So it is all creation of Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). Everything has come out from Kṛṣṇa's body, external, therefore He is the proprietor. If I have created something, then I am the proprietor. It is very easy to understand. In the Vedas also, it is said eko nārāyaṇa āsīt: "Before the creation only there was Nārāyaṇa." In the Catuḥ-śloki Bhāgavata also it is said, aham evāsam evāgre (SB 2.9.33/34/35/36). So before creation there was Kṛṣṇa. When we speak of Kṛṣṇa, it does not mean Kṛṣṇa was alone. Kṛṣṇa means with His form, with His pastimes, with His paraphernalia, with His entourage, everything. When we speak of king, it does not mean king is alone. As soon as we speak of king, we must understand the king, king's kingdom, king's secretaries, king's ministers, king's queen, king's palace, so many things. Similarly, when the Vedas says that eko nārāyaṇa āsīt, "Before creation there was only Nārāyaṇa." So Nārāyaṇa with His paraphernalia, with His expansion... Nārāyaṇa has expansion in the spiritual world, vaikuṇṭha jagat, innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets. You have seen the picture. Innumerable. We have given only twenty-four names, but there are innumerable.
Easy to understand (Lectures)
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Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Similarly, all these living entities, 8,400,000 species, the... Bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām (Bg 7.10). The father is Kṛṣṇa. He has given the seed in the womb of this material nature. And the material nature has given the body. Somebody has got the body of fish, somebody has got the body of tree, plant, somebody has got insect, reptile, somebody bird, sometimes beasts, somebody human being, somebody demigod. But all these materials have been supplied by the mother. It is very easy to understand. Just like the child grows, the mother supplies the bodily ingredients. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore... This is very scientific. When He took sannyāsa and the mother came... Advaita Prabhu arranged to see for the last time her son. Because a sannyāsī is no more coming home. So at that time, mother became overwhelmed: "Such beautiful body. He has nice hair. Now it is shaven."
So with all these defects, we cannot accept anyone's knowledge. This is Vedic process. This is called paramparā system, disciplic succession. We receive knowledge perfectly from the Supreme Bhagavān. And if I receive the knowledge from Bhagavān, and if I distribute the same knowledge as Bhagavān has said, without any interpretation of my cheating policy, then the knowledge which I distribute, that is also perfect. I may not be perfect, but the knowledge which I have taken from Kṛṣṇa, if I present it as it is, without any interpretation, then what I give you, that is perfect. It is very easy to understand. I have given several times... Just like a peon has brought a money order for you, thousand dollars. So he's giving you. So you cannot say, "Oh, here is a peon.
Yes. That is very easy to understand. Suppose you are sleeping, and if I vibrate some sound, you can hear and can wake up. No other method will act. Suppose you are sleeping. Then I have to call "Mr. or Mrs. Such-and-such, please get up, get up, get up." You get up. Similarly, at the present moment it is our sleeping stage. Therefore this transcendental vibration will awaken to spiritual consciousness. Just try to understand. When one is asleep, the sound vibration can help him. Similarly, at the present moment, in our material condition of life we are sleeping. This transcendental, spiritual vibration will help you. That is the process.
Otherwise we have no concern with this aeroplane or motorcar or anything. We take advantage. Similarly, when we take advantage of this body for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it is very nice. Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe. That is also renouncement. He has no attachment. He simply uses things. Then that thing becomes spiritual. Actually it is spiritual, and when it is not used for spiritual purpose or Kṛṣṇa's purpose, it is material, the same thing. What is the difference between material and spiritual? That is, a picture is there. There are so many pictures. People may say that "Here is the same picture. Why these people are worshiping and offering ārati and chanting?" But this picture is spiritual because it enhances or enthuses a spiritual consciousness. Therefore it is spiritual. Of course, it is not very easy to understand immediately, but on the ultimate issue, everything is created by Kṛṣṇa, or God, so by seeing everything, if you remember Kṛṣṇa, then that is spiritual. That is spiritual. So anyway, for ordinary man this does not happen.
That lesson, instruction, is given in the Bhagavad-gītā. And it is very easy to understand. The perplexity which Arjuna met at the Battle, in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra... The fight was between two sector of family members. They're cousin-brothers, one family, but there was some trouble, who would occupy the throne. From Mahābhārata we understand that the Pāṇḍavas, at least up to Mahārāja Parīkṣit, he ruled over the whole world. Bhāratavarṣa means the whole world, and the capital was here, Hastināpura. This information we get, Mahābhārata. Mahā means greater, and bhārata means India. Mahābhārata. So there was trouble, who will occupy the throne.
Dehī means one who possesses this body. Just like your coat, your shirt, you possess this coat and shirt. Not that you are the coat and the shirt. Try to understand clearly. This is my shirt, I am not this. I am different. I am within the shirt. Similarly, this body, this is gross coat. Just like you, when you put on your dress, you have one underwear, shirt, and then over that shirt there is coat. It is very easy to understand, there is no difficulty. Similarly, the spirit soul is within this coat and shirt. What is this coat? This gross body. There are five..., eight material elements: earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence, and ego. These are eight material elements. And out of these eight, gross elements we can see or perceive with your material senses. I can touch this earth; I can taste the water; I can smell the air; I can feel the sky; in this way. These are gross. And still there are finer elements, just like mind. Everyone of us knows that there is a mind, but we cannot see it. What is that mind? Everyone knows that there is intelligence, but nobody can see what is that intelligence. Similarly, everyone has his individuality, "I am this," "I am very learned," "I am very beautiful," "I am white," "I am black," "I am Indian," "I am American," this is called ego.
So here the same thing, that tattva-darśibhiḥ, those who are actually seer of the Absolute Truth... athāto brahma jijñāsā, as it is said in the Vedānta-sūtra... Just yesterday, one boy was asking me: "What is the Vedānta? Vedānta, what is the meaning of Vedānta?" It is very nice, it is very easy. Veda means knowledge, and anta means ultimate. So Vedānta means ultimate knowledge. So ultimate knowledge is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedānta-kṛd veda-vid ca aham. He is the maker of Vedānta and He is the knower of Vedānta. Unless He is knower of Vedānta, how He can write Vedānta? Actually, Vedānta philosophy is written by Vyāsadeva, incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. So He's vedānta-kṛt. And He's vedānta-vit also. So the question was whether Vedānta means advaita-vāda or dvaita-vāda. So it is very easy to understand.
So in the first stage... Just like the example we have given many times that the sunshine, sun globe and the sun-god. We are, every one of us, experienced what is sunshine. That means the sun, the sunshine and sun globe..., sun globe, the sunshine and sun-god, although it is one, the sunshine portion we can easily understand. But nobody of us has gone to the sun globe. Therefore there cannot be any direct perception of the sun globe. Rather, if we attempt to go to the sun globe, on the way we shall be finished. But the sun globe is not different from the sunshine.
Dehī, the living entity, simply changing the dress. It is the dress. This body is dress. Now the question is... Just like there was some discussion that the spirit has no form. How it can be? If this is, this body is my dress, how I have no form? How the dress has got form? My coat or shirt has got a form because my body has got a form. I have got two hands. Therefore my dress, my coat, has also two hands. My shirt has also two hands. So if this is dress, this body, as it is described in the Bhagavad-gītā—vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22)—so if it is dress, then I must have a form. Otherwise how this dress is made? It is very logical conclusion and very easy to understand. Unless I have got my own form, how the dress has got form? What is the answer? Anyone can say? How the original living entity can be without hands and legs? If this body's my dress... Just like you go to a tailor. He takes measurement of your hand, of your leg, of your chest. Then your coat or shirt is made. Similarly, when you have got a particular type of dress, it is to be assumed that I have got my form, spiritual form. Nobody can refute this argument. And apart from our so-called argument, we have to accept the statement of Kṛṣṇa. The... Because He's authority.
The whole world is moving by combination of matter and spirit. That's all. The whole material world. Just like my body is moving due to the presence of my self as soul, similarly—it is very easy to understand—the whole cosmic manifestation is working due to the presence of the Supreme Soul, whom we call God or the Supersoul or Paramātmā or Bhagavān. Whatever name you may call, that doesn't matter. But you must understand that as without presence of the soul, the body cannot move, similarly, the whole materialistic world, cosmic atmosphere, is moving due to the presence of the Supersoul. Now, in Bhagavad-gītā you will find that we individual souls are parts and parcels of the Supersoul. So we have got eternal relation with the Supreme Soul.
Yes, that is the way. That is the way of understanding. Just like I am in America. It is very easy to understand. I am not adopting any ways of life as the Americans do. So I am not in America. Not only myself, all my disciples who are following me, they are also not Americans. They're different from American behavior, American ways of life. In that sense I'm not in America. I am in Vṛndāvana because wherever I go in my apartment or in my temple I live with Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I don't accept any consciousness of America. And I teach my disciples also to take to that consciousness. So one who takes to that consciousness, he is also not in America, not in this world. It is... I have given this example many times. Just like a king and a bug is sitting on the same throne.
So many things are unknown. So all these planets are floating. That's a fact. So that is the difference between God and me. I can create a small aeroplane, and I can take the credit that our science is so much advanced that we don't care for God. No, you cannot do, sir. You cannot manufacture a planet. That is not in your power. Similarly, there are so many things. You have creative power, God has got creative power, but your creation and God's creation there is vast difference. So this is the understanding of God. So God is great. How great? Nobody is equal to Him, nobody is above Him. Everyone is down. This is the conception of God. So God is eternal, I am also eternal. God is within this universe, therefore the universe is working, and because I am within this universe, this body is working. It is very easy to understand.
So try your best to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness fully. That should be the motto of our life. But if, by chance... We shall not allow us to fall down, but even if we fall down, there is no loss. But that does not mean I shall be slack and allow me to fall down. Yes. We must be very serious. That should be our motto.
Just like... It is very easy to understand. A person trying to appear in the M.A. examination, if he passes, he's all right. Otherwise next chance he will have, another. It does not mean that he has to study again from ABCD. No. Next year he can appear. But his motto should be: "Why shall I wait for next year? Let me pass in this year." Similarly, we should be very serious: "Why we shall wait for the next life? Let us finish this life and go back to Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, and dance there."
Means that if you simply try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa, why does He appear in this material world, what are His actual activities—if these three things you can understand, then after giving up this body, you don't accept any more material body, but in your spiritual body go back to home, back to Godhead. Of course, it is very difficult task to understand Kṛṣṇa, but it is due to our misunderstanding or uncleanliness of the consciousness. If the consciousness is cleansed, then you can very easily understand what is Kṛṣṇa. This cleanliness of the consciousness can be effected by chanting the transcendental vibration, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. It is open to all.
This is very easy to understand. Just like this finger is the part and parcel of your body. The hand is the part and parcel of your body. The leg is the part and parcel of your body. So we are all part and parcel of the Supreme. So what is our duty? What is the duty of this finger? "Now I wish that you stand like this." The finger is standing like this. It is executing my order. If I say, "Close," finger immediately closed. So this is the duty.
If I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa then what is my duty? My duty is to act what Kṛṣṇa says, that's all. That is my action. Without knowing this, whatever I do, that is perverted action. Just like in diseased condition this finger cannot act according to my order. "Oh, there is some pain. If I want to make it stand like that, oh, I feel pain," because there is diseased condition. Similarly, when we do not act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness that is our diseased condition of life. That is not normal condition. In normal condition we shall be all prepared to act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That we should know. Then our action will be right.
Why so? Now, because we are part and parcel of God. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). We are part and parcel of God. The example is: just like this finger is the part and parcel of my body, so the strength of the finger is not as big as the whole body strength. It is very easily understood. The bodily strength is different from the finger's strength. The finger is also part and parcel of this body. If I say... If you ask, "What is this?" if I say, "It is my body," so there is no mistake. It is part of the body. But it is not the whole body. The whole body is different. Therefore God and the living entity, they are the same quality, but quantity different.
