London, July 29, 1973

Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

saìkaro narakäyaiva

kula-ghnänäà kulasya ca

patanti pitaro hy eñäà

lupta-piëòodaka-kriyäù

[Bg. 1.41]

Translation: "When there is increase of unwanted population, a hellish situation is created both for the family and for those who destroy the family tradition. In such corrupt families, there is no offering of oblations of food and water to the ancestors."

Prabhupäda: Saìkaro narakäyaiva. When there are unwanted children, then the family tradition, the family obligation, they are all forgotten. At the present moment, nobody knows that after death there is life, and still such life is connected with the family, the forefathers and the descendants. Nothing of this science is known at the present moment. More or less, exactly like animals. That's all. An animal has no such feelings of connections. Simply the number of days he will eat. He will eat, sleep, have sex life and die, that's all. This subtle regulation of family connection is unknown at the present moment, and still they are very proud of advancement of knowledge. So unwanted children, as we have discussed in the previous... Praduñyanti kula-striyaù [Bg. 1.40]. If the woman, kula-striyaù, family... Family woman and prostitute are different. Still in India, the uncontrolled woman, or there is a class of prostitutes. They are not family women. But kula-striyaù, family women, they have got so many obligations. There is a verse that svargäpta-käma-mokñäya dharä samprati hetutä. Dharä means wife. Wife can help one to be elevated to the heavenly planets, and dharmärtha-käma, to become helpful in the matter of advancement in religious and spiritual knowledge: dharma; artha, economic development; käma, satisfying the husband for sense gratification; dharma artha käma; and mokña also, also for salvation. The wife is so important. If there is CHASTE wife, she can help the husband in these four principles of life, dharma artha käma mokña [SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ädi 1.90], dharä samprati hetutä. If we can train up nice wife, or the society trains the girls to become nice wife, she becomes a great source of energy to the husband. Dharma-artha-käma-mokñäù dharä sampra.... And if they are polluted, they become source of the saìkara, varëa-saìkara.

The exact example of varëa-saìkara is the hippies at the present moment. All over the world, not only in the Western countries but in India also. So the population, hippie population means saìkara population. So increase of such population means narakäyaiva, naraka, hellish, hellish condition of life in this life, also in the next life. At that time, to live, actually we have practically seen in recent years, especially in Calcutta, it has become a hellish life. The population, the younger generation, is so polluted, so contaminated, that you cannot safely walk in the street. Anywhere, the young boys they can encircle you and rob you. You cannot say on. The police cannot help, the government cannot help. So these unwanted children, without being trained up in the varëäçrama system, they become the cause of hellish life in this life also after death. After death according to Vedic regulations, piëòa-udaka, piëòa, offering Viñëu prasäda and water at least once in a year it is required by the family members. And according to Vedic culture, there is one month fixed up in a year when all people will offer piëòa and udaka to the forefathers. Tarpana, tarpana. Week or fortnight, for one fortnight. So the idea is that if the forefather in the family has not achieved a proper life... Sometimes due to sinful activities, too much attachment, a man becomes ghost. Ghost, there is ghosts. Bhüta preta piçäca. Not only this life, demonic life, but after death also, there are ghostly lives. They do not get this gross body. They remain in the subtle body, mind, intelligence, and ego. Due to their gross sinful life, they are punished by not getting a gross life. Because without getting a gross life, we cannot enjoy. With mind, I cannot enjoy rasagullä. I must have the tongue, I must have the hand, fingers, I can pick up, then... In the mind, I may think of eating or collecting rasagullä, but actually I do not get the taste. So gross body is required, because every living entity in this material world, they have come to enjoy. Kåñëa bhuliyä jéva bhoga väïchä kare päçäte mäyä täre jäpaöiyä dhare. This is the beginning of our material life. When we forget to render service to Kåñëa, immediately we get a material body offered by the material nature.

prakåteù kriyamäëäni

guëair karmäëi sarvaçaù

ahaìkära-vimüòhätmä

kartäham iti manyate

[Bg. 3.27]

