Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. The same object. So the Brahman realization is impersonal realization. Just like the sun, the sun globe, and the sunshine. They are one, but the sunshine, realization of the sunshine, is not realization of the sun globe. Or realization of the sun globe is not realization of the sun god who is within the sun globe. Vivasvān. His name is Vivasvān. The present predominating Deity in the sun planet, his name is Vivasvān. And his son Manu is called Vaivasvata Manu. This is the age of Vaivasvata Manu. So at the... This is very nice example, that the sunshine, the sun globe and the sun god. They are all one, but still, the sun globe is not the person, sun god; neither the sunshine is not the person sun, although they are one. This is called acintya-bhedābheda-tattva, inconceivably one and different simultaneously.
Like the sun (Lectures, BG)
Expressions researched:
"like the sun"
|"likened to the sun"
|"sun is like"
|"sun is likened"
|"sun like"
|"sunlike"
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Kṛṣṇa is not doing that. But artificially, those who have nonsense, they see that "Kṛṣṇa is dancing at dead of night with others' daughters and girls. Therefore He is immoral." But that means he does not know what is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa can do anything. Tejīyasaṁ na doṣāya. Tejīyasaṁ na doṣāya (SB 10.33.29). Just like the sun is very powerful. As you see in this material world, a sun, a material thing, and it is very powerful, but the sun is soaking water, taking water from the sea as well as from filthy place. So he is also evaporating water from urine also. In filthy place, sewer ditches, he is evaporating water, as well as from the sea. But does it mean by evaporating water from the sewer ditch and urine, the sun is becoming polluted? No. Rather, he is turning that place, what is called, prophylactic, antiseptic, by his sunshine.
Actually, from literary point of view, interpretation is required when things are not understood very clearly. The interpretation required. In the law court, when the lawyers try to interpret before the judge, when the terms are not very clear... That is the same way, in, in, amongst the associates and society of learned scholars. Interpretation is not required when the things are very clear. Just like the sun, sunshine, sunlight. There is no need of a lamp to show the sun. The sun is self-effulgent. It is already there. Light is there. Why one should take a lamp to show the sun? This misinterpretation has killed the spirit, the real essence, of Bhagavad-gītā.
He's omnipotent. He can become many. Where is the objection there? He can... He can manifest Himself in various... Just now we have quoted a verse from Brahma-saṁhitā, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta-rūpam means unlimited forms. Unlimited forms. Ad... Still, they are one. In spite of becoming unlimited, they're one. Just like the sun. If you put here millions of pots, waterpots, in every pot you'll find the sun's reflection. But that millions of reflections, sun, does not mean that sun has lost his oneness. Sun is one. That is also a Vedic system, that we are all reflection like that. So anyway, these many, many forms of God, is from the desire of God. Now, out of these... Because God has got some desire, transcendental desire, to enjoy with many.
So soul, the individual soul, is different from the very beginning, nitya. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yam. In later verses we will come to understand. The Lord says that "These individual souls, they are My part and parcels." Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ: (BG 15.7) "Jīva-bhūtaḥ, or these living entities, they are My parts and parcels." How it is that? I can give you a very good example. Just like the sun, sun and the sun rays. What is the sun ray? Sun ray, if you analyze physically, you'll find small molecules of raising (raysing ?) atoms, shining atoms. This is material. You see? The sun ray is nothing but combination of, I mean to say, shining atoms. It is not a homogeneous thing. Anything you take. Anything you take. You are artist.
They are separated energies. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām. Beyond this. These are inferior, aparā. And beyond this aparā-prakṛti, there is another, superior prakṛti. What is that? Jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat (BG 7.5). That is the living entity.
So living entity, living being, is energy of the Supreme Lord. Energy. Just like the sun and the sunshine. Sunshine is the energy of the sun globe. Similarly, we living entities, we are also energies of the Supreme Lord. What is this sunshine? It is a combination of a very small shining particles, molecular. That is sunshine. It looks like one homogeneous thing, but they are small particles. That is scientific understanding. Similarly, we are also a small particle of the Supreme Lord.
At night, we can see millions of stars, there are. Similarly, that is the impersonalism and personalism. One whose knowledge is not perfect, they think imperson, everything homogeneous. And one whose knowledge is perfect... Vedas also confirm it... Just like in the Īśopaniṣad, there is a verse in which it is stated that "Please withdraw Your effulgence so that I can see Your real face." Just like the sun globe. You cannot see it perfectly due to the dazzling sunshine. But the sun globe is there, and in the glow there are living entities, and there is a principal head man, god. They are not man because their body is made of fire. So similarly, the first, impersonal impression, Brahman, then further advanced, Supersoul, and when further advanced, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). First realization, Brahman, impersonal; the second realization is Paramātmā, Supersoul; and the last realization is the personal form of God, Kṛṣṇa. Go on.
