You are under the clutches of māyā. you have no independence. Neither anyone has got any independence to save you. That is not possible. The same example as I gave sometimes, that you learn how to drive aeroplane. So you go high in the sky. But if you are in danger, no other aeroplane can help you. You are finished. Therefore you must be a very careful pilot to take care of yourself. Similarly, in this material world everyone individually has to take care of himself. How he can be saved from the clutches of māyā. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. A teacher can give you hints. The ācārya can give you hints that "You can be saved in this way." But the execution of the duties, that is in your hand. If you perform the spiritual duties rightly, then you are saved. Otherwise, even ācārya gives you instruction, if you don't follow, so how he can save you? He can save you by instruction, by his mercy, as much as possible. But you have to take it in your hands seriously.
Independence (Lectures, BG)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
"Yes, Kṛṣṇa, what You are saying, it is right. It is right." Because after instructing Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa will ask him, "Now what you want to do?" Because Kṛṣṇa does not force. Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender unto Me." He does not force, that "You must surrender. I am God. You are My part and parcel." No, He'll never say that. Because He has given you little independence, He will not touch it. Otherwise what is the difference between a stone and a living entity? A living entity must have independence, although it is very little, minute. That Kṛṣṇa does not touch. He'll never touch. You'll have to agree, "Yes, Kṛṣṇa, I shall surrender unto You. Yes. That is for my benefit." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You must voluntarily agree, not hackneyed, mechanical. "Spiritual master says like this right. All right let me do it." No. You have to understand very nicely. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). Prīti, with love. When you work, when you work for Kṛṣṇa with love and enthusiasm, that is your Kṛṣṇa conscious life.
J, N, A, N, I. "Jan-nanee. Jan-nanee." The spelling is "Jananee." So the Supreme Truth, the Supreme Truth is Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān, the Supreme Truth. Now, according to... Because we have already explained that each and every individual being has got his individual minute quantity of independence. God has given us. Now, by our independence, I may accept as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I may accept Him that the all-pervading Supersoul, and I may accept Him that the all-pervading Brahman, impersonal brahmajyoti effulgence. So all these are applicable to the Absolute Truth. Now, it depends on my discretion whether I want to merge into the existence of the Lord, whether I want to keep my individuality and associate with Him as friend, as father, mother, as wife. Just like we have got relation. So that depends on my discretion.
Prabhupāda: Yes?
Indian: ...to abuse other person, he says many things...
Prabhupāda: But you should remember that you are in quality Paramātmā. So Paramātmā has got supreme independence. You have got little independence also. You, when you misuse that little independence, you create havoc.
Indian: Who is responsible for the creation of this...?
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Indian: Who is responsible for the creation of this material...?
Prabhupāda: Well, responsible... Just like father creates children. But if he becomes a thief, does it, does it mean the father is responsible? What is your idea?
That is, that is the... Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). You are independent. You can associate with different qualities of nature, and then your character is spoiled. That is your independence. Here God's instruction is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). You do not abide by that. You create your own independence. Therefore you suffer. Father says, "My dear boy, do like this. You'll be happy." But he does in a different way. Who is responsible, the father or the son?
Indian: Supposing... If independence is equal in...
Prabhupāda: If you, if you work according to the instruction of God, then you'll be happy. That is our proposition.
Indian: No, my question is..., difference between the service to the human being and the service to...
Prabhupāda: Just like if you water on the leaf, and if you water on the root, which is better?
Indian: The root.
Prabhupāda: That's it. But if you water the leaf, means you waste your time. Because by watering the leaf, you cannot make the tree living. Similarly, the śāstra says that water on the root. Yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ (SB 4.31.14). If you water the root, automatically the branches, the twigs, the leaves, they become invigorated. But if you water the leaf, you simply you think that you are doing service, but you are doing nothing. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)
Just like heat and light is the energy of the sun, similarly, Kṛṣṇa's energies... There are many energies, but they have been divided principally into three: external energy, internal energy and marginal energy. So we are living entities. We are marginal energy. Marginal means we may remain under the external energy, or we may remain under the spiritual energy, as we like. The independence is there. Yathecchasi tathā kuru: (BG 18.63) "Whatever you like, you can do." Kṛṣṇa gives this independence to Arjuna. After describing Bhagavad-gītā, He said, yathecchasi tathā kuru. He does not force. That is not good. Forceful thing will not stand. Just like we advise, "Rise early in the morning." This is advised. Not that I have to force everyone. That will... Force, I may force one day, two days, but if one does not practice it, then simply force is useless. So similarly, Kṛṣṇa does not force anyone to leave this material world. We all conditioned souls, material world, we are under the influence of the material energy. Kṛṣṇa comes here to deliver us from these clutches of material energy, that "You are suffering so much..."
Prabhupāda: That means spiritual standard. That feeling of ecstasy is required. That is spiritual standard. If he does not feel ecstasy, then there is still time to come to the point. That is very good qualification. (break) Generally not, but there is chance. Therefore we have said marginal. Marginal, we have got independence. You can fall down, but generally not fall down. (break)
Hanumān: How is that, that this world is unreal? Why do we say that there is good thing and bad thing in the world?