So this gross body is required for enjoyment. Spirit, spiritual body is also very subtle, and the astral body, or subtle body, is also very subtle. The gross body required. So on account of one's severe sinful life, he does not get this gross body. Therefore the lupta-piëòodaka-kriyä [Bg. 1.41]. Taking for granted that some of my forefathers have become ghostly life and has not got the gross body, so by this piëòodaka... Piëòa means offering prasäda of Viñëu prasäda. Still in India there is a place Gayä. There is Viñëu temple, and it is a custom all Hindus... Nowadays, they do not go. They do not believe even. They have given up everything. Due to unwanted children, they don't care for it, what is family, what is piëòa-udaka. Simply eat, drink, be merry, and enjoy, that's all. But you see 5000 years, Arjuna... Arjuna was not a brähmaëa, neither a sannyäsé. A gåhastha, householder, and a, in royal order. He's on the battlefield. He's not a Vedantist. But just see how his knowledge is perfect. This is Vedic culture. One may not be a brähmaëa. Brähmaëa is very advanced. Satya çama dama titikña [Bg. 18.42]. But even kñatriyas, they are also so advanced, so advanced we can see that he is hearing Bhagavad-gétä from Kåñëa in the battlefield. How much time you can spare in the battlefield? The talk took place between the two soldiers when he was just going to throw his arrow. Çästra sampate. Just we going to... He became very compassionate: "Kåñëa, I have to kill my own kinsmen." And he's describing. He's describing, "What kind of sinful activities I am going to do." So just try to understand how much people were advanced. These Bhagavad-gétä talks took place between Kåñëa and Arjuna in the battlefield just on the verge of his beginning the battle. So how much time he could spare? Utmost, half an hour. Not more than that. So within half an hour, this Bhagavad-gétä was taught to Arjuna, and he could understand it, and then he agreed to fight. Yes, nañöo mohaù småtir labdhä, kariñye vacanaà tava. [Bg. 18.73] How much advanced he was in education and learning, just imagine. At the present moment they are reading Bhagavad-gétä years after years, big, big scholars, big, big theologians and... But they cannot understand. After reading Bhagavad-gétä, they are accusing Kåñëa as immoral. One professor in Oxford University, he is a student or professor of Bhagavad-gétä, has written book. Now his conclusion is that Kåñëa is immoral. That means he could not understand Bhagavad-gétä. Bhagavad-gétä cannot be understood by any demon or third-class man. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gétä. Kåñëa said to Arjuna that: "I am speaking to you the same Bhagavad-gétä [Bg. 4.1], science of God, which I spoke millions of years ago to the sun-god, because the paramparä is lost and I have picked up you because bhakto 'si me priyo 'si [Bg. 4.3], you are very dear friend and bhakta."

So Bhagavad-gétä is not meant for the demons or the abhaktas. The first condition is that he must be a devotee of Kåñëa. Then it will be revealed. Otherwise it is not possible. Nähaà prakäçaù sarvasya yoga-mäyä-samävåitaù [Bg. 7.25]. Na mäà duñkåtino müòhä prapadyante narädhamäù [Bg. 7.15]. These things are there. So if one is devotee of Kåñëa, he can understand Bhagavad-gétä very easily. Just like Arjuna understood within half an hour. Others, they cannot understand. In one sense, the people at that time were so educated, advanced, that they could talk about the Absolute Truth and understand within half an hour, one hour. There was no need of books in those days. People were so sharp memoried. Once heard from the spiritual master they'll never forget. With the advancement of Kali, so many things will reduce. One of them is the memory will be reduced. People will be weaker. There will be no more mercy. The brain will not be so powerful or sharp. These things are described. So we cannot even imagine what kind of brain Arjuna possessed. Another thing, this Bhagavad-gétä is part of Mahäbhärata. And the Mahäbhärata was written for stré-çüdra-dvija-bandhünäà trayi na çruti-gocaräù [SB 1.4.25]. Stré, woman, stré, çüdra and dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu means a person born in high family, brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya, at least brähmaëa, kñatriya, but he's not qualified brähmaëa or kñatriya. He's called dvija-bandhu, the friend of the twice-born. The brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya, they are twice-born. One birth is father and mother; another birth is by the spiritual master, by Vedic knowledge. The Vedic knowledge is mother and the spiritual master is the father. So the second birth. Therefore, they are called dvija, twice born. So dvija-bandhünäm, those who are not actually twice born but born in the family of dvijas. Therefore they are called dvija-bandhu, "not dvija, friends of the dvijas." Dvija-bandhu. One may become a friend of the dvija. One may become a son of a high-court judge, but that does not mean he's also high-court judge. But now they are taking: "Because my father is brähmaëa, therefore I am brähmaëa." No. That was not accepted. Your father may be brähmaëa, but if you are not qualified brähmaëa, you cannot be called a brähmaëa. You can be called dvija-bandhu. So this Mahäbhärata was written: stré-çüdra-dvija-bandhünäà trayi na çruti gocaräù [SB 1.4.25]. Woman and dvija-bandhu and the çüdras, it is very difficult for them to understand the Vedic literatures directly, because they have no advanced knowledge or education. Therefore the same thing. The Vedic knowledge was described in the Mahäbhärata. Because it is history. Everyone is interested to read history. So through history, the Vedic knowledge was imparted. Therefore, Mahäbhärata is called the fifth Vedas. There are four Vedas, Sama, Yajur, Åk, Atharva. And Mahäbhärata is fifth Veda. They are meant for this stri, çüdra, dvija-bandhu. So Bhagavad-gétä is within the Mahäbhärata. So actually it was meant for the less intelligent class of men. But, at the present moment, the highest intelligent class of men cannot understand. Just see the difference. Formerly, 5000 years, this was meant for the less intelligent class of men, and we have deteriorated so much that the so-called highest intelligent class of men cannot understand this Bhagavad-gétä. And he is posted as the professor in the Oxford University.

