So our thinkings are absorbed in these literatures. Similarly, if we want to transfer our thinking in the spiritual atmosphere, then we have to transfer our reading capacity to the Vedic literature. The learned sages therefore made so many Vedic literatures, the Purāṇas. The Purāṇas are not stories. They are historical records. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta there is a verse which reads as follows. anādi-bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli' gela ataeva kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa kailā (CC Madhya 20.117). That these forgetful living entities, conditioned souls, they have forgotten the relationship with the Supreme Lord, and they are engrossed in thinking of the material activities. And just to transfer their thinking power to the spiritual capacity, the Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa, he has made so many Vedic literatures. Vedic literatures means first he divided the Vedas into four. Then he explained them by the Purāṇas. Then for the incapable persons, just like strī, śūdra, vaiśya, he made the Mahābhārata. And in the Mahābhārata he introduced this Bhagavad-gītā.
Vyasadeva (Lectures, BG)
Expressions researched:
"Badarayana"
|"Dvaipayana"
|"Krsna-dvaipayana"
|"Parasaratmaja"
|"Parasarya"
|"Satyavati-suta"
|"Vedavyasa"
|"Vyasa"
|"Vyasadeva"
|"veda-vyasa"
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
So all these literatures, if we transfer our thought, tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ, sadā. Sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6). One who is engaged always... Just like the materialist is always engaged in reading some material literature like newspaper, magazines, and fiction, novel, etc., and so many scientific or philosophies, all these things of different degrees of thought. Similarly, if we transfer our, that reading capacity for these Vedic literatures, as presented by, as very kindly presented by Vyāsadeva, then it is quite possible for us to remember at the time of death the Supreme Lord. That is the only way suggested by the Lord Himself. Not suggested, it is the fact. Nāsty atra saṁśayaḥ (BG 8.5). Undoubtedly. There is no doubt about it. Tasmāt, the Lord suggested therefore, tasmāt sarveṣu kāleṣu mām anusmara yudhya ca (Bg. 8.7). He advises Arjuna that mām anusmara yudhya ca. He does not say that "You simply go on remembering Me and give up your present occupational duty." No. That is not suggested.
Now one may doubt that because Kṛṣṇa was the friend of Arjuna, therefore he might say all these things to his own friend. But Arjuna, just to drive out this kind of doubts in the mind of the readers of Bhagavad-gītā, he establishes his proposition by the authorities. He says that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead not only by himself, Arjuna, but He is so accepted by authorities like Nārada, Asita, Devala, Vyāsa. These personalities are great personalities in distributing the Vedic knowledge. They (are) accepted by all ācāryas. Therefore Arjuna says that "Whatever You have spoken so far to me, I accept them as completely perfect." Sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye (BG 10.14). "I take it, I believe it that whatever You have spoken, they are all right. And Your Personality, Your Personality of Godhead, is very difficult to understand. And therefore You cannot be known by even the demigods. You cannot be known even by the demigods." That means the Supreme Personality Godhead cannot be known even by greater personalities than the human being, and how a human being can understand Śrī Kṛṣṇa without becoming His devotee?
Devotee: "Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa as pure, free from all material contamination, as the supreme enjoyer, as the foremost person, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, never born, the greatest. Now one may say that..., one may say that since Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna were friends, Arjuna was only saying these things to his friend. But Arjuna mentions that Kṛṣṇa is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead not only by himself but by Nārada, Vyāsa and numerous other great persons."
Prabhupāda: Authorities. He accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead not because Kṛṣṇa happened to be his intimate friend but on the authorities of others. And on the statement of Kṛṣṇa, and by understanding Him fully. He, he did not accept Him blindly. So this is the process of understanding Bhagavad-gītā. And although he understood fully, because in future so many rascals will come and proclaim himself that "I am also incarnation of Godhead," therefore in the Eleventh Chapter Arjuna requested Kṛṣṇa that "If you think, You can show me Your universal form," so that in future others will accept some bogus rascal as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he may test by seeing the, I mean to say, universal form of the person. So who can exhibit this universal form except Kṛṣṇa?
Kim akurvata sañjaya (BG 1.1). He was asking his secretary. He was blind man. He was always conducted by his secretary Sañjaya, a very faithful secretary. And he is explaining the Bhagavad-gītā by experiencing, by television within the heart. That art is not yet developed. You have got television through machine, but there is another television—you can see within your heart everything, what is going on outside. So that television was known to... That will be explained by Sañjaya, that by the grace of Vyāsadeva, he learned this televisioning, and he was sitting with his master within the room and he was actually seeing how the fighting is going on. And he was explaining. This is the basic principle of Bhagavad-gītā, I mean, the basic platform. So let us discuss gradually, one after an... Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Even in this planet, the Latin is also derived from Sanskrit. Just like the "maternal," the matṛ-śabda, "paternal," pitṛ-śabda. So dhīmatā. So here the writer is Vyāsadeva. So every word is selected, either in Bhagavad-gītā or in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or the Purāṇas, all writings of..., Mahābhārata, each and every word is used just like weighing in the balance. So many words should be in the beginning, so many words should be in the end. And not whimsically. That cannot be allowed. That is called saṁskṛta sāhitya, literary... Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu when he was hearing Keśava Kāśmīrī, as soon as there was little discrepancy, bhavānī-bhartā, immediately he criticized and defeated him. Sanskrit language is so nice.
