Srimad Bhagavatam – 1.17.38 | HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj | ISKCON Chennai | October 22, 2025
Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya
Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya
Om Namo Bhagavate Vāsudevāya
nama om vishnu-padaya krishna-preshthaya bhu-tale
srimate bhaktivedanta-svamin iti namine
namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracharine
nirvishesha-shunyavadi-pashchatya-desha-tarine
jaya sri-krishna-chaitanya
prabhu nityananda
sri-adwaita gadadhara
shrivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Reading from Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 1 Chapter 17 Verse 38.
ŚB 1.17.38
सूत उवाच
अभ्यर्थितस्तदा तस्मै स्थानानि कलये ददौ ।
द्यूतं पानं स्त्रिय: सूना यत्राधर्मश्चतुर्विध: ॥ ३८ ॥
sūta uvāca
abhyarthitas tadā tasmai
sthānāni kalaye dadau
dyūtaṁ pānaṁ striyaḥ sūnā
yatrādharmaś catur-vidhaḥ
Synonyms
sūtaḥ uvāca — Sūta Gosvāmī said; abhyarthitaḥ — thus being petitioned; tadā — at that time; tasmai — unto him; sthānāni — places; kalaye — to the personality of Kali; dadau — gave him permission; dyūtam — gambling; pānam — drinking; striyaḥ — illicit association with women; sūnā — animal slaughter; yatra — wherever; adharmaḥ — sinful activities; catuḥ-vidhaḥ — four kinds of.
Translation
Sūta Gosvāmī said: Mahārāja Parīkṣit, thus being petitioned by the personality of Kali, gave him permission to reside in places where gambling, drinking, prostitution and animal slaughter were performed.
Purport
The basic principles of irreligiosity, such as pride, prostitution, intoxication and falsehood, counteract the four principles of religion, namely austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness. The personality of Kali was given permission to live in four places particularly mentioned by the King, namely the place of gambling, the place of prostitution, the place of drinking and the place of animal slaughter.
Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī directs that drinking against the principles of scriptures, such as the sautrāmaṇī-yajña, association with women outside marriage, and killing animals against the injunctions of scriptures are irreligious. In the Vedas two different types of injunctions are there for the pravṛttas, or those who are engaged in material enjoyment, and for the nivṛttas, or those who are liberated from material bondage. The Vedic injunction for the pravṛttas is to gradually regulate their activities towards the path of liberation. Therefore, for those who are in the lowest stage of ignorance and who indulge in wine, women and flesh, drinking by performing sautrāmaṇī-yajña, association of women by marriage, and flesh-eating by sacrifices are sometimes recommended. Such recommendations in the Vedic literature are meant for a particular class of men, and not for all. But because they are injunctions of the Vedas for particular types of persons, such activities by the pravṛttas are not considered adharma. One man’s food may be poison for others; similarly, what is recommended for those in the mode of ignorance may be poison for those in the mode of goodness. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī Prabhu, therefore, affirms that recommendations in the scriptures for a certain class of men are never to be considered adharma, or irreligious. But such activities are factually adharma, and they are never to be encouraged. The recommendations in the scriptures are not meant for the encouragement of such adharma, but for regulating the necessary adharma gradually toward the path of dharma.
Following in the footsteps of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, it is the duty of all executive heads of states to see that the principles of religion, namely austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness, are established in the state, and that the principles of irreligion, namely pride, illicit female association or prostitution, intoxication and falsity, are checked by all means. And to make the best use of a bad bargain, the personality of Kali may be transferred to places of gambling, drinking, prostitution and slaughterhouses, if there are any places like that. Those who are addicted to these irreligious habits may be regulated by the injunctions of the scripture. In no circumstances should they be encouraged by any state. In other words, the state should categorically stop all sorts of gambling, drinking, prostitution and falsity. The state which wants to eradicate corruption by majority may introduce the principles of religion in the following manner:
1. Two compulsory fasting days in a month, if not more (austerity). Even from the economic point of view, such two fasting days in a month in the state will save tons of food, and the system will also act very favorably on the general health of the citizens.
