Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.46

Pradyumna: Translation: "O best of the demigods, we can see three different varieties of life, which are due to the contamination of the three modes of nature. The living entities are thus known as peaceful, restless and foolish; as happy, unhappy or in-between; or as religious, irreligious and semireligious. We can deduce that in the next life these three kinds of material nature will similarly act."

Prabhupāda:

yatheha deva-pravarās trai-vidhyam upalabhyate bhuteṣu guṅa-vaicitryāt tathānyatrānumīyate [SB 6.1.46]

Just like, now this month of June, we have got a certain type of experience what are the natural changes, atmosphere, in this month of June. Similarly, when you are in month of December, you can foretell what will be the next month of June. It is not difficult, because you have got experience, the atmospheric changes and situations in this month of June. Just like in Bombay there is practical calculation that by the tenth of June, the rain, rainy season will begin. Actually so happens. In different places, different types of seasonal changes. So everything should be seen through the śāstra. Śāstra-cakṣuṣāt. This is Vedic process. In the śāstra it is said that ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ [Bg 14.18]:

[Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets; those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets; and those in the mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds.]

elevation in this material world is when a person is in the sattva-guṅa, the modes of goodness. And middle, via media, is rajo-guṅa. Madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ. And jaghanya-guṅa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ: those who are very, very low class, jaghanya-vṛtti, their behavior is very, very abominable, they go down, adho gacchanti.

But our this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is to go above the modes of goodness. Here, either goodness or passion or ignorance, they sometimes overlap. Just like a brāhmaṅa, he is in goodness. But this Ajāmila, he was born in a brāhmaṅa family—we have begun that history, kānyakubje dvijaḥ—he was born in a brāhmaṅa family of Kānyakubja city, historical fact. Kānyakubja is still there in India; it is now called Kanauj, near... [break] ...family. Everything was there. But accidentally, one day he was bringing flowers and other paraphernalia for worshiping Deity for his father. On the way he saw one śūdra, fourth-class man, was embracing one śūdrāṅī. This kind of embracing, kissing, on the public street, they're never indulged in India. Especially among the high class, brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. No. The śūdras, they also do it very carefully. But śūdras can do. Prostitution, these things are the low class. The high class, no, not allowed. The high-class society, a woman cannot mix with any man. Especially unmarried. The fathers, parents, will not allow. So this person, this Ajāmila, happened to see that a young śūdra, he's embracing another young śūdrāṅī, and naturally, he became excited. And then he made contact with that prostitute, and whatever money he had, he was spending for her. In this way he'll be fallen down, sadācāro. That is stated here, that naṣṭa-sadācāro, on account of mixing with a prostitute, he became completely fall down.

So the point is that although he was born in a brāhmaṅa family, he was being trained up as a pure brāhmaṅa, but he fell down to the modes of ignorance. Therefore one has to surpass the platform of goodness also. There are many cases, very good boy, all of a fall sudden. In our society, you have seen very nice boy, doing nicely, all of a sudden, finished. So that is possible. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: overlap. The rajo-guṅa is overlapping tamo-guṅa, tamo-guṅa is overlapping sattva-guṅa; in this way, it is going on. Therefore we see varieties. So that is stated here, that deva-pravarās trai-vidhyam upalabhyate, guṅa-vaicitryāt. Guṅa-vaicitryāt: by mixture of different guṅas. Just like color, painter. There are three colors originally: red, yellow and blue. Now those who are expert, they can mix these. If you mix yellow and blue, it becomes green. Those who are painter, they know. And yellow mixed with red, it becomes orange. In this way those who are painter, they know how to mix color, and varieties come. Guṅa-vaicitryāt.

So there are originally three colors. Similarly, originally three guṅas. Now they become mixed up. Three into three equal to nine; nine into nine equal to eighty-one; and again eighty-one and eighty-one... Nature's law is very subtle. Those who are botanists, scientists, they know how the color of the flower..., so many varieties. They calculate, a little... There is regular principle. Not that by chance it has become yellow, chance it has become red. This is rascaldom. No. There is regular. Parasya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate [Cc Madhya 13.65, purport]. Everything is being done by the manifestation of energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mayādhyakṣeṅa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram [Bg 9.10].

[This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kuntī, and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings. By its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.]

