SB 4.28.26 P Puranjana Becomes a Woman in the Next Life TEXT 26
TEXT
tam yajna-pasavo 'nena
samjnapta ye 'dayaluna
kutharais cicchiduh kruddhah
smaranto 'mivam asya tat
SYNONYMS
tam--him; yajna-pasavah--the sacrificial animals; anena--by him; samjnaptah--killed; ye--all of them who; adayaluna--by the most unkind; kutharaih--by axes; cicchiduh--pierced to pieces; kruddhah--being very angry; smarantah--remembering; amivam--sinful activity; asya--of him; tat--that.
TRANSLATION
That most unkind king, Puranjana, had killed many animals in various sacrifices. Now, taking advantage of this opportunity, all these animals began to pierce him with their horns. It was as though he were being cut to pieces by axes.
PURPORT
Those who are very enthusiastic about killing animals in the name of religion or for food must await similar punishment after death. The word mamsa ("meat") indicates that those animals whom we kill will be given an opportunity to kill us. Although in actuality no living entity is killed, the pains of being pierced by the horns of animals will be experienced after death. Not knowing this, rascals unhesitatingly go on killing poor animals. So-called human civilization has opened many slaughterhouses for animals in the name of religion or food. Those who are a little religious kill animals in temples, mosques or synagogues, and those who are more fallen maintain various slaughterhouses. Just as in civilized human society the law is a life for a life, no living entity can encroach upon another living entity as far as the Supreme Lord is concerned. Everyone should be given freedom to live at the cost of the supreme father, and animal-killing--either for religion or for food--is always condemned by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gita (16.19) Lord Krsna says:
tan aham dvisatah kruran
samsaresu naradhaman
ksipamy ajasram asubhan
asurisv eva yonisu
"Those who are envious and mischievous, who are the lowest among men, are cast by Me into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species of life." The animal-killers (dvisatah), envying other living entities and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, are placed in darkness and cannot understand the theme and objective of life. This is further explained in the following verses.
721125BG.HYD Lectures
Whatever we want--ye yatha mam prapadyante--Krsna will give you. To take something from Krsna... Just like the Christians pray, "O God, give us our daily bread." So is it very difficult task for Krsna to give our dai...? He's giving already. He's giving daily bread to everyone. So this is not the mode of prayer. Their mode of prayer... As Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, mama janmani janmanisvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi. This is prayer. We haven't got to ask anything. Krsna, God, has made ample arrangement for our maintenance. Purnasya purnam adaya purnam eva avasisyate. We haven't got to ask anything. Krsna, God, has made ample arrangement for our maintenance. We become atheists. We become demons. Then the supply is restricted. Then we cry for: "Oh, there is no rain. There is no this, no..." That is nature's restriction. But from God's arrangement, there is sufficient food for everyone. Eko bahunam vidadhati kaman. He supplying everyone.
SB 4.30.44 P The Activities of the Pracetas TEXT 44
TEXT
atha niryaya salilat
pracetasa udanvatah
viksyakupyan drumais channam
gam gam roddhum ivocchritaih
SYNONYMS
atha--thereafter; niryaya--after coming out; salilat--from the water; pracetasah--all the Pracetas; udanvatah--of the sea; viksya--having observed; akupyan--became very angry; drumaih--by trees; channam--covered; gam--the world; gam--the heavenly planets; roddhum--to obstruct; iva--as if; ucchritaih--very tall.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter all the Pracetas emerged from the waters of the sea. They then saw that all the trees on land had grown very tall, as if to obstruct the path to the heavenly planets. These trees had covered the entire surface of the world. At this time the Pracetas became very angry.
PURPORT
King Pracinabarhisat left his kingdom before his sons arrived after their execution of penance and austerity. The sons, the Pracetas, were ordered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to come out of the water and go to the kingdom of their father in order to take care of that kingdom. However, when they came out, they saw that everything had been neglected due to the King's absence. They first observed that food grains were not being produced and that there were no agricultural activities. Indeed, the surface of the world was practically covered by very tall trees. It seemed as though the trees were determined to stop people from going into outer space to reach the heavenly kingdoms. The Pracetas became very angry when they saw the surface of the globe covered in this way. They desired that the land be cleared for crops.
It is not a fact that jungles and trees attract clouds and rain, because we find rainfall over the sea. Human beings can inhabit any place on the surface of the earth by clearing jungles and converting land for agricultural purposes. People can keep cows, and all economic problems can be solved in that way. One need only work to produce grains and take care of the cows. The wood found in the jungles may be used for constructing cottages. In this way the economic problem of humanity can be solved. At the present moment there are many vacant lands throughout the world, and if they are properly utilized, there will be no scarcity of food. As far as rain is concerned, it is the performance of yajna that attracts rain. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (3.14):
annad bhavanti bhutani
parjanyad anna-sambhavah
yajnad bhavati parjanyo
yajnah karma-samudbhavah
"All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajna [sacrifice], and yajna is born of prescribed duties." By performing sacrifice, man will have sufficient rainfall and crops.
SB 6.4.4 P The Hamsa-guhya Prayers TEXT 4
TEXT
sri-suka uvaca
yada pracetasah putra
dasa pracinabarhisah
antah-samudrad unmagna
dadrsur gam drumair vrtam
SYNONYMS
sri-sukah uvaca--Sukadeva Gosvami said; yada--when; pracetasah--the Pracetas; putrah--the sons; dasa--ten; pracinabarhisah--of King Pracinabarhi; antah-samudrat--from within the ocean; unmagnah--emerged; dadrsuh--they saw; gam--the entire planet; drumaih vrtam--covered with trees.
TRANSLATION
Sukadeva Gosvami said: When the ten sons of Pracinabarhi emerged from the waters, in which they were performing austerities, they saw that the entire surface of the world was covered by trees.
PURPORT
When King Pracinabarhi was performing Vedic rituals in which the killing of animals was recommended, Narada Muni, out of compassion, advised him to stop. Pracinabarhi understood Narada properly and then left the kingdom to perform austerities in the forest. His ten sons, however, were performing austerities within the water, and therefore there was no king to see to the management of the world. When the ten sons, the Pracetas, came out of the water, they saw that the earth was overrun with trees.
When the government neglects agriculture, which is necessary for the production of food, the land becomes covered with unnecessary trees. Of course, many trees are useful because they produce fruits and flowers, but many other trees are unnecessary. They could be used as fuel and the land cleared and used for agriculture. When the government is negligent, less grain is produced. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (18.44), krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhava jam: the proper engagements for vaisyas, according to their nature, are to farm and to protect cows. The duty of the government and the ksatriyas is to see that the members of the third class, the vaisyas, who are neither brahmanas nor ksatriyas, are thus properly engaged. Ksatriyas are meant to protect human beings, whereas vaisyas are meant to protect useful animals, especially cows.
NoI 2 Collecting and eating more than necessary also causes prayasa, or unnecessary endeavor. By God's arrangement, anyone in any part of the world can live very peacefully if he has some land and a milk cow. There is no need for man to move from one place to another to earn a livelihood, for one can produce food grains locally and get milk from cows. That can solve all economic problems. Fortunately, man has been given higher intelligence for the cultivation of Krsna consciousness, or the understanding of God, one's relationship with Him, and the ultimate goal of life, love of God. Unfortunately, so-called civilized man, not caring for God realization, utilizes his intelligence to get more than necessary and simply eat to satisfy the tongue. By God's arrangement there is sufficient scope for the production of milk and grains for human beings all over the world, but instead of using his higher intelligence to cultivate God consciousness, so-called intelligent men misuse their intelligence to produce many unnecessary and unwanted things. Thus factories, slaughterhouses, brothels and liquor shops are opened. If people are advised not to collect too many goods, eat too much or work unnecessarily to possess artificial amenities, they think they are being advised to return to a primitive way of life. Generally people do not like to accept plain living and high thinking. That is their unfortunate position.
KB 24 Worshiping Govardhana HillIn all communities of human society, and in the animal kingdom, among the cows, dogs, goats, etc., everyone has his part to play. Each is to work in cooperation for the total benefit of all society, which includes not only animate objects but also inanimate objects like hills and land. The vaisya community is specifically responsible for the economic improvement of the society by producing grains, by giving protection to the cows, by transporting food when needed, and by banking and finance.
From this statement we learn also that the cats and dogs, although not so important, are not to be neglected. Cow protection is actually more important than protection of cats and dogs.
N98:TQE 7 Love of God, the Ultimate Goal books
There are different kinds of worship of God. The beginning is "O God, give us our daily bread." This is the beginning. When we are taught to worship God, we are instructed, "Go to church and pray to God for your necessities." But although that is the beginning, that is not pure love. Pure love for God can be found among the gopis. Here is how they loved Krsna:
Krsna was a cowherd boy. With His friends, the other cowherd boys, He used to go with His cows to the pasturing ground for the whole day. (At that time people were satisfied with land and cows. That's all. That was the means of solving all economic problems. They did not work in big industries; they were not the servants of anyone. They simply took the production from the land and the milk from the cows, and their whole food problem was solved.) So, Krsna used to go to the pasturing ground, and the gopis stayed at home. Krsna was miles away, in the pasturing ground, and the gopis at home were thinking, "Oh, Krsna's feet are so soft! Now He's walking on the rough ground, and the sharp pebbles are pricking His soles. So He must be feeling some pain." Thinking in this way, the gopis used to cry. Just see. This is love.
