Verse: Srimad Bhagvatam 1.8.40
Place: Deland, USA
[Bg. 1.8.40]
ime jana-padāḥ svṛddhāḥ
supakvauṣadhi-vīrudhaḥ
vanādri-nady-udanvanto
hy edhante tava vīkṣitaiḥ
Bhakti Charu Swami: abundance. The trees are full of fruits. The rivers flowing the hills of minerals and oceans, full of wealth and this is all due to your glancing over them. Please repeat after me
repeats verse
5:40 translation by His Divine Grace Śrīla Prabhupāda you put your attention there not that/… (aside).
All these cities and villages are flourishing in all respects because the herbs and grains are in abundance, the trees are full of fruits, the rivers are flowing, the hills are full of minerals, and the oceans are full of wealth. And this is all due to Your glancing over them.
Audience repeats translation with Guru Maharaja
06:55
Śrīla Prabhupāda Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda: human prosperity flourishes by natural gifts and not by gigantic industrial enterprises. The gigantic industrial enterprises are products of a godless civilization and they cause the destruction of the noble aims of the human life. The more we go on increasing such troublesome industries to squeeze out the vital energy of the human being, the more they will be unrest and dissatisfaction of the people in general. Although a few only can live lavishly by exploitation. The natural gifts such as grains and vegetables, fruits, rivers, hills and jewels and minerals and the sea is full of pearls are supplied by the order of the Supreme and as He desires material nature produces them in abundance or restricts them at times. The natural law is that the human being may take advantage of these godly gifts by nature and satisfactory flourish on them without being captivated by exploitative motive of lording over material nature.
The more we attempt to exploit material nature, according to your own whims of enjoyment that attempt the more we shall be the more we shall become entrapped by the reactions of such exploitative attempts. If we have sufficient grains, fruits, vegetables and herbs, then what is the necessity of running a slaughterhouse and killing poor animals. A man may not kill an animal if you have sufficient grains and vegetables to eat the flow of river, the flow of river waters fertilizes the fields and there is more than what we need. Minerals are produced in the hills and the jewels in the ocean. If the human civilization has sufficient grains minerals, jewels water, milk, et cetera, then why should it hanker after the terrible industrial enterprises at the cost of the labor of some unfortunate men, but all these natural gifts are dependent on the mercy of the Lord. What we need, therefore, is to be obedient to the laws of the Lord, and achieve the perfection of human life.
By devotional service. The indications of Kunti Devi. The indications of Kunti Devi are just to the point. She desires God's mercy bestows upon them, so that natural prosperity be maintained by his grace.
00:38 repeats verse
“All the cities and villages are flourishing in all respects because the herbs and grains are in abundance. The trees are full of fruits. The rivers flowing. The hills are full of minerals and oceans full of wealth and this is all due you’re glancing.”
So, Kunti Devi’s prayers and Srila Prabhupāda’s purports are giving us a perfect example of proper prosperity in human society. And she's pointing out that this prosperity is due to Krishna’s glance. As a matter of fact, the whole material creation is due to Krishna’s glance over material nature. Otherwise, the material nature is inactive. Like material nature, matter is unable to act by itself. It is inert. Inert means it cannot act. It is just there. It is just a lump of matter, but matter becomes active or matter can move matter can become active only if there is living source, applied. So, the origin of that living source is Krishna’s glace.
Krishna glances towards the material nature and material nature becomes agitated or material nature becomes active. Maya or prakriti material nature is inert and it is unmanifest avyakta, it is unmanifest. But when Krishna glances towards the material nature, the material nature becomes active or material nature becomes manifest. avyaktādīni bhūtāni vyakta-madhyāni bhārata avyakta-nidhanāny eva.. (Bg. 2.28) so material nature avyakta. Everything here bhūtāni, unmanifest and vyakta-madhyāni bhārata, in the middle, it became manifest and then again it becomes un-manifest. Its unmanifest when Krishna glances Maha-Viṣṇu glances to the material nature's material nature becomes manifest. And as a result of that as a result of Krishna’s glance the living entities come to the material nature and these living entities sustain the material nature.
