Todays Srimad-Bhagavatam Class "Rising Beyond The Modes" Class From November 4, 1972, Vrndavana

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"Rising Beyond The Modes"

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.24

November 4, 1972, Vrndavana

 

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Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

 

parthivad daruno dhumas

tasmad agnis trayimayah

tamasas tu rajas tasmat

sattvam yad brahma-darsanam

 

Translation: "Coal, firewood, is better than raw wood, and fire is even

better, for fire is the soul of Vedic sacrifice. Similarly passion, or rajas, is

better than ignorance, tamas; but goodness, sattva, is best because by goodness

one can come to realize the Absolute Truth, Brahman."

 

Prabhupada:

 

parthivad daruno dhumas

tasmad agnis trayimayah

tamasas tu rajas tasmat

sattvam yad brahma-darsanam

 

This is gradual process of evolution. Parthivad darunah. Just like raw

wood. Then, when it is dry, then it is fit for igniting fire. Then, when you

ignite fire, first there is smoke, and after it is mature, the flames come out.

And agnis trayimayah. And when the flame is there... Just like we generally

perform fire sacrifice. Unless the flame comes, we do not chant the mantra or

pour the ghee and the grains. Because that is the beginning of yajna. Trayimaya.

Trayi means Vedic yajnas. So our point is to come to the platform of performing

yajna.

 

Yajna means Visnu, the platform of satisfying Visnu. This is the

perfection of life. Dull, null brain, ignorance, just like animals, they are in

the tamo-guna, ignorance. They cannot understand anything. So gradually, they

are promoted to the human form of life, rajo-guna. Generally, human form of

life, rajo-guna, activity for creation, we can very well see. Animals, cats,

dogs cows, asses... And a little civilized, engaged in sense gratification in a

different way, very active, passion... So these two stages of life will not help

us. Because our aim is to come to the point of brahma-darsanam,

self-realization, aham brahmasmi. To remain karmis or remain animallike life, no

knowledge, simply eating, sleeping, mating, that's all... And little advancement

means the same eating, sleeping, mating, but in a polished way... Mostly we find

in the Western countries, the aim is animal propensities, but in a polished way.

Suppose they live in very, very high skyscraper buildings, and the animals live

in some cave, in some hole, in some nest.

 

So for living condition, improving the living condition, does not mean

brahma-darsanam. Brahma-darsanam is another thing. Improving the living

condition, improving the eating condition, improving the sex life condition, or

improving the defending condition. Just like human civilization, they're

discovering so many laser weapons, atomic bomb, so many things. So it is

improving the defending condition. But modern civilization is in the opinion

that if they can improve their material condition of eating, sleeping, mating

and defending, that is advancement of civilization. But that is not advancement

of civilization. Advancement of civilization means brahma-darsanam. That is

advancement. Because so long we do not come to the platform of understanding

that "I am spirit soul, I am part and parcel of the Supreme Spirit," we are in

the ignorance -- in different forms. The example is given very nicely. Just like

raw wood, just from the trees, you cut the trees, it is raw, it is not

immediately fit for burning. But when it is little dried you can ignite fire,

and, igniting fire, immediately there is no flame, there is smoke. Then, after

the smoke, there is flame. And that flame is required.

 

So this gradual process of evolution means one must come to the platform

of understanding Brahman. Aham brahmasmi: "I am..., I am spirit soul, and I am

part and parcel of the Supreme Soul." This understanding one must come. So for

that understanding one has to come to the platform of goodness, sattva-guna. If

one remains in the rajo-guna and tamo-guna, as we have explained, then we shall

be entangled in this material world. We may get a different types of body, even

if we get the body of demigods or European body, American body, as they are

understood, very advanced. So not only European, American, but there are other

improved condition of life in higher planetary system. They're all made of

rajo-guna. Rajas-tamas. Tada rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye [sB

1.2.19]. Because everywhere you'll find the prominence of greediness and lust,

everywhere. Even in the heavenly planet, the King of Heaven, he's very, very,

very much lusty. There are so many instances. He's very much fond of sex life,

Indra.

 

So this will not help us. We must come to the platform of sattva-guna,

goodness, the brahminical stage. Then our life, our evolutionary process, will

be successful. Tamasas tu rajas tasmat sattvam yad brahma-darsanam. Gradually,

evolutionary process... I think in Darwin's theory there is no such conception

of coming to the point of sattva-guna, goodness. They do not know even what it

is, sattva-guna. Simply they are studying the animal bones. That's all. But

actually perfection of evolutionary process is to come to the platform of

sattva-guna, brahminical stage. In other words, to becomes a brahmana is the

topmost platform of advancement of civilization. Brahminical culture is the

perfect advancement of civilization. That is mentioned here.

