The Demons and the Devotees…

In New York, when we started this movement. In the morning we used to hold our class, and there was little sound. Immediately the tenants from upwards, they’ll come down and complain. Sometimes they will call for police. And on the street, Second Avenue, there is always big, big trucks and motor cars going on, heavy sound. So many sounds they’ll tolerate. And as soon, Hare Krishna, Oh, it is intolerable.
“The demoniac, taking shelter of insatiable lust, pride and false prestige, and being thus illusioned, are always sworn to unclean work, attracted by the impermanent.”
Prabhupada:

kamam asritya duspuram
dambha-mana-madanvitah
mohad grhitvasad-grahan
pravartante ’suci-vratah

So the demons… We have explained who are demons and who are divine, or demigods. Demigods means those who are devotee of the Lord. Visnu-bhakto bhaved daivah. Visnu-bhakta, the all-pervasive Supreme Personality of Godhead and His devotee… The Godhead is called deva, and his devotees are called daiva. So we are discussing about the characteristics of the demons. So they have lost their intelligence. Etam drstim avastabhya nastatmanah alpa-buddhayah. Nastatmanah. Atmanah means spirit soul. So they have lost the sense of spirit soul. They do not know that “I am not this body, I am spirit soul. Aham brahmasmi.” So therefore they do not know this. Therefore they are called nastatmanah. They have lost their spiritual sense. Why? Alpa-buddhayah, not very intelligent.
We have discussed very elaborately. Anyone who has got intelligence, he can understand that “I am not this body. Within this body there is a living force, and without that living force the body is useless, lump of matter. That’s all. So long the spirit soul is there, I am Mr. such and such, I am Mr. this, I am Mr. that.” (child coughing) (aside:) So this child should be… But as soon as the spirit soul is away, that Mr. lying on the floor, if somebody kicks on his face, he does not protest. “Mr.” finished. But the fools still take care of that bodily “Mr,” not the soul “Mr.” Without the soul, it is nothing but a lump of matter.
Just like in your country I have seen the machine. In the beginning, when I came to your country, I saw some typewriter machine is throw in the garbage. Of course, in India they do not throw. They repair it. But here your repairing cost is very, very high. Therefore you throw away. So the machine which is costly, but as it does not work, you throw away–it has no value–similarly, this is also machine. This body is also machine. That is described in the Bhagavad-gita, yantrarudhani mayaya. It is a machine given by maya, the material energy. Asat. Just like the aeroplane is also a machine. It has no life. But life is the pilot. So long the pilot is there, the machine is useful. If there is no pilot, it may stand in the airport for millions of years; it will not fly. Very practical.
Still, they are very much proud of this body. Why? Alpa-buddhayah, it is said, “less intelligent.” Less intelligent. So why he has become less intelligent? That is described in this verse, kamam asritya. His basic principle of life is lusty desire, asritya. He has taken shelter of principally the lusty desire, kamam asritya. Our constitutional position is we have to take shelter of somebody. Just like the dog. The dog, if he has no shelter, a good master, he has no position. Street dog. They say, “street dog.” He has no food. He has no shelter. He is lean and thin and do not know where to go, in this way. So the constitutional position of the dog is that it must have a good master. Then he is happy. Then he’s happy. Otherwise it is not happy. Is it not? Otherwise it is street dog. Sometimes it is killed by the municipality.
Similarly, our position is dog. We must understand it. We cannot live independently. It is not possible. Every living being. Therefore, in the Vedic injunction is nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. God and the living entities, they’re… Both of them are living entities, being. But what is the difference between God and living entities? The living entities are maintained by God, and God is the maintainer. That is the difference. Eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. We cannot maintain ourself. God maintains. Therefore, according to the Christian principle, they go to the church to beg bread from God.
Actually that is the fact. That is the fact. We are not independent. We are dependent on God in so many things. God has engaged the servant, the sun-god. He’s also demigod. He is working under the order of the Supreme Lord. Yasyajnaya bhramati sambhrta-kala-cakrah. In the Vedic literature we get information of the sun-god on the sun planet. Yac-caksur esa savita sakala-grahanam. The sun-god, or the sun planet, is the eye of all other planets. Because unless there is sunshine–you may be very proud of your tiny eyes–you cannot see. Therefore real eye is the sun, not your these balls, tiny balls. But still, we are so proud: “Can you show me God?” What, nonsense, what eyes you have got to see God? You cannot see yourself, and what to speak of seeing God?
