Bhagavata-dharma

Hari Sauri Dasa: For the Srimad-Bhagavatam class he read verse one of the Sixth Chapter of the Seventh Canto, entitled "Prahlada Instructs His Demoniac Schoolmates." After a short description of how Prahlada was instructed within his mother's womb in the science of bhagavata-dharma Prabhupada told us, "Somehow or another he became a great devotee of the Lord. But he was born in a family of atheists. His father, Hiranyakasipu, was atheist number one, but the child was a devotee. Such thing happens. The father is devotee and the child is a demon. And sometimes the father is a demon, but the child is a devotee. Everyone comes with his own karma. It doesn't mean that because the father is atheist, therefore the child has to become an atheist. Or the father is a devotee, therefore the child has to become a devotee, no. Everyone is responsible for his past deeds." He described the meaning of bhagavata-dharma, stressing that God is neither Hindu, Muslim nor Christian. Therefore religion is also one. There cannot be different varieties of religion because religion means to come to the point of surrendering to God and doing whatever He wants. "If one is in need of some money or need of some material necessities, and if he begs or if he prays to God, 'Please give me,' he's also considered as pious. But real religious system is to understand that 'God is great, I am His servant. I am supported by Him; it is my duty to serve Him.' This is religion. This is called bhagavata-dharma, to understand this philosophy, that God is the supreme master and I am His eternal servant. My duty is to serve God. That's all." Once more he presented Krishna consciousness in terms of science, not emotionalism. In Detroit he told the mother and her son that the professor of philosophy he had studied under described philosophy as the "science of sciences." When all the departments of science are taken together, Prabhupada said, the original science is philosophy. And to know the Absolute Truth is philosophy. This morning he called this bhagavata-dharma. Listing off the different parts of the body, blood, bone, muscle and so forth, he told us that life is different from them. "That you have to learn. That is called bhagavata-dharma. So, in this way... This Krishna consciousness movement, don't think that it is a sectarian religious system, no. It is a science, the science of Krishna. Try to understand the science of Krishna. We have got so many books to educate people about this science, not that simply we are talking sentimentally. Everything is scientific reason, philosophy. But the simple method is so easy to perform that anyone can understand very easily. What is that? Sarva-dharman parityajya... What Krishna says, you accept. Then you will understand what is bhagavata-dharma, what is God, what you are, what is this world, what is the relationship, why you should become a devotee of God. Everything is explained in the Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Try to understand this bhagavata-dharma and be happy in your life."