Everywhere there is control of Kṛṣṅa. So don't think that in the flower some nice color has come without any supervision or control. Don't think. That is nonsense. Not by chance. It is under Kṛṣṅa's direction. He has got artistic sense. Not like us. He can dictate to show the various varieties of living entities, all varieties, trees and so many things. There are varieties, jalajā nava-lakṣāṅi: nine hundred thousand different forms of fishes, from big to small. There are whale fishes. There is another big fish, they can swallow up the whale fishes, so big, jala-hasti. They are within the ocean. How many we know? We are... The Nirviśeṣa-vādīs' philosophy is like that, that on the ocean we see it is simply water. No, that is not actual vision. You should take knowledge from the experience. What is that? Now within the ocean there are nine hundred thousand different forms of life. You rascal, you are thinking that there is nothing, nirviśeṣa.

So nirviśeṣa-vādī, impersonalists, are like that. In the creation of God, there are varieties, not impersonal. Therefore we see, we are sitting here, you won't find two men of the same feature of the body. Even there are twin, still, we'll find some differences. The father, mother can see. There is variety. Here it is said, bhūteṣu guṅa-vaicitryāt. They are guṅa-vaicitryāt. Therefore we don't find two men of the same nature, two men of the same thinking. Varieties. Varieties, this is going on. But that is our cause of bondage—varieties. But if we can surpass these varieties, as Kṛṣṅa advises in the Bhagavad-gītā, trai-guṅya-viṣayā vedā nistrai-guṅyo bhavārjuna [Bg 2.45].

[The Vedas mainly deal with the subject of the three modes of material nature. Rise above these modes, O Arjuna. Be transcendental to all of them. Be free from all dualities and from all anxieties for gain and safety, and be established in the Self.]

Nistrai-guṅyo, nirguṅa. Nirguṅa does not mean no varieties. Nirguṅa means not these material varieties—the spiritual variety. So they misunderstand. Spiritual varieties, they think material varieties. So nistraigunyo: we have to overcome the varieties of this material nature. We have come to the spiritual platform.

And how it is possible? That is stated in Bhagavad-gītā:

māṁ ca vyabhicāreṅa bhakti-yogena sevate sa guṅān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate [Bg 14.26]

[One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.]

One who is engaged in devotional service, he becomes transcendental to these three guṅas and its varieties. Māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṅa bhakti-yogena. Avyabhicāreṅa: without any adulteration, pure devotion. So pure devotion means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy anāvṛtam [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11]:

[One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṅa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service.]

only concentration of Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa is the root. Kṛṣṅa is vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti [Bg 7.19].

[After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.]

One who knows this... This knowledge is not so easy. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante. After many, many births cultivating knowledge, if one is fortunate, he can understand that Kṛṣṅa is the root of everything. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. But that is the ultimate goal. So if we understand this central point, that Kṛṣṅa is the root of everything, then we are successful in life. Otherwise, it is not.

So it is said, māṁ ca 'vyabhicāreṅa bhakti-yogena sevate [Bg 14.26]. People are missing this point, that Kṛṣṅa is the center. If any way we act, making Kṛṣṅa in the center, we may draw many thousands of circles, it will not overlap. It will not overlap. So our, this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is... To become Kṛṣṅa conscious means not to remain within this guṅa-vaicitrya, the varieties of material color, or material guṅas. Above that. Center Kṛṣṅa. Make center Kṛṣṅa, then whatever you do, it will be perfect. Make Kṛṣṅa center. It doesn't matter whether I'm a businessman or professional man or engineer, doctor—there are so many varieties—or a mendicant or brahmacārī, gṛhastha. Never mind. It is, make Kṛṣṅa center. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā.

This was decided in the resolution of the Naimiṣāraṅya meeting. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṅāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ [SB 1.2.13].

[O best among the twice-born, it is therefore concluded that the highest perfection one can achieve by discharging the duties prescribed for one's own occupation according to caste divisions and orders of life is to please the Personality of Godhead.]

There were very, very learned scholars, brāhmaṅas and sages, and that is not ordinary meeting. Just like our this meeting is not ordinary meeting; this is Kṛṣṅa conscious meeting. Similarly, there was a big meeting, Naimiṣāraṅya, wherefrom Bhāgavata was given to the public. So in that meeting Sūta Gosvāmī said, dvija-śreṣṭhā: "You are all selected first-class brāhmaṅa in this meeting." So, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṅāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. There is division, varṅa and āśrama. Brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra; brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha. Now, varṅāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ, everything has got varieties of duties. Brāhmaṅas have got varieties of duties. Kṣatriya has got varieties. Just like brāhmaṅa: sattva śamo-damas-titikṣa ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam [Bg 18.42].

[Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, wisdom, knowledge, and religiousness—these are the qualities by which the brāhmaṅas work.]

There must be a class of men, brāhmaṅa. Otherwise, society will go to hell. Who will guide? Just like in this body there must be the head. Otherwise, what is the use of these hands and legs? There is no use. Who will give direction? They are now trying to make classless society. Therefore they are bringing the whole human society into ruination. It cannot be done. There must be classes. Just like in my body there are four divisions: brain, arms, belly, leg. So they are required. Leg is also required, hand is also required, belly is also required. Similarly, brāhmaṅa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī—varieties. And when the varieties center around Kṛṣṅa, it becomes beautiful. Kṛṣṅa center, and the circle, rasa dance, it becomes very beautiful.

So unless people accept this principle, that Kṛṣṅa center, their..., all their plans will be futile. Moghāśā mogha-karmāṅo mogha-jñānā [Bg 9.12],

[Those who are thus bewildered are attracted by demonic and atheistic views. In that deluded condition, their hopes for liberation, their fruitive activities, and their culture of knowledge are all defeated.]

everything. You try the history. They are trying to do so many things, planning. In every country, there is a planning commission. But according to Bhagavad-gītā, any plan you do, it is all rascaldom if it is without Kṛṣṅa. It will fail. History will... Take, for example, in our India: Mahātmā Gandhi made so many plans to get our independence. He was taking Bhagavad-gītā in his hand and publicly said that "I get solace from Bhagavad-gītā." He was very fond of Bhagavad-gītā. But unfortunately he could not make Kṛṣṅa as center. This is the unfortunate. Therefore whole plan failed. Gandhi wanted nonviolence—failed. Gandhi wanted Hindu-Muslim unity—failed. Why? Because he never said that Kṛṣṅa is the center. Find his lecture. He'll never say Kṛṣṅa. Missing. Kṛṣṅa is missing. Similarly, so many... One French professor has admitted, Aurobindo or Dr. Radhakrishnan, they have written Bhagavad-gītā, annotation, so many others also, but Kṛṣṅa is missing. They're faulty. Kṛṣṅa is missing. Through Bhagavad-gītā, they want to make the society Kṛṣṅa-less. That is their policy. So nothing has become... For the last two hundred, three hundred years, from India so many svāmīs, yogīs came. But because they missed Kṛṣṅa, it was all useless. And now this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, because we are making Kṛṣṅa as the center, you see practically, thousands of devotees. Successful.

So that is a fact. If we don't make Kṛṣṅa the center, never mind the varieties of qualities are there... That will continue. It is everywhere, the varieties will be there. But if the Kṛṣṅa is the center, the varieties will be very nice bouquet, bunch of flower. And without Kṛṣṅa, it is all useless. So make Kṛṣṅa center. Then these varieties of guṅa, mixture of guṅa, that will not... Sa guṅān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate [Bg 14.26].

[One who engages in full devotional service, who does not fall down in any circumstance, at once transcends the modes of material nature and thus comes to the level of Brahman.]

This will not affect our spiritual position. Kṛṣṅa says: sa brahma-bhūyāya, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati [Bg 18.544].

[And of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.]

So the aim is how to make people brahma-bhūtaḥ, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi does not mean that I have become Bhagavān, or God. No. I am not matter; I am spirit soul. That is ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is called Brahman realization. And when one is in Brahman realization, then that is the peaceful condition of life. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā.

So take this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. I am very pleased that you are doing, endeavoring. So do it very nicely and... Apratihatā. And this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement cannot be checked by any material impediments. Ahaitukī apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati. This devotional service to Kṛṣṅa can be done by anyone, by everyone, in any place, in any condition. This is Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, to become happy and peaceful.

Thank you very much.

Devotee: Jaya Prabhupāda! [end]