Don't be after so-called religion. You become a lover of God, you are first-class religionist.

Misreading Religion and Religious Extremism

Not "My God", "Your God", but "God is One" and "Love of God"

Yesterday we were discussing what is the first-class religious system. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmah yato bhaktir adhokshaje [SB 1.2.6]. People are very much enthusiastic to fight, "My religion is better." "I am Hindu. Our religion is very good." Somebody says, "No, we are Christian, we are..., our religion is very good." Somebody Muhammadan, this fighting is going on. In European history there was fight, crusade between religious group. In our country, in India, there was fight between Hindus and Muslims. What is the meaning of this fight? Actually when one is God conscious, he knows God, that where is the chance of fighting?

God is one, God cannot be two. It is not that Hindus have got one God and Christians have got another God. No. God cannot be two. Then there cannot be any competition of Gods. "I am God." Just like nowadays it has become a fashion, so many gods, rascals are coming, "I am God." He says, "I am God," "I am God," "I am God." Now how many Gods are there? No, God is one, eko brahma dvitiya nasti, that is the Vedic injunction. Just like the sun. Sun is one. From our practical example. You cannot say that "This is American sun," and "this is Indian sun," or "it is African sun." Sun is one. See, if a creation of God is one and it is so powerful... Sun is one of the creation of God. There are millions of suns. We can see one only. So if one sun created by God can do so much work, can distribute so much heat and light, just imagine how much powerful is the creator of the sun. This is common sense. So we get information from Bhagavad-gita,

aham sarvasya prabhavah
mattah sarvam pravartate
iti matva bhajante mam
budha bhava-samanvitah [Bg. 10.8]

Aham sarvasya prabhavah: whatever we see, whatever there is, they are all emanation from God. That is the verdict of Vedanta-sutra also. Simple. If you want to know what is God, the Vedanta-sutra informs us very, in two words, very simple, "God, or the Absolute Truth, is that who is the source of everything." Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. The original source from whom everything is coming, He is God. Very simple definition. Anyone can understand.

Philosophy means to inquire, athato brahma jijñasa, to enquire. Now this life, this human form of life is especially meant for enquiring about the absolute truth. In animal life we cannot do. There are big, big animals, tigers and lions and elephants and big, big trees also, they are also living entities. Big, big whale fish within the ocean, very gigantic. Big, big mountains, mountains, they have got also life. But they cannot enquire about God, that is not possible. You can enquire about God in this human form of life, that's all. Therefore in any civilized society, there is an enquiry of God, that is called religion. One may be, or in degrees there may be different. Just like in India, they are also making inquiry. Not now, not at the present moment. They have given up. But hundreds and thousands of years ago. Not thousand, even two hundred years ago, India was so inquisitive about enquiring about God. Even one Chinese gentleman, he has written one book, philosophical, that is recommended–I forgot the name, title of the book–that is studied in New York University in the religion class. In that book he has written that if you want to know about God, if you want to know about religion, then you must go to India. Yes, that's a fact. Because in no other country the great sages and saintly person engaged themselves so seriously about understanding God. Therefore the Vedanta-sutra is there.

So we should know that God is one. God is not different. There cannot be any competition of God. Mattah parataram nanyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya [Bg. 7.7]. There cannot be any superior truth than God. Therefore God is called the great. God is called the absolute. So Religion means, first-class religion means, how the followers have developed the understanding of God. That is first-class religion. Not that how many animals we can sacrifice or how many times we can... So many rituals and so many other things are there in every religion. But we have to test by the result. Everything... Just like we have studied so much, but there is examination. If one passes the examination, then it is understood that he has studied nicely. That is our common sense. In school, colleges, everywhere. If I cannot pass the examination and if I advertise myself, "Oh, I have studied this, I have studied that," then what is the value of that? Suppose a man is doing business. So if we see that by doing business, he has acquired some money, he has become rich, then we can understand that he is successful businessman. But if he, he is a poor man, and he says, "I have done this, I have done that, I have done that," you can say so but we want to know by the result. Phalena pariciyate. That is a Sanskrit version. But we have to understand by the result, phalena, what result you have got. What the value of your examination paper you have, how much mark you have received. Similarly we can declare ourself very religionist, great religionist, follower of great religion, but what is this? What is...? How much you have developed your sense of God consciousness, how much you have learned to love God?

