Real jnana

Expressions researched:
"real jnana"

SB Canto 4

Real jñāna means understanding that the living entity is the eternal servant of the Lord.

SB 4.23.12, Purport: Real jñāna means understanding that the living entity is the eternal servant of the Lord. This knowledge is attained after many, many births, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (7.19): bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. In the paramahaṁsa stage of life, one fully realizes Kṛṣṇa as everything: vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. When one understands fully that Kṛṣṇa is everything and that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest perfection of life, he becomes a paramahaṁsa, or mahātmā.

SB Canto 7

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (13.3), kṣetra-kṣetrajñayor jñānam: understanding of the kṣetra (the constitution of the body) and of the individual soul and the Supersoul constitutes real jñāna, or knowledge.

SB 7.7.22, Purport: When one understands all of these twenty-six subjects, he becomes adhyātma-vit, an expert in understanding the distinction between matter and spirit. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (13.3), kṣetra-kṣetrajñayor jñānam: understanding of the kṣetra (the constitution of the body) and of the individual soul and the Supersoul constitutes real jñāna, or knowledge. Unless one ultimately understands that the Supreme Lord is eternally related with the individual soul, one's knowledge is imperfect.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Real jñāna, is to receive from Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is giving knowledge in the Bhagavad-gītā: "The real jñāna is to surrender unto Me."

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Nairobi, October 28, 1975: Material nature will oblige you. You are very nice, good-looking young man. Material nature will not allow you to remain as very good-looking young man. You must become old man. Your teeth must fall down. Your hairs must grow gray and you'll look ugly. Why? But he does not think. This is called ignorance, ajñāna. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam: [Bg. 7.2] "I'll speak to you about jñāna." Everyone is in ajñāna and falsely thinking that he is some very important person. This is ajñāna. Real jñāna, as will be explained here, is to receive from Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is giving knowledge in the Bhagavad-gītā. He'll speak in later chapters that "The real jñāna is to surrender unto Me." This is real jñāna.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

The so-called university education, D.H.C., Ph.D., they are simply expansion of ajñāna. That is not real jñāna. Real jñāna is to know ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is real jñāna.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973: The so-called university education, D.H.C., Ph.D., they are simply expansion of ajñāna. He is again... Therefore the more a person is so-called scientist, educated, he is more godless. That means he is going deeper and deeper into the ajñāna. Because jñāna means to know God. That is not real jñāna. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. Not ajñānavān. So if you do not God, if you do not know what you are, if you do not know what is your relationship with God, then what is your jñāna? That jñāna, for eating, sleeping, mating, the cats and dogs they have got. Do you mean to say to have better knowledge how to eat nicely, how to sleep more nicely or to have sexual intercourse nicely, is that jñāna? No. They are all ajñāna. They are the business of the cats and dogs. Real jñāna is to know ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na... [Bg. 18.54]. That is real jñāna.

When he understands, "Oh, Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is the origin or everything," that is real jñāna. That is real jñāna.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973: This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy, how to become the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant, oh, hundred times servant [Cc. Madhya 13.80]. Because this philosophy is understood by becoming a servant, not by becoming a master. That you will not. That is called jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā [SB 1.2.12]. Because so long wants to become a master, he is still in ajñāna because he cannot be master. How he can be master? Real master is Kṛṣṇa. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram [Bg. 5.29]. How you can be master? Can you become more than Kṛṣṇa? He is sarva-loka-maheśvaram. So this is jñāna, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu enunciates, not to become master or God, to become servant of the God. Not only servant, but servant, servant, servant, servant, hundred times downward. Then you become perfect. That is the demand of Kṛṣṇa, that you first of all become servant. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam [Bg. 18.66]. Because that is your real position. Caitanya Mahāprabhu confirms it. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. This is our position. This is jñāna. Anyone who is claiming other that this is not in knowledge. He is ajñāna. That is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā—I have several times repeated—bahūnāṁ janmanām ante [Bg. 7.19]. After many, many births trying to become the master, when actually he becomes jñānavān, then jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. This is the sign, when he surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That is real knowledge. That knowledge is not sentiment. Because bahūnāṁ janmanām ante [Bg. 7.19]. After experiencing many, many births that "I am the master, I am God, I am this, I am that," so when he actually jñānavān, māṁ prapadyate, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti.. [Bg. 7.19]. When he understands, "Oh, Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is the origin or everything," that is real jñāna. That is real jñāna.