[Bg. 7.5]
apareyam itas tv anyāṁ
prakṛtiṁ viddhi me parām
jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho
yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat
This material nature is Krishna’s inferior energy, inferior energy becomes manifest or active only when the living entities come to the material nature. living entities sustain this material nature. It’s a simple consideration. We are here that’s why the material nature is here if nobody is here what will happen? Will the material nature be there, yes, the material nature will be there. but it will be unmanifest. No one will be there to witness it. No one will be there to activate it. Like all that we are seeing is due to the influence of the living energy, like we are seeing the trees. Living entities. We are seeing buildings created by living entities.
So, it is the living entities that make this material nature active the living entities make the material nature becomes manifest a dthe living entities witness the material nature. They are perceiving this material nature and Prabhupāda is also dhāryate this expression, dhāryate Prabhupāda gave another understanding of that word. Prabhupāda said exploit this material nature. What the living entities are trying to do their trying to exploit this material nature for their sense gratification. So, this is how it is due to the living entity's presence in the material nature that the material nature is manifest the living entities’ is presence is due to Maha-Viṣṇu’s glance. So, the time it becomes manifest and when Maha Vishnu withdraws his glance all the living entities go back to Maha-Viṣṇu and the material nature again become unmanifest. And then Prabhupāda is pointing out that the prosperity of the real prosperity of the human society is due to Krishna’s mercy.
Krishna’s has given us everything that we really need. But Prabhupāda is making the point. The gigantic industrial enterprises are products of the godless civilization it’s a product of the godless civilization. When people are not satisfied with the gift that Krishna has given what are Krishna’s gifts, food, foodgrains, fruits, milk, minerals, jewels, these are actually Krishna’s gifts and with them we can live, very happily but human beings are not satisfied with Krishna’s gifts. They actually, want to create their own arrangements for their sense gratification. In that respect Srila Prabhupāda actually made the point that the villages are created by Krishna and cities are created by man. Villages where people just live simply, satisfied with the gift of nature.
Yes, they make some huts and sun houses it’s not elaborate arrangement, they are just there. But when man is not happy with that, they want to create elaborate arrangements and that the product of elaborate arrangement are the cities big buildings people assemble there, all their beautiful arrangements are there so-called beautiful arrangements like big roads, big cars, big, all that. These are all created by man. Apparently, there is some prosperity as looks like nowadays we can see the more, industrially advanced.
People are more civilized there, they are considered…more human arrangements is the indication or the measuring factor. Civilization and advancement. but I remember there was one article in Back to Godhead and that article Prabhupāda mentioned in that article — you cannot eat nuts and bolts. In the factories were making you are manufacturing nuts and bolts. Like, but the thing is that if there are no grains, there is no food you can't survive on those things. You can’t eat nuts and bolts what to speak of cars and aeroplanes.
Krishna’s gift is the real prospects and the sign of real prosperity. Like there is as Prabhupāda is saying the ime jana-padāḥ svṛddhāḥ supakvauṣadhi-vīrudhaḥ, there are vegetables ripen ripe fruits and herbs. So, they are the things that we really need. Like, the food is coming from of grains, fruits, nuts, and auṣadhi, auṣadhi actually means grains. The grains and all these are the real foodstuff. And when we depend on them, then what do we do what is activity that we are involved in? To cultivate the land, to produce the food. But some people are engaged in that, but then what the civilized human beings should do, they should engage themselves in being engaged in simple living higher thinking, higher thinking. Higher thinking means think about something that is beyond this world, become absorbed in spiritual activities. Now, what is happening all these elaborate arrangements and what is the engagement? Everyone is engaged in, in employee…everyone is engaged in making money. Some people are making money by exploiting these gifts of nature and some other people are engaged in making money working for them. vaiśyās and śūdrās, vaiśyās what do the vaiśyās do? vaiśyās actually get the gifts of nature and supply where there is need and this is how they make the profit. They make their money.
