“Rubberstamp a low class Man that he has become Harijana, how it will be effective?”

Pusta Krishna, June 28, 1976, Vrndavana: It is said that while the srutis embody the eternal truths of Hinduism, the smrtis, which embody the rules of conduct need to be revised according to the dictates of the changing times.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Pusta Krishna: Will such a stand be acceptable to all sections of Hindus, and if so, how can the new smrtis come into being and who will give them sanction and sanctity?

Prabhupada: The authority will give. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is giving authority. The sastra is giving authority. But in this age, Kali-yuga, it is full of faults, the ocean of faults. And Sukadeva Gosvami is giving direction,

kaler dosa-nidhe rajann hy asti eko mahan gunah kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet

So although in this age there are so many faults, it is like the ocean of fault, but still there is one very great advantage, that simply by chanting Hare Krishna mantra, one becomes purified. So this smrti injunction we should take up, and actually we see all over the world how it is purifying all section of people. So take this, then sruti smrti..

Pusta Krishna: Puranadi?

Prabhupada: Yes, everything will be fulfilled. The easiest method. Kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet.

Pusta Krishna: So the srutis are eternally…

Prabhupada: Sruti, it is based on sruti. Sabdad anavrtti. In the Vedanta-sutra. Simply by chanting, sabdat, brahma, sabda brahma. Sabdad anavrtti, in the Vedanta-sutra. By chanting the holy name of Lord, one can become liberated.

Pusta Krishna: The smrtis are based on the srutis?

Prabhupada: Yes, smrti… Bhagavad-gita is considered smrti. So Bhagavad-gita also says: satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah [Bg. 9.14]. Sruti-smrti-puranadi [BRS 1.2.101]. Brahma-vaivarta Purana: Harer nama harer nama harer nama eva kevalam [Adi 17.21]. And it is practiced by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Krishna-varnam tvisakrsnam sangopangastra-parsadam [SB 11.5.32]. Krsnam varnayati. Always chanting Hare Krishna. So these are the evidences. So introduce this Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Everyone will be purified.

Pusta Krishna: Is smrti more than just rules of conduct?

Prabhupada: Yes. Smrti means… The Vedas are considered as, taken as sruti. But simply by hearing one cannot understand. Therefore smrtis, they have explained. Purayati iti purana. Complete. The Vedic mantra is not always understood. Just like the Vedanta mantra, janmady asya yatah [Bhag. 1.1.1]. This is very short cut. But Bhagavata explains, janmady asya yatah anvayad itaratas ca arthesu abhijnah svarat. Explanation. The smrti is explanation. So either you take sruti or smrti, subject matter is the same. But these are the evidences. Sruti-smrti-puranadi-pancaratriki-vidhim vina [BRS 1.2.101]. You cannot be purified or become actually God conscious without reference to the sruti-smrti. We are pushing on this Krishna consciousness movement, it is not whimsically. It is based on sruti-smrti-pancaratriki-vidhi. Therefore it is becoming effective.

Pusta Krishna: Is it necessary from time to time to change the smrtis?

Prabhupada: That cannot be changed.

Pusta Krishna: Smrti cannot be changed?

Prabhupada: Nothing can be changed. But according to the time you have to… Just like in Kali-yuga the smrti order is kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet. So you have to do this. Just like a physician gives a medicine that “Morning you take this medicine, in the evening you take this medicine.” It is not a change of treatment. It is according to the time a different medicine. But it is recommended by the physician, not by your whims. Sruti-smrti cannot be changed, but they have recommended different process in different times. So the reference to the sruti-smrti is there, authority is there. It is… You cannot modify.

Pusta Krishna: There is no question then of, as he says, “new smrti.”

Prabhupada: No. New smrti, they may take it, “new smrti.” But smrti is smrti. It is not new. You have to give reference to the past sruti-smrti. Otherwise, it is not… Veda pramana, sabda pramana. Otherwise there is no evidence. It is invalid, not valid. You cannot change the original sruti-smrti, but you have to take the timely recommendation. Just like Krishna Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva… [Adi 17.21]. This is the only method. You take it. But this is sruti-smrti-pramana.