2. There must be compulsory marriage of young boys and girls attaining twenty-four years of age and sixteen years of age respectively. There is no harm in coeducation in the schools and colleges, provided the boys and girls are duly married, and in case there is any intimate connection between a male and female student, they should be married properly without illicit relation. The divorce act is encouraging prostitution, and this should be abolished.
3. The citizens of the state must give in charity up to fifty percent of their income for the purpose of creating a spiritual atmosphere in the state or in human society, both individually and collectively. They should preach the principles of Bhāgavatam by (a) karma-yoga, or doing everything for the satisfaction of the Lord, (b) regular hearing of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from authorized persons or realized souls, (c) chanting of the glories of the Lord congregationally at home or at places of worship, (d) rendering all kinds of service to bhāgavatas engaged in preaching Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and (e) residing in a place where the atmosphere is saturated with God consciousness. If the state is regulated by the above process, naturally there will be God consciousness everywhere.
4. Gambling of all description, even speculative business enterprise, is considered to be degrading, and when gambling is encouraged in the state, there is a complete disappearance of truthfulness. Allowing young boys and girls to remain unmarried more than the above-mentioned ages and licensing animal slaughterhouses of all description should be at once prohibited. The flesh-eaters may be allowed to take flesh as mentioned in the scriptures, and not otherwise. Intoxication of all description — even smoking cigarettes, chewing tobacco or the drinking of tea — must be prohibited.
HH Bhanu Swami Maharaj:
So here we have a nice description of what activities are to be prevented to create a better society. There is always controversy in every civilisation about what rules to follow. And those societies which follow some religious principles like ancient Christian societies and in the Islam are quiet strict to follow very very preventative rules. As Srila Prabhupada mentions in the purport, there are always exceptions to the rules. So we have alcohol and meat eating due to yajnas or sacrifices. We find also that the lower varnas are allowed to gamble and drink and whatever.
So in the Varanashrama system, the rules are quite complex. So Srila Prabhupada gives a simpler solution. Often devotees want to institute Varanashrama. But a lot of the times they concentrate on trying to figure out the varnas of people. The goal of the Varanashrama system is to purify people. So the principles mentioned here are for purification. So therefore, Prabhupada recommends people should do austerities. Such as following Ekadasi twice a month. Boys and girls should get married. The people should be engaged in not renouncing activities but performing activities. But what activities? Offering things to the Lord, hearing Bhagavatam, associating with devotees, doing kirtan, living in a holy Dham, the five principal activities mentioned by Rupa Goswami.
So of course, it may be difficult for the whole of society follow these rules, but at least these are the principles for instituting some sort of system of purification. So we see that there is restriction of the senses plus engagement in devotional service, these are the two factors for purifying everybody. There are also the rules for a devotee. So what’s the difference? Only difference is the devotees are more dedicated to following these principles. But the whole of society should somehow be interested in renunciation of enjoyment. Not complete renunciation, but some restriction. So some restriction on eating. Restriction on sex life. So in this way, the society becomes purified. So these are principles that the devotees, of course, easily follow. And thus, sometimes we think that we, people say that, oh, it’s difficult to become a devotee, because I have to follow all these rules. So that also is acceptable.
We have, in the original system, we have Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga, Astanga Yoga and Karma Yoga for different types of people. And even in ancient societies, most of the people were only qualified for Karma Yoga. So it is rather difficult to encourage everybody to come to Bhakti Yoga, which is the highest process. Nevertheless, Krishna recommends, give up Karma, Jnana and Astanga Yoga in Kali Yuga, just do Bhakti Yoga. But then the question comes, how we institute Bhakti Yoga for everybody, because it’s the topmost and the most difficult process for many people.
So here Prabhupada gives a solution. Devotees can follow all these principles very strictly. Rest of the people, they can follow to the extent that they can follow. So we don’t expect them to be doing chanting and hearing and association of devotees and living in a holy Dham every day, once in a while, they can do. And we cannot expect them to follow all the regulative principles perfectly, but at least they can strive for that. So instead of Karma Yoga or Varanashrama, which is even difficult for people to follow in Kali Yuga, have them follow some Bhakti and institution of some regulation of their senses. This also becomes a type of preaching strategy for ISKCON.
