Обзор ШБ.3.29. Лекция 3 (перевод)
Bhakti Vijnana Goswami · Vrindavan · 2019
Chapters
Practical guidelines for performing devotional service
Naraynam Namaskrita. Narom-Caiva Narotamam. Namo Visnupadaya Krishna presthaya bhotalesrimate bhakti vidanta svamini tinamini. Namaste sarasvati devi bhoravani pracarine нирвешеся шимнявадипашчатя-дыр-сетарины. Hare Krishna.
So, are reading the twenty ninth chapter of the Third Canto of Shimabhaga to Explanation of Devotional Service where Lord Kapiladel gives very practical guidelines of how to perform devotional service or bhakti, so that it ultimately will bring us to the highest possible platform.
The pure devotional service which is Ahaituki and Avyavahita, which is totally causeless and does not have any impediments or are totally uninterrupted.
This flow of devotional service is being produced by certain practices which constitute Bhagavad Dharma as we learned yesterday.
And we studied 14 different items of sadhanas or Bhagavad Dharmas which ultimately will develop the consciousness of the living entity. At this moment our consciousness is covered by kam.
Kama or lust is a thick covering over the consciousness. Kāma eṣa krodha eṣa rajo-guṇa-samudbavaḥ. So this jñāna or consciousness, āvṛtam is being covered by this kāma or selfish desire.
Desire to enjoy, desire to enjoy independently. And that's basically ignorance. Because of the desires which is tantamount or synonymous to kāma or selfish desire or lust.
We don't have love and the love is being exchanged into the envy. And Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is teaching us how to develop love.
Overcoming envy and avoiding devotional offenses
And ultimately all these items which are listed in this chapter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam which we read yesterday is the aids or hints or practices how to develop love and how to get rid of envy.
But at the same time, even though the pure devotional service is on the platform of aviśinna, it doesn't have any interruption or avyavahitā, there is one vyāvahita.
Vyāvahita means blockage, something which blocks the power of devotional service and that blockage which basically eliminates the power of devotional service or diminishes the power of practices of devotional services, offenses.
And therefore after explaining the practices which we should do or the sādhanas, Kapila Deva starts explaining to us the danger of offenses and how to counteract offences, how to avoid offences and what we should do to counteract offences.
Because we do have envious nature. This envy is very deeply rooted and we have to do something to accrue this envy otherwise the love will be stunted or will not develop properly.
And we started yesterday learning this or studying this section which starts from the verse 21 and goes on for quite some time because up to the verse number 35 this is all basically the same topic.
And the main point of this topic is that to counteract this envy which is there within our heart we have to educate ourselves to see that the Lord is present in every living entity.
We more or less have to force ourselves to see this. We have to know it theoretically and then we have to apply it in practice or you know train our eyes to see the Lord in every living entity.
Otherwise the avajñā or contempt, haughtiness towards other living entities, pride is practically inevitable. This is being explained by Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī in Bh bhakti-sandarbha.
Tan mama avajñayā teṣām avajñayā, tad-adhiṣṭhāna-kasya mamaivāvajñāṁ kṛtvertyartha. So basically what he says that to avoid avajñā we have to see that every living entity is adhiṣṭhāna or the sitting place of the Lord.
It's common practice in human society that the sitting place is being respected as the representative of somebody who sits on this.
Like for example the king sits on the throne and if you kick the throne it's a very, you know, root disrespect towards the king. The throne is being respected on the same level as you respect the king.
In Russia when there was this revolution, when all the navies invaded the palace of Russian king.
The first thing which they did, of course the king was not there, but the first thing which they did, they sat on his throne. Just to show who is the main here. So, and basically that's what Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī explains.
Tad-adhiṣṭhāna, you have to look at other living entities as the sitting place of the Lord and deal with them accordingly.
Like for example, you know, if we sit in a car and somebody comes to the car and kicks the car, we will be very offended, right? It's not me, but it's my sitting place. But that's the point which we have to understand.
Ultimately, you know, the sitting place has something to do with somebody who sits inside. And therefore we have to educate ourselves to see every living entity as the sitting place of the Supreme Lord.
And later we will study this. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī gives a very interesting twist to the whole idea and he explains the effect of this behavior. But anyway, let's go word by verse.
We read yesterday the verse 21 which is Avagya. It's also very important in this verse. Let's read it again. Aham Sarveshu Bhut Eshu Bhut Atma Vasti Takh Sadan Tadavaguya Mammartiya, Kurote Rca Vidambanam.
So Lord Kapila says that I'm sitting in everyone's, in every living entity. Aham Sarveshu Bhut Ishu Bhut Atma Avastita. I am ātmā or Paramātmā in every living entity, sadā constantly. Tamaghya Yamam Martyah.
He says if any Martyah or mortal human being. It's very important, please make note of it. He calls here human being as Martiya or fallible being, fallible entity.
And he says if this Martiya or mortal living entity, living being develops disrespect or avagya, some neglect to other living entity or haughtiness towards other living entity.
Then kuruta archa vidambanam, then his worship of archa becomes pretense, becomes hypocritical. It's not really worship. So why does he say mārtya? Why does he say mortal living entity? Because
everyone dies and because everyone has this Avajya to all others. And as we said yesterday, this is the lowest and most innocent manifestation of our offensive nature.
We're all offensive, but offensiveness grows as much as cancer has four stages, right? The first stage, second stage, third stage and fourth stage. So offensiveness also has four stages according to Lord Kapila.
And the first stage, mārtya, it makes you mortal. It more or less fixes you in this mortal plane of existence. So it's bad, it's bad enough, but still it's quite innocent because I mean everyone is equal in this regard.
It's not so bad.
Four progressive stages of devotional offenses
So, next we discussed in detail yesterday this verse, so let's read the next verse. Hittvarcham Vajate Maudhya Vasmanye Vajukhoti Saham.
One who worships the deity of God yet in the temples, but does not know that the Supreme Lord as Paramatma is situated in every living entity's heart must be in ignorance and is comparing to one who offers ablations into ashes.
So here the quality of somebody who manifests the next stage, second stage of offensiveness is called moḍhyāt. Moḍhyāt means he's a fool, very ignorant person, very dull person, moḍhyāt.
So one is Martyah, which is okay, which is not so bad.
If your ignorance becomes even more pronounced, if you're more covered, if your consciousness is more covered by the mode of ignorance, you become fool, and becoming fool the next stage is upekṣā.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura indicates that these four stages of offensiveness is avajñā, upekṣā, next dveṣa and next is nindā or avamāna, avamānanā ca. Criticism. Dveṣa means hatred.
So first is avajñā, some sort of neglect. Upekṣā, it's also neglect, therefore in this book they're grouped together. But in reality it's the next stage of ignorance and it's basically when you ignore other people.
When become you so egoistic and so self-centered that basically you can't care less about other people.