Just like in your western countries, Lord Jesus Christ sacrificed His life for God's sake. He was charged that He was preaching something blasphemous. But He was a devotee of God. He preached to the people that there is kingdom of God, you love God, and go to the kingdom of God. Simple truth. That is the actual business of human life. This human life is meant for understanding God because we are part and parcel of God and we have forgotten. Just like the same thing, I have given several times example, a person, he belongs to a rich father, but somehow or other he has left home and he is loitering. In your country this example is very applicable. So many boys, they have left their rich father, rich family, and lying down on the street. I have seen. Why? Maybe some reason, but he is not expected to lie down on the street because he has got rich father, at least rich nation, your American nation. Similarly when we become puzzled and confused and want to live independently of God, the richest father–who can be richer than God? God means the richest. No one can be richer than Him. That is another definition of God.

aishvaryasya samagrasya
viryasya yashasah shriyah
jñana-vairagyayosh caiva
shannam bhaga itingana (Vishnu Purana 6.5.47)

Bhaga means fortune. One who is opulent with six kinds of fortunes. We can understand it very well. Just like in our, in this material world, if one man is very rich, he's attractive. Everybody speaks about him. Even he is a nonsense number one, if he has got money, everyone will speak about him. At least in this age it is going on. Nobody considers of anything but if somehow or other one becomes very rich, he becomes a popular figure. So God must be richest. Here, within this material world we can claim, "I am richer than that," but somebody is richer than me. I cannot claim that "Nobody is richer than me." That is not possible. We shall find out less rich than me and we can find out more rich than ourselves. Two things we can. But when you come to God, you will find nobody is richer than Him. Therefore God is called great, God is great. Similarly, not only in riches, aishvarya, sa samagrasya, viryasya, in power also. Aishvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yashasah, in reputation also, in fame. Just like everyone, it may be you belong to some religion, I belong to, but everyone knows that God is great. That is reputation. Aishvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yashasah, and shri, shri means beauty. God is the most beautiful. Just like, see Krishna here, you have got Krishna's figure here, how beautiful He is. God must be, He is young, always. An old man cannot become beautiful. That is stated in the Brahma-samhita, advaitam achyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusham nava-yauvanam cha [Bs. 5.33]. That is the description of Adyam Purana, He is the original person, the oldest of all but he is nava-yauvanam, just like a beautiful boy, say sixteen or twenty years old. So that is beautiful, the most beautiful. And the most wise, jñana. Nobody can be wiser than God. These are the description given by Parasara Muni, father of Vyasadeva. Aishvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yashasah shriyah (Vishnu Purana 6.5.47), [and] jñana-vairagya–and at the same time renounced. Now God has created this universe, God has created the cosmic manifestation, innumerable universes but He is not interested in it. He is interested because He has created. He has given us facility to live here, but He is not coming here to enjoy this. He has got better. Or He doesn't care for all these opulences. That is another qualification of God.

So this human form of life is meant for understanding God and scientifically, with full knowledge. That is described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Therefore we are preaching this Bhagavata discourse.

In the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam what is the nature of God? That has been described, janmady asya yatah anvayad itaratash cha artheshu abhijñah svarat [SB 1.1.1]. God is cognizant, He knows everything. He is a sentient being. Not a dead stone. If God is not sentient being, if God is not a person, how so many powerful persons, sentient persons coming from Him? If the father is not intelligent, how the sons and daughters can become intelligent? A dog cannot give birth to an intelligent person, a person who is intelligent, he can give birth to intelligent children. This our practical experience. Therefore this description of God, aishvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yashasah shriyahv, we should try to understand what is God. If you can find out a person who is superior in everything, in wealth, in strength, in beauty, in fame, in knowledge, in renouncement, He is God. Don't capture any fourth-class God. If you are intelligent, try to understand what is the meaning of God and try to understand.