So in ISKCON, general attitude is that everybody has to come up to the standard, follow all regulative principles, chant sixteen rounds, whatever, hearing chanting, remembering, do all this. So this is what everybody strives for. And then one of the, we can say, standards or one of the, let’s say, labels for actually following this is you get initiation. So that’s kind of a label that, yes, I’m following four regulative principles, and I’m chanting sixteen rounds, and I’m following all these principles of Bhakti. So, because this is the standard, we say the official standard of ISKCON for being a devotee, then people strive for this.
But all people may not be capable of doing that. But then they have to strive for this goal because that’s how you get accepted in ISKCON. Of course, it’s good to maintain standards. At the same time, some people are, we can say, forced or they push themselves to come up with the standard, and they get initiated, and then after a few years, they drop back down to other standards. And because some Gurus see this, then they lengthen the time before initiation. It may be five years, it may be ten years. Which shows that for many people, it’s very difficult to come up to that standard. And even they come up to the standard, they fall back later on.
So, as I said, yes, it’s good to keep those standards high, at the same time, it’s also not beneficial for some people, because they cannot follow that standard. And therefore, just as we have one standard for people in general, which is quite lax, but they’re to follow some principles, etc., so, even for devotees, we have some devotees who are following a lot, but cannot follow so strictly and then we have those who are following very strictly. And we should not criticize or condemn those who are at a lower level. Just as we cannot criticize the people in general who are following some principles. So, therefore, ISKCON itself may have to change its strategy and how they preach to people. So, some can come up to very high standard with, you know, following everything strictly. Others at lower level, but at least they can do something regularly. So, they should also be recognized as devotees of ISKCON. So, in this way, we can actually increase the following of ISKCON. And we do that without lowering these particular standards for initiation. So, anyway, these are just, we say, strategies we have for preaching.
And for the general public, as Prabhupada presents here, yes, they can do, in a very general way they can follow, and they get introduced to the process of bhakti also. Others become more dedicated to bhakti and they follow as much as they can, but they can come up to the higher standard. So, this is the way in which we can establish different types of standards within ISKCON. And apply some standards to the whole of society.
Hare Krsna!
Q&A
1) Hare Krishna Maharaj, Nice class. Maharaj, with regards to the initial new people who are joining for classes like Discover Yourself, and we explain about who is God, what is the difference between God and demigod, and then we also speak about the four regulative principles, that one must come to this particular platform and they need to chant at least minimum of one round or two round.
So, I have observed sometimes that when we speak about these four regulative principles… They are not so eager anymore. So, Maharaj, as you said that we should not dilute our standard. At the same time, we should be able to accept them gradually. So, what is that, I mean, should we really don’t speak about four regulative principles initially or at some point of time after some practice? When is the time that we should introduce the four regulative priniciple in a sadhaka’s life who is just a beginner in ISKCON?
We can always introduce these principles, because of course it is stated right here in the Bhagavatham also in Prabhupad’s purport etc., at the same time it’s a certain standard that all people are not expected to follow, but that’s one high standard for certain types of devotees. Just as in the Varnashrama society the highest position is a sannyasi, who gives up everything but not everybody is expected to follow that standard.
So, the principles can be there and, of course, if you can follow, very good and your bhakti goes steadily. If you cannot follow, still you are encouraged to perform bhakti. If you follow those principles, you can definitely perform bhakti. If you cannot follow, still you are encouraged to perform bhakti.
2) For the devotees who are practicing Krishna Consciousness for a long time sometimes they get trapped with these regulative principles and they fall down from following the regulations for devotion service, generally they move far away. As soon as they are not able to follow the regulative principles, they have this inner guilt and they leave the association of devotees. They slowly disappear from that place. As a devotee, I mean as a fellow devotee, we also start thinking, okay, he is not following, he is no more a devotee now. So, how should we handle even those things?
Yeah, so this again, as I was saying. Yeah, so as I said, people strive for following these principles, because this is what we emphasize, maybe they are not fully capable. This is not everyone is capable of being a Brahmana in the Varnashrama society. If you are a Vaishya, then Brahmana is better, so you strive to be a Brahmana, but you can’t because your gunas are different.
