# Pandal Speech

*Type: Lectures and Addresses Dated: November 10th 1973 Location: Delhi Audio file: 731110LE.DEL.mp3*

Prabhupāda: Mr. High Commissioner and Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you very much for your coming here, taking so much trouble to participate in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And I shall simply try to draw your attention about the importance of this movement. Importance of this movement is this, that we do not know what is the aim of life. The modern civilization, all over the world, especially in the Western world, nobody knows what is the actual problem and what is the aim of life.

That is explained in the *Bhagavad-gītā.* The *Bhagavad-gītā* says, "The real problem is *janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam* [Bg. 13.9], that birth, death, old age and disease, these are the problems." If you take birth, then you will have to die. Anyone who takes birth, he must have to die. And so long, between birth and death, there is old age and disease. Actually, these are the problems.

So far we are concerned, living entities, every one of us, that is described in the *Bhagavad-gītā, na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit:* "The living entity is never born, never dies." *Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ purāṇo na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre* Bg. 2.20 = "The living entity is eternal, ever-existing and very old, and," *na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre,* "it does not die after the annihilation of this body." But the modern civilization, they are thinking that "This body we have got somehow or other, a lump of matter, and so long we have got this body, let us enjoy life, sense gratification." This is atheistic theory.

In our country there were atheists also. Just like Cārvāka Muni. According to his philosophy, he says, *ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet.* Because in our country, India, life is enjoyable when we get to eat too much *ghee.* You see? *Pakhika anna*[?]. That is enjoyment. Just like in Western countries, if they can eat..., if they can drink more, that is life's enjoyment. In our country, of course... So *ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet.* If somebody says that "I have no money," so Cārvāka Muni says that "You take loan from your friend and purchase *ghee* and enjoy life." *Ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet yāvaj jīvet sukhaṁ jīvet.* "So long you will live, live happily. Why... Make beg, borrow, steal and live happily." "No. I shall be responsible. I shall have to pay next life." Cārvāka Muni says, "No, no. Don't bother about next life." *Bhasmī-bhūtasya dehasya kuto punar āgamano bhavet:* "Your body will be burned in the crematorium. That finished. That's all."

This foolishness is there, that this life... We do not know that this human form of life we have got by the evolutionary process, going through so many lives. Just like in our present life we can understand that I have come to this body, old body, through child's body, boy's body, youth's body, in this way. That is explained in the *Bhagavad-gītā.* It is not manufactured.

> dehino 'smin yathā dehe
> kaumāra yauvanaṁ jarā
> tathā dehāntara-prāptir
> dhīras tatra na muhyati

Bg. 2.13

You have to accept this, *dehāntara-prāpti,* from one body to another. Where is my childhood body? That is gone. Where is my boyhood body? That is gone. Where is my youthhood body? That is gone. Not only for me, for everyone there is past, present and future. Similarly, when this body will be gone, I will get another body. Where is the difficulty to understand? *Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati. Dhīra.* Because we are not sober... There are two classes of men = *dhīra* and *adhīra. Dhīra* means sober, thinking, thoughtful, and *adhīra* means restless. So with restless brain, it is difficult, but if you have got sober brain, then there is no difficulty to understand that "I am eternal. I was in the child's body, I was in the baby's body, I was in the boy's body, I was in a young man's body. Now I have got a different body. I am living *asmin dehe.*" *Dehino 'smin yathā dehe.* It is very easy to understand, but Kṛṣṇa says, *dhīras tatra na muhyati:* "Those who are sober, they can understand."

So people cannot understand. That means the modern civilization is not sober. It is just like cats and dog. You cannot make a cat and dog sober to understand the philosophy of life. They have degraded so much. That is described in the *śāstra. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke* SB 10.84.13. *Ātma-buddhiḥ,* thinking, "I am this body." "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am *brāhmaṇa,*" "I am black," "I am white," "I am fat," "I am thin," "I am this." No, no. You are not this body at all. That is knowledge. That is knowledge. Knowledge begins when you understand that you are not this body. That is the beginning of knowledge. Otherwise, "I am this body," this knowledge is there in the cats and dogs also. The dog also jumping, because he is thinking, "I am very nice dog" or "nice cat."