Mythology. As if Vyāsadeva wrote this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to put before these rascals some mythology, some imaginary things. Just see how they want to be cheated. Such an exalted personality like Vyāsadeva, who has given us the Vedic literature, he presented something which is imaginary. What business He has got? Therefore sometimes these cheated people, they deny to accept that Bhāgavata is written by Śrī Vyāsadeva. But those who are actually ācāryas, those who can guide us, like Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, big, big..., Caitanya Mahāprabhu, they do not say like this, that "It is mythology. It is imaginary." They accept as it is. So we have to follow these mahājana. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ dharmasya tattvaṁ nihito guhāyām (CC Madhya 17.186). We have to follow great personalities, ācāryas. ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who has got, one who has taken shelter of ācārya, bona fide spiritual master, he knows. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. Because he is receiving the right knowledge from the right source, ācārya... Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Ācārya means by disciplic succession. As Kṛṣṇa says, disciplic succession, all the ācāryas will say the same thing. They will not change, they will not interpret. They can explain. But the original fact is not distorted. That is ācārya. Ācārya will never say that "Kṛṣṇa is material. Kṛṣṇa... There was no such thing as Kṛṣṇa. There was no such battle, Battle of Kurukṣetra. These are all imaginary." So if we don't want to be cheated, then we should take Kṛṣṇa as He is presenting Himself and as it is confirmed by the ācāryas. Then our knowledge is perfect.
So by practical knowledge you should be well-acquainted with God. That is brāhmaṇa's business. So sattva-sthāḥ, those who are strictly following the brahminical principles, they will be situated in upper planetary system. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). But a Vaiṣṇava is above these. Mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām (BG 9.25). Those who are following these principles with an aim for higher planetary system, they can go, elevated. Similarly, those who are trying to go back to home, back to Kṛṣṇa, they can also go. It is not very... This process, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is to help people to go back to home, back to Kṛṣṇa. It is not very difficult. Why it is difficult? Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Try to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, not vaguely. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We think of God. So why don't you accept Kṛṣṇa? He says and śāstra says, the ācārya says, Vyāsadeva says, Nārada says, your Guru Mahārāja says. Why not accept? Why rascaldom? Why you are searching after any other God? Here is God. Name, address, activities, everything is there, authorized statement of the Vedas. So is there any difficulty to understand Kṛṣṇa? But this rascal will not take it. Persistent. "Oh, why Kṛṣṇa can be accepted? I have got a God, manufactured." This is misfortune.
The one excuse is that every one of us, we are indebted to devarṣi, devatā, the demigods. The demigods. Just like Indra. He supplies us water. Just like we are obliged to pay tax to the water department, to the fire department, to the education department, so many departments government. Or once we pay our income tax, that is distributed to so many departments. So actually why we pay? Because we are indebted. Now, the sunshine, we are getting advantage of sunshine. So we are indebted to the sun-god. Similarly, we are indebted to the moon-god. We are receiving so much advantages. Varuṇa. Deva. So we are indebted to so many demigods. Similarly, we are indebted to the ṛṣis. Just like Vyāsadeva. He has given us this Vedic literature. We are taking advantage of it. So we must feel indebted. Deva ṛṣi, ṛṣi. First of all, we are indebted to the devatās, and then to the ṛṣis, then the bhūtas, ordinary living entities. Just like we are taking milk from the cow. We are indebted. "No, we are killing them." They are committing simply sinful life and they want to be happy and peaceful. Just see. We are indebted. I am obliged to you for your service. So instead of feeling obligation, if I cut your throat, how gentleman I am, just see, imagine. So we are indebted.
This is the set-up in the first chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā. This is the summary. Now sañjaya uvāca. The Sañjaya is speaking to Dhṛtarāṣṭra. Sañjaya is seeing the battlefield within his heart. That is another television. And by the grace of Vyāsadeva, he learned the art, that he advanced... He was so much advanced that the... Just like we see television, relay from the battlefield, and he, Dhṛtarāṣṭra was blind. And his secretary, Sañjaya, he was speaking. He was seeing the activities in the battlefield. Dhṛtarāṣṭra inquired from him:
- dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre
- samavetā yuyutsavaḥ
- māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva
- kim akurvata sañjaya
- (BG 1.1)
He was asking Sañjaya: "What did they do?" Kim akurvata sañjaya. That was the question. And first of all, Sañjaya described the arrangement in the battlefield, and then he's speaking. Now, sometimes Bhagavad-gītā is misinterpreted that this battle, I mean to say, dharma-kṣetra kuru-kṣetra means "this body." We do not misinterpret in that way. There is no question of misinterpretation. We are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We do not change by our whimsical imagination, concoction.