It is very easy to understand. Just like in any office or any place, there is the supreme man. So if by one's service he satisfies the supreme. Just like in big, big offices, there is record of service. What kind of service an employee is rendering to the establishment or to the government, that is recorded and he is recognized. So as this is the system in our ordinary life, similarly, the human society, they... whatever they may do, that is right, because everyone has yo do something, even for keeping the body and soul together. But after doing something, the activities should be tested, whether by such activities, the Supreme Lord is satisfied. Then he is free from the reaction.
Yasya sarve samārambhāḥ. You are not forbidden to execute your duties. We are not after stopping the general process of material activities. That is not our mission. The whole thing is that we have to act everything in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like... It is very easy to understand. Everybody has got some vocation of his life. But what is their consciousness? Their consciousness is that "I am engaged in this business, I am engaged in this service, because I have to maintain my family," "I have to maintain myself," or "I have to satisfy the government," or "I have to satisfy somebody else." This is our consciousness. Nobody is free from such consciousness.
Revatīnandana: "...of the Bhagavad-gītā as it is can very easily understand these two important divisions of spiritual knowledge. For him there is no difficulty in obtaining perfect knowledge of the self as part and parcel of the Lord."
Prabhupāda: Because the subject matter of Bhagavad-gītā is to know five things, to know what are these living entities, what is God, what is nature, and what is time, and what is work. These five subject matters are there: God, the living entities, the nature, the time, and the work. These things are there.
Everyone is engaged in some sort of work, and there is time control. Your life, my life, everyone's life is controlled by time. We have to live for so many years, no more than. So to study time, to study our work, then what is God, "what I am," and what is this material nature—these five things are very nicely explained. One has to study. Then one becomes perfect in knowledge, and he can act accordingly.
Revatīnandana: "And such understanding is beneficial for such a person, who easily understands the transcendental activities of the Lord. In the beginning of this chapter, the transcendental activities of the Lord were discussed by the Supreme Lord Himself. One who does not understand the instructions of the Gītā is faithless and is considered to be misusing the fragmental independence awarded to him by the Lord. In spite of such instructions, one who does not understand the real nature of the Lord as the eternal, blissful, all-knowing Personality of Godhead is certainly fool number one. This ignorance of the so-called student of Bhagavad-gītā can be removed by the gradual acceptance of the principles of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is awakened by different, by different types of sacrifices to the demigods, sacrifice to Brahman, sacrifice in celibacy, sacrifice in household life, sacrifice in control of the senses, sacrifice in practicing mystic yoga, sacrifice in penance, sacrifice of material possessions, sacrifice in studying the Vedas, and sacrifice in observing the scientific social institution of varṇāśrama-dharma, or the divisions of the human society. All of these are known as sacrifice, and all of them are based on regulative action. And within all these sacrifices, the important factor is self-realization. One who seeks that objective is the real student of the Bhagavad-gītā."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Self-realization, "what I am." If one aims to that objective, then his study of Bhagavad-gītā is nice.
Try to understand. "What I am?" That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ: (BG 15.7) "They are all My parts and parcels." That is nice, very nice. It is very easy to understand. Part and parcel, that means I am part; He is whole. Part is never equal to the whole, but part is equal in quality. Just like a part, a little part of the ocean water. This is also salty, and the whole ocean water is also salty. So qualitatively the little part and parcel of the ocean water is the same quality. It is not different. Chemically, if you analyze that one drop of sea water, the chemical composition of that water and the vast water is the same. The only difference is that the ocean is very big, and the small particle of water is very small. That is the difference.
Now who can think of Kṛṣṇa always within himself? That is also very easy to understand. If you love somebody, then you can think of him always within yourself. Otherwise it is not possible. If you love somebody, then naturally you'll think of him always. That is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā:
- premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
- santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti
- yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpaṁ
- govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
- (Bs. 5.38)
Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena. One who has developed love of God, or Kṛṣṇa... When I speak of Kṛṣṇa, you should understand "God." Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena (Bs. 5.38). Another name of Kṛṣṇa is Śyāmasundara. He is blackish like the cloud, but very beautiful; therefore His name is Śyāmasundara. So in this verse of Brahma-saṁhitā it is said that the santaḥ, saintly person, who has developed love for Śyāmasundara, Kṛṣṇa... Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva (Bs. 5.38). Sadaiva means always, constantly. Santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu. Hṛdayeṣu means within the heart. Actually, when one comes to the point of samādhi in yoga system, he thinks of Viṣṇu form of the Lord within the heart without any stopping. That is called samādhi. He is absorbed in the thought of Viṣṇu within the heart.
So therefore yasya prasādād, our business is to please guru. If he is satisfied, then Kṛṣṇa immediately becomes satisfied, because he is the agent. That is very easy to understand. Suppose you are working in office, your immediate boss the superintendent, if he is pleased, that means the managing director is also pleased. You haven't got to please the managing director separately. If you please his representative, then the managing director sees the report, "Yes this man is working nice." That he will accept. He has never seen him. But that is not the fact, Kṛṣṇa also seeing you. So this is called mad-āśritāḥ. Yuñjan..., mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. You have to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa, because you have no direct touch of Kṛṣṇa, therefore you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa's representative. Then this yuñjan begins. He will teach you how to practice the bhakti-yoga, how to worship Him, how to think of Him, how to offer obeisances, how to observe the ceremonies. Just like yesterday we perfomed the ceremonies, Ratha-yātrā, so this dress, Jagannātha dress, and function, everything you have to learn. This is called bhakti-yoga, mad-āśrayaḥ. And this, the beginning is mayy āsakta-manāḥ, āsakta. Āsakti, we have to develop attachment. If you do not develop attachment for Kṛṣṇa, then other thing does not come.
So to understand Bhagavān, Para-brahman, that is the mission of human life. The cats and dogs cannot understand Bhagavān. That is not possible. A human being can understand. This Bhagavad-gītā is for the human being, not for the cats and dogs. So Kṛṣṇa says that "If you want to know Me..." It is not easy to understand Bhagavān, or God. God is not the exact word of Bhagavān; therefore we use the word "Godhead." "Back to Godhead." Bhagavān means the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Being. God means the ruler, the controller. But when we come to the supreme controller, He is Bhagavān. You are controller, I am controller. I am controller of my disciples within the Kṛṣṇa conscious society, but I cannot control the whole world. I have got some... You are controller in your home, of your wife, children, servants. But you are also controlled. You are not absolute controller. Therefore Bhagavān means the absolute controller.
If by understanding Kṛṣṇa... One may say, "Oh, I have understood Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa was born at Mathurā as the son of Vasudeva and Devakī, and then He went to Vṛndāvana. And He became a friend of the cowherd girls or the boys, and He was playing there. So I have understood Kṛṣṇa." Anyone can say like that. But Kṛṣṇa says that "I am not so easily understood." Kṛṣṇa says that it is not so easy. Therefore those who try to understand Kṛṣṇa very easily, they are sahajiyās. And if one understands Kṛṣṇa very easily, then he derides at Him. Just like generally, people remark against Kṛṣṇa, "Oh, He was so," I mean to say, "characterless that He, I mean to say, mixing with the cowherd girls. So many. He married 16,000 wives." In this way, there are so many remarks. As if they have understood Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa says that "I am not so easily understood." Of course, if anyone understands Kṛṣṇa, then his life becomes successful. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Anyone who understands Kṛṣṇa, then he becomes immediately a liberated person. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. But one must understand in truth what is Kṛṣṇa. Tattvataḥ.
So Kṛṣṇa is personally speaking about Himself as we understood in the previous verse, that asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Asaṁśayam, without any doubt. If we speculate about God, that will never be sufficient. Not even we can touch the precincts of the knowledge. If we want knowledge without any doubt, asaṁśayam, samagram, and complete, then we must hear from God Himself. This is very easy to understand. By hypothesis, by speculation, you cannot understand anything. It must be known scientifically, and this science can be understood if a person knows the science. So who can know God better than God Himself?
Actually following the rules and regulation of brāhmaṇas, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they are called siddha. Kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ. It is not that one has become a brāhmaṇa, qualified brāhmaṇa, because one has become qualified kṣatriya, he will understand Kṛṣṇa. It is not easy to understand Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He is coming personally and He is leaving behind Him this Bhagavad-gītā to understand Him. That is Kṛṣṇa's kindness. Otherwise, by so-called mental speculation, you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. It is not possible. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). If a person is very expert in exercising his senses, mental speculator, it is not that he will understand Kṛṣṇa. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi. Nāmādi means His holy name, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Because name is the first. In our, this forgetful condition, our first business is to chant the holy name. Therefore nāmādi. To understand Kṛṣṇa we have to chant His holy name first, ādi. Then gradually, Kṛṣṇa's qualities, Kṛṣṇa's form, Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, Kṛṣṇa's entourage and everything will be revealed.
So Kṛṣṇa says that it is not very easy to understand Kṛṣṇa. People understand Kṛṣṇa very easily; therefore they are called sahajiyās. Everything, takes very easily. So manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). Manuṣyāṇām. There are 400,000 species of manuṣya, 400,000. Catur-lakṣāṇi mānuṣāḥ. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati, kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ. There are statements in the Padma Purāṇa how many living entities, forms are there. So out of 8,400,000 different forms and species, there are 400,000 species of manuṣya. So out of them, one who is born in India, he is first-class manuṣya. That is a fact.
So gradually, by understanding the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā and practicing it in life, we shall very easily understand the ātma-tattvam. That is the real business of human life. Unfortunately, we are not interested in the matter of understanding ātma-tattvam. Śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ (SB 2.1.2). Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, "My dear King..." He was speaking to Mahārāja Parīkṣit that "For ordinary men there are many subject matter of hearing." Śrotavyādīni. Śrotavya means the subject matter for hearing. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, "For the ordinary man..." Who is that ordinary man? Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). Apaśyatām, one who has no interest to see what he is. Everyone is under this contemplation that he is this body and his bodily interest is the prime interest. But nobody sees the ātma-tattvam. Therefore Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ (SB 2.1.2). We have got so many books, so many newspapers, so many magazines. We hear and read. But we are not interested in hearing Bhagavad-gītā or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, where ātma-tattvam, the science of soul, is described.
This is the difference between material life and spiritual life. When one works for his own sense gratification, that is material life. And when works for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction, that is spiritual life. That is spiritual life. It is very easy to understand. We are working, we are servant of somebody. All these people who have gathered here, nobody can claim that "I am not servant." Everyone is servant—servant of the society, servant of the family, servant of the country, servant of dog, servant of cat. Everyone is servant. That is misplacement. But actually he is servant of Kṛṣṇa. When he forgets that he is servant of Kṛṣṇa, he becomes servant of so many māyā. But when he understands that "I am servant of Kṛṣṇa, and, becoming servant of Kṛṣṇa, I can become servant of others also," that is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
It is very easy to understand how we change our body. We are changing our body every moment, imperceptibly. Imperceptibly, we are changing our body every, every moment, every second. So change of body is a fact. Therefore that bījam, that small particle, spark of spirit, that is sanātana. This body is changing. Now, when it is changed to another body, that means transmigration of the soul from one body to another. This is a fact, and it is not very difficult to understand. We are changing our body every moment. Bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ viddhi pārtha sanātanam (BG 7.10), buddhir buddhimatām asmi. One who is very intelligent, that intelligence, extraordinary intelligence, must be considered, "Oh, he is Kṛṣṇa." Without being especially favored by Kṛṣṇa, nobody can become extraordinarily intelligent. Anyone... Everyone is trying that "I shall be more intelligent than my friend, my others," but without Kṛṣṇa's, I mean to say, special favor, nobody can become extraordinarily intelligent. Therefore, wherever you find extraordinary intelligence, you should consider, "Oh, there is Kṛṣṇa." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So our only request is that "Take Kṛṣṇa as the original father, original father." It is very easy to understand. As I have got my father, my father has got father, his father, his father his... Who is the original father? The original father is Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). So where is the difficulty to understand? There must be one original father. If you go on researching who is the original father, then you'll come to the conclusion that Kṛṣṇa is the original father.