So *śāstra* therefore says, *yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke* SB 10.84.13. This body is a bag of three elements---*kapha, pitta, vāyu*---according to *Āyurveda* system. This physiological condition, anatomical condition of this body, is made of *kapha, pitta, vāyu.* So it is a bag of *kapha, pitta, vāyu,* or flesh, bones, blood, urine, stool and mucus. If you dissect this body, you will find. Do you mean to say combination of these things can make a life, so nice brain? If you are so competent, then take these ingredients, bones, flesh. They are easily available in the slaughterhouse. Make a good brain. But that is not possible. They simply speak, but it is not possible. Therefore this body is not the... Moving spirit soul, that is different.

Therefore *śāstra* says, *yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhiḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhiḥ.* And as soon as you take this body, that "I am this body," then, in bodily relation... Because a woman has got bodily relation, "She is my wife," and the children born out of the womb of that woman, "That is my children..." *Sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ* SB 10.84.13. *Bhauma* means the land where we live or where this body is produced. That is worshipable. That is called nationalism. *Bhauma ijya-dhīḥ. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ, yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicit.* And *tīrtha,* holy place... Just like people go to Vṛndāvana, Haridwar. *Salile.* They take bath in the Ganges and the Yamunā, and they think that "Now we have finished our *tīrtha.*" No. *Tīrtha* is not that. *Tīrtha* means we have to find out sober person to take instruction from him.

So people who are not interested to the sober man and lives like this, that "I am this body, and the bodily productions or relation, they are my own men, and if I go to holy place, take bath and then come back..." No. *Śāstra* says, "No." *Yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janeṣu abhijñeṣu.* You must approach *abhijñaḥ* person. That is the meaning of pilgrimage. As the *Vedas* says, *tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet, śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham* [MU 1.2.12]. You must find out a sober man or *guru,* so that he can instruct you, he can deliver you from ignorance of life.

So you'll find in this *Bhagavad-gītā,* when there was talks going on between Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa, friendly talks... Arjuna was speaking, "Let them enjoy this kingdom. I don't want to fight with my own men." That was his decision. Kṛṣṇa said, "No, no. This is not your duty. You are a *kṣatriya.* Now you are in the battlefield. You must fight." In this way, ordinary topics were going on. But when Arjuna saw it very difficult to understand, "Whether I shall fight or not fight?" he accepted Kṛṣṇa as *guru.* Because he thought that "Friendly talks will not make solution. Let me accept Kṛṣṇa as my..." *Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam* Bg. 2.7. *Prapannam:* "I surrender unto You. You are my *guru.* Now You are not my friend; You are my *guru.*" Because a disciple cannot disobey the *guru.* A friend can disobey. Kṛṣṇa is asking to fight. As a friend, he was disobeying. But if a *guru* says that "You must fight," then you cannot disobey. Therefore he accepted, *śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam.*

So actually we are all in the ignorance. The same formula:

> yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke
> sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma idya-dhīḥ
> yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij
> janeṣu abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ

SB 10.84.13

*Go-kharaḥ. Go* means cow, and *khara* means ass. This is the verdict of the *śāstra,* that "If anyone is in the bodily concept of life, he is no better than the animal *go* and *khara,* ass and cow."