Actually, everyone is envious. Businessman to businessman, nation to nation. This is material world. Therefore spiritual advancement means for person who is not envious. Not envious. Paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ vastavya-vastu vedyam (SB 1.1.2). In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said that if you want to know the real truth, vastavya-vastu, the one must become paramo nirmatsaram. Nirmatsara. Matsara, matsara means envious, and nirmatsara, not envious. And parama, first-class nirmatsara. Therefore Vyāsadeva says that: dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsarāṇām (SB 1.1.2). In the introduction of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Vyāsadeva says who are the candidates to understand this science of God, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? It is not for the persons who are entangled in cheating religious system. Cheating, dharmaḥ kaitavaḥ. Kaitava means cheating. So cheating type of religious system are kicked out from this book, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but it is meant for persons who are not envious, paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satām. Vastavya-vastu. One who wants to learn reality, not false reality. This, here, in this material world, everything is false reality. Just like we are trying to find out water in the desert. That is the example, mirage, false... There is no water. But the animal, he sees that there is water, vast water, and he runs after it and dies. So here in this material world also, every one of us, running after the false mirage, that "There is happiness, there is happiness, there is happiness." This is called material condition, and we are envious. This is the position, and therefore Kṛṣṇa begins the Bhagavad-gītā to get out of this ignorance and enviousness, and this is the basic principle of Bhagavad-gītā.
That means when you come to the perfection of life, when you are actually in the spiritual stage, then you are..., you have got the qualities of Bhagavān in minute quantity, but not all the qualities—eighty, seventy-eight percent. These have been very nicely analyzed in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. And the śāstra says also: kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is a list of all the incarnations, that "Such and such incarnation appears for such and such particular activities." In that incarnation list there is name of Lord Rāmacandra also, Lord Buddha also. Buddha's name is also there. But in the conclusive portion it is declared there: ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). In that list, the name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Balarāma is there also. But the conclusion is given by Vyāsadeva that "Except Kṛṣṇa, all others, they are plenary expansion of Kṛṣṇa, or part of plenary expansion of Kṛṣṇa." Aṁśa-kalāḥ. Aṁśa means direct expansion. And kalāḥ means expansion of the..., secondary expansions. So it is concluded there that ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ. All these incarnations, they are either aṁśa or kalāḥ. But Kṛṣṇa, the name Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam: He's the original Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa.
The same thing, here Vyāsadeva describes: śrī bhagavān uvāca. He's not ordinary person. Bhagavān speaking. Bhagavān means... What is Bhagavān? Aiśvarya. Aiśvarya means riches. Nobody can be richer than Bhagavān. We have got our ideas of richness. I may be rich, but you are richer than me. Somebody is richer than you. Somebody is richer than another, another, another. You go, make proceed. When you find out the final richest person, that is Bhagavān. Aiśvaryasya sama... Samagrasya. All riches. Not that partial. One may have one thousand, another man, one lakh, one man, one crore, but nobody can say that "I have got all the monies." No, that is not possible. But Bhagavān has all the monies. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya. Similarly, strength, bodily strength or power. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ. And similarly, reputation. We are also reputed. But nobody can be reputed than Kṛṣṇa. Just like five thousand years ago He spoke this Bhagavad-gītā, and He's so reputed that Kṛṣṇa spoke Bhagavad-gītā and still it is running on. Not only in India, but we are traveling all over the world. There are so many editions of Bhagavad-gītā. So He's so reputed. So aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). And beautiful. The most beautiful.
So Arjuna was hesitating to fight with the other party because he had bodily relationship with them. So between Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa there was discussion, but that was friendly discussion. Therefore, when Arjuna understood that simply friendly discussion could not solve the problem, he became His disciple. Kṛṣṇa... Arjuna surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, śiṣyas te 'ham śādhi māṁ prapannam: (BG 2.7) "My dear Kṛṣṇa, so long we are talking as friend. Now I become Your regular disciple. Kindly save me by instruction. What I have to do?" Therefore, when this stage was arrived, Kṛṣṇa is advising Arjuna as follows: śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Now, it is said here... Who is saying to Arjuna? The author or the recorder of Bhagavad-gītā... Bhagavad-gītā was spoken by Kṛṣṇa. It was a discussion between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, and it was recorded by Vyāsadeva, and later on it became a book. Just like when we speak it is recorded and later on it is published as a book. Therefore in this book it is said, bhagavān uvāca. Vyāsadeva is the writer. He does not say that, "I speak." He says, bhagavān uvāca, means "The Supreme Personality of Godhead said."
