19950823 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.2.1

Lecture Code: 19950823

Scripture: Srimad Bhagvatam

Verse: 5.2.1

Date: 23rd Aug 1995

Place: Singapore

Transcribed by: Subhadra Shubhangi dd

Transcribed start date: 2-sep-2019 end date: 13-sept-2019

Status: Completed

Following is the class given by His Holiness Jayapataka Swami Maharaja on September 3rd 1995 in Singapore. The class begins with reading from Srimad Bhagavatam Fifth canto, chapter Two, verse One.

śrī-śukauvāca

evaṁ pitari sampravṛtte tad-anuśāsane vartamāna āgnīdhro jambūdvīpaukasaḥ prajā aurasavad dharmāvekṣamāṇaḥ paryagopāyat.

Translation by A.C. Bhaktivedant Swami Srila Prabhupada.

Translation

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: After his father, Mahārāja Priyavrata, departed to follow the path of spiritual life by undergoing austerities, King Āgnīdhra completely obeyed his order. Strictly observing the principles of religion, he gave full protection to the inhabitants of Jambūdvīpa as they were his own begotten sons.

Purport by Srila Prabhupada

Purport

Following the instruction of his father, Mahārāja Priyavrata, Mahārāja Āgnīdhra ruled the inhabitants of Jambūdvīpa according to religious principles. These principles are exactly contrary to the modern principles of faithlessness. As clearly stated here, the King protected the citizens the way a father protects his begotten children. How he ruled the citizens is also described here — dharmāvekṣamāṇaḥ, strictly according to religious principles. It is the duty of the executive head of a state to see that the citizens strictly follow religious principles. The Vedic religious principles begin with varṇāśrama-dharma, the duties of the four varṇas and four āśramas. Dharma refers to principles given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The first principle of dharma, or religion, is to observe the duties of the four orders as enjoined by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. According to people’s qualities and activities, society should be divided into brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras and then again into brahmacārīs, gṛhasthas, vānaprasthas and sannyāsīs. These are religious principles, and it is the duty of the head of state to see that his citizens strictly follow them. He should not merely act officially; he should be like a father who is always a well-wisher of his sons. Such a father strictly observes whether his sons are performing their duties, and sometimes he also punishes them.

Just contrary to the principles mentioned here, the presidents and chief executives in the Age of Kali are simply tax collectors who do not care whether religious principles are observed. Indeed, the chief executives of the present day introduce all kinds of sinful activity, especially illicit sex, intoxication, animal killing and gambling. These sinful activities are now very prominently manifested in India. Although a hundred years ago these four principles of sinful life were strictly prohibited in the families of India, they have now been introduced into every Indian family; therefore they cannot follow religious principles. In contrast to the principles of the kings of old, the modern state is concerned only with propaganda for levying taxes and is no longer responsible for the spiritual welfare of the citizens. The state is now callous to religious principles. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam predicts that in Kali-yuga the government will be entrusted with dasyu-dharma, which means the occupational duty of rogues and thieves. Modern heads of state are rogues and thieves who plunder the citizens instead of giving them protection. Rogues and thieves plunder without regard for law, but in this Age of Kali, as stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the lawmakers themselves plunder the citizens. The next prediction to be fulfilled, which is already coming to pass, is that because of the sinful activities of the citizens and the government, rain will become increasingly scarce. Gradually there will be complete drought and no production of food grains. People will be reduced to eating flesh and seeds, and many good, spiritually inclined people will have to forsake their homes because they will be too harassed by drought, taxation and famine. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the only hope to save the world from such devastation. It is the most scientific and authorized movement for the actual welfare of the whole human society.   

Thus, end Bhaktivedant swami translation and purport.