A guru follows the order of the scriptures. And śāstra is description of the Supreme Lord. Just like we are reading Bhagavad-gītā. These are the injunction of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is śāstra. Or anyone who writes in terms of the śāstra, that is right direction. If we speak Bhagavad-gītā as Kṛṣṇa desires, then it is nice. And if we describe Bhagavad-gītā to fulfill our ulterior motives for some purpose, then it is useless. So similarly, Kṛṣṇa said, dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu kāmo 'smi bharatarṣabha. Those who are not following the principles, how to beget child, or not observing the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra—according to śāstra, immediately the family becomes converted into śūdra. No more brāhmaṇa, no more kṣatriya, if he does not follow. This is very easy to understand. If you do something illegally, against the law, immediately you become a criminal. Similarly, dharmāviruddha. The garbhādhāna-saṁskāra has to be observed. Otherwise we become śūdra, no more brāhmaṇa, no more kṣatriya.
So you are coming, I mean to say, the Indians who are present here, from a country where Kṛṣṇa appeared. It is a great fortune for you that you have taken your birth in India. It is not ordinary fortune. So why? To take Indian birth, to take birth in India, automatically they are advanced in spiritual knowledge. Still, so much fallen condition of India, still, you go to a village, they will very easily understand Kṛṣṇa consciousness without any advanced education. Because by birthright they have got the knowledge. In Vṛndāvana, when we walk on the street, the ṭhelā-walla, the cartsmen, the milkmen carrying milk, immediately they'll offer namaskāra, "Swamiji." The other day, I think you were present? We were walking. So we entered one field, just for walking. So the villagers, the cultivators, they came to congratulate us. To receive us. "Swamiji, it is our great fortune that you have come to our field." But in this country if I would have entered in another place, perhaps would have brought charge of trespass or might shot down. So that is the different system. That by birthright they are Kṛṣṇa conscious.
So God, Kṛṣṇa, is not imperson at the ultimate end. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). Absolute Truth is realized in three phases: Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. So Paramātmā is subordinate to the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa, and Brahman is also subordinate to the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa. Brahmaṇo ahaṁ pratiṣṭhā. Brahman, the impersonal Brahman feature, brahma-jyotir, that is resting on Kṛṣṇa. It is very easy to understand. We can see that the sunshine is resting on the sun globe.
So how God is situated. He is explaining. Na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni paśya me yogam aiśvaram. Aiśvaram. Aiśvaram means supremacy. How supreme He is. Everything is resting on Him; still, everything is without Him. That is very easy to understand, that we cannot exist without God's mercy. Without the potency on which... This potency is life. Try to understand what is this life. We have got this material body. Material body means... This gross body is made of earth, water, air, fire, ether. This is the gross body, and the subtle body, mind, intelligence, and ego. We are situated in this body. Therefore what is this, these energies? It is Kṛṣṇa's energy. Therefore we are situated in the energy, material energy of the Supreme Lord. We are ourself also energy of the Supreme Lord, marginal energy. So although we are situated in God's energy, we are forgetful. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni: (BG 9.4) "Everyone is existing on My energy; still, I am not there." "I am not there" means the living entity has forgotten or cannot understand God, that he is within the God's energy, God's material power or energy. Still, he cannot understand.
It is very easy to understand. Just like somebody maintains his family, children. He all day works, and he has the aim, how his family member will be happy, because he knows that those people, those children, they are fully dependent upon him. This is same consciousness. Because wherefrom this consciousness comes unless it is not in Kṛṣṇa? Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). In the Vedānta-sūtra it is stated, whatever you think, whatever you see, it has its origin. And where is that origin? In Kṛṣṇa. Unless in Kṛṣṇa this thinking is not there, that "My devotees..." Kṛṣṇa... Every one of us is son of Kṛṣṇa. That's all right. But especially... Just like a very big businessman, all his employees, they are also taken attention by the person, by the boss. But special attention is taken for his own children.
Just like in ordinary sense if you understand that the, this is a house and the proprietor of the house is such and such gentleman, then that knowledge is perfect, so similarly, if we understand what is this body and who is the proprietor of this body, then our knowledge is perfect. So Kṛṣṇa says that this body, there is the proprietor, the soul, but there is another kṣetrajña. Just like a house, there is an occupier and there is an owner. These are very easy to understand. Any house you take in Bombay, there are so many tenants or occupier, but there is a proprietor also. Similarly, in this body we are not actually the proprietor. We are simply occupier.
So then who is the enjoyer? The real enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa because He is controlling the prakṛti and controlling you. We can very easily understand, two things are there, matter and living entities, but none of them are independent. There is a controller. That controller, supreme con..., is God, Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is enjoyer. And it is declared in the Bhagavad-gītā,
- bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
- sarva-loka-maheśvaram
- suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
- jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati
- (BG 5.29)
Here we have taken the post, position of puruṣa, falsely. We are trying to exploit the material nature for a few days, and in due course of time we will be asked by prakṛti, the natural laws, "Now, sir, you have enjoyed me so much. Now you get out."
It is very, very easy to understand. Just like in a office, if you work for the satisfaction the proprietor, then you have no responsibility, either loss or gain, you are free. But if you create your own plan and work for, under your own responsibility, then you'll suffer or enjoy. Actually there is no enjoyment. It is simply suffering. So that is going on. Yajñārthāt karmaṇaḥ anyatra karma-bandhanaḥ. We are becoming bound up. We have got this body according to the karma of my past life, and again I am creating another series of karma. I'll have to accept another body and finish that karma. Again I'm creating another karma. This is going on.
This is very easy to understand. If you become a nice, educated person, good character, you'll be always welcome anywhere, good position. And if you are a thief, rascal, without any education, then your position will be different. So kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya. So if we associate with goodness of the material nature, then we are promoted to the higher planetary system where we get better comforts of life, long duration of life, so many facilities.
This is one point: that I am not this body, I am not this material world. I am a spiritual identity, part and parcel of God. Qualitatively we are one. As God is spirit, so I am also spirit. But His body is very big, gigantic, the universal body, which Kṛṣṇa showed to Arjuna, the virāṭa-rūpa. But my body is not gigantic. It is small. Maybe we call the elephant's body gigantic or similar other animal's body, but still God's body is still more gigantic. You cannot compare. Eleventh chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā you'll know how gigantic body has Kṛṣṇa. So as I have got this body but my spiritual identity is very small, if we study in this way, it is very easy to understand what is God, what I am, what is this world. Just like I am not this body, I am within the body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). I am the proprietor of the body.
So how He knows? Sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata. Sarva-kṣetreṣu. He is within every body. He knows what is the ant is doing. He knows what Brahmā is doing. He knows what you are doing. He knows what I am doing. Vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). Kṛṣṇa says in another place, "I know everything." Just like, it is very easy to understand. Just like, you know everything—not everything—at least eighty percent you know what is going on in your body. You do not know everything.
One who is fully engaged in devotional service, he's no more under these material qualities. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān. Bahu-vacana. These three qualities, sama, samyak atītya, samatītya. Sama means transmigrating or transcending. Samatītyaita etān guṇān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). Because every living entity is by nature Brahman. Brahman means spirit soul. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme spirit soul, and we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is Para-brahman, we are Brahman. It is very easy to understand. You don't require to become Brahman, you are already Brahman. Simply you have to be purified from non-Brahman. That is material qualities. Then you become Brahman.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Yes. So it is not so easy to understand Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye, yatatām api siddhānām: (BG 7.3) "Those who have endeavored for perfection of life, out of many such persons, one can hardly understand Kṛṣṇa." It is not so easy. But it is by Kṛṣṇa's grace. Kṛṣṇa being very compassionate with these fallen souls of this age, He appeared as Lord Caitanya and distributed Kṛṣṇa. That is His prerogative. That is His right. If Kṛṣṇa wants to distribute Himself freely, that is a different thing. Otherwise, it is not so easy to understand Kṛṣṇa. Just like to earn one million dollar is not so easy. But if you are fortunate, you meet somebody who can distribute million dollars at a time, that is a different thing. Therefore Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was recognized by Rūpa Gosvāmī, namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te: (CC Madhya 19.53) "My dear Lord, You are the most munificent of all incarnations. The other incarnations, people could not understand, but You are freely distributing Yourself." Kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne. Kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ. Therefore we have to follow the footsteps of Rūpa Gosvāmī, rūpānuga. Then we can understand Lord Caitanya. And if we get favor of Lord Caitanya, we can very easily understand Kṛṣṇa. This is the process.
So everyone is suffering or enjoying the resultant action of his karma. Yas tv indra-gopam athavendram aho sva-karma-bandhānurūpa. Bandhana. As he's bound up by the resultant action of karma... Bandhānurūpa-phala-bhājanam āta... They are getting different results of their karma. It is very easy to understand. But for the devotees it is said, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54), those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness in devotional service, their karma is cut off. There is no resultant action. Just like you know chick peas. Chick peas, if you sow on the ground, it will fructify into a plant. But the same chick pea, if it is fried and you sow on the ground, it will not fructify. So our karma should be fried up by devotional service. Then it will not produce any result. And Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). So there is no resultant action of a devotee's activity. Therefore here it is said, kṣīyante ca asya karmāṇi. Unless you have completely finished your resultant action of karma, you cannot be promoted to the spiritual world. You have to accept a type of material body so long karma will go on. Therefore in another place, Bhāgavata, it is said that people are engaged as karmīs, and Ṛṣabhadeva says na sādhu manye. One is engaged in karma. It is not very good.
We have begun this chapter śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ... (SB 1.2.17). (aside:) You are sleeping, this boy... Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ. Anyone who is engaged in hearing about Kṛṣṇa... To whom? To Him, not those who are sleeping. Those who are actually hearing, śṛṇvatām. Śṛṇvatām means hearing, not sleeping. To such person. Bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, and engaged in devotional service. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam, "I give intelligence." It doesn't require... If he's sincere, if he's actually a devotee, Kṛṣṇa will help him. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpā. Guru is secondary, another mercy of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is helping within and without. That without help is guru, Kṛṣṇa's representative. So Kṛṣṇa is always ready to help us, and when Kṛṣṇa is helping us, it is very easy to understand Him. Therefore a devotee is beyond all doubts. Beyond all doubts. There is no doubt. Not that blindly we are accepting Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. No. We have got all our arguments, scientific, philosophical, anything. Then we accept Kṛṣṇa. That acceptance is nice. That is uttama-adhikārī.
So there are unlimited number of universes also. And in each universe, koṭiṣu vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam, in each universe, there are millions and trillions of planets, each different from one another. This is the creation. So just imagine that what is God's creation, how He attains every universe continually. His līlā is going on. As soon as in one universe the Kṛṣṇa's birth, appearance, is finished, immediately in another universe His birth takes place. This is called nitya-līlā. Exactly like... The same example: as soon as six-thirty, morning, finished here in India, immediately the six-thirty of the sunrise in some other place. Six-thirty another place. another... The six thirty is going on. It is very easy to understand. The six-thirty or seven-thirty or eight, nine, whatever you take, that is going on. That is called nitya-līlā. Kṛṣṇa's līlā is going on. So just imagine how many universes are there.