Pusta Krishna: Then they say that if this is the method, then how does Deity worship fit into the scheme?

Prabhupada: You can avoid even Deity worship, but you cannot avoid chanting.

Devotee: Their idea is to abolish Deity worship. They consider it antiquated.

Prabhupada: If you want… If you want… Why you should try to avoid this? That means you are disregarding the sruti-smrti. But that is not the policy, that you should avoid it. But if you…, it is not possible… Just like it is not possible to introduce the Deity worship everywhere, anywhere. It doesn’t matter. You chant Hare Krishna. It is not avoiding. It is the circumstance that does not make very favorable. Just like I did not introduce the Deity worship in the beginning. That was not possible. But when there is favorable condition we introduced. That is not avoidance. That is conditional. But especially chanting, that is possible in any condition of life. That is possible.

Pusta Krishna: So there’s no question then, as he says, of bringing new smrtis which would come into being if someone would give them sanction and authority. The position as you…

Prabhupada: But there cannot be new smrtis. We are giving the sanction to Hare Krishna maha-mantra because it is already there in the sruti. But for this time it is suitable. I am taking a certain type of medicine in the evening, it is already recommended by the physician. I am not doing it whimsically. So whimsically you cannot change. It must have reference to the sruti-smrti-puranadi [BRS 1.2.101].

Pusta Krishna: Can anyone change…

Prabhupada: No!

Pusta Krishna: …the rules of conduct as regarded in the smrtis?

Prabhupada: Nobody can change. Nobody can change. But rules and regulation for different times, different circumstances are there in the sruti-smrti. We have to take it. You cannot change.

Pusta Krishna: And who will sanction that application?

Prabhupada: Yes. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He said. He’s authority. He’s acarya.

Pusta Krishna: The acarya must sanction for the particular time and place.

Prabhupada: Yes. We are following the footprints of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. It is not whimsical. You have to follow the authority in all circumstances. You cannot avoid. That is illegal. It will have no power. Just like all of a sudden you make a low class man a harijana. It will not stay. But you can make harijana any class of man provided you adopt the proper means.

Pusta Krishna: I think one more question then would be appropriate because it kind of ties in which this last question. “Number seven: Hinduism has always renewed or revitalized itself according to the need of the times. In today’s context, are any correctives called for, and if so, who will bring them about and how can they be brought about and made acceptable to all the masses?

Prabhupada: First of all, who will take it? Krishna has given already according to the time, He has summarized the whole Vedic scripture in the Bhagavad-gita, but who is taking it? And Caitanya Mahaprabhu and all the acaryas, they have explained how to accept Krishna consciousness or Krishna’s instruction. So first thing you must be ready to take the presentation according to the time and circumstances. Then everything will be all right. If you manufacture your own way of life, if you do not take it from the authority, then it will be failure. Just like this harijana. Harijana is very good idea, make everyone harijana. But harijana is being picked up from the lowest class of men, the bhangis and camaras. That is recommended in the Bhagavad-gita, papa-yoni. But how this papa- yoni can be purified? Mam hi partha vyapasritya. By accepting Krishna as everything, that means full surrender. Then he can be, even if he’s papa-yoni, he can be rectified. But if there is no question of surrendering to Krishna and if you rubberstamp a low class man that he has become harijana, how it will be effective? The condition is there, mam hi partha vyapasritya. Find out this verse.

Dhrstadyumna:

mam hi partha vyapasritya ye ’pi syuh papa-yonayah striyo vaisyas tatha sudras te ’pi yanti param gatim

”O son of Prtha, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth, women, vaisyas, as well as sudras, can approach the supreme destination.”

Answers to a Questionnaire
from Bhavan’s Journal
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
June 28, 1976, Vrndavana