Prabhupāda: We don't say unreal. It is temporary. But "good and bad," that is our creation. There is nothing good here. Because there is death, then where is good? If, after all your attempts, you die, then where is the good? So "good and bad," that is imagination. There is nothing good; everything is bad here. (end)
We have already discussed. I am not this body, and I am pure consciousness. Some way or other, I am encaged with this bodily dress, but I am not this body. I am pure consciousness. Now, if we actually want happiness or independence, then we have to remain in our pure consciousness position. Suppose if I do not belong to certain association or certain company, then I have to keep aloof from that company. So Lord Kṛṣṇa says that bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānām (BG 2.44). Those who are too much attached with bodily pleasure, bodily enjoyment, and tayāpahṛta-cetasām. Apahṛta-cetasām means those who are illusioned. Because bodily pleasure is not my pleasure. My pleasure is different because I am not this body. Just like a man in a feverish condition or in feverish delirium, speaking something. That is not his normal speaking. That is due to the delirious condition.
The husband is called the enjoyer, and the wife is called the enjoyed. Husband is called the predominator, and the wife is called predominated. Of course, in our India, Hindu conception of life, that a woman, woman, according to our Manu-saṁhitā scripture, woman is always protected. A woman is never given independence. She is protected during her childhood by the father, and she is protected in her youth by the husband, and she is protected in her old age by her sons. That is the conception. And the woman, the cow, the brāhmaṇa, the children—they are meant for absolute protection. That is the Vedic conception. They should always be given full protection. The children, the women, the brāhmaṇas, and the cows, they have no fault. In the laws of the state, a woman, a child, a brāhmaṇa and cow has no fault. They have no, I mean to say, in the criminal court they are never prosecuted. That is the Hindu law. Now, therefore the whole idea is that the, we are, we, the living entities, we are not enjoyer; we are enjoyed.
Kṛṣṇa consciousness means you have no more any personal activity. Because your person is also related to Kṛṣṇa. How you can act personally? You have to simply act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is dedication, that is surrender. But you can act individually because you are individual soul; you have got that independence. But that will not make him happy. If he acts individually then he will never be happy. But if you act Kṛṣṇa consciously, then you will be happy. That is the whole instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. And the last instruction, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam... (BG 18.66). "You give up all other activities, as you have manufactured by different consciousness. Just surrender unto Me." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi... "I shall give you protection from all sinful reaction." Yes?
Arjuna, you don't be. If you want to be spiritually situated, if you want to work from the spiritual platform, then you don't do it. You work on the spiritual platform and don't do anything which you cannot do in God consciousness." This is clearly stated here. Now, it is, of course... It depends on us whether to accept it or not accept it, because God has given us independence. You'll find also in the Bhagavad-gītā at the end that after the instruction is given, the Lord inquires from Arjuna that "I have given you all instruction necessary. Now whatever you like, you do." So this is the position. The Lord never interferes with the little independence that has been offered to us. We have got little independence because we are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Oh, so under certain percentage we have got independence. Not full independence, but under certain percentage we have got independence. And that independence we can use properly or misuse it also.
We are individual persons, individual living entities, infinitesimal. The Lord is infinite, and we are infinitesimal. So Lord can advise the infinitesimal to act in a certain way, but the infinitesimal, because it has got infinitesimal independence, it can reject it also. It can accept it or it can reject it. That we have got. That individuality, that independence... (break) "...that all other occupations you please surrender unto Me. You just try to follow Me. Then I take charge of you so that there will be no reaction of your work, and do not hesitate." Mā śucaḥ. This very word. Mā śucaḥ means "Do not hesitate. Do accept it. Do accept." That is the clear declaration of the Lord. You see. This is not for Arjuna only, but every one of us because we are all in the Arjuna's position. Arjuna is a living entity, individual living entity. So we are also, every one of us, a living entity.
Similarly, there are so many things which you are refrain from doing by force. No. That sort of abstinence will not make you progressive in spiritual life, by force. No. By force I cannot... Because you are independent. Every individual being has got his little portion of independence. So anything cannot be done by forcing you. No. Even you cannot force even a child. He has got his independence. He'll revolt if you force him. So here it is said that viṣayā vinivartante. One may be refraining from enjoying materially by somehow or other, by force... Nirāhārasya dehinaḥ, rasa-varjaṁ raso 'py asya paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. But one who is spiritually advanced, he is not forced. He is voluntarily giving up. That is the difference. Voluntarily giving up. How? Why voluntarily giving up? Now, paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59). He has found something sublime, so sublime that he doesn't care for material enjoyment. He is not forced. He voluntarily gives up.
So we require to undergo some sort of penances. That penance is that engage our senses not in the process of sense gratification but in the process of serving the Supreme Lord, dovetailing, dovetailing our independence, our consciousness, to the supreme consciousness. Just like the example... Bhagavad-gītā. Arjuna is very nice example, that he dovetailed, he dovetailed his consciousness with Kṛṣṇa. He did not want to fight, but after hearing Bhagavad-gītā he dovetailed his senses. One has to fight with senses. Non-sense cannot fight. The senses must be there. So he, what did he do? He applied his senses to the senses of the Supreme Lord. That's all.