Kṣetra-jña, the soul, and, is within this body. Therefore soul is called kṣetra-jña. Kṣetra-jña means "one who knows about this body." I am conscious about my this body. You are conscious about your body. But Kṛṣṇa is conscious of your body and my body and everyone's body. Therefore He's also kṣetra-jña, but He's kṣetra-jña, He's Supersoul. Just the same example. Just like the sun, during meridian, is on your head. At 5,000 miles, you ask your friend "Where is the sun?" He'll also say, "It is on my head." (break)
Where is the difference? Let us analyze. Soul... The, I mean to say, existence of the soul within the body, how we can understand? That is very easy. Because yena sarvam idam... Everything is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yena sarvam idaṁ tatam: The soul is existing, spreading its influence all over the body, just like the sun is existing, spreading the sunshine all over the universe. Similarly, God is existing, spreading His consciousness all over the universe, all over the creation. Therefore He knows everything. Similarly, I am also part and parcel of God. I am also soul, like the sun. My shining, my consciousness, is spread all over the body. Yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. Avināśi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idam. These things, ślokas, will come. "That thing which is spreading all over the body, that is avināśi; that is eternal."
Just like the big fire and the sparks of the fire. The spark of the fire, when it falls on your cloth, a pointlike space it can burn. But the big fire can burn the whole building. So the quality of God is in every one of us. We may take as a small god, that's all. But the power is different. God can create a planet like the sun, which is floating in the air, and you can create a small airplane floating in the air. God can create a mosquito which has got the same construction like the aeroplane, but you cannot do it. That is the difference between God and you. You can create; He can create. But His creation and your creation is not equal. Who put this question, "What is the difference between God and us?" You put? What did you...?
If you are led by blind leaders, you are all doomed. That is going on. That is my appeal to the Indians. Don't be doomed. Take Kṛṣṇa, accept Kṛṣṇa as the leader. Then you'll be happy. As Kṛṣṇa says... Not only India. India, especial, I say. Because Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Of course, for Kṛṣṇa, there is no such thing as India and America. Just like the sun. The sun is neither Indian sun nor American sun. Sun is sun. But if you say, if you think that because now in India, the sun is visible, therefore "Indian sun," that is your concoction. That is your mental concoction. Sun is neither Indian nor American. Similarly, God, Kṛṣṇa, He's neither for Indian or for... He is for everyone.
So we get this information from the gosvāmīs, sanātana-gosvāmīs, that those who are devotees, those who are perfected in the training of devotional service, they are first of all given birth in the universe where Kṛṣṇa is present. Kṛṣṇa is always present. Just like the sun is present always in the sky, but we can see the sun in some opportune moment. But sun is always there. When the sun is set, it is set in my vision, but sun is there. When it is night, I cannot see the sun, but the sun is there. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is always there. We have to make our eyes to see Him. That's all. And that, how that eyes are made?
And because they cannot enter even into the moon planet, how they can enter in the sun planet? If they enter sun planet, they will find that there is a person whose bodily effulgence is this sunlight. Similarly the original person, Kṛṣṇa, has got His effulgence. We get information from Brahma-saṁhitā, yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Just like the sun-god is diffusing the effulgence of his bodily light in this universe, in one universe. Similarly the original person, He is diffusing that light. So those who are less intelligent, they simply can see that light; therefore they say light. But in the Vedic literature there is information that you have to search out the Supreme Person penetrating the light. In the Īśopaniṣad it says, "My dear Lord, please wind up this effulgent light so that I can see Your face actually." That is stated in the Vedic literature. So originally the Absolute Supreme Truth is a person. If you want proof from Vedas, there is proof.
He saw, realized, there are two things: the māyā and Kṛṣṇa. Māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam. Taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa. This māyā cannot stand without Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa is not affected by māyā. Because Kṛṣṇa is not affected, absorbed. But the living entities, yayā sammohito jīva, the living entities, they become affected by the presence of māyā. Kṛṣṇa is not affected. Just like the sun and the sunshine. Sunshine means combination of illuminating particles. That is sunshine. It is scientifically proven. Sparks, little atomic sparks, shining sparks. So similarly, we are also just like the shining sparks of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is compared with the sun. Kṛṣṇa—sūrya-sama, māyā haya andhakāra. Now when there is cloud, māyā, the sun is not affected. But the small particles, sunshine, they are affected. Just try to understand. Here is sun, and below, many millions of miles below, the cloud.
Those who are meditating by yogic process, they attain to the Paramātmā feature, or Supersoul. And those who are devotees, they attain the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
So according to Bhāgavata, Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate goal. Paramātmā feature is partial representation. How it is? Just like the sun. Sun is the chief planet, and his reflection is in every water reservoir. If you put here thousands and millions of waterpots, in each pot you'll find the reflection of the sun. So Paramātmā, Supersoul, is the reflection or partial representation of the sun. So this is Paramātmā experience. And Brahman experience is just like the sunshine. Sunshine. Sunshine is all-pervading. Everywhere sunshine is there, but still, sunshine is not important. Important is the sun globe.
Just like the mass water in the ocean, it can play a havoc. But a drop of water, that... It is not possible by the drop of the water.