Prabhupāda: Now, Arjuna was sympathetic with his brothers and relatives and he was practically crying, with tears in his eyes, and Kṛṣṇa said that it is non-Āryan. It is not befitting for an Āryan. Just see. He was so compassionate, but still, it is not approved by Kṛṣṇa. Go on.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Purport. "The Sanskrit word Bhagavān is explained by the great authority, Parāśara Muni, the father of Vyāsadeva. The Supreme Personality who possesses all riches, entire strength, entire fame, entire beauty, entire knowledge, and entire renunciation is called Bhagavān. There are many persons who are very rich, very powerful, very beautiful, very famous, very learned, and very much detached, but no one can claim that he is possessor of all these opulences entirely. Such a claim is applicable to Kṛṣṇa only, and as such He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. No living entity, including Brahmā, can possess such opulence. Neither Lord Śiva nor even Nārāyaṇa can possess such opulence as fully as Kṛṣṇa. By analytical study of such possessions it is concluded in the Brahma-saṁhitā by Lord Brahmā himself that Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nobody is equal to or above Him. He is the primeval Lord or Bhagavān known as Govinda, and He is the supreme cause of all causes. It is stated as follows: There are many personalities possessing the qualities of Bhagavān, but Kṛṣṇa is Supreme over all of them because none can excel Him. He is the Supreme Person and His body is eternal, full of knowledge and bliss. He is the primeval Lord Govinda and the cause of all causes. In the Bhāgavatam also there is a list of many incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but Kṛṣṇa is described therein as the original Personality from whom many, many incarnations and Personalities of Godhead expand. It is stated in this way: All the lists of the incarnations of Godhead submitted herewith are either plenary expansions or parts of the plenary expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of both Supersoul and the impersonal Brahman. In the presence of the Supreme Person, Arjuna's lamentation for his kinsmen is certainly unbecoming, and therefore Kṛṣṇa expressed His surprise with the word kutas, wherefrom. Such unmanly sentiments were never expected from a person belonging to the civilized class of men known as Āryans. The word Āryan is applicable to persons who know the value of life and have a civilization based on spiritual realization. Persons who are led by the material conception of life do not know that the aim of life is realization of the Absolute Truth, Viṣṇu, or Bhagavān. Such persons are captivated by the external features..."
Prabhupāda: But at the present moment they claim that "We belong to the Āryan family," but they have not the qualification of an Āryan. The Āryan qualification is described there. Simply Arjuna was little flickering, he showed his little weakness, and he was at once condemned as non-Āryan. "Oh, you are just showing your symptom of a non-Āryan." You see. And by Kṛṣṇa. So the Āryan word is not ordinary. To become Āryan means a perfect human being, as far as possible. That is Āryan civilization.
So acceptance of spiritual master means to accept anything, whatever he says. Therefore one has to select a spiritual master whom he can completely surrender. That is the technique. Veda-vākya. Just like in the Vedic injunction, nobody can deny. Similarly, spiritual master is also representative of Veda. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. So similarly, it is just like Vedic injunction. So spiritual master has also got the great duty. He has to instruct the disciple in such a way that he may not be misled, and that is not possible because a spiritual master is he who will simply speak from authoritative sources. He'll speak from Bhagavad-gītā, Bhāgavata, or what was spoken by Nārada, Vyāsa, that is his authority. He does not say, "In my opinion it is..." No. Therefore it is perfect, it is coming from the disciplic succession, and if one agrees to such instruction, then he's also perfectly advancing. It is not difficult to understand. So he's accepting. "Now I accept You as my spiritual master. You teach me." Is that the statement? Yes.
So Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the origin of Brahman. He is the origin of Paramātmā. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The Absolute Truth is experienced in three ways—Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. So Bhagavān is the last word of the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Person. Therefore Vyāsadeva has purposefully written here, "śrī bhagavān uvāca." Bhagavān uvāca means you cannot exceed the Supreme Person. Nobody can be equal to the Supreme Person; nobody can be more than the Supreme Person. Everyone should be under the Supreme Person. That is the meaning of Bhagavān. So Bhagavān said,
- kutas tvā kaśmalam idaṁ
- viṣame samupasthitam
- anārya-juṣṭam asvargyam
- akīrti-karam arjuna
- (BG 2.2)
"My dear Arjuna, you are My friend, personal friend, and you are proposing this, which is befitting to the anārya." Anārya-juṣṭam: "This is not for the Aryan. You are kṣatriya, you are meant for fighting for justice, and you are denying to fight? Oh, this is not good." Anārya-juṣṭam: "This kind of proposal, cowardice, can be proposed by the anārya." Ārya means the advanced. One who is advanced in knowledge, in civilization, they are called ārya, Aryan civilization.