So this ignorance, when this ignorance prevails, that is called *dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata.* Kṛṣṇa said, *yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata* Bg. 4.7. When people are become like cats and dogs, the bodily concept of life, and working whole day and night without any spiritual understanding, without the aim of life... So this human life is not meant for that purpose. This is the mistake. It is not that the dogs and cats are eating in a different way. Now we eat in a nice table, in nice plate, and very nicely dressed, and you are eating... But the eating process is there. Either you nicely eat or wrongly eat, but you have to fulfill your bell[y] and satisfy your hunger. That is not advancement of civilization. To eat nicely, to sleep nicely, to defend nicely and to have sexual life nicely, that is not advancement of civilization. *Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca sāmānyam etat paśubhiḥ narāṇām* [*Hitopadeśa*]. Sexual intercourse with beautiful woman and sexual intercourse with the female dog, the pleasure is the same. That is not advancement of civilization. Advancement of civilization is *ātma-tattvam. Ātma-tattva.*

That is explained in the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām. Śrotavyādīni rājendra* SB 2.1.2. Mahārāja Parīkṣit asked Śukadeva Gosvāmī, "Now I am going to die. What is my duty? What I shall hear from you?" So at that time Parīkṣit Mahārāja..., yes, Śukadeva Gosvāmī said, "My dear King," *śrotavyādīni, nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ, apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām,* that "Those who are *gṛhamedhī...*" *Gṛhamedhī* means has made the home, country, society, family as the only means of advancement. They are called *gṛhamedhī.* But there is another word, what is called *gṛhastha āśrama. Āśrama. Brahmacārī āśrama, gṛhastha āśrama, vānaprastha āśrama, sannyāsa āśrama. Āśrama.* As soon as... Any common man can understand. As soon as we say *āśrama,* there is some spiritual idea. *Āśrama.* Here is a *āśrama.* So *gṛhastha āśrama* is different, and *gṛhamedhī* is different. *Gṛhamedhī* means one who does not know what is the ultimate goal of life, and living like... Cats and dogs also, they live with their children, wife. They also find out food. They also try to defend, protect. Simply with these ideas if we live, that is called *gṛhamedhī. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam* SB 2.1.2.

Therefore our *Vedānta-sūtra* is there to give enlightenment. As our student Śrīman Pradyumna dāsa Adhikārī said, *athāto brahma jijñāsā.* This life is not meant for wasting time like cats and dog. Because after all, we have to give up this life. But before giving up this life, we must gain something. That is described in the *Upaniṣad = etad viditvā yaḥ prayāti sa brāhmaṇaḥ* [*Gargopaniṣad*]. We'll have to die, like cats and dogs, but we have got the chance to understand what is the value of life. The cats and dogs have no chance. So simply if we waste our time like cats and dogs and do not know what is the aim of life---*sa kṛpaṇa. Etad viditvā yaḥ prayāti, aviditvā yaḥ prayāti sa kṛpaṇaḥ.*

There are two things = *brāhmaṇa* and *kṛpaṇa. Kṛpaṇa* means miser. A person who got this valuable body... Just like if you get millions of dollars, if you do not utilize it, if you simply see in the treasury that you have got so much money, then you are *kṛpaṇa.* It is practical. But if you utilize that money and instead of one *crore* you make ten *crores,* then you are called intelligent. Similarly, if we think that "I have got this human form of life, better standard of eating, sleeping and mating," then you remain *kṛpaṇa.* You could not utilize it. But if you know in this life, which is possible, "What is the value of this life? What is Brahman? What I am? What is my connection with Brahman? Why I have come here? Where I shall go again? Why I am put into the miserable condition of life? I do not wish to die. Why death is enforced upon me?" this is called *brahma-jijñāsā,* inquiry, "Why?" Therefore there is a *Kena Upaniṣad,* "Why?" Unless this "why" inquiry comes in the human body, then he is failure. *Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam* SB 5.5.5. Whatever we are doing, we are being defeated, because we are doing everything in ignorance. "I am this body. This is my country. This is my kinsmen." And in this way I die like cats and dog.