730724BG.LON Lectures
Anyone, everyone wants to be happy with this Grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittaih, household life, and having some land. In those days there was no industry. Therefore industry is not meant. Land. If you get land, then you can produce your food. But actually that is our life. Here in this village we find so much land lying vacant, but they are not producing their food. They make their food the cows, poor cows, to kill them and eat them. This is not Grha-ksetra. You become grhastha, but you produce your food from the land, Grha-ksetra. And when you produce food, then beget children, Grha-ksetra-suta-apta-vitta. In India in village, there is, still the system is amongst the poor men, the cultivators, that if the cultivator cannot provide to keep a cow, he will not marry. Jaru and garu. Jaru means wife, and garu means cow. So one should keep a wife if he is able to keep a cow also. Jaru and garu. Because if you keep a wife, immediately there will be children. But if you cannot give them cows' milk, the children will be rickety, not very healthy. They must drink sufficient milk. So cow is therefore considered mother. Because one mother has given birth to the child, the another mother is supplying milk. So everyone should be obliged to mother cow, because she is supplying milk.
761217BG.HYD Lectures So far intelligence is concerned, in the matter of considering eating, sleeping, sex, and defense, that is equal either in the animal or in the human being. It doesn't require any education. Even the dog knows how to use sex life. It doesn't require a Freud's philosophy. But the rascal human society, they are thinking that "Here is a big philosopher. He is writing about sex." This is going on. Eating, simply eating... Here is land. You work little, get your food grains produced and you can sumptuously eat. But it doesn't require a scientific slaughterhouse for bringing big, big cows and live in the city at the cost of the lives of the poor animals. This is misuse of intelligence. This is not intelligence.
740606BG.GEN Lectures
That is the system that in India every man is producing his food grains independently. Now it is stopped. Formerly, all these men, they used to produce their food grain. So they used to work for three months in a year, and they could stock the whole year's eatable food grains. Life was very simple. After all, you require to eat. So this Vedic civilization was that keep some land and keep some cows. Then your whole economic question is solved.
Now, in this country, Geneva, I heard there is... I am tasting the milk, first-class milk. I think the world's best milk. Unless one has got his own cows, one cannot get such nice milk. But I hear also that because there is excess production of milk, they have decided to kill twenty-thousand cows.
Devotee: Last year, they decided to do it, but apparently they didn't do it. They wanted to do it.
Prabhupada: Just see how much foolish proposal it is. So for want of God consciousness, this mischievous intelligence can be found. The whole economic question can be solved. If you have got excess, then you can trade, you can send to some place where there is scarcity. But every man should produce his own food. That is Vedic culture. You get a piece of land and produce your family's foodstuff.
But they are... What they are doing? In Australia, in Africa, they have got enough land, but the government... Maybe they have no sufficient men to utilize the land, but they won't allow any outsider to go there who can produce. I have seen in Africa. Very, very large tract of land was lying vacant, nobody is producing any food. They are producing coffee. That is not the local men. The Britishers who have gone there, They are producing coffee, tea, and keeping some cows for slaughtering. This is going on. In Australia, also, I have seen.
740926SB.CAL Lectures
Krsna has given so many nice things. Produce. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, annad bhavanti bhutani. Krsna never says, mamsad bhavanti bhutani, matsyad bhavanti bhutani. Never says. Annad. Anna, anna. Anna means food grain. Produce sufficient food grain. So the... In the village side you go, hundreds and thousands of acres of land is lying vacant. Nobody is interested. Now they are interested (in) opening slaughterhouse. Kill the poor animals and eat, but don't produce food grain. The whole world, this rascaldom is going on. I have traveled over many countries, all over the world. In Africa there are so much vacant land. In Australia there are so much vacant land. But nobody is producing food grains. They, they have kept some cattles, these cows. They are automatically maintained. There is grass. And when they are fatty, take them and send to the slaughterhouse and eat. But the land is lying vacant. The land is lying vacant.
So therefore people are not following the rules and regulations given by God or by nature's own way. They have invented their own way of living condition. Therefore they are suffering. Now we see in Calcutta or any other... Now it is a problem. Everywhere the problem will be food shortage and fuel shortage, power shortage. This is the prediction of many, many great scientists. Because people are committing so many sinful life, they must starve. That is the punishment. That is the punishment. These sinful rascals must be punished. Tan aham dvisatah kruran ksipamy ajasram andha-yonisu. These godless persons, dvisatah, envious of God: "Why there should be God? Why Krsna shall be God?", envious...
730619SB.MAY Lectures So Maharaja Yudhisthira was so pious that during his reign time, kamam vavarsa parjanyah. There was regular rainfall and everything was produced nicely. Sarva-kama-dugha mahi. Sarva-kama. The, another side is that you don't require industries, trade. You don't require. If you have got land and cow, then everything is complete. This is basic principle of Vedic civilization. Have some land. Have some cows. Dhanyena dhanavan gavayah dhanavan. Not industry. There is no need of industry. Because you want some food, nice food, nice milk, nice fruit, that will be produced by nature. You cannot manufacture all these things in the factory. So therefore the..., at the present moment, the big, big factories, they are the activities of the asuras, ugra-karma. All the people are dragged in the city, industrial area, to engage them in the produce of iron bars, big, big iron bars, Tartiron(?) iron industry, and so many other industry. Capitalists, they have drawn all the innocent people from the village. And they think that "We are getting fat salary." But what is the use of fat salary? One side you get fat salary; another side you have to purchase three rupees a kilo rice. Finish your salary. This is going on. Let them produce their own food. Let him have some land. Let him produce his own food. Let there be cows. Let cows become happy.
Now here is very important word, that payasodhasvatir muda, udhasvatir muda. They were very jolly because they can understand whether they are going to be killed or not. Because they have got, they're animal, they have got sense. I have seen in your country, almost all cows are crying, crying. Because in the beginning, all the calves are taken away and slaughtered in their presence. Perhaps you know. So what is the position of the cow? I have seen when we purchase cows, the calves are already taken away. The cow was crying, regular tears were gliding down. So they can understand that... Who cannot understand? Suppose if you are taken in the concentrated camp? Just like the Germans did. What is the meaning of concentrated...? That he'll be killed after some days. So how you can be happy? If you are already informed, condemned to death, and kept in a concentration camp, will you be happy? Similarly, when these people take these cows to the slaughterhouse, animal stock room, go down, they understand. Very recently, about few years ago, some..., that animal stock store was some way or other broken and all the cows began to... Perhaps you know. It was published in the... And they were shot down. Shot to death. They were fleeing like anything, that "We shall save ourselves."
So if the cows are not happy, if they are always afraid, that "This rascal will kill us at any moment," then how they can be happy? There was no such thing. Therefore it is said: muda. Muda. Happy. And as soon as the cows are happy, you not only get sufficient milk, but the pasturing ground, I mean to say, ground, becomes moist with milk. So much milk supplied. Here it is stated, payasa udhasvatir muda. Yes. There is another description. Formerly, Krsna's cows, when they were passing on, the whole road will be moistened with milk. Milk supply was so sufficient. Simply manufacture butter, milk products, dahi... Distribute. Krsna was distributing amongst the monkeys even: "Take," the monkey, "come on."
So by Krsna's grace if we actually become dharmic, follow Krsna, the milk supply will be so profuse that everyone, even the animals can take the butter and yogurt. That is wanted. That is civilization. Produce sufficient quantity of grains, let the milk, cows, supply sufficient quantity of milk. All economic question solved. There is no use of industry. No use of man's going fifty miles to work. No, there is no need. Simply land and cows. Here is the statement. Kamam parjanyah, vavarsa parjanyah sarva-kama-dugha. Everything you'll get from the land. Even luxury articles. What can be more luxurious article than the jewels? The jewels are also produced. The medicine is produced, the minerals are produced, gold is produced, diamond is produced from the earth. Sarva-kama-dugha. You get everything. Make your civilization very perfect, very luxurious simply by satisfying Krsna. This is Krsna consciousness movement.
Thank you very much.
731125SB.LON Lectures
So the mahi, the land, the land is there. Just like in America or in Australia there are so much land. In Africa, so much land lying vacant. But they do not know that this land can produce all the needs of life. Sarva-kama-dugha mahi. Sarva-kama, whatever you want. Actually we are getting... Just like this Western civilization has created so may slaughterhouse for eating purposes. But wherefrom they are getting? From mahi, from the land. If there is no pasturing ground, grazing ground, wherefrom they will get the cows and the bulls? That is also... Because there is grass on the land and the cows and bulls eat them, therefore they grow. Then you cut their throat, civilized man, and eat, you rascal civilized man. But you are getting from the mahi, from the land. Without land, you cannot. Similarly, instead of cutting the throat of the cows, you can grow you food. Why you are cutting the throat of the cows? After all, you have to get from the mahi, from the land. So as they are, the animal which you are eating, they are getting their eatables from the land. Why don't you get your eatables from the land? Therefore it is said, sarva-kama-dugha mahi. You can get all the necessities of your life from land. So dugha means produce. You can produce your food. Some land should be producing the foodstuff for the animals, and some land should be used for the production of your foodstuffs, grains, fruits, flowers, and take milk. Why should you kill these innocent animals? You take. You keep them muda, happy, and you get so much milk that it will moist, it will make wet the ground. This is civilization. This is civilization.