So one who has not reached to that point, to realize Kṛṣṇa, it is to be understood that his knowledge is still imperfect. But these persons who have got imperfect knowledge, they are passing as Vedantists and knows everything. They do not know. Kṛṣṇa therefore says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante: (BG 7.19) "These impersonalists, the so-called men of knowledge, after many, many births..." Because it is not so easy to understand Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Person. They'll have to wait to understand Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Person. They'll have to wait for thousands of births to understand Kṛṣṇa. They'll have to wait. Although they are very much proud of their knowledge, we know where they are: partial realization. Of course, they are also in the same field. But they'll not understand the Supreme Person.
So we can very easily understand by the example of our own body. This body, as we, spirit soul, enter into this body, the existence of body continues. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). So the body is not created first. The... Because the living entity enters into the body, therefore the body's created. Similarly, this gigantic body, universal body, cannot come into existence automatically. That is not a very good theory. How...? There is no such example. Unless the living entity is there, this body... We get this experience—it does not grow. If a child is born dead, that body does not grow. Therefore it is to be concluded there is something. Even if we do not accept the spirit soul, there must be something on account of the presence of that something, the body's growing. Similarly, take this gigantic body of the universe; unless there is something like that, as we are in this body, how this gigantic universe can go? This is common reasoning. We do not find that a..., matter is growing automatically. No. A tree, a tree is growing, daily growing new leaves new twigs, new flowers. Because that living entity is within the tree. You cut the tree and throw it aside. There will be no more growing. It will dry. It will dry.
So unless the eight divisions are properly managed, that is not human society. Human society is distinct from animal society by culture. What is that culture? Vedic culture, knowledge. Vedic means knowledge. One must be equipped with full knowledge. "So this Vedic culture," Vyāsadeva says, "or the Vedic principles, are not very easily understood by women class, by worker class, and dvija-bandhu." Dvija-bandhu means the boys who have taken birth in the family who are supposed to be very cultured, but their habit is different. They are called dvija-bandhu. In every country, that deterioration of social structure has already begun. They are called varṇa-saṅkara. Varṇa-saṅkara factually means that those who are illiterate. So for them it is very difficult to understand the Vedic principles. Therefore the same knowledge is described in stories just like Mahābhārata, Purāṇas, and for understanding of all men, all women. So Mahābhārata is especially written for such class of men and women. And the hero of Mahābhārata is Arjuna. Similarly, the hero of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is Arjuna's grandson, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, King Parīkṣit.
Of course, because Lord Caitanya accepted this sannyāsa, so we are maintaining that system, but actual point of sannyāsa is not mukti, but satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That is sannyāsa, how Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied, how Kṛṣṇa's representative will be satisfied. Because we have to work under Kṛṣṇa's representative. Anything we work, if we want to be expert, then we have to work under some expert. Therefore we accept guru. We do not serve Kṛṣṇa directly. We accept guru. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. The principle is guru is the representative of Kṛṣṇa, and if we work under guru and if we can satisfy, then Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. That is very easy to understand. Suppose in office you are working under some officer. You have no acquaintance with the proprietor, but your pay, your promotion will be considered by the proprietor on the recommendation of this officer.
Govinda, because He has entered within this universe, therefore the cosmic manifestation is possible. Otherwise it is not. Just like I am the soul, you are the soul. Because you have entered this body or I am entered this body, therefore the movement of the body is possible. As soon as I or you leave this body, it is dull, no more, no movement. It is very easy to understand. Similarly, how the movement of the cosmic manifestation is going on, the so-called scientist, philosopher, rascals, they do not understand, because Kṛṣṇa has entered. It is very easy to understand. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, very minute part. Still, because I have entered this body, therefore the body moves, the activities of the body going on. Is it very difficult to understand? So, anyone can understand that this lump of matter, big cosmic manifestation, until a thing like me, soul, is there, how it is going on nicely—how the sun is rising in due time, the moon is rising in due time, the oceans are flowing in due order. Everything i in order.
So, so long the sunshine is there, the sun is there. There is no difficulty. When the sun is not there, the sun's energy's also not there. Similarly Kṛṣṇa, so long Kṛṣṇa is within us, within this body... Kṛṣṇa's energy... There are... Two things are always. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they do not accept the energy. Simply they accept the energetic impersonal. No. We must accept the energy and the energetic, both. Śakti-pariṇāma. Śakti, śakti means energy. By the energy everything is going on. The energetic is aloof. Just like the sun, we can very easily understand. The example is just before us. The sun is there, the sunshine is there, and within the sun-globe there is the sun-god. But we, so-called scientists, we are studying the sun from ninety-three millions of miles away, and we are taking very pride that we are studying the sun. If you have studied sun, why don't you go there? Go there, and enter into the sun planet. This is a material thing. And what to speak of the spiritual thing?
It is very easy to understand. Just like if you don't care for the government laws, if you want to live independently, that means immediately you are in the clutches of the police force. You haven't got to create, it is already there. So our position is always dependent on God. We should understand this. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So we are suffering; at the same time, we are eating more. Because we are greedy, we are lusty. This is the cause. So therefore kāmād... We are serving. We are serving our lust, our greediness, and suffering. This is practical. If you have no hunger, if you eat... If you have no appetite, if you eat, then you suffer. If you infect some disease, you'll suffer. That is practical. So we are associating in, being infected by lust, greediness, illusion, fearfulness, so many things. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat (SB 7.5.5). If you steal, then you will be under fearfulness: "Oh, I may not be arrested; I may be arrested." Because you have done that, asad-grahat, you have done something wrong, therefore you are under the influence of fearfulness. It is very easy to understand.
So īśvara, the Supreme Lord, is there. Now He's giving chance, "You living entity, you did not surrender to Me. You wanted to enjoy this material world. So you take this chariot and take this driver and go on." This is going on. Kṛṣṇa is very kind. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). "Whatever you want, you do it. But you'll never be happy." That is the point. "You can do whatever. I will give you chance. I'll give you." Just like you want a Rolls Royce car. "All right, it is." If you want this car, "All right." So you are changing this car. Sometimes you are carried by the doggish cars, sometimes goddish car. These are all cars, but we are different from the car. We wanted to sit down in a certain car, so Kṛṣṇa is giving us the chance. Bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni (BG 18.61). Yantra means car or machine. It is very easy to understand. So this is going on because we are identifying with the car. Just like foolish man, if he rides on a Rolls Royce car, he's thinking "Now I am very rich man. I have bought a Rolls Royce." Similarly, if one body has got inferior car, he thinks that "I am poor"; identifying with the car.
When demons are, demonic civilization is there, then the whole planet becomes overburdened with their sinful activity. It is very easy to understand. Where in the state everyone is rogue and rascal, then the state becomes overburdened. Overburdened means the duty of the state for arranging police, military and other things becomes very much confused. Similarly, if the people are all law-abiding citizens then the government has no burden. Let things go on nicely, everything is going nicely. Similarly, this is also great state, the universal state. So when people become rascals, rogues and demons, it becomes very much overburdened. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). Dharmasya glānir bhavati. Dharma means not a sentiment. Dharma does not mean. Dharma generally is translated as "religion."
So similarly, if we become attracted to Kṛṣṇa... We are attracted to... Actually we love Kṛṣṇa. That is the fact. But we have forgotten it. We are under illusion. Just you analyze yourself. Why we love this body? It is very easy to understand. Because the soul is there. Does anybody love a dead body? Is there any instance, a dead body is loved and embraced and taken into the room and kept it? Nobody cares. Throw it. Or burn it. So the body is not a lovable object. But because the soul is there within the body, therefore we love this body. This house, if it is vacant, nobody will come. But because there is Kṛṣṇa or because there are devotees of Kṛṣṇa, so many people come. Not that this house is lovable. Similarly, you analyze. You love this body. You work so hard day and night to keep this body fit. Why? Because the proprietor of the body, soul, is there. Then the love transfers from body to the soul. Then why do you love the soul? Because it is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we love the soul. So ultimately, the love goes to Kṛṣṇa. This is natural feeling of love between Kṛṣṇa, or God, and between living entities, but the māyā is interrupting the relation. It is called illusion. The process of interruption is called illusion. Otherwise, we, every one of us, we love Kṛṣṇa. Everyone of us. You analyze. You see that ultimately goes to Kṛṣṇa.
For them the goddess Kālī is engaged to cut their heads, kill them. That is also Kṛṣṇa's agent. Vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām, they have to be finished. But, by finishing them, they are also elevated. Finishing means finishing their sinful activities, finishing their sinful activ... Just like... It is very easy to understand. Just like a person who has committed murder, the state law is, "Finish him, otherwise he will commit another murder." If he's encouraged... Therefore, by finishing him, there are two purposes. One purpose is served that because he has done something very grievous sinful activity, by sacrificing his own life, he becomes relieved from the sinful reaction. That is the law in the Manu-saṁhitā. I have not manufactured. The murderer is condemned to death just to save him from many following resultant actions of sinful activities. If in this life, he gives his life, "Life for life," then he's safe. In the next life, he takes his birth clean, not suffering any more on account of the sinful activities. This is the statement in Manu-saṁhitā. Another instruction is that if this murderer is killed, then he will be saved from committing again murder.
So the mixture is possible, and according to the mixture, they have got different consciousness. According to the body, they have got different consciousness. A man, highly intellectual brāhmaṇa, he is, "Oh, I am greater than everyone. I am so wise. I am so pure. I am brāhmaṇa." So he has got a different conception. And similarly, the hog, because he has got a different form, it has that, "Oh, stool is so nice. Let me eat it." It is very (easy) to understand. According to the association with the modes of material nature, we are getting different types of body. And according to different types of body, we are developing different types of consciousness. Is it very difficult to understand? But when we transcend this bodily concept of life, then we come to the one standard consciousness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Try to understand. If there is any difficulty, ask. It is very important. Why there are different consciousness? Everyone could take up this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But they cannot take it because they have got bodily concept of life. And body means association with the modes of material nature in a different way. Try to understand. Is there any question on this point? Say it clearly. If you have understood, explain. It is very important point.
Out of many millions and trillions of persons, one is interested how to make his life success. Otherwise they are not interested even. Like cats and dogs they are jumping here and there. That's all. And out of those persons who are interested, some may understand what is Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is not so very easily understood, but by the grace of Kṛṣṇa we can understand Him if we follow. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "My dear Dhanañjaya, there is no more superior power than Me, or greater than Me." So if we accept the statement of Kṛṣṇa, then we understand Kṛṣṇa immediately. Otherwise, by speculation, it is not possible. That is the fact.
This jagat, this material world, is existing on the spiritual prakṛti. You can calculate what is your this body. This body is existing on the spiritual body. Just like your shirt. The shirt is existing on your actual hand. The shirt has got a hand because you have got hand. So matter is impersonal. But because the superior prakṛti, jīva, he is person, therefore the matter appears like a person. Because I have got hands and legs, therefore this cloth has got hands and legs. Otherwise the cloth has no hands and legs; it is impersonal. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni. This body is just like dress. Just like your coat has got hand, your pant has got leg, but either the pant or coat has no leg, no hand. Because you have got leg and hand, therefore the coat has got leg and hand. You can... Everyone can understand. It is very easy. So the original, the spirit soul, has got form. Therefore the cloth has been cut into form. It is very easy to understand. Otherwise how you get the form? And in this form the spirit soul is trying to enjoy this material world. But it is not puruṣa. It cannot enjoy. That is false. That is illusion. Ato gṛha-kṣetra-sutāpta-vittair janasya moho 'yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8).
So what is the duty of the part and parcel? That is also very easy to understand. Just like this finger is the part and parcel of my body. So what is the duty of the finger? I ask the finger, "Please come here." It comes immediately. I ask the finger, "Come here." So that means service. Therefore part and parcel's duty is... Just like in a office, if I say, "This man is one of our part," or "one of my partner," a partner means he is working for the same interest. That is partner. So similarly, we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa—that means we must be partner of Kṛṣṇa. And what Kṛṣṇa wants? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). He wants. So as partner of Kṛṣṇa, you should preach that "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa." That is your business.