 

So if one wants to come to that platform, then one has to accept the form

of Visnu. As we have already explained in the previous verse: sreyamsi tatra

khalu sattva-tanor nrnam syuh. Sattva-tanoh. Visnu is the form of sattva-guna,

Brahma is the form of rajo-guna, and Siva, Lord Siva, is the form of tamo-guna.

So actually, if we want our perfection of life, we'll not be very much

benefitted by taking shelter of Lord Siva or Lord Brahma or any other demigod.

Other demigods, they're all subordinate to Lord Brahma and Siva. All demigods

are supposed... Even great saintly rsis, they are also sons of Brahma.

Rajo-guna. Lord Siva is also one of the sons of Brahma. So either to accept

other demigods or even Lord Siva or Lord Brahma will not help us, because we

have to come to the platform of sattva-guna. For that purpose sattva-tanoh...

Sattva-tanu means Visnu. So we have to take shelter of Visnu. In the Vedas, in

the Rg Veda it is said, tad visnoh paramam padam sada pasyanti surayah. Visnoh

paramam padam. Surayah, those who are advanced in civilization, surayah... Sura

and asura. Asura means materialistic person, atheistic person, interested in

sense gratification. That is called asura, na sura. And sura means interested in

advancement of spiritual life. That is called sura. So for the asuras, the life

is different, but for the suras, their aim is: tad visnoh paramam padam. Their

aim of perfection is Visnu. Paramam padam: the Supreme Abode of Visnu, or the

Vaikunthaloka.

 

So those who are actually advanced in civilization, those who are in the

platform of goodness, their aim is how to go back to home, back to Godhead. That

is their business. It is not that to take to religious life for some material

gain. Dharmasya hy apavargyasya na arthah arthaya upakalpate. We have discussed

these verses. To become religious means to become free from material

entanglement. Not that to take to religious life means to, I mean to say, to

develop economic condition. Generally, people take to religious to make economic

development very easily. Therefore at the modern age the educated public, they

are not interested in religious life because they think that in primitive stage

the people were taking to religious life for economic development. Actually,

that is the idea, because ordinarily people go to ask for bread in the church:

"O God, give us our daily bread." So modern advanced in science people, they

think: "Oh, what is the use of asking bread in the church? Why not take to

industry?" That is their aim. In India, especially, this is the situation. The

government is thinking that Indian people, being too much religiously inclined,

they have fallen down economically; therefore these religious sentiments should

be stopped completely. It is not encouraged. Here in Vrndavana so many pilgrims,

they come from all parts of India; now all parts of world, they're coming. But

it is kept in such unclean state to discourage people not to come here. That is

the idea, so that people, educated people, modernized people may not come here.

They do not want. That is the policy, I am seeing. They are introducing in the

Vrndavana area so many industrial things so that the spiritual atmosphere is to

be killed. That is the policy is going on. Nobody... The chur..., I mean to say,

the temples are neglected. No question of improvement. The whole idea is not to

come here: "Please do not come." They cannot say directly, but this is the idea

going on.

 

But this is due to wrong direction of civilization. They do not know what

is the aim of civilization. The aim of civilization is to understand Visnu, the

Supreme Personality of Godhead. But they're missing the point. They're thinking

motor tire civilization, very nice road and running motorcar in seventy, eighty

miles speed, that is civilization. Not to understand Visnu. That is the

difference between materialism and spiritualism.

 

But we should not be misled by such conception of civilization. Our aim is

different. That is right different. I am spirit soul; you are spirit soul.

Somehow or other, I have been entangled with this material body, one after

another. So I must get out of this entanglement and go back to home, back to

Godhead, to Visnu, and live there eternally, blissful life of knowledge. That is

our aim. The materialistic persons, they think these are all utopian thinking

conception. Because they have no brain they are no better than animals, polished

animals. That's all. They cannot understand. In the tamo-guna. Tamasah. Tamasah.

Two: tamas and rajas. Two, these two qualities material qualities are there.

What is...? That in the Bhagavad-gita there is verse: karanam guna-sangah asya

sad-asad-janma-yonisu. Karanam. Why one is born in low-grade body? Why one is

born in high-grade body? The... What is the reason? The reason is stated in the

Bhagavad-gita: karanam. Karanam means reason. Karan am asya sangah. Karanam

guna-sangah asya. Because he is associating with some one of the three modes of

material nature. Someone is associating with sattva-guna, one is associating

with tamo-guna, one is associating with rajo-guna. So this is the reason. This

is the reason that one is getting low-grade form of body or high-grade form of

body. Karanam guna-sangah asya sad-asad-janma-yonisu.