The definition business is — cater to the need of society. In simple economic status is called supply and demand, demand and supply. Society has a need or demand and it is being supplied and by supplying the vaisyas make their money. But now what is happening…? In those days what was their way of doing? kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ (Bg. 18.44) by cultivation of land they would grow food. By taking care of the cows, they would get milk or milk products. So, these are the basic needs — foodstuffs and milk products. And then they would sell that would also do vanijya. Things that are not available in one place they get it.. go to some place where they are available and bring into that place. Like, spices, like gold. These are the need for the society. So. they would go to the place with the spices are available, gold is available jewels are available and they will bring them and sell them. So, this is how the trading vanijya used to take place, but now what is happening? Now, it is happening in the form of artificial... creating artificial demand and supply. They are producing things that are meant exclusively for sense gratification and they are… creating artificial demand and they are being sold and they are making money out of it.
So, and the result is that there is acute discontentment in the society. And the result is violence. There is so much violence. Because people are not satisfied. They want more, like this is the thing like, that unless you control your greed. It will keep on increasing. Because human nature is like that because the human nature is that they want to lord over the whole creation. This material nature is inferior and the living entity is superior. Therefore, it is a natural tendency for the superior to lord over or exploit the inferior.
One cannot become satisfied by this endeavor of exploding because the more he gets the more he wants. Because his natural tendency is to get everything for himself, the whole world for himself. Because it is inferior nature and he is superior. And that’s why there is conflict everybody wants everything. Everybody’s thinking he is a lord of the creation and therefore when everybody is thinking he is the lord of the entire creation what will naturally happen? There will be conflict everywhere.
Therefore, the only way to get rid of that attitude is by turning our face towards the superior nature. If we look at the inferior nature, and we feel that we are superior then will naturally try to..., but if we look at the superior nature, which ultimately leads to the Supreme Personality of Godhead then in relation to Him we become inferior not only inferior, we become insignificant and then we become peaceful. Therefore, it's a matter of just shifting our conscious from matter to spirit. Material nature to Krishna. Therefore, Prabhupāda coined this expression, Krishna Consciousness, Krishna Consciousness become conscious of Krishna. Get to know who Krishna is. He is the Supreme Creator. Therefore, He is the Supreme Lord and Master. And he is our dearmost friend. The Supreme.
Controller the supreme personality of Godhead is our dearmost friend. So, if I have a friend who owns everything will I have a problem?
[Bg. 5.29]
bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
sarva-loka-maheśvaram
suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati
When you get to know that then you get śānti real peace. This simple understanding bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ, Krishna is the Supreme Enjoyer and He is the supreme enjoyer because sarva-loka-maheśvaram he is the is the controller, he is the proprietor of everything sarva-loka-maheśvaram. Everything that we are seeing doesn’t actually belong to us. It belongs to Krishna. Krishna is the proprietor but Krishna is our dear most friend. So, when we have that understanding… therefore, we have to change our consciousness.
Instead of thinking that they are mind we have to think that they are Krishna’s. And Krishna is giving them to us Krishna is not saying that no you starve no Krishna is not saying we can see that Krishna is actually giving us everything.
But what do we do on our part we express our gratitude that oh Krishna, you are so kind. That means we are developing our consciousness in a right way. Everything that we are seeing, everything that we are getting is actually Krishna’s not mine: idam krsnāya na mama. Everything belongs to Krishna not mine.
Jaya Sri Sri Gaura Nitai ki Jaya.
It’s a very simple process. Krishna consciousness and with our business as a human being specially is to change our attitude we have to change our attitude. Instead of thinking that I am the lord and master. I have to recognize that I am the servant.
Instead of thinking that everything belongs to me we have to recognize that everything belongs to Krishna. And consideration is why should we think that everything belongs to Krishna? Then the simple consideration is because Krishna created everything.