Text one, chapter two, canto five, Srimad Bhagvatam in the matter of the activities of Maharaja Agnidhar. So, the previous chapter discuss about Maharaja Priyavrata who was self-realisedcc in his bramhachari days but his father requested him to take householder life to be marry even though he was self-realised. He was worried that he would get distracted from his spiritual duties but he was reassured that by engaging in devotional service he will be protected. So, he agreed the orders of his father and guru for that he got also the blessings of Lord Bramha. So, he became very powerful in all respect materially and spiritually and he was able to achieve Krishna at end of his life. As a grihastha, Priyavrata, he had children and he handed over the kingdom to his son and departed to follow the path of spiritual life and undergo austerity -this another aspect of Vedic kshatiryas. They wouldn’t remain in office until the end of their life. Now many old people retire old state men they wanted to remain in power right till they die practically. They don’t disperse as long as possible they don’t understand that at least end of life we should spiritually dedicate our self to spiritual activities and prepare our self for the next life. Vedic king, they understood this so, Maharaja Priyavrata, he renounced his kingdom even while he was strong enough to go on managing another 10, 20 years or more. Of course, their time is different long time what he saw that his son was good enough to manage the kingdom then he handed over to him and he was coordinated with Maharaja Agnidhar. Hare Krishna, this coordination is still observed to some degree in different countries that have monarchy just as a symbolic way. But actually, just like how we have a ceremony that we install deities they have a similar kind of ceremony for installing a king. Not that he is a deity but had different ceremony but similar ceremony like that were they chant mantras and he has done abhisheka several things done on him and he is actually installed as a manak which means he has to take the karma for all the activities of people under him and similarly he gets a good and bad karma both 1/6 or whatever the citizens do. So, just like we adopt a child in the Vedic culture there is yagya you do and actually the gotra or the family genus is transferred in the adopted child over to the parents, this is the ceremony for that. So, then the karma of that child would be connected with the karma of parents this is a formal rite. Prince, uncle, princess and others they didn’t have the same karmic responsibility the king was actually responsible. Just like a husband when there is marriage fire scarifice, he becomes responsible for the activities of his wife. If wife does sinful activity, he is responsible for that and similar wife she also gets blessings that if husband does any spiritual activity or pious activities, she gets 1½ of all highest activities even if she doesn’t do anything. If she also does then she also gets full share plus husband’s ½ that’s why the pious ladies you see that so many good qualities they get 1 and ½ times good karma. So, Vedic culture ladies are called as devi and given all respect. So, in this way Maharaja Agnidhra he became very exemplary head of state. Prabhupada uses the word head of state because now a days hardly mankas are empowered only a few places there may be Brunei. I don’t know England and Malaysia and Nepal they have main but not so much power is there not very effective. Like that they are in Europe, Holland she is preceding now queen is preceding Indonesia like that there are few but they are not so… actually manak I think only few may be like Brunei. Nepali also took away most of his power like Jordan, in Middle East, Muslim king in Gulf they are actively ruling. So, king of Thailand got lot of power relative to others modern people, not like past he was actually head of state and the main job of the king was to protect the citizens just like kshatriya means to protect. So, the difference between now modern time government they don’t protect citizens as much as they do things to their own benefit. They don’t know really what’s good for the citizens. What the difference of Maharaja Agnidhar he knew what was good for the citizens because he was guided by religious principles. In the Vedas it gives details how king should manage, how head of state should manage, how he should organize society. Today the world facing so many problems just recently the United Nations had its anniversary and the Prime Minister of Malaysia said instead of being day of celebration maybe it should be a day of mourning. So many problems in the world so many worst going on we should be mourning so many people are being killed in Bosnia so many places in the world. Because there is a reason for that governments of the world are not running according to religious principles, people are doing sinful activities. Therefore, even though they may follow the law of this state but laws of this state were not following laws of God then there going to be natural problems so in the Vedic time laws of state, laws of God were harmony. So even though India have many kings but all of them are following the same system see the kshatriyas they fought with each other, who will be the king, the strongest one will win. Life will go on in the cities, countries no one will be disturbed now in these days war it disturbs everybody. In Kurukshetra all the kings were fought in battle rest of the country were no effect, now we have war women, children, old people, booster bombs, chemical bombs, biological bombs, nuclear bombs they meant for mass destruction. Even a few hundred years ago wars were only fought by military, civilians won’t affect it so much. Even in Europe, Napoleon or traditional war was fought by the military. American Independence came then they started regular warfare against the British since then things went different. So, everything was done according to some principle of religion and that was gradually being handed down over thousands of years this gradually got lost. So, predicted here that in future you can see how much is already happening but in future, heads of state are supposed to be doing dasyu dharma which means mainly they will be interested levying different kinds of taxes.  