So in this verse Vyāsadeva is writing. Of course, the speaking is through Sañjaya, but the original writer is Vyāsadeva. In other ślokas he writes arjuna uvāca, sañjaya uvāca, like that. Similarly, he could write here kṛṣṇa uvāca. He could write. No. He's writing bhagavān uvāca. So Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By this writing, it is established. Śrī-bhagavān uvāca. He cannot be equal with Arjuna or Sañjaya or anybody else. Asammaurdhva. Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is supreme. Nobody is equal to Him, nobody is higher than. Everyone is lower. That is the meaning of Bhagavān. Nobody can claim "I am Bhagavān." But nowadays there are so many rascals, they are claiming that everyone is Bhagavān. So Vyāsadeva is mistaken? Actually, these Māyāvādī philosophers, they are so great rascals they sometimes say like that, that Vyāsadeva is also mistaken. They have got the audacity to say Vyāsadeva, he is accepted as incarnation of Nārāyaṇa, who has given us the Vedic literature, so many books he has given, the Vedas, the Purāṇas, the Mahābhārata, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Vedānta-sūtra. Everything is given by Vyāsadeva in writing, and we'll accept it, Nārāyaṇa, incarnation of Nārāyaṇa, mahāmuni-kṛte. He is also Vyāsa-muni, but He is also mahāmuni-kṛte. So there cannot be any mistake in the words of Vyāsadeva. This is the difficulty. If one does not come through the channel of disciplic succession, so they are in so many ways mistaken. Vyāsadeva is above all this. He is not an ordinary writer, material description or material name and faith. He cannot be mistaken. As Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa cannot be mistaken. Similarly, Vyāsadeva, incarnation of Bhagavān, he also cannot be mistaken. Neither devotee of Kṛṣṇa can be mistaken. Devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he does not say anything as his own opinion. He never says. What Kṛṣṇa says, he says. He may be not perfect, but what Kṛṣṇa has said, that is perfect.
He is transcendental. Kṛṣṇa is transcendental. There cannot be any mistake; there cannot be any illusion. Those who are in this material world, they have got four defects: they commit mistake, they are illusioned, and their senses are imperfect, bhrama, pramāda, vipralipsā, and they're cheaters. Because... Just like modern-day scientists and philosophers, they propogate so many branches of knowledge, but when, on the crucial point, they are caught, they say, "I do not know perfectly. I do not know perfectly. We are trying to know. In future, we shall tell you the perfect." But if you are not in perfect knowledge, why should you take the post of a teacher? If your knowledge is imperfect, then whatever you speak, that is imperfect. Therefore with imperfect knowledge, why you should become a teacher? That is cheating. That is cheating. Therefore purposefully Vyāsadeva is writing, sri-bhagavān uvāca, where there is no cheating, no imperfection, no illusion, no mistake. Four things. No mistake, no illusion, no cheating and no imperfection. This is Bhagavān. Why we are taking Bhagavad-gītā so seriously? There are so many other books we can read, so many theories, so many philosophers, big, big philosophers. But we cannot take them because they are defective. The author is sure to commit mistake. He is illusioned. Because his senses are not perfect, therefore imperfection.
So here, bhagavān uvāca. Vyāsadeva does not say that kṛṣṇa uvāca. If, if he would have said, "Kṛṣṇa," then people would have misunderstood. He's directly speaking, bhagavān uvāca, "the Supreme Personality of Godhead." So anyone who is impersonalist, how he can understand Bhagavad-gītā? Bhagavān means person. Bhagavān is not imperson. The Absolute Truth is manifested in three features: Brahman, Paramātmā, Bhagavān. Brahman is the beginning, impersonal. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. Because... Just like fire. Fire is burning somewhere, but its heat and light is impersonal. Suppose here is big fire. Just like we got fireplace. That is in one corner. But the whole room you are feeling heat. That heat is impersonal. But the fireplace, where there is blazing fire, that is personal. So impersonal conception is the offshoot of the person. That will be explained in the Thirteenth Chapter: mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam (BG 9.4). Kṛṣṇa says that "Everyone, everywhere I am spread. I exist everywhere." How does He exist? By His energy. That energy is impersonal. But the Supreme Person, He's not impersonal. He's person. Therefore it is said, śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means who is full with six kinds of opulence, aiśvarya: the richest, the most famous, the most learned, the most beautiful, the most strong, and the most renouncer. He's Bhagavān.
So Vedas says, tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). You'll understand Vedas by taking one, purchasing one Vedas book, or taking it, you'll understand Vedas? Vedānta is not so cheap thing. Without becoming a brāhmaṇa, nobody can understand a Veda, what is Veda. Therefore, it is restricted. Without becoming brāhmaṇa, nobody is allowed to study Vedas. It's all nonsense. What you'll understand about the Vedas? Therefore Vyāsadeva, after compiling the four Vedas, dividing the four Vedas, he made Mahābhārata. Because the Vedas, subject matter of Vedas is so difficult. Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarāḥ (SB 1.4.25). For women, for śūdras, and for the dvija bandhu. They cannot understand what is Vedas. So all these rascal dvija-bandhus and śūdras, they want to study Vedas. No, that is not possible. One has to become first of all situated in the brahminical qualification, satyaṁ śamo damas titiksva ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma karma sva-bhāva... (BG 18.42). Then touch Veda. Otherwise, what you'll understand Vedas? Nonsense. Therefore, Vedas says: tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum (MU 1.2.12). You must approach a guru to understand Veda. And what is that Veda? Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). The Vedas means, to study Vedas means to understand Kṛṣṇa. And surrender unto Him. This is Vedic knowledge.
