London, July 27, 1973

Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

yady apy ete na paçyanti

lobhopahata-cetasaù

kula-kñaya-kåtaà doñaà

mitra-drohe ca pätakam

kathaà na jïeyam asmäbhiù

päpäd asmän nivartitum

kula-kñaya-kåtaà doñaà

prapaçyadbhir janärdana

[Bg. 1.37-38]

Translation: "O Janärdana, although these men, overtaken by greed, see no fault in killing one's family or quarreling with friends, why should we, with knowledge of the sin, engage in these acts?"

Prabhupäda: So other party, Duryodhana's party, they were not considering all these pious or impious, sinful or vicious, activities. Because lobha-upahata-cetasaù: "They have lost their sense on account of greediness for acquiring the empire." When one becomes lusty or overpowered by greediness, then he loses all intelligence. There are many places stated that. Kämais tais tair håta-jïänäù yajanti anya-devatäù [Bg. 7.20]. Kåñëa says that "Those who are worshipers of other demigods..." Actually worshipful is the Supreme Lord Kåñëa. Others, they should be shown respect. But worship means for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is worshipful. Çaraëyam. He is to be taken shelter of; He is to be worshiped. That is being taught. That is religion. Man-manä bhava mad-bhakto mad-yäjé mäà namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Always thinking of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, worshiping Him, offering Him obeisances, that is Kåñëa consciousness movement. The Deity room offering obeisances, worshiping, chanting, dancing, always be engaged to offer respect and submission to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the duty of everyone. Because all living entities are by constitution eternal servant. That is their healthy position. So long they remain servant of the Supreme, that is healthy. Same example, I have given many times, that my part and parcel of the body, this finger, so long it is fit to give service to the body, it is healthy. If it cannot give service, then it is diseased. Similarly, all living entities who are not giving, rendering any service to the Lord, they are simply working for sense gratification, that is diseased condition. And in the diseased condition, nobody can be happy. That is not possible. If you have got some disease, you cannot be happy.

So that is the position. They cannot understand that by serving Kåñëa, we become healthy or in our normal position. This is called ignorance. Somebody is trying to forget Him, somebody is trying to become equal with Him. This business is going on. And nobody is submitting that "My Lord, I forgot my service. From this day, I become again Your servant. Please give me protection." Sarva-dharmän parityajya mäm... [Bg. 18.66]. This is the teaching of all çästra, all Vedas. But these people, the other party, they have become blind. They have become blind. Why? Lobha-upahata-cetasaù. They have lost their sense. Kula-kñaya-kåtaà doñam. There is a great fault by destroying dynasty. Nowadays people are destroying from the womb, abortion, contraception, destroying. They do not know. Kula-kñaya. Actually putra. Putra means, put means puà-näma-narakam. There is a hell which is called puà-näma-naraka. And tra means träyate, deliver. So putra means puà-näma-narakät träyate iti putra. The Sanskrit word for son, putra means that the son is expected to deliver the forefathers from the hellish condition of life. Sometimes due to our sinful activities, we become ghost. That is very hellish condition. So when çraddhä is offered by the putra..., who will offer? The putra will offer. That is the duty. Then he gets again material body. These are the subtle laws. People do not know. Neither they are eager to know. But these are the information we get from Vedic literature. Putra has got a duty, to save the forefathers. Therefore one has to, it is his duty to keep a putra. At least one son he must leave. But people are not very much anxious to have putra. Rather to kill putra. They are so sinful. Käma-lobha-hata-cetasaù. Simply sense enjoyment. That's all. Why bhäryä? Why one should marry? Puträrthe kriyate bhäryä. Bhäryä means wife. One accepts a wife. Why? For a putra. For a son. Why son is required? Putraù piëòaà prayojanam. Offering oblations by the putra to deliver the forefathers. That is prayojanam, that is absolutely necessary. Each and every one should leave a putra before his death. He has got so many duties. This is Vedic civilization. But nobody now cares for that. Neither it is possible. Therefore the only remedy is to surrender. Çaraëyam.

devarñi-bhütäptä-nåëäà pitèëäà

näyam åëé na kiìkara(ç ca) räjan

sarvätmanä ye çaraëaà çaraëyaà

gato mukundaà parihåtya kartum

[SB 11.5.41]