731125SB.LON Lectures
That was being maintained during the time of Maharaja Yudhisthira. That is being described. Maharaja Yudhisthira maintained this standard of civilization. Just see how the economic problems will be solved simply by one movement, this Krsna consciousness movement. Try to understand. Mahi. Because mahi will produce everything. Just like here in this Letchmore Heath there are so many, so much land lying vacant. You produce you own food. Why you are going to London, to the factories? There is no need. This is wrong civilization. Here is land. You produce your food. If you produce your food, there is no need of going hundred miles, fifty miles on your motorcycle or motor to earn your livelihood. Why? There is no need. Then you require petrol. And petrol there is scarcity. Then you require so many parts, so many That means you are making the whole thing complicated unnecessarily. Unnecessarily. There is no need. Simply you keep to the land and produce your food, and the cows are there. They will supply you milk. Then where is your economic problems. If you have sufficient grains, sufficient vegetables, sufficient milk from the land where you are living, where your economic problem? Why you should go to other place? That is Vedic civilization. Everyone should remain in the spot and produce everything as he requires, and God will help you. Because you can produce from the land anywhere. The rainfall is there. If you have got land and the rainfall is regular, then you can produce anything. Kamam vavarsa parjanyah. And how the rainfall will be possible? How regular rainfall? That is described in the Bhagavata. Yajnad bhavati parjanyah parjanyad anna-sambhavah. Is there a Bhagavad-gita here?
720626SB.LA Lectures
Then ksetra. Ksetra means field. Formerly there was no industry. The earning, means of livelihood, was agriculture. Everyone must have some land to produce grains, fruits. That's all. Milk. First of all, apartment; then, to maintain the expenditure, now we have invented industry or trade and so many things. Pickpocketing, killing. So many things. Formerly the means of livelihood was very simple. Take some land and work little, produce your grains, and the cows are there. You take milk. So milk, vegetables, grains, your economic question is solved. So first of all, grha, home, then ksetra. Ksetra means "field." I must produce my food.
741225SB.BOM Lectures We have discussed this word in Kapiladeva's Sankhya philosophy: sadhu. Sadhu is suhrdah sarva-dehinam. Sarva-dehinam means all living entities in all forms of life. That is called sarva-dehinam. "I am for Indians and not for the Englishmen or Americans," or "I am for the human being. I am not for the cows and goats. They should be sent to the slaughterhouse"--these things are happening on account of no Krsna consciousness, limited, crippled ideas. And it is going on in the name of philanthropism, nationalism, communism, this "ism" and that "ism." These "isms" will not help us unless you come to the platform of Krsna-ism, that "Everything belongs to Krsna." Isavasyam idam sarvam. Practically. If we accept... The United Nations, is working so hard, but they cannot make that the whole world belongs to all living being. Then immediately it will be... All questions will be solved. I was discussing this evening: there is so much land still uncultivated. And if the overpopulated people are allowed to go there and cultivate and grow their food grains, ten times of the living entities on this face of the globe can be fed without any difficulty. Annad bhavanti bhutani.
So everything is there, but we don't accept. Under designation, we are fighting, that's all. Under designation, under ignorance, we are fighting. We are forgetting Krsna. Therefore our miserable condition, bhaya, fearfulness. Bhayam dvitiyabhinivesatah isad apetasya viparyayo 'smrtih. Viparyayo 'smrtih means just opposite understanding. Everything belongs to God. Isavasyam idam sarvam. That's a fact. But I am thinking, "It is my land." Aham mameti. Janasya moho 'yam aham mameti. Nothing belongs to us. Everything belongs to Krsna. If we accept Krsna, the center, and we work under His direction, as it is said in the Bhagavad-gita, our life is successful, our whole program is peaceful. All tranquility, everything is there.
Thank you very much. Hare Krsna.
680504SB.BOS Lectures
Guest (4): What I... I was going to ask you, Swami, if the sacred cow was a symbol symbolizing compassion for all living creatures?
Prabhupada: Not only cow. Any animal, they should be object of our compassion. If we want to eat something and live, so if you have got sufficient foodstuff in other kingdom... We have got vegetables, we have got grains, we have got milk. So many things. Fruit, flower. So many things. Just like we are living on these things. We don't feel any inconvenience. And they are... According to medical science also, they are very rich in vitamins, food value. So why should we kill? Especially if we are human being, the cow is supplying us milk, the most important foodstuff. So instead of giving protection to the cow, if we kill, do you think that is very..., if you kill me, is that very good gratitude? So at least in the human life, these senses should be there. Cow protection is recommended in the Vedic literature because it is giving the most valuable foodstuff, milk. Apart from other sentiments, it is supplying, and in exchange of nothing. She simply eats some grasses from the ground. That's all. You don't have to provide cows with foodstuff. The things which you refuse, you take the grain and you supply the skin. You take the fruit pulp, you supply the skin. You take the, I mean to say, from paddy. You take the rice. You supply the straw and she delivers you a very nice foodstuff. And I have discussed all these points in my Srimad-Bhagavatam, that human economic problem can be solved simply by having some land and some cows. That's all.
750630SB.DEN Lectures
So it is specially mentioned, krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam. The vaisyas, food production means produce food grains, agricultural. By agriculture, you can. So much land is vacant all over the world. They are producing coffee. I have seen in Africa. Vast land is engaged in producing coffee. No food grain. So this is the defect of the civilization. They do not know how to live. Will man die without drinking coffee? No. That is not the fact. But man will die if they have no real food, anna, food grains. If you think that "I eat meat. I don't require food grains," but the cows, the animal eat food grains. So without food grain, how we can live? Therefore Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, annad bhavanti bhutani. You produce food grains. Why you are producing so much unnecessary things--television and tools, and stool also, so many thing. Why? They are not necessary. Live in the village, produce your own food, your own cloth, and drink milk sufficiently--all economic questions solved. Then you become susila, well behaved. And if you go on killing animals and drinking wine and gambling, when you will be susila? You are always bad character.
701221SB.SUR Lectures
Malati: Srila Prabhupada, you said that the animals are not subject to the laws of the state, that if they steal something, they are not punished. But in our country, even if a person has a mouse in his house, a little mouse, he sets some trap and he kills him for stealing food.
Prabhupada: That is not punishment. That is to stop the disturbance. By law... There is no such law that "When there is a rat in your house, you should catch it and kill it." Law does not say. Is there any law like that?
Malati: No.
Prabhupada: Then that is another thing.
Malati: But this country had it into the laws.(?)
Prabhupada: Yes, but sometimes... That depends on the person. Sometimes... Those who are pious persons, they know that these rats, they are also hungry and they should be given some food. That is the vision of the pious person. And that is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, that in your house you should see not only to the welfare of your children. Even there is a lizard, there is a rat, even there is a snake, you should see how he is also comfortably situated. That is spiritual communism. In Vrndavana still, a snake found in the house is never killed, snake. Still a rat is never killed. If you kill a rat in Vrndavana, then so many people will come: "Oh, you are committing such sinful acts. You are killing a rat." That depends on the mentality of the person. You can take care of this animal, I mean to say, against the disturbance created by this animal, but you cannot kill them. That is not. But when it is unavoidable, we have to do like that. But as far as possible we should avoid. We have heard from our father that his elder brother in the village had a cloth shop, and there were rats. So at night he would keep a big bowl of rice in the middle of the shop, and the rats will eat whole night. They would not commit any harm to the cloth. They respect it. They are also hungry, they are also living entities. They have also right to live, to eat. Isavasyam idam sarvam. Everything. They are God's creatures. The food is not only meant for you, that you shall simply eat rice and not allow to the rats and cats. No. That is not Vedic injunction. You will find in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. You can take precaution. After all, they are animals. But you cannot kill.
Himavati: But then if you think further, that is that if you are going to make a program to feed the animals in your house, then won't more and more animals come into your residence? Suppose I feed these rats and I go on feeding them. Won't more and more rats come?
Prabhupada: Well, the rats will be fed. Either you give or not, it will steal. So that is not the problem. But if you give them food, they will... Of course, that is Western philosophy, that because the animals are increasing, they should be killed. We Indians also, we have taken that view--because we cannot give protection to the cows, they must be sent to the slaughterhouse. That is the modern view. But that is not injunction of the Vedas. The Vedas says that everyone has right to live, every living entity. That is going on not only in consideration of the animals--even in human beings. Just like the Americans, they were all Europeans, and they entered this American land, killed so many Red Indians. So these kind of things are going on, but that does not mean that is the law. You killed so many Red Indians for your benefit, but you have to suffer for that. So that... This is going on in the human society, but that does not mean it is dharma. No. Dharma means you have to abide by the regulation given by the Vedas. You have to adjust things. Sometimes in Africa the man-eaters, they kill their grandfather, make a feast. The Russians also, they maintain such theory, that old men, they should be neglected. I have heard. I do not know. They become burden. But that is not Vedic injunction.
740530AR.GEN LecturesGuru-gauranga: Monsieur le President would like to know, if this movement gets bigger and bigger, won't it create problems in terms of working, the economy? Won't the economy suffer if our movement gets bigger and bigger?