You only exploit other people, you only see when you need to see them, when you need something from them, otherwise you just ignore them. You don't really care about other people at all.
And that's a higher stage of offensiveness, therefore it's called here moḍhyāt. Moḍhyān means, as I said, fool.
And Kapila says if somebody manifests this sort of attitude towards other living entity, if he is really openly neglectful or ignoring other living entities as if they don't exist.
Sometimes we know somebody who we know goes through us or sees through us, doesn't see us. And we feel very offended because we feel as if we don't exist. And in reality it's like this.
He looks at us and he doesn't see us because he's so self centered. It's very offensive sort of attitude.
Why in a civilized human society when we see somebody we have to at least not the head, you know, at least not or at least, you know, say hello, say something or Hare Krishna or Harebol or whatever.
Better of course is to offer the full respect, but at least we have to recognize that he exists.
So, the second stage of offensiveness is when we don't recognize that somebody else exists. And we only use him as if he is a non living entity, as if he is somebody, you know, just one object, not subject.
And Lord says that in this case, in the first case his worship is pretense. In the second case his worship is completely useless. What it really means? It means that such a person will worship the Lord.
He will not get any result from his worship of Lord because the Lord says: Ieyat hamam propadentet apstathamya bajamyaham. How he relates to me, I relate to him.
He doesn't see me existing in every living entity, so I don't see him. You know, he doesn't exist for me because nobody else exists for him. I don't exist for him so he doesn't exist for me.
They sit there, if you go to this wall you see the row of Jews who just go like this and they pray and pray and pray and pray for hours and hours and hours because this is something which is very sacred.
So, one Jew lived two hundred and twenty years and he was worshiping the Lord by this wall, you know, for hundred plus years, you know, every day he was worshiping, worshiping, worshiping, you know, doing like this, like this, like this.
And ultimately, you know, he was interviewed, A journalist came to him and said, you know, how do you feel, you know, by worshiping the Lord for so long? You know, sitting by this wall?
He said, yeah, I feel like sitting by the wall. The same reciprocation is there, as if I'm just sitting by the wall. So, that's exactly what Lord Capiludev says here.
If somebody develops this attitude or this stage of offensiveness, the Lord neglects him because he's neglectful.
He does not want to recognize that the Lord is existing in everyone's heart and therefore he doesn't get any reciprocation and therefore ultimately he loses his face.
This is what Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī explains when he explains how the offensiveness or offenses affect our consciousness. He says first is Kautilya, first result is Kautilya, second result is Ashradha.
Āśraddhā means you don't believe in Lord, even if you see the Lord, even if you see some extraordinary manifestation of supernatural powers of the Lord, manifested by the Lord himself or by other devotees, you will not develop faith.
And he gives the example of Duryodhana. Krishna showed his universal form to Duryodhana. And Duryodhana said: Hey, yes, I'm a mystic yogi whatever. No problem for him. So, that's āśraddhā. And you become dull.
You're dull from the beginning, you become even more dull as a result of it.
So, that's the second stage of offensiveness and the second stage of neglect and therefore Lord Kapiladeva uses the different words for such a person and different descriptions of his behavior.
Śrīla Prabhupāda doesn't make a very clear distinction in his purports and I was thinking why he does not specify this.
But basically what Śrīla Prabhupāda does in all these purports, he says, he stresses very much the distribution of prasādam, the mercy towards other living entity.
Probably because he knows that we are very grossly offensive, all of us. And we have to do something by manifesting some mercy.
You know, this fine distinction which is there is important for us to understand, to avoid offensiveness. But ultimately we have to avoid it altogether, all four stages.
So anyway, that was the second stage of offensiveness.
Enmity and hatred in third stage offenses
The third stage of offensiveness is described in the next verse, verse number 23, which is Dvesa and therefore this verse starts with the word Dvishatach hateful, very envious person, hateful person. Dvisatha parakai e mam. The one who is hating me in other bodies. Mam parakai in the bodies of other people.
Manino bhina darsinaha. Bhoteeshu vadhavai rasyan. Namanag shanti mrickhati.
So this dvesi or hateful person is described in this verse by two synonyms. Bhinadarshina. Bhina Darsinah as we know is somebody who sees the differences between living entities or who is devoid of mercy, who does not really understand the...
What happened? Who does not really understand the feelings of other people, who is so dull that he becomes completely senseless, very cruel person. Therefore he is Okay, yeah.
Therefore he is Bina Darcy, he is called Bina Darcy. And just one second. I just wanted to find something. Okay. Anyway, no. It's not here. Okay.
And the second point which is the second synonym to this person which is here Bhavairasya. Silojivigaswami Bhavairasya means one who is inimical. He's actually bound by his enmity toward other living entities. He cannot do anything.
He just looks at others and he feels enmity. His ignorance is so thick and so pronounced. So, Silojivuga Swami gives different very interesting explanation of this Bina Darsinaha.
He says Bina Darsinaha literally means the one who sees every living entity differently from himself.
He says Bina Darsinaha means somebody who doesn't see the context or somebody who doesn't see the unity between the living entities. That we're all connected.
He doesn't understand that we ultimately are one big unified system. And it's not that all the units of this system are separate. We're all connected with each other. He doesn't see the context.
He doesn't understand this Sambhandhajn. Sambandajn means the context, broader context of the existence.
So this is Bina Darsinaha, the selfish person who who just just wants to separate himself and it's fine if I'm fine everything else, let it go to hell. That's basically the attitude.
And Lord Kapil Dev gives the result. What happens as a result of such an attitude? Namanath shantim richati. Such a person never has peace in his mind. He always lives in this inimical environment.
And if you live in a very inimical environment, can you be peaceful? Because you see enemies everywhere.
You develop this enmity, this enmity is inside you, but because it's inside you, you project this enmity outside and you see everyone as enemies and everyone becomes inimical to you because the reciprocation works and you live in this very hostile environment. And can you be peaceful in a hostile environment?
You will never be peaceful in a hostile environment. So naturally this result comes. This person becomes very disturbed all the time. You know, I personally know such people unfortunately.
You know, when they explain to me, they happen to be my disciples, when they explain to me their vision of the world, it's really amazing. They see this is the enemy, this is the enemy. Everyone is enemy.
And they're always, always disturbed because they see so many enemies and everyone is an enemy out of them. So this is what happens. This is the result. So Lord Kapiladeva, he basically begs us, don't do it!
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says that Lord Kapiladeva, he pronounces these verses in very angry mood. Angry mood. He says, you know, his worship is useless and he doesn't have any peace and this and that.
Just to impress upon us. This is a loving anger towards the devotees. He's just basically warning us: Please don't do it! Please don't do it! Don't do this foolishness.
So this is the third degree of this disease of envy or this cancer of offensiveness which ultimately is a mortal disease, very dangerous disease.
