Prabhupäda: Dhärtaräñörasya durbuddher [Bg. 1.23]. Durbuddhi, to usurp others’ property is durbuddhi, mischievous. Why one should encroach upon others’ property? That is not good. Tena tyaktena bhuïjéthä mä gådhaù kasya svid dhanam. This is the Vedic instruction, that "You accept only what is given to you. Don’t encroach upon others’ property." This is peaceful. Everything belongs to Kåñëa. So whatever Kåñëa gives you as prasädam, as His favor, you accept it and be satisfied. This is the basic principle of peace in the world. But because people are not educated in that way, everyone is wanting more and more and more and more. There is no satisfaction. So that is durbuddhi. The Vedic culture is that "You be satisfied with your position." There is no question of starving in any position of life. People are trying to make economic development, but according to çästra, it is not possible to develop your economic position simply by endeavor. You are destined to have some portion mixed up with happiness and distress. That is the nature. Dharmärtha-käma-mokña. These are four principles of human activities. First beginning is dharma. Dharma means to abide by the orders of the Supreme. That is dharma. So people do not know who is the Supreme and what is His order. So what kind of religion? They accept dharma as religion, faith, a superfluous faith only. But that is not dharma, religion. Dharma means to abide by the orders of the Supreme. Dharmaà tu säkñäd bhagavat-praëétam [SB 6.3.19]. That is the meaning of dharma: obedience to God. There is no conception of God, and what to speak of obedience. But this is the simple meaning of religion: obedience to God. That’s all, three words. God is the supreme proprietor, God is the maintainer... Bhoktäraà yajïa-tapasäà sarva-loka-maheçvaram [Bg. 5.29]. Therefore we are maintained, we are predominated, we are servant, we should remain obedient to God. This is religion. Where is the difficulty? Unfortunately, they do not know what is God, what is His command, what is religion. They do not know. They manufacture. And because they do not know the simple process, they are called durbuddhi, not very nicely intelligent. A rascal, in other words.

In the Bhagavad-gétä it is plainly said, müòha. Müòha means asses, rascal. He does not know his own interest. He is called müòha, ass. Just like ass. Ass is whole day working with tons of cloth on his back, but he does not... Not a piece of cloth belongs to him. This is ass. And he is working so hard only for a morsel of grass, which is available everywhere. But he is thinking that "This gentleman, washerman, is giving me food." This is ass. Such food can be available anywhere and everywhere, but he is thinking like that and working so hard. So karmés are like that. He will eat two chapätis or four chapätis, but he is working day and night. If you want to see him, he will say, "Oh, I have no time." He does not think at any time that "I am interested to eat four chapätis, which can be very easily available. So why I am working so hard?" But that sense does not come. He is working, working, working, "More money, more money, more money, more money, more money." The Bhägavata says, "No, no. This is not your business." The four chapätis is already destined to you; you will get, any circumstances. You don’t waste your time simply under some false impression of economic development. Don’t waste your time. You cannot get more, you cannot get less. That is already there. So you utilize your time for understanding Kåñëa. That is your business. People will not accept it. "Oh, this is a waste of time. Attending the class of Bhagavad-gétä, this is waste of time. By this time I could have earned hundreds of dollars." That is their business. That is called durbuddhi, durbuddhi, not very intelligent. All müòha, asses.

Real intelligent person is he who is satisfied what Kåñëa has given him: "If Kåñëa wants, He will give me more. Let me become Kåñëa conscious. Let me study about Kåñëa. Let me chant about Kåñëa. Let me hear about Kåñëa. Let me see with my eyes Kåñëa, the Deity Kåñëa. Let me engage my hands in worshiping Kåñëa, in cleansing the temple, my hands. Let my legs be engaged in going to the temple." In this way all our senses should be engaged in the service of Kåñëa. That is our real business. Tasyaiva hetoù prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatäm upary adhaù. Tasyaiva hetoù: "For that purpose only." Which purpose? Which we could not achieve after wandering the whole universe, up and down. The living entity is wandering by transmigration from one body to another up and down. Sometimes he is becoming Brahmä even. Brahmä, Indra, Candra. He can become. One can become. By pious activities, you can be raised to the position of Brahmä, Indra, Candra, demigods, big, big demigods. And by impious activities, you can go down to become the worm of a stool. This is going on. This is called bhramatäm upary adhaù. Upari adhaù. Adhaù means down, and upari means up. So ürdhvaà gacchanti sattva-sthäù. Who are going to upper planetary system? Sattva-sthäù, those who are qualified brähmaëas, strictly following the principles.