We should take the position of Arjuna, disciple. When a disciple is serious about making, about making a solution of the suffering, then he requires a spiritual master. And what sort of spiritual master? Kṛṣṇa, the most perfect man, the most perfect man. So a spiritual master is representative of Kṛṣṇa. Of course, Kṛṣṇa is not present before us. But at least we must have a person as our spiritual master who represents Kṛṣṇa. And who can represent Kṛṣṇa? One who is devotee of Kṛṣṇa, in the line, disciplic succession. You see? So see here. Arjuna accepts Kṛṣṇa as the spiritual master. Now, question may be that "Why Arjuna...? There was many learned men, not only Kṛṣṇa, but there were Vyāsadeva and other great sages and brāhmaṇas. Why...?" Kṛṣṇa was also kṣatriya. Kṛṣṇa was not a brāhmaṇa. Of course, He took His, mean... He appeared in the family of a kṣatriya. And they were cousin-brothers. Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, they were cousin-brothers. Kṛṣṇa was the son of the brother, and Arjuna was the son of the sister. Arjuna's mother and Kṛṣṇa's father, they were brother and sister.
Devotee: In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam you have said that... It's stated that Vyāsadeva was afraid when Sūta Gosvāmī was born that he would leave home because he was already a liberated soul.
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Devotee: It says in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that Vyāsadeva was afraid that Sūta Gosvāmī when he was born would leave home because he was already a liberated soul.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Devotee: But he was attracted to Kṛṣṇa's pastimes. So what...?
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the sign of liberated soul. Because to become attracted by Kṛṣṇa, that is our normal condition. So he was liberated; therefore normally he became attracted with Kṛṣṇa's pastimes. That is his normal life. One who is not attracted by Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, he will be attracted by President Johnson's pastimes. (laughter) One has to be attracted. One has to be attracted by the dog's pastimes. Don't you see a person how he is serving the dog? The dog stands, passes urine, he also stands. You see? He's a human being, and he is waiting for the dog passing urine. How much he is attending the pastimes of the dog? So if you (are) not attracted by the pastimes of God, then you'll have to be attracted by the pastimes of the dog. There is no other alternative. Either māyā or Kṛṣṇa. The atheist, agnostic, they deny Kṛṣṇa's pastimes; therefore they remain attracted by the pastimes of this material world.
So that means so far riches are concerned, Kṛṣṇa showed that there is no second comparison in the whole history of the world that one is maintaining sixteen thousand wives and each wife has got special palace. These descriptions are there. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and, by all the authorities of Vedic knowledge. Formerly, during Kṛṣṇa's time, there were authorities like Vyāsadeva, like Nārada. They also accepted that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And you will find in the Tenth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā Arjuna, after understanding Kṛṣṇa, he expressed his opinion, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān puruṣaṁ śāśvatam ādyam (BG 10.12). He accepted. And he also said that "I am not accepting... Because it may be said that I am Your friend, so I am accepting You as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but great ācāryas or great stalwart authorities like Parāśara Muni, Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita, Devala..." He gave evidence. So Kṛṣṇa is accepted. So far Vedic literature is concerned, the ācāryas are concerned... Recently, within, say, two thousand years, there have been many ācāryas like Śaṅkarācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka, Rāmānujācārya. They have all accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And, say, within five hundred years, Lord Caitanya, He also accepted Kṛṣṇa. By His symptoms, by the historical fact, by the evidence of the Vedas, He is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, when Kṛṣṇa is speaking, the very words are used, śrī bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means the Supreme Personality of Godhead is speaking. Uvāca means speaking.
So Kṛṣṇa is not like that. But the rascals, they paint picture, and that pictures are very much appreciated, that Kṛṣṇa is embracing gopīs. Somebody was telling me that... Last... Who came? That Kṛṣṇa's picture. So when Kṛṣṇa is killing Putanā, that picture they will not paint, or killing Kaṁsa, or... Kṛṣṇa has got so many pictures. These pictures they will not, artists. They will simply paint the picture, His confidential dealings with the gopīs. One who cannot understand Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa, which Vyāsadeva has described what is Kṛṣṇa in nine cantos, to understand Kṛṣṇa, and then in the Tenth Canto he begins the birth advent of Kṛṣṇa... But these rascals, they jump over immediately to the rāsa-līlā. First of all understand Kṛṣṇa. Just like if you become a friend of some very big man, so first of all try to understand him. Then you'll try to understand his family affairs or confidential things. But these people jump over to the rāsa-līlā. And misunderstand. And therefore they sometimes say, "Kṛṣṇa is immoral." How Kṛṣṇa can be immoral? By accepting, by chanting Kṛṣṇa's name, the immoral persons are becoming moral, and Kṛṣṇa is immoral. Just see the foolishness. Simply by chanting Kṛṣṇa's name, all immoral persons are becoming moral. And Kṛṣṇa is immoral. And it is spoken by a rascal professor.