"Let us sacrifice our life for Kṛṣṇa." That is real jñāna and vairāgya.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Delhi, November 18, 1973: So actually the Vedānta-sūtra, everything is bhakti. But unfortunately, people have taken Vedānta in a different way, after the Śārīraka-bhāṣya. But all the ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, they have all, they have commentated on the Vedānta-sūtra. So Vedantist does not mean simply the Māyāvādīs. Actually Vedantists are the devotees. Because veda anta. Veda means knowledge, and anta means the last word. The last word is bhagavān. That is Vedānta. Here it is said, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate [SB 1.2.11]. If you understand by studying Vedānta simply Brahman realization, that is not perfect. If you understand Paramātmā realization by studying Vedānta, that is also not perfect. When you come to understand Bhagavān, that is perfect. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ [Bg. 15.15]. By studying Vedānta or all Vedic literatures, if you do not understand Kṛṣṇa, then śrama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8].

vāsudeve bhagavati

bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ

janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ

jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam

[SB 1.2.7]

These things are required, jñāna and vairāgya. That is very easily achieved. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ. If bhakti-yoga is adopted unto the Supreme Personality of God, Vāsudeva, then very soon janayaty āśu... Āśu means very soon. Jñāna-va irāgyam ahaitukam.

The example you can see. These European and American boys and girls, how they have become vairāgī? They have got immense opportunity for material enjoyment. Material enjoyment means money and woman. That is the standard of material enjoyment. So these boys, these girls, they have got enough. The money is thrown on the street. And woman is loitering on the street. You can pick up as many as you like. You see. That is the Western countries. But they have left everything. That is vairāgya Why? Jñānam. They have obtained the real knowledge. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam [SB 1.3.28]. As Bhavānanda Mahārāja said. They are firmly fixed up. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam, "Let us sacrifice our life for Kṛṣṇa." That is real jñāna and vairāgya. Bhaktyā. This is to be understood, bhaktyā. Because without bhakti, there is no admission in the kingdom of God. That is not possible.

You are servant of God, that is your position. That is real jñāna.

Lecture on SB 3.25.43 -- Bombay, December 11, 1974: "You become guru simply by advising everyone the instruction which Kṛṣṇa has given." That's all. You become guru. It is not at all difficult thing. But if you want to cheat others that you are Bhagavān, you are this and that, you are yogi, you are very powerful, and "I am God," then you will cheat, because you are neither God. You are less than a dog. You are falsely claiming that you are God. That is not your position. You are servant of God, that is your position. That is real jñāna. Therefore Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that don't talk all nonsense thing. Simply say the real thing.

Real jñāna is ātma-darśanam. That is jñāna. But we are wasting our time temporary, śilpa-darśanam. But ātma-darśanam we want. That is real jñāna.

Lecture on SB 3.26.3 -- Bombay, December 15, 1974: So by our desire we get a particular type of form. It may be human being, it may be demigod, it may be elephant, it may be cat, it may be dog, it may be tree—in this way, in different forms, 8,400,000 different forms, we are trying to enjoy this material world. This is called material conditional life. Because we are failing to understand ātma-darśana. Because the purpose is ātma-darśana. Jñānaṁ niḥśreyasārthāya puruṣasya ātma-darśanam. Ātmā, one should see his real identification: "What I am?" That is the inquiry of a human being. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. That when I understand that "I am not this body; I am Brahman," then we should go on inquiring about further about Brahman: "What is the form of Brahman? What is Parabrahman? What is the relationship between Parabrahman and the Brahman? Why Brahman has come to this material world and he has got this material body? This material body is finishable, temporary, and Brahman is eternal. Why this conjunction?" These are brahma-jijñāsā. This is Vedānta-sūtra, brahma-jijñāsā. So this is jñāna. But we are wasting our time—this jñāna, that jñāna. But real jñāna, there is no. We are being educated, so-called scientific education. Just like one is studying the earth, soil expert. One is studying the water. One is, chemical—"What are the chemicals composition of water? What is the chemical composition...?" In this way we are acquiring jñāna; but that is not jñāna. That is called technology, śilpa-naipuṇya. In Sanskrit it is called śilpa-naipuṇya. That is not jñāna. Real jñāna is ātma-darśanam. That is jñāna. So... But we are wasting our time temporary, śilpa-darśanam. But ātma-darśanam we want. That is real jñāna.