So, in the same way, some people may not be able to follow that high standard, but they kind of push themselves to do it, because everyone is saying, this is what you have to do to be a member of ISKCON. So, and they want to be a member of ISKCON, so then they do this. So, it’s like artificial. And then they fall back down again. So, and then they feel guilty and then they stop bhakti. So, in other words, you put all this effort into trying to raise them up, and then they fall back down, and then they forget it completely. So, as I was saying, this is probably not the proper way we should preach. They follow whatever they can, and they try to encourage them to do the bhakti in any case. That’s maybe a better way of preaching to them. And if they can’t follow, fine, we accept them as devotees and they can practice whatever they can do. And maybe after 20 years, they are able to follow, whatever.
Vaishyas cannot follow all the rules given by Brahmins. Similarly, if we introduce the rules that we have established in the beginning, then devotees can fall back down, and then they feel guilty and leave the path of bhakti. So, without introducing these rules to them in the beginning, they should try to do bhakti as much as they can. And then, when they progress, step by step and reach that level, they can introduce these rules, and then they can do bhakti properly. So, the detachment from all these material activities is an obstacle to bhakti, definitely. At the same time, the process of bhakti should destroy all material desires. But it may take a long time.
So, people can, maybe artificially create that standard for some time, but then actually then, they are not really fixed in their bhakti, and therefore they fall back down again. But if they follow the principles of bhakti and engage themselves as much as they can, and continue to purify themselves, that is probably a better way in which they can contribute to pleasing Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
3) But as we see, some people or some devotees, you know, from the beginning of their devotional life, they are quite detached from sense enjoyment. Is it because of the previous life’s sukriti, samskara?
If they are detached from material enjoyments in this lifetime, it could be past sukriti situated in sattva, being a brahmana, etc or it could be they practiced bhakti in last life or previous lifetimes, and therefore they are already detached from material enjoyment due to the process of bhakti itself. Of course, we should understand that, simply doing pious activities or being a Brahmana does not produce bhakti. But simply doing pious activities or being a Brahmana does not produce bhakti. They may be fixed in being a Brahmana, rather than being a devotee in this lifetime.
4) Hare Krishna Maharaj. In ISKCON, not just devotional practices, but regular principles are given so much importance, that if a devotee is not able to continue to follow regular principles, we sometimes fail to see his devotional services. So probably that is one bigger reason why devotees feel very discouraged. They feel that, I have failed as a devotee, because I am not able to follow regular principles. Whereas it should be the other way round. At least he is able to do devotional practices. Probably a temporary fault or maybe he will recover in some time.
Of course, in the 9th chapter of Bhagavad Gita, Krishna says, even if you commit those sinful activities, you are still my devotee. So everyone has to consider that person a devotee in spite of the sinful activity. So it’s not that, because a person has done a sinful activity, that he is condemned as a devotee. Krishna accepts the devotee. And at the end He says, I save you from all sinful activities. The very conclusion of Bhagavad Gita.
So though we put a lot of emphasis on committing sinful activities and obstacles to bhakti, the greater sin is aparadh’s. So, Krishna does not tolerate aparadh’s, but he tolerates sin[Laughs].
5) Thank you, Maharaj. But in the same context, from the Srimad Bhagavatam, “akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ”, whether you have all material desires, no material desires or liberation, whatever it is, just perform bhakti. So in terms of the same line, should there be that preacher standard, be it to encourage everybody according to their level, encourage devotional service, not so much stressing on the aspect of regulatory principles?
Well, we don’t want to encourage people to do sinful activities [Laughs]. So at least we help people to refrain from as much as possible. We see in the varnashrama system brahmanas have high standards. Kshatriyas can drink and gamble and do so many things. Sudras can do even more. And as far as being a brahmana, it’s a sin. But for a sudra or a vaisya, it’s not a sin. But then we also say, everybody can practice bhakti in any varna. And even no varna.
But of course, by practicing bhakti, then they should, with the advancement of bhakti, give up all their material desires. So, we have to be a little discreet and understand the level of people. And according to that, we can preach in different ways. If they’re capable of following higher standards, fine. We can encourage them. If we find that probably they’re getting a lot of difficulty, then okay, just encourage them to do the bhakti. Whatever they’re doing, let them do.