Now here it is said, tāni sarvāṇi saṁyamya. You can control your senses only when you engage that senses into the service of the Lord. Tāni sarvāṇi saṁyamya yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ. Mat. Mat-paraḥ means "unto Me, unto Me, in relationship with Me."
For one thousand years the Mohammedans invaded India, from 1000 A.D. up to 1947, till the end of the British period. India was under subjugation by so many foreigners: Mohammedans, Greeks, and so many others. Lastly, the Mohammedans ruled for eight hundred years. And the Britishers ruled for two hundred years. So now they have got independence, India. So at that time the Bengal was being ruled by the Mohammedans, Pathans, and their entrusted ministers were these Rūpa and Sanātana. They were converted into practically Mohammedan. Hindu society was very strict at that time. Still they are very strict. Anyone serving a foreigner, he becomes at once ostracized. He is at once, I mean to say, rejected from the social intercourse. So these brothers, Rūpa and Sanātana, because they accepted Mohammedan rulers' service as minister, they were outcasted from the... They were actually brāhmaṇas by caste.
Yes. As soon as you make misuse, the supply will be stopped. After all, the supply is not in your control. You cannot manufacture all these things. You can kill thousands of cows daily, but you cannot generate even one ant. And you are very much proud of your science. You see. Just produce one ant in the laboratory, moving, with independence. And you are killing so many animals? Why? So how long this will go on? Everything will be stopped.
Just like a child. Mother is giving good, nice foodstuff, and he's spoiling. So what the mother will do? "All right. From tomorrow you'll not get." That is natural.
Suppose a boy is very rich man's son. But still, he thinks "Why shall I live under the rules and regulations of my father? Let me go out. I shall enjoy life freely." Freely, what freedom? You are already rich man's son. You can enjoy the property of your very, very rich powerful father, and what independence you will enjoy? This is criminality. This is criminality. We are sons of God, part and parcels of God, and God means almighty. So we have got almighty father, and leaving His place, I have come to this material world to enjoy independently. That is criminality. And we are suffering. That is explained here: prakṛti-stha, "being placed in this material world," puruṣa, bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān, "he is enjoying, but enjoying the quality of the modes of material nature."
Just like a tiger. He is also enjoying. He is thinking, "I am very strong. I have got so power, so much jaws and nails. I can jump over any animal and immediately kill him."
Yes. You forced Kṛṣṇa to allow you to come. Just like sometimes a child forces his father. Father says, "My dear son, do not do this. Do not go there." But he insists, "Oh, I must go. I must go." "All right, you go at your risk. That's all. And you suffer. What can be done?" Because you are son of God—God has got independence, full independence, almighty—therefore you have acquired the quality of your father. You have got little independence. So God does not interfere with your little independence. If you persist that "I must go and enjoy independently," so God says, "All right, you can go." This is the position. You have to take sanction. That is a fact. But when you persist, God sanctions. And you come and enjoy. Beginning from Lord Brahmā down to the worms in the stool, gradually, according to your work, according to your desire, you manufacture your different types of body and enjoy and suffer. That's all. That is explained. Prakṛti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛti-jān guṇān.
He appears by His own energy, internal energy, or spiritual energy. Therefore He's avyayātmā. Ajo 'pi sann avyayātmā bhūtānām īśvaro 'pi san.
Still... We should not take Kṛṣṇa as one of us because He is bhūtānām īśvaraḥ. Bhūtānām īśvaro 'pi san. Just like a crude example may be given. When there was independence movement, Mahatma Gandhi went to jail, and many, many big leaders. But there are other criminals also, pickpockets and thieves and murderers. If they would think, "Now Mahatma Gandhi has come into jail. We are the same. We are the same." No. Similarly, when Kṛṣṇa comes, if the rascals and fools think that "Kṛṣṇa is also like us, as we have come into this material world," they are fools. No. We are forced. Just like criminal, a pickpocket or a thief, a rogue, a murderer. He is forced to... So of course, here, Mahatma Gandhi was also forced. But that is not the case. Because He is the controller. Bhūtānām īśvaro 'pi san. He... The material energy cannot force Kṛṣṇa. Because He's īśvaraḥ. He's the controller. A controller cannot be forced.
You cannot hesitate. So we are in the grip of the material nature. However we may declare ourself that we are independent, we are not independent. We are dependent, completely dependent. We may foolishly mislead ourself by the sense of independence. No. You are not independent. You are completely under the control of the material nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). The material nature is so strong that it is very difficult to get out of the entanglement.
But there is a way. That is also said in the Bhagavad-gītā, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te: "Anyone who surrenders unto Me..." The whole process, the whole process of material activities, material nature, is going on under this principle, that we are required to go back to the eternal world, to get our eternal life and eternal blissful knowledge. These things are awaiting us. But if we do not try, do not endeavor for attaining that sublime position and spoil our reserve energy in making an adjustment of this temporary material world, that is our foolishness.