Jñāna means there must be vairāgya, detestfulness, that "I have nothing to do with this material world." Jñāna-vairāgya. If there is real jñāna, then there will be vairāgya.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976: So the brahmānubhūti, Brahman realization, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, it is mukti but it is not very secure position. One may fall down again. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukti-māninaḥ. Vimukti-māninaḥ. They think they are Brahma-līna. They think that they have become mukta. But actually they are not muktas. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ. He is thinking like that. Why? Aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ [SB 10.2.32]. His intelligence is not yet purified. As soon as it is purified, then it is bhakti. Therefore Bhagavān says that bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. He is a jñānavān that... Jñānavān means "I am not this body; I am not matter; I am spirit soul." That is jñāna. Jñāna means there must be vairāgya, detestfulness, that "I have nothing to do with this material world." Jñāna-vairāgya. If there is real jñāna, then there will be vairāgya. Because we are suffering on account of an attachment to this material world, so jñāna means that "I have nothing to do with this material world because I am not this material body."

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

Submissive means, "Yes, after cultivating knowledge, my Lord, Kṛṣṇa, I have come to this conclusion, that You are the Supreme Absolute Truth." That is real jñāna. Real jñāna is how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 31, 1972: After many, many births, the so-called jñānīs, when he surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa, that is success. Sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti. By culture of knowledge, by philosophical speculation, if one comes to this point, conclusion, that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19], Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is everything, then he's jñānavān, real jñānavān. That is real... Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. He must be submissive. That submissive means, "Yes, after cultivating knowledge, my Lord, Kṛṣṇa, I have come to this conclusion, that You are the Supreme Absolute Truth. I bow down my head upon Your lotus..." That is real jñāna. That is jñāna. Otherwise, ajñāna. But they are accepting ajñāna as jñāna. To accept ajñāna as jñāna is the most unfortunate position. That is not jñāna. Real jñāna is how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. So this is jñāna.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Real jñāna means "We don't want this material world." That is jñāna. Jñāna means completely detached. But he's suffering. So jñāna means to get release from this repetition of birth and death.

Morning Walk -- November 14, 1975, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Jñāna means only God is right, Kṛṣṇa is right, and all this is wrong.

Prabhupāda: No, jñāna means... Real jñāna means "We don't want this material world." That is jñāna. That is vairāgya because people are attached to this material world, and jñāna means completely detached. But he's suffering. On account of this attachment, he's taking repeatedly birth, birth, birth, death, birth, death, birth. So jñāna means to get release from this repetition of birth and death.

Dr. Patel: That is because the people have atmā-buddhi and kunape tri-dhātuke.

Prabhupāda: These rascals talk of jñāna, but they keep full attachment for this material world.

Dr. Patel: The kunape tri-dhātuke.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Jñāna-vairāgyam. One must feel disgusted in this material world, repetition of birth and death. That is jñāna. If one is not disgusted—he still thinks it is very nice to take birth and die—then where is jñāna? There is no jñāna. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's disciples said, ara nare bak. Ara nare bak. (Hindi)

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Jñāna is called brahma-bhūta; that is real jñāna. If you understand your position, then it is jñāna.

Garden Conversation -- October 14, 1976, Chandigarh:

Indian man (2): My humble prayer was that by doing japa, by doing meditation, by doing bhakti-mārga, need we go to jñāna-mārga also, or bhakti-mārga is enough by itself? That was my humble supplication.