The one excuse is that every one of us, we are indebted to devarñi, devatä, the demigods. The demigods. Just like Indra. He supplies us water. Just like we are obliged to pay tax to the water department, to the fire department, to the education department, so many departments government. Or once we pay our income tax, that is distributed to so many departments. So actually why we pay? Because we are indebted. Now, the sunshine, we are getting advantage of sunshine. So we are indebted to the sun-god. Similarly, we are indebted to the moon-god. We are receiving so much advantages. Varuëa. Deva. So we are indebted to so many demigods. Similarly, we are indebted to the åñis. Just like Vyäsadeva. He has given us this Vedic literature. We are taking advantage of it. So we must feel indebted. Deva åñi, åñi. First of all, we are indebted to the devatäs, and then to the åñis, then the bhütas, ordinary living entities. Just like we are taking milk from the cow. We are indebted. "No, we are killing them." They are committing simply sinful life and they want to be happy and peaceful. Just see. We are indebted. I am obliged to you for your service. So instead of feeling obligation, if I cut your throat, how gentleman I am, just see, imagine. So we are indebted. Devarñi-bhütäpta-nåëäà pitèëäm [SB 11.5.41]. And pitèëäm, these pitå, kula-kñaya, forefathers. I have got this body... From my grandfather, my father has got this body; from my father, I have got this body. I am also indebted. Because this body, human body, is a chance for understanding, for my position. I can get out of the clutches of this mäyä of transmigrating from one body to another. So this opportunity I have got by the grace of my forefathers. These are feelings of obligation. And there is duty. Therefore Arjuna is considering so many things because he is devotee. Kula-kñaya-kåtaà doñaà mitra-drohe ca pätakam [Bg. 1.37]. "These rascals, they have become lost of their intelligence on account of greediness for acquiring the empire. But so far I am concerned," Arjuna said, kathaà na jïeyam asmäbhiù [Bg. 1.38]. Plural number: "By us." "Us" means including Kåñëa. He is saying not "I" or "by me." He is including Kåñëa: "You are in this side; so because You are on my side, You are my charioteer, if I do not consider all these things, what people will say? That 'Arjuna is such a great devotee of Kåñëa. And Kåñëa is there. He is committing such sinful activities.' " Therefore he says, kathaà na jïeyam asmäbhiù. He is dragging Kåñëa also. That is right, yes. A saintly person, a devotee, should consider all these things, before acting, "Whether I am doing it property or improperly?" This is Arjuna. The other party, lobha-upahata-cetasaù. Upahata-cetasaù. They have lost their sense. But we cannot. A devotee must be very responsible. He must act in such a way that nobody can blame him. Otherwise everyone say, "What kind of devotee he is?" So this is the duty. They should be very cautious. A sannyäsé, they should be very cautious. Caitanya Mahäprabhu said, sannyäséra alpa-chidre bahu kari' mane. An ordinary gåhastha, or... Gåhastha only, If he talks with woman nobody will blame. He is gåhastha. But if a sannyäsé talks with woman very intimately, oh, immediately people will take note of it. Sannyäséra alpa-chidre bahu kari' mane. That is the practice. He should be very cautious. So a devotee, a sannyäsé, they have got very, very great responsibility. People will very easily criticize them. So Arjuna is considering all these points. Kathaà na jïeyam asmäbhiù päpäd asmän nivartitum [Bg. 1.38]. They may indulge in these sinful activities, how we can indulge? What people will say? Kula-kñaya-kåtaà doñaà prapaçyadbhir janärdana. "He Janärdana, You are maintainer of the people. So if the people become sinful, so it is very difficult to maintain them." These things are being considered. Kula-kñaya. So we cannot destroy family. But on one condition we can become free from all this obligation. What is that? Gataù çarabyaà parihåtya kartum [SB 11.5.41]. Çaraëyam. Mukunda-caraëam. One who has dedicated his life simply to serve Mukunda, Kåñëa, Mukunda. Muk means mukti, liberation. And änanda. Kåñëa gives liberation, His name is Govinda, Mukunda. Hundreds and thousands of names Kåñëa has got. So if one has taken, fully surrendering unto the lotus feet of Mukunda, he has no more any obligation, either these pitå, devarñi, deva, devatä, demigod, åñi, bhüta. He is immune because he is transcendental. But so long one is not a devotee, one who is not fully surrendered to the lotus feet of Mukunda, he must have to follow all these regulative principles and duties. He cannot be released. Everything, account is kept. Prakåteù kriyamäëäni guëaiù karmäëi sarvaçaù [Bg. 3.27]. Everything is noted down. Karmaëä daiva-netreëa [SB 3.31.1]. According to his karma, he is going to get another body. These are the subtle laws. Therefore kula-kñaya-doñam. You cannot destroy your family. Materially, you cannot destroy your family. So Arjuna is speaking, kula-kñayaà kåtaà doñaà prapaçyadbhir janärdana [Bg. 1.38]. "We can see. These rascals, they have lost their intelligence, but when we see, how we can destroy the family?" So further explanation will be given next.

Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

kula-kñaye praëaçyanti

kula-dharmäù sanätanäù

dharme näste kulaà kåtsnam

adharmo 'bhibhavaty uta

[Bg. 1.39]

Translation: "With the destruction of dynasty, the eternal family tradition is vanquished, and thus the rest of the family becomes involved in irreligious practice."

Prabhupäda: So, so much responsibility is there, killing the family. Because they have no responsibility at the present moment, everyone irreligious. Two things are there: religion and irreligion. Kåñëa also says, yadä yadä hi dharmasya glänir bhavati abhyutthänam adharmasya [Bg. 4.7]. If we cannot keep on religious principles, then... We have to do something. Then we have to enhance our irreligious principle. So this family tradition, according to Vedic civilization, was very strictly observed so that the family may be kept in order in religious principles. Why? Now, because the human life is meant for reviving his eternal position, sanätana. This word is used here. Kula-dharmäù sanätanäù. The real purpose of life, especially human life, is meant for reviving our sanätana-dharma, sanätana occupation, eternal occupation. By observing the rules and regulations of varëäçrama-dharma, four varëas and four äçramas..., that is called kula-dharma. Brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya, çüdra, brahmacäré, gåhastha, vänaprastha and sannyäsa. Each one of them must strictly observe the rules and regulations of that particular äçrama. Why it should be observed so strictly? Because by observing the regulative principle of each stages of life, one will be able to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

varëäçramacarvatä

puruñeëa paraù pumän

viñëur ärädhyate (panthä)

nänyat tat-toña-käraëam

[Cc. Madhya 8.58]

If we observe strictly the rules and regulations of kula-dharma... Kula-dharma means if you are a brähmaëa, you must observe the regulative principles, the qualitative principles of a brähmaëa. If you are in, a kñatriya, then you must also observe the kñatriya principles.

All these are described in the Bhagavad-gétä, who is brähmaëa, who is kñatriya, by symptoms. By symptoms we have to accept whether one is brähmaëa or kñatriya or vaiçya, not by birth. That is the injunction of the çästras. So this has to be observed. If we want actually deliverance from this material entanglement, so these rules and regulations of kula-dharma, we must observe. If we do not observe, then immediately we become irreligious. Dharme nañöe kåtaà kåtsnam adharmam abhibhavati iti uta. Uta, Arjuna said, "It is said." He has learned from higher authorities. Uta, "it is said" means "said by authorities." So "If adharma, irreligious life, is propagated, on account of loss of kula-dharma, then everything is lost, my dear Kåñëa. So why shall I kill?" Other things also will be described later on, that the, when the male members are killed, the female members become widow, and they, their character becomes polluted. So many things Kåñëa will speak about this family life.

So at the present moment, there is no such family life, no consideration of religion, no consideration of irreligious life. Everything, just like animals. Kalau çüdra-sambhavaù. If not animals, they are all çüdras, nobody brähmaëa, nobody kñatriya, nobody vaiçya. So it is a chaotic condition of the human society. Therefore it cannot be revived to the original position of systematic institutional position. It is not possible. Everything is lost. Therefore by the Caitanya Mahäprabhu's grace, one thing:

harer näma harer näma

harer nämaiva kevalam

kalau nästy eva nästy eva

(nästy eva) gatir anyatha.

[Cc. Ädi 17.21]

Everything is lost. Now, simply by chanting harer näma, the holy name of Lord Kåñëa, you become again situated in the original position. Everything is adjusted because it is transcendental. So there is no other way. Caitanya Mahäprabhu is so merciful that from the çästras he has selected this process of saìkértana movement: ceto-darpaëa-märjanam bhava-mahä-dävägni-nirväpanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. The human life is meant for extinguishing the blazing fire of material existence. But we are not in regulative principles. We have lost everything, our sanätana-kula-dharma, everything. Under the circumstances, Caitanya Mahäprabhu gives us the greatest facility according to çästra. That is the boon of this age: kértanäd eva kåñëasya mukta-saìgaù paraà vrajet [SB 12.3.51]. Simply by chanting the holy name of Kåñëa, everyone becomes free from all contamination of this age, mukta-saìgaù, paraà vrajet. And he becomes so purified that he becomes fit to go back to home, back to Godhead. So this opportunity, chanting of Hare Kåñëa mantra, we should not miss. We should... We must. Where is the difficulty, Hare Kåñëa chanting? Kértanéyaù sadä hariù [Cc. Ädi 17.31]. Tåëäd api sunécena taror api sahiñëunä. This is the only savior for the human society of this age.

Thank you very much. Hare Kåñëa. (end)

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