If you follow one percent, then you become one percent perfect. If you follow twenty-five percent, then you become twenty-five percent perfect. And if you follow cent-percent, then you become centpercent. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). Kṛṣṇa does not interfere with your individual independence. Every living entity has got an independence, minute, because he is also spiritual atom. We are all spiritual atoms. That atomic, spiritual atomic force... Just like a material atomic force is so strong, so you can just imagine how strong is spiritual atom.
In the modern age, the atomic age, the scientists have discovered the force, the power of material atoms. But they have not yet known what is the force of spiritual atom. There is spiritual atom. We are spiritual atom. The atom is described in the Vedic literature, the form of the spirit which we are actually. Keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatadhā kalpitasya ca (CC Madhya 19.140).
"My dear Arjuna, I have given you all instruction. Whether you have understood it? And how you are going to follow? Have you decided to follow Me?" Just see. He does not say that "I force you to follow," no. He asked him, "Now, have you decided to follow Me?" And He gives him the, I mean to say, full independence—yathecchasi tathā kuru: (BG 18.63) "Now I have given you all instruction. Now it is up to you. You can do whatever you like."
So our position is always like that. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, or His bona fide representatives who come here, they can force you to go back to Godhead, but they do not do that. They want your voluntary cooperation. Unless you are prepared to cooperate voluntarily oh, there is no question of my improvement. So we must accept our voluntary cooperation with Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, or His representative who comes before you to canvass, "My dear sir, please be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Please look to the leadership of the Supreme Lord." Now it is up to you.
Nobody can go out of it. He has to follow either A, B, C, or D, or anyone. He has to select.
Just like I'll give you another example. According to Manu-saṁhitā, our Vedic literature, the Manu-saṁhitā says, na striyaṁ svatantratām arhati: "Women should not be given independence" or "Women are not independent." That is a truth, Vedic truth. Now, so far a girl is child, she is dependent on the father, and it is hoped... At least in India we have got this principle. When a girl is grown up, the father gives her in charity to a boy to protect her, protect her, give her protection. And similarly, when a woman is grown up, old enough, she becomes protected by the grown up boys, children. So this Vedic truth that a woman has no independence... She is always under the protection, either under the protection of the father or under the protection of the husband or under the protection of the grown-up sons. That is position. And woman becomes happy in that way. Those who are not following this principle, I think they are not happy. This Vedic principle is truth.
That is a fact. If you don't follow, that depends on our discretion. Just like Arjuna. He was asked by Kṛṣṇa, "Now, what you have decided? Are you going to follow Me? Oh, you can do whatever you like. I have told you everything." So Kṛṣṇa is telling us everything in the Bhagavad-gītā. Now it is up to us to accept His leadership or not. If we accept His leadership, then we are free from this material bondage, and if we do not accept, then we can do whatever we... Kṛṣṇa does not interfere with our independence. That is a fact.
Thank you very much. Now if there is any question, you can ask. (break)
Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes, you be controlled." And if you want to be controlled by Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes." Therefore He says, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. It is up to you. But you'll be controlled. There is no independence, sir. There is no independence. You'll be controlled. That is your nature. You cannot be controller. That is not possible. "Either you be controlled by Me, personally, or you be controlled..."
Just like in government. A person may say, "I don't care for government. I don't like government." That you can say. But you are controlled. If you go against the government, immediately you'll be arrested and put into the jail. You'll be controlled. You can say like a madman that "I don't want to be controlled. I don't care for government." That is not possible. So if... Therefore ye yathā mām... If you want to be controlled by the prison house, then Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes, you be controlled." And if you want to be controlled by the civic laws, that also you can do. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmi... Mama vartmānuvartante.
The Māyāvādī philosophers, they are thinking that "Being merged into the, existence of Brahman, I become Brahman." No, this is a wrong. You cannot become Brahman. You remain the same.
The example is given: just like a green bird enters into the green tree. It does not mean that the bird is mixed. No. The bird is keeping its independence as an individual. But it appears to others, those who do not see properly, that it has merged into the tree. It has actually not merged. And because it does not merge, therefore they fall down. They again come out. That is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ... Vimukta-māninaḥ. They are thinking, "Now I have become one with the Supreme." But actually, that is a false impression. Māninaḥ. Māninaḥ means actually it is not fact, but he's thinking like that. Vimukta-māninaḥ.
So we have to attain to that state. That is the real aim of life, and Lord Kṛṣṇa personally is teaching in the Bhagavad-gītā. Why should we not take advantage of this? We should not refuse. If we refuse... We can refuse because we are individual souls with independence. If you like, you can refuse, but we should not refuse. Here Kṛṣṇa says that "Those who does not come to My leadership, but he goes indirectly to other leaders..." We worship leadership—why? Because we want something from that leadership. Just like in India during the independence movement, so many people took part in the Congress movement, and later on, they became all ministers and high officers although they had no position in India's past life. So it is possible that if we worship other demigods, we can get some temporary relief from our distress, but if you take to Kṛṣṇa, then the relief is permanent, and tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9), we can give up this body and go directly to the spiritual kingdom to be associated with Kṛṣṇa.
