Vairagyam phalgu kathyate

"One who rejects anything without knowledge of its relationship to Krsna is incomplete in his renunciation." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.256) Although Mayavadi philosophers say that the material creation is false, actually it is not false; it is factual, but the idea that everything belongs to human society is false. Everything belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for everything is created by Him.

SB 7.14.7 P Ideal Family Life

We should not think that we are independent; rather,we should understand that we are allotted a certain portion of the total property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This understanding will lead to perfect communism. Communists think in terms of their own nations, but the spiritual communism instructed here is not only nationwide but universal. Nothing belongs to any nation or any individual person; everything belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the meaning of this verse. Atmavasyam idam visvam: whatever exists within this universe is the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The modern communistic theory, and also the idea of the United Nations, can be reformed--indeed, rectified--by the understanding that everything belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord is not a creation of our intelligence; rather, He has created us. Atmavasyam idam visvam. Isavasyam idam sarvam. This universal communism can solve all the problems of the world.

SB 8.1.10 P The Manus, Administrators of the Universe

The false prestige of thinking "I am very rich, and I possess such vast property" is another side of material life. Everything belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and no one else possesses anything. This is the real fact. Isavasyam idam samam yat kinca jagatyam jagat. Bali Maharaja was undoubtedly the most exalted devotee, whereas previously he had maintained a misunderstanding due to false prestige. By the supreme will of the Lord, he now had to go to the hellish planets, but because he went there by the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he lived there more opulently than one could expect to live in the planets of heaven. A devotee always lives with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, engaging in His service, and therefore he is always transcendental to hellish or heavenly residences.

SB 8.21.34 P Bali Maharaja Arrested by the Lord

"The maha-bhagavata,the advanced devotee,certainly sees everything mobile and immobile,but he does not exactly see their forms. Rather, everywhere he immediately sees manifest the form of the Supreme Lord." Although a devotee is within the material world, he has no connection with it. Nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe. He accepts this material world in relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. A devotee may be engaged in earning money, but he uses that money for propagating the Krsna consciousness movement by constructing large temples and establishing worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Khatvanga Maharaja, therefore, was not a materialist. A materialist is always attached to wife, children, home, property and many other things for sense gratification, but, as stated above, Khatvanga Maharaja was not attached to such things, nor could he think of anything existing without the purpose of the Supreme Lord. Isavasyam idam sarvam: everything is related to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Of course, this consciousness is not for the ordinary person, but if one takes to the path of devotional service, as prescribed in The Nectar of Devotion, he can be trained in this consciousness and attain perfect understanding. For a Krsna conscious person, nothing is palatable without a relationship with Krsna.

SB 9.9.44 P ,The Dynasty of Amsuman

The wealth of the world should be used for the welfare of all living entities, for that is the plan of Mother Nature. Everyone has the right to live by utilizing the wealth of the Lord. When people learn the art of scientifically utilizing the Lord's property, they will no longer encroach upon one another's rights. Then an ideal society can be formed. The basic principle for such a spiritual society is stated in the first mantra of Sri Isopanisad:

isavasyam idam sarvam

yat kinca jagatyam jagat

tena tyaktena bhunjitha

ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam

"Everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord. One should therefore accept only those things necessary for himself, which are set aside as his quota, and should not accept other things, knowing well to whom they belong."

Krsna conscious devotees know very well that this material world is designed by the complete arrangement of the Lord to fulfill all the necessities of life for all living beings, without their having to encroach upon the life or rights of one another. This complete arrangement affords the proper quota of wealth for everyone according to his real needs, and thus everyone may live peacefully according to the principle of plain living and high thinking.

(NoI 2)

The Krsna consciousness movement preaches that everything belongs to Krsna and that everything should be utilized for Krsna's benefit. He is the beneficiary of everything, and it is to our benefit that we come to this knowledge. Isavasyam idam sarvam. If one realizes that everything belongs to Krsna, one becomes the greatest mahatma. Being a mahatma does not mean that one wears a big beard and a particular type of dress. No, this awareness must be there. Whatever we have should be offered to Krsna. If we have first-class food, we should offer it to Him. If we have nothing, we can offer Him a leaf, a flower, a little water or fruit. This can he collected by anyone anywhere without having to pay money.

