rmad-Bhgavatam 1.2.

24 Los Angeles, August 27, 1972

Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.): prthivd druo dhmas tasmd agnis traymaya tamasas tu rajas tasmt sattva yad brahma-daranam [SB 1.2.24] Translation: "The firewood is the transformation of the earth, and smoke is bett er than the raw wood, and fire is still better, because by fire we can derive so many benefits by superior knowledge, or Vedas. Similarly, rajas quality of matt er is better than tamas quality, but sattva quality is the superior quality by w hich one can realize the Absolute Truth."

Prabhupda: (aside:) Here the translation is different. So the example is given he re, that... The translation is... [break] Anyway, prthivd druo dhma. Prthivt. Suppo u want fire. So there are so many stages. Earth, then there is wood. Wood is pro duced from earth. From wood, there is, first instance there is smoke, and then c omes the fire. But you require the fire. When you get fire, you can get so many things done through fire, electricity. All industry is going on through fire. Yo ur household affairs, cooking, that is also, you require fire. For your living c ondition you require fire, heat. So fire is necessity, not the earth, neither th e wood, nor the smoke. Similarly, although Brahm, Viu, Mahevara, they are one, from Kathey are different incarnation of different modes of material naturebut actually, V iu is required. Brahman, brahma-daranam. If you want to see the Absolute Truth, the n neither Brahm nor iva is required, but Viu is required. The example is: just like if you want to have your work done, then fire is requi red. The wood is also another stage of fire; the smoke is also another stage of fire. But as fire is necessity, similarly, to come to the platform of goodness, that is necessity, especially in this human form of life. In other forms of life , they're mostly in the ignorance. Just like the earth. The earth has got potenc y to produce wood, trees and plants, but there are some earthen plot of land, it is not producing anything, desert. It has got the potency. If you pour water, i t has got the potency to produce wood, but, in that... Similarly, the mode of ig norance, those living entities, those who are in the mode of ignorance, they can not have any knowledge of the Absolute Truth. That's not possible. Therefore it is gradual evolution, from mode of ignorance to mode of passion. And passion, th ere is little activity. Just like animal, they have got activity. Just like a do g, we have seen, in the beach and other places, running very swiftly here and th ere, but there is no meaning. A monkey is very active. You have not seen monkey in your country. In our country there are monkeys. Unnecessarily creating distur bance. But they are very active. But human being, they are not so active, but th ey have got brain, they're working with brain. So foolish activity has no meaning. Without brain, simply active, that is danger ous. Sober activity is required. Just like a high-court judge. He is paid very l ump sum, money, but he's sitting on his chair and simply thinking. The others ma y think that "We are working so hard, we are not getting so big salary, and this man is getting so big salary. He's sitting only." Because foolish activity has no value. It is dangerous. So this modern world, they very active, but they're f oolishly active, in the ignorance and passion, rajas tamas. Therefore there is c onfusion activity. Foolish activity, there is accident. Sober activity required. Because, just like unless you come to the platform of fire, you cannot utilize the material things. Fire is required. Similarly, to make your life successful,

there is gradual evolution from aquatics to plant life, plant life to insect lif e, insect life to reptiles, reptiles to bird's life, then beast life, then human life, then civilized life. In this way, gradually, evolution, we come to the platform of human life. And th e Vedic knowledge is meant for the human beings, not for these other animals. Th erefore it is said, dhmas tasmd agnis traymaya. By Vedic injunction, the human socie ty, civilized human society, they require to perform sacrifices, fire sacrifices . Just like we do in all auspicious ceremonies... It is said that through the fi re, God eats. We give to the fire the grains and the fruits and other thing. Tha t is, means, God is eating, through fire. So sacrifice means you sacrifice for G od, and God is accepting. God is accepting also when we offer prasdam to the Lord , He's accepting, but we want to see. That is our disease. We want to see everyt hing. Therefore, the fire sacrifice, you can see that whatever is offering, it i s being eaten up. God can eat in many ways. Because a third-class man, they want to see that God is eating, therefore this is required, sacrifice. God, as it is stated in the Brahma-sahit: agni yasya sakalendriya-vttimanti. His every limb of the body is as good as the other part of the body. Just like we have got our eyes. With eyes we can see, but we cannot eat. But God can do that. He can see, eat al so, through the eyes. Agni yasya sakalendriya-vttimanti. He can hear with eyes. He can eat with His ear. He can see with His tongue. That is God. Every part of the body is equally good as other part of the body. That is called Absolute Truth. Our, this body, is relative. I cannot see... I am, if I close my eyes, I cannot see with my hand. But Ka can do that. So, when we offer Ka foodstuff, He eats. He says in the Bhagavad-gt, anmi. patra pupa phala toya yo me bhakty prayacchati tad aha bhakty-upahtam anmi prayattmana [Bg. 9.26] Ka says that "My devotee, when he offers Me something eatable, with faith, love and devotion, I eat." Then is He speaking lies? No, He eats. But the atheist class of men, they do not know. They see that the plate is full. Sometimes, if He's fo rced, He can eat also, there are some incidences. Anyway, He, simply by seeing, He can eat. Simply by seeing. If you don't believe that He's not eating... But f rom the Vedic injunction we can understand that you put the food plate before th e Lord, and Lord is seeing, and that is His eating. He's not hungry, but He can eat the whole universe at a time. This is God's position. He can devour the whol e universe, as you have seen the vir-rpa.