I am claiming something to be mine because I paid the money for that. But if go you deep then you see that, I am able to get it with my money because Krishna has given it. And then ultimate consideration is even I belong to Krishna, even I belong to Krishna. arpilun tuā pade nanda kiśora we have to surrender ourselves at the lotus feet of the son of Nanda Maharaja, Krishna. Very simple process but it is but we have to develop the right attitude, we have to develop the right understanding and then only it will be possible. And this verse is very this verse form Bhagavad gita is very important. To understand,
[Bg. 5.29]
bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
sarva-loka-maheśvaram
suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati
Krishna is the enjoyer I am not the enjoyer but that doesn’t mean is not saying... Krishna is saying you should not enjoy! No, although Krishna is a supreme enjoyer is giving us everything very mercifully. So, we should accept everything as His mercy prasāda. Everything belongs to Krishna and everything is here because Krishna made the arrangement for us. Krishna sees that we need that. Therefore, Krishna has given, all those things. And even the prosperity of this world today as it was mentioning the other day that Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswati Thakur and Śrīla Prabhupāda gave a different meaning of Sankirtan. Different understanding of Sankirtan use everything in the service of, in glorifying Krishna. That is the real meaning of Sankirtan. Use everything… okay human beings have created printing press... use it! in glorifying Krishna. Industrial development has taken place, very good. It has taken place because of spreading Krishna consciousness.
Things are there, like things have developed okay has developed by Krishna’s mercy. Krishna gave them the intelligence that’s why they could invent and manufacture all those things. So, let us use them in Krishna’s service. So, Prabhupāda made that point very clear. Actually, Prabhupāda took the spirit from Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswati Thakur, that is the business of a real disciple. He understands, he understands the attitude of the spiritual master. Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswati Thakur displayed that went to Rādhā-kuṇḍa hundred years back, driving a car. Unheard of! In Rādhā-kuṇḍa people go there in order to stay there and become bābājī. Doing nothing always chanting all day.
I don’t know how many of them can chant whole day. But the... Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswati Thakur went there riding a car. Of course, he went there to see, take bath in Radha-kunda, Syama Kunda and see Govardhan, do the parikrama. When people used to think that all these things are bad. Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswati Thakur said no they also can be used in Krishna’s service. And Prabhupāda had showed that. Because man has created the ships to go across the ocean. He took advantage of that and went to America. Man have invented aero plane. So, he went 21 times around the world. But for what? For preaching. Men invented Dictaphone Prabhupāda used it to translate books. Actually, if the Dictaphone hadn’t been there Prabhupāda wouldn’t have translated so many books in such a short time.
When Prabhupāda asked me to translate his books into Bengali I was doing it by handwriting. One day Prabhupāda gave me a dictum, tape recorder and asked me to do it in that. Dictate it and let somebody else transcribe it. What he himself was doing it. And in the beginning, I found it very difficult. When you write your thoughts are more focus and the I said Prabhupāda I can’t, translate this way. “Keep trying.” Practice makes a man perfect and so this is how Śrīla Prabhupāda gave us a dynamic vision and attitude. One day I went to
Chaitanya, Chaitanya maṭha, in Māyāpura there and one sannyāsī he was a leading sannyasi there. He was just telling me that you all are living in Dwarka and we are in Vṛndāvana. His point was that you all have this opulence we are the real enjoying the mood of Vṛndāvana.
I didn't say anything because I don’t like to get into, but I was thinking that the problem is that you can understand the meaning of sankirtan. You are not in Vṛndāvana and we are not in the Dwarka we are in Navadvipa and our businesses is to preach. So, that is our business to preach and for the sake of preaching we will use everything. You are just sitting in one corner but what are you doing Mahāprabhu wanted us to preach, why don’t you go out and preach? You are saying — oh! I am in Vṛndāvana. Ok if you are in Vṛndāvana then go to Vṛndāvana and stay there and don’t go anywhere and chant. But you are not doing that.
Anyways, three is no need to get into argument, but we must recognize our own business, our business is to spread Krishna consciousness that we are not in the mood to be in Vṛndāvana in the mood of goswamis to be in Vṛndāvana to be completely absorbed in Radha Krishna’s pastimes Radha rādhā-kṛṣṇa-padāravinda-bhajanānandena mattālikau that is for the goswamis that is not for our… they have given books for us to distribute all over the world. They have given us the understanding of Mahāprabhu’s sankirtan movement and that is our business. We are, our business is just to go out and preach because that is what Chaitanya Mahāprabhu wanted in every town and village. Now if you don’t preach then how it will spread all over the world?