So not only ordinary human being. What they can understand about God? Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye. What is the perfection of life? One must know. The perfection of life is to understand that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is perfection of life, when one can understand.
- brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
- na śocati na kāṅkṣati
- samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
- mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
- (BG 18.54)
So after becoming Brahman realized soul, when he is fully liberated from material contamination—goodness passion or ignorance—prasannātmā, na śocati na kāṅkṣati, he has no material hankering, neither he laments for any material loss. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu, when he visions all living entities as spirit soul, mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54), at that time he is eligible to understand what is bhakti. And bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). If you become bhakta, if you have got the opportunity to come to that platform, then you can understand God. Otherwise, God is not so easy to understand.
Therefore it is named Bhāgavatam. But this Bhāgavatam has to be studied from the very beginning and take the lessons from live bhāgavata. There are two kinds of Bhāgavatam—one, this grantha bhāgavatam, and the other is a person bhāgavatam. Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised that if you want to understand Bhāgavatam, then you must approach a person whose life is Bhāgavatam. He said, bhāgavata para-giya bhāgavata sthane, that "If we learn, listen, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from the person bhāgavatam, then it is very easy to understand the spiritual knowledge given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam."
So here Ṛṣabhadeva... Ṛṣabhadeva was the father of Mahārāja Bhārata, under whose name this land is called Bhāratavar\ sa. Bhāratavarṣa is derived from the name of Mahārāja Bhārata. So his father, Ṛṣabhadeva, He is accepted as incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. So He is giving instruction to His sons before retiring. In our Vedic culture there is compulsory retirement. There is compulsory retirement. That is Vedic civilization, varṇāśrama-dharma. What is going on... As we are going on in the name of Hindus, but Hindu is not mentioned in the Vedic literature. In the Vedic literature the principles or the institute followed by the inhabitants of Bhāratavarṣa is called varṇāśrama-dharma. That is real occupation.
So they are not different. The energy and energetic are not different: identical. And Kṛṣṇa, being omnipotent, He can do anything by His energy. That is the meaning of omnipotent. Even in ordinary things also. Just like a man has got enough money. That money is energy of the man, we can understand. So with that money he can do so many things. Although the money is in the bank and he's at home, by his order, so many things can be done. He can start a big factory, business, everything, although he's in the home. It is very easy to understand—because the energy is there. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa may be far away from us, even we think... Kṛṣṇa is not far away. Kṛṣṇa is within our heart.
Gṛhamedhi means he does not know the rules and regulation. He thinks that this family, this husband and wife, children and home, that is everything. That is called gṛhamedhi. But gṛhastha means he is as good as a sannyāsī. Gṛhe tiṣṭhati 'pi gṛhastha (?). He is suitable..., he is not suitable to become a brahmacārī, because every facility is there, but regulated. And one who follows the regulative principles, he is āśrama. Either it is gṛhastha āśrama or sannyāsa āśrama, the same thing. Āśrama means—very easily understood in India, there is discussion—the place where the spiritual culture is cultivated, that is called āśrama. What is the difference between the āśrama and ordinary home? Ordinary home means the..., without any regulative principles, and āśrama means real purpose is self-realization, development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But if one is unable to accept sannyāsa āśrama or brahmacārī āśrama, that is gṛhastha āśrama. Not that animal āśrama.
You cannot compare Kṛṣṇa's body with our body. If you do that, then you must be a mūḍha, rascal. Don't do that. Kṛṣṇa is always transcendental, divyam. Janma karma ca me divyam (BG 4.9). This divya you should understand. Yo jānāti tattvataḥ. He is liberated person. Anyone who knows what is Kṛṣṇa, immediately he becomes liberated. Janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). It is not so easy to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth. It requires time. He... Not all of a sudden you can understand. But if you stick to devotional service, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234), then He reveals. When you engage your tongue... It is also wonderful. To understand Kṛṣṇa, you require your tongue. Generally we understand by seeing or by hearing. Hearing is there, but here it is recommended tongue, especially.
So anyway, we have to act according to the superior order. And so far the spirit soul is concerned, that is the first lesson of spiritual knowledge. Unless you understand what is spirit... We are present here. The body is there and the spirit is there. Now we must analyze according to the direction given in authoritative books. That is very easy. Kṛṣṇa says that within this body there is the spirit soul. And we can experience that unless the spirit soul is there, the body does not change, and as soon as the spirit soul goes away, the body is a dead lump of matter. That's all. Very easy to understand. So we have to first understand this, then spiritual progress. If we remain like asses and dogs and cats, that "I am this body," there is no question of spiritual understanding. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Read it and you will understand what is the difference between spirit and matter.
I have not become perfection. Then where is perfection?" That inquisitiveness makes him eligible. Just like ādau śraddhā. I have already explained. So after becoming siddha, perfect... Perfect means one must know that "I am not this body; I am soul," ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is perfection of knowledge. So Kṛṣṇa says, yatatām api siddhānām: (BG 7.3) "Those who have become perfect, out of many millions of them, one can understand what I am." It is not so easy to understand God. But if you take the process as is recommended in the śāstras by saintly person, then it is easy. Otherwise it is not easy. If you speculate to understand God, that is not possible. Then you go on and many, many years speculating. You will never understand God. Either you take the shelter of Lord Jesus Christ or Kṛṣṇa, if you follow his instruction—this is the way of understanding—then you will understand. But if you don't care for his instruction, then you will never understand. This is the process. Hmm.
So that history is recorded in the Vedic literature. There are different varieties of planets, there are different standard of comfort, different standard... It is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā that yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). The brahma-jyotir, the effulgence of Kṛṣṇa's body... Just like effulgence of the sun-god's body is the sunshine. We can very easily understand. This is a material thing. There is sun-god. The sun-god, his name is Vivasvān. Everything is there. Imaṁ vivasvān, imaṁ vivasvān yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam. Kṛṣṇa says that "I spoke this philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā to Vivasvān." Vivasvān is the name of the person who is predominating in the sun globe.
Therefore people have lost faith in religion. This is the reason. Because those who are in charge of the religious department, the brāhmaṇas, those who are in charge of religion, the priestly order or the maulanis (?) or the brāhmaṇas, they're the same order, their duty is to keep people enlightened in the real mission of life. That is their duty. But if they're also doing the same thing, sense gratification, how long they can cheat others? Therefore people have lost faith in religion. This is the reason. But that is not good. Because the system of religion has become polluted, we should not give up religion. That is our prime duty. Karamayi tasya eka bhūṣesya (?). What is the difference between animal and man? The animal has no religion. They have no religion. Eating, sleeping, sex and defense. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca, sāmānyam etat. This is very easy to understand. The dog is eating; I am eating. Dog is sleeping; I am sleeping. Dog is enjoying sex; I am also enjoying sex. Dog is also afraid; I am also afraid. So what is the difference between dog and me? The only difference is that dog has no religion; I've got religion. So if I give up religion, life of religiosity, then I am equal to dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ.
The subtle body, the transmigration of the soul means when the gross body stops. The subtle body... Just like... This is very easy to understand. Little brain is required. Just like when you sleep, your gross body is on the bed, but the subtle body takes you somewhere. So the transmigration of the soul takes place carried by the subtle body. And mukti means when there is no more working of the subtle body also. This death, this elimination of this gross body, that is not mukti, because the subtle body will work and subtle body will carry you to the next gross body. The soul will be carried by the subtle body and, according to its mentality, nature will put him into the semina of a certain father, and the father will inject the semina within which the soul is there, and then again, with the mixture of ovam and semen there will be formation a pealike body, and the soul is there, and he'll develop.
So in order to convince Parīkṣit Mahārāja how chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is powerful, he is giving a lesson from the history, how Ajāmila was delivered simply by chanting "Nārāyaṇa." This is the incidence from the history. And it is history. The story begins, kānyakubje. Kānyakubja is still there in India. Perhaps you have heard the name of Kanpur. So that is within the Kānyakubja area. Kānyakubje dvijaḥ: "There was a brāhmaṇa in Kānyakubja." Historical name is all... So it is history. It is not story, mythology. No story. It is historical fact. Anything which is described in the śāstra... The Bhāgavata is Maha-Purāṇa. Don't be misled, "These are mythology." No, these are historical facts. And we have to learn the Vedic knowledge by the description selected from the history so that we can easily understand. This is the purpose.
He's the supreme controller, but He is controlled by His devotee, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. He is controlled. So it is not to be easily understood what is the pastimes between... But Kṛṣṇa is willingly agreed to be controlled by His devotee. That is Kṛṣṇa's nature. Just like Mother Yaśodā. Mother Yaśodā is controlling Kṛṣṇa, binding Him: "You are very naughty? I will bind you." Mother Yaśodā has a stick, and Kṛṣṇa is crying. Kṛṣṇa is crying. These things you study. It is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Kunti's prayer, how she is appreciating that "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are the Supreme. But when under the stick of Mother Yaśodā you are crying, that scene I want to see." So Kṛṣṇa is so bhakta-vatsala that He is the supreme controller. But a devotee like Mother Yaśodā, a devotee like Rādhārāṇī, devotees like gopīs, devotees like the cowherds boy, they can control Kṛṣṇa. That is Vṛndāvana life.
So he is trying to explain about his master, that it is not very easily understood. That was the point of Yamarāja to his assistants, that "People like you, they think that Yamarāja... I am the supreme. But that's not a fact. The fact is I am also controlled by another supreme master." And how to know him he is describing. He is describing that, "It is not possible to know Him in this way. It is not possible in this way. Even great sages and ṛṣis, they could not understand in this way. Yam evaiṣa vṛṇute... Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labh... This is Vedic injunction. Simply by talking, becoming a very nice speaker or lecturer. you cannot understand the Supreme. Nāyam ātmā na medhayā. Because you have got very nice brain, therefore you will be able to understand—no. Na medhayā. Nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo na medhayā na. Then how? Yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyaḥ-labhyaḥ Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.23. "Only such person who is favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he can understand." He can understand. Otherwise, nobody can understand. So therefore our business should be how to get His favor. And that favor, that is very easy to understand, that if you surrender to a person, then you can get his favor; otherwise not. This is process of understanding the Supreme Personality.
The loving affairs of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, that is not ordinary material things as we conceive. Generally people are very much interested in painting picture of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa's love. These pictures are very popular because they think, "Kṛṣṇa is like us. He is after young girls. So He's a great support for us. We are also after young girls, so Kṛṣṇa has done. So we are doing that." So Kṛṣṇa affairs—different. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says,
rūpa-raghunātha-pade, haibe ākuti,
- kabe hāma bujhabo śrī-yugala-pīriti
It is not so easy to understand the loving affairs of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. It is meant for the most advanced spiritually. That is not ordinary thing. Not only the loving affairs of Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī, but everything... They are not material. They are all spiritual. It has nothing to do.
This verse we have been discussing in our last meeting, that it is very easy to understand what I am. Take the... The description is that buddher jāgaraṇam. When we are, I mean to say, awakened, and we are acting with our intelligence, this is one stage. Then the another stage, that we are sleeping, dreaming. Another stage is that we are in deep sleep, forgetting everything. That is suṣuptiḥ, or deep sleep. Sometimes we want to forget ourself by transferring ourself into that deep sleep, forgetting everything. Actually, that is our natural tendency. When we are too much afflicted with these material activities, anxieties... Because material life means full of anxieties. That is material life.