So this yaja performance required fire. Tasmd agnis traymaya. Traymaya. Tray means Ve as. There are three departments of Vedas; therefore it is called tray. Tray means three: karma-ka, jna-ka and upsan-ka. So in karma-ka platform, fruitive act e is required, and for sacrificing, you require fire, so that you can gradually understand what is the Absolute Truth. Similarly, if you want to see Brahman, th e Supreme Absolute Truth, then you have to come to the platform of goodness. You cannot remain on the platform of ignorance and passion. Therefore our training to the student is to bring him to the platform of goodness, brhmaa. Brahma jntti brhm Brahma-darana. Brahma-darana means one who has seen brahma, or one who has known brahma. He's called brhmaa. Brhmaa is not that being born in the family of a brhmaa a d having a sacred thread, two-cent worth. No. Brhmaa means one who has seen, brahm a-darana. Darana means seeing. So, in order to see the Absolute Truth, one has to come to the platform of goodness. Tamasas tu rajas tasmt sattva yad brahma-daranam. Yad sattvam, the platform which is called goodness. And in that platform you ca n see God, or you can realize what is Absolute Truth. So the so-called scientists, they are trying to find out the ultimate source of

everything, the Absolute Truth. But because they are not on the platform of good ness, how they can see? They cannot see. The Absolute Truth is coming before us, in person, and is showing His activity as Absolute Truth, and big, big cryas, the y're accepting Him, the Absolute Truth. Still, these rascals, they cannot see. T he so-called scientists, rascals, they cannot see-because, they're not on the pl atform of goodness. They're in the platform of ignorance. Therefore they... Even ... Just like Ka, when He appeared on this planet, there were so many millions of p eople. But very few of them could understand that He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Only the inhabitants of Vndvana and the Pavas and some others. Not that all of them. Because all of them cannot understand. Manuy sahasreu kacid yatati sidd e [Bg. 7.3]. Out of many millions of persons, kacit, somebody is trying to become a brhmaa. That is siddhaye. Kacid yatati siddhaye. Siddhaye means to become succes sful. And yatatm api siddhnm [Bg. 7.3]. And out of many millions of persons who has become successful, out of them some may know what is Ka.

So anyway, brahma-daranam. Brahma-daranam means the preliminary understanding of t he Absolute Truth. Brahmeti paramtmeti bhagavn iti abdyate [SB 1.2.11]. In the prel iminary understanding, impersonal Brahman is realized; and if you make further p rogress, then you are, you realize the localized aspect, Paramtm. vara sarva-bhtn juna tihati [Bg. 18.61]. In your heart you will see. And, further progress means y ou'll see Viu, or Lord Ka-brahmeti paramtmeti bhagavn iti. The one thing, thing is o absolute, but a different capacity. Just like the... I have given several times , that the sun and the sunshine and the sun globe and the inhabitants of the sun globe, they are one, but at the same time different. To become in the sunshine does not mean that you are in the sun globe. That requires a very good qualifica tion, how to... They cannot enter even into the moon planet and what to speak of entering the sun planet. It is fiery. So, as it is not possible for ordinary ma n, but there is sun planet and there are inhabitants also. They have bodies also , fiery body. Therefore it is so glowing and it is so hot that the temperatures, from ninety millions of miles, it is giving us temperature. It is made of fire; that's a fact. So, as by different position one can understand complete sun... Ordinary men, th ose who are in the sunshine, they cannot understand what is the temperature in t he sun globe. And even if you go nearer to the sun globe, it is very difficult t o enter into the, within the planet. Similarly, the first understanding of the A bsolute Truth is impersonal Brahman, brahma-daranam. Then, if you can make furthe r progress, then you will see that Absolute Truth within your heart by yoga syst em. And if you make further advance, then you see Him eye to eye and give your s ervice, render your service personally. These are the stages. So, on the whole, to understand the Absolute Truth, even brahma-daranam, Absolute Truth, you have come to the light, not in the darkness. If you want to see the sun at least, then you have come to the sunshine. Not that in the dark room, clo sing your doors, you can see sunshine. You have to come out. Tamasi m jyotir gama . Therefore the Vedic injunction is "Don't remain in the darkness. Come out to s ee the light." Just like in the morning, somebody is sleeping, closing his doors and windows tightly, and he's sleeping, snoring. Although it is ten o'clock, da ytime, he thinks it is night going on. And he's enjoying sleeping. This is darkn ess. Rascal. And, those who are advanced, they rise early in the morning at four o'clock: "Now there will be sunshine. Prepare." That is the difference. The sam e human being: one is in the darkness, one is in the passion, and one is in the goodness. And if you come to the goodness, then you see, brahma-daranam. You can understand what is Absolute Truth. If you remain in ignorance and passion, you cannot see, you cannot know. You can go on with your so-called rascaldom talks about God, but it is not possible. Yo u cannot understand God, or Absolute Truth, by eating meat, drinking and having illicit sex and gambling. No, that is not possible. Then you'll have to remain i n the darkness for good, and next life you'll again become cats and dogs, that's