So this class of men are leading the society. The third-class, fourth-class men, they are leaders. Andhä yathändhair upanéyamänäù [SB 7.5.31]. So now we are talking with so many big, big persons, guests, coming daily. But actually, we can see how much the third-class, fourth-class men, practically blind, they are leading the society. That we can understand. Therefore, the social order is... Just like Arjuna is describing here, saìkaro narakäyaiva kula-ghnänäà kulasya ca [Bg. 1.41]. Who knows this? Who knows this science, that saìkaro narakäyaiva, if you produce unwanted hellish condition? Who is caring for that? The world is in hellish condition, we can perceive, but they are trying in a different way. They want to remain demons; at the same time, they want to become leaders. So at the present moment, comparing the social status 5000 years ago... According to Darwin's theory, 5000 years ago, men were uncivilized, uncivilized. Now this literature is written by uncivilized men. Just see. So highly intellectual writings, they were uncivilized. Now they have become civilized. That is Darwin's theory. We are now making progress. So Arjuna said that patanti pitaro hy eñäà lupta-piëòodaka-kriyäù [Bg. 1.41]. Piëòodaka. In Calcutta, there was a big scientist. His name was Sarpisirat. He was speaking in a, he was atheist number one, he was speaking that: "This piëòodaka, by offering piëòa, prasäda and water, it will go to my forefather. So just give me to eat downstairs whether I can eat upstairs?" This reasoning. But he does not know that how much there are different types of eating. They do not know there is eating in the subtle body also. The ghosts also, they eat. But the method is different. So even a big scientist speak like that, then how the ordinary people...? Yad yad äcarati çreñöhaù, lokas tad anuvartate [Bg. 3.21]. If the so-called advanced in education they speak so irresponsibly, naturally, others will follow. Therefore, at the present moment, the whole generation is covered with ignorance and darkness. No clear knowledge. And without clear knowledge, whatever we do... Just like in darkness, whatever we act, that is simply embezzlement. That's all. It is not very correctly understood. Therefore we have no correct knowledge, no correct activities, and, and the result is narakayaiva. So you can read next verse.

Pradyumna:

doñair etaiù kula-ghnänäà

varëa-saìkara-karakaiù

utsädyante jäti-dharmäù

kula-dharmäç ca çäçvataù

[Bg. 1.42]

Translation: "Due to the evil deeds of the destroyers of family tradition, all kinds of community projects and family welfare activities are devastated."