Prabhupada: No. Economy will not suffer, but economy will be simplified because we have made some artificial economy. Actually, in the Bhagavad-gita we find the economic problem is solved by producing food grains. It is stated there, annad bhavanti bhutani: "By eating food grains, both the animals and the men, they become stout and strong." That's a fact. According to Bhagavad-gita, economic problem can be solved anywhere. If you get, if you have some land, you produce your food grain and give it to the animals, especially to the cows, and she will give you in return milk. So if you get milk, fruits, vegetable and food grains, the whole economic problem is solved. We have already started this example in New Virginia. A group of men, we have got about five hundred acres of land, and we keep cows, and they work to produce some vegetable and food grain. So they don't go outside for solving economic problems. At the present moment--now I am coming from India--in Bombay there is strike, railway strike. People are in so miserable condition to go to their work fifty miles, forty miles, hundred miles, for earning their bread. This kind of economic situation has increased the problems of life. Rather, if we accept this economic problem solution, then anywhere, any part of the world, you live. You don't require to go outside, hundred miles, two hundred miles, five hundred miles. No. You produce your food there, keep animals, then everything is solved.
740606LE.GEN Lectures
Krsna claims in the Bhagavad-gita that "All the species of life, they are My sons. I am the seed-giving father." So the property is belonging to God, the supreme father, and we are the sons of God. Not only human being. Krsna says, sarva-yonisu: "All species of life." Therefore God has provided for everyone's sufficient necessities of life. For example, just like we are human beings, only 400,000's of species. But other species, they're eight million. Eighty hundred thousand species. In Africa, there are millions of elephants. They eat, at a time, fifty kilograms. Kg. What is that Kg?
Devotees: Kilos.
Prabhupada: Kilos. But they are also eating. There is no scarcity of food for them. So it is a fact that eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. But because we don't believe in God, we manufacture our own ideas; therefore we create simply chaotic condition.
So according to Bhagavad-gita, as we are preaching, we are also opening centers, self-help center. In New Vrindaban, West Virginia, we have already opened a very big community center. We are going to open in California also, and we have already opened in India also, that we occupy a certain tract of land, we produce our own food, we keep our cows and take their milk, and there is no scarcity. Everything, there are. We don't require to go outside the land for our livelihood. So we are advising, we are making centers like that, that "Be self-sufficient. Save time for spiritual culture." That is human civilization. This was advised some thousands of years ago by Rsabhadeva.
740606LE.GEN Lectures
Guest (1): Yes. Do you have any suggestions for...?
Prabhupada: Suggestion is already I have given, that utilize this land for cultivation. I have seen so much land vacant. In Austria, Australia. Eh? Yes, Australia, and special... In U.S.A. also, there are so much land vacant. They're not utilizing... Whatever production, they... Sometimes they throw it in the water. And, I, I have heard in this Geneva, that there was excess of milk production. Therefore they want to kill twenty-thousand cows to reduce the milk production. This is their brain. Actually, there is no brain. So they, for brain, they should come to these sastras. They should take guidance. Produce. Produce, utilize. But they'll not utilize. Rather, the limited number of people... At least in India, all the villagers, they have been drawn in the city for producing bolts and nuts. Now eat bolts and nuts. So, so Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi's program was that, village organization. And our big Pandit topsy-turvied everything. So Gandhi's program was very nice, to organize a... (break) ...and produce your own food. If you work only three months, you get the whole year's provision. Whole year's provision. The balance time, you save. Chant Hare Krsna. This is our movement. And be spiritually advanced. Be human being. Otherwise, it is risky. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati. After all, we have to change this body; however big plan we may make, we have to give up this plan, and we have to change this body. But there is no guarantee what kind of body we are going to get. Suppose I, this time, this life, I am very busy for constructing a big skyscraper building, and next time, next life, if I get the body of a cat or dog, so I'll have to live in that house because I have got attraction as a cat and dog, and who will care for me? So these are the facts. Because nobody can change the nature's law. Nature's law is exactly like infectious disease. Karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-janma-yonisu. They do not even believe that there is life after death. I talked, in Moscow, a big professor, Kotovsky. He said, "Swamiji, after death there is nothing." You... He's a big professor. He has no knowledge of the soul. And he's a big professor. Just see. This is going on.
So as far as possible... Now, as gradually this godless civilization will go on--that is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavata--there will be problems. Anavrsti. Anavrsti: there will be no rain. And durbhiksa. As there will be anavrsti, no sufficient rain, there will be no sufficient production. Actually, these things are already begun. Anavrsti. And on the other side, taxation, the government taxation. In this way, people will be so much disturbed that they will give up their hearth and home and go to the forest. Acchinna-dara-dravinam gacchanti giri-kananam. They will be so much harassed because there will be no... There will be scarcity of rainfall, there will be scarcity of food, and there will be taxation. Then how one can keep the brain equilibrium? He will be mad. So unless we take the instruction of the sastras... Immediately, we should take this instruction of Bhagavad-gita, annad bhavanti bhutani parjanyad anna-sambhavam, yajnad bhavati parjanyah. Therefore we have introduced this Hare Krsna Movement. This is yajna. In the Kali-yuga, this yajna is possible. So if all over the world... Or make an experiment in some portion. Just go. Just like we are making samples in New Virginia. They are self-sufficient. And the saved time is being utilized for Krsna consciousness. This is the remedy. But they'll not take this remedy. They have got their own remedy. So a few men may be happy, so-called happy. The other day, I saw in Calcutta Mr. Kanunga. He's the son of late governor of Gujarat. So he said... He's the manager of that coal distribution, government... So he said that "Now, being government concerned, the laborers, they're not working. They're sitting idly. So we have to increase the price. Cost is..." So this is the problem. People, being godless, they are dishonest, they are not working honestly and so many things. The only remedy is that people should be taught to become God conscious. And this method is very simple: chant Hare Krsna. Harer nama harer nama harer nama eva kevalam, kalau nasty eva... And samples are there, these European and American boys. They were addicted to so many bad habits. Now they are... Just see how sober they are, and they're chanting Hare Krsna. So everything is possible, provided you people take our instruction. Otherwise, there is no other remedy. What can be done? The remedy's there. The medicine is also there. But if you don't take the medicine, how the disease will be cured?
750302LE.ATL Lectures
Spiritual consciousness is, it is stated in the Vedas, isavasyam idam sarvam: "Everything belongs to God." The food belongs to God, the mine belongs to God, the ocean belongs to God, the land belongs to God, the air belongs to God, and whatever we find here... This is a combination of these five elements: earth, air, water, fire. That's all. So everything belongs to God. We also belong to God. So we should feel obliged to God that He has given so much for our maintenance. (break) ...fruits, flowers, vegetables, land, ocean, mine, jewels. So we can use it as much as we require. We cannot collect it and keep it in stock for my future son, grandson, this son, that son. No. This is Krsna consciousness. It is actually perfect communism. The Communists are thinking in terms of the human being, and that also within the state, but a Krsna conscious person, he is thinking in terms of all living beings. Vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmane gavi hastini, suni caiva sva-pake ca. In the Bhagavata it is stated that a householder, before taking his lunch, he should invite on the street, "Sir, if anyone is still hungry, please come at my place. There is still food. You can take it." And he should see that in the household even the lizard he is not hungry. Even there is a snake, he is not hungry.
This is Vedic principle, God consciousness, that "Somehow or other, one animal has become lizard. Maybe he is hungry. So at my house he is. Why he should remain hungry? Give him some food." Nobody likes snake, but in the sastra it is said, "Even there is a snake, you should see that he is not hungry, he is given some food." So of course, it is very high idea, but it is the complete ideal of so-called Communism, real. It is not that nation... American nation, they are concerned with the human being only. Or any nation. Not American, everywhere. And nation means... The definition of "native" means one who has taken birth in that land. That is called native. So the cow is also native. So why this law, that for the benefit of the human being, the cow should be slaughtered? And he is giving milk; he is working for you. What is this philosophy? In Christian religion it is clearly stated, "Thou shalt not kill." And most of the slaughterhouses are in the Christian countries. Why? This is all misunderstanding of spiritual life. Therefore... Just like the discussion went on with the Kazi and Caitanya Mahaprabhu. There was no philosophy. He first asked him that "Cow is your mother. Bull is your father. Why you are killing father and mother? What is your religion? Is that very good philosophy, that you shall kill your father and mother and eat them?" This was the first question. According to Vedic civilization, cow is to be given all protection.
SB 1.4.17-18 P The Appearance of Sri Narada TEXTS 17-18
TEXT
bhautikanam ca bhavanam
sakti-hrasam ca tat-krtam
asraddadhanan nihsattvan
durmedhan hrasitayusah
durbhagams ca janan viksya
munir divyena caksusa
sarva-varnasramanam yad
dadhyau hitam amogha-drk
SYNONYMS
bhautikanam ca--also of everything that is made of matter; bhavanam--actions; sakti-hrasam ca--and deterioration of natural power; tat-krtam--rendered by that; asraddadhanan--of the faithless; nihsattvan--impatient due to want of the mode of goodness; durmedhan--dull-witted; hrasita--reduced; ayusah--of duration of life; durbhagan ca--also the unlucky; janan--people in general; viksya--by seeing; munih--the muni; divyena--by transcendental; caksusa--vision; sarva--all; varna-asramanam--of all the statuses and orders of life; yat--what; dadhyau--contemplated; hitam--welfare; amogha-drk--one who is fully equipped in knowledge.
TRANSLATION
The great sage, who was fully equipped in knowledge, could see, through his transcendental vision, the deterioration of everything material, due to the influence of the age. He could also see that the faithless people in general would be reduced in duration of life and would be impatient due to lack of goodness. Thus he contemplated for the welfare of men in all statuses and orders of life.