Similarly, that is the difference between ourself and God. We are minute particles, minute particles, just like the sun and the sun rays. The sunshine, the sun rays, they are also combination of molecules of some shining material, material. So shining material... So that sunshine is not different from the sun, but at the same time, sunshine is not the sun. This is called simultaneously one and different. This philosophy was, I mean to say, expounded by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, acintya-bhedābheda, acintya-bhedābheda, "simultaneously one and different." Now, in order to keep our position intact, that is to... That theoretically we understand or we have understood that "I am not this body, but I am consciousness, pure soul," that is our theoretical... Not theoretical, but it is practical.
Now, as soon as a living being is born in this material world, he has got many obligations. He has got obligation to the different demigods. Why obligation? Now, because just like the sun is also one of the demigods. He is supplying you light, so you have got some obligation. Don't you have any obligation? If you have got obligation to the electric powerhouse for supplying this light, which you are enjoying now, have you got no obligation to the sun who is supplying so much profusely light? Yes, you have got. The Vedic literature confirms it that you are indebted to the sun. Similarly, you are indebted to the moon. Similarly, you are indebted to air. And so many things we are taking advantage of the supernatural power. So we are actually indebted. Similarly, we are indebted to the ṛṣis, great sages, because they have left behind them all this Vedic knowledge. You are taking advantage.
They are farther advanced.
Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). The Lord is full bliss, eternal knowledge. So the impersonalists they are satisfied with only knowledge, jñāna, light, that's all. Knowledge is light. But farther advanced, say, the yogis, they want to see the localized, just like the sun globe. And the devotees, they want to see the person who is predominating over the sun globe. This is a crude example.
So the goal, ultimate goal, it is described, "The Supreme is the Personality of Godhead for the devotee, and liberation for the impersonalist." The impersonalists, they simply want to be free from this material atmosphere and go to the spiritual atmosphere. Just like one who is in the darkness of a room, his aspiration is how to see light. That's all. The impersonalist means simply to see light, knowledge. And personalist means to direct, to be in direct touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Go on.
Just like we have got creative power, God has got also creative power, but by your creative power you can manufacture a big airplane or a sputnik to fly in the sky, but God's creative power, millions and trillions of planets are floating in the sky. Just like the sun. You see every day, the sun is there in the sky, and it is lying in one corner of the sky, but this one planet itself is fourteen hundred thousand bigger than this planet. This planet is only a teeny, small planet in consideration of other planets. So we cannot know even what are there in this planet. 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.
Neither His body nor His intelligence ever deteriorates or changes. Therefore it is clear herein that in spite of His being in the material world, He is the same unborn, eternal form of bliss and knowledge, changeless in His transcendental body and intelligence. Factually His appearance and disappearance are like the sun rising, moving before us and then disappearing from our eyesight. When the sun is out of sight, we think that the sun is dead. And when the sun is before our eyes, we think that the sun is on the horizon. Actually the sun is always there. But owing to our defective, insufficient eyesight we must calculate the appearance and disappearance of the sun in the sky.
Just like Kṛṣṇa's birth, Kṛṣṇa's appearance and disappearance, is just like the sun, is just like the sun. Now, sun, in the morning, you'll see that it, it appears as if it is born from the eastern horizon. It is not born. The sun is always in the sky. It is the position of the earth in which we understand that sun is now rising from the eastern horizon. He's neither rising, nor he's dipping into the sea. He is, the sun is as it is, in his position, but due to the position, changing position of this earth, we see that the sun is rising and sun is setting. Similarly, the Kṛṣṇa, when He comes as incarnation, He comes just like this, in the same way.
So this timing difference is just like going on according to the position of the world movement. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa's appearance and disappearance is like that. It is not that Kṛṣṇa is born and Kṛṣṇa is gone. No, it is not like that. Somewhere is Kṛṣṇa there. Just like the sun is somewhere. There are innumerable universes. The one universe, you see, oh, this is only one, but there are many. You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā that ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42). Ekāṁśena sthito jagat. This material manifestation, with innumerable universes, is only a one part of manifestation of the Supreme Lord. Ekāṁśena sthito jagat. These descriptions are there in the Bhagavad-gītā.
He comes on this planet or in this universe. When He comes in this universe, He comes on this planet. There are innumerable universes. Not one, but innumerable. So there is a rotation of Kṛṣṇa's coming here.
Just like the sun rotates every twenty hours.(?) He's visible in the morning. Just like here just now it is half past eight. At six o'clock in the morning the sun will be visible. Everyone can say. Any experienced man. This is not foretelling. By experience. Any child can say that "Tomorrow at six o'clock the sun will appear." Similarly, the śāstras say, "At such and such time Kṛṣṇa will come."
