictionary,
English dictionary, word. But dharma, according to Sanskrit word, dharma
does not mean that which you can change. I have several times explained
this fact. Dharma cannot be changed. Therefore we must find out what is
our dharma, what is our religion. Which we are professing, that

9
"Christianity is my religion," "Hinduism, my religion," that is not religion.
That is faith. Religion is different. Religion you cannot change. You
cannot change. That is the meaning of religion. Here it is said that ya
evaà visåjed dharmam. Dharmam means you cannot change. So päraà
paryägataà naraù, kämät, kämät lobhät. Now, religion sometimes, when it
is taken as faith, they have changed. How they have changed? Kämät. For
some gain. Just like in India formerly Christian religion was preached,
giving some facilities. And generally we see that Christian priests who go
to foreign countries... I have seen. They offer some hospital facilities, some
economic facilities. The poor men, they supply clothing and education. So
those who are poor, they become captivated, and they... They have
practically no religion. Anyway, they are facing the economic problems.
So kämät. Kämät means for some gain. For some gain, kämät, and lobhät...
Lobhät means by some greediness. And bhayät. Bhayät means out of fear.
And dveñät. Dveñät means out of enviousness. For all these things one
should not give up his faith or religion.
So that, that was the explanation of Nanda Mahäräja, the father of Kåñëa.
Now Kåñëa, replying, çré bhagavän uväca. The reason of that sacrifice, as
explained by Nanda Mahäräja is that "Indra, the heavenly king, he
supplies us water. Therefore we must perform the sacrifice to satisfy him."
Now Kåñëa is giving reason just like an atheist. Just like an atheist,
karma-mimäàsä. There are six philosophers. Out of that one is
karma-mimäàsä. Karma-mimäàsä means one who takes work and the
result of work and nothing, no God, nothing of... "You work like this; you
get the result." Just like modern theory. So Kåñëa is putting up that
karma-mimäàsä. What is that? He says, karmäëa jäyate jantuù karmaëaiva
praléyate: "Everyone is born here out of, as the effect of his past deeds."
And karmaëaiva praléyate: "And he is going to have his next birth
according to the work, as he is doing here." This is called karma-mimäàsä.
The karma-mimäàsä philosophers, they do not believe that "Oh, our
liberation from this material world and entrance in the spiritual kingdom
to be associated with God, that will make us happy." Their belief is that
"You simply do good work. Then you gradually get your promotion." That
is also a fact. That is not a misconception. If you do good work, then you
get good birth. Janmaiçvarya-çruta-çré [SB 1.8.26]. Four things: good birth,
mean a good family or good nationality, and janma... Birth means... Janma

10
means birth, good birth. Janma aiçvarya, and to become rich. Çruta, to
become very learned; and çré, and to become very beautiful—these are
results of past good work. So here Kåñëa says that "People are concerned
with his work. A man is concerned with his work." Karmaëä jäyate jantuù
karmaëaiva praléyate: "He gets his facilities of life according to the past
good work, bad work, and he is preparing his life, next, by that work."
Sukhaà duùkhaà bhayaà kñemaà karmaëaiväbhipadyate: "So therefore,
either happiness or distress or fearfulness or poverty or economic
question, everything on this karma, on this work."
asti ced éçvaraù kaçcit
phala-rüpy anya-karmaëäà
kartäraà bhajate so 'pi
na hy akartuù prabhur hi saù