So therefore it is said that dambha, false pride… Dambha-mana-madanvitah. These asuras, these demons, the rascals, they are simply falsely proud. That’s all. They have no possession of pride; still, they are proud. So, that… I was speaking about the sun. So Krishna has given you the sunlight so that you can see. Krsna has given you the nice breeze. Therefore you can live; you can breathe. Everything is dependent. We are dependent. Without light, without air, without rain or water, how we can live? So we are completely dependent, but on account of false prestige, less intelligence, we are thinking that we are free, we can… “I am God. I can do anything.” This is demonic attitude. Completely being dependent, as soon as the death comes, immediately we have to leave this position. “Sir, let me stay for one hour more.” “No, not even a minute.” This is our position.
But the demons, being… Instead of taking shelter of Krsna, instead of taking shelter of Krsna’s bona fide servant, he takes shelter of this lust, lusty desires and pride and false prestige, this, that, so many. He has to take shelter; he cannot remain independent. But when he’s less intelligent, he takes shelter of all these material things, and when he’s intelligent, he takes shelter of Krsna. But when you takes shelter of these lusty desires, false pride, false prestige, illusion, then you are demon, and when you give up the shelter of all this nonsense and you take shelter of the Supreme Person, then you are divine.
But you cannot say at any stage that “I am independent.” That is not possible. Your constitution is to remain dependent. Therefore the Vedas says, eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. He’s maintaining you. God is maintaining. That’s a fact. We cannot maintain your, ourself. He has given heat, light, air, water, fruits, flowers, grains, everything. Everything is there for you. There is no scarcity. Simply being less intelligent, taking shelter of lusty desires, false prestige, we are mismanaging the gift of God. Therefore we are in scarcity, therefore starvation. By God’s arrangement there is everything. Purnam idam. Everything is complete. Purnam adah. This creation is complete. Purnat purnam udacyate. Because it is created by God, it is complete, so you cannot find out any deficiency. Purnat purnam udacyate, purnasya purnam adaya purnam evavasisyate.
Just like you require water. That is very essential. Especially in the tropical countries, they use water very profusely for cleansing the whole house, for cleansing the body, for cleansing the utensils, cleansing the cloth. That is Vedic civilization, cleanliness. “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” Everyone should take thrice bath, cleanse everything. In India, not in the city but in the villages, the woman’s first duty is to cleanse the whole house, still. Early in the morning they’ll sweep over the whole house, not this apartment, three feet, no, but it is a good house. There is courtyard. Without courtyard, it is pigeon’s hole. But you like pigeon’s hole, this big, big skyscraper building containing so many pigeon’s hole. That’s all. So in India still, although poor country, they have got a courtyard, a little garden. That kind of house, in the village that is the system. So the first business is cleanliness. Everything should remain clean.
And it is said by Canakya Pandita that if you want worldly happiness, then these things are required. Murkha yatra na pujyante. Don’t worship rascals and fools, murkha. Murkha yatra na pujyante dhanyam yatra susancitam:(?) “And food grains are properly stocked.” That is the Vedic civilization, that you work for three months, not very hard, simply till the ground and sow some food grain seed, and within three months it will grow, and you will have ample food grains, and you’ll keep it in stock. And keep some cows. Dhanena dhanavan. They say that a rich man means one who has got sufficient stock of food grains. Food grains. Dhanena dhanavan. That is Vedic economic system. Gavayah dhanavan. Gavayah means by possessing some number of cows one is supposed to be rich. It is actually the fact. Everyone should possess some land for growing food grains and some cows to take milk. Then the whole economic problem is solved. But the asuras, they, as we have discussed in the previous verses, ugra-karmanah… Where is that verse?
Disciple: Verse nine.
Prabhupada: Verse nine. Prabhavanty ugra-karmanah. Prabhavanty ugra-karmanah. Karma, you have to work. You cannot maintain yourself without working. That is material world. Material world is not spiritual world. In the spiritual world you haven’t got to work, neither you have to eat. Everything is complete. But in the material world means for your maintenance you have to work. But that work is very simple. Grow some food grains and keep some cows, take the milk, and just prepare nice foodstuff and eat. Patram puspam phalam toyam. Keep Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Deity, at home, and Krsna is pleased even you simply offer little fruit and little flower.