 

Now... In another place it is also clearly stated: yanti deva-vrata devan

pitrn yanti pitr-vratah [bg. 9.25]. So karanam guna-sango 'sya. Therefore the

first-class civilization is that which associates with the modes of goodness.

That is, means, brahminical civilization. Truthful, satyam samo damas titiksa

arjava..., jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. This is

first-class civilization. People must be truthful, they must be equipoised, not

disturbed, not being disturbed by different situations. They must learn how to

control the senses. They must learn how to control the mind. Samo damas ti...

They must be tolerant, titiksa. Arjava: they must be very simple, no duplicity.

Arjava. Jnanam: they must know everything in full knowledge. Vijnanam: apply the

knowledge in practical life. Astikyam: they must believe in the Vedic

injunctions. Astikya. That is called astikya. The atheist and, and theist. The

theist believes in the Vedic injunction. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [bg.

15.15]. That is theist. Not that "I believe in God." They must believe in the

injunction of the Vedas; what is said in the Vedas, one must believe. That is

called theist. As we have given several times the example: the Vedas says that

cow dung is pure. One who believes in that, he is theist. And one who does not

believe in the words of the Vedas, they want to change, they want to

misinterpret, interpolate, they are atheists. Bhagavad-gita, anyone

misinterpreting, giving wrong interpretation, or according to his concocted

inter..., they are atheists. Theist, he'll believe all the words of

Bhagavad-gita as it is, as Arjuna believed: sarvam etad rtam manye yad vadasi

kesava [bg. 10.14]. "My dear Krsna, whatever You are speaking, without any

malinterpretation, without any change of words, I believe in it." This is theist

understanding. Not like the so-called rascal scholars: "It is not like this. It

is not like that. I think it is like this." These are all rascaldom.

 

So this is the process of civilization. Krsna consciousness means perfect

civilization, perfect advancement of civilization, according to the direction of

the Vedas. We do not concoct anything, any meaning. Just like why you are

reading this Srimad-Bhagavatam? This is the beginning of understanding

Srimad-Bhagavatam. The professional readers, they immediately jump to the

rasa-lila of Krsna. They think that Bhagavatam means that rasa-lila of Krsna.

Because it appears like ordinary boys and girls, so they like it. No. This is

the foundation of Bhagavata. The nine cantos must be thoroughly read, then one

can understand what is rasa-lila and what is Krsna. If one jumps at once to the

platform of understanding Krsna's rasa-lila or vrndavana-lila, he'll be misled.

He'll be misled. Just like so many rascals are interpreting Krsna in so many

different ways. They are thinking Krsna as ordinary human being. So when He acts

like ordinary human being, they take Him as ordinary human being -- avajananti

mam mudha manusim tanum asritam [bg. 9.11].

 

Therefore one should not jump. One should learn Bhagavata,

Srimad-Bhagavatam, as recommended by Caitanya Mahaprabhu's secretary, Svarupa

Damodara: bhagavata giya pada bhagavata sthane.(?) One who is practical

bhagavata, one who knows what is Bhagavata, what is Bhagavan. Not from the

professional reciters, who are reading Bhagavata for belly's sake. Now they are

reading Bhagavatam, and if they get more money, they can become a sweeper.

Because their consideration is money. They'll give up immediately reading of

Bhagavatam. But my Guru Maharaja used to say that it is better to become a

sweeper and honestly earn one's livelihood than to become a false Bhagavata

reader for earning livelihood. Yes. Because they'll mislead the whole public.

Nobody will improve. And actually we have seen that so many people, they're very

much accustomed to attend the Bhagavata-saptaha, but they remain in the same

darkness as they were. No improvement. That is not possible.

 

So therefore Vyasadeva has taken so much trouble to establish the

Bhagavata life in Twelve Cantos. One has to go, one after another, one after

another, one after another. Not jumping. Dasama-skandha, the Tenth Canto is the

face of Krsna. So worshiping Krsna means one should offer tulasi on the, on His

lotus feet first of all. Not jump over to the mouth or to the face. So the First

and Second cantos are the two lotus feet of Krsna. One should begin worshiping

Bhagavatam, or the sound representation of Krsna, by worshiping the First Canto

and Second Cantos. We are reading the First Canto. We are just worshiping one

lotus feet of Krsna. Then the other. Then the thighs. Gradually, you have to

rise to the face. The Tenth Canto is the face of Krsna. Don't jump over

immediately. Read it. But try to understand from the very beginning.