This is the version of Kṛṣṇa in the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. So first of all it is said here, Vyāsadeva, the author..., not author, the compiler who recorded the talks between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna and then put it systematically in a book form. So he says that bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means the Supreme Person. Just like in this meeting, amongst my students, I am the supreme person, similarly, in the state there is a supreme person, the president or the prime minister, so everywhere you will find out one supreme person. Without a supreme person nothing can be managed, order-giving person. This is everlastingly existing, and you cannot avoid this. Even in Communist country they also have the supreme person, dictator. So taking the whole universal affair, the nature, how things are going on... The sun is rising early in the morning. It is setting exactly in due time. Then the moon is coming. Everyone in big, big planetary system, they are working very systematically. The astronomical calculation is so perfect that, they say, one ten-thousandth part of a second is also calculated. So accurately things are moving.
So here in this Bhagavad-gītā, that Bhagavān is giving you knowledge. So how much perfect it is, you have to consider. Vyāsadeva could have said, "śrī-vyāsadeva uvāca." No. Bhagavān uvāca, so authoritative. So whatever He says, there cannot be any change. It is all perfect. Unfortunately, we rascals, we do not take Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We want to change it according to our whims. This rascal havoc has ruined the whole world. Otherwise, if they would have preached Bhagavad-gītā as it is, the world situation would have been different. Everything would have been in order, tranquility, peace, and everybody would have been prosperous. But the rascals will not do that. That is the defect. Therefore our tiny effort is how to present Bhagavad-gītā as it is. This is our mission. If we take... Even now, in this distorted condition of the world, if we accept Bhagavad-gītā as it is, then still, we will be benefited. There is no doubt about it. Therefore our appeal is that throughout the whole world people should come, try to understand Bhagavad-gītā, and set up examples and do the needful. Then everything will be peaceful. This is the peace formula. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānam (BG 5.29). Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānam. Suhṛt means well-wisher.
So that clear conception of soul you can have from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. He is speaking to Arjuna, and that is recorded by Vyāsadeva and which is presented before us as the Bhagavad-gītā. So we are presenting the knowledge of the Bhagavad-gītā, as it is, without any malinterpretation, because we cannot interpret Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is spoken by God, so what He has spoken, there cannot be any mistake, there cannot be any illusion, there cannot be any cheating, and there cannot be any imperfectness of the senses. Others, those who are called conditioned soul... Just like we have got our eyes, but the eyes, we are very much proud of our eyes. We say, "Can you show me God?" But the thing is that whether you can see God, whether you have got the requisite eyes to see God. Just like in your presence, there are so many planets. Leaving aside all other planets, the sun and the moon. Every one of us can see in day and night, but still they haven't got sufficient knowledge about the sun and the moon. Why? Because their senses are imperfect. But still they are trying to explain about the sun and moon, that is cheating. They have no sufficient knowledge about the sun or the moon, still they are trying to speak about sun and moon.
So the process of hearing is very important. So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to propagate that "You hear from the authority, Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is accepted in the present age and in the past age. In the past age, great sages like Nārada, Vyāsa, Asita, Devala, very, very great stalwart scholars and sages, they accepted. In the Middle Age, say 1,500 years ago, all the ācāryas like Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka... Practically, Indian Vedic civilization, it is still existing on the authority of these ācāryas. And it is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā: ācāryopāsanam. If you want to learn factually things, then you should approach ācārya. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda, "One who has accepted ācārya, he knows things as they are." Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. So we are receiving knowledge through the ācāryas. Kṛṣṇa spoke to Arjuna, Arjuna spoke to Vyāsadeva. Arjuna actually did not speak to Vyāsadeva, but Vyāsadeva heard it, Kṛṣṇa speaking, and he noted down in his book Mahābhārata. This Bhagavad-gītā is found in Mahābhārata. So we accept the authorities of Vyāsa. And from Vyāsa, Madhvācārya; from Madhvācārya, so many disciplic succession, up to Mādhavendra Purī. Then Mādhavendra Purī to Īśvara Purī; from Īśvara Purī to Lord Caitanyadeva; from Lord Caitanyadeva to six Gosvāmīs; from six Gosvāmīs to Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja; from him, Śrīnivāsa Ācārya; from him, Viśvanātha Cakravartī; from him, Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī; then Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī; Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura; my spiritual master.