So Krsna doesn’t want anything else. Krsna does not say, “Give Me meat. Give Me eggs. Give Me fish.” No. He says, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati. So if you are devotee, you cannot take anything which is not offered to Krsna. So Krsna… I should offer to Krsna what He wants. Just like if you want to offer me something, so you inquire that “What shall I offer you? What do you like?” So similarly, if you invite Krsna to live in your house or temple, then you should ask Krsna, “Sir, what can I offer You?” Krsna said, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati. Krsna said that “You give Me patram, means vegetables, flowers, fruits, and phalam, fruits, and some liquid, water or milk.” Krsna does not say, “You give Me meat or egg or fish.” No. Krsna can eat everything, He’s all powerful, but He does not eat, although He is all powerful. He can eat everything. He can eat fire. That is another thing. But because we have to take prasadam, remnants of foodstuff, Krsna, therefore He says, “Give Me this: food grains, milk, or fruits and flowers.” Prepared or unprepared, it doesn’t matter. Krsna wants that. We… So far the Vaisnava is concerned, sometimes they come forward to fight with us: “Why we should be vegetarian?” No, no, we have no quarrel with the nonvegetarian. Let them eat at their risk. But because we recommend, “You take Krsna’s prasadam,” therefore we must be satisfied with this patram puspam phalam toyam, nothing more than that.
But unfortunately, instead of taking shelter of Krsna, we have taken shelter of lusty desire. This is demonic. Therefore it is said, kamam asritya duspuram. Duspuram… Duh. Duh means very difficult, and puram means satisfaction. Duspuram. We have taken shelter of lusty desires which will never be satisfied. This is our position. Kamam asritya duspuram. These materialistic person, demon, their desires are never fulfilled–increasing, increasing, increasing, more, more more. So that means, increasing means, we are becoming implicated more and more. The business of human life is how to become free from this material encagement, but the asuras or the demons, instead of becoming free from material entanglement, they become more and more involved. That is…
Just like that kite-flying. Kite-flying, there is that reel? What is called? No, you have no experience. So You can fly. The kite goes very high and high. In India kite-flying is very popular sport. So you can allow the kite go and go, very high, and at the same time you can bring it near and nearer by that wheel. So this wheel, this human form of body, is meant for not prolonging the unclean material life, but now stop it. Now stop it. It is meant for that purpose.
Therefore in the Vedanta-sutra it is said, athato brahma-jijnasa: “Now inquire about… Sit down about… Sit down quietly and inquire about the necessity or the aim of life.” That is explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, jivasya tattva-jijnasa nartho yas ceha karmabhih, kamasya nendriya-pritih. Kamasya nendriya, kama. Here it is called kama. Kama means lust. So because we have got this body, therefore we must have some kama. That is a fact. You cannot avoid it. Lusty desire there is, and for the up keep of the body the lusty desires may be fulfilled, but don’t become lusty which is duspuram, which is never to be fulfilled. So kamasya na indriya-pritih. Just like lusty desires, generally it is with reference to sex life. So sex life is required for the physiological condition of the body. That is nature’s way. Or by giving birth to some nice children, that sex life is required. Otherwise why God has made the arrangement of sex? There is need, but not duspuram. Kamasya na indriya-pritih: “Don’t use it for sense gratification.” You use it to fulfill the real purpose. So these lusty desires, unless you live a very regulated life, then it will be duspuram, it will be never be fulfilled–always desire, always desire, always desire.
So these demons, they accept the shelter of lusty desire which will never be fulfilled, will never be satiated. But those who are devas, godly, their lusty desire is controlled, restricted. Therefore this varnasrama, four varnas, and four asramas, this is education how to control this lusty desire. That is required. In the beginning of life, the children, beginning from five years old up to twenty-five years, they are trained up as brahmacari. Why? Just to control the kamam duspuram. Kamam duspuram. Those who are not in bad association from childhood, if they practice celibacy, they are not disturbed. They are not disturbed. That is called brahmacari life. Why? To train the child of a human being. Because this human life is meant for stopping the cycle of birth and death. That is the mission.