And Śrīla Prabhupāda in the purport to this verse, he says that we should distribute prasādaM to everyone, even to the dogs. And he quotes the story about the dog of Śivānanda Sena, how he was liberated by Śivānanda Sena and ultimately Lord Caitanya.
So he says we have to be merciful to everyone. And he says that jīva-hiṁsā is the most dangerous attitude which we may have. We have to be really merciful towards other living entities.
Open criticism as the highest stage offense
And then the verse number 24. Ahām uccāvaca-dravyaI. Aham uccāvaca-dravyaiḥ kriyā-tōpanna yajñāghe. Kriyā-tōpanna yajñāghe. Naiva tuṣyeta cārcāṁ bhūta-grāmāvamāninaḥ.
So this is the fourth stage and you may wonder what can be more offensive or more dangerous than this hateful attitude towards other living entities.
But there could be something more and this is more offensive attitude is designated here as Avamaninah of somebody who is very critical. You know, you may keep your offensiveness inside yourself without manifesting it.
And this is still not so bad. You may be hateful but other living entities, living beings, other human beings may not even notice that you're so hateful.
But when the degree of this offensiveness reaches certain level then you cannot keep it inside. You have to blurt it out. You have to say it. He's bad and this is bad and this is bad.
And now of course in the internet era, you know, we have so much facilities for criticism. Everyone is becoming more and more progressively more and more critical.
And it's amazing how this impersonal media of internet more or less evokes this attitude, pushes people to become more and more offensive, outwardly offensive. Offensive by critical words.
And Lord Kapiladeva here says, My dear mother, he says, Anaghe, O my sinless mother.
He basically addresses his mother in this verse saying that this is the greatest form of the sin the human being can perform when he openly and hatefully criticizes others, when he employs his hatred by using very cruel words.
He says this is the greatest manifestation of the sin.
The commentators of this verse they all say, they all quote the verse from eleventh canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam where Lord Krishna himself says that you may hurt somebody. But this is not so bad.
But if you use hateful words against somebody, then this is much more painful because when you physically hurt somebody, then the wound will heal after couple of days. Three days, one month.
But you may remember the hateful words of somebody after ten or twenty years. Especially if this somebody is your wife or your husband, you know, and they always have some nice words to say to you.
So, this is what Lord Krishna himself says.
When these words are addressed to the most sensitive points of your mind, marmas of your mind, and they hurt you, then it's much more painful and therefore it's a greater extent of violence.
And because it's a greater extent of violence, it's a greater extent of offence. It's a greater offence.
And therefore Lord Kapiladeva says: My dear mother, even if he worships with proper rituals and paraphernalia, a person who is ignorant of my presence in all living entities never pleases me by the worship of my deities in the temple.
Basically, what Lord Krishna says here, Lord Kapila Dev says here such a person displeases me. All these critics, you know, there is a beautiful publication called Back to Prabhupada. Beautiful publication.
If you want to know what Lord Kapiladeva means in this verse, you just read this magazine.
Just offenses after offenses after offenses, pointing out faults of different devotees, whether they exist or don't exist, doesn't matter. Back to Prabhupada. How is it back to Prabhupada? I don't know.
But unfortunately it's a fact.
So here Lord Kapila Dev says Not ever to share. I'm not satisfied. I will never be satisfied with such a person. I cannot be satisfied. I'm displeased with such an attitude if they do this sort of offenses.
And we should be, I mean, least we should keep our hatred inside. The very least. Not to let it out in the form of the words. So that's the result.
The displeasure of the Lord is the result of such an attitude and this is the most dangerous thing which we ever can do. And the example of it is in Mahābhārata. The whole Mahābhārata war was because of what?
Because of just a few words of Draupadī. Draupadī said: at this fool! He's blind! So that was enough. This whole drama was developed because of just a few words of Draupadī. How dangerous it is!
So we have to be very careful and better just to be quiet or speak about Krishna. That's the best use!
Prasadam distribution as a remedy for envy
So that's the warning which Kapiladeva says and in the next verse he gives the solution. And of course Prabhupāda again says prasāda, prasāda, prasāda, prasāda.
Because Kapila Dev will say about prasāda upcoming in verses, in the verse 26 specifically.
But Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks about prasāda in all these verses. Just instead of being hateful, just invite people and give them prasāda.
And Prabhupāda, he actually makes a very good point here in the verse 24: This gratitude and love for God is exhibited by a pure devotee who knows that the Lord lives in every living entity.
You can only really exhibit gratitude and humility actually. One very important point about these verses is that if you know that the Lord exists in everyone's heart then only you can be humble, truly humble.
Humility is not possible otherwise. Only if you understand that the Lord, that everyone is representative of the Lord. That He is the Lord and He is the Lord and He is the Lord. Only after that you can be humble.
Otherwise you will never be humble. You will always look down on other living entities or manifest your offensiveness in some other way.
Therefore Prabhupāda says this gratitude and love or humility for God is exhibited by a pure devotee who knows that the Lord lives in every living entity. As such, listen, this is very important.
As such, temple worship necessarily includes distribution of prasāda. It is not that one should create a temple in his private apartment or private room, offer something to the Lord and then eat.
Of course, that is better than simply cooking foodstuffs and eating without understanding one's relationship with the Supreme Lord. People who act in this manner are just like animals.
But a devotee who wants to elevate himself to higher level of understanding must know that the Lord is present in every living entity and as stated in the previous verse one should be compassionate to other living entities.
A devotee should worship the supreme lord, be friendly to persons who are on the same level and be compassionate to the ignorant.
Prabhupāda, amazingly, he says something which Lord Kapiladeva will say later in this purport: One should exhibit his compassion for ignorant living entities by distributing prasāda.
Distributing of prasāda for the living ignorant masses of people is essential for persons who make offerings to the Personality of Godhead. This is a very important point of the whole Vedic culture: to give prasāda.
Every sacrifice is not complete without distribution of prasāda. Prabhupāda says if you do a program, give prasāda. You may talk about Kṛṣṇa, it's not complete.
By the way, our program is not complete because we are not distributing prasāda. Sacrifice of kṛṣṇa-kathā becomes complete only after distributing prasāda, otherwise it's dry. Have to take prasāda after kṛṣṇa-kathā.
You suffered so long. You have to take! Anyway, this is an important item, an essential point of Vedic culture. You have to feed everyone. Atithi-bhagavān, householders have to feed other people.
You have to invite everyone and feed other people. And Lord Kapiladeva will say this in the next verses. What we should do, and Śrīla Prabhupāda is explaining here why it is so important.
This is also important to understand why feeding others is so important. What do you think why it is so important? It's a compassionate attitude. Yeah, it's a compassionate... it's almost what I wanted to say.
The love and food is very closely connected in our mind. Because our first encounter with mother's love is in the form of the food which she gives. What is the milk of mother? It's the physical manifestation of her love.
