rmad-Bhgavatam 1.2.

8 Hyderabad, April 22, 1974

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) dharma svanuhita pus vivaksena-kathsu ya notpdayed yadi rati rama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8] Translation: "Duties, or dharma, executed by men, regardless of occupation, are only so much useless labor if they do not provoke attraction for the message of the Supreme Lord." Prabhupda: dharma svanuhita pus vivaksena-kathsu ya notpdayed yadi rati rama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8] Dharma (is) generally translated into English as "religion." I have already expl ained several times. The dictionary meaning of religion is "a kind of faith." Bu t actually, dharma means occupational duty, or the characteristic. Just like a s nake. The snake, its religion is to bite, and fatal bite. That is his dharma, oc cupational duty. Everything has got... Just like this microphone, it must work, it must expand the sound. That is its dharma. If it does not expand the sound, i t is useless. So everything you take, there are characteristics. That is the mea ning of dharma. Dharma is not an artificial faith. Faith you can change, but you r occupational duty, you cannot change.

So what is the occupational duty of the living entity? The living entity is now encaged in two kinds of gross and subtle body. Therefore, when he is situated in the bodily concept of life, his dharma is fruitive activities or sense gratific ation. When he is situated on the mental platform, then his occupational duties become speculation, imagination. And when he is situated in his original, spirit ual platform, then his occupational duty is to serve Ka. These are the three positi ons: karma, jna, yoga, bhaktigradual evolution. Because spiritual knowledge also gr adually evolves. Nirviea-brahman, antarym paramtm, and a-aivarya-pra-bhagavnth ferent stages of self-realization or spiritual advancement. Karma, jna, yoga and b hakti. Yoga means bhakti-yoga, or the preliminary, primary stage of bhakti-yoga. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gt it is said, yoginm api sarve mad-gatenntar-tman raddhvn bhajate yo m sa me yuktatamo mata [Bg. 6.47] There are different types of yogis, but the first-class yogi is he who, now, mad -gatenntar-tman, Ka says, "who is thinking of Me always," mad-gata, raddhvn, with ion, love and faith. Bhajate.

So to think of Ka is also bhajana. There are different process of bhajana. To hear of Ka, that is also bhajana. Just like you are hearing. And to speak about Ka. I am s eaking; you are hearing. Similarly, when the speaking and hearing is finished, t

hen you think of Ka, or by chanting Hare Ka mantra, you think of Ka. Ka being a these different processes are also the same, one and the same. There is no diffe rence between chanting and hearing or remembering or worshiping in the temple. ra vaa krtana vio smaraa pda-sevanam, arcanam [SB 7.5.23]. The temple worship is cal am. Vandanam, offering prayers. The Christians, the Muhammadans, they offer pray er. Of cou rse, not t o the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but impersonal featu re or some idea. But that prayer is also one of the processes of bhakti. Anyone who accepts the supremacy of God, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his proces s of worship has to be considered in the category of bhakti-yoga. The more and m ore you become purified by executing the bhakti-yoga process, then you come to t he real platform.

That is stated here, that dharma svanuhita pusm [SB 1.2.8]. It doesn't matter what ki d of dharma. Actually dharma is one, the occupational duty, the characteristic. The characteristic means that God is great and we are subordinate. That is the i njunction of the Vedas. Nityo nityn cetana cetannm eko yo bahn vidadhti kmn (Ka 13). We have to understand that singular number. God is singular, nitya, eternal , cetana, living. He is also nitya and living entity, but the chief, nityo nityn ce tana cetannm. And we are plural number, nitynm, cetannm. So the... We are plural num , living entities. But He is singular number. Why? What is the difference betwee n these two nityas and two cetanas? God is not dead stone. God is like you and m e. He is a living entity, but the chief living entity, singular number. Just lik e we have got leader. There are many hundreds and thousands of followers, but th ere must be one leader. You follow any cult, you have to accept one leader. Eith er you follow this philosophy, that philosophy, it doesn't matter. But you have to follow a leader. But Ka is the supreme leader, leader of the leaders.

That is stated in the Bhagavad-gt. Matta paratara nnyat kicid asti dhanajaya [Bg. 7 Leaders there are, gods are, there are. God means controller. There is controlle r always. So there are many gods. Anyone is god, because he is, somehow or other , he is a controller; a leader also. But we are meaning the supreme leader, the supreme controller. That is Ka. Leader you have to accept. But... Controller you ha ve to accept. But nobody is supreme leader or supreme controller. That is Ka. Every leader is also controlled by some other leader. But Ka is such a leader that He is not controlled by any other leader. That is Ka. Therefore Ka says, matta paratara .. [Bg. 7.7]. "There is no one superiorly..." vara parama ka sac-cid-nanda-vigraha andir dir govinda sarva-kraa-kraam [Bs. 5.1]

That is the statement of the Vedic literature: the supreme controller, the supre me leader, is Ka. Sac-cid-nanda-vigraha. Ka is not formless. When Ka was present anet, He is not formless. He has His form. And what is that form? Sac-cid-nanda-v igraha [Bs. 5.1]. nandamaya-rasa-vigraha. nanda-cinmaya-rasa. That is not this vig raha. That we have to understand. Our vigraha, our form, at the present moment, material form, that is not sac-cid-nanda. Sat means eternal, cit means full of kn owledge, and nanda means full of blissfulness.

