Bhagavad-gītā Chapter - 10: Lectures
661227BG.NY
—
New York, December 27, 1966
Prabhupāda: Śrī-bhagavān uvāca, the Supreme Personality of Godhead said. Bhagavān, this very word, is very significant. You should try to understand what does it mean, bhaga. Bhaga means opulence and bhagavān means one who has got opulences. The Sanskrit grammar, there is a affix called vat. Vat means possessing. Atha ke vatit [?]. When a, when the sense of possession is there, this vat affix is there. So bhaga, bhaga means opulence, and plus vat, that means one who has got opulence. This is the meaning of bhagavān.
Now what are the opulences? You have got, everyone of you, has got the idea of opulences. What are those opulences? Wealth, riches, strength, or influence, and fame, and beauty, knowledge and renunciation. These six things are called opulences. One has got, one, if a man has got sufficient riches, he attracts. This man attracts poor man. This is a instrument of attracting. Sometimes we also approach very rich men. Give us some contribution. Although we are Kṛṣṇa conscious. So richness has got attraction. You cannot deny it. Of course, for Kṛṣṇa, we can do anything. We have no restriction. For Kṛṣṇa's service, we can do everything. So anyway, richness, if a man is very rich, wealthy, he attracts.
That is the... These are the six opulences which at... which attract. Then if a man is very strong, he's also, he also attracts. Bala. A strong man, either by influence, or by his bodily strength, he attracts. If there is a strong man, many woman is attracted. So strength is also another feature of attraction.
Wealth, strength, and then fame. If a man is very famous, just take any famous man of the world, if he comes in this room, oh, thousands of people will come here. When Gandhi was alive I read one news from the newspaper in India that in some Italian city, there was great crowd, innumerable people gathered in the station. And nobody could understand why these people are assembled here. So when they are asked, they replied that, "We have heard that Gandhi is coming here." Mahatma Gandhi, perhaps you heard his name. He was very famous man, politician. So actually the news they are published that one, there was one Mr. Glandi. So he was coming. And people misunderstood as Gandhi. So my point is that a famous man also attracts. These things are attraction, richness, wealth, and strength, and famous, fame.
Then beauty. Beauty also attracts. If a man is beautiful, or a woman is beautiful, oh, many man or woman are after them, beautiful. Any beautiful, not only man or woman. Any beautiful flower, any beautiful picture, anything beautiful, that attracts. Beauty.
Form and knowledge. If one is learned, he's known as very possessing much knowledge. Just like great scientists, philosophers, or religionist, or teacher, they also attract.
And renunciation. That is also another attraction. If a man is in the renounced order of life. Renunciation means one has got all these things, richness, fame, beauty, knowledge, but he renounces everything for some higher purpose. Just like, in our country, for national movement, so many rich men, they renounced everything.
One of, some of them, perhaps you know, there was one Mr. C. R. Das. He was earning $50,000 a month as a lawyer. So everything renounced. He joined this Movement. And, perhaps you have heard the name of Nehru. Nehru was very rich man's son. His father was very rich lawyer. His father's history is that... In those days, there was not a single day when he was not earning $500. The... So he was also very rich man's son. But he renounced everything, his father's property and everything, and joined this [Indian] national movement. He went to prison by the government. So renunciation has also attraction.
So the definition of God is there. Bhagavān. We should know who is God. The definition is
aiśvaryasya samagrasya
jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva
The Sanskrit definition of Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that one who has got the complete wealth, complete strength, complete fame, complete beauty, complete knowledge and complete renunciation.
Renunciation. Giving up everything. In spite of having everything, if one can renounce at a moment's notice—I don't want—that is called renunciation.
So when you find these six things in complete, then He's God. This is the definition of God, and these things, completely, you'll find in Kṛṣṇa. In the history, if you take human history, the Kṛṣṇa, of course, was present as a man, personality. But, when He was present, all these six things were completely present in Him. Therefore He was accepted.
As in the morning class, we were discussing about the symptoms of incarnation. So in the śāstra, in the scriptures, these symptoms are given. Similarly, who is Bhagavān, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is also given. And Kṛṣṇa, this word means all-attractive. Because He has got all these things in complete, naturally He's attractive. Just like we have analyzed that beauty attracts, wealth attracts, fame attracts, education knowledge attracts... So He has got all these attractive features. Therefore He is completely attractive. Kṛṣṇa means the Supreme Attractive. This is the meaning of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He's Bhagavān. Because He's completely attractive, therefore He's Bhagavān.
So here it is said bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān uvāca. The Vyāsadeva, writer, he says that, bhagavān... now, uvāca, said. What? He has already, we have finished nine chapters. He has already said man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. "Just become always thinking of Me. Just become My devotee. Just worship Me." Man-manā, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. "Just offer your obediences." Mām evaiṣyasi. If you continue these four things... What are these four things? Man-manāḥ, always fix up your mind in Kṛṣṇa. That means you become always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
And, thinking of Kṛṣṇa as enemy or as friend? Sometimes we think of enemy also. Oh, the enemy might be coming. Oh, he's, my enemy is becoming very strong. So not that sort of thinking. Bhakti means...there is... Everything has got definition. That is called śāstra. What is that bhakti? Devotion. Devotion means anuśīlanam, cultivation of Kṛṣṇa knowledge favorably, not unfavorably. Sometimes to kill some enemy, we do many things to kill our enemies. In the laboratory you think of manufacturing atomic, nuclear bombs. That is also thinking. But that sort of thinking is not bhakti. Therefore bhakti means ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. Favorably you have to think of Kṛṣṇa, not unfavorably.
If you think of Kṛṣṇa, just to kill Him. Just like Kaṁsa, His maternal uncle, he wanted to kill his nephew. Kṛṣṇa was the nephew of Kaṁsa. He was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, how to kill Him. How to kill Him. So that is unfavorable thinking, not that sort of thinking.
Man-manā bhava. Just thinking, just be always thinking of Me does not mean that you shall think of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, as your enemy, but as your friend, or lovable object. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. Bhakta means we should be always ready to render loving service to Kṛṣṇa. That sort of thinking. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī. Just become a worshiper of Kṛṣṇa. And māṁ namaskuru. And offer your obeisances unto Him. By following these four principles, mām evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ [Bg. 18.65]. Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, "My dear Arjuna, if you follow these four principles, then surely you'll come back to Me, back to home, back to Godhead." This has already been explained in the last verse of ninth chapter.
And, in the tenth chapter, the Lord says, bhagavān uvāca, the Supreme Lord says, bhūya eva mahā-bāho śṛṇu me paramaṁ vacaḥ [Bg. 10.1]. "Now I have already said what is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now you hear further more information." Yat te 'haṁ prīyamāṇāya vakṣyāmi hita-kāmyayā. Because Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna were, I mean to say, in relationship of friends, therefore He says that, yat te ahaṁ prīyamāṇāya. "Because you are My, My, you are My dear friend, therefore, vakṣyāmi, I am speaking to you." That means the same chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, what is spoken there, it is not meant for any ordinary person. It is meant for those who are a little bit advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One who has accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he's conscious about Him, for them it will be relishable. For others, it will not be relishable.
Why? Now just like you have got a beloved son, little child. You are always thinking of it. You are speaking "Oh my child this morning he was playing like this. Oh, he was dancing like this." So you are thinking, you are speaking. Others may be disturbed. Why? Because it is not his, that child is not his. He has no love for it. He has no love for it. He doesn't like to hear. Therefore it is said here, this path [?] of which in the same chapter, it is meant for such persons who are a little advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Just like confidential things is spoken to a very confidential friend or relative, similarly, this is little more confidential than what is spoken in the ninth chapter. Tenth chapter. Yat te 'haṁ prīyamāṇāya vakṣyāmi hita-kāmyayā. "Because you are My dear friend and for your benefit, I am speaking." A friend is always well-wisher of a friend. And what to speak of Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa becomes one's friend and He becomes well-wisher, then what do you want more? You know that we have already described Kṛṣṇa, the all riches, all strength, all knowledge, all beauty, and all fame and all renunciation is there. So, if He becomes your friend, if He becomes your well-wisher, then what do you want more? If you have got a friend who is very rich and very powerful, then do you think anything required more? A friend can sacrifice everything for a friend, and here is a friend where there is no limitation. There is no limitation of wealth. Famous. There is no limitation of favors.
So here Lord Kṛṣṇa says, "I am speaking to you for your benefit." If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious in either of these five relationships. A devotee becomes related with Kṛṣṇa in five different transcendental mellows. One can be related as silent devotee. Silent devotee means he knows Kṛṣṇa is very great. Kṛṣṇa is very great. God is great. To accept this principle, that is also devotion. He does not do anything for God, but he admits God is great. That is called silent devotion.
Now, if one advances a little more, he wants to do something for Kṛṣṇa. Just like if you think somebody is very great, very noble, then if you think that I must do something for that man. So this is called dāsya. First, śānta, neutral, then activity begins. This is later stage than the śānta stage. In the śānta stage a devotee simply admits the greatness of God. But when he makes a further advancement in the understanding of that greatness, that is the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. When one wants to do something for Kṛṣṇa.
Now here, in this material world, we can do so many things for Kṛṣṇa, so many things. What are those things? Now suppose if you want to do something for somebody. Then you must know how that particular gentleman is satisfied. Otherwise, if you want to do something without knowing what does he want, then that is useless. You must know the mind of the person to whom you want to serve.
Now what Kṛṣṇa wants. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā in various places. What is that? In the fifteenth chapter you'll find Kṛṣṇa says,
manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi
[Bg. 15.7]
"All these living entities, they are My parts and parcels." Just like your son or your daughter is the part and parcel of your own body, personal body. Similarly, we are all part and parcel of the Supreme God. We are all sons of God.
How is it? That is also mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā in the fourteenth chapter.
[Bg. 14.4]
Lord Kṛṣṇa says that, "My dear Arjuna, we find so many species of life, eight, eight thousand, no, eight millions four hundred thousand, eight million four hundred thousands of species of life. All of them, they are My sons. I am the seed-giving father." He accepts that every living being, either man or beast or ant or bird, everyone, anywhere, they're all sons of God.
And they are suffering here. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati [Bg. 15.7]. They have, somehow or other, they have come in contact with this material nature, and each and every one of these living entities, they are making, having a hard struggle for existence. But under the spell of the illusory energy, they are thinking we are happy. Although whole day and night, they are unhappy. Their desires are not fulfilled. They want something, but they are forced to accept something else. This is going on. This is called hard struggle for existence. Nobody's satisfied. There is always disruption. In this moment, I am your friend. Next moment, I am your enemy. This moment, I am your husband or wife. Next moment, no. Don't see my face. I'll not see your face. Divorce. So these things are going on. So this is called struggle. I am wanting something, but I am accept, I am forcefully being bound to accept something else. This is called struggle. So this is going on.
So therefore Kṛṣṇa gives you message that these living entities, they are very unhappy in this material world under the spell of material energy, under the spell of illusory energy, they are thinking that they are happy. In ignorance...
Just like the animals, they cannot know, they do not know, what is unhappiness. When there is a slaughterhouse, they'll be slaughtered next moment. They are standing and eating grass because, due to ignorance. They do not know. Similarly, when human society becomes thrown [?] into ignorance, they do not know what is unhappiness. Their struggle for existence and therefore, therefore they are in unhappiness. They are never satisfied, full of anxiety. In spite of having all these things, the foolish man says, "Yes, we are advancing in civilization." This is their ignorance and foolishness.
So Kṛṣṇa conscious person, if they want to serve Kṛṣṇa, if they want to render some service to Kṛṣṇa, their first business is to dispel this ignorance of the humans. That is the best service. That is the best service. People have manufactured so many philanthropic associations, charitable associations, and hospitals, so many things. But, if somebody or if some association can enlighten people to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is the best service to the human society. That is the best service to the human society.
So a further advancement from neutrality, that I love Kṛṣṇa or God because He's great. No, that love is not sufficient. We must render some service to the Kṛṣṇa. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna is rendering service to Kṛṣṇa as a soldier. Kṛṣṇa wanted that the battle of Kurukṣetra should be executed and Arjuna did not like it because it was concerned to his family members, with his brothers, so he did not like it. But, when, after hearing this Bhagavad-gītā, he became Kṛṣṇa conscious, he executed the will of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wanted that the fighting must continue. So he executed in spite of his own conclusion that he would not fight.