"Now, supposing there is somebody." Because these atheists, they do not

believe in God, now they are giving arguments. "Now, suppose there is
somebody as God or some supervisor or something like that. But still, he is
obliged to give Me the effect. Therefore I am not going to ask mercy from
that superior personality, God or something else. I have to work." And this
is also fact. Suppose you are going to appear in some examination. Now,
the university is giving you some designation. Now, that designation
practically depends on your passing the examination. What is the use of
flattering that examiner? That is the argument. There is no... His
argument is that "You are after the sacrifice of satisfying the Indra." So
indirectly He says that Indra is appointed by the Lord and he has to supply
water. He is officer. So what is the use of flattering him? Just like there are
many officers in the New York City. One is in charge of the waterwork
department. So there is no question of flattering that waterworks
department officer. You pay your tax, you work nicely, and water will be
supplied to you. But if you don't pay your tax, however you flatter that
officer, your connection will be cut off. So it depends on your work. It
depends on your work.
So, asti ced éçvaraù kaçcit: "Supposing there is some God..." "There is some
God." Just see. A God is preaching atheism. He is God Himself, and He
says, "Supposing if there is some God." "Supposing if there is some God,"

11
kaçcit phala-rüpy anya-karmaëäm, "and He gives the result of your work."
The karma-mimäàsä philosophers, they accept God in this way, "Suppose
there is God and He is to give us the result. So He is obliged. If we do nice
work, He is obliged. So what is the use of flattering God? Let us do our
duty nicely. Then He will be obliged." So Kåñëa is following that
argument. Asti ced éçvaraù kaçcit phala-rüpy anya-karmaëäm, kartäraà
bhajate so 'pi: "He also worships the worker. The worker has not to
worship God. Because God gives you good result out of your good work;
therefore, because you are doing good work, therefore God is worshiping
you." Just see the argument. He says, kartäraà bhajate so 'pi na hy akartuù
prabhur: "And one who does not do good work, even God does not like
him. So there is no necessity of worshiping this heavenly god or any god,
so let us have our duty done nicely. That will fetch us the desired result."
kim indreëeha bhütänäà
sva-sva-karmänuvartinäm
anésenänyathä kartuà
svabhäva-vihitaà nåëäm

"So, therefore, there is no... Father, there is no necessity of satisfying this

Indra. You are simply wasting your time. You are simply wasting your
time."
Oh,
svabhäva-tantro hi janaù
svabhävam anuvartate
svabhäva-stham idaà sarvaà
sa-deväsura-mänuñam

"Everyone is acting according to the modes of nature he has acquired, so

whatever nature we have acquired..." His purpose is that "By nature we are
mercantile people." Because His father was maintaining cows, so he is
considered a mercantile man. Vaiçya-karma svabhäva-jam.
Kåñi-go-rakñya-väëijyaà vaiçya-karma svabhäva-jam [Bg. 18.44]. So He is
giving stress that "Let us perform our duty as mercantile men honestly,
and that will bring us result. Why should we go to worship these
demigods?"

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Now, here is a point, that Kåñëa does not approve the worship of
demigods. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gétä. Kämais tais tair
håta-jïäna yajanty anya-devataù: [Bg. 7.20] "Those who are out of
intelligence, they simply worship the demigods." In the Bhagavad-gétä or in
the Bhägavata, anywhere, worship of demigods is not very much
recommended. So here also the same thing, that svabhäva-tantro hi janaù:
"Everyone is carried by the modes of nature." Svabhävam anuvartate: "And
he cannot surpass the spell of the modes of nature." Svabhävam
anuvartante, svabhävas tam idaà sarvam: "Everyone is under the control of
the nature he has acquired." And sa-deväsura mänusaù. Sa-deväsura.
"Always, either he is man or superman or animal, everyone is being
controlled by the modes of nature."
dehän uccävacäï jantuù
präpyotsåjati karmaëä
çatrur mitram udäsénaù
karmaiva gurur éçvaraù

He is giving so much stress on karma. There is no question of bhakti here.

So dehän uccäväcäï. There are difference of high-grade body and
low-grade body. There are different kinds of body. Somebody has got very
high grade body—very intelligent, very rich, very beautiful, very
wealthy—and somebody has low-grade body. So dehän uccävacäï jantuù
präpyotsåjati karmaëä: "Now, these high-grade and low-grade bodies are
obtained according to the work he has done." Çatrur mitram udäsénaù
karmaiva gurur éçvaraù: "And one is the leader or one is a teacher or one is
enemy or one is friend—everything is judged by this karma, by work." Just
see how much he is giving stress on work. Karmaiva. Karmaiva gurur
éçvaraù.

tasmät sampüjayet karma

svabhäva-sthaù sva-karma-kåt
aïjasä yena varteta
tad eväsya hi daivatam

"Therefore you don't bother yourself about worshiping this god or that
god, demigod. You just be faithful to your work, and then that will give

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you good result." Aïjasä yena varteta tad eväsya hi daivatam.