It's nothing else. It's liquid love of the mother. And therefore when we exchange food, when we give somebody food, it's the best way to manifest our love. We can say, you know, I love you, I love you.
If you don't feed somebody, it's not love. You know, if you love me, give me some pizza. And this is how it is connected. Psychologically it's very much connected in our mind. Food and love is inseparable.
And therefore if we want to develop love, what we should do? We should feed. And we want to develop love for God. We should feed everyone because everyone is a representative. He is the Adhishtan of God.
And therefore Prabhupada says prasadam, prasadam, prasadam and all these things as the remedy to this hateful attitude or offensive attitude which we may have. Yes? This is keeping hatred and gulin.
Hatred routine, also it's not good. Of course. Even to look down another living entities is not good. Hatred inside is not good, it's very bad. It's the third stage of disease, but you can do something worse.
So, that's the only point. I don't want to say it's good, but it's better than just spitting it out, spitting out. Spitting out the poisonous hatred which you manifest. But we have to get rid of all of this.
The slightest avagya. What is avagya? When we say guror avajña which is the third offense, so offense, yeah. Basically, when we see Guru as a mortal, ordinary living entity, right?
And avajña means basically when you see everyone as a faulty, dirty living entity instead of trying to see his connection with the Supreme Lord. So that's avajña. Even avajña is bad.
Avajña is very bad, but you know, progressively you can be, you can go further and further and further and become more and more offensive with more and more detrimental results to the extent that you will displease the Lord by your worship.
You will worship the Lord but the result will be totally opposite. You will displease. Better you don't worship him if you're so offensive. So that's what Lord Kapilad Dev says.
Of course, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, he makes a very, how shall we say it, very hope-producing point. He said that the Lord himself, he has the right to say it.
But when ṛṣis, when the wise people warn against this, they say it in a more mild way. They say if somebody is worshiping the Deity but doesn't respect other devotees, he is a prākṛta bhakta, which means bhakta in making.
He's an immature bhakta. So some utility is there in doing this, but Lord Kapiladeva wants to stress this point. Please, please, don't understand.
So what are we supposed to do if we don't understand that the Lord is present in every living entity? Should we stop worshiping the Lord? No. So this is what Kapila Deva is explaining in the next verse.
Oh, one more question. Yes. Like this, you mentioned that might someone feels that this person's animosity is not animosity for any companies towards me. Yes yes yes yes. So how do you understand that?
Yeah, because as I said, we all have envious nature. The mātsarya is the deepest manifestation of kama, of desire to enjoy independently. It's there and therefore we should do something about it.
We should not just, you know, should not just say, Yes, I am envious, everyone is envious. You know, what's the problem with it? It's a problem, it's a big problem. Paraṁo nirmatsaraṁ satām.
We will only be able to understand God on the pages of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam if we are nirmatsarāḥ. It's a problem and therefore Lord Kapila Dev says it's a big problem, it's a cancerous disease.
And you know as the cancer grows, has the tendency to grow in the same way the envious nature if it's not curbed it also grows inside us. How to function in such environment?
Well, you deal with others nicely and they will also not manifest their envious nature with you. That's simple. You be nice to them. You be kind to them.
It's, you know, if somebody is not hopelessly, you know, hateful, he will manifest some sort of goodwill towards you. Yes?
But you can also share in śāstras that those who are envious are free like, you should simply neglect them, ignore them. Yeah. But that's a different kind of neglect.
There is a neglect and neglect and actually the same word is used upekṣā. Upekṣā is neglect. Upekṣā is for the second verse, the verse number 22. But there are two types of upekṣā.
Upekṣā which we described is when you don't recognize the existence of other living entity. If you don't see other living entities.
Upekṣā which is recommended in the Eleventh Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam—prema, maitrī, kṛpā, upekṣā. It's a different kind of upekṣā. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that this upekṣā is the manifestation of love.
You avoid somebody or ignore somebody. Why you ignoring somebody? Because you know if you get entangled with an envious person he will become even more envious.
The nature of envious people when they see the devotees they become even more envious. Envy grows when they encounter devotees and therefore neglect is recommended as the way to manifest mercy towards them.
To, you know, so that's a different kind of motivation is different. I don't want them to become even more angry.
Sometimes you see somebody, he's very angry and you know that to pacify his anger you just have to ignore him. Not to react in any way. So that's different.
Thank you. You said that if you worship Krishna but you don't offer respect to other human beings, is Krishna actually saying that he's not going to accept your worship? Yes, that's what he says.
But in another place, Krishna says if somebody behaves like that, they're not very intelligent. And Krishna says, but I'm not stupid or unintelligent. I'm very intelligent and I will help that person. No.
It's a different point. The verse from the fifth canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam which you mean is about a person who worships the Lord and it's not about the offensive nature.
Here Lord Kapiladeva is specifically dealing with the offenses which one may manifest. There one worships the Lord with ulterior motives. He worships the Lord with the intention to get something from the Lord.
He worships him, you know, it's rajasic attitude. He worships the Lord, but he wants, he doesn't want the Lord, he wants something from the Lord.
And the Lord says, yes, he's a fool and sometimes I, you know, I don't give him what he wants but give him the pure devotion. That's possible.
But here we're dealing specifically with the offensive, with offenses, with the offensive nature. If somebody is offensive, the Lord will not behave like this.
The Lord, if somebody is offensive, the Lord says here I'm displeased with such a person. Then the examples of Lord Nityananda seem to contradict that again.
Yeah, but Lord Caitanya is exceptional manifestation of the Lord. He is not just an ordinary manifestation of the Lord. And the Lord says, can he also says? He also says.
Of course, Lord Nityananda is different, but Lord Caitanya wanted to chop off the head of Madhai.
Aligning social duties with spiritual realization
Okay, let's read the verse number 25. Arcāṁ arcayet tāvad īśvaraṁ sva-karma-kṛt yāvan na veda sva-hṛdi sarva-bhūteṣv avasthitam Sarva bhuteshvavastitan bhuteshvavastitan So that's the solution.
Actually this and the next verse gives the solution. Although in the next verse the Lord again becomes angry. His anger is not pacified. But here he gives solution. He says arcā-dau, arcā-dau, arcāyet tāvat.
One has to arcāyet this imperative to worship arcā and do everything else which is connected with this tāvat up to the point.
Īśvaraṁ sva-karma-kṛt to worship me as Īśvara and at the same time to do sva-karma-kṛt to perform my own duty.
Yāvan na veda sva-hṛdi sarva-bhūteṣv avasthitam until the point when one understands that I'm present in his own heart and in the hearts of every living entity.
So, of course, it doesn't mean that when you understand that the Lord is present in your heart and heart of every other living entity you stop worshipping the deity. This is not the intention of this verse.
The intention of this verse is that you perform your devotional service together with Svakarma or Swadharma.