So this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that one has to do. That is better con... Simply to know, simply to make God as order-supplier, I love God because He gives me my daily bread, that is also good, good sense. But better sense is that how you can serve Kṛṣṇa.
If God is giving you bread daily, so you have no duty to return. God will give you bread, either you want it or not want it. He is giving bread to the cats and dogs and ants and so many animals. So why not to you, human beings? Oh, that He will give. Don't bother about that. Don't bother about that. Your bread will come, wherever you may be. Either you may remain in America or in Europe or in India, wherever. Your bread is already there.
Therefore tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. You should rise up to the occasion, how to serve God. And this is the greatest necessity of the present day civilization. People are suffering due to Godlessness, and, if you want to serve the people, your society, your country, the whole human society, then try yourself, best, try your best, you just rise up to the occasion of becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious and just spread this philosophy to the world. There will be happiness, there will be peace and everyone will be, blessing [?].
Thank you very much. If there are any question... (end)
661230BG.NY
—
New York, December 30, 1966
Prabhupāda
yat te 'haṁ prīyamāṇāya
[Bg. 10.1]
This verse we have been discussing last meeting. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is advising Arjuna that, "I am speaking to you again further, confidential part of knowledge. And why I am speaking to you? Because you are My dear friend."
Now in the beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā, in the fourth chapter, we have discussed this point that the Bhagavad-gītā was specifically instructed to Arjuna for his only one qualification that he was a devotee. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me rahasyam etad uttamam [Bg. 4.3]. The Lord said that "The mystery of Bhagavad-gītā is very confidential. So, without becoming a pure and unalloyed devotee of Mine, it is very difficult to understand." Actually it is so.
In, in the market you'll have so many commentaries of the Bhagavad-gītā. In India we have counted, there are about six hundred and forty-five different commentaries of Bhagavad-gītā. One Dr. Rele[?] of Bombay, he has interpreted Bhagavad-gītā as the talks between the patient and the medical practitioner. Yes. He has imposed on Kṛṣṇa as the physician and Arjuna as the patient. And in his commentary he has tried to, I mean to say, interpose all the meanings of anatomy, physiology, everything in his own imagination.
Similarly, at the present moment, there are so many commentaries and people have taken that anybody can interpret in his own way. This is the modern view. Everyone is perfect and he can interpret any scripture in his own way. But so far we are concerned, we are not agreeable to that point. We agree to read Bhagavad-gītā in terms of the instruction as it is given in the Bhagavad-gītā. The Bhagavad-gītā says that this knowledge has to be taken by the paramparā system or the disciplic succession. It is not that anyone can interpret. This viewpoint no bona fide student of Bhagavad-gītā will accept.
So this Bhagavad-gītā is being taught by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to Arjuna. He says again the same thing. He's repeating that yat te 'haṁ prīyamāṇāya vakṣyāmi hita-kāmyayā. "Because you are My dear friend, I desire that you become prosperous, you become happy. Therefore I am speaking to you." Do you think that Kṛṣṇa is not interested with others? To make them happy and prosperous? No. He's, He's equally disposed. He wants everyone to be happy and peaceful and prosperous. But they do not want it. That is the difficulty.
Just like the sunshine is open to everyone. Sunshine is not for any particular nation or particular country or particular person or community. It is open for everyone. But, if somebody wants to remain in darkness, closing his doors, do not come out, then what poor sunshine can do for him?
Similarly, this Bhagavad-gītā, the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, is open to everyone, everyone. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:
striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās
[Bg. 9.32]
Anyone, never mind what he is... There are different kinds of species of life. Some of them are considered as lower. Some of them are considered higher. That is our material conception. And actually, according to the different qualities, according to the different modes of nature, there are different situations and there are lower grade, higher grade understanding also. That is a fact. But Kṛṣṇa says that, "Anyone, never mind what he is, pāpa-yonayaḥ..." Pāpa-yonayaḥ means "those who are in the lower birth." So, so Bhagavad-gītā is transcendental subject matter. It does not depend on the qualification of the student. Anyone. Anyone can understand Bhagavad-gītā provided he agrees to understand according to the principles. That's all.
The principle is evaṁ paramparā prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ [Bg. 4.2]. This is stated in the fourth chapter, that this Bhagavad-gītā is coming by disciplic succession from sun-god. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1]. "I first of all instructed this yoga system of Bhagavad-gītā to the sun-god." The sun planet, the Vivasvān... The present ruler of the sun planet is known as Vivasvān. So Vivasvān, his son was Manu, and Manu, the father of the mankind, his son was the king, Ikṣvāku, and King Ikṣvāku was the king of this earthly planet and, from him, this paramparā system or disciplic succession is coming down. But it has broken down. Lord said to Arjuna, sa kāleneha yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa. "In course of time, that disciplic succession has now broken. Therefore I make again you as My disciple."
He has already accepted Kṛṣṇa as spiritual master in the second chapter. In the beginning of the second chapter Kṛṣṇa said: śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam [Bg. 2.7]. "So long we are talking as friends, but now I surrender myself as my spiritual master, Kṛṣṇa." So therefore Kṛṣṇa was speaking to Arjuna on the platform of spiritual master. So we should note it that the spiritual, perfect spiritual master is Kṛṣṇa. And anyone who is following the principles, as Kṛṣṇa says, he's also representative of Kṛṣṇa. And the teacher is Kṛṣṇa and the Arjuna is the student. Similarly, as the spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa, similarly a student must be also the representative of Arjuna. Then Bhagavad-gītā discussion will be nice.
What is that, Arjuna's position? You'll find in this chapter which we are now just beginning. He'll say sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye yad vadasi keśava [Bg. 10.14]. "My dear Kṛṣṇa, whatever You are speaking, I accept. I accept it.' So that should be the process of understanding Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavad-gītā. Not that I don't like this. So I'll reject this portion. I like this portion, therefore I accept it. This sort of studying Bhagavad-gītā is useless, nonsense. Sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye [Bg. 10.14]. "Whatever You have said, I accept it." That is stated.
Similarly, a teacher of Bhagavad-gītā should be a representative of Kṛṣṇa. Representative of Kṛṣṇa means a confidential devotee, unalloyed devotee of Kṛṣṇa. The same thing. He also accepted Kṛṣṇa as his... The student also should be like that. Then the study of Bhagavad-gītā is perfect. Otherwise, it is useless waste of time.
There is a nice verse in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It is said,
satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido
bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ
taj-joṣaṇād āśv apavarga-vartmani
śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati
[SB 3.25.25]
If one, anyone wants to understand the spiritual science or the science of Kṛṣṇa, then he should associate himself with the satām, those who are pure devotees, those who are pure devotees. Satāṁ prasaṅgāt. When discussions take place between pure devotees, then the potency of spiritual knowledge, as they are depicted in the scriptures and sacred books, they become revealed. Simply armchair, I mean to say, mental speculators, discussing on Bhagavad-gītā, that is useless, futile. Here it is stated that satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ [SB 3.25.25]. If it is discussed in the association of pure devotees, then the potency of that spiritual language will be revealed. Will be revealed.
In the Vedic literature also, in Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad, it is stated,
tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
[ŚU 6.23]
It is said there that one who has got firm faith in God and similar faith in God's representative. Yasya deve parā bhaktiḥ. Deve means God. Yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau. Gurau means spiritual master. Spiritual master means a perfect devotee of God. He's spiritual master. Tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ. So all this, I mean to say, import of the Vedic language will be revealed to him. Will be revealed to him. We cannot understand Vedas simply by academic qualification. We have to, we must have the qualification of becoming a devotee of the Supreme Lord and His representative, the spiritual master or the saintly persons. These are recommended in all Vedic scripture.
Similarly, here it is stated by the Supreme Lord that "Because you have become My dear..." We have to cultivate such practice in Kṛṣṇa consciousness that we may become dear to God. My spiritual master used to say that, "You do not try to see God. Just act in such a way that God will see you." Just try to understand. This is very nice. If I want to see God, and I make God as my order-supplier, that "Please come and I'll see You." So God is not so small that He, at once I call Him and He'll come. No. We have to qualify ourselves. We have to qualify ourselves. Therefore by the qualification, by your qualification, God will Himself come and see you.
There are many instances. God is... Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja, he went to the forest to undergo severe penances to see God. So when he was, God saw him or when he saw God, then God asked him, "What do you want? What benediction you want? I shall give you." The Dhruva Mahārāja, a small boy, five years old, he said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce [Cc. Madhya 22.42]. "Now I am so satisfied that I have nothing to ask from You." So one who sees, one who can perceive God, he has no more any demand because he's transcendental to all these material demands.
So long we are in the material sense, we are always dissatisfied. Na abhāvaḥ vidyate sataḥ, nāsato vidyate bhāvaḥ, nāsato vidyate bhāvaḥ. Asat. Asat means the circumstances which will not continue. Everything, any circumstances of this material world, is temporary. Suppose I am very happy. Oh. Then your happiness is temporary. Suppose you think or I think I am in very sorry plight, or I am in distress. That will also not exist for some time. Just like seasonal changes. So this, this is called duality. You are feeling happy or miserable, we are feeling cold and heat, everything duality. But these things are coming and going. So when one is in transcendental position, he is above this duality, he's in the absolute.
So in that absolute stage, if we want to go to that absolute stage, then this is the process. This is the process, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, gradually, as we develop, so Kṛṣṇa is within everyone, the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Paramātmā, He's seated in everyone's heart, and, as we become purified, as we become sincere, all dictation will come from within and He will show you the path which following you shall be happy and prosperous and, at the end, by quitting this body, you shall reach the supreme abode of Kṛṣṇa in the spiritual sky. These are, all these have been discussed in the last chapters, eighth chapter, seventh chapter.
Now Kṛṣṇa says that,
[Bg. 10.2]
Now He says that, "Nobody knows Me." Lord says, Lord Kṛṣṇa says, "Nobody knows Me." Na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ. Sura-gaṇāḥ means the demigods, those who are in the higher planets, they are called demigods. Sura-gaṇāḥ. Na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ prabhavam [Bg. 10.2]. "My influence, or My activities, My power, My extensions, everything, prabhavam, na maharṣayaḥ." Maharṣayaḥ means great sages. Mahā-ṛṣayaḥ. Mahā means great. Ṛṣi means sages. They also do not know. What they do not know? Now ahaṁ hi, aham ādir hi devānām [Bg. 10.2]. "I am the original person of all demigods and maharṣīṇāṁ ca sarvaśaḥ, I am the original person of all the ṛṣis."
Now suppose we had some forefather, ten generations before. So we do not know many things about him. We may hear something by paramparā or in the family history that our tenth, tenth generation before there was one forefather. So even we do not know. So from Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, so many generations... In the beginning of this creation, the first beginning, Brahmā was created. Brahmā. So millions and millions and years before Brahmā was created. So what do we know about Brahmā and the demigods? So practically we do not know anything about God. It is not possible. Our teeny brain cannot approach such extensive, I mean to say, foremost platform where we can understand God.
In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also it is said, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. Indriya means these material senses. We gather knowledge by sense. But these material senses are very limited. So it is not possible to understand God, or Kṛṣṇa, by speculating our mind. Mind is the center of all senses. So senses help mind gathers knowledge. So it is not possible. Because our senses are all imperfect. By imperfect senses we cannot reach to the perfect or to the unlimited. Therefore we cannot know. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. It is not possible by manipulating your different senses and knowledge and mind you can understand God.
Then how it is possible? The possibility is sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. The, if you engage your senses in the service of the Lord, then He'll reveal to your senses. The same thing. We have to acquire knowledge of God through these senses. But, in our conditional life, the senses are all impure. Therefore these senses cannot understand God simply by speculating. It is not possible. Therefore Lord says, na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ [Bg. 10.2]. Now we have got developed senses. Suppose a child. A child, his understanding and his father's understanding, there is difference because his senses are not so developed. Father's senses are developed. Similarly, as we are here in this earthly planet, there are many, many other superior planets. Their senses are far, far improved. But still they cannot understand God. Still they cannot understand.
Similarly ṛṣayaḥ. Ṛṣayaḥ means great philosophers, saintly persons, sages; they also cannot understand God.