That is why we see Śrīla Prabhupāda the way they are seeing Vṛndāvana, we are in Vṛndāvana but Prabhupāda said — he left Vṛndāvana to come to America at the age of seventy. So, that is our way. Yeah, we will leave Vṛndāvana to go to hell to preach, that is our attitude that it is our attitude. If necessary, we will go to hell and Prabhupāda did come to hell— what is New York? Is New York any different from hell? At least you know, to us it may look like Vaikuṇṭha but to Śrīla Prabhupāda it was hell. Hell is a place where you don’t have any food to eat and nothing to drink and no place to stay.
And to Prabhupāda, to Prabhupāda that was the situation when he came to America. He didn’t know whether there will be any place and hell are the place where everyone is absorbed in sinful activities. Now is? From that perspective what does America look like? Everyone is absorbed in sinful activities. So, what we have to do? We have to give them the right understanding. Understanding that look, don’t get involved in sinful activities because sinful activities will cause you distress. Sinful activities will cause you suffering. You are trying to enjoy but you can see how you are suffering. You are suffering so much that you have to take drugs. That causes even more suffering. One thing is that by taking drugs you will have a good time. But it completely destroys their life.
So, when we take to Krishna consciousness will get a real life. Anyway, we are so fortunate and we got Śrīla Prabhupāda’s teachings, we received Prabhupāda’s mercy, Chaitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy. Mercy of all the devotees who have become engaged in serving Krishna. We are getting the association of those devotees. So, take full advantage of that and then our life will be successful. We are seeing that our life, has already become successful.
We are so much more happy now than we used to be before. So, if you continue the process then our life will become happier and happier. It is becoming happier with the passing of time. If we are, when we are properly situated, we will become happy. That is the real understanding.
Śrīla Prabhupāda ki Jaya! Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam ki jaya! Sri Sri Gaura Nitai ki jaya! Gaura Premānande, Hari hari bol!
Does anybody have any question?
Question: There was, I read somewhere that we can use a lot of things in Krishna’s service. Lot of things in Krishna’s service said Śrīla Prabhupāda wrote something and listed things that we can use in Krishna’s service and at the end Śrīla Prabhupāda also put the word missiles, and I didn’t understand why Śrīla Prabhupāda would put missiles (?)
Bhakti Charu Swami: Yes, he said, if necessary, we can even use atom bombs. You get it? But that kind of things can be used by devotees like Śrīla Prabhupāda only. What to speak of an atom bomb we don’t even use a knife besides cutting vegetables. So, there it you can use a knife to cut vegetables to be offered to Krishna, right? So, you have to know how to use it. Everything in Krishna’s service and if necessary, who knows? How can they be used? Prabhupāda, a personality like Prabhupāda knows, and we can see the nukes as you said the missiles, the nuclear missiles the rockets. Sometimes, it can be used in a constructive way. Eg. When was that Olympics in Beijing? Anyway, few years back. And one day the forecast was that there was going to be rain. Now, just consider during the Olympic games if there is rain the whole thing will be spoiled. So, you know what they did? They sent the rockets to disperse the clouds and it didn’t rain. So, even rockets can be used. They used the rockets for dispersing the clouds, clouds not crowds.
So, a pure devotee knows how you use something. I mean the point is that we should know how to use what in Krishna’s service. Then only we should use it. If we don’t know then better no to. If you don’t know how to drive a car, will you be able to use the cars in Krishna’s service? You can use it in Krishna’s service by buying it and giving it to somebody who knows how to drive. Right? So, anyway the point is all these, everything belongs to Krishna. So, everything can be used in Krishna’s service. Like, an ordinary person who is not really, not involved in preaching he wouldn’t know how to use microphones in Krishna’s service. Simple thing, but for us it’s a daily feat.