They are making very difficult for people to live to paying so many taxes and they won’t be concerned about religious principles just be considering how to make the government strong and get lot of taxes so on. Still people in the world today somewhat religious but gradually this can go down and down since government is not promoting religion. Srila Prabhupada he is mentioning how the actual Krishna conscious movement is the real solution or hope to save the world from devastation. It is very scientific and authorized movement meant for the actual welfare of the whole human society. Government can pass a law that state in the government shouldn’t have any----but fact is that people and their karmic activities affect the whole state therefore it is important as a citizen do religious activities. Srila Prabhupada mentioned that or I say since today we have so many religions in the society at least the government can ensure that whoever is protesting a particular religion they should practice it. We see it to a certain extent in Malaysia multi-religious society their government make the people at least for the Muslim religion they take some care that they should follow according to certain minimum standard and if somebody in the name of Islam does something wrong then the government steps in and stops it. Although I don’t think they take much interest in other religion so far. Along these lines Prabhupada said that we can see this will also be applied this principle given here that the government should ensure that the religion is enforced by properly or practice properly. Say somebody is Hindu sanyasi but he does irreligious activity like mixing with women then the government could enforce that if somebody is sanyasi according to Hindu dharma then the sanyasi means celibate if he get caught with the woman in compromising situation he can be arrested handed over to the religious authority to decide the fate. Such a law exists to a certain extent in Thailand and Burma you read some time in the paper when they go passing through, I read one time just recently came also in street times, how that some big Buddhist monk who is head of some monastery that he was accused of molestation of some minor girl accused him or rape something he is absconding but this is the criminal activity that’s why they directed him to the police and all, but it was the adult lady…  That was in Burma, one time came in the paper that one monk he was caught doing these things so he was brought before the head of all the Buddhist monks and they decided on his case like a court martial. If you do in military something wrong then they take to the military court then they decide, they decide you will discharge from military dishonourable discharge they call in some places. So, then he won’t get any pension and all… nothing just dishonourable discharge, retirement means honourable discharge. So, like that they decided that this person can never be a monk again he will be dethroned for life and they made him take of his robe and give him back some civilian cloths and say bye so, somehow government found that he is doing wrong things they handed over. Now it is interesting because in the British times Bhaktivinod Thakura was a magistrate and although there was Indian government and British were there, they were enforcing certain degree of people have to follow some moral standards because there was a tantric that (I forget may be someone remember his name) there was tantric yogi who was claiming that the avatar of Krishna and he was doing ras-lila were different peoples’ wife claiming that he is Krishna. This is the way worshiping Krishna you dance with me, celestial women were being misled by him then police could arrest him even a husbands were complaining because all kinds of sparks, things come from his hear any one touch him you get a shock, so people afraid of him he is doing so many wrong things. Bhaktivinod Thakura he was the only one who had guts to arrest him, so he was magistrate and he went with the police and he personally grabbed him and then arrested him and put him in the jail. But then because he was himself involved like this; he didn’t want to… he couldn’t… I think, he couldn’t judge the case had another judge something he pleading for (I forget exact details) or maybe he judged it. What happened was that tantric he cursed him that if you don’t release me your all family will going to die and even Bhaktivinod Thakura and his family members they got very sick people are pleading, relatives are pleading please this guy go you are getting sick. He said I don’t care he committed Krishna apradha I must do this and even he was going in the court they had to literally carry him. He became very much affected but then the finally order was given that this person is a criminal he would go to jail for so many years prison. So, then once he was convicted, then you have to shave up cut your hair when they go in the prison so all the power the tantric power got from black magic was in his hair; court didn’t know so cut his hair people were to cut shsssss so many flames and things  coming you know. The police went back oh!!! I won’t do so he took caesar himself went Hare Krishna sssss chopped the guy’s hair down the hair all his power gone. Then Bhaktivinod Thakura family member they all became healthy again no more problem. Some time by magic this people can cause disturbance but it cannot have permanent effect on the devotees. Although professionally may they affect for short time. We have to stay even something like that happen one has to stay fixed in devotional service. We should understand this story how Bhaktivinod Thakura he was as a government at least he was involved in these things that person was cheating people and he took an interest it shows government there was involved that time in ensuring certain degree of religious principles. I don’t know how the case is against him maybe he did something that was not religious give the excuse maybe he…  he was 420 they called in India that means that’s the criminal court for cheater in India they say charsobisa means 420 in Hindi everyone knows this means cheater that is criminal court for cheating few cases like that. There was another case recently, about 10 years ago or 20 years when I was in India came in the papers that one Indian sadhu was there in Orissa, who was also claiming to the avatar of Krishna and he had a temple he was seat  in the temple and people were close the door and open it he will be gone, so everybody gone and then disciple close the door again. Open it after some time he will be back when they open it, he will be back there will be all hot Jagannath prasad. They said he is not different from Jagannath, prasad was just brought from Jagannath Puri he goes and bring it back. So, people thought Oh!!! he is the avatar he is not different from Jagannath. He also starts to dancing with the woman all bogus people like to do this. They don’t understand Krishna how can do with material woman. Even the gopis they locked up by their parents and husbands in the house they left and they went in spiritual body to be with Krishna, the physical body was there laying down in the room. Krishna has nothing to do with material activities but these people all trying imitate Krishna they are demons and they are doing all these offences. So, this person also stealing the people’s money so they complained and CID investigated department, Criminal Investigation Department. So, they did a check and investigating and they, found about 100 meters away from that temple there was smoke coming out of the ground, it was smelling like cooking rice, sabjis and things.  