You can transfer yourself either in this, under the influence of this inferior nature, or you can transfer yourself under the influence of superior nature. Your position is marginal.
Now, you are given... Because Kṛṣṇa is full independent, and because you are also part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, therefore you have got the quality of independence, to make your choice whether to be under the influence of this inferior nature or to become under the influence of superior nature. But because we do not know what is that superior nature, therefore we have no other alternative than to remain in this inferior nature. This is the whole position.
Because in the world there are many philosophies. They are informing that "There is no other nature. This nature, which we have experienced, it is troublesome. Make an end of it and become void." Oh, you cannot be void because you are living entity and eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20).
Now, in each and every temple you will find how nice foodstuff. According to the capacity of the temple owner, oh, very, I mean to say costly foodstuff are being offered. And those foodstuff is distributed amongst the poor class men.
Now, at the present moment, after the, we have got sva-rāja, or independence, the government has interfered with this sort of service. They say that "This is waste of money. Why you are offering?" They are becoming atheist. But this is not waste of money. At the cost of the rich men, the prasādam was being distributed to the poor class of men at a nominal cost. You see? Now, poor men, they go to hotel. But if they take prasādam in a temple, oh, the far better quality foodstuff is supplied to him only at nominal cost. In a hotel, what will be charged, one dollar, he can have it in the temple for ten cents. So this is still more sane.
Then you can ask, "Then why somebody is doing bad work and why somebody is doing good work? In both ways Kṛṣṇa has sanctioned?" Yes, in both ways Kṛṣṇa has sanctioned. Without sanction he cannot do it. But how both ways Kṛṣṇa has sanctioned? Now Kṛṣṇa has sanctioned in this way. He has given you liberty. He has given you independence. Not full independence, but... You cannot become full independent. But you have got independence. He does not touch on your independence. That is there. Because otherwise, if you, if you are bereft of your independence, if you are without independence, then you have no meaning as living entity. Every living entity has got his minute share of independence. So Kṛṣṇa has given every one of you independence to make your choice. Now why you are...? Somebody is doing bad work or somebody is doing good work, and Kṛṣṇa giving sanction? How is that? That sanction is like that, that when I want to do something and I desire, I pray, "Oh, this thing may be done."
Now, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, says that "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is not responsible for anyone's activities." He does not create. He does not say that "You act in this way." Not exactly He does not say. He says that "You act in this way," but the living entity, out of his individual independence sometimes, or always, so long he is conditioned, he does not carry out the orders of the Lord. Therefore he is responsible for his own work. Although the sanction is there by the Lord, still the Lord is not responsible for his work.
"My comfort, my food, my dress, everything is there. My mother is there." So natural. Not only human being, even cats and dogs where the mother is there, she is there. It knows that "My protection is there," confident. As soon as one grows, keeps away from the mother, from the father, the so-called independence. Actually we are dependent on Kṛṣṇa. He is supplier. He is giving us food, everything. So we must have confidence. That's all. That is training. That is Kṛṣṇa conscious. Our only business should be simply to serve Kṛṣṇa. Then everything is there. Go on.
Devotee: "Purport: The conditioned souls within the clutches of illusory energy are all anxious to attain peace in the material world. But they do not know the formula for peace which is explained in this part of Bhagavad-gītā. The peace formula is this: Lord Kṛṣṇa is the beneficiary in all human activities.
Then you're gone. Then your driver is your enemy. But if your driver acts on your order, then he's your friend. So actually the yoga system means to control the mind in such a way that he will act as your friend, not as your enemy.
Actually the mind is acting as my, because I have got little independence, because I am part and parcel of the Supreme who has got full independence, therefore I have got little independence. The mind is controlling that independence. If mind says, "All right, let me go the Kṛṣṇa conscious temple," and the mind can say, "Oh what is that nonsense, Kṛṣṇa, let us go to some club." so mind is driving you. Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to fix up the mind in Kṛṣṇa, that's all. He cannot but act as friend. You see? He has no scope to give any one place. As soon as Kṛṣṇa is seated on the mind, just like as soon as there is sunshine, the sun is on the sky, there is no scope of darkness. There is no possibility. Darkness will never become before the sun.
The mind, I am spirit soul, part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. As soon as the mind is contaminated, I rebel, because I have got little independence. "Why shall I serve Kṛṣṇa or God? I am God." It is simply a dictation from the mind. And the whole situation turns. He's under false impression, illusion, and the whole life is spoiled. And who has failed to do so, if we fail to conquer the mind, we are trying to conquer so many things, empire, but if we fail to conquer our mind, then even you conquer an empire, that is a failure. His very mind will be the greatest enemy. Go on.
Otherwise He can control. Just like in Bhagavad-gītā, you will find, after explaining Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna He is giving the freedom to Arjuna, yathecchasi tathā kuru: (BG 18.63) "Whatever you like, you do." He is supreme controller, He can force him to do it, but he doesn't do that. The little independence you have got, you have to utilize it favorably. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You do this." He can forcibly make me to do that, but He doesn't do that because He has given little independence, and He wants that voluntarily we surrender, not by force. That is wanted. Otherwise it is not that He cannot control you. He can control everyone.