So I am... This "I am," it is very easy to understand. Any intelligent man can understand. So there are so many yogis. They are trying to understand, "What I am?" This is "I am." It can be understood in a few seconds if you are intelligent enough. There is no question of prolonging simply to understand "What I am?" You are this. So only to understand that if I am not this body, which is dreaming, which is awakened, which is sleeping, so many conditions... It is changing from boyhood to childhood, childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood. So then I have to understand that "If I am eternal then what is my eternal business? Now I am engaged with this temporary business. Because I am born in this land, America, so America has become my country. So I am called for going to Vietnam. Because I am born American, I have to go. But if I am not this body, I am something else, eternal, then what is my eternal engagement? This is my bodily engagement." Everything is our bodily engagement. So Cai... Prahlāda Mahārāja asking us, tā yenaivānubhūyante so 'dhyakṣaḥ puruṣaḥ paraḥ. That puruṣa, that personality, is transcendental.
So He has expanded by His energy, by His part and parcel, and everywhere the same quality is there. But there are proportion. Just like when there is fire there is bursting out of sparks. Some of the spark are very big; some of the spark are small, some of them, very small. In this way there are proportion. Similarly, all living entities, all energy, they are all expansion of Kṛṣṇa. The material energy, the spiritual energy, the marginal energy, they are all expansion. Just like sunlight, expansion of the sun. And in the sunlight... It is very easy to understand. In the sunlight there are so many planets, and each and every planet have varieties of production, mountains, seas, ocean, trees, or trees. There are varieties of trees, animals, each and every planet. So nothing is void or impersonal. Everything is full of varieties, personalities. So you can understand. And what are these planets? These planets are called dvīpa. Dvīpa means island. Just like this is an island. We are sitting in this Kauai island. Why it is island? Because all around water. Similarly, all these planets are called also islands. Why? Because all around the space, space water. As this is surrounded by water, the planets are surrounded by space. So if you take the space, ethereal ocean, then it is island. Every planet is an island.
But that is not the way of seeking happiness. If we actually want to be happy, then you have to inquire about your constitutional position, what I am. That is meditation, to know. You just think over yourself, "Whether I am this body?" If you think that... Suppose you think over your, meditate upon your finger. You'll come to the conclusion that "I am not this finger. It is my finger. I am not this finger." Because if the finger is cut off, that I am not dead, therefore I am not finger. It is very easy to understand. So you meditate on every part of your body. You'll come to the conclusion, if you are sane, that "I am not this body. The body is mine. I am not this dress. The dress is mine." That is the conclusion. Then what I am? At the present moment I am identifying with this body, with this dress.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
This is the simplest point. You simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa. There is no difficulty. If you do not foolishly misinterpret Bhagavad-gītā, it is very easy to understand Kṛṣṇa, very easy. There is no difficulty. But we are rascals. We misinterpret: "Oh, Kṛṣṇa means this. Kṛṣṇa does not mean this." Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Kṛṣṇa means... Somebody, "black spot." What is that?
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
e is giving His blessing that "This form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, may always remain within your..., in the core of your heart." If we simply keep Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu within our heart, then it will be very easy to understand what is Kṛṣṇa, because if you understand Kṛṣṇa, then your life is successful. Janma karma ca divyaṁ me yo jānāti tattvataḥ. That is only. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means just try to understand Kṛṣṇa; then your life is successful. Kṛṣṇa says, "Anyone who understands Me, why I come here, what is My activities," tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma (BG 4.9), "he becomes liberated. After giving up this body, he does not accept any material body. In his own spiritual body he goes back to home, back to Godhead." This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Even big, big authors, scholars, they cannot understand. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu—He is Kṛṣṇa Himself—came again to teach us Kṛṣṇa consciousness for our benefit. Therefore He is mahā-vadānyāvatāra. So if we want to understand Kṛṣṇa, we must try to understand Kṛṣṇa through Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Then it will be very easy to understand. Other people, they do not try to understand Kṛṣṇa through Caitanya Mahāprabhu. They try to understand Kṛṣṇa directly; therefore they fail to understand. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Yatatām api siddhānām. So Kṛṣṇa cannot be understood by ordinary way. Kṛṣṇa can be understood only through one way, not many ways. What is that one way? Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Only bhakti. So that bhakti, here is it said, prema-bhakti-vadānyatā.
So, Kavirāja Gosvāmī the author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, he first offered his obeisances to Lord Caitanya in the first verse, agaty-eka-gatiṁ natvā (CC Adi 7.1). After offering obeisances to the Supreme Lord, who is the only hope for the hopeless, now he's again offering, jaya jaya mahāprabhu śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya. Prabhu and Mahāprabhu. Nityānanda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu. Any Vaiṣṇava is addressed as prabhu, but Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Mahāprabhu, the topmost prabhu, the master prabhu. All others are servant prabhu. Just like, it is very easy to understand: if you are working in an office, your immediate boss, you consider him as your master, but he's not the master. The master of the office is the managing director, manager or the proprietor. But still those who are working under him, sub-prabhus, they are also called prabhu. So all Vaiṣṇava should be addressed as prabhu; that is the etiquette. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Mahāprabhu. As soon as you utter the name of Śrī Caitanya, the Mahāprabhu... Because He's the greatest master.
He is situated in His own place, own abode, known as Goloka Vṛndāvana, but He is expanding Himself, akhilātma-bhūtaḥ. Everywhere He is present. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-sthaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi (Bs. 5.35). He has expanded Himself by His energies. Just like heat and light, the energy of fire expands. It is very easy to understand. Similarly the energies, multi-energies... Not only one, but multi-energies. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). So His energies are acting so nicely, that everything is coming in front as if automatically done. But it is not automatically done. This is foolishness. To understand that nature is working automatically is foolishness. The nature is working under the direction of Kṛṣṇa. That is real understanding. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). At the present moment, the so-called scientists, philosophers, they are simply studying the working of the material nature. But they do not know behind this material nature the real powerful is there. Just like we are enjoying the electric light, electric power, but as soon as it has failed from the powerhouse, everything stoped. Similarly, the real power is Kṛṣṇa. He's the powerful, śaktimān. When He desires, there is creation, this material manifestation, and when He winds up, everything is finished. This is the way. So how He is doing that? That is explained in this chapter. Pañca-tattva: He's acting by expansion of His different features.
So He's not so easy to understand. "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is born in Mathurā. His father is Vasudeva. Oh, He..." No. He's unborn. He's unborn, but I am seeing that He's born. Just like sun is unborn. I am seeing that at five o'clock sun is born in the eastern side of New York City. This is my foolishness. Sun is never born. He's always there. It is my imperfectness that I am seeing that sun is born this hour. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is never born. Kṛṣṇa is just like sun. So as they are, if we want to understand... Acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet: "Things which are beyond your conception," avāṅ manasā gocaraḥ, "beyond your expression, beyond your knowledge, don't apply your so-called argument and reason." That is Vedānta study. If, if you do not understand, put question to your spiritual master, try to understand, but as a matter of fact, you should know, "What is stated here, that is all right.
So the commentator says that in the Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad it is stated, parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate: "That Supreme Personality of Godhead's energies are variously manifested." Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate na tasya kāryaṁ kāraṇaṁ ca vidyate. Just like a very... In your country it is very easy to understand that a man is sitting as controller in the control room, the subway trains. He, in his table, he has got everything ready: which train is running on which line, where it is, in which station it is now. So he has got switches and he's controlling everything. Not only here, in India also they have now many (managed?). So they can say which train is where it is now. The light also moves according to the train moving. Similarly, if you can manufacture, if you can invent your own energies in different way, as the modern material civilization, they are discovering different manifestations of energy by machine, by electronics, and they are managing from one place, similarly, if it is, materially it is possible, why not spiritually? Spiritual is still finer.
The real fact is that because we are, although we are energies, therefore we are prone to be in the darkness of ignorance. Just like the same example. It is very easy to understand that the sunshine and the sun, both of them are illuminating and warm, but there is cloud, and the cloud cannot cover the sun. The cloud can cover the sunshine. This is a fact. Everyone can understand. When there is cloud... Suppose immediately there is cloud, say, two miles or three miles above the surface. So we do not see the sun or the sunshine. Does it mean the cloud has covered the sun? No. Sunshine is so great that cloud's father's, there is no capacity of the cloud's father to cover sun. It is not possible. Therefore ignorance... Here it is stated, avidya-karma-samjñānya. This ignorance cannot cover God. That is nonsense. Ignorance covers the God's energy, living entity. Therefore we say that "We are God, but now we have become dog." That is another ignorance. He's never God.
So we are one of the energies of the Lord, marginal energy. Marginal energy means if I desire... Because I have got little independence... Because Kṛṣṇa is fully independent, sva-rāṭ. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Vedānta says, janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu avijñaḥ sva-rāṭ. Kṛṣṇa is sva-rāṭ, means "fully independent." But we are Kṛṣṇa's minute part and parcels; therefore we have got the independence quality, but not full independence. We are controlled. Just like you claim to be independent, Indian nation. But that does not mean that you are fully independent, each of you. You are dependent on the government. These things are very easy to understand. Similarly, a living entity has got independence, but not full independence. He cannot do anything without the sanction of God. That is his dependence. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭa. "I am sitting there." The living entity and the Supreme Person as Paramātmā, both of them are sitting in this body. That is explained in the Upaniṣad.
So Kṛṣṇa is manifest. Then what is this nonmanifest? The nonmanifest is the energy of Kṛṣṇa. Mayā tatam idam. "By Me." If I say... I have got a big business, big factory. If the proprietor says, "I am all-pervading over this factory," that is right. Suppose one man has got a factory, say Birla. They say "Birla Factory," "Birla Jute Mill," "Birla..." Birla's name is there, although Birla is a person, he's not there. It is very easy to understand. Birla is a person. He is not present in that factory, but everyone says "Birla's factory." That means Birla's money, Birla's energy is there. If there is any loss in that factory, the suffering goes to Birla. Or if there is any gain in that factory, the profit goes to Birla. Therefore Birla's energy is there in the factory. Similarly, the whole creation is the manifestation of Kṛṣṇa. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4). "I am all-pervading." But that does not mean in everything... Everything there is Kṛṣṇa, His energy. He is represented by His energy. This is called simultaneously one and different. Acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, this philosophy of Lord Caitanya. Acintya, simultaneously one and different. The Birla factory is not different from Birla because his energy is working there. At the same time Birla is not there. Similarly, in this material manifestation, everything is God. Idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān ivetaraḥ.
So you cannot get out of this durgā simply by bribing, by satisfying. You have to satisfy Durgā in a different way, in a different way. Just like... These are very easy to understand, that if you are in prison house, if you satisfy the superintendent of jail, somehow... I have seen in Delhi that one man was... He was a very nice young gentleman, and he was typing. He was typing. So I was... He was a fair gentleman, very nice looking young man. So I talked with him, "What is your case of condemnation coming?" So he acted as a spy in some government secretarial department. So he was put into prison for ten years. But he was educated, he was intelligent, and he pleased the superintendent of jail. Therefore, instead of keeping him in ordinary cell, he was put into the office and type. Now, try to understand. This prisoner, by his satisfying the superintendent of jail, he is little given concession not to be placed in ordinary cell, but he is working (in) the office as a typewriter.
Kṛṣṇa says, "Out of many millions of persons, one is interested how to become siddha." Siddha means liberated, one who is not entangled with this material atmosphere. He is called siddha. So out of many millions of people, one may be interested how to become free from this material entanglement. And yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3), and out of many such siddhas, one may understand Kṛṣṇa. Kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ. So it is not so easy to understand Kṛṣṇa, but when Kṛṣṇa comes personally as a devotee and shows us the ways and means how to approach Kṛṣṇa, then it becomes easier. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So if we follow the methods, the method prescribed by Kṛṣṇa is very easy, but still, because we misunderstand Kṛṣṇa... Therefore, if we go through the mercy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then we can easily understand Kṛṣṇa. That is recognized by Rūpa Gosvāmī, the younger brother of Sanātana Gosvāmī. Two of them were ministers.