So, it is very interesting how the ground is producing such a smell.  So, the next day when the sadhu went down and disappear from his temple, they made a raid van and they found that there is a trap door in the temple going to the tunnel underneath. So, the police went and some other and they found there two guys there smoking underneath you know and little cave like set up there and some few peoples are cooking the meals and packing in the clay pots so you can bring out the hot food and show out I brought it from 100, 300 kilo meter from the temple of Puri. Actually, cooking underground cheating people like that.   Then the police showed off to all the villagers look at you all cheated by this guy and they said okay dear police man please before taking him away at least give it to us for half hour there are few things to talk with him. And they pulled out his hair one by one all big hair they just pulled it out, they give him like that you can imagine how much, so like you find there are lots of bogus people are there. Even someone gets magical tricks or powers it doesn’t mean he is avatar. Now a days so many can produce some fruits from the hair or some jewellery then people thinks he is become avatar, magicians can do that many people can do that. Great yogis in the Vedas you see that even they can produce some times planet, they can do wonderful things, they can bring dead man to life, but they never claim themselves to be a Bhagavan.  Just very powerful rishis and yogis. Now a days somebody can do even do a trick or even make believe we find that they claim to be a God and he creates so much confusion amongst the people nobody knows who is actually God is, it’s a big problem. In India there was… there was in Bengal or so many false avatars go on history after history. One guy was claiming that he is reincarnation of Lord Chaitanya. Lord Chaitanya came to be in mood of Radharani and he came to be in a mood of manjari and he is claiming like that to be Lord Chaitanya Krishna avatar. He is also doing some nonsense; he was caught with somebodies’ wife and then they beat up very bad with sticks and everything and he went hiding in a cave. Even hiding in a cave and he stayed there for a long time so then their followers said see he is a great tapaswi being in a cave long time he is doing tapasya, all false things other persons said but he is there for few years actually or months but for a long time.  What happened he start getting sick no sunlight need sunlight for health so they brought a doctor, doctor said his bones everything became very weak being out of the sun he should be taken to fresh air, taken in a bullock cart take him around he gets fresh air. They put him on the bullock cart and take him around sow how he fell off bullock he fell off he died. So, the followers they say what now we can do he is avatar we depended on avatar for livelihood.  So, they decided they made an arrangement they brought one baby from someone and put a baby on a samadhi whole put the baby inside and they look it he is reincarnated he is a new avatar. But actually, a baby was stolen and sold and parent came and looked and this is our baby, you took our baby made a case against them and then avatar was taken away. Like this they do so many nonsense things just try to create an illusion they are Bhagavan because all this. Why these things happened because government don’t keep care about religion and so peoples get opportunity to do nonsense. But if somebody claims to be God you see, like in Islamic country you can’t claim to be Prophet or Mohammad if there you dare do that probably you may hung without a doubt at least that one good aspect of it, problem is that they are not doing the same equally for all religion therefore they got opportunity. The Vedic principle, the principles and religions should be protected by head of state it’s a good principle if you do across the world with every one Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist whatever the principle everyone should follow.  Recently there came a case in Bengal guy was claiming he will be Bhagavan this only one or two years ago then he died.  So, all the followers they are very upset so they said he wouldn’t die he said he is not actually dead, they will be kalp samadhi. This is kind of samadhi where you stop all the bodily, breathing, heart bits everything and go on deep samadhi. He is not dead don’t feel any hard anything here call for samadhi and they kept his body in a big icebox  and followers they are collecting people coming and touching his feet they are charging a ten rupee fee, fifty rupee selling locket and things everyday they are making hundreds and thousands of rupees income like that 55 days is going on and the neighbour said look at this is kalp samadhi. Why to keep the man alive, guy is dead, he is declined, he is smelling he has bad, health problem we don’t want this guy this is all cheating this people are making income of innocent people saying this is samadhi, he is dead. Finally people got together and start complaining the government then they raid then they found what these people were doing in the house there was a look alike of that guy who had big beard everything so, his beard was fully long enough but he is look alike now they few months you know his beard must be long enough obviously they are going to do at one point remove body and have a look alike come out and said that I am the guy came back from my samadhi and go on with the cheating business people said look at it he is reselected from death like Jesus, like so many great saints in the Vedas, like Dhruv Maharaja and others.  