(TLK, 11 ,Devahuti Desires Transcendental Knowledge)

A mahatma cannot be manufactured. He is under the daivi prakrti, the divine nature. There are two kinds of prakrti--para prakrti and apara prakrti. Apara prakrti is the material world, and daivi prakrti is the spiritual world. As soon as one understands that he is uselessly serving maya in the material world in the form of society, friends, country and so forth, one reaches the stage called jnana, knowledge. As soon as one attains this knowledge, he reaches the brahma-bhuta stage, Brahman realization, and he becomes prasannatma, happy. One may ask, "Why should I serve Krsna?" We have already explained that being a part means serving the whole. The whole is Krsna, and the individuals are meant for Krsna's satisfaction. Isavasyam idam sarvam.There are many isvaras, controllers, but the supreme isvara is Krsna. As soon as one attains this realization, he has attained perfect knowledge, and he renders service in bhakti-yoga.

(TLK, 18,Spiritual Attachment and Material Detachment)

However, if we become bhaktas, we will find intelligence behind everything in the creation. If we take a flower and see its constitution, how it is made and how its colors are displayed and how it comes into existence, we can see Krsna. We can see how Krsna has created such a beautiful thing so intelligently. We should not consider like rascals that such a thing has come into being automatically. Fools cannot see, but those who are intelligent can see that the hand of the Supreme Lord is in everything within the creation. Isavasyam idam sarvam.

(TLK,25-26,Association with the Supreme Lord Through Hearing)

The king's duty is to act as the representative of Krsna, or God. Otherwise what right does he have to take so much honor from the citizens? Monarchy was formerly present in every country, but because the kings rebelled against God and violated His laws, because they tried to usurp the power of God and did not act as His representatives, the monarchies of the world have nearly all disappeared. The kings thought that their kingdoms were their personal property. "I have so much property, such a big kingdom," they thought. "I am God. I am the lord of all I survey." But that is not actually the fact. That fact is that everything belongs to God (isavasyam idam sarvam). Therefore the representative of God must be very obedient to God, and then his position will be legitimate.

(TQK,26,Enchantment by Krsna' s Glories)

Srila Prabhupada: What is your definition of crime?

Lieutenant Mozee: Any trampling on the rights of one person by another person.

Srila Prabhupada: Yes. Our definition is the same. In the Upanisads it is said, isavasyam idam sarvam: " Everything belongs to God." So, everyone has the right to utilize whatever is allotted to him by God, but one may not encroach upon others' property. if one does so, he becomes a criminal. Actually the first crime is that you Americans are thinking this land of America is yours. Although two hundred years ago it was not yours, you have come from other parts of the world and claimed it as your land. Actually it is God's land, and therefore it belongs to everyone, since everyone is a child of God. But the vast majority of people have no conception of God. Practically speaking, everyone is godless. Therefore they should be educated to love God. In America, your government has a slogan: "in God we trust." Is that correct?

Lieutenant Mozee: Yes.

Srila Prabhupada: But where is the education about God? To trust is very good, but simple trust will not endure unless it is backed up with scientific knowledge of God. One may know that he has a father, but unless he knows who his father is, his knowledge is imperfect. And that education in the science of God is lacking.

(SSR,6,Finding Spiritual Solutions to Material Problems)

If we think that we can use whatever wealth we have amassed for our own sense gratification, we are acting out of kama, lust. But if we come to understand that everything we have belongs to Krsna, we are liberated. We may have the same money in our hands, but as soon as we think that we are the proprietor, we are under the influence of maya. One who is situated in the consciousness that everything belongs to Krsna is an actual learned man.

(OWK,3,Seeing Krsna Everywhere and Always)

Here Krsna proclaims that He is the enjoyer of all activities and the proprietor of all planets (sarva-loka-mahesvaram). An individual may possess a large tract of land, and he may be proud of his ownership, but Krsna claims to possess all planetary systems. Krsna also claims to be the friend of all living entities (suhrdam sarva-bhutanam). When a person understands that God is the proprietor of everything, the friend of everyone and the enjoyer of all, he becomes very peaceful. This is the actual peace formula. No one can have peace as long as he thinks, "I am the proprietor." Who is capable of claiming proprietorship? Only a few hundred years ago the red Indians were considered to be the proprietors of America. Today we in our turn are claiming that proprietorship, but in four hundred or a thousand years perhaps someone else will come to claim the same. The land is here, and we come here and falsely claim ourselves to be proprietors of it. This philosophy of false proprietorship is not in line with Vedic injunctions. Sri Isopanisad states that "everything animate or inanimate that is within the universe is controlled and owned by the Lord (isavasyam idam sarvam)."