Prabhupäda: So jäti-dharma. Jäti, nowadays it has been taken as "national." But here, jäti-dharma means...Just like one is born in brähmaëa jäti, kñatriya jäti, vaiçya jäti, çüdra jäti. So each jäti, they have got different types of responsibilities. So when the unwanted children, irresponsible children, they do not follow any more the tradition, the family tradition, or jäti-dharma, so they create a class of population in the varëa-saìkara. So everything becomes topsy-turvy, hellish condition. And actually it has so happened. Now there is no more jäti-dharma. Everyone is engaged somehow or other to fill up the belly. Formerly, formerly there was stricture. The brähmaëas, the kñatriyas, and the vaiçyas, these three higher castes, there were certain restrictions. The brähmaëa would not do this or the brähmaëa must do this. So that is called jäti-dharma. A brähmaëa cannot accept service from anywhere. I have discussed many times. A kñatriya also cannot. And vaiçya cannot. Only the çüdra can become servant of others. Paricaryätmakaà karma çüdrasyäpi svabhäva-jam [Bg. 18.44]. So, at the present moment, nobody can observe the strict rules and regulations, that "I am born in a brähmaëa family. I cannot accept anyone's service." Then you will have to starve. Because he has no brahminical capacity... By education, by culture, he's a çüdra, although falsely he's claiming that he is a brähmaëa or kñatriya. So his jäti-dharma, family tradition, family rituals, everything is lost due to this unwanted children. Unwanted children make everything topsy-turvy. So Arjuna is visualizing all the future calamities. But there is one remedy. It is a fact that jäti-dharma we have lost. No more we can be called strictly following the jäti-dharma. No more can one present himself strictly as a brähmaëa or kñatriya. Everything is lost now, by the influence of Kali-yuga. And varëa-saìkara. So there is only one remedy, only one remedy. That is stated in Çrémad-Bhägavatam, Eleventh Canto:

devarñi-bhütäpta-nåëäà pitèëäà

na kiìkarä näyam åëé ca räjan

sarvätmanä yaù çaraëaà çaraëyaà

gato mukundaà parihåtya kartam

[SB 11.5.41]

We must admit that we have created hellish condition of society by producing unwanted children, and disobeying the jäti-dharma or kula-dharma. That one has to admit, everyone. So what is the remedy? Only remedy is to surrender to Kåñëa. Kåñëa is canvassing that: "Even you can give up your jäti-dharma, but simply surrender unto Me. I shall give you protection."

There is another verse in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam: tyaktvä sva-dharmän caraëämbujaà harer [SB 1.5.17]. Sva-dharma. Sva-dharma means jäti-dharma. So I may be born in a brähmaëa or kñatriya, so I have got sva-dharma. A kñatriya or brähmaëa has got his own regulative principles. So Bhägavata, Närada says, Bhägavata says and Närada says that if one has given up his jäti-dharma..., because Kåñëa is asking: sarva-dharmän parityajya [Bg. 18.66]. Sarva-dharma means this sva-dharma, jäti-dharma, or so many other dharmas man created for the nice keep-up of the society. Just like we create even in the modern world so many rules and regulations. Take for example that one must keep to the left. Just to keep order in the society. There are so many things. So jäti-dharma, kula-dharma is also like that. Spiritually, it has no value. It, it can help one to be elevated on the spiritual platform. But spiritual advancement does not depend on this jäti-dharma or kula-dharma. It does not depend. Even without following the rules and regulations of jäti-dharma and kula-dharma one can become advanced in spiritual life. Ahaituké apratihatä. If one is serious to become Kåñëa conscious, then all these material impediments cannot check him. Anyone can become. Sat, sat çva-paco... There is a... What is called? Mantra-tantra-viçärada, avaiñëavo gurur na syät vaisnavaù çva-paco guruù. One is very expert in jäti-dharma, but if he's not a Vaiñëava, if he's not a devotee of Lord Viñëu... Vaiñëava means visnur yasya devatä one who has accepted... There are many demigods, devatäs. So sometimes they are advised that: "If you want this result, then you worship this demigod." Just like it is said that if you want a beautiful wife, so you worship Umä. Umä, the wife of Lord Çiva, she is very beautiful. So similarly, if you want learning then you worship such and such demigod. If you want money, then you worship such and such demigod. These are there, I mean to say orders in the Vedic literature. But if you want to get relief from this material condition of life, then you have to take the shelter of Viñëu, Vaiñëava. Or the çästra says even if you have got other desires to fulfill, still you become Vaiñëava. That is the last instruction. You don't require to worship other demigods. In the Bhagavad-gétä also it is said kämais tais tair håta-jïänäù yajanty anya-devatä [Bg. 7.20]. If one is bewildered on account of lusty desires, they go to different demigods for begging some benefit. So they are håta-jïäna. Håta-jïäna means lost of intelligence. If Kåñëa is the Supreme, so suppose if you want some material happiness, can He not give you? He can give you also. So why should you bother about other demigods? Therefore, it is said kämais tais tair håta-jïäna. If Kåñëa is the Supreme Lord, so if I have got some desires, material desires... Actual bhakti means minus all material... Anyäbhiläñitä-çünyam [Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu 1.1.11]. One must be freed from all material desires. But even if you have got some material desire, still you can take shelter of Kåñëa. You don't require to take shelter of other demigods. So that is the last instruction in the Vedic literature.