You perform your own duty according to the system of varṇāśrama or as Prabhupāda explains here basically you perform your duty in the society together with your transcendental duties. So that's a very important point.
Basically what Lord Kapiladeva recommends here is karma-miśrā-bhakti. And when we see the recommendation of Lord Krishna in the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā, it's also karma-miśrā-bhakti.
Lord Krishna, when we see the instructions of Nārada Muni in the sixth chapter of first canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam we see again he recommends karma-miśrā-bhakti as the beginning stage of bhakti.
He doesn't recommend the pure devotional service in the beginning. Why? Because karma-miśrā-bhakti helps us to control the offenses, the offensive tendencies.
If we are in the society, we live in the society and we follow the rules of the society and we can see, you know, when devotees become fanatical or overly enthusiastic, overly zealous in the beginning and they're not really trained, they not really understand that the Lord is present in every living entity, start committing offenses.
This is the progression which we can see initially in the beginning, in the first days or months of devotional service everyone is so enthusiastic and so happy and everything because they feel so much bliss about chanting, Bhagavad Gita, association with devotees.
But then, you know, offenses take precedence, take over their consciousness and the bliss vanishes and it becomes just routine sort of engagement.
And because they are overzealous they tend to commit offences against other people, especially those people who are near them. I remember once I was speaking with the father of one very young lady devotee.
She became devotee, she became very fanatical as usually. And the father came to me and father was very sad and he said: She doesn't eat meat, she doesn't eat fish, but she eats me! Better she would eat me than not eat me.
That's what happens. Therefore Svakarma Krita, it is said here, you perform your duty in the society, you be normal.
Lord Caitanya says this to Ragunat Dasgaswamy, when Ragunat Dasgaswamy was not Ragunat Dasgaswamy but was just Ragunat.
And when Ragunat came to him, being young, Ragunat, who was always trying to run away from home, he said: Don't be crazy!
Stay home, do your duties and perform natural detachment, not this artificial detachment which will force you to commit offenses against other living entities.
Yeah, markata-vairagya. Premature detachment markata-vairagya is actually the driving force behind the offenses which new devotees commit, unfortunately. That's how it works.
Therefore the stress is given in the beginning on this Karma Mishra Bhakti. And if we see Varnasrama Society, what is the main point of Varnasrama Society?
The main point of our varnashrama society is to feed others and to respect others.
You know, how the husband should respect the wife, how the wife should respect the husband, how the children should respect their parents, how we should respect brāhmaṇas, how we should respect cows, how we should respect trees, how we should respect rivers, how we should respect everything.
You know, some people The other day we had the discussion about varnashrama, you know, how to establish varnashrama. Varnashrama is nothing but establishing respect within our heart.
If the respect is established within our heart, the varnashrama system is established.
The respect is not, you know, I see all this sometimes these proponents of varnashrama, they're so offensive. They're offensive of everyone. How is that? They're destroying the very foundation of varnashrama.
You know, become, it's completely opposite. Varnasrama means respect. And therefore Varnasrama makes one humble, Svakarma Krit makes one humble, Svakarma Krit makes one disciplined.
This is two qualities which the performance of one's duty help to develop discipline and respect, humility.
And when the person becomes disciplined and humble then the devotional service which he performs becomes very effective. Isn't it? Because, you know, that's what it is. That's what we're supposed to do.
Therefore, this provision is there.
Therefore the Lord stresses: In the beginning, before doing anything else, you worship the Deity, you perform your devotional service together with the performing of your own prescribed duties. Yes, yes.
And Prabhupada says this: It is not that one who has become a devotee of the Lord, who engages in devotional service, should give up his prescribed duties.
No one should be lazy under the plea of devotional service because sometimes under the plea of detachment and devotional service we just hide our laziness, nothing else.
One has to execute devotional service according to his prescribed duties and basically to develop certain qualities which are conducive for our bhakti. Otherwise the Bhakti, the power of bhakti will be blocked.
You know, you told that we should not offend any living entity and when we come to devotional service we are very overenthusiastic and then unintentionally we are like displeasing parents hurting them.
They also come and harass devotees.
These things happen because parents, if you say parent to parents, I want to dedicate my life, in preaching mission, they don't agree ever. And they have their own plans, they impose their plans. Yes, yes.
So, how to become, how to join full time? Without being offensive. How do you not be offensive? It's almost impossible. But at least be nice to them. Give them, sense them some prasadam regularly.
You know, in the course of time if you're nice to them, if really, you know, call them and, you know, they become somewhat peaceful.
In the beginning it may be, but still you have to behave properly, you have to behave respectfully, but, you know, not at the cost of betraying your own callings which are there within your heart.
But still we have to be very, you know, polite and grateful to them. And if we behave properly, miracles can happen. I see it again and again and again.
When people come to me and tell their stories, I always ask how your parents towards you. They said usually, what they say, usually the answer to this question, now, better.
So, and for me it's a good indication that they behave properly, so it improves over the course of time. Yeah, there are different ways and strategies. But of course, you know, parents can be irrational.
Eliminating fear of death through generosity
That's also true. Verse number 26: Atmanaschyaparasyapi.
Yakarot anat antarodaram tasya bhi nadris omrityur viddate bhayam ubanam As a blazing fire of deaths I cause great fear to whoever makes the least discrimination between himself and other living entities because of a differential outlook.
So, very interesting. The Lord Kapiladeva is still angry. He was angry, in angry mood. He gave the solution but his anger didn't subside yet.
And he gives the final warning to us by saying that Atmanasca Parasyapi if you make Yakkaroti antar udaram. This word udaram is very important in this word verse. Antar the others, udaram means belly.
So that's one translation or possible interpretation of this word. Another interpretation is ut and aram. Not utaram. Udaram means belly but you can also cut or divide this word utaram to ut and aram.
Anyway, this is how Prabhupada translates. If you make even the slightest difference between yourself and others.
That's one translation and another translation of this verse is If you make the difference between your belly and the belly of other people.
Which basically means if you don't feel what they feel, if you don't, if you're not capable of feeling, if they're hungry you should feel their hunger. If they see that they're hungry you should feed them.
So the one interpretation of this verse is that not making difference between your belly and the bellies of others is that you should take care of the bellies of others before you take care of the belly of yourself.
That's one interpretation. Another interpretation you should not to the smallest extent, to the very minute extent make a difference between yourself and others.
Understanding that we are all parts of the complete whole, that we are all part of the Lord. But usually this verse is translated as you should feed other people. Like Rantidev.
The example of Rantideva and the ninth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam is about this. Why Rantidev is glorified? He was hungry, fasting he for how many days? Forty days? Forty eight days.
For forty eight days he didn't eat anything. And then a chandala came. And what he did? He gave him food. His food and the food of his family and then, you know, the dogs came with the chandel and he fed the dogs. Why?