So here in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, it is said that that is first-class religion–what is that?–which gives opportunity to the followers how to love God. Why should we not? If God is great, if our father is so great, why should we not love? We flatter somebody here, having a say, a few millions of dollars, we flatter, and who is the richest of all, we should not love Him? Why? What is the reason? And actually He is supplying everything. He is supplying all necessities of life to all living entities, beginning from the ant to the elephant. So why not to us? We have dedicated our whole life for the service of God, so God is giving food to the ant, to the elephant, why not to us? So don't think that you will starve in God consciousness. You will never starve. You go on with your duty, loving God and preaching love of God. You will always be opulent, be sure. Ordinary man, if you work for him, he gives you salary, good salary. And we are working for God, we don't all get salary? How is that? [laughter] We must get. If you are really lover of God, worker for God, don't think of your economic condition, it will be supported. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, yoga-kshemam vahamy aham [Bg. 9.22]. He personally supplies whatever necessities are there. Just like a father cares for his child, who is completely dependent on the parents. The parents look after the comfort. The child does not ask the parent, because he cannot speak also. So he is simply depending on God, simply depending on parent. Simply, if you simply depend on God, there is no question of your economic problem. Be sure. This is common sense.

So there is scarcity of devotees of God at the present moment. People have rejected God. Somebody is saying, "God is dead." Somebody is accepting a rascal as God. Somebody is declaring himself as God. No, try to understand God scientifically and become a devotee, a lover of God, your life will be successful. That is Krishna consciousness movement. It is not that "My God," "Your God," "This religion," "That religion." God is one and religion is one. What is that religion? Love of God. That's all. There is no other second religion. This is the religion. Therefore God comes and says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam sharanam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This is religion. Don't be after so-called religion. You become a lover of God, you are first-class religionist. That's all. That is taught by God, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam sharanam vraja [Bg. 18.66 "Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear."] This is religion. And if you don't love God, if you simply love dog, and how you can be religious?

So that is taught, sa vai pumsam paro dharmah yato bhaktir adhokshaje. Adhokshaje, this very word is used because God cannot be seen at the present moment with our material eyes. God cannot be touched with our material hand. Therefore his name is Adhokshaja. With our material eyes, material hands, material senses, we cannot understand what is God. God's name, God's form, God's quality, God's pastime, God's paraphernalia, and so many things... Our present senses are blunt, imperfect. They are defective with so many faults. Everyone can understand that I am very much proud of my eyes, I want to see God, but I cannot see my eyelid. When I block my eyes, I cannot see what is this little fragment of the skin, and still I am proud, I want to see God. Just see. You have to qualify yourself, then you can see God. Just like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, when (He) entered the Jagannatha Temple, He immediately fainted, "Oh, here is My Lord." And other person says, "What is this nonsense? A wooden, not even very beautiful form, and He is..." So because he hasn't got eyes. One who has got eyes to see God, he does not see anything except God. Premañjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilochanena santah sadaiva hridayeshu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38]. You have to anoint your eyes with love of God, then you will see that God is present everywhere. God is present in the tree, God is present in the animal, God is present in you, God is present in your family, in your... Actually that is the fact.

So religion means how to get that eyes, how to get that hand, how to get that leg, so that I can appreciate God. That should be the process of human civilization. Not that how I can compete with tiger, how I can compete with cats and dogs. That is not religion. Religion means how you have developed your love of God, how we are seeing God in every state. Everywhere. God is everywhere, that's a fact. Andantara-stha-paramanu chayantara-stham, God is within atom also. These are the description in the Vedic literature.