Now Kṛṣṇa is explaining to Arjuna the difference between a living entity and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is very distinct here that both you and Me had many, many, many other appearances and disappearances. "Birth and death," that is ordinary word. Actually, the word is "appearance and disappearance." Just like the sun. The sun sets and sun rise. This is our calculation. The sun is there always, twenty-four hours, but to our limited understanding, because we cannot see... Now just, this is sun-setting time. After setting of the sun the people on this part of the world, they will not see the sun. That does not mean that sun is not there. Sun is there, but this part of the world cannot see it, and that we say sunset.
Yes. Not created, expanded. Kṛṣṇa expanded. Created means that it comes to the historical point. But na jāyate. Expanded. The actual word is expanded. Eko bahu syāt. He expanded Himself in so many. Not created. Expand means the things are there, now it is expanded. Just like the sun and sunshine. Sunshine is not created. Wherever there is sun, there is sunshine. But if you get sunshine in the morning, if you say, "Now the sunshine is created," that is a mistake. It is our misconception. The sun and the sunshine are always there. It is a question of appearance and disappearance, that's all. Everything expansion of Kṛṣṇa. Without any exception. Some of them are expansion of His material energy, some of them are expansion of His spiritual energy, some of them are expansion of His marginal energy. So everything expansion of Kṛṣṇa.
So Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, explaining the method of His appearance and disappearance. People do not know it. Just like the sun. Because we do not see at night, formerly some people used to think "The sun is now dead, or gone." But later on, by scientific method, they have come to know the sun is always in the sky. Due to our different position, we do not see the sun at night. Otherwise, the sun is there. This is... If this is possible for an ordinary material thing, how much it is greatly possible for the Supreme Spirit.
And if you think that Kṛṣṇa has a fault because He danced with others' wives, so he explained that tejīyasāṁ na doṣāya. Tejīyasām... The... A thing which is very, very powerful, he is not contaminated. That is the conclusion.
Just like the sun. The sun soaks water from urine. We pass urine somewhere, and the sun soaks the water, the urine. That... That is poisonous. That is infectious. But that sun does not become infected. Because he's so powerful. If that is possible for ordinary material things, how much powerful is Kṛṣṇa? So we should not discuss the rāsa-līlā generally. Because unless one is advanced in spiritual consciousness and Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they should not try to understand what is rāsa-līlā.
This is one of the universe, which we are seeing. There are innumerable universes. So in one of the universes, there is some incarnation or representative of God always there. And there is scheduled time.
Just like the sun appears and disappears at scheduled... Sun disappears means it goes out of our sight. It does not mean sun, sun, I mean to say, stops to exist. No. Sun is always in the sky. It is simply in our vision. Just like so many cars are passing. One car is coming. You do not see which car is coming. When it is in my front, I see the car, and again, when it is gone out of my sight, I don't see it. So my don't seeing, because I do not see the car, that does not mean it is not there.
There is no question of birth of the Lord or of the living entities. This subject matter we have already discussed in the last meeting, that the Lord and the living entities, both are eternal. There is no question of birth and death.
The same example, just like the sun. Sun setting and sun rising. (someone adjusting tape recorder—long pause) Sun set and sun rise, it is simply adjustment of our own position. Actually, there is no sun set, there is no sun rise. The same example is applicable to our appearance and disappearance, as well as God's appearance and disappearance. We are eternal. We are eternally existing, but appearance means this body, appearance of this body.
The material body has its birth, and the material body has its death, dissolution. But the spiritual body is eternal. It has neither death nor birth. Therefore the spiritual body—the exact language to be used, "appearance and disappearance."
I have several times spoken in this meeting. Just like the sun. The sun disappears and appears. For the sun there is no question of birth and death because sun is eternal. So anything eternal... So when the Lord comes it is just like the sun appear and sun disappears. It does not mean because we do not see Kṛṣṇa just now in our presence... Of course, in transcendental sense, when we acquire that transcendental sense, we see Kṛṣṇa through this Bhagavad-gītā. The Bhagavad-gītā is Kṛṣṇa.
And brahmeti paramātmeti. Paramātmeti means the Supersoul. Brahmeti paramātmeti and bhagavān iti. Bhagavān iti means the Personality of Godhead. Now these three conception of life have been analyzed in various places, and I will give you a short description.
Just like the sun. You see the sun every morning. What do you see? You see the sunshine. One feature is the sunshine. Another feature is the sun disc and another feature is if you are able to go into the sun planet you see something else. That we have got no experience, but we can see that sunshine and the localized sun disc.
I am speaking especially of India because this Bhagavad-gītā was first seen in India, in the Indian plain. Of course, it is not meant for India. It is meant for everyone. Just like the sun rises in the east first, then comes to the west, but that does not mean east has the monopoly of the sun and not the west. Similarly, the sun of Bhagavad-gītā might have arisen in the land of India, but that does not mean that it is the monopoly of India. It is meant for everyone. It is meant for everyone. So it is an accepted authority. So mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). So we have to follow great personalities. Yes.
That we have to understand. Either we follow this path or that path...