It appears that it has become one. The tree is also green and the bird is also green. So when the bird enters the tree, it appears that the bird is now mixed up. But that is not the fact. The bird keeps his individuality, and at any time, when he wants, he can come out of the tree and fly anywhere. That independence is there, although apparently it seems that he has become one with the tree. Similarly, the sāyujya-mukti means apparently he is in Brahman, but factually it is not. Because each individual soul is different.
Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, kṣetra-kṣetra-jña. Kṛṣṇa has described that this body is kṣetra, and the spiritual spark, or the soul, is the kṣetra-jña. And He says also, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata (BG 13.3). Kṛṣṇa is also kṣetra-jña as Supersoul. So Kṛṣṇa is, as Supersoul, separate from the individual soul. Not that the Supersoul and... These are very clearly explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Anumantā upadraṣṭā. One puruṣa is anumantā upadraṣṭā, and another puruṣa is bhoktā.
Similarly, prak ṛti is not enjoyer; prakṛti is enjoyed. If the prakṛti remains in her own position as being enjoyed, that is her natural position. And if she superficially, artificially tries to be enjoyer, a puruṣa, she never becomes happy. According to our Manu-saṁhitā it is said that woman has no independence. Na strī svātantryam arhati. According to Manu-saṁhitā, a woman should remain always dependent, and that is her real happiness. Let her remain dependent when young under the protection of the father. Let her remain dependent when she is young under the protection of the husband. And let her remain dependent in old age under the protection of elderly sons. That is the direction by Lord Manu who has given us law. Actually, in fact, if woman is dependent under suitable father, husband, and son, she is happy. Therefore, according to our Vedic civilization, it is the father's duty when the girl is young to find out a suitable boy who can take charge of her, and the father is relieved that "Now I have given charge of my girl to a suitable boy, and I am happy." Perhaps you have seen in our last wedding ceremony yesterday, the husband promised that "I take charge of you to make you comfortable throughout your whole life."
That is our fault. Don't try to be predominator. Try to be predominated by Kṛṣṇa and you will be happy. Just like the woman. As soon as she is under protection of a big father, a nice husband, and nice elderly son, she is happy, very happy. And as soon as she is independent... I have seen practically in Europe and America, there are so many women declared independence. They are most unhappy. I have seen it. In old age they are very, very unhappy. Young age also. They do not get a right husband, and they are very unhappy. When one young girl sees that another young girl has husband, she becomes, "Oh, so this woman, this girl has got a husband." You see. That is the nature.
Prakṛti means to remain dependent on the supreme husband or on the supreme father. You can accept Kṛṣṇa as father. You can love Kṛṣṇa as father, as husband, as master. Dependent. Remain dependent. And Kṛṣṇa has come to teach us that natural position of the living entities.
Is it guaranteed that because one is son of high-court judge, he'll also become a high-court judge? There is no such guarantee. Everyone is individual. We are sons of God, that's all right, but we have got little independence. If we misuse our independence, then we become lower. Kṛṣṇa is perfect, there is no doubt, but we are part and parcel of. Just like another example. There is a fire and there are sparks of fire. The sparks are very little, small fire particle. Sometimes they fall down from the fire and becomes extinguished. The fiery quality is lost. Similarly, we are all parts and parcels of God, but when, by misusing our intelligence, our independence, we come here in this material world to enjoy, our godly qualities becomes lost. Again if you revive, then you go back to home, back to Godhead.
This crazy fellow is fully under the control of material nature, and he's still thinking that he is independent. That is craziness. Everyone is thinking like that, so everyone is a patient of psychiatrist. How we can declare independence? There is no independence. We are completely dependent on the laws of material nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). This is knowledge. Nobody wants to die, but nature says, "You must die." Where is your independence? Nobody wants to take birth, enter into the mother's womb. But you must enter. Nobody wants to become old man. Nature says, "You must become old man." Nobody wants disease. The nature says, "You must have disease." So where is your independence? But the crazy fellow says, "I am independent. I think like this." What is the value of your thinking? You may think in your favor but the nature will not allow you. So everyone is crazy who is declaring independence. He's a crazy.
The wife can remain as assistant, not for any other purpose. Then, when he is fully prepared, the wife goes to the care of elderly children and the wife takes sannyāsa.
But this culture is lost. Now unless one is shot dead, he would not leave family life. (laughter) Even Mahatma Gandhi, he got independence and everything; still he would not leave. So he was shot dead. This is our position. All politicians, all big big men, they are not going to retire, stuck up. This is not civilization. When one is young, he can remain with family, wife, children, twenty-five to fifty years. That's all. No more. Give up. Then take vānaprastha. Train up yourself for becoming sannyāsī. Then take sannyāsa simply for understanding God. That is sannyāsa. You can take sannyāsa from the very beginning, but if it is not possible, at least at the fag end of your life everyone should take sannyāsa and completely devote in understanding the science of God. That is called sannyāsa.