Now people can say that, "What is the use of understanding God? Let God remain in His place. And let me remain in my place. What is the use?" Suppose... We cannot understand God. Now argument may be, "Yes, you don't understand God. There is no necessity of bothering for understanding God." But Kṛṣṇa says, "No." If you don't take that botheration, then you'll never be happy. Neither you'll be liberated. So it is your interest to understand God. Not that God will be profited if you understand Him. No. You'll be profited if you understand Him.
Therefore He says that yo mām ajam anādiṁ ca vetti loka-maheśvaram. "Anyone who can understand Me as the origin of everything and loka-maheśvaram, and the, I mean to, the proprietor or the master of everything, yo mām ajam anādiṁ ca vetti loka-maheśvaram." Loka-maheśvaram is the Supreme Proprietor or master of all planets or all, everything, asammūḍhaḥ, without any doubt, asammūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu, even in this material world, sa martyeṣu sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate, he becomes free from all sinful reactions, simply by knowing, understanding that God is great, He's the proprietor of everything, He is the friend of everyone, and He's the origin of everything, these things. If one can understand, asammūḍhaḥ... Asammūḍhaḥ means... Not that because Bhagavad-gītā's speaking like that, not that because a swami is speaking like that, but you should understand yourself asammūḍhaḥ, without any doubt. When you understand doubtlessly that God is the proprietor of everything, then you'll be liberated and freed from all, I mean to say, anxieties and miseries.
So it is our interest to know God. We are always full of anxieties. Nobody is free from anxieties. Nobody's free from miseries of this material world. And here is the process. And Bhāgavata confirms it: na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum [SB 7.5.31]. We are making progress, but we do not know what is the ultimate goal of progress. That we do not know. Na te viduḥ.
So similarly, Bhāgavata also confirms: na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā [SB 7.5.31]. Durāśayā means some impossible hope. They are being conducted under the guidance of this illusory energy with some hope which is impossible to be fulfilled. Durāśayā. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ [SB 7.5.31]. Why they are thinking of that impossibility? Impossible hope? Because they have taken, they are captivated by this material energy.
So Kṛṣṇa says that:
Pāpaiḥ. Of course, in the modern civilization, there is no distinction between pious and impious, but, according to scripture, there are pious activities and impious activities. We are always engaged in some kind of activities, either pious or impious. If we are engaged in pious activities, then we become happy in future, not exactly happy, but a little of the upper stage than others. It is stated in the scripture that by pious activities, you can have your birth in a very good place, in a very good family. You can have, you can become highly educated. You can become very beautiful and, janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī [SB 1.8.26]. Janma, just like birth in good place, in good family, good country, and aiśvarya, and wealth and opulence. And śrī means beauty. And education. These things are result of pious activities.
Similarly, just the opposite number is impious or sinful activities. So by sinful activities you suffer. By... Suffering is always there, either in pious or impious, but there is some distinction between pious and impious. So here it is said that anyone who understands God, that He's the Supreme Proprietor, sarva-loka-maheśvaram [Bg. 5.29], vetti, without any doubt, then he becomes freed from all sinful reactions. Immediately. Thank you very much. Any question? (end)
670101BG.NY
—
New York, January 1, 1967
Prabhupāda:
[Bg. 10.2]
So Lord Kṛṣṇa says that nobody knows Him. Aham ādir hi devānām. If you... What to speak of the human society, even you take the demigods who are more intelligent and more advanced than the human society in other planets, they also do not know.
And maharṣayaḥ. Maharṣayaḥ means that seven great sages. Their planet is near the Pole Star. You have seen it that like asking questions, seven stars. So these stars are different planets for different great sages. They also do not know.
So na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ prabhavaṁ na maharṣayaḥ aham ādir hi devānām: [Bg. 10.2] "I am the original... I am the source of all these maharṣayaḥ, all these demigods." He's the father of everyone. Maharṣīṇāṁ ca sarvaśaḥ: "I am not only the origin of these demigods, but I am also the origin of all these great sages." That means He is the origin of this universe. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is very nicely described how this universal form took place and how Brahmā was created and from Brahmā the ṛṣis were created, how population increased generally. These descriptions are there. So actually He is the origin. Janmādy asya yataḥ [SB 1.1.1]. As it is said in the Vedānta-sūtra, everything is emanating from Him.
So He's also... According to this version, He's also origin of Paramātmā, the Supersoul. And He is also the origin of nirviśeṣa or impersonal brahmajyoti. Because it is said, aham ādir hi devānāṁ maharṣīṇāṁ ca sarvaśaḥ [Bg. 10.2]. Sarvaśaḥ means, "Anything that you have any conception of, of all them, I am the supreme source."
Therefore, as it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the Absolute Truth is realized in three phases, vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam [SB 1.2.11]. Advayam means nonduality, one. The one supreme truth, Absolute Truth, is realized in three phases, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate: realization of the impersonal Brahman, or the glowing effulgence, just like sunshine, then the localized Supersoul, then Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
And there are many expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: Nārāyaṇa, Adhokṣaja... There are many innumerable planets in the spiritual world, and all of them are emanation from the Kṛṣṇa planet. And the Kṛṣṇa planet, the supreme deity is Kṛṣṇa.
This description we have got in several Vedic literatures, Brahma-saṁhitā and Vedānta-sūtra, Bhāgavata, in Purāṇas, in Upaniṣad. Everywhere these descriptions are there. Those who are scholarly student, they'll get information, and the whole thing is summarized in Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā is known also as Gītopaniṣad. At the end of every chapter you'll find these things are written, gītāsu or upaniṣatsu. It is one of the Upaniṣads. You have read Upaniṣad. The Bhagavad-gītā is also one of the Upaniṣads, and therefore Bhagavad-gītā is known as Gītopaniṣad.
So if nobody knows the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then how He can be known? If He is not known to the demigods, if He is not known to the great sages, then how He can be known? Yes. He can be known. He can be known in this way. When the Supreme Lord comes before you and He reveals Himself before you, then you can know. You cannot know by your imperfect senses.
Our senses are imperfect. We have... Several times we have described in this meeting that our senses cannot realize the Supreme Truth. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. Our senses are so imperfect that simply by expanding the sense power artificially, speculating, we cannot realize. These are described in different way in different scriptures.
So He can be known how? That is also described—sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ: when you become in a submissive attitude and you chant. Jihvādau. Jihvādau means the realization begins from the tongue. God realization begins from the tongue. Therefore the tongue's function is to eat and to vibrate sound. So these two processes, vibration of Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare and eating kṛṣṇa-prasāda... You cannot allow your tongue to taste anything and everything. If you can control your tongue for eating kṛṣṇa-prasāda and if you engage your tongue in vibrating the transcendental sound Hare Kṛṣṇa, then sevonmukhe hi jihvādau [Brs. 1.2.234].
By this submissive process that "I surrender my tongue to the Supreme Personality of Godhead," then by controlling the tongue, you controlling all other senses. You go to a straight line from the tongue to the down, all senses will be controlled. And if you cannot control your tongue, then you cannot control your senses.
So the first and foremost thing is that you control your tongue. Don't allow your tongue to taste everything and anything. Kṛṣṇa has given us so many nice preparations. Day before yesterday we were present here. We had feasting. Everybody had tasted. So many nice things we have got. Kṛṣṇa baṛo doyāmoy, koribāre jihwā jay, swa-prasād-anna dilo bhāi. Our tongue is very fastidious. He wants to taste this, taste this, taste this. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He gives us varieties of prasādam so you can taste them, you can satisfy your desire at the same time you become spiritually advanced. This is a nice process.
It is not that in this association you have to do this. You can learn this art, and you can have it in your home. You can also prepare such preparation, nice preparation, at your home, offer to Kṛṣṇa. That is not very difficult. We every day prepare and offer to Kṛṣṇa and chant the mantra,
jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya
That's all. It is not very hard. Everyone can prepare the foodstuff and offer to Kṛṣṇa and then take it, and then with family members or with friends you can sit down and chant before the picture of Kṛṣṇa,
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
and live a pure life. Just see the result. If every home, every person, takes to this principle of understanding Kṛṣṇa, it will become... The whole world will become Vaikuṇṭha. Vaikuṇṭha means where there is no anxiety. Vaikuṇṭha. Vai means without, and kuṇṭha means anxiety. This world is full of anxiety. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt [SB 7.5.5]. Because we have accepted this temporary existence of material life, therefore we are always encumbered with anxiety. Just the opposite thing is there in the spiritual world, where the planets are called Vaikuṇṭha. Vaikuṇṭha means without anxiety.
We want to be free from anxieties. Everyone is trying to get himself free from anxieties, but he does not know how to get out of this anxiety. This taking shelter of intoxication is no use to get oneself free from anxieties. It is a drug. It is oblivion. Sometimes, for sometimes we forget everything, but again when you come to your consciousness the same anxieties and same thing are there. So this will not help you.
If you want to be free from anxieties and if you want actually life eternal with bliss and knowledge, then this is the process. This is the process. You have to understand Kṛṣṇa. Here it is clearly stated that na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ [Bg. 10.2]. Nobody can understand. But there is a way. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ [Brs. 1.2.234]. This is a process. There are several places in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam this process is described in a different way. Just like in one place it is stated that
jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva
jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām
sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir
ye prāyaśo 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyām
It is very nice verse. It is said that ajita, nobody can know. God's another name is Ajita. Ajita means nobody can conquer Him. Nobody can approach Him. Therefore His name is Ajita. So Ajita becomes conquered. Ajita jito 'py asi. Although the Lord is unknowable, the Lord is unconquerable, still, He is conquered. How? Sthāne sthitāḥ.
Persons... Let them remain in their own position but adopt this principle. What is that? The principle is that jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. Give up this nonsense speculation, volumes of books. The world is producing every year volumes of books, and they're useless. After six months that is useless, thrown. So don't take to that speculative process, this way and that way, this way and that way, because our senses are limited. How you can have the Supreme Truth known by these imperfect blunt senses?
So my senses, my speculative power may be greater than you, and another person's speculative power may be greater than me, but nobody can... Here it is clearly stated, na me sura-gaṇāḥ viduḥ. What you are? You are human being. Even the sura-gaṇāḥ and the great sages, they cannot. Therefore the Brahmā says that jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. Give up this process of so-called knowledge, researching, speculation. Give up this. Udapāsya, udapāsya means throw it away. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. Namanta means just become submissive. Just acknowledge yourself that your senses are limited. You are subordinate even to the material nature and what to think of God? Everyone is subordinate to the control of the Supreme Lord. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram [Bg. 9.10]. Nobody can be equal or greater than God. Therefore your qualification should be: be submissive. Don't waste your time in speculating. Be submissive.
Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva and san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. San-mukharitām means just try to hear about the glories of the Supreme Lord from the mouth of realized souls. Don't go to the unauthorized persons. Now, how you can know what is the difference between unauthorized and authorized? That you can know also. There is description. That, in Bhagavad-gītā you'll see, who is authorized, who is not authorized. The Lord says, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ [Bg. 4.2]. This authority is handed over by disciplic succession.
So just like Kṛṣṇa is handing over the authority to Arjuna. And Arjuna says paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān [Bg. 10.12]. So here, if we follow the Arjuna's process and if we try to understand as Arjuna understood, then the authority is there. It is not very, very difficult to understand who is authority. So sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva san-mukharitām. You have to find out that authority. That's all. That authority you have to find out and remain in your place and try to hear submissively everything, svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. As soon as you become submissive and hear from authorities, then the whole thing will reveal within yourself. God is the always ready to be revealed to you. But how does He reveal? He reveals as soon as you become submissive, you become devotee, you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, you just follow the path traversed by the great mahājanas, great ācāryas. Then it is... Everything is known.
Although He's not known even to the demigods, even to the great sages, he can be known to you at your home, ajita jito 'py asi, although He is unconquerable, if you adopt this process. So you have to adopt the process only. Otherwise, if you don't adopt the process, there is no alternative. You cannot know. Because greater personalities than us in the human society, the devas, the sura-gaṇāḥ... Sura-gaṇāḥ means the demigods. They cannot know.