Now, suppose there are impersonalists who believe in the ultimate, I mean to say, merging into the supreme effulgence, brahma-jyotir. And what is that brahma-jyotir? Brahmajyoti is just the atomic spiritual combination of atomic spiritual portions. That is brahma-jyotir. Just like the sun rays. Those who are scientists, those who know what is the sun ray... The sun ray is a small molecular, glazing atom, the sun ray. You have got experience of sun ray, but what is the sun ray? It is not homogeneous. It is heterogeneous. When you can analyze the sun ray, you'll find small particles of molecules. Similarly, brahma-jyotir is also spiritual atoms combined together. Just like the sun rays, different material molecules combined together, similarly, brahma-jyotir is also like that.
And vaiśyas means less than the kṣatriyas. And śūdras less than all of them. It is a question of intelligence.
So cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). Kṛṣṇa says, "These four varṇas are created by Me." So anything created by God, that is not monopoly for any class of men or for any country. Just like the sun is created by God. The sun is the thing which is enjoyed by all parts of the world. But there are countries, Western countries, where sun is not visible, covered by the cloud. Any country, any part of the world which is covered by cloud and the sun is not visible, according to śāstra, such country is condemned. Because, although the sunshine is there, but certain condition, they cannot enjoy the sunshine.
Cetana means living being, two living quality. So the singular number is maintaining the plural numbers. Eko yo bahūnām. We, we living entities, we are plural number, many. Jīva-bhāgaḥ sa vijñeyaḥ sa anantyāya kalpate (CC Madhya 19.140). Jīva...
Just like the sun and the sunshine. What is the difference? The difference is... You see the sun globe. That is also number one. And what is the sunshine? The sunshine is a combination of very, very small, atomic, bright particles, the sunshine. Molecules. In the science they are called molecules. But there are many millions of small atomic parts combined together. That appears to be sunshine. So eka, the sun is one, but the sunshine means combination of many small atomic particles. Similarly, God is one, and we, part and parcel of God, we are many.
Nondevotees cannot understand that na māṁ karmāṇi..., this process, that Kṛṣṇa is not bound up by any material laws.
The example is given by Śukadeva Gosvāmī to Mahārāja Parīkṣit: tejīyasāṁ na doṣāya (SB 10.33.29). Tejīyasām. Just like the sun. The sun is evaporating the urine from the street. But that does not mean sun is infected. Although sun is evaporating the urine, the stool, or any contaminated place... Rather, he is, sun is sterilizing that process. This is practical. If sunshine is anywhere, even the most contaminated place, the sun does not become contaminated, but the place becomes purified. Is it not a fact?
As it is explained in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa, eka-deśa-sthitasya agneḥ. Just like fire is situated in one place. Eka-deśa-sthitasyāgner jyotsnā vistāriṇī yathā. But it is illuminating. Everyone, we can understand. The same thing: just like the sun globe is situated in one corner of the sky, but the sunshine is illuminated. Eka-deśa-sthitasyāgneḥ. The agni, or the fire, is situated in one place, but the illumination is distributing. So just like the sunshine is spread all over the universe, but it is.... We can see every day. The sun globe is situated in one place. Not that the sun globe is distributed, spread all over the universe. The sunshine. Similarly, there is fire. The illumination is distributing. The heat also. Two energies of the fire. So because the energy of the fire is distributed all over the universe, it does not mean the fire is finished. No. Fire is there.
Kṛṣṇa... Yes. He is in the (indistinct) You are very intelligent. This Supersoul is also partial representation of Kṛṣṇa. Just like the sun, the real sun, and the reflection of sun. If you have got thousands of pots in your presence, you will find the reflection of the sun in thousands of the pots, but the real sun is one. Similarly, this Supersoul is the reflection of the reality, partial reflection of the Supreme. Is it clear? Just like you are standing here, and at noon the sun is on your head, and five thousand miles away you inquire from somebody, "Where is sun?" He will say, "Oh, it is on my head." Five thousand miles this way or that way, any way you inquire, many, many people, many thousands of people you inquire, they will say, everyone will say that "The sun is on my head."
You cannot see the unlimited by your limited sense perception. But you can see... Not you can see, but svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. When you are developed in the sense of love of Godhead, then He reveals unto you. Therefore you can see.
Just like the sun. You cannot see the sun by challenge at night. If somebody says, "Come on. I shall show you. See. Take some aeroplane," what he will see? He can travel all the sky; still, he cannot see the sun. Similarly, this is an example. At night you cannot see the sun, but when the sun rises, you can see the sun, you can see yourself also. By seeing sun, you can see yourself, you can see the world. Similarly, when you see Kṛṣṇa, then you see everything.
The idea of sāṅkhya-yoga, analytical study of this material world, means you have to find out the spiritual existence. And that spiritual existence you can have when you directly come to the spiritual life. So direct process is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa is just like the sun.
- kṛṣṇa—sūrya-sama; māyā haya andhakāra
- yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra
The idea is just like the sun. In the sun there is no darkness. You cannot conceive any darkness in the sun. Similarly Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is just like the sun. If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, if you come in touch with Kṛṣṇa, then there is no possibility of ignorance. There is no possibility of ignorance. You'll learn everything.