6) Actually, while preaching, we can say, whatever they’re doing, they’re worshipping other gods, demigods, all. Okay, along with that, you can chant like that. You find peacefulness, like that karma kanda. You find some odd benefit like that, we can preach. Then afterwards, growing that one, we can say all that. Anyway, if we say to them, you do that too, you do nama japa too, then they’ll be motivated to do nama Japa. Then they can gradually give up that. Can we find this way?
Again according to that particular person, we have to find the way of preaching for that person. And whatever stage they’re at, we encourage them to do bhakti. At the same time, we also have to, we cannot hide the goal in life, which is prema. We cannot hide the process of pure bhakti over other things. We can explain all these things to them. So they may not follow completely or accept completely. At least they have this idea, they know what is the highest standard, whatever, and that can be their goal.
7) I’m not sure I got the proportions correct, but sometimes we hear, for every brahmin there are ten kshatriyas, a hundred vaisyas, and a thousand sudras. You mentioned here that kshatriyas are allowed to gamble and drink, and sudras do even more things. And you also mentioned that people may strive, when they’re young to get up to a certain standard and get initiated, but then they fall back to their natural varna.
If we follow that logic, that means that only one person out of a thousand, one hundred and eleven people will actually be able to maintain these high standards throughout their life. So it would seem that we, you know, that’s the environment, that’s the situation we’re living in.
So, of course, because Lord Chaitanya is merciful and he says, preach everywhere and every town and village, and devotees are enthusiastic to preach, but they’re also trying to preach the highest standard to everybody, which may not fit [Laughs].
So, of course, Lord Caitanya says, chant the holy name. He doesn’t say follow regulated principles. Everybody, just chant the holy name [Laughs]. So, the principle is by chanting the holy name, by following the principle of bhakti, we do become purified. But it may take longer for some people to become purified, to come up to this very high standard. But they should not be discouraged.
So, in general, not only in India, Sudras are the majority and Brahmanas are the less. In any society around the world, we’ll find that, you know, we’re going to have a majority of labor class, and then a little bit less for Vaishyas, a little bit less for Kshatriyas, and very few scholarly, learned people at the top. So in any society.
And therefore, in the Varnashrama system, you have different rules for different people, and you have very select rules for a very minimum amount of people at the top, the Brahmanas. And you can’t force those rules on everybody. But then, what this does, it also limits spiritual activity to the people at the top. They can do Jnana Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, they’re at the top, nobody else can do that. Only the people in Sattva Guna can do that. So very few people can get to Jnana, Yoga, and Liberation.
Bhakti Yoga, Krishna in Bhagavad Gita says, Bhakti Yoga for everybody, whether you’re a Sudra, a Malecha, or whatever, you can do Bhakti Yoga and get up. So it’s for everybody. But it doesn’t necessarily mean that everybody has to immediately follow the highest principles and act like a Brahmana, because they were not able to do it. But at least they can practice Bhakti and become purified.
Devotee: So therefore, we can expect that the vast majority of the devotees won’t be able to maintain these high standards throughout their life. They’ll gravitate towards their, you know, natural Varna ? And, you know, most of them won’t follow all the regular principles. So, we shouldn’t be too disappointed about that?
HH Bhanu swami Maharaj: Yeah, because, you know, gradually it can take place, but not artificially over, you know, one or two years, suddenly they come up and then go back down. So it’s a gradual process for them.
Devotee: And it can take several lifetimes?
HH Bhanu swami Maharaj: Could be. Yeah. Well, we have Mrigari, the hunter. Of course, he gave up his killing, etc. And then in three months, he got Bhava. That was special mercy. Mrigari the hunter.