So, these things they all get exposed and all arrested they found all these things inside the house, so these things are going on and in modern society just two years ago and still so many babas and so many people are claiming be a Bhagavan. If they did a raid, they find so many things but someone big and so powerful no body dare to do it. Some are like this a small timer you know they get exposed but actually the government supposed to protect the innocent people against these things. But the government even they don’t know what is the religion what is irreligion so just they don’t get involved that is the problem. Because they don’t know therefore it is difficult even a bona fide religion they might say it’s not bona fide and the bogus religion they may say it’s okay, they don’t know the principles. So, one side it is better they don’t get involved if they don’t know the principles, if they know the principles like Agnidhar Maharaja then it’s okay but if they don’t know the principles then it also a problem. So, what the Krishna conscious movement is basically for to save the whole society. Since today mainly democracy in the world we have to educate people what are the principles of religion so they get to know what people, religious people should be doing. That’s why it is important devotees had themselves very good examples, especially the devotees who are representing the religion directly. There is a difference between practitioner and someone who directly representing religion; anyone who is practitioner should try to follow the principles of the religion but someone who is directly representing in preaching, they should definitely follow.  There is a principle of Brahminical culture, the brahmanas are the teachers of religious principles they have to live satvik life, avoiding the sinful activities like meat eating, illicit sex, gambling, intoxication that they would be practicing what they preach. Reason why the society divided in four orders is because the people are brahmana they should get special tax exemptions but to earn that they should live in a simple way and they should live the holy life avoiding these different activities. In the Vedas a person required had to be a monk, monks enjoy this kind of facility in Buddhist countries but In the Vedic culture even household brahmana they would also enjoy that, but they live in very simple way, they live according to certain religious principles.  So, Prabhupada said even a one day they got million-dollar next day they will be beggar again because they immediately spent it on some Krishna conscious purpose, they won’t be holding it but they spent on deities, spent on distributing prasadam and so on.  So, they were allowed to beg, others were not. A kshatriya he was allowed to take tax but he has to act according to religious principle.  So, the Vedic government was truly giving what things they do what they shouldn’t minimum things were done by the government not everything was done by the government. But the protection against thieves, maintenance of roads and things like that these were governmental requirement protecting the people in time of drought and famine and the flood. The vaishyas they were the economic base they were providing income for the country. They are the main people paid the tax, all the vaishyas were paying the taxes and maintaining the government, Krishi, goraksha, vanijya, vani, agriculture, cow-protection, trade and a business as well as banking all these activities were the vaishya category. Then there were the workers shudras, shudras they have lot of benefits, wasn’t that… only recently they became exploited but, in the beginning, they were also be protected. Somehow shudras they were less rules and regulations they had to follow but they were guaranteed that they have to be provided with the adequate income to maintain the necessaries of life. How to apply all this principle in the kali yuga and in modern society very difficult to say or to certain extent we can see that it could be applied. Idea that Bhaktivinod Thakura expressed that today we should apply its a daiva varnashram not that people are categorised in a particular cast for that everyone has one cast which is devotee of God, devotee of Krishna. But according to particular work and quality they act in a particular way the duties are different according to your occupation. We see today, like the teacher they are supposed to be brahmana, to be a teacher you should be a brahmana, Brahmana means they should have high character. But what’s happening in many countries, teachers are low life and they molesting the children, priest are molesting the children in catholic, in a different religion.  These are highly disturbing the whole faith of the children, if the teachers and their religious leaders molest them then where is the question of their having any faith in religion or having any faith in society.  So, that’s why nobody could be a teacher unless they had very high moral standard, nobody could be a priest unless they had very high moral standard.  Now a days… even in the Malaysia one of the devotees went to one of the ashrams and found that in the room of the priest there was a beer and meat everything in his feast. And he said how can you do that in a temple you are preaching that you have to follow pure life and here you are not following. He said when I am in the temple, I am following pure life this is my private life you have no business to look at this. This is a double standard in the temple you say one thing and in private life you say another thing that’s not brahminical culture, brahminical culture means all the time you act like brahmana.  So, the rule will be different, kshatriyas are allowed to do certain enjoyment, they are allowed to do certain things but brahmana was not allowed to do those, the things that brahmana are allowed to do kshatriya couldn’t do.  So, that was a traditional system in a broad society following principles what the basic duties of what the qualities are need to be applied, if you want to have any kind of progressive society the things actually work. So, one of the principles of kshatriya was the end of life they should hand over the management to their son and they should renounce and take up spiritual life. So, that’s how this whole chapter beginning Priyavrata Maharaja renounce the world gone into his austerities and spiritual practices handed over the kingdom to his son Agnidhar Maharaja.  Now Agnidhar Maharaja is young man, he is a powerful king, primary of his life we already read about, different trails and test he goes through and how he reacts to all those things.