Because he didn't feel the difference. If he's hungry, you know, I give him the food as if put the food in my own stomach. And of course it's a very difficult attitude.
But Lord Kapilod Dev, what he wants to say actually here: Tasya bina drishom ritur vindate bhaya mul banam. But basically, Jiva Gaswami, he says that somebody who feeds others he will be free from the fear of this.
Here it's an opposite statement or you know the statement which is derived from this statement. Here Lord Tapiledev says If you don't feed others, you will always be afraid of this.
You will always be fearful of this because you're so much concerned about yourself.
But if you change this attitude and if you start feeding others very generously then the fear of this will vanish from your consciousness.
We can see, that's why I said this is such an important item or, you know, element of Vedic culture. And like in other Sampradhis this feeding of sadhus is even, you know, most important practice.
If you see the Ramanandi sadhus, what they do? What is their sadhana? They feed other sadhus. Like in Govardhan this Roti vala baba. Roti vala baba, he always, you know, that's his sadhana.
Then night he only makes rotis and feeds sadhus. And that's exactly what Lord Kapilad Dev says. No distinction between your belly and the belly of others. Feed other people!
Or as Praupa translates, which is also very proper: Don't make any distinction with others. Take care of other people, be sensitive to the needs of other people and everything will be okay. So that's Varnasrama.
You feed others and you respect others. And this is what I wanted to say. It's very interesting what Srivojivigaswami says in Bhakti Santarbhi about this. Oh no, sorry. If I find it Yes, must be here.
Yes, very interesting what he says. Actually, it's in connection with the next verse, so I will read it in connection with the next verse.
Practical methods for satisfying the Supreme Lord
So let's read the next verse if you're ready. 27, verse number 27. Athamam Sarva Bhuteshu, Bhutattmanam Kritalayam, Archayet Danamana Bhyam, Maitreya bhineina caksusam.
So Kapila Dev makes the conclusion atha therefore Mam Sarva Buddhisthu you have to understand the time in all living entities, butt atmanam kritalayam.
The time that therefore though through charitable gifts and attention as well as through friendly behavior and by viewing all to be alike, should satisfy me who abide in all creatures as their very self.
Butt Atmanam I am the atma of every living entities in all the living entities. You have to again educate yourself, learn how to see and relate with other living entities as the Adhistan, the sitting place of the Lord.
Archaiat, you should worship me and worship them.
And here Prabhupada very interestingly said, he doesn't translate arcayed worship. Before that he was translating very consistently this arcayed you should worship or doing worship. Here he translates you should please me.
By dana giving something, mana giving respect dana manabhyam and maitrya by being friendly and abhinena caksusa by looking at others with the samadarsi, with the attitude of you know that we're all one family, we're all the same, we're all similar to each other, we all have the same nature. So, that's how we can please the Lord.
That's the conclusion of this whole section. What to do with our offenses? We have to continue worshiping the Lord by dana, mana, maitri and abhinena caksusa. These four items which we have to remember.
Dana compassion. We give something, give the gifts, Those who are lower than us. Can we give dana to guru? Sometimes somebody says I want to give you donation. Donation means dana. Can we give donation to guru? No, no.
You cannot give donation to guru because donation you can only give to somebody who is lower than you. When we give something to Guru it's called pranami. Pranami means yeah, pranami. It's not donation.
I'm still traveling to you though, like being the one. No, but not, it's not, no, no. You cannot call it dana. It's not dana. Pranami is the word. Yeah, pranami is the proper word.
Pranami means, is, pranami you offer yourself by doing this. So therefore for superior you can only do mana respect. For those who are lower than you, you do dana. For those who are on the same level you do what? Maitri.
And then abhinena caksusa samadristi. You try to feel for others. Samadristi means it's not the samadristi, samadarsana which is there in Bhagavad-gita. Samadarsana.
Samadasana is different which will be explained from the next verse onwards. That we see every leading beings as different but at the same time as equal.
This abhinena caksusa is very important because it can be translated maitriya abhinena caksusa it can be divided as maitriya abhinena caksusa and maitriya abhinena caksusa. So the two instructions simultaneously is given by Kapiladev in this verse.
One is to look at all living entities as equal and another one look at all living entities as different. Because they are simultaneously equal and different. Mayavadis say everyone is equal.
If we go to America, everyone is equal. But Mr. Trump is not equal, but everyone else is equal. You know, if we go to the West, democratic country, Nirvysecha Shunyavadi, everyone is equal.
If we go to the, you know, very hierarchical society in the East, which is still there to a certain extent, everyone is different. Vaishnava Outlook? Everyone is equal and different at the same time.
Both points of view are wrong. Both points of view actually create harm. So we have to create a certain or develop certain kind of vision which is the vision of love.
This bhedābheda-tattva, it's a vision of love. Bhedābheda-darśana, philosophy of acintya-bhedābheda, is the philosophy of love.
And the love is the ability to see everyone is equal and everyone is different simultaneously. Not just everyone is different and not just everyone is equal. This is what Kapiladeva is prescribing here.
This bhedābheda-darśana. Therefore, he says abhinnena cakṣuṣā or bhinnena cakṣuṣā at the same time. So what else is important about this verse? Very important.
And Prabhupāda very beautifully explains māna and dāna. Māna indicates superior, dāna indicates one who gives charity or is compassionate towards an inferior. And he says, yeah, anyway.
We give charity to a person who is inferior inferior in his material or economic condition. Charity is not given to a rich man. You cannot give.
So, anyway, Prabhupāda explains this: "Compassion and friendliness do not necessitate falsely elevating someone to the exalted position of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Not everyone is equal.
We should not at the same time misunderstand that the Supersoul situated in the heart of an animal like a hog and the Supersoul situated in the heart of a learned brāhmaṇa are different. The Supersoul of all living entities is the same Supreme Personality of Godhead.
By His omnipotency, He can live everywhere and He can create His Vaikuṇṭha situation everywhere. The Lord is there in Vaikuṇṭha.
That is His inconceivable potency, and Prabhupāda ends the purport with a very hilarious statement.
Therefore, when Nārāyaṇa is living in the heart of a hog, He does not become a hog Nārāyaṇa. That's, you know, Prabhupāda is referring to daridra-nārāyaṇa. So, He doesn't become hog Nārāyaṇa. He's always Nārāyaṇa.
But he's unaffected by the body of the hog. So, this bhedābheda Prabhupāda is explaining again in the purport.
Developing respect to diminish material duality
But one very important point Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī makes in this regard.
He says: Ātmānaṁ sarva-bhūteṣu bhūtātmānaṁ kṛtālayam. If we learn how to see everyone as the adhiṣṭhāna or sitting place of the Lord, atra tu tad-adhiṣṭhānaka-bhagavad-upāsanam eva vindyate. We relate to others always remembering that the Lord is sitting there and therefore we offer respect to them.