çamo damas tapaù çaucaà
kñäntir ärjavam eva ca
jïänaà vijïänam ästikyaà
brahma-karma svabhäva-jam
[Bg. 18.42]

If you follow these principles, controlling the senses, truthful, clean, full of knowledge, believing in the çästra and God, and vijïänam, practical application of knowledge in life. Vijïänam... Simply to know is useless. You must practically apply in life. That is called vijïänam. Practical examination. Those who are science students, in BAC, they have to give, pass theoretical knowledge and practical knowledge also. Simply theoretical knowledge, "So much hydrogen, oxygen, makes water," that is theoretical. But when you mix up hydrogen, oxygen gas, and actually prepare water, that is called practical. So that is science. Science means simply theoretical knowledge is not sufficient. Observation and experiment. Experimental knowledge. That is called vijïänam.

So by practical knowledge you should be well-acquainted with God. That is brähmaëa’s business. So sattva-sthäù, those who are strictly following the brahminical principles, they will be situated in upper planetary system. Ürdhvaà gacchanti sattva-sthäù. But a Vaiñëava is above these. Mad-yäjino ’pi yänti mäm. Those who are following these principles with an aim for higher planetary system, they can go, elevated. Similarly, those who are trying to go back to home, back to Kåñëa, they can also go. It is not very... This process, our Kåñëa consciousness movement, is to help people to go back to home, back to Kåñëa. It is not very difficult. Why it is difficult? Kåñëa says, janma karma me divyaà yo jänäti tattvataù. Try to understand Kåñëa in truth, not vaguely. Kåñëa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We think of God. So why don’t you accept Kåñëa. He says and çästra says, the äcärya says, Vyäsadeva says, Närada says, your Guru Mahäräja says. Why not accept? Why rascaldom? Why you are searching after any other God? Here is God. Name, address, activities, everything is there, authorized statement of the Vedas. So is there any difficulty to understand Kåñëa? But this rascal will not take it. Persistent. "Oh, why Kåñëa can be accepted? I have got a God, manufactured." This is misfortune. Durbhaga, durbuddhi, miscreant rascal. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gétä. Na mäà duñkåtino müòhäù prapadyante narädhamäù [Bg. 7.15]. These are the qualifications of persons who do not surrender to Kåñëa: miscreants, mischievous, sinful, müòha, rascal, asses, narädhama, lowest of the mankind. These are the qualifications. So they are all durbuddhi. Human life is meant... This is an opportunity to understand Kåñëa. Hari hari biphale janama goìäinu, manuñya-janama päiyä, rädhä-kåñëa nä bhajiyä, jäniyä çuniyä biña khäinu. This is Narottama däsa Öhäkura’s song. Anyone who is not trying to understand Kåñëa... Not even trying, what to speak of worshiping Him, giving Him service... And Kåñëa says simply by trying to know Him, one becomes liberated. Simply by trying, not perfectly. Even imperfectly. Because he is endeavoring to understand Kåñëa, that very activity will make him liberated. That very activity. It is not possible to understand Kåñëa. He is so great, unlimited. How we can understand Kåñëa? Kåñëa cannot understand Himself. Or Ananta cannot understand. So... Actually, that is the fact. We cannot understand Kåñëa. But still, whatever Kåñëa says about Himself in the Bhagavad-gétä, if we accept so much, then we immediately become fit for going back to Godhead, back to home. Simply. Janma karma me divyaà yo jänäti tattvataù. Tattvataù. Tattvataù means in truth. The tattvataù cannot understand. Even siddhas, those who are perfect...

manuñyäëäà sahasreñu
kaçcid yatati siddhaye
yatatäm api siddhänäà
kaçcin mäà vetti tattvataù
[Bg. 7.3]