PURPORT
The unmanifested forces of time are so powerful that they reduce all matter to oblivion in due course. In Kali-yuga, the last millennium of a round of four millenniums, the power of all material objects deteriorates by the influence of time. In this age the duration of the material body of the people in general is much reduced, and so is the memory. The action of matter has also not so much incentive. The land does not produce food grains in the same proportions as it did in other ages. The cow does not give as much milk as it used to give formerly. The production of vegetables and fruits is less than before. As such, all living beings, both men and animals, do not have sumptuous, nourishing food. Due to want of so many necessities of life, naturally the duration of life is reduced, the memory is short, intelligence is meager, mutual dealings are full of hypocrisy and so on.
The great sage Vyasadeva could see this by his transcendental vision. As an astrologer can see the future fate of a man, or an astronomer can foretell the solar and lunar eclipses, those liberated souls who can see through the scriptures can foretell the future of all mankind. They can see this due to their sharp vision of spiritual attainment.
And all such transcendentalists, who are naturally devotees of the Lord, are always eager to render welfare service to the people in general. They are the real friends of the people in general, not the so-called public leaders who are unable to see what is going to happen five minutes ahead. In this age the people in general as well as their so-called leaders are all unlucky fellows, faithless in spiritual knowledge and influenced by the age of Kali. They are always disturbed by various diseases. For example, in the present age there are so many TB patients and TB hospitals, but formerly this was not so because the time was not so unfavorable. The unfortunate men of this age are always reluctant to give a reception to the transcendentalists who are representatives of Srila Vyasadeva and selfless workers always busy in planning something which may help everyone in all statuses and orders of life. The greatest philanthropists are those transcendentalists who represent the mission of Vyasa, Narada, Madhva, Caitanya, Rupa, Sarasvati, etc. They are all one and the same. The personalities may be different, but the aim of the mission is one and the same, namely, to deliver the fallen souls back home, back to Godhead.
SB 1.16.20 P How Pariksit Received the Age of Kali TEXT 20
TEXT
padair nyunam socasi maika-padam
atmanam va vrsalair bhoksyamanam
aho suradin hrta-yajna-bhagan
praja uta svin maghavaty avarsati
SYNONYMS
padaih--by three legs; nyunam--diminished; socasi--if you are lamenting for that; ma--my; eka-padam--only one leg; atmanam--own body; va--or; vrsalaih--by the unlawful meat-eaters; bhoksyamanam--to be exploited; ahoh--in sacrifice; sura-adin--the authorized demigods; hrta-yajna--devoid of sacrificial; bhagan--share; prajah--the living beings; uta--increasing; svit--whether; maghavati--in famine and scarcity; avarsati--because of rainlessness.
TRANSLATION
I have lost my three legs and am now standing on one only. Are you lamenting for my state of existence? Or are you in great anxiety because henceforward the unlawful meat-eaters will exploit you? Or are you in a sorry plight because the demigods are now bereft of their share of sacrificial offerings because no sacrifices are being performed at present? Or are you grieving for living beings because of their sufferings due to famine and drought?
PURPORT
With the progress of the age of Kali, four things particularly, namely the duration of life, mercy, the power of recollection, and moral or religious principles will gradually diminish. Since Dharma, or the principles of religion, would be lost in the proportion of three out of four, the symbolic bull was standing on one leg only. When three fourths of the population of the whole world become irreligious, the situation is converted into hell for the animals. In the age of Kali, godless civilizations will create so many so-called religious societies in which the Personality of Godhead will be directly or indirectly defied. And thus faithless societies of men will make the world uninhabitable for the saner section of people. There are gradations of human beings in terms of proportionate faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The first-class faithful men are the Vaisnavas and the brahmanas, then the ksatriyas, then the vaisyas, then the sudras, then the mlecchas, the yavanas and at last the candalas. The degradation of the human instinct begins from the mlecchas, and the candala state of life is the last word in human degradation. All the above terms mentioned in the Vedic literatures are never meant for any particular community or birth. They are different qualifications of human beings in general. There is no question of birthright or community. One can acquire the respective qualifications by one's own efforts, and thus the son of a Vaisnava can become a mleccha, or the son of a candala can become more than a brahmana, all in terms of their association and intimate relation with the Supreme Lord.
The meat-eaters are generally called mlecchas. But all meat-eaters are not mlecchas. Those who accept meat in terms of scriptural injunctions are not mlecchas, but those who accept meat without restriction are called mlecchas. Beef is forbidden in the scriptures, and the bulls and cows are offered special protection by followers of the Vedas. But in this age of Kali, people will exploit the body of the bull and the cow as they like, and thus they will invite sufferings of various types.
The people of this age will not perform any sacrifice. The mleccha population will care very little for performances of sacrifices, although performance of sacrifice is essential for persons who are materially engaged in sense enjoyment. In the Bhagavad-gita performance of sacrifices is strongly recommended (Bg. 3.14-16).
The living beings are created by the creator Brahma, and just to maintain the created living being progressively towards the path back to Godhead, the system of performing sacrifice is also created by him. The system is that living beings live on the produce of grains and vegetables, and by eating such foodstuff they get vital power of the body in the shape of blood and semen, and from blood and semen one living being is able to create other living beings. But the production of grains, grass, etc. becomes possible by rain, and this rain is made to shower properly by performance of recommended sacrifices. Such sacrifices are directed by the rites of the Vedas, namely Sama, Yajur, Rg and Atharva. In the Manu-smrti it is recommended that by offerings of sacrifice on the altar of the fire, the sun-god is pleased. When the sun-god is pleased, he properly collects water from the sea, and thus sufficient clouds collect on the horizon and rains fall. After sufficient rains fall, there is sufficient production of grains for men and all animals, and thus there is energy in the living being for progressive activity. The mlecchas, however, make plans to install slaughterhouses for killing bulls and cows along with other animals, thinking that they will prosper by increasing the number of factories and live on animal food without caring for performance of sacrifices and production of grains. But they must know that even for the animals they must produce grass and vegetables, otherwise the animals cannot live. And to produce grass for the animals, they require sufficient rains. Therefore they have to depend ultimately on the mercy of the demigods like the sun-god, Indra and Candra, and such demigods must be satisfied by performances of sacrifice.
This material world is a sort of prison house, as we have several times mentioned. The demigods are the servants of the Lord who see to the proper upkeep of the prison house. These demigods want to see that the rebel living beings, who want to survive faithlessly, are gradually turned towards the supreme power of the Lord. Therefore, the system of offering sacrifice is recommended in the scriptures.
The materialistic men want to work hard and enjoy fruitive results for sense enjoyment. Thus they are committing many types of sins at every step of life. Those, however, who are consciously engaged in the devotional service of the Lord are transcendental to all varieties of sin and virtue. Their activities are free from the contamination of the three modes of material nature. For the devotees there is no need for performance of prescribed sacrifices because the very life of the devotee is a symbol of sacrifice. But persons who are engaged in fruitive activities for sense enjoyment must perform the prescribed sacrifices because that is the only means to get free from the reaction of all sins committed by fruitive workers. Sacrifice is the means for counteracting such accumulated sins. The demigods are pleased when such sacrifices are performed, just as prison officers are satisfied when the prisoners are turned into obedient subjects. Lord Caitanya, however, has recommended only one yajna, or sacrifice, called the sankirtana-yajna, the chanting of Hare Krsna, in which everyone can take part. Thus both devotees and fruitive workers can derive equal benefit from the performances of sankirtana-yajna.
SB 3.2.29 P Remembrance of Lord Krsna TEXT 29
TEXT
sa eva go-dhanam laksmya
niketam sita-go-vrsam
carayann anugan gopan
ranad-venur ariramat
SYNONYMS
sah--He (Lord Krsna); eva--certainly; go-dhanam--the treasure of cows; laksmyah--by opulence; niketam--reservoir; sita-go-vrsam--beautiful cows and bulls; carayan--herding; anugan--the followers; gopan--cowherd boys; ranat--blowing; venuh--flute; ariramat--enlivened.
TRANSLATION
While herding the very beautiful bulls, the Lord, who was the reservoir of all opulence and fortune, used to blow His flute, and thus He enlivened His faithful followers, the cowherd boys.
PURPORT
As He grew to six and seven years old, the Lord was given charge of looking after the cows and bulls in the grazing grounds. He was the son of a well-to-do landholder who owned hundreds and thousands of cows, and according to Vedic economics, one is considered to be a rich man by the strength of his store of grains and cows. With only these two things, cows and grain, humanity can solve its eating problem. Human society needs only sufficient grain and sufficient cows to solve its economic problems. All other things but these two are artificial necessities created by man to kill his valuable life at the human level and waste his time in things which are not needed. Lord Krsna, as the teacher of human society, personally showed by His acts that the mercantile community, or the vaisyas, should herd cows and bulls and thus give protection to the valuable animals. According to smrti regulation, the cow is the mother and the bull the father of the human being. The cow is the mother because just as one sucks the breast of one's mother, human society takes cow's milk. Similarly, the bull is the father of human society because the father earns for the children just as the bull tills the ground to produce food grains. Human society will kill its spirit of life by killing the father and the mother. It is mentioned herein that the beautiful cows and bulls were of various checkered colors--red, black, green, yellow, ash, etc. And because of their colors and healthy smiling features, the atmosphere was enlivening.