all. Because you are given the opportunity to come to the light, but if you neg lect it, if you think that natural life, animal life, to become naked and do all nonsense, then "All right. You, next life you become a tree, naked. Stand up na ked for ten thousands of years." You want to be naked? That's all right. Nobody will protest. So many trees are standing naked. So many animals are loitering in the street naked. Nobody protests. But in human society, if you become naked, t hen you'll be punished by law. But they are thinking they are advancing by becom ing naked. This is the knowledge: ignorance.

So Ka will give you opportunity to remain naked, become animals, trees, like that. So that is not our aim of life. Our aim of life, the human form of life, is mean t for understanding the Absolute Truth: athto brahma jijs. That is the Vednta-stra sa s. Brahmawhat is brahma? What is Absolute Truth? This inquisitiveness must be the re in human life, then it is human being. Otherwise, he is animal. The animal do es not inquire what is Absolute Truth, neither the Vednta-darana and all these Ved ic scriptures are meant for the animals. They're meant for human being. A human being has got the brain, he can understand, he can be trained up to become a brhm aa. These are the opportunities.

So Ka will give you opportunity to remain naked, become animals, trees, like that. So that is not our aim of life. Our aim of life, the human form of life, is mean t for understanding the Absolute Truth: athto brahma jijs. That is the Vednta-stra sa s. Brahmawhat is brahma? What is Absolute Truth? This inquisitiveness must be the re in human life, then it is human being. Otherwise, he is animal. The animal do es not inquire what is Absolute Truth, neither the Vednta-darana and all these Ved ic scriptures are meant for the animals. They're meant for human being. A human being has got the brain, he can understand, he can be trained up to become a brhm aa. These are the opportunities. So, Ka consciousness movement is giving this great opportunity to the human society . They're training them how to become a brhmaa, we are giving them all important V edic literature, translated into English and other. This is the greatest boon to make human life successful. But if the people want to remain in darkness, then what can we do? But not that everyone wants to remain in darkness. So many peopl e are coming forward and taking this movement seriously. They are first-class me n. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gt, manuy sahasreu kacid yatati siddhaye yatatm api siddhn kacin m vetti tattvata [Bg. 7.3] So take advantage of this great movement. Come to the platform of goodness and s ee the Absolute Truth. Then your life is successful. Otherwise, you remain like cats and dogs, eat like cats and dogs.

If you want, nature will give you facility. Prakte kriyamni guai karmi sarvaa [B rakti means nature. He's giving, by nature. Just like, if you infect, if you beco me infected with some disease, so you'll get that disease. It is nature's way. I f you touch fire, your finger will be burned. Not that nature has to make a part icular arrangement. By nature it is there. Similarly, if you remain like cats an d dogs, then by nature you'll get the body of cats and dogs. There is no necessi ty of making separate attempt, "How shall I become a dog? How shall I become cat ?" Prakte kriyamni. Prakti, nature, will give you. Prakte kriyamni guai karm is helping? Nature, this material nature is matter. How it is being done, how ma tter is working? That is, answer is given in the Bhagavad-gt, that maydhyakea prakti te sa-carcaram: [Bg. 9.10] "He's acting under My direction." God is giving direct ion. How he's giving direction? vara sarva-bhtn hd-dee [Bg. 18.61]God is situated our heart. When He sees that you are very much anxious to become a cat, a dog, H

e knows. He asks nature that "Just give him a body of dog. He wants to become a dog. He wants to become a hog; give him a body of hog. He wants the body of a tr ee, he wants the body of god; give him the body of god." Anything, you can take. You can have the body of a dog, or you can have the body of a god, as you want.

Ka, God is so kind. Whatever you want, you take. That is, nature is helping. Nature is working under the direction of God, and whatever you want, He understands, b ecause He is sitting with you within the heart, like two birds. One bird is eati ng, one bird is simply seeing. The seeing bird is God and eating bird is the liv ing entity. So that is also explained in the Bhagavad-gt: sarvasya cha hdi sannivia teenth Chapter. "I am sitting in everyone's heart." Matta smtir jnam apohana ca [Bg. 15.15]. One Dr. Farquar, in our college life, he was a Scotsman, so he did not b elieve in the karma-vda. And there are so many philosophers like that. But actual ly, vara, Ka, God, is sitting within your heart. He is witness. So that is science; that is human civilization. One who knows how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex life, how to defend, that is human civilization. Without knowing, in the modes of ignorancesimply animal life. They are simply like anima ls. They, that is not civilization. Therefore, we have come to the platform of g oodness, to see brahma-daranam. That is civilization. Thank you very much. (end) http://krishnaonline.com.br/Srimad-Bhagavatam%201.2.24_L_A_08_27_72.html