Isn't it. So, because we know how to use it in Krishna’s service. We can magnify the sound and many more people can hear it.
Any other question?
Question: Mahārāja I was thining about that verse uttaram jagat gosani (?) and I was talking to one professor it appears like when we talk about peace generally understanding there is a conflict of interest between two parties, two countries or two being and in order to bring peace, the issueshave to be addressed—what hurted them or something. So, when we redirect there that question that while it is between the Lord and you, they immediately, they respond. Ia mnot in a war with him, I am not against God or anything, but the basic understanding what I'm trying to understand when you are stressing that they are against God because they're not giving the position…
Bhakti Charu Swami: No, we don't have to go that far. The peace means the consideration of peace is internal. First, I have to become peaceful. Right, internally, then only I can think of bringing peace to others who are conflicting. You get it? Like, everyone is trying to Lord over the material nature. But, when you feel internally content, how do you feel content as it is saying? bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram Krishna is the Supreme Enjoyer and Krishna is the Supreme Controller.
Jaya Sri Sri Gaura Nitai Ki...
Then what happens? Then that tendency as you are saying the conflict the conflict is not there anymore. Right? Like I am not conflicting everybody I have accepted Krishna. Everything belongs to Krishna so result is, I am becoming peaceful. Now, you can consider I mean as you were saying that I am not in a conflict, I accept God etc. But the thing is, you may otherwise until and unless we surrender to Krishna why we are not peaceful? Because we are always trying to get more and more and more. We are always envious why others have so much why I don’t have. Right? So that is the real cause of disturbance within. Peace what is peace, what is the opposite to peace?
Devotee: disturbance?
Bhakti Charu Swami: Yeah, I mean what is the meaning of being opposite to peaceful? Agitation they are always agitated and go to the root cause of agitation. Why I am not getting what I really deserve? The whole world belongs to me why I'm not getting this whole world for myself? That is the root of agitation. But when I accept that everything belongs to Krishna and Krishna is my dear most friend. Then there is no room for agitation. So, that is real peace. Right? And others are conflicting among… why they are conflicting? Individuals are conflicting families are conflicting. Nations are conflicting, why? Because everyone from individual all the way from nation, they are all are trying to lord over the creation. America is thinking — everything belongs to me. China is thinking everything belongs to me, Russia is thinking everything belongs to me, the result is conflict.
But you know when everybody sees that everything belongs to Krishna. Then why there will be conflict? There may be conflict like there was in the battle of Kurukṣetra. Then that conflict is between those who believe that everything belongs to Krishna and those who think that everything belongs to them. Arjuna did not want to fight, he knew everything belongs to Krishna but Duryodhana was thinking, no, everything belongs to me. So, he tried to take everything away from Arjuna. Therefore, Krishna said that I gave all this to you. Why should you tolerate his nonsense that he is trying to steal everything? Just fight with him and finish him off. And Krishna is saying I have already finished them off. But I do not want to be directly involved so you do it.
You fight on my behalf I have already finished them off, you will get the victory. Similarly, we can say Krishna said, I have spreak Krishna Consciousness all over the world, but I don’t want to do it myself. So, you go and do it. So, he sent Śrīla Prabhupāda, and now Prabhupāda gave us the responsibility. You all collectively do it. So, that is what is the ultimate source of peace. And when that happens then there won’t be any conflict. Then there won’t be so many nations there will be one nation. The nation of Krishna Consciousness the nation of Krishna the nation of Vaikuntha. Ok, thank you, Hare Krishna.
Question: We have to pay the price for getting anything… unclear.
Bhakti Charu Swami: Well, what do you mean. So, well you said that for everything we have to pay price. Did you pay any price for breathing oxygen? Are you paying any price? Few years back in India did you pay any price to get water? Now, you are paying price. Right? Why are you paying price now? because some people are saying that I bottled this water if you want it then you have to pay the price. So, who is putting the price. Men are putting the price. Krishna gave everything free but some, some smart Alec is putting the price to make his own profit. Krishna is giving all the grains. Somebody is collecting the grains.
End of recording.