True knowledge culminates in Krishna consciousness; material desires bind the soul to endless anxiety.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.27 — November 7, 1972, Vṛndāvana 721107SB-VRNDAVAN [37:46 Minutes] SB-01.02.27_721107SB-VRNDAVAN Pradyumna: [leads chanting of verse, etc.] [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ sama-śīlā bhajanti vai pitṛ-bhūta-prajeśādīn śriyaiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ [SB 1.2.27] [break] [leads chanting of synonyms] rajaḥ—the mode of passion; tamaḥ—the mode of ignorance; prakṛtayaḥ—of that mentality; sama-śīlāḥ—of the same categories; bhajanti—do worship; vai—actually; pitṛ—the forefathers; bhūta—other living beings; prajeśa-ādīn—controllers of cosmic administration; śriyā—enrichment; aiśvarya—wealth and power; prajā—progeny; īpsavaḥ—so desiring. [02:34] Translation: "Those who are in the modes of passion and ignorance worship the forefathers, other living beings and the demigods who are in charge of cosmic activities, for they are urged by a desire to be materially benefited with women, wealth, power and aristocratic birth." Prabhupāda: Hmm. So... rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ sama-śīlā bhajanti vai pitṛ-bhūta-prajeśādīn śriyaiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ [SB 1.2.27] Śriyaiśvarya-prajā. [aside:] Stop that. Śrī means beauty, aiśvarya means riches, opulence, and praja means progeny—sons, grandsons, great-grandsons. In Bengal there is a proverb, nāti nāti sagye bhati: "If one can see grandson of the grandson, his life is successful.
His door to heaven is open now." [laughter] Nāti means grandson, and nāti's nāti, grandson. That means six generation. So people like this—good family and full of beautiful women and very good bank balance, motorcars—then life is successful. Śriyaiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ. But who are after this śriyaiśvarya-prajepsavaḥ? That is explained: rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ.
Rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ: those who are influenced by the modes of passion and ignorance. In the Bhagavad-gītā, the division of the society is given there: cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ [Bg. 4.13]. According to guṇa and according to karma, there are four classes of men. The first-class men, the brāhmaṇas, because they are on the platform of goodness. Goodness means they can see.
One who is qualified brāhmaṇa, he can see what is what: what is this world, what is God, what the human being... Everything is clearly... Prakāśa. It is called prakāśa, illumination.
If one is situated in the modes of goodness, platform of goodness, he can see things as they are. Prakāśa. And the next stage is passion, productive. Productive, ruling, administrating, like that. Creation.
Just like the king's royal orders, they want to conquer expansive kingdom. And next stage is mixed-up—ignorance and passion. That is the stage of vaiśyas. They want simply money, somehow or other. They do not care for anything, the vaiśya.
Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra. Śūdra, they are completely ignorant. They cannot produce anything, neither they have got any enthusiasm for ruling or administration. So their business is to submit to the higher classes and live peacefully. These are the divisions of the society.