And if you follow this principle, to understand the Supreme Lord, Personality of Godhead, then what will be the result? It is stated here,
Sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate. As soon as you understand thoroughly... You can understand thoroughly. This is the process. And how you understand? The standard of understanding? The standard of understanding is that the Supreme Lord is anādi. He is the cause of all causes, but He is not caused by any other cause. He has no other cause. Just like Kṛṣṇa is stated,
anādir ādir govindaḥ
[Bs. 5.1]
Kāraṇa means cause. He is the cause of all causes. To understand Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Lord is to thoroughly be convinced that He is the cause of all causes. Yo mām anādim. Anādi means He has no other cause.
Sarva-loka-maheśvaram [Bg. 5.29]. And He is the proprietor. He is the master. He is the proprietor of all planets, either in this material world or in the spiritual world. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram. Asammūḍhaḥ. Not by... Not accepting blindly. Don't accept blindly. You have got... God has given you power of reasoning, power of arguments. But don't argue falsely.
The process is... That is also mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā [Bg. 4.34]. If you want to understand that transcendental science, then you have to follow this principle. What is that? Tad viddhi praṇipātena. You have to surrender. The same thing: just like namanta eva. Unless you become submissive, you cannot be a surrendered soul.
And where? Praṇipāta. Where you will find a person that "He is... Here is a person where I can surrender"? Then that means we have to make a little test where to surrender. That much knowledge you must have. Don't surrender to any nonsense. You have to... And how that intelligent or nonsense can be found out? That is also mentioned in the śāstra. That is mentioned in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad. Tad viddhi praṇipātena pari... [Bg. 4.34]. Kaṭha Upaniṣad says that tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham [MU 1.2.12]. This śrotriyam means that one who is coming in disciplic succession. And what is the proof that he has come under the disciplic succession? Brahma-niṣṭham. Brahma-niṣṭham means he is fully convinced about the Supreme Absolute Truth. So there you have to surrender. Praṇipāta. Praṇipāta means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa nipātam, no reservation.
If you find out such person, then surrender there. Praṇipāta. And try to serve him, try to please him, and question him. The whole thing will reveal. You have to find out such an authoritative person and surrender unto him. Surrendering unto him means surrendering unto God because he is God's representative. But you are allowed to make questions, not to waste time, but for understanding. That is called paripraśna. These are the process. So everything is there. We have simply to adopt it. But if we don't adopt the process and simply waste our time by intoxication and speculation and all nonsensical activities, oh, that is not possible ever. You'll never understand what is God. Because God is not understandable even by the demigods and by the great sages. What is our teeny efforts?
So these are the process. And if you follow, asammūḍhaḥ, asammūḍhaḥ, if you follow the principles and slow but sure, asammūḍhaḥ, without any doubt, if you make... That is the... Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. If you follow, you'll understand, yourself, "Yes. I am getting something." It is not that you are in blindness, you are blindly following. As you follow the principles, you'll understand.
Just like if you eat proper nourishing foodstuff, you'll feel yourself strength and your hunger satisfied. You haven't got to ask anybody. You'll feel yourself. Similarly, if you come to the proper path and if you follow the principle, you'll understand, "Yes, I am making progress." Pratyakṣa... In the ninth chapter He has said pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ susukham.
And it is very easy. And you can do in happy mood. And what is the process? We chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and eat kṛṣṇa-prasāda and study Bhagavad-gītā philosophy, hear nice musical sounds. Is it very difficult? Is it very difficult? Not at all. So by this process you'll be asammūḍhaḥ. Nobody can cheat you. But if you want to be cheated there are so many cheaters. So don't make a cheater and cheated society. Just follow the paramparā system as it is prescribed in the Vedic literature, as it is recommended by Kṛṣṇa. Try to understand it from the authoritative source and try to apply it in your life.
Then asammūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu. Martyeṣu means... Martya means those who are eligible for dying. Who are? These conditioned souls, beginning from Brahmā down to the insignificant ant, they are all martya. Martya means there is a time when they will die. So martyeṣu. Amongst the dying mortals he becomes the most intelligent. Asammūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu. Why? Sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate. He is free from all kinds of reactions of sinful action.
In this world, in this material world, I mean to say, knowingly or unknowingly, we are all always committing sinful acts. So we have to get out of this reaction. And how to get out of it? That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ [Bg. 3.9]. If you do, act only for Kṛṣṇa... Yajña means Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa. If you only act for Kṛṣṇa, then you are freed from the reaction of anything. Śubhāśubha-phalaiḥ. We do something auspicious or inauspicious. But those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and acting in that way, he has nothing to do with what is auspicious or inauspicious because he's in touch with the most auspicious, Kṛṣṇa. So therefore sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate. He becomes freed from all reactions of sinful activities.
This is the process. And if we adopt this process, so ultimately we can get in touch with Kṛṣṇa and our life becomes successful. The process is very simple, and we can, everyone can adopt. Thank you very much. (end)
670102BG.NY
—
New York, January 2, 1967
Prabhupāda:
Now, here is nice formula presented by Kṛṣṇa Himself, that one should understand the position of Kṛṣṇa. What is the position of Kṛṣṇa? Ajam, unborn. And anādi, without any cause. Everyone, we have got experience that we are born and we have our cause. The father is the cause of our birth. This is the distinction between myself and Kṛṣṇa. Now, if somebody poses himself that he is God, he has to prove himself that he is unborn and he is not caused. We are... This is very simple thing. Our practical experience is that I am born and I am caused because the father and mother is the cause. So Kṛṣṇa is not caused, neither He is born. So one has to understand this. Understanding of God, or Kṛṣṇa, is that one should be firmly convinced that God is never born, nor He is caused by anything. He is the cause of all causes. But He is not caused by anything. This is the difference.
Yo mām ajam anādiṁ ca vetti, "knows, one should know," loka-maheśvaram. And because He is not cause, therefore He is the proprietor of all manifestations. He is the proprietor. Asammūḍhaḥ. Asammūḍhaḥ means one who understands this simple philosophy, he is not illusioned. Every one of us is illusioned. This is illusion. Just like we are claiming this land as our land. "We are Americans. It is our land." "I am Indian. Oh, India is my land." This is illusion. So practically we see that how I become the owner of this land? Before my birth the land was there, and after my death the land will be there, and I do not know where I am going to take my birth. So how many times after repeated birth and death I shall go on claiming, "This is my country; this is my home," and again leave it and go another place: "This is my country; this is my home." Is it not nonsense?
If I am eternal, I am simply changing my dress, and I do not know how many times I have changed my dress during this life, and if I claim a particular dress, "Oh, this is my dress," is it not nonsense? You are changing dress always. You are changing your country, you are changing your form, and still you are claiming, "This is mine." And you are too much engrossed in this conception of life.
So one has to be disillusioned, means out of illusion. So whatever we are doing in this material conception of life, that is illusion. Therefore we cannot understand God. One who is not under the spell of illusion he can understand, asammūḍha. He can understand God. So first of all we have to understand whether we are not illusioned. Asammūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu. Martyeṣu, in the, among, in the human society or in the society... Not only... Martyeṣu means all living entities who are conditioned, or, rather, conditioned souls. Asammūḍhaḥ. Sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate. He becomes at once freed from all... So if we want to become freed from all encumbrances of this material world, then we have to understand God. There is no question of neglecting. It is the prime duty.
Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, manuṣyeṣu, sahasreṣu. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu [Bg. 7.3]. This understanding, this perfect knowledge, is possible... Out of many, many millions of human beings or living entities, one may be enlightened. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye. Martyeṣu yatamāneṣu api sahasreṣu madhye yo yadṛk ca mat-tattva-vit.(?)
Oh, generally we are born all fools, because as soon as I take my birth, I am nourished by my parents very nicely, and I am educated in such a way that I falsely claim some land as my land, I falsely claim something which is not at all... But we are educated in that. This is called national education. That means to make you more foolish. That, the so-called national education, means to make you more and more foolish. I am already born foolish, and my education is given to make me more foolish. Just I am not foolish? Because I am changing my, this country, I am changing my society, I am changing my body. Still, I am claiming, "This is mine."
You have got so many "mines." You have got so many dresses. Why do you claim a particular dress as "this is yours"? Why? Don't you think that after changing so many dresses, if you are particularly situated in certain kind of nice dress, may be very nice dress, but why do you attach so much importance on that nice dress? Why don't you understand that this dress is nice. That's all ri... Next moment I may be in a very ugly dress. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ [Bg. 3.27]. As you are associating with the different kinds of material modes of nature, we have to change your dress. That is in the grip of material nature. You cannot say. You cannot dictate, "Oh, nature, please don't change my dress. Keep me American." No. She is not your order-supplier. She will see what dress you require. So she will examine what is your mentality. "Oh, your mentality is dog, doggish? Take this dog's dress. No more American dress." And if you have god's mentality, "Oh, take this god's dress."
This is under, in the material nature. How can we control it? You are not controller of material nature. You cannot dictate. You can dictate some of your followers, that's all. But you cannot dictate the supreme authority. That is not possible. Just like I can dictate to my students, but I cannot dictate the government. I have to obey the orders of the government, however great swamiji I may be. That is not possible. Similarly, we cannot dictate. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni [Bg. 3.27].
Therefore, out of many, many fools... We are all fools. So it is said, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu [Bg. 7.3], martyeṣu yatamāneṣu, that somebody tries to understand, "Oh, actually what I am? Am I American or Indian or Chinese or Japanese or cat or dog?" This inquiry. This is inquiry. This is really inquiry, "What I am?" So this inquiry goes on. This is called brahma-jijñāsā, this inquiry.
Now, if you inquire something, then you have to ask somebody. You cannot go on inquiring and answering yourself. That is another foolishness. If you inquire, then you have to inquire from a person who is bigger than you. Is it not? Can you inquire yourself when... Suppose you may cross a street. You have forgotten which way to go. Then you have to inquire some police standing there or some gentleman, "Where is this way?" So similarly, this inquiry, if this inquiry comes into you, that "What I am?" then you have to go to an authority. The Vedic injunction therefore asks you, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] "If you are actually seriously an inquirer, then you must go to a spiritual master."
And what is that? What is that spiritual master? Simply a red dress like this or having a big beard? No. Samit-pāṇiḥ. Samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham. You have to go to a person who is conversant with the science of Kṛṣṇa. You have to go. So this is the formula. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu [Bg. 7.3]. Martyeṣu yatamāneṣu sahasreṣu madhye yo yadṛk ca mat-tattva-vit. Nobody inquires even. But if a man is fortunate to inquire, he can make progress and come to this understanding, that Kṛṣṇa is the origin, cause of all causes.
Go on inquiring. The inquiry is called philosophy. Philosophy means to inquire, research. Or say... You have read in the Bhagavad-gītā, jñānī jijñāsuḥ. Jijñāsuḥ means inquiry. Four kinds of people who are in the righteous path, whose life is regulated, who is not upstart, who follows the rules and regulation of scriptures, and higher authority, or higher principles, such person, not all... That is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā: na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ [Bg. 7.15]. Those who are simply addicted to, I mean to say, sinful activities, they cannot inquire. They will be in the darkness, gone, gone under some intoxication, gone. But those who are actually righteous and pious, they will have this inquiry, and they will come to God.
So sattva-saṅgī. And this inquiry, this association is made to give facility to the people that they may come and inquire about Kṛṣṇa. You see? And learn the science and apply it in our life and be happy. This is a process to make people actually happy. It is not a thing to exploit people. The exploitation is going on, but this society, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is... The aim of this society is to enlighten people about the science of Kṛṣṇa, or science of God, so that they can understand it rightly and apply it in the life and become happy.
You want happiness, but you do not know the way of happiness. This is the way of happiness, to understand Kṛṣṇa. What is the cause of distress? Distress is caused by sinful activities. So here it is said that sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate. If there is no sinful reaction, where is your suffering? So here it is clearly said that "One who understands Kṛṣṇa without any doubt, that He is the origin of everything, he at once becomes relieved from all reaction." Here also He says, and in the last chapter, eighteenth chapter also, the Lord says that ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: [Bg. 18.66] "You just come to Me, and I shall give you protection from all reactions of sinful activities."
So if He is the origin, if He is God, and if He is all-powerful, He can give you shelter. Don't... Don't disbelieve Him. He is not a man like me. If I promise you something, it may be broken because I am not all-powerful. But here is a promise by the all-powerful.