8) Hare Krishna Maharaj. We know that Bhakti is beyond Varnashrama. But Prabhupada was saying that, see, not everyone is like Haridas Thakur. They are not on the pure level. So, if they follow Varnashrama, they’ll come to, I mean, they’ll get little purified. And then they can do Bhakti properly. Or else there is a chance of fall down. So, means, Prabhupada’s disciples also we have seen, Prabhupada was telling that not everyone can follow, I mean, take to the process of Bhakti. So better, he follows some rules and then he gets gradually purified and then take to Bhakti. So, how to understand this Maharaj? Why Prabhupada was stressing so much on Varnashrama? And we see in ISKCON also, few Gurus like, they’ll be saying Varnashrama is important. So, how to understand this Maharaj? Please clarify this confusion. …
I’ve not done a numerical study, but Prabhupada makes many statements. And some, he says, don’t do Varnashrama, do Bhakti. And of course, whole Bhagavatam says, its all this cheating Dharma, give it up at the very beginning, he said. And Lord Caitanya and Caitanya Caritamrta said, no, no, Varnashrama, lower, much lower. So, we have many statements like that also. So, we can’t just say, Prabhupada, we have to do Varnashrama because we have counter statements. … And of course, Krishna says, give up all Dharma, just do Bhakti [laughs].
So, one way of solving that contradiction is to understand, maybe, what does Prabhupada mean, when he says, they should follow Varnashrama. And sometimes people say, well, people should follow Varnashrama, what should they do? And he says, chant Hare Krishna. That’s Varnashrama.
But here, in this purport, we do find a way in which we can call this Prabhupada’s institution of Varnashrama, have them do ekadasis, encourage them to do ekadasis, encourage them to chant, hear, associate with devotees, live in a holy place, etc., follow a regular principles as much as they can. That much. So, in other words, it’s actually Bhakti Yoga in society with a lesser standard. That’s all. That would be Prabhupada’s Varnashrama.
That could be the conclusion from this. … And that’s much easier than trying to make all of the society fit into Varnas and have a king at the top who’s not elected. It’s not going to work in most societies, so that’s very difficult to institute.
Devotee: Maharaj, just a reflection on what you said about how Srila Prabhupada might have seen or even statements are there, how Prabhupada explained Varnashrama. It could be very similar to how Prabhupada talks about Karma Yoga as devotional service or Jnana Yoga or even Ashtanga Yoga, you know, in devotional service perspective or Bhakti perspective. So, I’m saying, that way even Varnashrama also is devotionally explained rather than taking it technically, that way because it will go against all the fundamental teachings of Srila Prabhupada. … …
Yeah, as I said, when Prabhupada says, we should follow Varnashrama instituted for society because they’re not qualified for Bhakti.
Then we have to also try to understand what does he mean by Varnashrama. The other matter of unclarity is this, was to be for devotees also? So, many devotees are trying to institute it for devotees. And that’s even more complicated [Laughs]. Because if we take all of Manu’s Smriti and other Smritis, which are basically where we get Varnashram from, most of it we have to reject as being non-devotional – 80% of it. So what we’re left with is some common rules for all Varnas of moral conduct, probably, that’s about it [Laughs]. And simplification of other rules, such as how to bathe or how to eat your food. And maybe another thing you can institute easily is follow samskaras.
But other things to try to institute Varnas and make people fit into different occupations and follow those rules, it’s not applicable to devotees at all. It’s really very difficult for them to follow. So some devotees, they try to do this, but there’s no model to follow. So they try to experiment here or there, and they find out it’s very difficult to do anything. So there are basic principles summarized here in this verse of four principles, basic principles that people try to follow.
Okay, we can say that’s Varnashram or minimum Varnashram, and to the degree that you’re in the different gunas, you follow that. That’s maybe the simplest aspect of what you follow. And as Prabhupada says, yes, there are exceptions for some people. They can do the sacrifice and eat the meat or they do this and that, like that. So there’s exceptions in all levels. And at the same time, then they have to do some sort of bhakti here. So therefore, ultimately follow some of the Varnashram principles as much as they can, according to Varna, and do some bhakti. That’s the easiest way of instituting Varnashram for everybody [Laughs]. Chant the holy name [Laughs].
So Prabhupada, even for the samskaras, he often mentions, oh, you should follow all the samskaras, etc. And when people ask about the samskaras, should we practice the samskara according to Manu Samitha ? No, just chant Hare Krishna [Laughs]. So I mean, purification, also purification is Hare Krishna. That’s the best samskara [Laughs]. Chant the holy name. Chant the holy name.
Devotees: Grantharaj Srimad Bhagavatham ki jai!!! HH Bhanu swami Maharaj ki jai!!!