Kṛṣṇa, because He hasn't got material body, He can expand in million forms. He can sit here, He can sit there. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61), He's sitting everyone's heart. Everyone, by His expansion. Although He is one He can expand. That is because He is great. Just like the sun is great. Therefore if you at noontime you send telegram to your friend who is five thousand miles away, "Where is the sun?" He'll say, "On my head." And you'll see that sun is on your head. Why? because he is great. So Kṛṣṇa being great, He can remain everywhere at one time. That is expansion. You take the example. What is sun? That is a minute creation of Kṛṣṇa. If sun can remain on everyone's head simultaneously, although one may be five thousand, then thousand miles away, Kṛṣṇa cannot remain? Why don't you use your reasoning power? Is the sun greater than Kṛṣṇa? No. Kṛṣṇa can create millions of suns. If sun has got such power, why not Kṛṣṇa? Then you do not understand Kṛṣṇa.
Everyone He says that "I am the father." So how Kṛṣṇa can be foreign to you? No.
It is mental concoction that "Kṛṣṇa is Indian," or "Kṛṣṇa is worshiped by the Hindus; therefore He is one of the Hindu gods." He never said that "I am Hindu god; I am Indian." Just like the sun. If you say, "It is American sun," is it possible, American? Sun is sun. Why American sun or Indian sun? Nothing is American, Indian. It is all artificial. This planet, this planet also, it belongs to the human society, that's all. This is real communism. This is real communism. These Communists also, they are defective because... Just like the Russians. They say... (break) ...Russians or the Chinese. They are speaking that China is for the Chinese. Why not for others? Then what sort of communism it is? Just think in terms of the human community. Human community.
Just like in the matches there is fire. You simply rub it for some time, for a few seconds, oh, the fire will come out. Similarly, your relationship with Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is there within you. Otherwise, how could you accept the Kṛṣṇa consciousness? "I've imported Kṛṣṇa from India," that is also a mistake. Kṛṣṇa is not for India or America. Just like the sun. This is same sun which I have seen in India, the same sun is in your America. So nobody can claim, "Oh, this is Indian sun and this is American sun." Sun is one. It is our miscalculation that we say, "This is American land, this is American sun, this is American atmosphere." No. Everything in relationship with God. That is jñānam. That is knowledge. And vijñānam. And practical also.
They are not original atom. But the atomic constitution of the living entity is a thousand times smaller than the atom. Therefore aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān: "He is greater than the greatest and smaller than the smallest." The smaller than the smallest, we are. We are also part and parcel. Just like the sun and the sunshine. The sunshine is combination of small atomic molecular parts, shining parts. They are also different. They are not combined together. That is scientific. Similarly, we are also sparks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). You are reading Bhagavad-gītā. You know. That aṁśa, that is described already—one ten-thousandth part of the point. Mamaivāṁśo jīva bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). In another place, jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat (BG 7.5).
His disciple Nārada accepts, the Supreme Personality of..., Vyāsadeva's guru, Nārada. Nārada's guru, Brahmā, he accepts, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi **. So Govinda is person. This impersonal Brahman, nirākāra, that is His personal effulgence, bodily effulgence. Just like the sun. You can understand. The sun planet is localized, and within the sun planet, there is sun-god. His name is also mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā, Vivasvān.
We commit mistake, every one of us; we are illusioned; we accept something for something for something. So to commit mistake, illusioned, and our senses are imperfect. The knowledge we gather through our senses, that is imperfect because our senses are imperfect. Just like we see every day the sun with our eyes, but because our senses are imperfect, we see the sun like a disc, although it is fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this earth. In this way, if we analyze our senses, it will be found that our senses are imperfect. By the imperfect senses speculating, that is not perfect. Therefore all the speculators, they, so-called scientists, philosophers, they put forward theories: "Perhaps," "It may be," like that. That means it is not perfect knowledge. But if we receive knowledge from the supreme perfect God, that it is actually perfect. Our process is like that.
In the Fourth Chapter of the Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā you will find, Kṛṣṇa says, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2).
And when one is further advanced and he realizes the Absolute Truth as the localized aspect, Paramātmā, or Lord Viṣṇu within anyone's heart, by the yogic practice, that is called paramātma-jñāna, or knowledge of the Absolute Truth. Actually, the objective is one, but different degrees of understanding. One example can be given in this connection. Just like the sun globe and the sun-god and the sunshine. The sunshine is also light, and there is temperature, and the sun globe is also light, and there is temperature, and within the sun globe, there is the personality known as sun-god, that is also light and temperature. But all this light and temperature, there are degrees. The sunshine degree of temperature and light is less than the sun globe, and the sun globe temperature and light is less than the sun-god. So when you reach the sun-god, then you understand the complete temperature and light.