So as soon as we think of one body, we think comparing with our body. So similar ly, by our foolishness, if we think of Ka's body like one of us, then we become mha. Avajnanti m mh mnu tanum ritam [Bg. 9.11]. Because Ka comes in the human for g, therefore we should not take Ka as one of us. Then we become mha, rascal, fools. O r in other words, one who thinks of Ka having a body like usthat is the Myvda philos yhe is a mha. Na m duktino mh prapadyante nardham [Bg. 7.15]. These are the s avad-gt. How you can misinterpret? This is plain t hing, that symptom. Na m duktino m padyante nardham. These are the words used in the Bhagavad-gt. It is not our manufact ured word. People may be very unhappy or angry, but we have to quote from these

scriptures. These are the... Anyone who does not surrender to Ka, he is within thes e categories.

What are they? First of all duktina. Duktina means simply engaged in sinful activiti es. Kti. Kti means meritorious. But dukti, badly meritorious. They are using their b rain for something atrocious, simply planning how to do harm to others. That is called duktina. For his own sense satisfaction he is plan... That is called asura. sura bhvam rit. Asuras, they are simply planning for his own sense gratification. A devotees, they are simply planning how to satisfy Ka's senses. That is the differen ce. How Ka will be satisfied. Both of them are planning, but one is planning for hi s own sense satisfaction and the other is planning how to satisfy the senses of Ka. This is the difference between asura and deva. There are two classes of men: de va and asura. Dvau bhta- sargau loke 'smin daiva sura eva ca [Bg. 16.6]. suras tadviparyaya. Viu-bhakta smto daiva suras tad-viparyaya. Those who are devotees of the d, servants of the Lord, they are called deva, or demigods. suras tad-viparyaya. A nd the asuras are just opposite. Just like Hirayakaipu, Prahlda, the father and son . Prahlda is deva because he is devotee of Ka. And Hirayakaipu, because Prahlda is d tee of Ka, he's trying to always tease him. Although he is a five-years-old-boy, hi s son, his beloved son, but since he became Ka conscious, he became the enemy of th e asura, Hirayakaipu. This process is existing from very, very time immemorial, tw o classes.

Therefore to become devotee is sometimes very troublesome, because even the fath er become enemy. This is the position of the devotee. But still, you have to bec ome devotee. That is your success of life. But the warning is there, that as soo n as you become a devotee, you become enemies of so many, especially nowadays. Y ou know that recently I was refused entrance in Africa. The government did not a llow me to enter. What is my fault? Because I am a devotee. This is my fault. So we are meeting so many dangerous position. In Bombay our temple construction ha s been refused by the commissioner of police. Why? Because we chant Hare Ka. They h ave openly written that "The bhajana nuisance." You see? This is our position. B hajana... Ka says, Bhagavn says, that catur-vidh bhajante mm. This bhajana word is th re. "Four kinds of people can be engaged in bhajana." Who are they? Suktino 'rjun a: "Whose bac kground is very, very pious activities." Now, at present, bhajana is nuisance. Bhajana is stated in the Vedic scripture that it is performed by th e pious man, and now, at the present circumstances, bhajana is nuisance. Satata kr tayanto m yatanta ca dha-vrat [Bg. 9.14]. These are the statements of Vedic scriptur Who is mahtm? Mahtmnas tu m prtha daiv praktim rit [Bg. 9.13]. Satata krtay Bg. 9.14]. These are mahtms. Nitya-yukta upsate. But at the present moment... Not a t the present moment. From time immemorial this is going on. As soon as you beco me devotee, as soon as you are inclined to take part in bhajana, you will have s o many enemies. Therefore Caitanya Mahprabhu has recommended that you tolerate. S till, you cannot give up your bhajana and Ka consciousness. That is not possible. T olerate. Td api. What is the process of toleration? Yes.

Dharma svanuhita. Dharma svanuhita pus vivaksena-kathsu ya notpdayed yadi ra going daily to the temple, or to the church, or to the mosque, or anywhere, any religious building or institution, if you do not develop your propensity to hear about God, then you have wasted your time. rama eva hi kevalam. Going and coming , it is simply labor, that's all. So that is the test. Therefore either in templ e, or in church, in mosque there must be regular recitation on the talks of God. Otherwise people will lose interest, and the churches and temples have to be cl osed. td api suncena taror api sahiun amnin mnadena krtanya sad hari [Cc. di 17.31]

So this Ka consciousness movement we are teaching to become suktina, to make his lif e successful by understanding Ka.

Then this verse explains... Dharma svanuhita pus vivaksena-kathsu yat [SB 1.2.8]. ) Please take the child. So this formula is that you may execute your occupation al duties first class, svanuhita, as it is prescribed, very nicely, regularly, fait hfully. You are discharging your occupational duties. But if it does not awaken your dormant Ka consciousness, then it is useless. rama eva hi kevalam. Because the human life is meant for awakening Ka Ka consciousness. Our consciousness is now pollu ed. Just like the rain water. As soon as it falls down on the ground, it becomes muddy. Otherwise, the rain water is distilled water, very nice, clear, crystal water. But as soon as it touches the ground, it becomes dirty immediately. Simil arly, originally, we are all Ka conscious because we are part and parcel of Ka. Mamai a-bhta [Bg. 15.7]. Ka says, "All these living entities, they are My part and parcel." Just like the son is the part and parcel of the father, for crude understanding , so we are also similarly part and parcel of Ka. mamaivo jva-loke jva-bhta santana mana ahnndriyi prakti-sthni karati [Bg. 15.7] As soon as it comes in touch with this material world, it is contaminated.

The same example: Just like rain water falling from the sky is crystal clear dis tilled water, but as soon as it comes in touch with the ground, it becomes muddy , dirty. So at the present moment our consciousness is dirty. Abhadra. It is sta ted in Bhgavata in one place, vat sva-kath ka puya-ravaa-krtana, hdy anta . Abhadri, the dirty things within the heart, hdy anta-stha, within the heart. We hav e got so many dirty things within the heart. Now, how it has grown? Due to our c ontact with the material nature. This is our disease. Another place in the Bhaga vad-gt it is said, kraa gua-saga asya sad-asad-janma-yoniu. Sad-asat means nice bo ery abominable body. Y ou may get a very nice bodylearned, scholar, beautiful, ve ry aristocraticor you may take a body of the worm of the stool. You have to chang e your body, and there are 8,400,000 different forms of body.

So why one has taken the body of the worm of stool and why one has taken the bod y of Lord Brahm or Indra, Candra, Varua or rich man, very nice man, beautiful man? Why? Why these differences of body? Because the kraa gua-sago 'sya [Bg. 13.22]. As y ou are associating with the modes of material nature, sattva-gua, rajo-gua, tamo-g ua... There are three guas. Sattva-gua, if you associate with sattva-gua, then rdhva acchanti sattva-sth [Bg. 14.18]. If you remain in sattva-gua... Sattva-gua means bra hminical qualification. Satya amo damas titik rjavam, jna vijnam stikya brahmajam [Bg. 18.42]. If you remain on the platform of brahminical qualification, tha t is called sattva-gua. And less than that aurya tejo bala yuddhe cpalyanam, katriya alificationthat is modes of passion. And others, remaining, they are in the modes of ignorance, do not know what is the value of life, what is next life, what is spiritual realization, why we are suffering. Nothing, no knowledge. That is tam o-gua. So, rdhva gacchanti sattva-sth madhye tihanti rjas jaghanya-gua-vtti-sth adho gacchanti tmas [Bg. 14.18] This is our position. Therefore there is dharma. In the civilized human society,

there is dharma. Either you take it as characteristic or a faith, but a civiliz ed nation has a kind of dharma, either Christian dharma or Hindu dharma or Muham madan dharma. Anyone. Dharma means some relationship with God. That is dharma. D harma tu skd bhagavat-pratam... [SB 6.3.19]. That is another definition of dharma: "D arma means to abide by the laws of God." So everyone is trying to abide by the l aws. Mama vartmnuvartante manuy sarvaa prtha. Sarvaa prtha. That is also stated i gavad... Everyone is trying to approach. Here the ultimate injunction is that dh arma svanuhita pus vivaksena kathsu ya[SB 1.2.8]. Vivaksena is another name of K