So best thing is... So, sattva-saṅga. So this mentality develops by this association. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-samvidaḥ. If you associate with Kṛṣṇa consciousness society, then the benefit will be that your dormant, I mean to say, relationship with Kṛṣṇa will be invoked. We have got, every one of us, we have got our eternal relationship with God. And the foolish people, they say that "I don't believe God." Just like an upstart son says, "I have no connection with father." How can you disconnect your father? Similarly, there is no question of disbelieving in God. It is simply foolishness, simply foolishness.
So that dormant relationship is there. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti. You want to serve Kṛṣṇa, but it is now covered. You want to revoke [invoke] your relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Just like a good son, if he is not mad, he is not crazy, natural affection is there for father. Natural affection is there, father. As soon as the father, the parents, call, they go. So similarly, we have got this dormant relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Simply by the spell of illusion we are thinking that "We have no connection with God or Kṛṣṇa. Let us act independently and do all foolish things and be happy." So we are unhappy; so we are frustrated; so we are full of anxieties. This is our position.
So here it is stated that when, by good association, when we associate with persons who are in the knowledge of Kṛṣṇa, in knowledge of God, in the science, if we associate, then this dormant intuition will be revived and we shall be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Atrājam ity anena pradhāna-pradhānāt cid-vargāt saṁsāra-vivargāc ca veda, veda.(?) Now, here this ajam, that God is unborn, this indicates that He is different from this material world because in the material world we have no experience that anyone is unborn. Everyone is born. Not only everyone, everything is born. This your New York City is born. You will find some date in the history that the New York City was started four hundred years or five hundred years. So we have got, we are very much fond of history. That means finding out the date of birth of everything. So this is the nature. So "He is unborn" means that spiritual nature is not like this material nature. At once we can understand. Spiritual nature is born and... Material nature is born, and spiritual nature is not born. This is the distinction. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is not material, He is spiritual. Because He says unborn, therefore He is not material. Immediately you have to understand.
Those foolish commentators do not understand this, that if Kṛṣṇa is unborn, then how He can become like one of us if He is unborn? Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā you will find, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam [Bg. 9.11]. Because Kṛṣṇa is before you just like an ordinary person, or not ordinary, extraordinary... But here in this world, even extraordinary person, he is also born. He is born. The President Johnson is born. So you are also born. Everyone. Even Brahmā is born. But He is not born.
So how can I deride on Kṛṣṇa as ordinary man? Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā I will find it is said that avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ: [Bg. 9.11] "Those who are fools, rascals, they think of Me as ordinary man." Yes. But He is not ordinary man. Exactly this word is used, you will find in the Bhagavad-gītā, mūḍha. Mūḍha means the fools, rascals. They think of Kṛṣṇa just like ordinary man. But He is different. He is different from everything of this world because everything of this world is born. You will trace out the history, the birthdate. But you cannot.
Therefore, ajam anādi. Anādi, you cannot find out any date. Adyasya sapariṇāmena asya deha-janmasu janma-stha anādim ity anena viśeṣataḥ mukta-cid-vargāc ca veda.(?) Anādi. Now, anādi, this word, should be very nicely analyzed. Anādi means without any cause. Now, Kṛṣṇa may be spiritual, but there are other spiritual bodies also. There are many spiritual bodies, and we are also having spiritual body, but it is now covered. But our spiritual body is also due to Kṛṣṇa. Because everything is born, everything is born. So my spiritual body is also born. It is not born exactly, but because we have no idea about the spiritual existence, therefore the cause and effect we have to take it for granted.
Just like in the fire there is always the sparks of fire. The sparks of fire are not born. It appears... When it is manifested, it appears just like born from the fire. But actually it is not born; it is there. It is there. You have seen fireplace, "phut!" and you see thousands of sparks at once, and again comes down. Similarly, we are not born. We are also not born. But there is difference because the sparks come out of the original fire. So we are all sparks, spiritual sparks. We come out from Kṛṣṇa. So even though we are not born, but the cause is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is different from us. Is not that logic right?
So we cannot be Kṛṣṇa. Fools claim that "I am Kṛṣṇa." How you can be Kṛṣṇa? There is difference. This is the difference. Also not different. Therefore Lord Caitanya's philosophy, acintya-bhedābheda, simultaneously one and different. The same example: take it that the sparks of the fire, they are fire. They are not anything. But they are not the original fire, the sparks. They are fire. So therefore, so far the fiery qualities concerned, we are all one with God, but because we are generated from God, therefore we are different. So God is different, simultaneously one and different, actually different.
Just like father and son. The same example: father and son, different and nondifferent at the same time. Because son is born, is the expansion of the body of the father. Therefore he is nondifferent. But still, the son is not father. If the son claims in all respects that "I am as good as father," oh, that is nonsense. So this is philosophy. Adyasya sa-pariṇāmena deha... Anādim loka-maheśvaram iti muktyādi-vargāt prakṛti-kalaṁ ca veda.(?) And because he is declaring Himself loka-maheśvaram, loka-maheśvaram—that means He is the supreme proprietor of everything—therefore He is different from everything. He is different from everything.
Suppose I am proprietor of New York State, but still, I am different from New York State. These things are to be carefully analyzed. Those who are monists, they say, "everything one." How you can say one? How you can say one? In every step different. In every step different. This is dvaita-vāda, duality. So this philosophy of Lord Caitanya, that simultaneously one and different, that is the perfect philosophy. Nobody can say that we are completely different from God, and nobody can say we are completely one with God. We are both, one and different. These things are to be understood analytically like this, as it is explained here. This is understanding of Kṛṣṇa. If you try to understand Kṛṣṇa and your position in such nice analytical way from authoritative sources, then at once you become free from all sinful activities. This process.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness process—Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare—will help you to understand. It will cleanse your dirty things from the mind, and therefore, then you shall be able to catch up anything. To understand anything to do, one requires to be little qualified. You see? Unless such qualification... So this
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
if you chant always, twenty-four hours, without any payment, so it will cleanse. It will cleanse your heart so that you will be able to analyze your position, God's position, the world's position, your relationship, your activities. Then everything will be nicely clear and illuminated.
So this association is made for that purpose, and we are trying to distribute this knowledge from authoritative books like Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and as far as possible, we are using our all talents in this, and we welcome you. And take advantage, participate with us. Thank you very much. Any questions? (end)
670103BG.NY
—
New York, January 3, 1967
Prabhupāda:
buddhir jñānam asammohaḥ
So what is knowledge? Knowledge means distinguishing the spirit from matter. That is knowledge. We should understand what is spirit and what is matter. We are combination of matter and spirit. Actually I am a spirit, but I am now covered, embodied by matter. When we make a complete analytical study what is matter, what is spirit, that is called knowledge.
Material knowledge, any subject matter you can take, but that is temporary. Just like this body is temporary, similarly, any material knowledge you acquire, either you become a chemist or physicist or a medical man or an engineer, whatever you may acquire knowledge, all this knowledge will finish as soon as this body is finished. You forget. Death means forgetfulness.
Because the spirit does not die, eternal, so spiritual knowledge continues. If you develop spiritual knowledge... Suppose cent percent spiritual knowledge you acquire in this body. Then that will continue with you. Even after destruction of this body that spiritual knowledge will continue with you, and when you get next body, you begin... You finished your ten percent. You will begin again from eleven percent. That knowledge will not be lost. That is the law of nature. Spiritual knowledge... In the Bhagavad-gītā we have studied already, svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. If you cultivate spiritual knowledge even one percent, two percent, that can render you greater service because it will continue. Once spiritual knowledge begun, it will not be stopped. The best thing is to finish it cent percent in this life because this human form of life is meant for cultivating spiritual knowledge.
It is not meant for material enjoyment. Material enjoyment means eating, sleeping, and defending and mating. These four principles, they are called material enjoyment. Just like we see advertisement. The other day I was seeing the New York Times magazine. So all advertisements were based on mating. That's all. So because mating is most attractive, therefore the shopkeepers, they advertise their dress, putting before one very nice girl. Because our attraction is for mating, so as soon as we see a nice girl our attention is diverted immediately. That is the psychology. So these are all material enjoyments: eating, sleeping, defending and mating.
And spiritual enjoyment is just opposite. There is no sense enjoyment. There is self-realization, or purifying the senses. Spiritual enjoyment means purifying the senses. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. It is a purificatory process. And as soon as you purify your senses, then you become in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness and become eligible for being transferred to the spiritual world.
So this human form of life is specially meant for cultivation of spiritual knowledge. Because in any other form of life... There are eight million four-hundred-thousands of species of life, and the best developed consciousness form of life is the human form of life, especially civilized men. There are 400,000 species of human beings. Human being means with two hands and two legs. So not all of them are efficient, but they have got this Kṛṣṇa consciousness dormant. Even in the lowest aboriginal stage of life there is dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But civilized life, Aryan, Aryan family, they are quite competent to deve..., culture, to cultivate this knowledge.
So jñāna, knowledge, means distinguishing between spirit and matter. And this knowledge should be cultivated and taken full advantage in this life. That is successful life. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ [SB 1.5.18]. Now, a living entity, a spiritual spark, is wandering, wandering from, not only from one country to another country or from one body to another, but one planet to another. The qualification of a living entity is called sarva-ga. Sarva-ga. Sarva means all, and ga means one can go. You can go anywhere.
Just like you have the facility of traveling over the surface of the world or in the outer space on the earth. But you cannot go beyond the orbit. This is called conditioned life. In conditioned life we are limited in our traveling. But in spiritual life you can travel anywhere. The best example is Nārada Muni. He can travel anywhere he likes. Even in this universe we have got a planet which is called Siddhaloka, a planet of the perfect. Not perfect completely, but they are called siddha. Siddha means almost perfect. The inhabitants of that planet, they can travel without any aid of a sputnik or aeroplane from one planet to another. We get this information from Śrīmad-Bhāgavata. So in spiritual life we have got complete freedom to move, to act, to enjoy. So that spiritual knowledge should be cultivated. That is the best utilization of this human form of life.
If we do not utilize this human form of life for spiritual cultivation, then we are practically committing suicide. Ātma-han.
There is a very nice Sanskrit verse that... Just like you have to cross a great ocean. Now, if you want to cross Atlantic Ocean from New York to England, then you must have a very nice ship and a good captain and the atmosphere very favorable. Then it is very easy to cross. So that example is given in a Sanskrit verse, nṛ-deham ādyaṁ su-labhaṁ su-kalpam. Now, to cross this ocean of material existence... This is ocean. It is compared with ocean. Bhava-sāgara. Sāgara means ocean. So to cross this ocean you have got very nice ship. What is that? Nṛ-deham. This human form of life. Nṛ-deham ādyam. It is very nice ship. And su-labhaṁ su-labhaṁ su-durlabham. Su-labham means this kind of ship you cannot get always. It is an opportunity.
This is an opportunity because we do not know what is going to happen in my next life. There is no guarantee that in next life you are going to take your birth in America or in human form of life. There is no guarantee. Therefore, so long you have got this opportunity, you must fully utilize it. Nṛ-deham ādyam su-labhaṁ su-durlabham. Su-labham, by opportunity, by fortune we have got this, su-labham. And su-durlabham. Su-durlabham means it is very difficult to get this body, because... Just imagine. By gradual evolutionary process from the aquatic to the plant life, then from plant life to worm life, then from worm life to bird's life, then from bird's life to beast life, from beast life to human life—this is the gradual process of evolution. So therefore this human form of life is very difficult to get. By some fortune you have got now. So therefore it is said, su-labhaṁ su-durlabham.
And you have got this nice ship. And guru-karṇa-dhāram. And if you have got a nice spiritual master who is captain, good captain, who can help you to ply your ship on the same. So nṛ-deham ādyam su-labhaṁ su-durlabham. And atmosphere is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, created by the Supreme Lord by delivering you the message of Bhagavad-gītā. So you have got very good atmosphere. Just you compare in the same way: If in Atlantic Ocean there is no wind, there is no hurricane, and you have got a very good ship and very good captain, now take this opportunity of crossing. If you don't cross, then you are committing suicide. Oh, very nice.
So these are the opportunities of developing your knowledge in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and spiritual culture. And the advantage is that as soon as you become fully conscious of your constitutional position, then you are freed from this material entanglement. This is called jñānam. Jñānam asammohaḥ. Don't be very hesitant. Asammohaḥ means if you want to acquire some knowledge, you should acquire it maybe slowly but acquire it very surely, step by step. Don't be impatient. Asammohaḥ. Not that blindly accepting something and thinking that "I have got all knowledge. Finished." No.