And then he says tāc cānyatra tyaktīti rāga-dveṣa-viśleṣārtham iti. Why do we do this? Please listen because this is a very beautiful conclusion of the whole section. Why this should be done?
Because by doing this, rāga-dveṣa-viśleṣārtham. By doing this to diminish the innate propensity which is there for Raga Indvesa, for attachment and hatred.
If we develop respectful attitude toward other living entities then the tendency for Raga and Vesa within our heart will diminish.
If there is no respect towards other living entities, we will either relate with other living entities with attachment or with dveṣa. We will divide enemies and friends. That will be our relationship.
But how to get rid of rāga and dveṣa, of this duality which is actually according to Lord Krishna keeps us in this world? Ica dvesa samuthin advanva mohene bharata know.
[Sargi Yanti Parentaba] [from our birth in this material world, we're in this dual consciousness [raga indvesa. How to get rid of Raga Indvesa? There is only one way to develop respect.
To understand that the Lord is present in every living entity and to adore and worship every living entity as the sitting place of the Lord.
In this way we will get rid of the duality and develop non dual consciousness which will elevate us to the spiritual world.
So that's a very important conclusion and very important little statement by Raga Dvesa visle shartham. To make Raga indvesa more slack. Not so prominent and not so strong.
Vedic model of the evolution of consciousness
Okay, so from the next verse there will be series of verses which Charles Darwin would love.
Because it's the description of the evolutionary system or evolutionary theory according to the Bhagavatam, according to Kapiladhav.
This is the, you know, Kapiladhav is actually explaining Sankhya and Sankhya is an alternative to the modern science. And a very prominent part of modern science is the evolutionary theory of Charles Darwin.
So the description of Sankhya by Kapil Dev would not be complete without his version of evolutionary theory. How evolution takes place.
In reality, not this imaginary evolution of the bodies which is by the way not confirmed. But evolution is there and hierarchy is there. But that's the evolution of consciousness.
And when we see the evolution of bodies it's just the gross manifestation of more subtle evolution which is real, which takes place the evolution of consciousness.
And that's what Kapil Dev will speak about in the six and a half verses from the verse number 28 to verse number 33. So there is, yeah, we can read verse by verse or we can read them all.
Let's read verse by verse because it's difficult. Although, I mean, it's very simple. We will just go through these verses very quickly. Tatakh sacchitah pravarash. Sacchendravrittah.
So, Jiva or somebody who has life, Sresta Hyattjeevanam is better than somebody who doesn't have life. So, and then Tatach even better than just Jiva, Prana Britakh those who have Prana living force inside.
Tatakh Satcita those who have consciousness they Pravaras.
TATACH Even better than those who have consciousness cha indrie vrittayag. Of course, Śrīla Prabhupāda following the commentators he translates it in a very specific way. So let's read the translation which includes the explanation.
Hierarchy of living entities by sense perception
Living entities are superior to inanimate objects of blessed mother and among them living entities who display life symptoms are better, animals with developed consciousness are better than them and better still are those who have developed sense perception.
And Prabhupāda explains that there are different grades of living entity and. Basically what it means, this whole section, I didn't mention it, perhaps I should say a few words. This whole section teaches us how to respect every living entity according to the level of the development of consciousness which they have.
Because in the previous verse it is said that you have relayed differently with different living entities.
Those who are inferior you have to be compassionate to them, those who are superior you have to give respect and those who are equal you have to be friendly.
So here Kapila Dev is explaining the hierarchy of the living entities so that you can understand: Oh, here I am and everyone mentioned before is below me and everyone mentioned after that is higher than me.
So this is basically the scale which Capiladev gives for you to understand Here I am and what should be my attitude towards other types of living entities?
So he says that even inanimate objects there is some respect should be given there.
You know, like we can see that musicians, Vedic musicians, they worship their musical instruments before starting. They're not just using it, they're just showing respect. The warriors, they worship their weapons. The taxi drivers, they worship their cars.
They do puja to the cars. If you go to the field, you will see tractors with garlands. And the pūjā being done to them. So we have to respect them as well. It's not just matter. It's also energy of the Lord.
And we have to train ourselves in this respectful attitude. But of course those who have living force they're better.
But Prabhupāda very interestingly and also humorously describes, he says: Yes, Supersoul is in everyone's heart. For example, a tiger is a living entity, part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the Supreme Lord is living in the heart of the tiger as the Supersoul.
But does this mean that we have to treat the tiger in a friendly manner? Oh brother tiger! Vasudhaiva kuṭumbakam, we all want family! Prabhupāda says, be normal.
You know, of course, is equal, but still don't lose your discrimination. Discrimination should go hand by hand. And you know, prasadam is universal. Give prasadam to the tiger.
And Prabhupāda explains that at the end of the purport how the traditional commentators of these verses they explain these different grades according to Mahābhārata.
He says that the jīva is there even in a stone. Experience shows that some hills and mountains grow. This is due to the presence of the soul within that stone. Please don't say this to the scientists.
They will never be able to appreciate the depths of your understanding of the evolution.
Above that the next manifestation of living condition is development of consciousness and the next manifestation is development of sense perception.
And Prabhupāda says that the first living entities who have sense perception is the trees. According to Mahābhārata, trees have sense perception, have indriyas.
We know by experience that trees can see. Sometimes in its growth a large tree changes its course of development to avoid some hindrances. This is how the trees manifest their sight capacity.
This means that tree can see and according to Mahābhārata the tree can smell and this indicates the development of sense perception. And in the next verse it says: Tatrapi sparśa-vedi byāḥ.
But better than those who have sense perception are those who have sparśa, the sense of touch.
And actually traditional commentator says that the sense of touch is there in plants. You know, plants you touch them and they move. They close the leaves. So, all the trees are equal.
Those trees who can do this trick, they're higher, they're more intelligent trees. Other trees they can only see. These trees can, you know, have the sense of touch. That's what is said there.
Okay, let's read this: Tatrapi sparśa-vedibhyaḥ pravarā rasavedinaḥ tebhyo gandha-vidaḥ śreṣṭhās tataḥ śabda-vidh-uttarāḥ, so better than just sense perception those who have sense of touch develop sense of touch like these trees.
Better than them Rasavedinaḥ, those who can distinguish rasa, the taste. And Prabhupāda says this is the fishes. Fishes they distinguish taste. This is the manifestation of higher development of the consciousness.
Higher than that Gandha Viddag, those who have the sense of smell. Gandha. They're better than those who only have Because fish don't have Gandha, the indra of the smell. They only have taste.
But better than those who have smell and Praupat says that the snakes they are of this yeah, shapdavida, snakes are shapdavida. They have the sense of hearing, they are better.
And he says snake at night he can find the frog because of the croaking of the frog. So the snakes are more developed.