äjévaikataraà bhävaà
yas tv anyam upajévati
na tasmäd vindate kñemaà
järän näry asaté yathä

He is condemning, that one's profession... He has... Lord Kåñëa has in the

Bhagavad-gétä also said like that. Sva-karmaëä tam abhyarcya [Bg. 18.46].
One should not give up his own profession. Never mind even it is faulty.
You have heard it from me. Just like He has given the example that fire,
fire is so pure, still there is fault. There is smoke. So in spite of all fault
one should not give up his own work, but he should do it faithfully and
nicely and the result will come. Äjévaikataraà bhävaà yas tu. And He says
here that "Anyone who gives up his own natural profession, natural
aptitude, profession, so..." Na tasmäd vindate kñemaà järän näry asaté
yathä.
Now, this is a very important question. Näry asaté. Asaté. Asaté means not
chaste, not chaste woman. Just like... In India, of course, it is very strict,
that the woman is not to give up her husband and acquaint herself with
any other man. This example is given that "An unchaste woman gives up
her own husband and makes friendship with others; similarly, one who
gives up his own profession and takes other profession, he is also similarly
unchaste." Unchaste. Näry asaté yathä. Varteta brähmaëo vipra räjanya
rakñayä bhuvaù: "Therefore one should not deviate from his professional
duties, just like the brähmaëas..." Brahman..., varteta brähmaëo vipraù:
"Those who are brähmaëa, they should stick to their principle of life,
simply spiritual culture." Räjanya rakñayä bhuvaù: "And those who are
kñatriyas, they should stick to their protecting the citizen." The kingly
order, royal order, their duty is to give protection to the... They should not
simply collect tax. The kñatriyas, this king is allowed to collect tax because
he is supposed to give all protection to the people. So therefore it is said,
räjanya rakñayä bhuvaù. Räjanya means the royal order stick to his
principle, how to give protection to the people. Similarly, vaiçyas tu
värtayä jévet çüdras tu dvéja-sevayä: "Similarly, these mercantile, they
should live on their trade, and those who are çüdra, those who are laborer

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class, they should serve all these three classes." That is the rules.
Now,
kåñi-väëijya-go-rakñä
kusédaà türyam ucyate
värtä catur-vidhä tatra
vayaà go-våttayo 'niçam

"Now, according to scripture, we are vaiçya, and we should live not in the
brahminical way or kñatriya's way or çüdra's way, but we should live just
like vaiçyas; and we are actually agriculturists, and we are actually
protecting cows. Therefore we are vaiçyas. Our duty is to stick to our,
faithfully stick to our business, stick to our work. What is the use of
worshiping this god or that god?"

sattvaà rajas tama iti

sthity-utpatti-anta-hetavaù
rajasotpadyate viçvam
anyonyaà vividhaà jagat

Now He is forwarding the atheistic theory of Kapila, säìkhya philosophy.

Säìkhya philosophy. Säìkhya philosophy theory is that there is no
controller, there is no God, but the world is moving under nature's
interaction. Just the modern scientists also say like that. The world...
Every action of this material world is being acted... Just like säìkhya
philosophy is based on this philosophy, that a man and woman is attracted
and they have sex life and the son is produced, and there is no other
reason for population. Simply a man wants a woman and a woman wants a
man. That natural tendency is there, and when they combine together
there is a birth of a child. So this is a natural sequence. Säìkhya
philosophy is based on this principle. They do not believe that above this,
there is God. Niréça. Above this, there is God. There is God's control.
Actually there is God. Sexual intercourse is not the cause of a child.
According to Bhägavata, a living entity, before his death he is, by superior
judgement it is thought that "Where this living entity, where this
particular man or dog or anything... He is dying. Where it will be placed?"
So when that place is sanctioned, the place is selected, that "This