So Kṛṣṇa says, *yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, abhyutthānam adharmasya...* Bg. 4.7. *Adharmasya.* What is that *dharma?* Kṛṣṇa says,

> paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ
> vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām
> dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya
> yuge yuge sambhavāmi

Bg. 4.8

So what is that *dharma? Dharma,* it is said, *dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam* SB 6.3.19. *Dharma,* the simple description of *dharma* is "the codes which are given by God." It doesn't matter whether you are Hindu, Muslim or Christian or any. Everyone, any civilized man has got some religion. Because *dharmeṇa hīna paśubhiḥ samānāḥ.* If you haven't got..., not religion... It doesn't matter whether Hindu religion, Muslim religion. You must have some religion. Religion means to understand God. That is religion. Religion does not mean I manufacture something. No. You cannot manufacture religion. Religion means... Just like you cannot manufacture laws. Law is given by the state, by the government. Similarly, religion means the codes, the orders given by God.

Therefore you must know what is God, what is His order and how to carry out it. Then you will be success..., your life is successful. Otherwise, just like the cats and dogs, they do not know how to carry out the laws of the state. Of course, they are excused. The "Keep to the right," "Keep to the left," the cats and dogs, they can violate. Law is not meant for the cats and dogs. Law is meant for the human being. Therefore the cats and dogs, if they violate the codes of God, the law of God, they can be excused because they are animals. But a human being, he has got the developed consciousness. If he does not utilize this body for understanding, "What is God? What I am? What is my relationship with God? How to act? Wherefrom I have come? Where to go..." There are so many questions. That is called *brahma-jijñāsā. Athāto brahma jijñāsā.*

This life is meant for *brahma-jijñāsā.* Now, where to *jijñāsā?* That is called Vedic injunction = *tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet* [MU 1.2.12]. *Tad-vijñānārtham.* In order to understand that transcendental science, one must have to go to the bona fide *guru.* And who is *guru? Guru* is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. And anyone who represents that Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is *guru. Guru* means representative of *guru,* er, God. Therefore according to Vedic *śāstra, guru* is worshiped like God. This is... Just like my disciples, they have given this seat and..., almost equally with God's seat. That is injunction. *Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ. Guru* should be worshiped as God, but *guru* will never claim that he is God. That is not *guru. Guru* will always claim that he is servant of God. Because the *śiṣyas* worship him as... *Śiṣya... Guru* does not say that "You simply worship me." He directs that "You worship God." But because one gets God's connection through *guru,* therefore *guru* is worshiped as God.

Just like in our country there was viceroy. He was given the same respect as the king because he is representative of..., the royal representative. Similarly, *śāstra* says,

> sākṣād dharitvena samasta-śāstrair
> uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ
> kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya
> vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam

This is the offering obeisance to *guru. Guru* is described as respectable as the Supreme Personality of God. *Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyāt* SB 11.17.27. The Supreme Personality of Godhead says that "*Ācārya* should be accepted as I am." And in the *Bhagavad-gītā* it is said, *ācāryopāsanam. Ācāryopāsanam.* So therefore we have to receive the knowledge in the disciplic succession of *ācārya.*

That is also described in the *Bhagavad-gītā = evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ* Bg. 4.2. *Rājarṣayaḥ.* This knowledge, they were understood by the *rājarṣi. Rājarṣi* means king, at the same time, saintly person. Not the king and robber, *dasyu-dharma,* imply exacting taxes, "Come on, give me tax, and you go to hell." That is not king. That is not government. It is government's duty to make... The government should be Kṛṣṇa conscious, and it is government's duty to see that everyone is Kṛṣṇa conscious or God conscious---you say "Kṛṣṇa" or "God"; it doesn't matter. If you think that "Let the people go to hell. It doesn't matter. Bring taxes and let us enjoy, and you go to hell..." It is very horrible condition.

So everywhere this is going on; therefore there is necessity of awakening this God consciousness of the people. It is not a childish thing or sentimental fanaticism. It is real science. Because this human life is meant for understanding, "What I am," *ahaṁ brahmāsmi.* "I am not this body; I am spirit soul." *Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati* Bg. 18.54. If you can educate people to become *brahma-bhūta,* then *prasannātmā,* he becomes happy, jolly.