Nobody can understand, even if he is siddha, perfect. Perfect means not spiritually perfect, means materially perfect. Or even spiritually, partially perfect. Brahma-jïäné, they are partially perfect. Paramätmä-jïäné, yogis, they are also partially perfect. Not completely perfect. Completely perfect is the devotees. Only devotees, they are completely perfect. Others, the jïänés and yogis and karmés... Karmés are, they are rascals. Jïänés, they are partially perfect because they can understand the eternity portion of the Supreme Lord, brahma-jïäna. That is eternity portion. And Paramätmä-jïäna is the cid-aàça, knowledge or personally seeing God as the four-handed Viñëu. So that is also imperfect knowledge. That (But) when He comes to know Bhagavän, éçvaraù paramaù kåñëaù sac-cid-änanda-vigrahaù [Bs. 5.1], then there is perfect knowledge. Änanda. Because when one comes to the understanding of personal God, there is änanda. In other features, there is no änanda. There is eternity, there is knowledge, but there is no änanda. Änandamayo ’bhyäsät. That is the Vedänta-sütra. One is by nature änandamaya. We are searching after änanda, bliss, but we do not know where to get bliss. We are trying to get bliss in this material world by eating meat, eating wine, drinking wine, by sex. They are trying to get änanda. That is not änanda. Änanda is what is satyänanda. These änandas, these pleasures—flickering, for few minutes, for few hours. That is not änanda. Änanda means satyänanda, real änanda, real änanda. What is that real änanda? Brahma-sukha. That änanda is in exchange with the Supreme Brahman. Brahma-saukhyam anantam. That is anantam, unlimited änanda. Therefore ramante yoginaù anante. Therefore those who are actually yogis, bhakti-yogés... There are different types of yoga. So they ramante, they enjoy, ramante yoginaù anante, along with the ananta, unlimited. Kåñëa is unlimited. When you join with Kåñëa in His räsa dance as gopés or as cowherds boy, play with Him, or become His father and mother, Yaçodä, Nanda Mahäräja, Yaçodä-räëé, or become servant, or even become like water Yamunä, or land in Våndävana and trees or fruits or flowers, any way, or cows and calves... Join with Kåñëa. Then you get änanda, real änanda. Änandamayo ’bhyäsät. Sac-cid-änanda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1]. That is the description in all Bhägavatam, how the Kåñëa’s associates are enjoying life. Kåta-puëya-puïjäù. Çukadeva Gosvämé said, "These boys who are playing with Kåñëa, oh, they are not ordinary boys." Kåta-puëya-puïjäù: "They have amassed the effects of pious activities for millions and trillions of births. Now they have come to play with Kåñëa."

So that opportunity is there in bhakti-yoga. Kåñëa is anxious to take you back. Why you are wasting time? Economic development. What economic development you’ll do? You cannot get more than what is destined to you. That is not possible. Then everyone would have been big man, big, educated, very beautiful. Even... Pious activities, the effects of pious activity, is to get nice opulence. Janmaiçvarya-çruta-çré. Birth in very high family, janma; aiçvarya, opulence, riches; education; çré... Çruta, çruta means education, highly learned. These things are effects of pious activities. You get nice family, you take your birth in nice family, rich family, aiçvarya, you get good education, you become very beautiful. These are the effects of pious activities. Similarly, the effects of impious activities, the opposite. But they are all material. They are destined. Whatever you have got by pious or impious activities, that you cannot change. It is not possible. But you can change your position, this material position, by Kåñëa consciousness. That you can change. Other things you cannot change. If you are white, you cannot become black, or if you are black, you cannot become white. That is not possible. But you can become first-class Kåñëa conscious person. Either you are black or white, it doesn’t matter. This is Kåñëa consciousness. Therefore our endeavor should be how to become Kåñëa conscious. Other things we cannot change. This is not possible. Sarvatra.

tasyaiva hetoù prayateta kovido
na labhyate yad bhramatäm upary adhaù
tal labhyate duùkhavad anyataù sukhaà
kälena sarvatra gabhéra-raàhasä

Kälena, by time, whatever you are destined you will get. Don’t bother about so-called economic development. So far food is concerned, Kåñëa is supplying. Eko bahünäà yo vidadhäti kämän. Even cats and dogs and ants. Why not you? There is no need of bothering Kåñëa, "God give us our daily bread." He will give you. Don’t bother. Try to become very faithful servant of God. "Oh, God has given me so many things. So let me give my energy to serve Kåñëa." This is required. This is Kåñëa consciousness. "I have taken so much, life after life, from Kåñëa. Now this life let me dedicate to Kåñëa." This is Kåñëa consciousness. "This life I will not let it go uselessly like cats and dogs. Let me utilize it for Kåñëa consciousness." This is Kåñëa consciousness.