The insects are more developed than fish because insects have the sense of smell and reptiles they are more developed than insects because they have the sense of hearing. The insects they don't have the sense of hearing.
So next verse Rupa bhede vidastatra. Tatas chau bhayatota dhataha. Tesem Bahu Padhah Srestas. Chatus Padhah Sattho Dhvipat.
So better than those who have the sense of hearing Rupa Bheda Vidas, Those who can distinguish rupa the forms. They're even better. Their consciousness is even better than those who have the hearing capacity.
Better than them those who have jaws or teeth. Because somehow rather the presence of the teeth is a sign of higher development of the consciousness on a certain level. And then better than them is Bahupadha.
Bahupadha means many legged. Those who have many legs, they're better. And better than many legged, those who have chatuhpadah, four legs. And better than those who have dvipat.
So many legged animals is less, you know, four legs is better. Monkeys are in between because sometimes they have two, sometimes they have four. So Darwin is right in this regard. Their intermediate form.
But then there is two legged animals, two legged animals.
Progression of human consciousness and brahminical qualities
The animals with two legs, that's us. Congratulations! Everybody else deserves our compassion.
Everybody else is supposed to be treated by us with compassion, including the inanimate living entities with some sort of respect. That's how we will get rid of this Raga and Dvesa.
Otherwise, the Raga and Dvesu only be reinforced or developed. Okay, let's go into the evolution of two legged animals.
Tatuvarnas cha, Tatuvarnas cha chaatvaras, Tesam Brahmana uttamahan, Brahmanes Ativeda Gyo, Khyarta Gyo, Vyadikastataha.
So among those who are two legged animals, among human beings, those who divide themselves into varnas or in other words those who follow the system of Farnashama or those who actually know their nature.
What is the difference between the system of Farnashima and the modern civilized society? Is that people in the modern civilized society they're completely bewildered about their nature.
They don't know their propensities, they don't know who they are, what they're meant for and they always do some sort of chaotic work not according to their So, why Varnational System is better?
Because the consciousness is developed to the point when people understand their nature. In a modern society people, consciousness is so low that they don't understand what they are supposed to do.
What they will bring them satisfaction. They do something else. Something which pays more. Something which brings some more material benefit.
They don't understand how important it is to work according to our abilities and capacities. So those who are in the Varnas, in the society, in proper society system they're better.
And among those, those teṣām brāhmaṇa uttamāḥ. The highest is who? Brahmana. Brahmana is the highest. Brāhmaṇeṣu api veda-jño. Among the brahmanas the best is who? Veda-jño. Those who know Veda.
Hy-artha-jño bhy-adhigas tataḥ, but even better than those who know the meaning of the Vedas. You may know Vedas, you may learn by heart, but you don't know the meaning. So that's the next level.
How the consciousness is blooming. This is the metaphor which is used by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. He says that consciousness is like the budding flower. And initially in animal species it's mukulita chetana.
Ah, yeah, yeah, then mukulita, yeah. Mukulita is, it starts... bud. Yeah, but before that avṛta-cetana. Yeah. And then mukulita cetana and then vikasita cetana. Anyway, gradually gradually it unfolds, it starts blooming.
So this is how it is. You understand your nature. Among those the nature of the Brahmana is the highest development of consciousness. But not everyone knows the Vedas.
Somebody may have some brahminical capacity and abilities but don't know the Vedas. But those who know the Vedas, those who know the meaning it's very clear. Okay next verse.
Artha-jñaḥ saṁśaya-cchetta tataḥ śreyān sva-karma-kṛt mukta-saṅga-stato bhūyān adagdha-dharmān ātma-naḥ. So better than artha-jña, saṁśaya-cchetta. Those who can what? Dispel the doubts. Saṁśaya-citta.
You may know the letter of the scriptures but at the same time you will not be able to reconcile the contradictions which are there in the scriptures.
Because scriptures are so vast and there are so many contradictions and you may know the meaning but at the same time you're not capable of reconciling the contradictory statement or explain the logic behind this.
So you have the general meaning or the general knowledge of the meaning of the Shastras but don't have the deep knowledge of the Shastra. So that's the next stage. Saṁśaya-chetta.
Those who are capable of dispelling the doubts of other people.
But even better than those, sva-karma-kṛt, those people who strictly follow the brāhmaṇical duties or follow the scriptures basically because you may know the scriptures, you may explain the scriptures in a very logical way but not follow the scriptures.
There is a saying in the Muslim world that you do what Mula says to do but don't do what Mula does. And Prabhupada says that this is the principle of ācārya.
That Acharya knows the meaning, can dispel the doubts and also follows himself very strictly. Svakarma Creed. He very diligently follows the scriptures according to them.
And better than them, mukta-saṅgaḥ. Those who are free from material contamination, because by following the scriptures you become free from this material contamination.
But better than them—this is a very beautiful phrase—ātma-dharman tyajet.
You may follow, you may know the scriptures, you may follow the scriptures, you may be purified by following the scriptures, but still you will be basically a dogdha-dharma. Dogdha-dharma means you're milking dharma.
In other words, you're using dharma for your own benefit. You are exploiting Dharma. Basically following Dharma for your selfish ends, with your selfish interest.
So therefore those who adopt the ātma-dharman, they're even better. Those who don't have this tendency to follow Dharma just for some benefit. So it's basically, what is it called? Niṣkāma-karma.
That's the description of niṣkāma-karma. Who executes devotional service without expectation of reward. Yeah, even better than this.
And we come to the final verse of this series, but probably it's better if we do it tomorrow because it's already 12:00 and we did quite okay today. So that's it.
Tomorrow we will... Yeah, tomorrow we will hopefully finish the whole chapter because the last section is very simple and not complicated.
The... Scientists, they gradually come to the understanding that plants have—not life, life they agree—consciousness. Yeah. Feelings. Feelings, yeah.
There is a famous experiment, you know, that they put a plant, One teacher actually brought a plant class and said to the whole class to start abusing this plant. And all very enthusiastically started abusing this plant.
You're useless, you're so ugly and this and that. And the plant withered actually. Plant died because of this, you know, energy, negative energy, because you can feel it. Feelings are there, there's no doubt about it.
And yes, some scientists understand this, but because their consciousness is usually very gross, it's difficult for them to agree to these statements. We also have tons of tons Stones? Yeah.
Well, as far as I remember, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says some stones have consciousness. Because some stones they produce something and they absorb something. Like in the mountains some stones they produce this Shilajit, right? Or some other substances.
And still to this day, scientists don't know what is śilājatu, why śilājatu is being produced.
I think Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that only some stones which are producing something and absorbing something, they have life.
Like, you know, gemstones, sometimes they are very inauspicious, this, you know, Kohinoor, this famous diamond. It was always bringing some misfortune to whoever to have possessed it. Okay, Thank you very much. Thank you.
Hare Krishna.