(RV,1,Raja-Vidya: The King of Knowledge)

Krsna is not in want of money, for He is the original proprietor of everything (Isavasyam idam sarvam). But still He asks us for charity. For example, Krsna, in the guise of Vamana, a dwarf brahmana, went to beg from Bali Maharaja. Even though He is sarva-loka-mahesvaram, the proprietor of all the planets, He nonetheless says, "Please give in charity to Me." Why? It is for our interest, for the sooner we return Krsna's money to Krsna, the better situated we will be. Of course this may not be very pleasant to hear, but actually we are all thieves, for we have stolen God's property. If one who has something is not God conscious, it is to be understood that he has stolen God's property. That is the nature of material life.

(MG,4,Learning Tapasya,Self-Control)

Since everything is the property of the Supreme Lord, one can only enjoy what is allotted to him by the Lord, and one cannot touch another's property. According to Vedic life and according to all Vedic scriptures, a man should live on fruits and vegetables, for his teeth are made in such a way that these can be very easily eaten and digested. Although it is nature's law that one has to live by eating other living entities (jivo jivasya jivanam), one must use discretion. Fruits, flowers, vegetables, rice, grain and milk are made for human beings. Milk, for example, is an animal product, the blood of an animal transformed, but the cow delivers more milk than is needed by her calf because milk is intended for man. Man should simply take the milk and let the cows live, and thus following nature's law, man will be happy. Tena tyaktena bhunjitha: one should take whatever God allots to him and thus live comfortably.

(MG,4,Learning Tapasya, Self-Control)

Karmis, fruitive workers, try to enjoy this world and reap the fruits of it. Consequently, they are constantly traveling on expressways all day and night to engage in material enjoyment. On the other hand, there are others, predominantly the discontented youth, who don't want any part of this. Thus the world contains those engaged in bhoga and those engaged in tyaga. However, we will not be happy by following either of these paths because it is not our proper position to either enjoy or renounce. Since everything belongs to Krsna and nothing belongs to anyone else, whatever we possess is actually Krsna's property (isavasyam idam sarvam).

(MG,5,Learning Steadiness in Krsna Consciousness)

Our bhagavata philosophy, our God conscious philosophy, is also a kind of spiritual communism, because we regard Krsna as the supreme father and all living entities as sons of Krsna. And Krsna says, sarva-loka-mahesvaram: He is the proprietor of all planets. Therefore whatever there is, either in the sky or in the water or on the land, it is all Krsna's property. And because we are all sons of Krsna, every one of us has the right to use our father's property. But we should not encroach upon others. This is the formula for peace. Isavasyam idam sarvam... ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam: "Everything belongs to God, and since you are sons of God, you have the right to use your father's property. But do not take more than you need. This is punishable." (Isopanisad 1) If anyone takes more than he needs, then he's a thief.

(JSD,2.4,Who Is Krsna?)

Just like we are sitting in this house. Somebody has given us. Similarly, everything belongs to God. This is self-realization. My body belongs to God, my mind belongs to God, my intelligence belongs to God, I am spirit soul, I am part and parcel of God. Therefore everything belongs to...Isavasyam idam sarvam. Everything belongs to God. So if you don't use it for God, that is called demonism. And if you use it for God, that is devotion. That's all.

(BG.,LON,Lectures)

Hrsikena, by your senses, when you serve the Hrsikesa, the master of the senses, that is called bhakti. This is the definition of bhakti. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate. Narada-pancaratra. So that is our business. We should under... That is self-realization. Isavasyam idam sarvam. Everything belongs to God; nothing belongs to us. This is Bhagavata communism. As the communists, they say, "Everything belongs to the state," we say "Everything belongs to God." We never say that anything belongs to anyone. No. This is Bhagavata communism. So everything belongs to God. So one can utilize God's property as much as he requires, not more than that. Then he will be thief, he will be punishable. Just like father's property. Each and every son has got the right to live at the father's protection. Ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam. That is spiritual communism. Whatever wealth is there within this universe, all belong to God, and we are, as sons of God, we have got right to take advantage of this wealth, but not more than what I require. That's all. This is spiritual communism. If you take more, then you become punishable. This is the law of nature.

