Water Supply Turned Off for Unpaid Debts

Founder-Acharya of the world-wide Hare Krishna Movement, Brahma Sampradaya Acharya

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excerpt from lecture on Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 3, Chapter 25, Text 11, Bombay, November 11, 1974

Because we have given up the servitorship of Krishna, we are servant of so many other things. We are obliged to serve, rini. Rini means debtor. Devarshi-bhutapta-nrinam pitrinam [Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.5.41]. We are debtor to so many persons. We are debtor to the demigods. Just like the sun is demigod. He's giving you heat and light. You are not paying any bill, but you are taking the advantage of the sunlight and sun heat. Now, if you take the advantage of electric light and heat, you have to pay bill. But here we don't pay bill. That means we are becoming debtor. If we don't pay bill anywhere, then we become debtor. So we are debtor to so many demigods. The sun is supplying heat and light. The king of heaven, Indra, he is supplying water. These rascals, they say it is coming by nature. It may come from nature, but nature is controlled. Just like we are getting water. If somebody says, "Oh, what is that? It is coming from the water tank. So where is the question of paying taxes or rent?" No. The water tank is being filled up by the Municipality. If you don't pay tax, it will be cut off. Similarly, don't think that the water is coming as your father's property. No. You are becoming debtor. You are becoming debtor. Therefore, if you don't pay debts, if you don't perform sacrifices, then there will be scarcity of water. And one day it will come there will be no water. That you expect. Because you are not paying any tax. You are thinking, "Water is coming, my father's property." No. Your father's property ... That's all right. But you are not father's son at the present moment. You are maya's son. You don't care for your father.

Therefore father said, mayadhyakshena prakritih suyate sa-characharam [Bhagavad-gita 9.10]. Krishna says, the supreme father, aham bija-pradah pita [Bg. 14.4]. He's the supreme father. You don't care for father. Therefore... The nature is working under the direction of the supreme father. That's a fact. So if you do not care for your father, then the result will be nature will reduce supply. Reduce supply. Nature will not allow to the demons to flourish. No. That is not allowed. Tan aham dvishatah kruran kshipamy ajasram andha-yonishu [Bg. 16.19]. The demons are always liable to be punished. Some big, big demons like Ravana, Hiranyakashipu, the Lord personally comes to punish them. Otherwise, the ordinary demons, they are punished by the laws of nature. Krishna does not require to come to punish these petty demons. But when there is big, big demons like Ravana, like Hiranyakashipu, like Kamsa, then Krishna, or Lord Ramachandra, They come to punish them.

Therefore we have to follow the rules and regulation. That is called sad-dharma. Dharma means the laws given by God. Dharmam tu sakshad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Bhagavat-pranitam. It is given by Bhagavan, the laws. That laws, laws means they are written in books. Because... Just like Manu-samhita. There are many other books, Vedic literature, what is dharma. But real dharma is... Just like law means to obey Krishna, or God. Krishna means God. Krishnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. So dharma means if one does not care for Krishna, or God, that is not religion. Dharmam tu sakshad bhagavat... [SB 6.3.19]. You cannot make your law at home. Law means the law given by the government. Similarly, dharma means the orders given by God. That is dharma. You cannot manufacture, that "We have manufactured this dharma." That is not dharma. That is, in the Bhagavata, is called cheating. Dharmah projjhita-kaitavah atra: "The so-called dharmas, which are cheating the public in the name of dharma, such kind of dharma is kicked out from the Srimad-Bhagavatam." Dharmah projjhita. Projjhita means prakrishta-rupena ujjhita. Just like you sweep over the floor and the dust throw away. Similarly, in the Srimad-Bhagavatam the real dharma is there. Real dharma. Dharma artha kama moksha [Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.8.41, Chaitanya-charitamrita Adi 1.90], this is ordinary dharma. Real dharma is, as Krishna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam sharanam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That is real dharma. And all other dharmas, so-called dharmas, they are simply cheating. Because that will not benefit anybody, the followers or the dictators. So real dharma is... And Srimad-Bhagavatam begins from there. if you accept the principles of Bhagavad-gita, that is the preliminary study, A-B-C-D of dharma, and if you accept this principle, that to surrender to Krishna, sharanam sharanyam...
...

So we have go live in this material world in such a way that we shall do everything for Krishna, but we'll have no attachment for this material world. We may have big, big buildings, big, big temples, but we should not be attached to this. But for Krishna's sake we must have. Because it is Krishna's property. That is our mission. Ishavasyam idam sarvam [Ishopanishad mantra 1]. We have to teach people that "Everything belongs to Krishna. Why you are occupying it unnecessarily?" Stena eva sa uchyate [Bg. 3.12]. "You are thief. Why you are claiming Krishna's property, 'This is my land, America,' 'This is my land, India,' 'This is my land, Pakistan'?" It is not your land; it is Krishna's land. You are imagining, "This is my land." You come here for, say, twenty years, twenty-five years, fifty years, and fight between yourselves, "This is my Pakistan," "This is my Bharatavarsha," and fight. And when you die you do not claim either Pakistani or Indian or American or European. You flat, fall flat. That's all. And then taken away this body and thrown. That's all.

This is called maya, moha, illusion. Aham mameti [SB 5.5.8]. We have discussed this verse. This is illusion. Nothing belongs to us, but unnecessarily we are claiming, "This is my land," "This is my country," "This is my home," "This is my family," "This is my, my, my..." Mama [mine]. This is illusion. And in this way we are attached to this tree, samsara-taroh, from one branch to another. Now I am Indian. I may be American next life, or I may be something else. I may be a cat, I may be a dog, or I may be something else. I may be a cat, I may be a dog, or I may be a demigod. That will depend on my work. But after death, you are completely under the grip of this material nature. Your dictation will not be that "Make me like this, make me again Indian," or "Again, again make me the nationalist of this country or that country." No. After death, everything is finished. You are no more nationalist or this proprietor or head or this nothing. But this is going on. So long we are in a position, falsely we are thinking and we are attached and we are suffering. This is the disease.

Therefore she prays that sva-bhritya-samsara-taroh kutharam. If we transfer our attachment to Krishna, then we can understand that vasudevah sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19]. It is not my land, not your land. It is all Vasudeva's property. That knowledge comes. When comes? Bahunam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19]. But we are giving that knowledge immediately. The knowledge which you are expecting after many thousands of births, this Krishna consciousness movement is giving you immediately. If you are intelligent man, you should take it, take advantage of it. We are preaching that "Everything belongs to Krishna. Everything should be utilized for Krishna's purpose, Krishna's benefit. He is the beneficiary. Then everything is all right." If one comes to this knowledge—vasudevah sarvam iti... [Bg. 7.19], ishavasyam idam sarvam [Ishopanishad mantra 1]—sa mahatma sudurlabhah, then immediately you become the greatest mahatma. Mahatma does not mean simply having a big beard and some dress, saffron dress. No. This knowledge, that nothing belongs to us.

bhoktaram yajna-tapasam
sarva-loka-maheshvaram
suhridam sarva-bhutanam
jnatva mam shantim ricchati [Bg. 5.29]

This is the formula. "I am the bhokta." The all best foodstuff should be offered to Krishna. That is archana-vidhi. First-class foodstuff, all sandesha, rasagulla, kachuri and... Best, best foodstuff. Krishna is satisfied, of course... If you haven't got very nice foodstuff, Krishna can be also offered also whatever you have got. "Whatever" means not anything beyond the jurisdiction: patram pushpam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati [Bg. 9.26]. You can give Him little fruit, little flower, little leaf, little water. That you can collect without any price; anywhere it is available. Anyone's garden you can go, and if you say, "My dear sir, I'll take a little flower and leaf for Krishna," nobody will ask you, "No, don't take." "Take it." Still, at least in India. In also, USA also. So that you can collect. If you haven't got to offer... But offer something to Krishna. That is required. Bhaktya.

That is bhakti. That offering is not required... But Krishna is not hungry, that He's asking from you little fruit, little flower, little... He is feeding... Eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman. He is supplying all the necessities of everyone. So why He's begging from you? Because He wants that you love Him. That is Krishna's want. You are suffering in this material world, you are entangled in this tree from one branch to another, rotating and suffering. So Krishna wants that you do not suffer. You give up this business of jumping like monkey from this branch to that branch, but come to Him and surrender to Him. Sharanam sharanyam. When this knowledge comes, that is perfect knowledge. Gato mukundam sharanam sharanyam parihritya kartam.

devarshi-bhutapta-nrinam pitrinam
na kinkaro nayam rini cha rajan
sarvatmana yah sharanam sharanyam
gato mukundam parihritya kartam [SB 11.5.41]

If... This is required. Krishna also says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam sharanam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. But if you take shelter of the lotus feet of Krishna, then you are no more debtor to anyone. You are no more debtor. Nayam rini na kinkarah.

So this is the solution. Otherwise, you are debtor to so many persons: devata, rishi, devarshi, bhuta, all living entities, apta, friends, relative, and general people, pitrinam, the family in which you are born. Now nation also. That is nrinam, apta, national. So you are debtor to so many persons, but if you surrender to Krishna, Krishna says,... You may think that "If I surrender to Krishna and give up all our duties, then I may remain debtor and I will have to suffer." No. Krishna gives you assurance, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo mokshayishyami ma shuchah. "I'll give you relief." That is wanted.

Water Supply Turned Off for Unpaid Debts/ WORLD SANKIRTAN PARTY