Therefore sastra says that pita na sa syaj janani na sa syat, na mocayed yah samupeta-mrtyum. A man should not desire to become a father and the woman should not desire to become a mother unless both of them have taken the vow that “I shall beget a child and stop his cycle of birth and death.” This is the duty of the parents, not that “I shall beget children like cats and dogs.” There should be some meaning of the life. Samupeta-mrtyum. Because we have got the circumstances, unclean body, because we have got unclean body, therefore there is birth and death. Just like as soon as you are infected, there is fever, similarly, the birth and death is a kind of disease. It is also listed with disease. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. They are on the same category: birth, death, old age and disease. They are on the same category. But we take care of two things, namely old age… We try to remain young by cosmetic, but that is not possible. Similarly, we want to live forever. The lady doctor was (saying), “Yes, we can extend little more.” Then what…? After all, you have to die. Extend little more or little less, you cannot avoid death.
So this birth, death, old age, disease, this is due to this unclean, infected, material body. That we are not concerned, that how to stop this infected material body, how to revive our original spiritual body. That spiritual body is within, but we have no information. Therefore it is said, alpa-buddhayah. The real life is within. We don’t take care. Who is taking care of the spiritual… Where is the university? Where is the college where is this training is given that “We are spirit soul. This body is temporary, and the spirit soul business is this so that spirit soul may be purified, no more he accepts this material body”? Where is that education? Therefore alpa-buddhayah: less intelligent. They are simply busy with these bodily necessities of life. There is no education of the real living force. That education you will get–this Krsna consciousness movement. Therefore it is unique. It is the education to get people of the human society liberated from the animalistic ignorance. Because those who are under the impression of this bodily concept of life, sa eva go-kharah: they are no better than the asses and the cows.

yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke
sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih
yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij
janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah

Go-kharah. Go-kharah means… Go means cows, and kharah means ass. The person is exactly the animal, cows or asses. Who? Now, yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke: “One who has accepted this body as self.” Atma-buddhih kunape. This is a bag, the bag of tri-dhatus. According to Ayurvedic medical science this body is working under three elements, kapha, pitta, vayu. Therefore it is called tri-dhatu. So the whole world is going on on this concept of life. They have no spiritual. Even big, big professors, big, big, they also say that “This body is everything. After the body is finished, then everything is finished.” But that is not the fact. That is the first spiritual education to understand, that “I am not this body.” Aham brahmasmi: “I am spirit soul.” And Krsna begins this preliminary education in the Bhagavad-gita–

dehino ’smin yatha dehe
kaumaram yauvanam jara
tatha dehantara-praptir
dhiras tatra na muhyati

So this alpa-buddha, less intelligent class, demons, they do not understand this. Why? Kamam asritya duspuram. Unnecessarily dambha. Just like the same example, dog. The dog is very proud, barking, “Yow! Yow! Yow!” He does not know that “I am chained.” (laughs) He’s such a foolish that as soon as the master, “Come on.” (laughter) So maya is the master: “You rascal come here.” “Yes.” And he be see…, proud: “I am something.” This doggish civilization, nasta-buddhaya, lost all intelligence… Less intelligent these are called. Kamam duspuram. So kamam, the lusty desires… On account of this body there is lusty desire. We cannot deny it. But don’t make it duspuram, never to be satiated. Then finished. Make it limited. Make it limited. Therefore, according to the Vedic civilization, the lusty desire is there, but you cannot use it except for the purpose of begetting a nice child. That is called puram, means restricted.
So the brahmacari is educated in that way. Up to twenty-five years he cannot see a young woman. He cannot see even. This is brahmacari. He cannot see. Then he is trained up in that way, that he may continue a brahmacari life. Naisthika-brahmacari. But if he’s unable, then he’s allowed to marry. That is called grhastha life, householder life. Because between twenty-five years to fifty years, this is the youthful time, so his lusty desires are very strong. One who is not able to control… Not for all. There are many naisthika-brahmacari. Naisthika-brahmacari–throughout the life, celibacy. But that is not possible in this age, neither it is possible to become a brahmacari. The time is changed, this age. Therefore you can control your lusty desire by Krsna consciousness. Otherwise it is not possible.