So we have been discussing about the symptoms, characteristics, of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One characteristic is that is eternally constant, or present with Him, and another characteristic is that it is sometimes manifested, sometimes not manifested. These two characteristics are called the superior energy and the inferior energy. Manifestation of the superior energy is always constant, present in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And manifestation of the inferior energy, that is not always present. It is sometimes manifested, sometimes not manifested. Just like we have got also. It is very easy to understand. We have got several energies, personally. And we have got some mean energy also. That is within us. That is not always manifested. Sometimes I commit theft. That is my energy. That is my energy, but it is not always manifested. This is a crude example.
So we may not... Just like the sun is so many millions miles away but he is..., sun can be present before us by his sunshine, his potency, sun's potency, energy. Similarly, these are all Kṛṣṇa's spiritual energies, and He is compared with the sun because He is the original sun. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). From the spiritual planet, Goloka Vṛndāvana, the glowing effulgence, brahma-jyotir, is coming out. How it is coming out? That we can very easily understand. As the sunshine is coming out, emanating incessantly from the sun disc, similarly the real sunshine, brahma-jyotir, is coming out of the spiritual planet Goloka Vṛndāvana incessantly.
Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures
Eko 'py asau, that Govinda by His one expansion of plenary portion, eko 'py asau, that expansion is meant for creating this material world. Eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. Not one universe, but billions of universes. As you see within this universe, there are millions and trillions of planets. Similarly, there are millions and trillions of universes. Jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. So in each universe, Govinda enters, then it becomes developed. Just like the matter created by the male and female, the jīva soul enters and then the body develops. Similarly, this material... Matter has no power of developing. Govinda enters into the matter, and therefore the universe develops. It is very easy to understand. Simply matter, combination of matter, cannot produce any development. Govinda. Eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi koṭiṣ... Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham, so Govinda is, the atomic theory that combination of atom, paramāṇu vāda is this material world, but we say that within the atom there is Govinda. Aṇor aṇīyan mahato mahīyān. Govinda is greater than the greatest and smaller than the smallest.
Festival Lectures
So the sum and substance of happiness is to satisfy the senses. But Kṛṣṇa says that sukham ātyantikam. The supermost happiness can be achieved not by these senses, but atīndriya. Atīndriya means transcendental senses. Just like at the present moment our senses are gross material senses. But there is another sense, not another sense, this sense. This is covered sense. Suppose you will try... You will be able to understand. Now, I want to touch some soft place to enjoy the sense of this hand, touch sense. But if the hand is covered with gloves, I cannot enjoy that sense so nicely. You can easily understand. The sense is there, but if it is artificially covered, then even the facility is there, I cannot enjoy the sense perfectly. Similarly, we have got our senses, but our senses are now covered by this material body. So Kṛṣṇa gives us indication in the Bhagavad-gītā that that superhappiness can be achieved by that sense, not this covered sense. Covered sense, you cannot enjoy the happiness superbly. Sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriyaṁ grāhyam (BG 6.21). Atīndriya means transcendental, not this covered sense. And Kṛṣṇa consciousness means... We have got consciousness. Everyone is conscious, but that consciousness is covered consciousness.
So under the circumstances we propose that every one of you become God conscious. The paragraph which I was mentioning, that we see the mother, mother earth, and we see the children in different forms... Then we must accept that there is father. Because without father there is no possibility of mother begetting children. If you simply understand this philosophy of father, mother and children, then you can very easily understand that there is God, the supreme father. There is no difficulty. But if you do not become reasonable as human being, if you remain as animal like cats and dogs... The dogs cannot understand that there is the supreme father, God, but a human being can understand. He has got intelligence. So with this advanced intelligence, if we do not understand about the existence of God, our relationship with Him and what is our duty in that relationship, then our, this human form of life will be spoiled.
So we should be very responsible. So we are not responsible. Kṛṣṇa says, "They are not responsible." Therefore manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). Out of many thousands of people, a person desires to utilize his human form of life very nicely. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye. Kaścit means somebody tries to make his life perfect. And yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). And among such millions of persons who are trying to make his perfect, one can understand Kṛṣṇa.
So Kṛṣṇa is not easy to understand. But He is so kind that He is explaining Himself. One who takes this explanation of Kṛṣṇa and understand Him, he becomes perfect.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
Religion is described in the English dictionary as "a kind of faith." Faith you may accept or may not accept, but religion is the word, as we understand from Sanskrit dictionary, it cannot be rejected. Or you and your religion cannot be separated. Therefore we should understand very clearly that we are experiencing two things: one is matter, and another is spirit. Just like there is a stone, and there is a small ant. The stone, it may be very big, but it cannot move. It has no life. But the small ant, although it is very small, it has life. So there are two things, we can very easily understand: one is dead matter, and the other is living force. We are actually living force. Living force, we are covered by the matter, and according to the different types of covering, we are representing different types of living condition. So this living force, being encaged by the dead matter, it is a struggle for existence. The living force trying to get out of the material encagement, that is called struggle for existence. The living force by nature is jubilant.
Oh, that is not very difficult. When the soul is gone, there is no activity of the body. Where is the difficulty to understand? So long the soul is there within the body, body is acting. As soon as the soul is out, it is not acting. It is very easy to understand. Is there any difficulty to understand? Why the body was moving one moment before, acting very nicely, but as soon as the soul is gone, it is dead body? That's all. Finished. It is lump of matter. What is the difficulty?
Initiation Lectures
So you should be very careful in future. That is very easy to understand, who is a serpent. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, because one may inquire, "Who is asat? How can I understand?" asat eka strī-saṅgī kṛṣṇābhakta. Asat means who is attached to, very much attached to woman. You see that man, he was posing himself as yogi, and he is living with one woman. It was God's grace that he came with that woman so that he disclosed himself. By Kṛṣṇa's grace. Asat eka strī-saṅgī kṛṣṇābhakta. Strī-saṅgī. One should not be attached to any woman except his wife. Then he becomes asat. Asat eka strī-saṅgī kṛṣṇābhakta. So we should be very careful, asat, who is asat. It doesn't matter if one is very highly educated; still he should not be associated.
General Lectures
Bhaga means opulence. And what are the opulences? That also, we can very easily understand. If one man is very rich, we call opulent. If one man is very famous, reputed, he's opulent. If a man is very advanced in learning, in wisdom, he's al... That is also opulence. A scientist, a philosopher... If one is very beautiful, he is also opulent. So there are six kinds of opulences: richness, reputation, strength, influence, beauty, and wisdom. So asamaurdhva, that equality and greatness... When you'll find a certain man is in such a position that nobody is richer than him and nobody is famous, more famous, than him, nobody is more stronger than him, nobody is more influential than him, nobody is more beautiful than him, and nobody is wiser than him—if you find somebody full in six opulences... These are the definition given in Vedic literature.
So, if you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa, then you will very easily understand that you are not this body; you are spirit soul, ahaṁ brahmāsmi: "I am Brahman." Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. That is the first installment, you'll understand. For self-realization, there are so many different processes. There are mystic yogis. There are philosophical speculators. There are karmīs. There are jñānīs. And... But this process, immediately you will realize that you are not this body. You are not matter; you are spirit soul. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). And, as soon as you understand that you are not this body, you are not matter, that you are spirit soul, then immediately you become joyful.
Similarly, this dress is standing so long the soul is there. As soon as the soul is gone, it is flat, no more moving. This is very easy to understand. It is dress, but dress is moving. Just like coat-pant moving, how long? The real man is there. If the man is not there, finished. The coat is coat; pant is pant. That's all. It is so simply given in the Bhagavad-gītā. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22). It is dress. So dress means there is real body. Otherwise how dress can be made? Because you have got this hand, therefore your coat has got a hand. Because you have got leg, therefore your dress, pant, has got a leg. So if it is dress, then it is to be understood that within the dress the spiritual body is there. It is common affair. First of all try to understand this. Yes.
So you have to accept authority. There is no other alternative. Now you have to find out who is authority. That requires intelligence. If you go to a bogus man and ask him about God, you may be misled. That is a fact. That is your duty—to find out a man who knows God. Then you'll get. Just like... This is commonsense affair. Suppose if you want to purchase something in the market, some milk. So you have to know that "I'll have to go to some store." You don't go to a hardware man, hardware dealer's. If you go to a hardware dealer and ask him, "Give me one bottle of milk," he'll say, "You are crazy. This is hardware shop." So you must have such common sense where to go and ask for God. That common sense must be there. And that is also very easily understood. Those who have devoted their life for God and they have no other business than God, to serve God, he is the right man.
One thing, avināśi; and another, vināśi. Avināśi means eternal, and vināśi means perishable. So this body is perishable, everyone knows. Either it is young body or old body or child's body or boy's body—anyone's body—today, tomorrow or one hundred years after or fifty years after, it is perishable. There is no doubt about it. But what is that thing imperishable? That imperishable is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, yena sarvam idaṁ tatam: "That thing is imperishable which is spread all over your body." That is very easy to understand. What is that? If you pinch your body, any part of your body, you feel pain. That means your consciousness. Your consciousness is imperishable. The body is changing. When you took your birth from the mother's womb you were a small child. But perhaps you may remember your childhood activities. The consciousness is the same, but the body has changed. The body has changed. If you have got sharp memory you can remember so many things of your past life, and that means the consciousness is the same but body is changing.
He's directing. Actually, under His instruction, we are taking permission. Just like you do business in your business office establishment, but you have to take permission, license, from the government. It is very easy to understand. Although you are proprietor of the business, you cannot do anything without being permitted by the government. Similarly, although this body is yours, you are the proprietor of this body, you have been given freedom to utilize the body to your best interest, still, you cannot do anything without the permission of Kṛṣṇa.
As it is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā that vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22)—if I change my dress, that is not my death. This is easily understood. Similarly, transmigration of the soul from one body to another, that is not death. But because we have no eyes to see the soul, how it is changing from one body... Just like we cannot see how the baby is coming to another body, childhood, boyhood. We cannot see. We see that the body is changing. No. He's changing from one body to another. That is the version of the Bhagavad-gītā. But we say that body's growing. Why body's growing? If the body has got any growing power, then why the body of a dead child does not grow? The body has no growing power. It is actually changed. But because... Just like in the spool of your film, there are many pictures. But because you see under certain condition, you see one picture. It is very easy to understand. Actually, the pictures are changing, different pictures, and we are seeing one picture. We are seeing the picture is moving in one picture. Similarly, this body is continuously, every moment, there is different body, different body, different body, every moment, but we are seeing one body. This is our ignorance.
But how this stage can be attained? This stage can be attained only by persons who have developed pure love of God. Just like... It is very easy to understand. If you love somebody, always you'll think of him. In this material world also, the so-called love... If a boy loves some girl or a girl loves some boy, naturally, he thinks always of him. So to think of Kṛṣṇa always means you must develop your love. That is there within yourself, everyone. Kṛṣṇa-bhakti nitya-siddha. It is eternally truth, eternally fact, that you have got your love for Kṛṣṇa within yourself. Simply you have to revive. That process is easy, very easy. The chanting. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). The glittering thing, Kṛṣṇa, or the Kṛṣṇa light. Kṛṣṇa light is within everyone. Nitya-siddha: eternally truth. But it is covered by material contamination. And by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra these nasty, dirty things will be cleansed. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam. This is polishing. Polishing. Just like mirror, you polish; you can see very nicely the reflection of your nice face. Similarly, if you polish your heart by chanting, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, then immediately you develop your dormant love of Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as the dormant love of Kṛṣṇa is awakened, immediately you are liberated. Bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam.