Just like fire is there. We can see. If you study whatever God has created, if you simply study, you become a philosopher. Just like the sun is situated in one place. Every day we can see. It is agni, fiery substance. So heat and light is distributed, and through the heat of the..., heat and light of the sun, all other planets are created and the vegetation and all products are being, coming out. Without sunlight you cannot do anything. Heat and light, it is essential.
Now, at night we are experiencing the real nature of this material world—it is darkness. Artificially, it is being illuminated by the sun, by the moon, by the electricity. Otherwise, it is darkness. So this illumination is God. We have to understand—this illumination.
Now, how this illumination is coming? Originally, in the spiritual sky, just like the sun has the shining force which we call sunshine, similarly in the, from the kingdom of God, there is a shining which is called brahma-jyotir. The brahma-jyotir is reflected by the sun; the moon is reflected by the sun. I mean to say, sun is reflection of brahma-jyotir, and moon is reflection of the sun. Everyone, you know, the stars, glittering stars, they are also reflection of the sun. Similarly, this electricity is also reflection of sun. The diamond, the jewels, everything, that is reflection of sun. (some outside radio noise) That's all right. So Kṛṣṇa says, prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. Śaśi. Śaśi means the moon, and sūrya... Sūrya means the sun.
Is that very difficult job? Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. Even drinking water, even by seeing the sunshine, even by seeing the moonshine, or, if you are a Vedic scholar, by chanting om, praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu, or even by hearing the sound vibration, or by seeing a flower, or smelling a flower, something brilliant... Just like the sun is brilliant, the moon is brilliant. Tejaś cāsmi. So wherefrom this brilliance comes? The brilliance is imitation, reflection of the bodily brilliance of Kṛṣṇa. That is stated in the Brahma-sūtra, Brahma-saṁhitā: yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Then why we should disbelieve? We can see eye-to-eye that the sun is so brilliant. It is a material product only.
If you advance more, the same mountain you'll see something green. And if you enter into that mountain, you'll find so many variegatedness, so many trees, so many animals. So objective is the same. But under different angles of vision, from distance, different people have got different conception of the Absolute Truth. Another example: just like the sun—the sunshine and sun disc and the sun planet. One who is in the sunshine, or one who is studying the sunshine, or one who is studying the sun disc and one who is entering within the sun planet... Just like we are trying to enter into the moon planet, similarly, you can enter into the sun planet provided you have got the qualification. So in the sunshine, or in the sun disc or in the sun planet, they are in the sun, but there are degrees. One who is in the sunshine, he cannot claim that "I am in the sun planet." He cannot claim that. So one who is in the sun planet, he is better situated than one who is in the sunshine.
The whole Vedic literatures instructs us like that. Tamasi mā jyotir gama: "Don't remain in this darkness." This material world is darkness. We are artificially making it illuminated with electric light and fire and so many things, but the nature is dark. But that nature, that spiritual nature, is not dark. That is full of light. Just like the sun planet, there is no possibility of darkness, similarly, every planet there, they are self-illuminated, so there is no darkness.
And how is that puruṣa? Yasya antaḥsthāni bhūtāni yena sarvam idaṁ tatam. He is such a puruṣa, He is such a person, that everything, whatever you see, is within Him, and He is without, all-pervading. He has got such energy. How it is, that? Just like the sun is fixed up in one place located, but the sun rays is, all over the universe is distributed, similarly, although God is there, still, His energy is distributed everywhere. And He is not different from His energy. Just like the sunshine and the sun is not different, the same, same illuminating substance, similarly, He is distributed all over by His energies, different energies, and He is not different from His energy. Just like if there is electric energy, you can light up any lamp from anywhere, similarly, if we are progressive, if we are advanced in devotional service, we can see God everywhere, anywhere. We require to be qualified.
And that Supreme Personality, although He's just like a person, like you and me, still, He's so widespread that everything is within Him and everything in Him, He's outside and inside. That is the conception of God. God is everywhere, but still, He has got His kingdom, abode. He has got His association, everything. Just like the sun. The sunshine is all over the universe, but it has got his own planet, his own residence, localized, everything.
So that is the conception of God. And that God, or Kṛṣṇa, is in that spiritual atmosphere. If we approach, then our life will be successful, our aims will be fulfilled, and we'll be happy, and we'll be prosperous eternally, not for temporary, but eternally.
And na cāhaṁ teṣv avasthitaḥ: "But I am not there. I am not there." If you think that if Kṛṣṇa, this table is resting in Kṛṣṇa, therefore Kṛṣṇa must be here, but Kṛṣṇa says that "I am not there. I am not there." The same thing. Because Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's energy is nondifferent, still, energy is not Kṛṣṇa. Just like the sun and the sunshine. There is no difference, but the sunshine is not the sun. If sunshine is present in your room through the holes of your windows, do you think that sun is also within your room? No. If sun becomes within room, then you'll not exist. The heat is so exorbitant that it, you cannot exist. Therefore it is sufficient that his rays, the sun's ray, is there. Similarly, whatever we see...