So by executing the process of dharma, if one does not come to the point of unde rstanding Vivaksena, or Ka, then what is that? Now, notpdayed rati yadi. Rati means a tachment. If one is not inclined to hear about Ka after executing his dharma, occup ational duties, whatever he may be... Actually, occupational duty is meant, acco rding to Vedic civilization: brhmaa, katriya, vaiya, dra. Brhmaa has got his occupa l duty, katriya has got his occupational duty, vaiya has got his occupational duty , and dra also, occupational duty. So when it is described, dharma svanuhita, sva mea s "own." So one must be either a brhmaa or a katriya or a vaiya or a dra. Or nowadays one may be a medical man, engineer, or a businessman , or this or that. Everyone has got some occupation. Either you take this way or that way. But it is very s ystematic. When we think in terms of Vedic civilizationthe brhmaa, katriya, vaiya, drathis is scientific. Because a class of men, very intelligent, very pure, ideal class of men, brhmaa, must be there. That is Vedic civilization. People will see and learn. Because ultimately, human life is meant for elevating to the standard of spirit ual consciousness. Athto brahma jijs. So unless in the society there is an ideal cla ss of men, brhmaa, how people will learn it? That is necessary. You cannot say, "L et us all become technologists, dras, that you can get money for purchasing wine a nd meat." But the ideal life is lost. Ideal life is lost. There must be... Just like if you want to keep your body fit for everything, there must be brain. If y ou say that "There is no need of brain. We simply want legs," so how what is thi s body? A dead body. There must be the head, there must be the hands, there must be the belly, and there must be the legs. So brhmaa is the head of the society, b rain of the society. And the katriyas are the arms of the body. And the vaiyas, th e belly of the body. The stomach and the belly must be kept in order. If you do not eat, if you do not digest your food, the brain will not also work, hand will not also work.

So for proper upkeep of the human society, there must be a brahminical class, brh maa class, the katriya class. They are all equal because my hand is as much import ant as my brain. But although comparatively my brain is more important than my h and, that is comparative. But you require the brain. So at the present moment, w hy the society is chaotic condition? Because there is no brhmaa. That is the defec t. So society must be divided in the material stage of this brhmaa, katriya, vaiya, d a. And gradually, everyone should be educated to become brhmaa. Athto brahma jijs. Br hma-bhta. Then he will understand what is bhakti. brahma-bhta prasanntm na ocati na kkati sama sarveu bhteu mad-bhakti labhate parm [Bg. 18.54] And when you attain to the stage of bhakti, then your life is successful. This i s the process. Therefore it is said that you may go on with your so-called occupational duties, but if you do not come to the platform of spiritual understanding, then it is ra ma eve hi kevalamit is simply waste of time. Simply waste of time. Because you do not catch up the ideal of your mission. Simply work like the animals and die. T

he bodily concept of li... Yasytma-buddhi kuape tri-dhtuke [SB 10.84.13]. Simply thi nking that "I am this body, and my only business is to satisfy the senses of the body. Not only my body, but my son's body, my grandson's body, my relative's bo dy." This is going on under different names, Socialism, this "ism," that "ism"exp anded bodily concept of life. This is animal civilization. Yasytma-buddhi kuape tri -dhtuke [SB 10.84.13]. Because the animal is also doing that. A cat is thinking t hat "I am this body. I must s ecure my food anyway. A mouse, anywhere." A dog is also thinking like that. If human being also thinks like that, then what is the difference between cats and dogs? He may be very much proud that "I am discharg ing my duties very faithfully," but here Bhgavata says, dharma svanuhita pus vivak thsu ya, notpdayet: "If you do not develop your Ka consciousness, you are simply wast ng your time." This is the verdict. dharma svanuhita pus vivaksena-kathsu ya notpdayed yadi rati rama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8]

So our Ka consciousness movement is simply trying to educate people that "Don't was te your time. Just try to awaken your dormant Ka consciousness." The Ka consciousness is there within you; simply you have to awaken. And what is the process? That aw akening will take place simply by chanting and hearing. ravadi-uddha-citte karaye ud aya. There is a verse in the Caitanya-caritmta: nitya-siddha ka-bhakti sdhya kabhu na a. Ka-bhakti, your devotion for Ka, your attachment for Ka, is there because you a and parcel of Ka. Just like a small child. He is... [break]... His problems will b e solved this way... No, that will not be solved. rama eva hi. Simply wasting tim e by laboring for nothing. You take to Ka consciousness, take to the instruction of Ka as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gt. The, your economic problems, social problems, political problemsall human society will be solved. It is practical. So if we take it seriously... That is our propaganda. We are requesting not only the Hindus or Indians, but we are requesting everyone all over the world, "Take to this Ka consciousness movement and try to understand." We are therefore publish ing so many books. We are very fortunate. I am very glad to inform you that we a re selling our books, not less than forty to fifty thousand rupees daily. So our books are being well received, because in the Western world outside India, they never heard of this idea that God can be approached personally, we can talk wit h Him, we can live with Him, we can play with Him. These new ideas, of course, n ovel to the Western world. Therefore they are taking very careful attention. So why not India? Do not waste your time this way, that way. And the process is ver y simple. The process is very simple. We are recommending the followers of Ka consc iousness... Just now I received one letter from Jaipur. They wanted my guidance. The guidance is not very difficult. It is very simple thing. First of all try t o become sinless: no illicit sex life, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambl ing. Observe these four regulative principles and chant Hare Ka mantra as far as po ssible, at least sixteen rounds. Then see how your life changes. Thank you very much. Hare Ka. (end)