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare,

Hare Ram, Hare Ram, Ram Ram, Hare Hare.

Any questions?

Devotee: - [ Voice not audible]

Guru Maharaja: - Srila Prabhupada said that this (not clear) system doesn’t work it become a demoniac varnashram but some basic principles of varnashram still leading in the society for preserving the order this bramhchary,  like in ISCKON, we don’t go on to the varnas so much this requires in the future basically everybody in the temples are supposed to be acting like brahmana but in general society you see there is a big difference of people.  So, also, we have done different study on the different principles daiva varnashram not that category somebody by birth. In India what happens is that someone is born in a so called harijan family, he might become minister and the PR in the office might be brahmana, so the brahmana PR he has to delivered the file to the minister, who say harijan. What they called harijan meaning he is the sweeper family, but he might be very highly educated, good qualified person.  The brahmana PR won’t touch the minister he is untouchable. He throws the file on his desk without touching this kind of things are still there. We find delivering the coal to our Kolkata temple some time the coolie they called coolie one who carries the coal on his head, he is completely coloured black, he is carrying on his head basket of coal but he got a brahmana thread. What is a meaning?  He may be born in a family of brahmanas, he no longer acting as a brahmana, he is acting as a labour, acting as a shudra, so they just following it by birth. But the Vedic system is guna, karma, vibhagsha by quality and by work. So, some basic principles there are in society. How people should act in a particular way? If you say that coolie is brahmana surely doing all that work he probably smoking ganja and doing so many things maybe he is shudra he can do that. He can simple things, some sins shudras can do, he does all these things and acting like a brahmana in his private life, he has such an occupation. Buy if he given respect to his post and he is thinking as a Brahmana acting like then people get confused. So, within society what different people can do at least what duties they have no matter regulation this is the part of what duties they have, what qualities they have that’s got some importance.  Like a vaishya what his duties to society, he is supposed to maintain, he supposed to give charity. A kshatriya supposed to protect the citizen, a brahmana supposed to teach this other aspect of at least the positive side is the important thing for organizing society.  Sometimes teacher don’t know what is his duty to society, head of state doesn’t know what his duty head of state to see strictly people follow religious principles, protect them from their own sins in administrator way. So, those things Prabhupada says in future we need to establish some system of daiva varnashram not that we take a thing like today that’s distorted, perverted it not that finish but on a higher principle giving out principles of a… just like in ISCKON we say following varnashram ashram style.  So, being a brahmachari in such mixing with women on that be a disturbance [ Not clear ] Today we see that a brahmachari has to be celibate not mixing with women just business only, but anyone want to have association with women then he gets marry then you have association with a wife according to religious principles and that’s all right it equally good.  The point is you have to follow some system, every society it’s got rules for a marriage the problem is they don’t have rules for brahmachari so what happened you get bachelors and you don’t get really good quality marriage just people don’t get trained up in celibacy and so this the ashram set already trying to implement as best as possible in kali yuga probably in future also need they have varna side things like cow protection are needed in society, that supposed to be done by vaishyas.