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particular man should go in such and such body," then he is at once
transferred to the semina. That small particle, spiritual particle, is
transferred to the semina of the father, and the father injects the semina
into the mother's womb, and it gets a particular type of body according to
his karma. That is Bhägavata's version. But the Säìkhya philosophy, they
say, because they have no idea that there is spiritual spark, they think
simply that, simply the father and mother's or man and woman's sex life
produces life.
So here practically the same thing is advocated by Kåñëa, that sattvaà
rajas tama iti sthity-utpatty-anta-hetavaù. Now, the creation of this
material world is the three modes of material nature. There is no other
cause. There is no other cause. Rajasä coditä meghä varñanty ambüni
sarvataù: "So when there is too much heat by, I mean to say, aggravation
of the modes of passion, there is evaporation of water, and that becomes
cloud, and that is the cause of... The cloud is the cause of rain. Why do
you go to this Indra and Candra and all these things?" Just see Kåñëa, how
He is speaking atheistically. So prajäs tair eva sidhyanti mahendraù kià
kariñyati: "Therefore that rain constitutes agriculture. So why do you
bother about this Mahendra?" Just like modern scientists say that "We
shall artificially make raining so that where there is scarcity of rain we
shall fertilize the land, we shall get production," so similarly, the säìkhya
philosophy, according to säìkhya philosophy, that rain is caused by the
heat, and by the heat there is cloud in the sky, and the cloud is the cause
of the rain. So there is no question of Mahendra, the controller of the
cloud, or anything else.
prajäs tair eva sidhyanti
mahendraù kià kariñyati

na naù puro jana-padä

na grämä na gåhä vayam
vanaukasas täta nityaà
vana-çaila-niväsinaù

"So therefore we are not going to the city. We are inhabitants of this
village. So it is better to worship this land, this land, this land,

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Govardhana." Because Kåñëa was herding His cows on the Govardhana
Hill, so indirectly He hinted that "We should worship this Govardhana
Hill, and that is our duty."
So it is a long story, three, four chapters. Of course, it will take some time.
I don't think you can give us so much time. The net, the result is that
when Kåñëa talked like this, then His father agreed not to perform the
sacrifice. Because all the inhabitants of Vraja, Våndävana, they are so
much fond of Kåñëa, whatever Kåñëa will say, they will accept. So
although Kåñëa was a boy, He implored his father and other elderly
gentlemen present there that "There is no need of performing this
sacrifice." So they stopped sacrifice. As a result of this stopping, Indra
became very much angry, and there was torrents of rain, incessant rain,
and very vehemently. So the whole village and whole tract of land
comprising the Vrajabhümi, they became overflooded. And the cows and
the animals and the people became too much afflicted. So they had no
other source. They approached Kåñëa, "Protect us. Kåñëa, protect us." So
at that time Kåñëa said, "Yes, I will give you protection." So He was,
although a boy of six or seven years old, He lifted that hill. That is... We
are... If any time you go to India you will see the hill. It is not less than at
least five, six miles area, very big hill. That hill was lifted by Him, and He
kept that hill in His hand for seven days. And then everything was
cleared. Then Indra prayed Him.
So there are many things after this. So today Kåñëa lifted this hill;
therefore His name is Giridhäré. Giridhäré means who held the hill. Giri
means the hill, and dhäré means one who holds up. So today is that, is the
annual ceremony of today, this Govardhana-püjä. So we follow that
principle. Because we are devotees of Kåñëa, we are trying to follow His
instruction. So at noontime we shall perform that püjä, and you are
invited to take prasädam. I think prasädam will be ready by eleven o'clock,
and you will kindly participate in taking prasädam. (end)

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