Over and above all, the Lord used to play His celebrated flute. The sound vibrated by His flute would give His friends such transcendental pleasure that they would forget all the talks of the brahmananda which is so praised by the impersonalists. These cowherd boys, as will be explained by Sukadeva Gosvami, were living entities who had accumulated heaps of pious acts and thus were enjoying with the Lord in person and were hearing His transcendental flute. The Brahma-samhita (5.30) confirms the Lord's blowing His transcendental flute.
venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam
barhavatamsam asitambuda-sundarangam
kandarpa-koti-kaminiya-visesa-sobham
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
Brahmaji said, "I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who plays on His transcendental flute. His eyes are like lotus flowers, He is decorated with peacock plumes, and His bodily color resembles a fresh black cloud although His bodily features are more beautiful than millions of cupids." These are the special features of the Lord.
SB 4.17.10-11 P Maharaja Prthu Becomes Angry at the Earth TEXTS 10-11
TEXT
vayam rajan jatharenabhitapta
yathagnina kotara-sthena vrksah
tvam adya yatah saranam saranyam
yah sadhito vrtti-karah patir nah
tan no bhavan ihatu ratave 'nnam
ksudharditanam naradeva-deva
yavan na nanksyamaha ujjhitorja
varta-patis tvam kila loka-palah
SYNONYMS
vayam--we; rajan--O King; jatharena--by the fire of hunger; abhitaptah--very much aggrieved; yatha--just as; agnina--by the fire; kotara-sthena--in the hollow of a tree; vrksah--trees; tvam--unto you; adya--today; yatah--we have come; saranam--shelter; saranyam--worth taking shelter of; yah--who; sadhitah--appointed; vrtti-karah--one who gives employment; patih--master; nah--our; tat--therefore; nah--to us; bhavan--Your Majesty; ihatu--please try; ratave--to give; annam--food grains; ksudha--with hunger; arditanam--suffering; nara-deva-deva--O supreme master of all kings; yavat na--lest; nanksyamahe--we will perish; ujjhita--being bereft of; urjah--food grains; varta--of occupational engagements; patih--bestower; tvam--you; kila--indeed; loka-palah--the protector of the citizens.
TRANSLATION
Dear King, just as a tree with a fire burning in the hollow of the trunk gradually dries up, we are drying up due to the fire of hunger in our stomachs. You are the protector of surrendered souls, and you have been appointed to give employment to us. Therefore we have all come to you for protection. You are not only a king, but the incarnation of God as well. Indeed, you are the king of all kings. You can give us all kinds of occupational engagements, for you are the master of our livelihood. Therefore, O king of all kings, please arrange to satisfy our hunger by the proper distribution of food grains. Please take care of us, lest we soon die for want of food.
PURPORT
It is the duty of the king to see that everyone in the social orders--brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra--is fully employed in the state. Just as it is the duty of the brahmanas to elect a proper king, it is the duty of the king to see that all the varnas--brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and sudra--are fully engaged in their respective occupational duties. It is here indicated that although the people were allowed to perform their duties, they were still unemployed. Although they were not lazy, they still could not produce sufficient food to satisfy their hunger. When the people are perplexed in this way, they should approach the head of government, and the president or king should take immediate action to mitigate the distress of the people.
SB 4.17.13 P Maharaja Prthu Becomes Angry at the Earth TEXT 13
TEXT
iti vyavasito buddhya
pragrhita-sarasanah
sandadhe visikham bhumeh
kruddhas tripura-ha yatha
SYNONYMS
iti--thus; vyavasitah--having arrived at the conclusion; buddhya--by intelligence; pragrhita--having taken up; sarasanah--the bow; sandadhe--fixed; visikham--an arrow; bhumeh--at the earth; kruddhah--angry; tri-pura-ha--Lord Siva; yatha--like.
TRANSLATION
Having arrived at a conclusion, the King took up his bow and arrow and aimed them at the earth, exactly like Lord Siva, who destroys the whole world out of anger.
PURPORT
King Prthu found out the cause for the scarcity of food grains. He could understand that it was not the people's fault, for they were not lazy in executing their duties. Rather, the earth was not producing sufficient food grains. This indicates that the earth can produce sufficiently if everything is properly arranged, but sometimes the earth can refuse to produce food grains for various reasons. The theory that there is a scarcity of food grains due to an increase of population is not a very sound theory. There are other causes that enable the earth to produce profusely or to stop producing. King Prthu found out the proper causes and took the necessary steps immediately.
SB 4.17.24 P Maharaja Prthu Becomes Angry at the Earth TEXT 24
TEXT
tvam khalv osadhi-bijani
prak srstani svayambhuva
na muncasy atma-ruddhani
mam avajnaya manda-dhih
SYNONYMS
tvam--you; khalu--certainly; osadhi--of herbs, plants and grains; bijani--the seeds; prak--formerly; srstani--created; svayambhuva--by Lord Brahma; na--do not; muncasi--deliver; atma-ruddhani--hidden within yourself; mam--me; avajnaya--disobeying; manda-dhih--less intelligent.
TRANSLATION
You have so lost your intelligence that, despite my orders, you do not deliver the seeds of herbs and grains formerly created by Brahma and now hidden within yourself.
PURPORT
While creating all the planets in the universe, Lord Brahma also created the seeds of various grains, herbs, plants and trees. When sufficient water falls from the clouds, the seeds fructify and produce fruits, grains, vegetables, etc. By his example, Prthu Maharaja indicates that whenever there is a scarcity in food production, the head of the government should take steps to see why production is being held up and what should be done to rectify the situation.
SB 4.18.8 Prthu Maharaja Milks the Earth Planet TEXT 8
TEXT
nunam ta virudhah ksina
mayi kalena bhuyasa
tatra yogena drstena
bhavan adatum arhati
SYNONYMS
nunam--therefore; tah--those; virudhah--herbs and grains; ksinah--deteriorated; mayi--within me; kalena--in course of time; bhuyasa--very much; tatra--therefore; yogena--by proper means; drstena--acknowledged; bhavan--Your Majesty; adatum--to take; arhati--ought.
TRANSLATION
Due to being stocked for a very long time, all the grain seeds within me have certainly deteriorated. Therefore you should immediately arrange to take these seeds out by the standard process, which is recommended by the acaryas or sastras.
PURPORT
When there is a scarcity of grain, the government should follow the methods prescribed in the sastra and approved by the acaryas; thus there will be a sufficient production of grains, and food scarcity and famine can be checked. Bhagavad-gita recommends that we perform yajna, sacrifices. By the performance of yajna, sufficient clouds gather in the sky, and when there are sufficient clouds, there is also sufficient rainfall. In this way agricultural matters are taken care of. When there is sufficient grain production, the general populace eats the grains, and animals like cows, goats and other domestic animals eat the grasses and grains also. According to this arrangement, human beings should perform the sacrifices recommended in the sastras, and if they do so there will no longer be food scarcity. In Kali-yuga, the only sacrifice recommended is sankirtana-yajna.
In this verse there are two significant words: yogena, "by the approved method," and drstena, "as exemplified by the former acaryas." One is mistaken if he thinks that by applying modern machines such as tractors, grains can be produced. If one goes to a desert and uses a tractor, there is still no possibility of producing grains. We may adopt various means, but it is essential to know that the planet earth will stop producing grains if sacrifices are not performed. The earth has already explained that because nondevotees are enjoying the production of food, she has reserved food seeds for the performance of sacrifice. Now, of course, atheists will not believe in this spiritual method of producing grains, but whether they believe or not, the fact remains that we are not independent to produce grain by mechanical means. As far as the approved method is concerned, it is enjoined in the sastras that intelligent men in this age will take to the sankirtana movement, and by so doing they shall worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Caitanya, whose bodily complexion is golden and who is always accompanied by His confidential devotees to preach this Krsna consciousness movement all over the world. In its present condition, the world can only be saved by introducing this sankirtana, this Krsna consciousness movement. As we have learned from the previous verse, one who is not in Krsna consciousness is considered a thief. Even though he may be materially very advanced, a thief cannot be placed in a comfortable position. A thief is a thief, and he is punishable. Because people are without Krsna consciousness, they have become thieves, and consequently they are being punished by the laws of material nature. No one can check this, not even by introducing so many relief funds and humanitarian institutions. Unless the people of the world take to Krsna consciousness, there will be a scarcity of food and much suffering.
SB 4.18.9-10 P Prthu Maharaja Milks the Earth Planet TEXTS 9-10
TEXT
vatsam kalpaya me vira
yenaham vatsala tava
dhoksye ksiramayan kaman
anurupam ca dohanam
dogdharam ca maha-baho
bhutanam bhuta-bhavana
annam ipsitam urjasvad
bhagavan vanchate yadi
SYNONYMS
vatsam--a calf; kalpaya--arrange; me--for me; vira--O hero; yena--by which; aham--I; vatsala--affectionate; tava--your; dhoksye--shall fulfill; ksira-mayan--in the form of milk; kaman--desired necessities; anurupam--according to different living entities; ca--also; dohanam--milking pot; dogdharam--milkman; ca--also; maha-baho--O mighty-armed one; bhutanam--of all living entities; bhuta-bhavana--O protector of the living entities; annam--food grains; ipsitam--desired; urjah-vat--nourishing; bhagavan--your worshipable self; vanchate--desires; yadi--if.
TRANSLATION
O great hero, protector of living entities, if you desire to relieve the living entities by supplying them sufficient grain, and if you desire to nourish them by taking milk from me, you should make arrangements to bring a calf suitable for this purpose and a pot in which the milk can be kept, as well as a milkman to do the work. Since I will be very much affectionate towards my calf, your desire to take milk from me will be fulfilled.