You have got developed consciousness, you have got intelligence, but that intelligence, consciousness, depends also on your mode of living, on your mode of behavior. Therefore one has to become a brāhmaṇa, sāttvika, in the modes of goodness. Then you will be patient, patient, śānta, peaceful. If you become hesitant, then you cannot. This is called asammohaḥ.
Asammohaḥ kṣamā. Kṣamā means tolerant. Tolerant. You should not be disturbed. Suppose you are in this Kṛṣṇa conscious society. Now, you cannot expect that all the members of the society will be first-class men. How can we expect? We are collecting members of the society from all classes of men. So there may be a man in goodness, a man in the passion and a man in the ignorance. But if you think, "Oh, this man is not good. That man is not good," oh... No. You should be tolerant. You haven't got any connection with this man or that man. You are connected with the philosophy, with the process of life, and you are connected... Just like the same example: suppose you are on the ship. You do not find just all men to your choice. There may be different kinds of men. But what is that to you? You have to cross the Atlantic Ocean, patiently cross. Just sit down tightly on the ship and take advantage of the opportunity. That is your business. This is called kṣamā. Kṣamā means excuse and tolerant.
Suppose somebody has offended you. Excuse him. This is also another kind of penance. Lord Caitanya has taught us:
[Cc. Ādi 17.31]
If you want to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then you have to become tolerant. What kind of tolerant? Just like a tree. Don't you think a tree, how much tolerant it is? Everybody is committing offense on the tree. Somebody is snatching its twigs, somebody is snatching its flowers, somebody snatching leaves, somebody cutting, but it does not protest. Rather, on the contrary, it supplies you fruits, flower, and gives you shelter. So tree is the nicest example for tolerance. So Lord Caitanya teaches us that we should become tolerant just like a tree. And tṛṇād api sunīcena, and forbearance just like a grass. Just like you trample over grass. It does not protest. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā, amāninā.
And you should not be puffed up with your artificial honor. "Oh, I am this. I am that." This, that, that belongs to this body. You are apart from this body. Suppose you are king in this body. So you have no connection with that body. And suppose you are the poorest man. You have no connection with that body. So why do you identify yourself that "I am poor" or "I am king"? You are neither king, neither poor. You are spirit soul. Therefore amāninā. You should not be hankering after these temporary honors of this material world. Honor or dishonor, the same thing because we do not belong to that honor, that kind of honor or dishonor. So tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā, amāninā mānadena. But other foolish creature who disturbs you, you should give him all honor. Who is identified with this body, give him all honor, "Oh, you, sir, you are very beautiful. You are very learned." So that he may not disturb you, give him all honor.
[Cc. Ādi 17.31]
In this process you can go on chanting. Nobody will disturb you. Because as soon as you take to spiritual life, there will be so many disturbances. Because it is a declaration of war with the illusory energy, so as soon as you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, the illusory energy sees, "Oh, this man is going out of my hand, out of my control. Oh, give him all impediments." Therefore you have to learn this tolerance. Therefore next two words after kṣamā, satyam. Satyaṁ yathā dṛṣṭy-artha-viṣayaṁ para-hita-bhāṣaṇam.(?) Satyam means you should speak the actual truth. You should not flatter. You should not flatter for sense gratification. Satyam.
Satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the definition of truth, Absolute Truth, is given there. What is that? Janmādy asya yataḥ: [SB 1.1.1] "The Absolute Truth is that from which everything emanates, the original source of all." That is Absolute Truth. So you should understand what is satyam, Absolute Truth, satyam. And para-hita-bhāṣaṇam. You should speak truth also.
What is that truth? That truth is "God is great, and we are subservient. So our duty is to abide by the orders of God," the simple truth. "God is great." You can say, "Why we should abide by the orders of God?" Because you are subservient. "No, I am not subservient." That is untrue. You are subservient. If you don't accept your subordinate position before God, then you have to accept your subordinate position under these material stringent laws. You have to become subservient. There is no other alternative. You cannot become absolute.
It is a false notion that you are independent. You are not independent. It is a false notion. Nobody is independent. We may be puffed up that "We belong to an independent nation. Now we have got..." Just like Indian. We were under British rule. Now we have got independence. This is all false notion. What is that independence? The nature's law is forcing starvation. What is this independence? They are now begging grains from other countries. In British time there was no begging at least. Now their independence means they are begging. So these are all false notions. Nobody is independent. He is dependent in some way or other under the laws of nature. The laws of nature at once can force the stringent laws, and he becomes subservient. So subservient, to become subservient, is your nature. You cannot alter it. The best thing is that instead of becoming subservient to this false, you should become subservient to the Absolute Truth. Satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi [SB 1.1.1].
Therefore Bhāgavata instructs you that you just try to offer your respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Truth. That is your perfection of life. Satyaṁ damaḥ. Anartha-viṣaya-śrotrāder niyamānam.(?) Damaḥ. Damaḥ means to control the senses. Anartha. Now you are sitting here. It is very kind of you. But you could go to a cinema house or hear from, I mean to, world noise by television or, say, something like... It is simply waste of time. So you have to control your senses in such a way that every moment should be utilized for your spiritual cultivation of life. You should not allow the senses to enjoy anything which is against the cultivation of spiritual life. That is called damaḥ, control.
You can eat. You can go to a restaurant and have very palatable dishes of meats and so many things. But you have to control it: "No. I shall not eat all this nonsense. I shall eat only kṛṣṇa-prasādam." Eating is not prohibited because without eating you cannot live. That's all right. But there are so many things. Just like even you don't accept kṛṣṇa-prasādam, you try to become vegetarian. In your country especially I see you have got enough arrangement for vegetable dishes. I am here for the last more than one year. I am getting all nice vegetable dishes prepared by our nice student Kīrtanānanda. So you are also tasting them. They are very nice.
So you should not allow the senses to enjoy something which is against the advancement of your spiritual life. That is called damaḥ. And you have to learn this. If you cannot control your... A swami, a swami, this title, means one who can control the senses. He is called swami, master of the senses. Generally we are all servants because our constitutional position is servant, subservient. So we are servant of this material nature means we are servants of the senses. That's all. We have got this material body, and the senses are prominent. We are active in material body means we are acting in sense gratification. That's all. So we are practically servant of the senses. And as soon as you become master of the senses, that the senses should not act according to their whims. The senses should act according to your order.
The same example. Suppose there is very nice performance of sense gratification and one wants to go there. But if you can control your senses—"No, not to go there. Come here in this storefront. Hear Bhagavad-gītā." Then you become master. You become master. That is swami. In similar way, if you can control your all your senses... Now, the sense gratification... The most important task for controlling the sense is the tongue. I have several times explained that the tongue is the beginning of all senses. So if you can control the tongue, then you can control other senses also. And if you cannot control the tongue, then you cannot control other senses. So you should begin controlling the senses.
The tongue has two functions: to taste and to vibrate. Vibrate
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
and taste kṛṣṇa-prasāda. Just see how you are making advancement. This is called damaḥ. So as soon as you are able to control your senses, naturally you shall be able to control your mind. That is called śamaḥ. So these are the processes. So we have to practice this process and learn this process from reliable sources and assimilate them in our life. That is the real utilization of this human form of life. We should learn it, we should practice it, and make our life successful. Thank you very much. (end)
670104BG.NY
—
New York, January 4, 1967
Prabhupāda:
buddhir jñānam asammohaḥ
So we have to understand these qualifications. Intelligence. Buddhiḥ means intelligence. Jñānam means knowledge. Asammohaḥ means freedom from illusion. Kṣamā. Kṣamā, forgiveness. Satyam, truth. Damaḥ. Damaḥ means controlling the senses, and samaḥ, to keep the mind equibalanced. Sukham means happiness. Duḥkham, distress, bhava means birth. Abhāva. Abhāva means death, bhayam, fear, and abhayam, fearlessness. Ahiṁsā, nonviolence; samatā, equality; tuṣṭiḥ, satisfaction; tapaḥ, penance; dānam charity; yaśaḥ, fame; ayaśaḥ, defamation; bhavanti, "all these become," bhāvāḥ... Bhāva means state of being. Bhūtānām, "of all living entities;" mattaḥ, "from Me;" eva, certainly; pṛthag-vidhāḥ, differently. Because Kṛṣṇa has declared already, aham ādir hi devānām [Bg. 10.2]. Maharṣīṇāṁ ca sarva. He is the original cause of everything.
Now... Then He must be the cause of all good qualification and bad qualification also. Whatever we see in this material world, we consider, "This is bad, and this is good." We have divided that, according to our calculation. But actually there are... They are varied manifestation of the qualities of Kṛṣṇa. Here in the material world, those qualities, transcendental qualities, they are in Kṛṣṇa and they are in living entities. Just like we have all these qualities.
Take for example buddhi. Buddhi means intelligence. And what is that intelligence? Real intelligence? Real intelligence is to know, to understand that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme, and I am part and parcel." It is stated here that intelligence means sukhārtha-vivecana-samatyam.[?] Suppose one is very intelligent to drive a car. That is not... That is material intelligence for earning our bread. Real intelligence is sukhārtha[?], the finer sentiments to understand the finer activities of this nature. That is called buddhi, to understand how things are happening. Just like one is considered to be intelligent when he tries to understand not this physiological or anatomical construction of this body. He wants to see by intelligence what is the active principle of this body that is working. That is intelligence, not that...
Just like a child. A child sees that a nice motor car runs in the street. He thinks that the motor car is running out of its own accord. That is not intelligence. The motor car is not running... In spite of its... Just like here we have got this tape recorder, this microphone. Somebody may say, "Oh, how fine discoveries are these. They are working so nicely." But one should see that this tape recorder or this microphone cannot work for a single moment unless a spirit soul touch it. This is intelligence. We should not be wonderful by seeing a machine. We should try to find out who is working the machine. That is intelligence, sukhārtha-vivecanam, to see the finer.
Grossly seeing, that is not intelligence. Oh, man is working; man is living; man is writing books, oh, wonderfully. He is scientist. But what that finer things that at once it is vanished; the scientist becomes fool. No more scientist. Can scientist discover something and place it before his student that "When my body will be stopped, you inject this thing, and I'll come out again." Has scientist discovered this thing? No. If scientist could discover such thing then there would have been no scarcity of scientist. Sir Isaac Newton, Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose, Sir P.C. Raya and so many scientists all over the world, they have discovered very, very... In your country, Edison... They have discovered so many wonderful things. Oh. Then why don't you... O Mr. Scientist, why don't you discover something so that we can keep it as soon as your body will be stopped, and we shall inject this scientific, and you will come out again and work? So this is called intelligence.
The scientist is working, the philosopher is working, not out of his own accord. It is working under the spell of material nature. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
[Bg. 3.27]
Prakṛti... By nature's law he's working. Why not everybody scientist? Why not everybody? If it is accidental and it is automatic, why there are so many differences? Here is a scientist; here is a fool. Why? Why this distinction? The distinction is made by prakṛti, by nature.
And what is this prakṛti? That prakṛti is mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram [Bg. 9.10]. Oh. Kṛṣṇa says, "Under My direction this prakṛti is working." The prakṛti, nature, is the agent. The real worker is Kṛṣṇa. We are simply instrument. That is our position. If you have got intelligence, then you have to understand that you are simply an instrument. Just like my hand. What is this hand? This is an instrument. I can pick up. So I am working, not this hand is working. I am working. So people do not understand it. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā. By false ego he is thinking, "Oh, I am scientist. I am philosopher. I am Rockefeller. I am businessman, I am swami. I am this." Sometimes we think, "I am poor. I am this. I am that."
No. You are simply instrument in the hands of Kṛṣṇa. That is intelligence. Therefore you should work as Kṛṣṇa desires. That is real intelligence. If you work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is real intelligence. And if you work against Kṛṣṇa, that is foolishness. That is the distinction between intelligent and foolishness. Jñānam. Jñāna means knowledge. Now, so far knowledge is concerned, here is a key packet. If you want to make research who has made this packet, who has discovered it, in which country first it was introduced, in what material it is made, oh, you can write volumes of books. You can speculate in any damn thing, and you can write volumes of books. That does not mean that you are a man of knowledge. There are so many.
I'll give you one very nice example. This is practical. In my youthhood I was manager in a big chemical firm. So there was a sulphuric acid chamber. There was some defect. It was not working well. In that chamber sulphur is given, and it is fused, and then acid comes out. So it was not working. So there were many scientists. They were sitting, consulting books: "Oh, why it is not working?" Then the managing director, Dr. Bose... He was very intelligent man. He at once went to another firm. They were also chemical. He knew there was an ordinary worker; he was very experienced. So... He was Muhammadan. He called him at once, "Just come and see what is defect there." And he at once came and manipulated some machine—at once acid transformed. All the theoretical scientists, they sat down. So this kind of experience you'll find even an ordinary man.
And even in bird you'll find. They have got some sort of specific intelligence or knowledge. That is not knowledge. You'll find even in animals there are some wonderful activities which we cannot perform. That is not knowledge. Knowledge means to understand spirit and matter. That is knowledge, what is spirit, what is matter. Just like after intellectual research you find that there is something within this body which is working without which this body is useless. Then, when you come to knowledge that this is this and this is that, when you understand that this is spirit and this is matter... Matter is working due to the touch of the spirit.
Just like I have already explained that this, I mean to say, tape recorder, this microphone, is working because a boy who is spirit soul, he has touched it. Without[?] touching. So therefore we must distinguish that what is matter and spirit. Matter cannot work without touch of spirit. Matter is dependent on spirit. This is knowledge, not that matter is prominent and spirit is neglected. That is foolishness.
Therefore in the present education there is hardly a few persons who are actually in knowledge because they have neglected the spirit side of the activity. They have taken only the material side of the activity. So if you come to according to the Bhagavad-gītā, then it is a civilization of fools. That you may call...[?] They are giving too much stress on the motor car machine and not to the driver. The driver is neglected. This is foolish civilization. Man is neglected.
I think in my childhood when I was a student, Scottish Churches College, I read one magazine from your country. I think that magazine is still current, Scientific America. Is there any magazine? Yes. In magazine I saw one picture. I think that skyscraper was beginning at that time. A man was working very heartily, and the picture is there that for manufacturing matter, a soul is being killed. You see? That is material civilization. They are giving too much stress on the matter, on the material side, but they are neglecting the spirit. That is not civilization. One should give more stress on the spiritual side because that is the active principle. So that is called knowledge. A man is to be understood in knowledge when he is giving, I mean to say, importance to the spiritual side. He is called jñānī. Otherwise they are fools. So jñānam. Jñānam means cid-acid-vastu-vivecanam, to understand what is matter and spirit.
Now, a civilized, real, advanced civilization, the Aryans... The Aryans are called advanced. The actual meaning of Aryan means advanced, according to Sanskrit. This is a... Aryan is not any, I mean to say, English word or Hindu or any other language. It is the Sanskrit word, Aryan. Aryan. The word comes from the ārya, a-r-y-a, ārya. Now it has become a common word, Aryan, but originally it is Sanskrit word. And ārya means one who is advanced, or one who is civilized, one who knows, one who has knowledge. Then he is called ārya. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find. When Arjuna declined to fight, Kṛṣṇa condemned him, "Oh, you are just like talking like a non-Aryan, not Aryan."
So we all belong to the Aryan family. Historical reference is there, Indo-European family. So Aryan stock was on the central Asia. Some of them migrated to India. Some of them migrated to Europe. And from Europe you have come. So we belong to the Aryan family, but we have lost our knowledge. So we have become non-Aryan practically. Because we do not give importance to the spiritual side of life. The Aryan means one who gives importance to the spiritual side of life.
And what is that importance? The spiritual side importance-giving means one has to see how much important this human life is. Because in the human form of life the spirit soul, although it is conditioned by material, I mean to say, encagement, it has developed its consciousness by gradual evolution. This evolution theory is there in the Padma-Purāṇa. There is actually evolution from lower status of life beginning from the aquatics, small, then plant life, then germs' life, then birds' life, then beast life, then human form of life, then civilized human form of life.
So fortunately we have got now civilized form of life. The Aryan family means they are civilized form of life. But we are utilizing in the matter of maintaining this body. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. We are utilizing this material, this developed body. The spirit soul has got the chance now to liberate himself. There is a process. By nature's way, the evolution is to give chance the spirit to get out of this material entanglement. So people are not giving importance.
Therefore sometimes we find there is overpopulation. Overpopulation. What is this overpopulation? Overpopulation means that just like from lower class a student is promoted, and when he comes to the final class, if he does not pass, then the class is overcrowded. Suppose from one, two, three, four, one comes to the tenth class. Tenth class is meant for final examination and go to the college. So if in the tenth class the students fail, then the tenth class becomes overpopulated. Similarly, the present civilization we sometimes find that there is overpopulation. Overpopulation means we are not being promoted to higher life. We are being blocked, and therefore nature's course is: there must be some pestilence; there must be some war to finish it.
So there is no such intelligence, there is no such knowledge, and they are very much proud. So if we want really... Because these things are God gift, knowledge... It is explained here, buddhir jñānam asammohaḥ. All these things are gift of God. So we must utilize. This human form is developed for utilizing the gifts of God. God has given us nice foodstuff; God has given us intelligence; God has given us knowledge; now God has given us books of knowledge. He is personally speaking this Bhagavad-gītā. Why don't you utilize it? Why don't you utilize it? If we utilize it, then we may be proud of become Aryan or human being.
But if we don't utilize these things, simply we follow the animal propensity... Just like a dog is after a lady dog, similarly, if we are like that, just like hog is after a female hog, so this is not civilization. We must be sober. We must be sober. We must be distinct from animal life. That is called utilization of human form of life. Labdhvā su-durlabham idam. It is stated in the Vedic literature that labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte: "This body is achieved after many, many, many, many births, after millions and trillions of years." Because... You don't think that all of a sudden, by accident, we have got this body. There are other bodies, cats, dogs and so many bodies. Why in this civilized form of? There must have been some process. So this is said in the Vedic literature, labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte, mānuṣyam artha-dam: "This human form of life is achieved after many, many millions of other forms of birth."
And what is this form? Mānuṣyam, human form, man. This mānuṣya is Sanskrit word and English word, "man," there is similarity, Latin. Originally, this mānuṣyam, or "man" comes from the word Manu. Manu is the father of humankind. Mānuṣyam. So why it is so rare? Artha-dam. You can attain the highest perfection, artha-dam. Artha means money, or artha means substance. Artha-dam. So we are utilizing it for money-making. Artha means money also, but there is another meaning of artha. Artha means substance. We are missing the substance. We are attracted by material money only. So mānuṣyam artha-dam anityam apīha dhīraḥ. And anityam. Although artha-dam—it can deliver you the substance—but it is not permanent, anitya. Nitya means eternal, permanent; anitya means just the opposite. So the scriptures, Vedic scripture, advises you mānuṣyam artha-dam apīha dhīraḥ.
But if you are dhīra-dhīra means sober, intelligent—then how you shall utilize it? Tūrṇaṁ yateta anu-mṛtyu na pated yāvat. You should try to utilize your this human form of life to achieve the highest substance very soon. Tūrṇam means very soon. Why very soon? Anu-mṛtyu na pated yāvat. You do not know when your death will come. You do not know. So before death comes just utilize yourself. Don't think that "I am young man. Let me enjoy now. Eat, drink, be merry and enjoy." No. You should not neglect.
Prahlāda Mahārāja, a five years' old boy, he was instructed by Nārada Muni. He became a very great devotee. And he was instructing his class fellows when he was a five years' old boy. Because it doesn't matter whether he's a five years' old boy or five hundred years' old tree or a five millions years' stone. There is no utilization. If you become a five years' old boy and if you understand this knowledge your life is perfect. These things are all very nicely discussed. They say, "Oh..." Taravaḥ kiṁ na jīvanti [SB 2.3.18] . "Oh, you are very much proud of your long duration of life? Because you see that cats and dogs die within ten years or twenty years and you live seventy years or eighty years, therefore you are very much proud?" Oh. The answer is taravaḥ kiṁ na jīvanti: "Don't you see the tree? It lives five hundred years, thousand years." "Oh, a tree lives, but it cannot breathe." Oh. Bhastrā kiṁ na śvasanti: "Don't you see the bellow, a bag of skin? 'Bhass, bhass, bhass'—it is breathing. So do you think your breathing is very expertness?" "Well, they breathe, but they cannot enjoy sex life." "Oh. What is that? The dogs and hogs, they do not enjoy sex life? Do they not eat?"
In this way there is analysis. There is analysis, regular analysis: "What for you are so much proud?" The proudness should be proved when you are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the perfection of life. Otherwise, you are cats and dogs. Don't take it that I am criticizing you. Just I am analyzing the fact. So this should be utilized. This is called intelligence. This is called jñāna. This is called free from bewilderment. These are the process. Even if we study Bhagavad-gītā nicely, analytically, systematically, in any way, with our intelligence... We have got intelligence; we have got reason. Then we become perfect man. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Take advantage of it. Don't spoil your life. That is our request. The society is for that purpose. We are not bluffing anybody that "Make exercise and go home," no. Here is something substantial. You try to understand it. Thank you very much. (end)
670106BG.NY
—
New York, January 6, 1967
Prabhupāda: ...iti matvā bhajante māṁ budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ: [Bg. 10.8] "I am the origin of everything." Everything means universe also. Whatever you can imagine, that comes within the category of everything. So if Kṛṣṇa is the source of everything, then if you love Kṛṣṇa, then you love universe. Actually that is so. If you love your father, then you love your brother. If you love your country, then you love your countrymen. Suppose we are in foreign country, and here is one gentleman from India. I am from India. So naturally we ask, "Oh, you come from India? Which part of India you come?" Why attraction for that person? Because I love India. And because he happens to be Indian, therefore I love him. So the love begins from the origin. If you love your body, then you love your finger. If you are careless of your body, your health, you don't care for your finger. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says that
[Bg. 10.8]
Iti matvā bhajante mām. One who has understood this fact, that God is the origin of all emanations... One who has understood this fact very nicely, scientifically, then, by loving God, you love everything, universe. If you think that "God is something manufactured by my imagination," then you cannot love universe or God. You have to understand the position of God. In every literature, in every scripture... Just like in your Bible it is said, "God said, 'Let there be creation.' So there was creation." So creation is the universe. So God created this universe. So if you love God, then you love the universe. That is automatically. If I say, "I love my body"—everyone loves his body—that does not mean I do not love my finger. So a God conscious person...
There is a nice example. A hunter... In Sanskrit language it is called vyādha. He was hunting in the forest and killing the animals, boar and other, deer and so many animals—hunter's business is to kill animals—so half-dead. And Nārada was passing through that road. He saw that "These half-dead animals are flapping. Who has killed them in that way, half-dead? Why not full kill?" So he went to the vyādha, hunter, that "Why you are doing this business? Better kill them altogether so that they may not suffer. It is a great sinful act." So he explained, "Oh, I do not know what is sinful or not, pious. My father has taught me this business. I am doing this." So Nārada explained him, "So it is not a very good business. You better do another business for your livelihood. Simply killing, and half-killing. Better kill them fully. That is also [not] very good." So he said, "Then I am committing sins?" And Nārada said, "Yes, you are committing sins." "Then, if I give up this business, how shall I eat, my living?" Nārada said, "All right, I shall give you your necessities of life. I shall supply you. You give up this business." So he was initiated, and he was seated in a sacred place.
So the villagers understood that a vyādha, a hunter, has become a great saint. So everyone was coming and offering some rice, some flowers, some fruits. So he was executing his devotional service according to the instruction of Nārada. Then, after some time, Nārada wanted to show that devotee to his friend, Pārvata Muni, and he was coming to that devotee, hunter devotee. At that time the devotee was going to receive Nārada, and while going, he was very careful that an ant may not be killed on the path. So he was jumping. Whenever there was an ant, he was jumping. So Nārada inquired that "While you were coming here, why you were jumping?" So he said, "Sir, there were so many ants. So how can I kill ant?" Just see. The same man who was without any kindness killing so many animals, he has become kind to the ant even.