So how Kṛṣṇa is ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8), you can understand it. If you study, if you take information from Vedic literature, if you attentively think over it, you'll very easily understand that everything is produced out of Kṛṣṇa's bodily effulgence or energy. Kṛṣṇa also personally says here,
- etad-yonīni bhūtāni
- sarvāṇi iti upadhāraya
- ahaṁ kṛtsnasya jagataḥ
- prabhavaḥ pralayas tathā
Aham: "I am." The Māyāvādī philosophers cannot accommodate this idea, how a person can be the cause of creation, maintenance, and annihilation. But Kṛṣṇa here says that ahaṁ kṛtsnasya. Ahaṁ kṛtsnasya jagataḥ prabhavaḥ pralayas tathā. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7), because He is the origin of all energies. We have already understood that the whole manifestation is nothing but, I mean to say, demonstration of the different types of energies of the Supreme Lord. That is confirmed in the Vedas: parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport).
So He is the greatest artist. Just like nowadays, the electronic age, the artist or the scientist just pushing on one button and it is working so nicely. Nowadays it is very easy to understand. In the aeroplane the pilot is simply pushing on button, and such a huge machine, just like a small city, it is flying in the sky, and the wings are working, the machine is working. But we see that a person is simply pushing some button. As it is materially possible, that a man of this world can work so wonderfully simply by pushing some button, so how much great is God, or Kṛṣṇa—"God is great"—how His brain is fertile, how energies are fine, that simply by His desire, "Let there be creation," immediately everything is there.
He is directing. Actually, under His instruction we are taking permission. Just like you do business in your business office, establishment, but you have to take permission, license from the government. It is very easy to understand. Although you are proprietor of the business, you cannot do anything without being permitted by the government. Similarly, although this body is yours—you are the proprietor of this body, you have been given freedom to utilize the body to your best interest—still, you cannot do anything without the permission of Kṛṣṇa. That is the subject matter to understand spiritual life. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi... Kṛṣṇa confirms this in Bhagavad-gītā. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo: (BG 15.15) "I am entered in everyone's body." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca: "Through Me, one remembers and one forgets."
You have to accept this, dehāntara-prāpti, from one body to another. Where is my childhood body? That is gone. Where is my boyhood body? That is gone. Where is my youthhood body? That is gone. Not only for me, for everyone. There is past, present and future. Similarly, when this body will be gone, I will get another body. Where is the difficulty to understand? Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Dhīra. Because we are not sober... There are two classes of men: dhīra and adhīra. Dhīra means sober, thinking, thoughtful, and adhīra means restless. So with restless brain, it is difficult, but if you have got sober brain, then there is no difficulty to understand that "I am eternal. I was in the child's body, I was in the baby's body, I was in the boy's body, I was in a young man's body. Now I have got a different body. I am living asmin dehe." Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). It is very easy to understand, but Kṛṣṇa says, dhīras tatra na muhyati: "Those who are sober, they can understand."
"My dear Pārtha, Arjuna, in order to know Me, God, asaṁśayam, without any doubt, and samagram," means in completeness, "as you can know Me, I am personally speaking to you." That means if you want to know God, you can know Him when He explains Himself. Otherwise, you cannot speculate. God is unlimited, and your speculative power is limited. So you cannot understand God without the mercy of God. That is the verdict of the Vedic literature. It is very easy to understand. Suppose here is a big man, rich man, learned man. You want to know about him. So you cannot understand him by speculation: "He may be of this standard. He may be like this. He may have so much money." You suggest; another friend suggests. In this way the study of that particular man is not complete.
It is not so easy to understand what is Kṛṣṇa or what is Godhead. Therefore He is personally speaking about Himself. There are many persons within this world, they are trying to understand what is God. (aside:) What is...? (break) When you want to study me by speculation, it is not perfect. But if I speak myself about my career, my position, they you can understand very easily. So the speculators, they are thinking that "God has no form. You can imagine any form of the Lord and try to worship Him." That is speculator. (break) ... Another type of atheism. The atheists, they say, Śūnyavādī, "There is no God." But these Māyāvādī, they say, "Yes there is God, but He has no head, no leg, no mouth, nothing." Means, indirectly, they are saying there is not God.
Philosophy Discussions
Śyāmasundara: Does the condition of being entrapped, enhance the understanding of liberation?
Prabhupāda: Yes, unless one understands that he is entrapped, there is no question of liberation. If he's in ignorance that this is the real life... Just like ordinary man, they think this is real life but we are giving education, "No, this is not real life. The real life is Kṛṣṇa consciousness."
Śyāmasundara: Does someone who has been in prison and then he becomes free, does he appreciate his freedom more than someone who has always been free?
Prabhupāda: So, that's very easy to understand. You can apply the same thing in your life. That is not very difficult. Everyone can understand.
Śyāmasundara: So to enhance the understanding of freedom is it, if someone...
Prabhupāda: You come to the platform of freedom.
Śyāmasundara: But say one has always been free. His understanding...
Prabhupāda: No, why? So long as we are entrapped by this material body you are not free.
Hayagrīva: He further writes, "He who believes in the advancement of man from some low organized form will naturally ask, 'How does this bear on the belief in the immortality of the soul?' " He says, "At what precise period does a man become an immortal being?" That is to say, he doesn't know at what stage the immortal soul inhabits the species.
Prabhupāda: Yes, soul is always important. He is put into different bodies. That is the defect of Darwin's knowledge. He does not know about the soul. So the existence of soul, to understand this is the first education. One who does not know this, he remains animal, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13), if one continues the bodily concept of life without any understanding of the soul. And it is very easy to understand that the child is becoming boy, a boy is becoming young man. So the soul is there, and we remember that "I was a child, I was a boy, I was a young man." So I continue to exist, the bodily changes, and this is confirmed in every Vedic scripture, and that is the beginning of knowledge. If one does not understand how the soul is changing body, he remains on the level of cats and dogs.
Hayagrīva: He says, "A humanistic religion, if it excludes our relation to nature, is pale and thin, as it is presumptuous when it takes humanity as an object of worship."
Prabhupāda: Humanity is not worship. Every, every... According to God conscious person, everything is worshipable, even an ant, but supreme worshipable is God. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). So that is wanted. Nature, these persons, they are taking as nature as the Supreme. But those who are actually in awareness of God, they know that God is the controller of nature also. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, māyadhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Nature is matter. Matter cannot act independently. In the Bhagavad-gītā, as (indistinct), the difference, what is the difference between matter and the living being. The difference is the matter is being handled, controlled by the living being. Therefore living being is the superior nature, and matter is inferior nature. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca (BG 7.4). This earth, water, air, fire, etc., everything, these are inferior nature. Just try to understand nature. And above this inferior nature there is superior nature. That, the inferior nature, is a vast ocean, but the superior nature, man, has a big ship. The ocean will not allow to walk over it, and they have control over the ocean, not exclusive control, but little control. Because he is living being, he can cross over the big mass of water by inventing some means, so that at least they are controlling to some extent. But above this ocean and the man who is trying to control over the ocean, there is another controller. That is supreme controller. That is God. It is very easy to understand that there are two natures: one, the active nature; inactive nature. And above these both, active and inactive, there is another active personality who is controlling both of them. That we can understand by Vedic literature very clearly. There is no difficulty. But those who are obstinate, they will not accept. That is their misfortune. What can be done? But this is the fact.
Hayagrīva: He writes, "The theologians are different from the philosophers in this respect at any rate. At least they are sure that God exists, even though they make contradictory statements about Him. God's existence does not depend on our proofs. I understood that God was, for me at least, one of the most certain and immediate of experiences."
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is transcendental conviction, and it is very easy to understand that God is there. I do not know God, that is another thing. I will have to learn it. But God is there. There is no doubt about it. Any sane man can understand. You cannot say there is no God, because you are under control. So who is that controller? The supreme controller is God. This is sane man's conclusion. Now, I do not know who is God then, but there is God, that's a fact. So he is right when he says I believe or not believe, there is God. Now, it will depend on my personal endeavor to know God. Go on.
Śyāmasundara: He comes in the tradition of the British empiricists, which believes that nothing outside of our senses can give us any knowledge. But still, he was never able to believe that simple mathematical principles like "Two plus equals four" are merely generalizations which we derive from our experience. He says that these things must be eternal principles, such as "Two plus two equals four."
Prabhupāda: Yes. So mathematical calculations, if it is perfect, then it is all right. Just like a child is born: father plus mother equal to child. So this is all right. But if one says that without father, through mother only, child, then how this is mathematical calculation? Whenever there is a child, it is to be understood that there is father and mother. If somebody says "No. Without father, simply mother gives birth to a child," then what kind of calculation is this? Similarly, these so-called philosophers, they simply think the nature is all-in-all, but that's not the fact. Nature is prakṛti, just like mother. There must be father. But they do not believe in father. So what kind of mathematical calculation? That is not mathematical calculation; that is concoction. Mathematical calculation—"Two plus two equal to four"—is a fact everywhere. Either you go to Europe or America or anywhere you go, that mathematical calculation—"Two plus two equal to four"—it can be understood. Similarly, it is very easy to understand that without father, mother cannot give birth to a child. Similarly, this nature, without the supreme father, Kṛṣṇa, she cannot give any birth. But these modern philosophers, scientists, they are struck with wonder simply by observing the natural activities. So Kṛṣṇa says that "Background of these natural activities is I." Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). "Under My supervision." Just like prakṛti, woman, the girl, naturally, when she is young, her father's direction, er, when she is child. When she is young, husband's direction. When she is old, elderly children's, son's, direction. In India at least you'll find, woman has no independence. And to remain dependent under father, under husband or elderly boys, that is their happiness. And in Western countries I see they're so-called independent, but (indistinct) the women's are so unhappy.
Hayagrīva: Well the basic difference is that Marx believes that there's nothing spiritual; everything is material. He says, "An incorporeal substance is just as much a contradiction as an incorporeal body."
Prabhupāda: That is his ignorance, because this body is dead. That what is the difference between the dead body and the... The same Marx and same Lenin was lying, but because there is no spirit sould it was considered as dead. This is imperfect understanding of the man, of the body. Otherwise, I mean to say, man of sense studies there must be a spiritualism and materialism. Spiritualism..., spirit means the force behind the matter. It can be understood very easily that matter as it is, it is inactive. A machine may be very well made, but without a person, a living being, the machine is useless. So that is the difference between spirit and matter. Matter can be active only in touch with the spirit. Similarly, the body is active when there is soul within the body. This can be easily understood, unless one is very dull. Spirit cannot be denied.
Hayagrīva: Of the spirit.
Prabhupāda: Yes. And the form of the body takes place on account of the form of the spirit. This is very nice example. The cloth has no form, but when it is cut according to the form of the gentleman, it takes a form. Similarly, matter has no form. When it is coated on the spiritual form of the soul, it takes the form. This is very easy to understand.
Hayagrīva: To get on to another point, Aquinas believed, or rather he opposed sex for any purpose other than the begetting of children, and not only should sex be used only for the begetting of children, but that when one begets children one takes the responsibility of giving them a spiritual education.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is Vedic injunction, that don't beget children unless you can give the children relief from the cycle of birth and death. One should not become father and mother. That is responsible father and mother. And without this responsibility, if a man gives birth to a child and if a woman bears the pregnancy, that is prohibited. One should not become a father, one should not become a mother unless they are competent to give freedom to the children from the cycle of birth and death.
Purports to Songs
So in the animal life it is fully forgetfulness. They cannot be reminded at any circumstances that they are not this body, they are different from this body. It is only in this human form of body, human form of life, one can understand that he is not this body, he's spirit soul. So by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, one can easily understand this fact, and by worshiping Lord Caitanya, following His principles and ways, one can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and very easily come to the platform of spiritual understanding. But Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says on our behalf that we are neglecting this. Therefore we are inviting spiritual death.
| Page Title: | Easy to understand (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 07 of Mar, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=126, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 126 |