How…this is a big subject, Prabhupada said I am not be available to do this that what he was… one the last thing he was doing he said I am go on setting Gitanagri I am going to personally establish varnashram community and show you how to do it but then he never made it. On the way he got to London he is very sick and he came back to India stayed in Vrindavan, but his idea was to try to establish some varnashram farm community. Varnashram only works in a rural area in an ideal set up, in the city is quite limited what we can do. There is a long-term process, point is first you got to be human beings, human beings they can follow religious principles then you can organize them in a responsible way.  So, everybody is a devotee then it’s very simple, so I did it to that extent but how particular varnas establish some point of divine varnashram.

Devotee: - Not audible

Guru Maharaja: -She gets more punya, it’s a good deal, the point is that lot of time they may be busy in house work and something else, they may not always do all the religious activity at least they serve the husband they get half without doing anything. If they also religious and also doing so then they can get bonus that’s my point.  Some wives are very religious so then they get this advantage for spiritual activities this is punya, pious activity. Just like many times you go to Indian businessman ask for donation they said talk to my wife.  So, you do get that situation and the wife said okay give the donation, she is also participating, she gets a share. When you do something Krishna conscious that’s spiritual so the spiritual things are in higher category there everybody shares equally for that is the punya karma. Even a wife doesn’t know she is back in a house and husband gives a donation some pious work she also benefited both the karmas were joint, but husband does sinful act she doesn’t get share in a traditional setup, modern setup I can’t say but in a Vedic system is like that.

Any other question? no more any question?

Devotee: - Not audible

Guru Maharaja: - What about the children?