PURPORT
These are nice instructions for milking a cow. The cow must first have a calf so that out of affection for the calf she will voluntarily give sufficient milk. There must also be an expert milkman and a suitable pot in which to keep the milk. Just as a cow cannot deliver sufficient milk without being affectionate to her calf, the earth cannot produce sufficient necessities without feeling affection for those who are Krsna conscious. Even though the earth's being in the shape of a cow may be taken figuratively, the meaning herein is very explicit. Just as a calf can derive milk from a cow, all living entities--including animals, birds, bees, reptiles and aquatics--can receive their respective foods from the planet earth, provided that human beings are not asat, or adhrta-vrata, as we have previously discussed. When human society becomes asat, or ungodly, or devoid of Krsna consciousness, the entire world suffers. If human beings are well-behaved, animals will also receive sufficient food and be happy. The ungodly human being, ignorant of his duty to give protection and food to the animals, kills them to compensate for the insufficient production of grains. Thus no one is satisfied, and that is the cause for the present condition in today's world.
SB 4.18.26 P Prthu Maharaja Milks the Earth Planet TEXT 26
TEXT
sarve sva-mukhya-vatsena
sve sve patre prthak payah
sarva-kama-dugham prthvim
duduhuh prthu-bhavitam
SYNONYMS
sarve--all; sva-mukhya--by their own chiefs; vatsena--as the calf; sve sve--in their own; patre--pots; prthak--different; payah--milk; sarva-kama--all desirables; dugham--supplying as milk; prthvim--the planet earth; duduhuh--milked out; prthu-bhavitam--controlled by King Prthu.
TRANSLATION
The planet earth supplied everyone his respective food. During the time of King Prthu, the earth was fully under the control of the King. Thus all the inhabitants of the earth could get their food supply by creating various types of calves and putting their particular types of milk in various pots.
PURPORT
This is evidence that the Lord supplies food to everyone. As confirmed in the Vedas: eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman. Although the Lord is one, He is supplying all necessities to everyone through the medium of the planet earth. There are different varieties of living entities on different planets, and they all derive their eatables from their planets in different forms. On the basis of these descriptions, how can one assume that there is no living entity on the moon? Every moon is earthly, being composed of the five elements. Every planet produces different types of food according to the needs of its residents. According to the Vedic sastras, it is not true that the moon does not produce food or that no living entity is living there.
SB 4.30.44 P The Activities of the Pracetas TEXT 44
TEXT
atha niryaya salilat
pracetasa udanvatah
viksyakupyan drumais channam
gam gam roddhum ivocchritaih
SYNONYMS
atha--thereafter; niryaya--after coming out; salilat--from the water; pracetasah--all the Pracetas; udanvatah--of the sea; viksya--having observed; akupyan--became very angry; drumaih--by trees; channam--covered; gam--the world; gam--the heavenly planets; roddhum--to obstruct; iva--as if; ucchritaih--very tall.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter all the Pracetas emerged from the waters of the sea. They then saw that all the trees on land had grown very tall, as if to obstruct the path to the heavenly planets. These trees had covered the entire surface of the world. At this time the Pracetas became very angry.
PURPORT
King Pracinabarhisat left his kingdom before his sons arrived after their execution of penance and austerity. The sons, the Pracetas, were ordered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to come out of the water and go to the kingdom of their father in order to take care of that kingdom. However, when they came out, they saw that everything had been neglected due to the King's absence. They first observed that food grains were not being produced and that there were no agricultural activities. Indeed, the surface of the world was practically covered by very tall trees. It seemed as though the trees were determined to stop people from going into outer space to reach the heavenly kingdoms. The Pracetas became very angry when they saw the surface of the globe covered in this way. They desired that the land be cleared for crops.
It is not a fact that jungles and trees attract clouds and rain, because we find rainfall over the sea. Human beings can inhabit any place on the surface of the earth by clearing jungles and converting land for agricultural purposes. People can keep cows, and all economic problems can be solved in that way. One need only work to produce grains and take care of the cows. The wood found in the jungles may be used for constructing cottages. In this way the economic problem of humanity can be solved. At the present moment there are many vacant lands throughout the world, and if they are properly utilized, there will be no scarcity of food. As far as rain is concerned, it is the performance of yajna that attracts rain. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (3.14):
annad bhavanti bhutani
parjanyad anna-sambhavah
yajnad bhavati parjanyo
yajnah karma-samudbhavah
"All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of yajna [sacrifice], and yajna is born of prescribed duties." By performing sacrifice, man will have sufficient rainfall and crops.
SB 8.6.12 P The Demigods and Demons Declare a Truce TEXT 12
TEXT
yathagnim edhasy amrtam ca gosu
bhuvy annam ambudyamane ca vrttim
yogair manusya adhiyanti hi tvam
gunesu buddhya kavayo vadanti
SYNONYMS
yatha--as; agnim--fire; edhasi--in wood; amrtam--milk, which is like nectar; ca--and; gosu--from cows; bhuvi--on the ground; annam--food grains; ambu--water; udyamane--in enterprise; ca--also; vrttim--livelihood; yogaih--by practice of bhakti-yoga; manusyah--human beings; adhiyanti--achieve; hi--indeed; tvam--You; gunesu--in the material modes of nature; buddhya--by intelligence; kavayah--great personalities; vadanti--say.
TRANSLATION
As one can derive fire from wood, milk from the milk bag of the cow, food grains and water from the land, and prosperity in one's livelihood from industrial enterprises, so, by the practice of bhakti-yoga, even within this material world, one can achieve Your favor or intelligently approach You. Those who are pious all affirm this.
PURPORT
Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead is nirguna, not to be found within this material world, the entire material world is pervaded by Him, as stated in Bhagavad-gita (maya tatam idam sarvam). The material world is nothing but an expansion of the Lord's material energy, and the entire cosmic manifestation rests upon Him (mat-sthani sarva-bhutani). Nonetheless, the Supreme Lord cannot be found here (na caham tesv avasthitah). A devotee, however, can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the practice of bhakti-yoga. One ordinarily does not begin to practice bhakti-yoga unless he has practiced it in previous births. Moreover, one can begin bhakti-yoga only by the mercy of the spiritual master and Krsna. Guru-krsna-prasade paya bhakti-lata-bija. The seed of devotional service is obtainable by the mercy of guru, the spiritual master, and Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Only by the practice of bhakti-yoga can one achieve the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and see Him face to face (premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti). One cannot see the Lord by other methods, such as karma, jnana or yoga. Under the direction of the spiritual master, one must cultivate bhakti-yoga (sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam). Then, even within this material world, although the Lord is not visible, a devotee can see Him. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah) and in Srimad-Bhagavatam (bhaktyaham ekaya grahyah). Thus by devotional service one can achieve the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although He is not visible or understandable to materialistic persons.
In this verse, the cultivation of bhakti-yoga is compared to many material activities. By friction one can get fire from wood, by digging the earth one can get food grains and water, and by agitating the milk bag of the cow one can get nectarean milk. Milk is compared to nectar, which one can drink to become immortal. Of course, simply drinking milk will not make one immortal, but it can increase the duration of one's life. In modern civilization, men do not think milk to be important, and therefore they do not live very long. Although in this age men can live up to one hundred years, their duration of life is reduced because they do not drink large quantities of milk. This is a sign of Kali-yuga. In Kali-yuga, instead of drinking milk, people prefer to slaughter an animal and eat its flesh. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His instructions of Bhagavad-gita, advises go-raksya, which means cow protection. The cow should be protected, milk should be drawn from the cows, and this milk should be prepared in various ways. One should take ample milk, and thus one can prolong one's life, develop his brain, execute devotional service, and ultimately attain the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As it is essential to get food grains and water by digging the earth, it is also essential to give protection to the cows and take nectarean milk from their milk bags.
The people of this age are inclined toward industrial enterprises for comfortable living, but they refuse to endeavor to execute devotional service, by which they can achieve the ultimate goal of life by returning home, back to Godhead. Unfortunately, as it is said, na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah. People without spiritual education do not know that the ultimate goal of life is to go back home, back to Godhead. Forgetting this aim of life, they are working very hard in disappointment and frustration (moghasa mogha-karmano mogha jnana vicetasah). The so-called vaisyas--the industrialists or businessmen--are involved in big, big industrial enterprises, but they are not interested in food grains and milk. However, as indicated here, by digging for water, even in the desert, we can produce food grains; when we produce food grains and vegetables, we can give protection to the cows; while giving protection to the cows, we can draw from them abundant quantities of milk; and by getting enough milk and combining it with food grains and vegetables, we can prepare hundreds of nectarean foods. We can happily eat this food and thus avoid industrial enterprises and joblessness.
Agriculture and cow protection are the way to become sinless and thus be attracted to devotional service. Those who are sinful cannot be attracted by devotional service. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (7.28):
yesam tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah
"Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination." The majority of people in this age of Kali are sinful, short-living, unfortunate and disturbed (mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya hy upadrutah). For them, Caitanya Mahaprabhu has advised:
harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha
"In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way."
SB 9.14.47 P King Pururava Enchanted by Urvasi TEXT 47
TEXT
tenayajata yajnesam
bhagavantam adhoksajam
urvasi-lokam anvicchan
sarva-devamayam harim
SYNONYMS
tena--by generating such a fire; ayajata--he worshiped; yajna-isam--the master or enjoyer of the yajna; bhagavantam--the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adhoksajam--beyond the perception of the senses; urvasi-lokam--to the planet where Urvasi was staying; anvicchan--although desiring to go; sarva-deva-mayam--the reservoir of all demigods; harim--the Supreme personality of Godhead.