 

So our aim of life should be to come to the platform of sattva-guna,

goodness. Otherwise it is not possible. A, a person like Max Muller, in the

depth of rajo-guna and tamo-guna, what he can write about Vedas, and what he can

understand, Bhagavata? This is all nonsense. They are going to the translation

of Max Muller. What he'll understand Bhagavata and Vedas? He's in the rajo-guna

and tamo-guna. Therefore it is forbidden that, without becoming a brahmana,

nobody should should read the Vedic literature. It is forbidden That I have

already said several times. Without being a graduate, nobody should enter the

law college. Similarly, Vedas, they are meant for brahmanas, not for the sudras,

not for the ksatriya. Ksatriya also, they, they are, but under the instruction

of the brahmanas.

 

So this is perfect civilization. One must know his own business. Everyone

should not attempt to understand Vedic literature, remaining himself in the rajo

and tamo-guna. Kama-lobhadayas ca ye. There are many so-called sannyasis who

went to your country. He was in fully in rajo and tamo-guna. He wanted to preach

Vedanta. Therefore it was failure. Nobody can do so. So it is very clearly

stated: tamasas tu rajas tasmat sattvam yad brahma-darsanam. One must come to

the platform of sattva-guna. Therefore we have got so many restrictions, just to

keep him fit in the sattva-guna: no meat-eating, no illicit sex, no

intoxication, no gambling. If one indulges in these affairs, he cannot come to

the platform of sattva-guna, neither the things will be revealed to him. He'll

remain in the darkness. Simply by academic scholarship, it is impossible to

understand what is Vedas, what is Bhagavata, what is Bhagavad-gita.

 

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna.

 

Acyutananda: ...when should we read the Krsna book?

 

Prabhupada: Krsna book is written in such a way that everyone can read.

But the scheme is like that. To understand Krsna, one has to go through this...

The idea is that Krsna book should be read. Just like the example can be given:

sandalwood. Sandalwood, it is rubbed in the flat way. But if you rub in the

horizontal way, how, no? What is called? Standing?

 

Disciples: Vertical.

 

Prabhupada: Vertical way. It will give the pulp, but not so very easily.

But if you rub it in the horizontal way, it will give very easily. So the, if

one regularly reads the other chapters and reads Krsna, that will be very nice.

Not only "Simply I'm interested to Krsna book in the thirty-fifth..., from

twenty-ninth chapter to thirty-fifth chapter." That is not good. People

generally read those chapters. That is not good.

 

Acyutananda: If we, when we show the books to new life..., potential life

members, they go to that part. They look...

 

Prabhupada: Yes. Everyone is attracted to that. So therefore it is said:

srotra-ramo 'bhiramat. It is pleasing to everyone. But unless one becomes a

devotee -- it may be pleasing -- he cannot derive the effect. He cannot derive

the effect. As we practically see, generally, the Bhagavata reciters, they read

these chapters and they hear also, but they do not improve. They do not improve;

simply sentiment. They do not understand Krsna.

 

manusyanam sahasresu

kascid yatati siddhaye

yatatam api siddhanam

kascin mam vetti tattvatah

[bg. 7.3]

 

They do not understand Krsna in truth. Therefore they become sahajiyas.

Therefore the system is given by Lokasya ajanatah vidvams cakre

satvata-samhitam. Anartha upasamam saksad bhakti-yogam adhoksaje. Adhoksaje, the

transcendence, when one is engaged in His devotional service, the anarthas will

be vanquished. Anartha upasamam. But when we see that anarthas are not

decreasing, they're increasing, that means they're not entering. Anartha

upasamam saksad bhakti-yogam adhoksaje. Anarthas, unwanted things, unwanted

things, the so many things we have described. Sometimes we see that they cannot

give up even smoking. That anartha is not being diminished. It is increasing. So

where is the entrance? Phalena pariciyate. We have to understand by the result.

If the result is not very satisfactory, then you must know that progress is not

very nice.

 

Devotee (Syamasundara?): I've heard it said that all animals are in the

mode of tamo-guna. But then I've also heard other devotees say that a cow is in

sattva-guna. So can an animal be in the mode of goodness?

 

Prabhupada: Yes. The lion is in the rajo-guna. The cow is in the

sattva-guna. And the monkey is in the tamo-guna. So Darwin's father was monkey.

(laughter) Therefore all the followers of anthropology, they're in the

tamo-guna. What do you think, Hayagriva Prabhu? (laughter) Eh? Darwin's father,

monkey?

 

Hayagriva: That's what he claims.

 

Prabhupada: Eh?

 

Hayagriva: That's what he claims.

 

Prabhupada: He claims. Yes. (laughter) There is no doubt about it. All

right. (end)

 

Please Look At "Krsna The Resevoir of Pleasure" for a nice understandment

of Krsna Consciousness -------- http://krsnawonders.tripod.com

 

Your Humble servant,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Jaya Kesava Dasa

 

 

 

 

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© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International. Used with permission.