So this bhakti, devotional path, is meant for satisfying the master of the senses. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate. Hrsikena, by your senses, when you serve the Hrsikesa, the master of the senses, that is called bhakti. This is the definition of bhakti. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate. Narada-pancaratra. So that is our business. We should under... That is self-realization. Isavasyam idam sarvam. Everything belongs to God; nothing belongs to us. This is Bhagavata communism. As the communists, they say, "Everything belongs to the state," we say "Everything belongs to God." We never say that anything belongs to anyone. No. This is Bhagavata communism. So everything belongs to God. So one can utilize God's property as much as he requires, not more than that. Then he will be thief, he will be punishable. Just like father's property. Each and every son has got the right to live at the father's protection. Ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam. That is spiritual communism. Whatever wealth is there within this universe, all belong to God, and we are, as sons of God, we have got right to take advantage of this wealth, but not more than what I require. That's all. This is spiritual communism. If you take more, then you become punishable. This is the law of nature.

(BG.,LON,Lectures)

So Krsna has got enemies also, what to speak of ourself. This material world is so made, that you must have some enemies. Matsarata. Matsarata means enviousness, jealousy. This material world is like that. So there are jealous enemies of God also. They are called demons. Ordinary jealousy or enemy, that is natural. But even to God. Just (like) yesterday night, evening, somebody came to see me. He was arguing that "Why Krsna should be accepted as God?" That was his argument. So Krsna has enemies. Therefore Krsna... Not only He, but everyone who is in the material world is enemy of Krsna. Everyone. Because they want to be competitor of Krsna. Krsna says that bhoktaram: "I am the supreme enjoyer." Sarva-loka-mahesvaram: "I am the Supreme proprietor." And the Vedas also confirm, isavasyam idam sarvam. "Everything is the property of the Supreme Lord." Sarvam khalv idam brahma. These are Vedic injunctions. Yato va imani bhutani jayante: "From whom everything has come." Janmady asya yatah. These are Vedic versions. But still, we, because we are enemies, "No, why Krsna shall be the proprietor? I am the proprietor. Why Krsna shall be God only. I have got another God. Here is another God."

(BG.,LON,Lectures)

Now, if I am the proprietor of this tape recorder, then it should be utilized for my purpose. Anything which I own, that should be utilized for my purpose. Your things should be utilized for your purpose. So if God is the proprietor of our senses, then these senses must be used for God's purpose. That is the constitutional position. That is the constitutional position. Now, when these senses are used for other than God's purpose, that is bondage, conditioned life. When the senses are purified and it is used for God's purpose, that is natural life. That is natural life. So whole trouble is that although our senses and everything, whatever we have got... There is Isopanisad, a part of Vedas. It is stated there that isavasyam idam sarvam: "Everything, whatever you see, that belongs to God."

(BG.,NY,Lectures)

Difference between Communism and Spiritual Communism:

Srila Prabhupada: The other day I was reading the paper, Moscow News. There was a Communist congress, and the President declared, "We are ready to take others' experience to improve." So I think the Vedic concept of socialism or communism will much improve the idea of communism. For example, in a socialistic state the idea is that no one should starve; everyone must have his food. Similarly, in the Vedic concept of grhastha [householder] life it is recommended that a householder see that even a lizard or a snake living in his house should not starve. Even these lower creatures should be given food, and certainly all humans should. It is recommended that the grhastha, before taking his lunch, stand on the road and declare, "If anyone is still hungry, please come! Food is ready!" If there is no response, then the proprietor of the household takes his lunch. Modern society takes the people as a whole as the proprietor of a certain state, but the Vedic conception is isavasyam idam sarvam--everything is owned by isa, the supreme controller. Tena tyaktena bhunjithah--you may enjoy what is allotted to you by Him. Ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam: but do not encroach upon others' property. This is the Isopanisad--Veda. The same idea is explained in the different Puranas. There are many good concepts in the Vedic literature about communism. So I thought that these ideas should be distributed to your most thoughtful men. Therefore I was anxious to speak.

(SSR 6 Finding Spiritual Solutions to Material Problems Conversation with Professor Kotovsky)