Just like these American boys, American girls, they were many, many times in better condition of life. Now they are wandering with me. What can I give them? I cannot give them nice food. I cannot give them nice shelter. Neither I have money. They are coming. They are all rich men's sons, but they are after me. Why? *Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā.* They have got something. They are feeling obliged, that "Bhaktivedanta Swami has given us something." That is... Therefore they are after me.

So this is the Brahmā cond..., *brahma-bhūta ātmā. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā.* That is the sign. "I have become Brahman. I have become Nārāyaṇa." No. If you are *prasanna,* if you are always joyful, then it is to be understood that you have realized Brahman. *Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati.* There is no *śocana.* Here in the material world I have got something. If I lose it, I cry, "I have lost, I have lost, I have lost." And if I do not possess, then *kāṅkṣati,* "I must get it. I must." These two businesses are going on. But when you become *brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā,* these two things will go away. *Na kāṅkṣati, na śocati.*

And *samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu:* equally seeing all living entities. *Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ* Bg. 5.18. That because... *Brahma-bhūta* means he is learned scholar, *ahaṁ brahmāsmi,* self-realized; therefore he has no such distinction that "Give protection to the human being and send the poor animals to the slaughterhouse." Equality. What equality? What the poor animals have done that you are sending them to the slaughterhouse? Is that civilization, this rubbish civilization, maintaining hundreds and thousands of slaughterhouse?

So simply speaking "love," "fraternity..." Where is your fraternity? Where is your love? This cannot be possible. This may be big talks only---but to be understood by the nonsense. Unless you become *brahma-bhūta,* self-realized, Kṛṣṇa conscious, God conscious, these things are only stories. It is not possible. This is the description in the *Bhagavad-gītā*.

> brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
> na śocati na kāṅkṣati
> samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
> mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

Bg. 18.54

Then he becomes a devotee. To become devotee is not so easy thing. Not so easy thing. People think that devotion is a sentiment. No. It is not sentiment; it is a great science. It is a great science to become fully satisfied. Fully satisfied. And Kṛṣṇa says,

> bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
> sarva-loka-maheśvaram
> suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
> jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati

Bg. 5.29

This is the process of *śānti. Bhoktāraṁ.* Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer. We are after worshiping Kṛṣṇa. That is our business. Wherever we go, we install this Kṛṣṇa Deity and we work for Kṛṣṇa, we print books for Kṛṣṇa, we distribute books for Kṛṣṇa, we beg everyone to become Kṛṣṇa's *bhakta.* Therefore it is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We have no other business than Kṛṣṇa. As Kṛṣṇa says, *sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja* Bg. 18.66. We are doing that. We have no other business. Simply Kṛṣṇa. Why? *Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam* SB 1.3.28. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa says in the *Bhagavata, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya* Bg. 7.7 = "I am the Supreme."

> ahaṁ sarvasya prabhava
> mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate
> iti matvā bhajante māṁ
> budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ

Bg. 10.8

Only the learned scholars can worship Kṛṣṇa. Only the learned scholar, self-realized soul, can understand *Bhagavad-gītā.* Not by the politicians and the so-called scholar. No. It is not possible.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very important movement. We appeal to the sober class, *dhīra,* not the *adhīra.* We also accepting *dhīra* and *adhīra* by the mercy of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, by the mercy of the Gosvāmīs. *Dhīradhīra. Dhīra* and *adhīra.* Just like these boys and girls, they were *adhīra.* Now they are *dhīra. Adhīra. Adhīra* means without any responsibility, doing all nonsense. Actually they are rich men's..., nation's sons and daughters. They are doing ev..., but now they have become *dhīra:* "No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling." "Yes, sir." This is *dhīra.* You are already intoxicated. You are already illusioned in this material world. If you still go on drinking, where is the possibility of knowledge? You must have sober brain to understand.

So this is going on. Therefore my appeal to all the sober men = to understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and join it for the benefit of his personal self, for the benefit of his country, for the benefit of the whole human society.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Guests: Haribol [applause]. [end]