Devotee: -

Guru Maharaja: - They benefit when you involved them, that’s why parents are meant to involve the children in spiritual activities most of the samskaras, like this dasham samskara so all those samskara for the benefit of the children up to the time the child was able to decide things for themselves. Then so many samskaras, beginning from conception of garbhadhan samskara, during pregnancy there are samskara, birth samskara, after six-month first grain you gave prasadam, anna-prashana, then cutting the hair samskara, then school then you supposed take them to one of the brahmana to the first writing, first word he learn to write they write on a chock, Hare Krishna, and they have prasad and everything.  Lord Chaitanya when He was doing that first He also did first write He wrote Hare Krishna. When He was doing anna-prashan same time they give the namkarna giving the name is a ceremony also giving a religious name.  So, when they gave the first grain Lord Chaitanya, the father wanted to know six month of age remembrance, tendency of previous life is still very strong in a child as they grow up then all new programming comes.  That’s why they give them the choice whether they choose money or books that is mean what the tendency coming from previous life. Now this chance can give new association, new tendency in this life. You know what he is starting from that’s the mean what their future was you know what will be the past was but the tendency, you can go with the tendency you can develop it further. So, Jagannath Mishra he put out small coins, silver coins, gold coins, different files, he put pens, different kinds of books material books, many logics, just pandit books, Vedas, Upanishads and then finally puranas, and the Bhagavat so this is the whole ray not one thing the child could choose. That way sees whether he went for the money, if he went to the gold, he is big timer this is a small timer in the money, usually we just put money they put so many varieties. Then Lord little Nimai go he call immediately the books and he picked up not only books he just starts hugging it so all the pandit they say wow!!! He is going to be a super pandit he is so much ----went to the book grabbed it the vaishana it is good thing he grabbed and they saw He went to the Bhagvatam and he was hugging the Bhagvatam then they said wow!!! He is a great devotee tendency is devotional.  So, like this all these samskaras means what can child do from self a good question, child can do anything from self just depended on the parents for that giving the first grain doing all this ceremony are the ways to bring the child spiritually up even when he depended on you as a parent. Similarly bringing them to temple having them… to go to different festivals, take prasadam, join the kirtans something all these are ways to build up their spiritual benefit. Sometimes you find that the parents they come and they put a note in the child’s hand, child can hardly hold the note, let the child give the donation, they want the child to get the benefit.  So, parents like that in the beginning they do things to bring the child love then by that training and background when the child older do so things themselves they explained why they should want the spiritual life give them …  That’s why we want to have for congregation different programs special school for the children they are programme like in the middle east all the families they are working expatriate, mainly were programmes there with expatriates because it is illegal to preach to locals about the Krishna Consciousness in an open way.  So, we found that the best way was to provide lot of courses for the children they have rapid study course one year cover the whole Gita and crash course during the holiday six week of the summer vacation going through the Bhagavat, just like Krishna book or something (rapid) that’s a crash course, different types of courses like that and this way so many parents because their children got involved then the parents got involve those who have work nights, they have to do recitation all the parents come because they all love their children they have  to come with the child doing something and this way by coming personally, they can hear the class, then they had ceremony so the gradually start Krishna Conscious very nice they are doing every year hundreds of families involved. But they came through the children so responsible parents they want to see their children get education important even there is good way of bring the parents close to the Krishna also. Children became close to the parents gets close to also. Is that okay?

Devotee: - Not Audible.

Guru Maharaja: - If someone become pure devotee goes back to Krishna fourteen generations get delivered. Not even saying that pure devotee but just being a devotee at least a religious person if you become pure devotee that’s the approximate objective. They should live their life totally in Krishna conscious way, whether they may householders, whether they  may be… but they fully involved in Krishna consciousness means they are eating prasadam, they are chanting, they are doing everything, at the end of life they go back to Krishna automatically the parents have contributed something for that to their parents to karma and grandparents and so on that for fourteen generation they all go back, seven parents, grandparents and seven children.  So, some parents, I have some parents that you know, I don’t know I am able to go back at least my child you please train up nicely it’s a hope, give my ticket

I wish families, I don’t know, what their Ideology is idea.   But they seem they have their tradition; one child always they want to be a priest, most of the missionaries at one stage I don’t know but used to be the tradition. Even in the Buddhist countries one child of all at least one they want to be a monk to get the benefit. Used to be Hindus and Sikhs were very closed in Punjab there was no difference but every Hindu family one of the children become a sikh. Sikhs were like militant more dedicated kind of Hindus of that type there was no difference that was a tradition, now they created you know all this division before it was, I heard from the Punjabis. But traditions one child to do something more religion something again coming from ancient the original thing is if they became a pure devotee, they go back get a moksha then fourteen generation gets.

Devotee: - Not Audible.

Guru Maharaja: - That doesn’t matter

Devotee: - Not Audible.

Guru Maharaja: - Previous life. You see here a person complete nastic doesn’t believe in God may get brahmajyoti liberation that devotee according to their purpose they may get particular kind of liberation, but they get liberation but it is not two dimensional, three-dimensional multi, past, future and previous. This is very traditional that all came varnashram touchy subject in some places you know people might misunderstand that complicated issues. also, important to know because we see in many people criticised a cast system every day, originally the system was not bad they got perverted that’s the point. Now happened to be all society that’s the fully different pudding based on some higher principle not just principle that was just there before mandatory ---generated to. First, essence we can clean out.

Hare Krishna.