Therefore it is sufficient that his rays, the sun's ray, is there. Similarly, whatever we see...
Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktiḥ. It is very nicely explained in Viṣṇu Purāṇa. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktiḥ. Parasya means the Supreme; brahmaṇaḥ means the Absolute Truth. It is His energy. It is His energy. Just like the sun is shining all over the universe from one place, similarly, Kṛṣṇa, although He is just like a person like you and me, but His energy is acting everything. This is explained in Bhagavad-gītā. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4). This is avyakta-mūrti. In the energy you cannot find Kṛṣṇa in His person. Just like in the sunshine you cannot find the sun-god. But the sun-god is there in the sun planet, sun disc, within that. You cannot say, "No" because you have no experience of the sun disc. But we can understand from books of authority like Vedas, there is sun-god.
When there is no sunshine the leaf falls down. As soon as the sunshine is there the colorful fruits and flowers and leaves come out. Everything is due to the sunshine.
Similarly, the supreme sun is Kṛṣṇa. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). He has got... Just like the sun has shining, similarly—try to understand—God has got His effulgence, bodily shining. That is called brahma-jyotir. When the brahma-jyotir is there innumerable universes are generated. Therefore he is cause of all creation. It doesn't require to manufacture each and every universe. He is so powerful that in His effulgence, in His shining, innumerable universes are created. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). In each universe there are many millions and millions of stars and planets.
These are the description in the Vedic literature.
There is no denying this fact because by His energy, He is everywhere.
Just like we are His energy. Living entities, they are superior energy of God. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām. Parām means superior. So we are also energy. So energy and the energetic, they're one. Just like the sun and the sunshine, they're not different. So wherever the sunshine is there, there is sun. You cannot deny that. Wherever the sunshine is there, there is sun. Similarly, wherever the energy of God is there, there is God. So in that way, everything is God. Pṛthaktvena. Everything... Pantheism. These are different processes. But these processes one has to transcend. Just like simply studying the sunshine is not complete study of the sun. Although sunshine is not different from the sun, still, if you simply study scientifically, scientifically, what is the molecules, what are these rays, where this brilliant illuminative came... So many things you can go on studying.
Just like in this room, this illumination is the energy of this light. Therefore we are seeing each, one another. Similarly, as the fire is placed in one place, but it distributes its heat and light, similarly, although the Lord is in His supreme abode, His energy is acting. The same example: just like the sun planet is far, far away, but its energy, sunshine, is all-over distributed, over the manifestation, material manifestation. So He's everything.
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. Or you can get the body of more and more developed body, just like Brahmā, just like the sun, moon, and so many there are. And if you forget, you go down to the cats and dogs and ants and germs and so many things, become a worm of the stool. He will give you all facilities. This is called karma-cakra, cycle of work. As you desire, so God gives you facility. Therefore our desire should be revived: "What kind of desire we should at all make?" Therefore this Bhagavad-gītā is there; the scriptures are there. You have forgotten. We have forgotten all these things. Therefore the books and the scriptures are there. That is also another mercy of God.
Auram, yes. So that is prabhā, Kṛṣṇa's prabhā. So just like the sun has got a shining, similarly Kṛṣṇa has got. So it is borrowed from Kṛṣṇa's shine. So yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Jagad-aṇḍa means these universes. There are millions, koṭi. And each universe... Jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). And each universe there are innumerable planets. This is material creation. So how we can know about this material creation? But we can know from Kṛṣṇa. Because He knows everything. Because everything is manufactured from Him. Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. So we have to know like that. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1).
All these three features of the Absolute Truth, Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān, the ultimate cause is Bhagavān. As it is confirmed by Kṛṣṇa: brahmaṇaḥ ahaṁ pratiṣṭhā. The Brahman effulgence, that is standing on Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the source of Brahman effulgence.
Just like the sun globe is the source of sunshine. Sunshine is very big, all pervading. And sun appears to be located in some place. But which is important, the sunshine is important or the sun globe is important? Because the sunshine is emanating from the sun it has no independent existence. As soon as the sun disappears, there is no sunshine. So wherever there is sun, there is sunshine. Therefore sunshine is dependent on the sun.
This is knowledge. This is knowledge. Otherwise how...?
Of course, Kṛṣṇa is all-pervading, still, we are also part and... Everything. All-pervading means everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, everything Kṛṣṇa's energy. Just like the sun is all-pervading. How it is all-pervading? By the light and the heat. Light and heat is all-pervading. Although sun is localized. sun is situated in one place, how it is all-pervading? Because it is supplying the heat and light throughout the universe. Therefore it is all-pervading. And what is the heat and light? The energy of the sun. Similarly, the original sun is Kṛṣṇa and He has got two energies: the material energy and the spiritual energy. So therefore everything is Kṛṣṇa's. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktiḥ sarvedam akhilaṁ jagat. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. That is realization, when you understand that everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa because everything is manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's energies.
| Page Title: | Like the sun (Lectures, BG) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 28 of Mar, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=63, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 63 |