Yad-avadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravinde. One emperor, he was king, so naturally he was lusty also. So he gave up this life, became a devotee. So when he was perfectly situated, so he said, Yamunacarya–he was the guru of Ramanujacarya–so he said, that yad-avadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravinde: “Since I’ve trained my mind to be engaged in the service of the lotus feet of Krsna,” yad-avadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravinde nava-nava-rasa-dhamany udyatam rantum asit, “daily I am offering service to Krsna. I am getting new, new pleasure.” The spiritual life means… If one is actually situated in spiritual life he’ll get spiritual pleasure, transcendental bliss, by serving more and more, new and new. That is spiritual life. So Yamunacarya said, yad-avadhi mama cetah krsna-padaravinde nava-nava-rasa-dhamany udyatam rantum asit: “When I am now realizing transcendental pleasure every moment by serving Krsna’s lotus feet,” tad-avadhi, “since then,” bata nari-sangame… Sometimes we enjoy subtle pleasure, thinking of sex life. That is called nari-sangame. Nari means woman, and sanga means union. So those who are practiced, so when there is actually no union, they think of union. So Yamunacarya said that “Not actually union with woman, but if I think of union,” tad-avadhi bata nari-sangame smaryamane, smaryamane, “simply by thinking,” bhavati mukha-vikarah, “oh, immediately I becomes disgusted: ‘Ah, what is this nasty thing?’ ” Susthu nisthi… (spits) This is perfect. (chuckles) This is perfection. Yes. So long we’ll think of, that is called subtle sex, thinking. They read the sex literature. That is subtle sex. Gross sex and subtle sex. So one has to become completely free from these lusty desires, not to become implicated which will never be satisfied, unsatiated, duspuram.
So the demons, they have taken shelter of these lusty desires, duspuram, never to be satisfied. Dambha-mana-madanvitah. Why? Mohat, by illusion. And on account of this illusion, grhitva asad-grahat. Asad-grahat. Asat means which will not stay, nonpermanent, for the time. Just like we have accepted this body. This is asad-graha. This body will not stay. Everyone knows, but still, I am too much attached to this body. This is called asad-graha. And so long we are attached to this nonpermanent body, there should be anxiety. Prahlada Maharaja says, asad-grahat, sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat. Because we have accepted this temporary body, therefore we are full of anxiety. Full of… He was asked by his father, “My dear son, what nice thing you have learned? Kindly say.” Father wants to know how his son is being educated.
So Prahlada Maharaja replied that “My dear asura father…” He said. Asura-varya. He did not say, “father.” He said, “My dear asura, the best of the asuras,” asura-varya. Asura-varya, means best… That is the foolishness. The best—He heard the best, but he is addressing him as “asura, best asura.” Still he is pleased, “Because I am best. I am best, best asura.” So Prahlada Maharaja, a devotee, is very humorous, so he did not address his father as “father.” He said, tat sadhu manye asura-varya: “O best among the asuras.” (laughter) So he said, tat sadhu manye: “I think it is very nice.” Tat sadhu manye ’sura-varya… Very nice for whom? Dehinam: those who have accepted this material body. That means all material living being. Tat sadhu manye ’sura-varya dehinam sada samudvigna-dhiyam: “Who are always full of anxieties…” That’s a fact, full of anxiety. This is the test that we are in external material body. Therefore we are anxious. Tat sadhu manye ’sura-varya dehinam asad-grahat sada samudvigna-dhiyam. So for them this is the best formula. What is that? Hitvatma-patam grham andha-kupam. He should give up this so-called family life which is just like a dark well. Hitvatma-patam. The dark well… In the paddy field or in agricultural field they are. Formerly they used to dig wells, and sometimes they are covered with grass, and one man cannot know that there is… (break) …and he should go to forest. Vanam gatah. Then what will be the benefit? Now, harim asrayeta: “Just take shelter of Krsna.” Instead of taking shelter of these lusty desires, you take shelter of Krsna. Then your life is successful. Thank you very much. (end)
[750206BG.HAW Bhagavad-gita 16.10 Hawaii, February 6, 1975]
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada