Gour Govinda Swami:
mātṛ-bhaktiḥ para-strīṣu
patnyām ardha ivātmanah
prajāsu pitṛ-vat snigdhah
kiṅkaro brahma-vādinām
The King will respect all women as if they were his own mother, and he will treat his own wife as the other half of his body. He will be just like an affectionate father to his citizens, and he will treat himself as the most obedient servant of the devotees, who always preach the glories of the Lord.
Purport by Śrīla Prabhupāda:
A learned man treats all women except his wife as his mother, looks on others’ property as garbage in the street, and treats others as he would treat his own self. These are the symptoms of a learned person as described by Chanakya Paṇḍita. This should be the standard for education. Education does not mean having academic degrees only. One should execute what he has learned in his personal life.
These learned characteristics were verily manifest in the life of King Pṛthu. Although he was the king, he treated himself as a servant of the Lord’s devotees. According to Vedic etiquette, if a devotee came to a king’s palace, the king would immediately offer his own seat to him. The word brahma-vādinām is very significant. Brahma-vādī refers to the devotees of the Lord. Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān are different terms for the Supreme Brahman, and the Supreme Brahman is Lord Kṛṣṇa. This is accepted in Bhagavad-gītā (10.12) by Arjuna (paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma). Thus the word brahma-vādinām refers to the devotees of the Lord. The state should always serve the devotees of the Lord, and the ideal state should conduct itself according to the instructions of the devotee. Because King Pṛthu followed this principle, he is highly praised.
Gour Govinda Swami:
This is praise of King Pṛthu by professional reciters. King Pṛthu is an incarnation of the Lord. He's śaktyāveśa-avatāra. There are seven famous śaktyāveśa-avatāras. Number one, Śeṣa Nāga in Vaikuṇṭha, he's an incarnation of service attitude. Number two, Anantadeva, he's carrying the Lord's orders on his head. Number three is Lord Brahmā, he is also a guṇa-avatāra and also śaktyāveśa-avatāra, kṛṣṇa-śakti-avatāra, he's an incarnation of creative energy. Number four, Catuḥṣana or the four Kumāras, they are jñāna-śakti-avatāras, they are incarnations of the energy of knowledge. Number five is Nārada, he's bhakti-śakti-avatāra, incarnation of the energy of devotional service. Number six is Pṛthu, he's the energy of maintenance incarnation, pālana-śakti, he's ideal in maintaining the citizens. Number seven, Paraśurāma duṣṭa-damana-śakti-avatāra, he subdues duṣṭa, those who are wicked rascals, badmas. These are the seven most famous śaktyāveśa-avatāras.
Here, the professional reciters praise Pṛthu Mahārāja. “The King will respect all women as if they were his own mother.” This is the symptom of a learned person. Vidvān means learned persons. Chanakya Paṇḍita has his principle ethics,
mātṛvat para-dāreṣu para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat
ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ paśyati sa paṇḍitaḥ
Cāṇakya-śloka (10)
A learned man treats all women except his wife as his mother. He looks at other's property as garbage in the street. Ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu, and treats others as he would treat his own self. This is the symptom of a learned person as described by Chanakya Paṇḍita. A vidvān, a learned person.
Who is a learned person? And what is vidyā? These questions arise. Who has vidyā, education? My guru-mahārāja says there should be a standard for education. Education doesn't mean to have academic degrees only. One must execute what he has learned in his personal life. What is vidyā, education? One should know. Who is really learned? I'll say many Sanskrit words and I expect that you should understand them because you should learn the words in Sanskrit.
So what is education? The education that is imparted nowadays in schools, colleges, and universities cannot be accepted as education or vidyā. No. They say it is vidyā but it is avidyā, material education, jaḍa-vidyā. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says,
jaòa-vidyā yata māyāra vaibhava
tomāra bhajane bādhā
anitya saṁsāre moha janmiyā
jīva ke karaye gadhā
Bhaktivinode is a famous vaiṣṇava-ācārya in this line, Caitanya paramparā. He is a real vidvān. By getting this education, material education, you can see how the people are becoming gadha, asses. An ass is an animal of very, very low consciousness. An ass only knows two things: how to fill his belly and how to enjoy sex, therefore he toils very hard day and night.
Similarly, we find nowadays, by getting this education, the people are becoming like asses. They cannot know what is the real purpose of life. This vidyā is a manifestation of mayā-śakti. It creates hindrance in Kṛṣṇa-bhajana. It creates delusion, attachment for this temporary material world. This is the result of this vidyā, jaòa-vidyā, material education.
Bhaktivinod Ṭhākur says, but what is real vidyā, one should know. Those who have acquired real vidyā, they do hari-bhajana, they do Kṛṣṇa-bhajana, they are devotees.
Those who acquire jaòa-vidyā, material education, they have forgotten Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Lord. They think this body the self. They are always trying to fulfill the needs of the body like asses, and they are very puffed up, acquiring these university degrees. They are not sober by nature. They have no humility. That is the result of this jaòa-vidyā.
But those who have acquired real vidyā, they are by nature very humble.
In Caitanya-caritāmṛta, you'll find that Kāśīśvara Kāśmīrī was a great learned pāṇḍit who had acquired jaḍa-vidyā. He was so puffed up. He was traveling throughout the world, calling and challenging the so-called vidvāns to make śāstra-yukti with him. He was defeating the so-called vidvāns and pāṇḍits.
He was a devotee of Sarasvatī and was favored by her, jaḍa-sarasvatī. Those who want to become very, very expert in this jaḍa-vidyā daily worship Sarasvatī to get her favor. So, he had obtained the favor of Sarasvatī. He was very famous, and all were very afraid.
When the so-called pāṇḍits heard his name, they were all afraid. Once, he came to Nāḍīya, where there were many pāṇḍits and learned scholars at that time. They were afraid, thinking, “Oh, he’ll defeat us.” So, they planned, "We’ll send him to Nīmāi Paṇḍit."
Caitanya Mahāprabhu was known as Nīmāi Paṇḍit in Nāḍīya. He was also a pāṇḍit, but He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He knows everything. He is the source of real vidyā.
They thought, “Nīmāi Paṇḍit is young, and we are very old. If Nīmāi Paṇḍit is defeated, then we may say, 'Oh, He's a child. He's young. Another chance may come to us.'”
In this way, they planned and sent Kāśīśvara Kāśmīrī to Nīmāi Paṇḍit.
Nīmāi Paṇḍit was sitting beside the Gaṅgā, Baigaratī. When Kāśīśvara Kāśmīrī came He gave him respect, “You are a pāṇḍit, Mahāśaya, you please glorify Gaṅgā and we'll listen to you.” Then he uttered many verses like rainfall because he had got the mercy of Sarasvatī-devi. All were astonished to hear his recitations but when he finished, Nīmāi Paṇḍit, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu picked up a verse he recited and found out the defects. This is the first time he was defeated. He had never been defeated. He thought, “How is it that He could recite the verse correctly that I've recited?” Because he had never recited anything from any śāstra. He didn't know that Nīmāi Paṇḍit is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. Is there anything impossible on the part of the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Nothing impossible. He was so puffed up, now his pride is...
Then Mahāprabhu, Nīmāi Paṇḍit said,
sei se vidyāra phala jāniha niścaya
Kṛṣṇa-pāda-padme yadi citta-vṛtti raya
Caitanya-bhāgavata 13.178
“You should know, you must know this thing. He taught him a good lesson. O Paṇḍit Mahāśaya, that is the result of education, real education. If your mind is fixed at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then it is the real result of vidyā."
In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is also said:
tat karma hari-toṣaṁ yat
sā vidyā tan-matir yayā
Bhāg. 4.29.49
This is the result of vidyā. One who has acquired this vidyā, his mind will be fixed at the lotus of Kṛṣṇa and he'll act accordingly, tat karma hari-toṣaṁ yat, he'll act accordingly for the satisfaction of Lord Hari. He'll never act for the satisfaction of his own body. That is the result of vidyā.
When Mahāprabhu met Ramananda Rāya, He asked the question, “kon vidyā vidyā-madhye sāra?” [Madhya 8.245]. Ramananda Rāya answered, “Kṛṣṇa-bhakti vinā vidyā nāhi ārā” ⎯ “What is the best education? Bhakti is the best of education. So one who is a real vidvān, his mind is fixed at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and he is always engaged in devotional service for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa.”
"A learned man treats all women except his wife as if they are his mother, looks at others' property as garbage in the street, and treats others as he would treat his own self." Yes, automatically this should come out. One who is a devotee, one who has acquired real education, and who knows Kṛṣṇa, sees Kṛṣṇa everywhere.
Prahlāda Mahārāja, a great devotee, said, "ekānta-bhaktiḥ govinde yat sarvatra tad-īkṣaṇam" [7.7.55] ⎯ Who is a real devotee, an ekāntika-bhakta, an unalloyed devotee, completely surrendered soul, and pure devotee, he sees the Lord everywhere. He saw the Lord in a pillar, whereas his father, Hiraṇyakaśipu, couldn't see.
When he sees other women, he treats all women as his mother. He never sees women, strī, yoṣit ⎯ in Sanskrit, we say yoṣit. This very word signifies that just by seeing a woman, immediately the sense enjoyment comes up, “Oh, she's an object of enjoyment. I'll enjoy her.” In Sanskrit, the word is yoṣit. It signifies this.
But a learned man treats all women except his wife as his mother. But those who are not learned don’t have this attitude. Seeing a woman, the sense of enjoyment develops. One's own wife is also not an object of enjoyment.
“A learned man shouldn't treat his wife as mother,” that's a fact, but a learned man should know, Kṛṣṇa is the only enjoyer, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā: "ahaṁ hi sarva-yajñānāṁ bhoktā ca prabhuḥ eva ca" [Bg. 9.24] ⎯ Kṛṣṇa says this repeatedly, "ahaṁ bhoktā, I am the bhoktā, I am the enjoyer, I am the prabhu, I am the master."
"Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasaṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram" [Bg. 5.29], "upadraṣṭā anumantā ca bhartā bhoktā maheśvaraḥ" [Bg. 13.23]. Repeatedly, you'll find in Bhagavad-gītā how Kṛṣṇa says, "I am bhoktā, I am the enjoyer."
So Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer. Kṛṣṇa is kānta. "O dvija, O brāhmaṇa, you should know, ahaṁ bhakta-parādhino, I am subordinate to My devotee."
ahaṁ bhakta-parādhino hy asvatantra iva dvija
sādhubhir grasta-hṛdayo bhaktair bhakta-jana-priyaḥ
I am not pasāntriya, I am not superior to My bhakta, sādhubhir grasta-hṛdayo bhaktair bhakta-jana-priyaḥ, those sādhus, that devotee has occupied My heart,
sādhavo hṛdayaṁ mahyaṁ sādhunāṁ hṛdayaṁ tv aham
mad-anyat te na jānanti nāhaṁ tebhyo manāg api
“That sādhus are My heart. I am the heart of the sādhus. They don't know anything except Me, I don't know anyone except My dear devotee.” These are the statements of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. He gives the superior position to devotees, so what to speak of him? He's the representative of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, kiṁkaro brahma-vādinām, He thinks Himself the most obedient servant of the devotee. Those who want to be equal with the Lord are fools. To be one with God. Kṛṣhṇera samatā haite baḍa bhakta-pada [Cc. Ādi 6.100] ⎯ One who is equal to Kṛṣṇa is not as great as a bhakta. No. The bhakta is greater.
Therefore, Pṛthu Mahārāja says. This is the quality of Pṛthu Mahārāja. kiṁkaro brahma-vādinām ⎯ “I am the servant of the devotees who always preach the glories of the Lord.” The state should always serve the devotees of the Lord. An ideal state should conduct itself according to the instructions of the devotees because King Pṛthu followed this principle. He is highly praised. This is the ideal king, ideal kingdom. This is the king of education. All should take lessons from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Kṛṣṇa sva-dhāmopagate dharma-jñānādibhiḥ saha
kalau naṣhṭa-dṛśhām eṣhaḥ purāṇārko ’dhunoditaḥ
Bhāg. 1.3.43
The first canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says this: Before Kali, there was Dvāpara-yuga, when Kṛṣṇa came to this material world. But when He ended His līlā, He went to His sva-dhāma, He took everything — dharma and jñāna, knowledge — with Him.
Then Kali-yuga came, and it is said, "kalau naṣhṭa-dṛśhām eṣhaḥ purāṇārko ’dhunoditaḥ." In Kali-yuga, all the people are blind because they have no jñāna, jñāna-cakṣhu, the eyes of knowledge. They are in darkness and have lost these eyes.
So how can they get knowledge? The answer is that the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Mahā-Purāṇa is as brilliant as the sun, the effulgent sun. You should take lessons from this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Mahā-Purāṇa.
All should take lessons, and it should be spread throughout the world. Those who are devotees travel throughout the world and preach this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the Bhāgavatam Mahā-Purāṇa, so real education is imparted.
You should take lessons, otherwise, you are a blind man.
Questions:
In Vaiṣṇava philosophy, a devotee never treats his wife as an object of enjoyment. Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer, and she has to give enjoyment to Kṛṣṇa. I may tell one story;
Gaura Kiśora Dāsa Bābājī had a follower named Sambhu Bābu. Once he came to have darśana of Gaura Kiśora Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja. So one of the devotees there introduced him, saying, “Mahārāja, Sambhu Bābā has come, and he's married, he has accepted a wife.”
Then Gaura Kiśora Dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja said, “Alright, Sambhu Bābā has accepted a wife, yes, it is very good, but you should not treat your wife as your object of enjoyment. Kṛṣṇa is the only enjoyer. She is a vaiṣṇavī. She's a vaiṣṇavī, you understand? She's a vaiṣṇavī, so you should serve her and take her remnants.”
You see, Gaura Kiśora Dāsa Bābājī said like that. This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanam bhaktiḥ ucyate — We should engage our senses for the pleasure of Hrīṣīkeśa, the master of the senses of the devotees.
We must engage all our senses for the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa, for Hrīṣīkeśa. One may think, “I have accepted a wife. I engage my genitals for the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa.” The meaning is very deep. Never engage your senses for your own pleasure.
Those who are husband and wife in this Vaiṣṇava line, in the line of Mahāprabhu, engage their senses, their genitals, for procreating a Kṛṣṇa-bhakta, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa’s pleasure; therefore, a devotee also never thinks his wife is an object of enjoyment, what to speak of others?
So Gaura Kiśora Dāsa Bābājī said, “She is a vaiṣṇavī, you should serve her, take her remnants.”
Alright. Thank you!