Oh, Kṛṣṇa gives him too: "Yes." So therefore His business is to make you forgetful because you want to forget. And when you are advanced, if you want know... If you want to establish, reestablish your relation, He will encourage you.
So therefore two things are there witness. He gives you full independence. Whatever you like, you do, but He gives instruction at the same time that "These things will not satisfy you, My dear boy." Sarva-dharmān... "You give up all this nonsense. Come to Me. I shall give you all protection." But we don't want to take protection. What God will go? Poor God, what can He...? He can do everything, but He doesn't interfere with your affair. If you want to forget, He will give you so many facilities by the illusory energy that you'll forget, forget, forget. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisram. Now you have got this beautiful body of human, civilized human being.
It is a false notion that you are independent. You are not independent. It is a false notion. Nobody is independent. We may be puffed up that "We belong to an independent nation. Now we have got..." Just like Indian. We were under British rule. Now we have got independence. This is all false notion. What is that independence? The nature's law is forcing starvation. What is this independence? They are now begging grains from other countries. In British time there was no begging at least. Now their independence means they are begging. So these are all false notions. Nobody is independent. He is dependent in some way or other under the laws of nature. The laws of nature at once can force the stringent laws, and he becomes subservient. So subservient, to become subservient, is your nature. You cannot alter it. The best thing is that instead of becoming subservient to this false, you should become subservient to the Absolute Truth. Satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (SB 1.1.1).
Why? On account of this bodily concept of life. "I am this body. I am this body." Therefore this should be first of all understood. As Kṛṣṇa says: idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity... (BG 13.2). It has been awarded to you for utilizing it for different purposes as you like. You can utilize it like cats and dogs and hogs and you can utilize it as devatā, as demigod. That is up to you. We have got little independence. We can utilize or misuse this independence. But the śāstra says that this body is not to be utilized as cats and dogs and hogs. Śāstra says.
Therefore Kṛṣṇa says: yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ (BG 16.23). Anyone who does not care for the instruction given in the śāstras... Śāstra. Just like anyone who doesn't care for the law of the state, what kind of man he is? He's a loafer, a outlaw. He's not a respectable citizen. Similarly anyone who does not follow the shastric in... Śāstras are meant for human being, not for the cats and dogs and hogs. As law is meant for the human being, not for the cats and dogs. Therefore we have to follow the shastric injunction.
Therefore, mind and senses, manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi , with these senses and mind, karṣati. manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni. Karṣati (BG 15.7), karṣati means struggling. Struggle for existence. This is our position. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Now we have given up by misuse of our independence. We wanted to imitate Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme enjoyer, so when we become envious of Kṛṣṇa, tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krurān (BG 16.19), the demons are envious. They want to become Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, you will find so many demons. They will say, "Why Kṛṣṇa is alone God? I am God, you are God, all of us, we are God." So they are demons. So demons cannot be allowed in the spiritual world. They are sent in this material world.
Just like in some places I've heard in Europe there are many places, where the gamblers and the drunkards, without any license, they can go on with their business. Is there any place like that? Huh?
Everything, you can get it. Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63). Kṛṣṇa says, "Whatever you like, I will give you opportunity."
But the best advice is that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is your best way. It is up to me to accept it or not to accept it. Kṛṣṇa does not interfere with your independence. Because you are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, you have got little independence, minute quantity, not full independence. As Kṛṣṇa is full independent, we are not full independent. Kṛṣṇa is sva-rāṭ, fully independent. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ sva-rāṭ (SB 1.1.1). Sva-rāṭ means fully independent. But we are, being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, we are also little independent. So by misusing our independence, instead of serving Kṛṣṇa, we are serving our senses. Therefore bhakti-mārga means to rectify the senses, to purify the senses. By purifying senses, we come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the definition of bhakti.
A śūdra means he'll be satisfied if he gets one good master, that's all. No other qualification.
So at the present moment a person may be a great technologist, highly educated, but he does not get, if he does not get a good master, good employer, he's nothing. He has no value. He has no independence, he has to accept some service. But a brāhmaṇa will never accept anyone's service. No. It is stated that in the śāstras, that if there is bad time for a brāhmaṇa, he may accept the profession of a kṣatriya or even up to vaiśya, but never the profession of a śūdra, which is dog's business. These are the statements in the śāstras.
So this platform of knowledge vidyā-vinaya-sampanne, brāhmaṇa, one has to become brāhmaṇa. Then one becomes humble, meek, and other qualification follows. The material conception of life makes us very eager to receive honor from others. That is material education, rajas tamas. Rajas tamo-guṇa.
Puruṣa, the living entity, is fully under the control of material nature. That's a fact. You cannot deny it. If you deny it, then ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā. Simply by false egotism we declare independence, but that is not possible. This is jñāna. So this puruṣa, this living entity, prakṛti-stha, being under the control of prakṛti, material nature, bhuṅkte, he is obliged, He is forced. Prakṛti-jān guṇān. He is forced, he is obliged to accept the supremacy of the modes of material nature. Prakṛti-jān guṇān.