This is universal. As soon as you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, as soon as you become God conscious, then your real universal, ideal, universal consciousness develops. Otherwise it is all simply jugglery. There are so many doctrines of universal love, universal friendship, fraternity, but they are fighting, and they are killing simply, because there is no God consciousness. If you are universal, if you are after universal love, then how you can maintain regular slaughterhouse? How you can think that an American gentleman or lady is your countryman and not a cow, and not a goat, not a serpent? Where is your universal idea?
So unless there is development of God consciousness, this universal ideas, oh, these are nonsense. There cannot be. It is all false, jugglery of words. So first business is to understand your identity, identity of God, your relationship, and your action reformed in that way. Then there is question of universal, brotherhood, universal... Otherwise it is simply jugglery of words.
If you are thinking of universal way, how you can give protection to a human being born in America, and send a cow to the slaughterhouse. What is your reason?
Guest: This would be a personal love.
Prabhupāda: Universal means all. You have to love everyone.
Guest: If I didn't love the cow as equally with a child, then it is a personal love because I'm defining qualifications.
Prabhupāda: But how can you avoid this personal?
Guest: Because to love the child only, I have to exclude other things, meaning the cow.
Prabhupāda: But personal, child is the person. How can you avoid person?
Guest: How can what?
Prabhupāda: How can you avoid person? When you love, how can you avoid a person? What do you mean by love? Whenever you love universally... In the universe there are so many men, animals, and plants, and beasts, and birds, and so many things. So we have to love everyone. That is universal. You cannot discriminate, "Oh, this is not universal. This is universal." Universal means all-including. So how you can avoid this person or imperson? You have to love everyone. That is universal.
Guest: If I don't do that, then I have a love with limitations, and this is false. This would be...
Prabhupāda: No. Not limitation. The point is: if you love the root, then you love everything. Just like if you pour water on the root of the tree, then the branches, the flowers, the leaves, the fruits, and everything is nourished. So you have to know the technique, how to love the whole. If somebody is loving the tree—he is putting water in each every leaf, every branch, every flower—he is spoiling his time. Another intelligent man goes and he pours one bucketful of water on the root. Oh, it is distributed. This is foolishness, that without knowledge of the root, you want to love the branches. Your body. You love your body. Why do you supply your food in the stomach? Why not to the eyes, to the ears, to the nose? Why not individually, every finger, every hand, every part, every hair? No. As soon as you put the foodstuff to the stomach, the energy is at once distributed everywhere. Similarly, universal love means to love God.
They do not know the technique. Just this man, this hunter, he loved God, and he became lover of the ant automatically. There was no need of separate education that "You love this ant, you love this cow, you love this tree, love this country, love this man, love white man, black man, this man..." No. As soon as you love God, and you understand what is God, then you love everything. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that
[Bg. 14.4]
People are accepting Bhagavad-gītā as something Indian or Hindu, but actually it is not. It is universal. Kṛṣṇa says that there are so many forms of living entities. There are 8,400,000 different types of bodies. "And all of them are My sons." So if you love Kṛṣṇa, then you love white man, you love American, you love European, you love Indian, you love cow, you love dog, you love serpent—everything.
So you have to know the techniques. Simply by theoretical knowledge you cannot make any improvement. And these are practical examples. Because there is no love for God at the present moment, all this nonsense universal love, fraternity, are going to hell. Therefore we are interested in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. You have to change your consciousness, make it full with Kṛṣṇa or God. Then everything will be all right. All right. Thank you. And if you kindly come and inquire in this way, we shall be very glad to answer as far as possible.
Now let us have little kīrtana. It is quarter to nine. Please join with this kīrtana, Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is very simple.
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
(Prabhupāda leads kīrtana) (end)
670107BG.NY
—
New York, January 7, 1967
Prabhupāda: So we have caught up the original person, ādi-puruṣa. We have found out the root of everything. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said,
[Bg. 10.8]
Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the origin of everything." Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ. Sarvasya. Sarvasya means including all big demigods like Brahmā, Lord Śiva, even Nārāyaṇa and and Viṣṇu. Everything, everybody, everything is..., the original person is Kṛṣṇa.
Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate iti matvā budhāḥ [Bg. 10.8]. Budha means very learned man. One who is completely wise, no illusion. Such a person is budha. From budh. The word root is budh-dhātu. From budh-dhātu the names Lord Buddha has come, Buddha, from that root. So anyone who is well versed, complete in wisdom, he is called the budha.
And bhāva-samanvitāḥ. Budha, one must be very well versed, at the same time, completely in spiritual emotion, bhāva. This bhāva is the very high platform for coming to the perfection of life, bhāva. That is also stated in Vedic literature, what is that bhāva. Each and every word, if you try to understand scrutinizingly, they are very sublime. So one has to come to the stage of bhāva, then he can attain... Bhāva means transcendental emotion. Then he can understand what is love of God. Budhā bhāva.
Iti matvā bhajante mām. Bhajante means one engages himself in the transcendental loving service of the Lord in complete emotion. That is wanted. How that emotion is attained, that is also described by Rūpa Gosvāmī, how one can attain that stage one after another. The first stage is śraddhā. Śraddhā means faith. Faith. Ādau śraddhā. If one has got this faith, then he can develop that faith to the highest perfectional stage of transcendental emotion, bhāva, and then love of God.
So there is nothing to be depressed? All boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen who are in this meeting, they have got this faith, śraddhā. It is understood. Otherwise why you have come here? Unless you have got little faith, you would not have come. And you are sparing your valuable time. This is the sign of faith. This is the first background. If one increases this faith, it can be developed to the highest perfectional stage, love of God.
So ādau śraddhā, how to increase. That is given direction by Rūpa Gosvāmī. This faith, ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅga [Cc. Madhya 22.83]. If you have little faith don't try to demolish it. Try to increase it. Just like if there is little spark of fire, if you fan it, it increases. Increases. And you have several times... In this temple, when there is yajña performance we ignite fire. So we take a little small piece of wood and ignite it. Then gradually it becomes blazing fire. Similarly, this faith is just like little fire, and you have to fan it very nicely.
How? Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅga [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. If you have got this faith, then don't give up this connection. Please try to come here and try to understand us. Why you should try to understand us? Because we are speaking here about God, nothing else. No business, no politics, no nonsense. Therefore you should come here. Sādhu-saṅga. This is called association with sādhu. Who is a sādhu? If somebody says "A man with red dress or a great beard or something..." There are so many conceptions of sādhu. But sādhu is described in the Bhagavad-gītā by the Lord Himself, who is sādhu. He said api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk, sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ [Bg. 9.30]. Sādhu is one who is unflinchingly engaged in loving service of the Lord. He is a sādhu. That is the test, who is a sādhu.
Sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ [Bg. 9.30]. Kṛṣṇa says, api cet su-durācāraḥ. Even though you find in some devotees some bad behavior, not standard, but because he is a devotee, he is constantly engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, therefore he is sādhu. Even though he has got some bad habits due to his past life, it doesn't matter. Because this will stop. Because he has taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all nonsense habit will stop. The switch is off. As soon as one comes to Kṛṣṇa, the switch which impelled one to bad habits, that becomes off immediately. So just like there is heat, heating, heater, electric heater. If you make the switch off, it still remains hot, but gradually, the temperature comes down and it becomes cool.
Similarly, if you have got faith and if you try to engage yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness with association of devotees, not alone... Alone is not possible. Therefore we have established this International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Society is required. Sādhu-saṅga [Cc. Madhya 22.83]. Just to give opportunity to persons who have got little faith to develop that faith into Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅga [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. These very nice boys, they have established this temple, and very nice mūrti, Jagannātha, Kṛṣṇa, offering prasādam. They are offering prasādam at noon and in the evening after kīrtana and every Sunday. So what is the difficulty there? And you come here, chant and dance. We don't say that you make such exercise or press your nose or this or that. We simply say that "Come here, dance with us, chant with us and take prasāda." Is it very difficult? (laughter) It is not difficult. The most easiest process of transcendental realization. And by following this process, just see our students, how they have advanced. In very quickly, within short time. You bring any so-called followers of yoga society and try to compare with any one of our student, you'll find he is far, far advanced. We challenge. (laughter) Why? Due to the sādhu-saṅga. Sādhu-saṅga. So ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅga [Cc. Madhya 22.54]. (end)
760731BG.NMR
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July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm)
Prabhupāda:
[Bg. 10.8]
The meaning is, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the origin of everything. Everything is emanating from Him. When one understands this fact, he becomes budha, or intelligent. And when one is actually intelligent, budha, bhāva-samanvitāḥ, this ecstasy. To come to the spiritual platform, this ecstasy required. So one has to come to the platform of bhāva or ecstasy gradually.
The process is ādau śraddhā, first of all, faith. Just like our disciples, they have already accepted. But outsiders, they come out of little faith, "Let us see what these people are doing." This faith is the beginning, ādau śraddhā. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15]. If one has little faith, the next stage is that he should come and live with us for some days. And if he lives with us for a few days, then he becomes infected with ecstasy. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ, and as soon as one is little infected by the ecstasy, then he likes to become one of us. Just like if you contaminate some infectious disease, naturally the disease will develop. Similarly, as soon as you contaminate this Kṛṣṇa consciousness disease, it will develop. Then he solicits for being initiated, yes. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā. Bhajana-kriyā means "Why not engage myself as one of the devotees." This is called bhajana-kriyā. And as soon as there is bhajana-kriyā, or devotional service, immediately anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Anartha means unwanted things, they become vanquished.
This material world is, means we have created so many unwanted things, this is material world. Just like we are living in this part of your country, a village. So you are living very happily, undoubtedly. There is ample opportunity for living peacefully here. You grow little grains, you get some milk, some vegetable, and all your economic questions solved. But as soon as you go to the city, the whole pollution attacks you. You have to give up this simple eating process. Instead of drinking milk, in the city, you'll have to cut throat of the cow and eat the meat.
So in this way we shall be implicated with so many sinful activities that our life will be entangled. On account of our foolish civilization we do not understand what is the entanglement of life. The entanglement of life is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg. 2.13], to change this body. As we are changing body, the child is changing body to become a boy. The boy is changing body to become a young man. The young man is changing body to become an old man. Similarly, when the old man changes the body, he gets another body. If a young man challenges the laws of nature, that he is not going to be old man, that is false prestige. He must have to become an old man. Similarly, if some rascal says that "I don't believe in the next life," that is his foolishness. He has to change his body. Nature's law is going on. You are not controller of the nature, you are controlled by nature. So if we entangle ourself with sinful activities then next life means we get low grade life. It is said in the Bhagavad-gītā:
[Bg. 14.18]
(This) means those who are very pious, they are promoted to the higher planetary system. Those who are ordinary, they remain with the middle planetary system. And those who are very abominable, sinful, they go down the planetary systems or become lower than human being—animals, trees, birds, beasts, like that. So they have no sense, their so-called scientific understanding has no, I mean to say, advancement of knowledge. They do not inquire even wherefrom these living entities are coming, the trees, birds, beasts, lower than human being; wherefrom they are coming they do not inquire.
So the law is that according to your work you'll get your next life. It may be higher standard of life, it may be lower standard of life. So suppose higher standard of life, if we get, that's all right, but if we get lower standard of life... Just like today I am here and next life if I get the body of a tree and stand up for five thousand years, is it very nice proposition? In this way we have to understand how the process of life is going on and what is wanted, what is not wanted. In this way, when you are situated, fixed up in your spiritual understanding, that is called anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt, all unwanted things are vanquished.
So our request is that you live here, very simple life. Kṛṣṇa will supply all your necessities. He's supplying to the birds and beasts, why not to you, devotee? Be confident that you'll get everything, whatever the necessities of life. Live without any sinful activities. Don't create unwanted troubles. That is called anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. So as soon as we are, stop, full stop, unwanted things, then tato niṣṭhā, then our, that beginning faith becomes firm. That is called niṣṭhā. Tato niṣṭhā tato ruciḥ. Then, taste, that one tasted this sort of life, he cannot give up. This is called taste. Tato niṣṭhā tato ruciḥ, athāsaktiḥ. Then attachment, then bhāva, that bhāva. And if we can stay in that bhāva stage, then next stage is love of Godhead. And as soon as you come to the standard of love of Godhead, your life is successful. So every instruction is there, books are there, your intelligence is there, and we are trying to give you all possible opportunities. Please stick to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and make your life successful. (end)
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