TRANSLATION
By means of that fire, Pururava, who desired to go to the planet where Urvasi resided, performed a sacrifice, by which he satisfied the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, the enjoyer of the results of sacrifice. Thus he worshiped the Lord, who is beyond the perception of the senses and is the reservoir of all the demigods.
PURPORT
As stated in Bhagavad-gita, bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram: any loka, or planet, to which one wants to go is the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the enjoyer of the performance of sacrifice. The purpose of yajna is to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this age, as we have explained many times, the yajna of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is the only sacrifice that can satisfy the Supreme Lord. When the Lord is satisfied, one can fulfill any desire, material or spiritual. Bhagavad-gita (3.14) also says, yajnad bhavati parjanyah: by offering sacrifices to Lord Visnu, one can have sufficient rainfall. When there is sufficient rainfall, the earth becomes fit to produce everything (sama-kama-dugha mahi). If one can utilize the land properly, one can get all the necessities of life from the land, including food grains, fruits, flowers and vegetables. Everything one gets for material wealth is produced from the earth, and therefore it is said, sarva-kama-dugha mahi (Bhag. 1.10.4). Everything is possible by performing yajna. Therefore although Pururava desired something material, he factually performed yajna to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord is adhoksaja, beyond the perception of Pururava and everyone else. Consequently, some kind of yajna must be performed to fulfill the desires of the living entity. Yajnas can be performed in human society only when society is divided by varnasrama-dharma into four varnas and four asramas. Without such a regulative process, no one can perform yajnas, and without the performance of yajnas, no material plans can make human society happy at any time. Everyone should therefore be induced to perform yajnas. In this age of Kali, the yajna recommended is sankirtana, the individual or collective chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. This will bring the fulfillment of all necessities for human society.
SB 10.7.13-15 P The Killing of the Demon Trnavarta TEXTS 13-15
TEXT
ye 'suyanrta-dambhersa-
himsa-mana-vivarjitah
na tesam satya-silanam
asiso viphalah krtah
iti balakam adaya
samarg-yajur-upakrtaih
jalaih pavitrausadhibhir
abhisicya dvijottamaih
vacayitva svastyayanam
nanda-gopah samahitah
hutva cagnim dvijatibhyah
pradad annam maha-gunam
SYNONYMS
ye--those brahmanas who; asuya--envy; anrta--untruthfulness; dambha--false pride; irsa--grudges; himsa--being disturbed by the opulence of others; mana--false prestige; vivarjitah--completely devoid of; na--not; tesam--of such brahmanas; satya-silanam--who are endowed with perfect brahminical qualifications (satya, sama, dama, etc.); asisah--the blessings; viphalah--useless; krtah--have become; iti--considering all these things; balakam--the child; adaya--taking care of; sama--according to the Sama Veda; rk--according to the Rg Veda; yajuh--and according to the Yajur Veda; upakrtaih--purified by such means; jalaih--with water; pavitra-ausadhibhih--mixed with pure herbs; abhisicya--after bathing (the child); dvija-uttamaih--with ceremonies performed by first-class brahmanas with the above qualifications; vacayitva--requested to be chanted; svasti-ayanam--auspicious hymns; nanda-gopah--Maharaja Nanda, the head of the cowherd men; samahitah--liberal and good; hutva--after offering oblations; ca--also; agnim--unto the sacred fire; dvijatibhyah--unto those first-class brahmanas; pradat--gave in charity; annam--food grains; maha-gunam--excellent.
TRANSLATION
When brahmanas are free from envy, untruthfulness, unnecessary pride, grudges, disturbance by the opulence of others, and false prestige, their blessings never go in vain. Considering this, Nanda Maharaja soberly took Krsna on his lap and invited such truthful brahmanas to perform a ritualistic ceremony according to the holy hymns of the Sama Veda, Rg Veda and Yajur Veda. Then, while the hymns were being chanted, he bathed the child with water mixed with pure herbs, and after performing a fire ceremony, he sumptuously fed all the brahmanas with first-class grains and other food.
PURPORT
Nanda Maharaja was very confident about the qualifications of the brahmanas and their blessings. He was fully confident that simply if the good brahmanas showered their blessings, the child Krsna would be happy. The blessings of qualified brahmanas can bring happiness not only to Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but to everyone. Because Krsna is self-sufficient, He does not require anyone's blessings, yet Nanda Maharaja thought that Krsna required the blessings of the brahmanas. What then is to be said of others? In human society, therefore, there must be an ideal class of men, brahmanas, who can bestow blessings upon others, namely, upon the ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras, so that everyone will be happy. Krsna therefore says in Bhagavad-gita (4.13) that human society must have four social orders (catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah); it is not that everyone should become a sudra or a vaisya and human society will prosper. As enunciated in Bhagavad-gita, there must be a class of brahmanas with qualities like satya (truthfulness), sama (peacefulness), dama (self-control) and titiksa (tolerance).
Here also, in the Bhagavatam, Nanda Maharaja invites qualified brahmanas. There may be caste brahmanas, and we have all respect for them, but their birth in brahmana families does not mean that they are qualified to bestow blessings upon the other members of human society. This is the verdict of the sastras. In Kali-yuga, caste brahmanas are accepted as brahmanas. Vipratve sutram eva hi (Bhag. 12.2.3): in Kali-yuga, simply by putting on a thread worth two paise, one becomes a brahmana. Such brahmanas were not called for by Nanda Maharaja. As stated by Narada Muni (Bhag. 7.11.35), yasya yal laksanam proktam. The symptoms of a brahmana are stated in sastra, and one must be qualified with these symptoms.
The blessings of brahmanas who are not envious, disturbed or puffed up with pride and false prestige and who are fully qualified with truthfulness will be useful. Therefore a class of men must be trained as brahmanas from the very beginning. Brahmacari guru-kule vasan danto guror hitam (Bhag. 7.12.1). The word dantah is very important. Dantah refers to one who is not envious, disturbing or puffed up with false prestige. With the Krsna consciousness movement, we are trying to introduce such brahmanas in society. Brahmanas must ultimately be Vaisnavas, and if one is a Vaisnava, he has already acquired the qualifications of a brahmana. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma (Bg. 18.54). The word brahma-bhuta refers to becoming a brahmana, or understanding what is Brahman (brahma janatiti brahmanah). One who is brahma-bhuta is always happy (prasannatma). Na socati na kanksati: he is never disturbed about material necessities. Samah sarvesu bhutesu: he is ready to bestow blessings upon everyone equally. Mad-bhaktim labhate param: then he becomes a Vaisnava. In this age, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura introduced the sacred thread ceremony for his Vaisnava disciples, with the idea that people should understand that when one becomes a Vaisnava he has already acquired the qualifications of a brahmana. Therefore in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, those who are twice initiated so as to become brahmanas must bear in mind their great responsibility to be truthful, control the mind and senses, be tolerant, and so on. Then their life will be successful. It was such brahmanas that Nanda Maharaja invited to chant the Vedic hymns, not ordinary brahmanas. Verse thirteen distinctly mentions himsa-mana. The word mana refers to false prestige or false pride. Those who were falsely proud, thinking that they were brahmanas because they were born in brahmana families, were never invited by Nanda Maharaja on such occasions.
Verse fourteen mentions pavitrausadhi. In any ritualistic ceremony, many herbs and leaves were required. These were known as pavitra-patra. Sometimes there were nimba leaves, sometimes bael leaves, mango leaves, asvattha leaves or amalaki leaves. Similarly, there were panca-gavya, panca-sasya and panca-ratna. Although Nanda Maharaja belonged to the vaisya community, everything was known to him.
The most important word in these verses is maha-gunam, indicating that the brahmanas were offered very palatable food of exalted quality. Such palatable dishes were generally prepared with two things, namely food grains and milk products. Bhagavad-gita (18.44) therefore enjoins that human society must give protection to the cows and encourage agriculture (krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhavajam). Simply by expert cooking, hundreds and thousands of palatable dishes can be prepared from agricultural produce and milk products. This is indicated here by the words annam maha-gunam. Still today in India, from these two things, namely food grains and milk, hundreds and thousands of varieties of food are prepared, and then they are offered to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (Catur-vidha-sri-bhagavat-prasada. patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati.) Then the prasada is distributed. Even today in Jagannatha-ksetra and other big temples, very palatable dishes are offered to the Deity, and prasada is distributed profusely. Cooked by first-class brahmanas with expert knowledge and then distributed to the public, this prasada is also a blessing from the brahmanas or Vaisnavas. There are four kinds of prasada (catur-vidha). Salty, sweet, sour and pungent tastes are made with different types of spices, and the food is prepared in four divisions, called carvya, cusya, lehya and pehya--prasada that is chewed, prasada that is licked, prasada tasted with the tongue, and prasada that is drunk. Thus there are many varieties of prasada, prepared very nicely with grains and ghee, offered to the Deity and distributed to the brahmanas and Vaisnavas and then to the general public. This is the way of human society. Killing the cows and spoiling the land will not solve the problem of food. This is not civilization. Uncivilized men living in the jungle and being unqualified to produce food by agriculture and cow protection may eat animals, but a perfect human society advanced in knowledge must learn how to produce first-class food simply by agriculture and protection of cows.