There are three modes of material nature: goodness, sattva, rajas, tamas. So goodness, passion, and ignorance. So either of them, we have to accept either of them. So on account of accepting the association of a particular type of modes of material nature, kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu (BG 13.22).
So all the food grains are there on the Pakistan side, and in the Hindustan side all the industries are there. So they are fighting. They have no industrial facilities, and they have no agricultural facilities. All policies. They would fight all along. The Britishers wanted that "You have taken your independence. All right, you'll suffer all the time, fighting between your..." This was a policy. So it is going on nicely.
So anyway, the whole world situation is degrading, that people are not producing their own food. This is the problem, real problem. Kṣetra-kṣetra-jña. This example is given. As every man must possess a piece of land... Therefore this... Because it is very common thing, this example has been given. Kṣetra-kṣetra-jña.
So as we till our land and gets foodstuff according to my labor, according to my intelligence... Food grains I can produce once twice, thrice, if I work hard. Generally, they work two times: three months, three months. And those who are very lazy, they work three months. But even working for three months, they can acquire foodstuffs for the whole year. That I have seen. So similarly, as we get some land and work for ourself, similarly, this body is also like that land.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: But then they give the argument, "If He knows, then how does the living entity have choice?"
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is given to him. He knows that "I have given him the independence," so you can use your choice. That He knows also. Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63). He knows.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: This is understanding things in proper light.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Devotee (3): See, the argument could come that "If He is directing the wanderings of all living entities then I don't have to worry about surrendering. He will direct me to it."
Prabhupāda: Yes. But ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). Why don't you see other verse? He is directing according to your desire—unless you surrender. There are two kinds of direction. One kind of direction is when you do not surrender, and one kind of direction, when you have surrendered, because these things are there. My position is either surrender or not surrender. So the not surrender will get one kind of direction and the surrender will get another kind of direction. Both ways, there is direction. Without His direction he cannot act. Is it clear or not?
First of all living being. Amongst the living being there are some living being which can move or can walk from one place to another. And there are certain other living beings which cannot move, just like the trees, plants. They are also living being, but they are standing in one place for many thousands of years. They have no independence to move. Now, in the moving living beings there are so many. The flies, the insects, the reptiles, the birds, the beast. In this way, by evolutionary process, one after another, one comes to the form of human being. This human being is therefore very, very rare. After going through 8,400,000 species of life, one comes to this human form of life.
So here is the chance of getting freedom from this evolutionary process. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). After many, many births, we have got. Why? Now, to become civilized. What is civilization? Civilization... The Aryans are called civilized. Why? Aryan means going forward. And what is the destination of going forward?
You'll find, therefore, that there is no very great scientist, mathematician, philosopher, among women. You'll never find because their brain substance cannot go. Artificially do not try to become equal with men. That is not allowed in the Vedic śāstra. Na striyaṁ svatantratām arhati. That is called śāstra.
You have to understand that woman is never given to be independence. Independence means just like child has to be taken care, similarly, woman has to be taken care. You cannot let your child go in the street alone. There will be danger. Similarly, according to Vedic civilization, Manu-saṁhitā, woman should be given protection. In this way, ācāra, this is called ācāra. So the demons, they do not know. The demons, they do not know what is what, how one thing should be treated, how... They do not know. In the Western countries there is no such distinction between man and woman, but there is. We have to accept it and construct this social institution in that way. Then it will be perfect.
"No, whatever you like, you can do. I don't expect justice from you." That was Gandhi's... He'll never plead. And all his followers did that. Therefore they were all sent jail. And by going to jail they got svarāja. And he declared, jail svarāja ke mandira hai: "If you want to get svarāja, independence, you must be prepared to go to jail."
Therefore, at the present moment, all the government men, their first qualification is whether he went to jail during this movement. Yes. The more one suffered imprisonment, he is given more exalted post. Not only jail, in the jail they were beaten very severely. Some of them were given poison. So many big, big leaders, they died just coming out of jail. They were given slow poison. C. R. Dasa, Jyotindra Mohan, Sen Gupta. And the Gandhi, therefore, he would not take any food from the jail. He would carry his one goat, and take the milk of the goat and some cāpāṭis made, two cāpāṭis and a little peanuts. That's all.
Everything is being pulled down by the laws of material nature, and still, because we are so fool and rascal, we are thinking, "independent." This is our fault. This is our fault. We do not know what is the aim of life, how prakṛti, nature, is carrying us, how we can protect ourself from the problems of life. We are busy in solving the temporary problems of life, just like dependence or independence. These are temporary problems.
Actually we are not independent. We are dependent on the laws of nature. And suppose we become independent, so-called independent, for a few days. That is not independence. Real independence is how to get out of the clutches of these material laws. Therefore Kṛṣṇa presents before you the problem amongst... We have got so many problems, but that is temporary. Real problem is, Kṛṣṇa says, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). A man of knowledge should always keep in the front the real problem. What is that?
| Page Title: | Independence (Lectures, BG) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 31 of Aug, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=55, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 55 |