akämaù sarva-kämo vä

mokña-käma udäradhi

tévreëa bhakti-yogena

yajeta puruñaà param

[SB 2.3.10]

Akäma means devotee. Devotees have no desire. They have got desire just to become devotee of Kåñëa. That is natural desire. If the son desires that: "I shall be obedient son of my father," that is natural desire. Or the son desires that: "I shall depend on my father, and I shall be happy," that kind of desire is natural desire. Similarly, if one desires that: "I shall become a devotee of Lord Kåñëa," that is natural desire. But when I desire to lord it over the material nature and forget my service to Kåñëa, that is called väsanä. That is material desire, abhiläña. So we have to give up these material desires. Then it is bhakti. Anyäbhiläñitä-çünyaà jïänaà karmädy anävrtam anukülyena kåñëa... [Bhakti-rasämåta-sindhu 1.1.11].

So even if we have violated the jäti-dharma and kula-dharma... That is a fact. We have done so. There is no denying this fact. Every one of us, we have done that. Then what is the next duty or remedy? Because we have violated everything. So that, for that purpose, in the Bhägavata gives you direction. Here is the verse: devarñi-bhütäptaà nåëäà pitèëäm [SB 11.5.41]. Pitå, pitå piëòodaka-kriyäù. So we are obliged to offer piëòa and water to the pitås. But here is an, what is called, an outlet. Devarñi, we are indebted to the devatäs. Åñis, we are indebted to the great sages. Devarñi, devarñi bhütänäm. We are indebted to so many other living entities, bhütänäm, and nåëäà. We are also indebuted to the human society. Nåëäà, pitèëäm. We are indebted to the pitås, forefather. Pitèëäm. So na kiìkarä näyam åëé ca räjan. One becomes freed from the servitude of all these personalities, devarsi-bhütäpta nåëäà pitèëäm [SB 11.5.41]. How he can become? Sarvätmä yaù çaraëaà çaraëyam. One who has fully surrendered unto the lotus feet of the Lord, çaraëyam. Çaraëyam means here is the real place where one can surrender fully. Others, if I surrender to a cats and dogs, what he will help me? Therefore they are not çaraëyam. But, by mistake, if they take shelter of such cats and dogs, what benefit they will get? Therefore çaraëyam, the worthwhile surrender is to the lotus feet of Mukunda. Therefore it is said, sarvätmä yaù çaraëaà çaraëyaà gato mukundaà parihåtya kartum [SB 11.5.41]. We have got so many duties, but in this age, we have lost everything. Therefore, our only duty is to surrender unto the lotus feet of Mukunda, Kåñëa. That will save us. Kåñëa says—it is not story—Kåñëa says ahaà tväà sarva päpebhyo mokñayiñyämi [Bg. 18.66]. "I know that you have violated your family tradition, your past regulations, everything you have done for which you are to be punished, sinful activities, but I give you assurance, if you surrender unto Me, then ahaà tväà sarva-päpebhyo mokñayiñyämi. I shall give you deliverance from all the reactions of sinful activities." Therefore at the present moment, because we have lost all culture, we have done so many sinful activities, if we want to be saved, it is, the only remedy is to surrender to the lotus feet of Kåñëa, and thus become saved.

Thank you very much. (end)

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