Prabhupāda: Bhakti-mārga is enough. Bhakti-mārga means it includes everything. Without jñāna, there is no bhakti. The jñāna is called brahma-bhūta [SB 4.30.20]; that is real jñāna. If you... Aiye. If you understand your position, then it is jñāna. If you do not understand your position, then where is jñāna? Do you follow? Therefore Bhagavān says, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā [Bg. 18.54]. When... So long you are ajñāna, in ignorance, you cannot be happy. You cannot be happy. But when you are in jñāna, then you'll be happy. That is the symptom of becoming jñānī. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā [Bg. 18.54]. Ātmā becomes very happy. Na śocati na kāṅkṣati. He has no more any lamentation and hankering. There are two things in this material world. We are hankering after something which we do not possess, and we are lamenting for something which we possessed and we have lost. This is the disease, material disease. So when one comes to the platform of jñāna, then he has no more such disease, hankering and lamenting. Here the whole world is going on, lamenting and hankering. So brahma-bhūta [SB 4.30.20] means na śocati na kāṅkṣati and samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. And here, so long we are on the material platform, we are not samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. We are thinking, "You are different from me; I am different from you. My interest is first." You are thinking your interest is first and so on, so on. So not samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. But when you become actually jñānī, brahma-bhūtaḥ, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. When you are in distress, na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu, prasannātmā, then bhakti begins. Mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām [Bg. 18.54]. So bhakti is not so easy thing.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Real jñāna, is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Jñāna is not complete unless he knows the Supreme Lord. But these jñānīs they have no ācārya. They are self-made.

Conversation with Yogi Amrit Desai of Kripalu Ashram (PA USA) -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Yogi Amrit Desai: Pure bhakti. (Hindi) jñāna...

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Kevala-bodha-labdhaye, kliśyanti. Just to know things, if he's simply troubling, his gain is that troubling only. Śreyaḥ-sṛtiṁ bhaktim udasya kliśyanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye. So jñāna... This jñāna is to understand. Just like the scientists, they are getting some knowledge, studying some features, and what do they gain more?

Yogi Amrit Desai: Just information and a memory.

Prabhupāda: They cannot give any real position. They are studying so many molecules, so many atoms, so many this, so many... They are mixing... They are... That is already going on. How it is going on? Who has set up the machine going on? That they do not know.

Yogi Amrit Desai: Right. They don't know the key part of it.

Prabhupāda: Neither they can set up similar arrangement. They're simply studying.

Yogi Amrit Desai: They can study what is, but they do not know how it came about.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So where is jñāna? Ajñāna.

Yogi Amrit Desai: And it can at the most increase the convenience on the material plane.

Prabhupāda: Jñāna, real jñāna, is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Find out. Etaj jñānam iti proktam ajñānaṁ yad ato 'nyathā. What is jñāna, that is stated. But where is jñāna? Everyone is ajñāna. General people, they're karmīs and, little more, jñānīs. But jñāna is not complete unless he knows the Supreme Lord.

Yogi Amrit Desai: Unless he has realized.

Prabhupāda: Not realized, no. Just like we are talking personally. This is...

Jagadīśa: Amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam, ācāryopāsanaṁ śaucam... [Bg. 13.8].

Prabhupāda: Yes. So this is ācāryopāsanam. That is required. But these yogis, jñānīs, karmīs, they have no ācārya. They are self-made. Just like Dr. Russer.(?). He's self-made. So what he will do? Now he's caught up. He's in the trap. He's not a scientific man, but he presented himself as very scientific, so now he's caught up.

Yogi Amrit Desai: Right. You found it right away.

Jagadīśa: There's an index.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Go on.

Jagadīśa: Sthairyam ātma-vinigrahaḥ, indriyārtheṣu vairāgyam anahaṅkāra eva ca.

Prabhupāda: Indriyārtheṣu vairāgyam, not to indulge in sense gratification, not to dress himself as a sādhu, as a swami.