So spiritual education means, spiritual enlightenment means, first of all, we must try to understand the jīva. Because jīva is the small particle of the Lord. So that we can understand the quality of the Lord. Just like if you test a small particle of gold, then you can understand the composition of gold. If you test a little drop of water from the ocean, you can analyze the chemical composition of the sea. Similarly, if you can analyze the characteristics of the living entity, then you can at least understand what is God, what is the characteristics of God. Therefore the beginning of spiritual education is to understand one's self, this self-realization. How to realize self? We have to take knowledge from others. Knowledge means..., to acquire knowledge, to learn from the teacher. So here is the supreme teacher, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is accepted as the supreme teacher by everyone, by all the great sages formerly, like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Devala, Asita. All other great sages. And recently, in the modern age, by our ācāryas, Śrī Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Rāmānuja, yes, Śaṅkarācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī. All these great sages, great ācāryas, they came from your South India. So you are fortunate in that sense. So we have to follow the ācāryas. All these ācāryas accept Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord. All these ācāryas. And later, lately, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, five hundred years ago, He also accepted that Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). That is the acceptance in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
So here the same thing, that tattva-darśibhiḥ, those who are actually seer of the Absolute Truth... athāto brahma jijñāsā, as it is said in the Vedānta-sūtra... Just yesterday, one boy was asking me: "What is the Vedānta? Vedānta, what is the meaning of Vedānta?" It is very nice, it is very easy. Veda means knowledge, and anta means ultimate. So Vedānta means ultimate knowledge. So ultimate knowledge is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedānta-kṛd veda-vid ca aham. He is the maker of Vedānta and He is the knower of Vedānta. Unless He is knower of Vedānta, how He can write Vedānta? Actually, Vedānta philosophy is written by Vyāsadeva, incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. So He's vedānta-kṛt. And He's vedānta-vit also. So the question was whether Vedānta means advaita-vāda or dvaita-vāda. So it is very easy to understand. The first aphorism of Vedānta: athāto brahma jijñāsā, to inquire about Brahman, the Absolute Truth. Now the, to inquire where? If you want to inquire, you must go to somebody who knows the thing. Therefore, immediately, in the very beginning of the Vedānta-sūtra, there is duality, that one must inquire, and one must answer.
Our business should be to be engaged in the sat platform, not in the asat platform. Asat platform, nonpermanent, or according to somebody's opinion, false. So false or nonpermanent, whatever it may be, the real human civilization should be based on the purpose of becoming immortal, sat, not asat. That is the distinction between India and other countries. Now I am not speaking of India of today, but India as it is. Big, big ācāryas, just like Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva is the original ācārya. Therefore the birthday of guru is called vyāsa-pūjā. Vyāsa-pūjā means original guru. Guru is the representative of Vyāsadeva. This throne is called vyāsāsana, sitting place of Vyāsadeva. So one who is representative of Vyāsadeva, he can sit on this throne. So guru, by paramparā system, guru is seated on the vyāsāsana because he is the representative. Just like in the high-court, the bench, it is called bench. Actually, the bench is to be used by the head of the executive power, the king or the president. But the high-court judge is the representative of the head executive; therefore, he sits on that bench.
So Vyāsadeva, so learned scholar, everyone knows how great scholar he was. He has written so many books. Four Vedas, eighteen Purāṇas, then Vedānta-sūtra, then Upaniṣads. So many things. Recorded, not written, recorded. So such a big scholar was residing... He was guiding the whole society, but he was living very humbly. Even Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, he was prime minister, but he was living in a cottage. That is the distinction between Vedic or Indian civilization and the modern civilization. The Indian civilization means they are interested in sat, and others they are interested in asat. Asat means which will not exist. I've already explained. In India, of course, materially, five hundred, five thousand years ago, materially also, India was very opulent. Why five thousand years? Even five hundred years or four hundred years, India was so opulent that Europeans were attracted to go to India. Even during the time of Mogul Empire. It was so opulent. Those who have gone to India, you'll find if you visit in Delhi, the Red Fort. Red Fort you'll find there are pictures of birds and trees on the wall and the eyes of the bird is now hole or some parts. Means it was bedecked with jewel. On the wall there was decoration of birds. Just like we paint now. There is also paint. But that is not painting. Set up with stones, and the eyes and other parts of the bird, or trees, flowers, they are bedecked with different types of jewels. Now all these jewels have been taken away when British government was there, and they are now protected in the British museum.
In another place, janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Tato māṁ jñātvā viśate tad-anantaram. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). This word tattvataḥ is very important. Tattvataḥ means the absolute truth. Truth. Tattva—means truth. In the Bhāgavata also, we'll find vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). Tattva-vidaḥ. Those who are aware of the truth, they call this tattva. What is that tattva? Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). That tattva is called sometimes Brahman, sometimes Paramātmā, and sometimes Bhagavān. The Bhagavān is the last word of tattva. Therefore, you'll find in every stanza, Vyāsadeva is writing, but he's writing śrī bhagavān uvāca. Don't think... Vyāsadeva says, that "Although I am writing, I am not the speaker. The speaker is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Śrī bhagavān uvāca. "The authority is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not I." The modern so-called philosophers, scientists, scholars, they say, "I think. I think." What is your value? The great personalities, they will not say like that. Never they will say. Therefore Kṛṣṇa even says, tattva-darśibhiḥ: "It has been concluded by higher authorities." He is Himself authority; still He's not speaking that "I say." No. Sometimes He says mataṁ mama: "That is My opinion." But He's also following the principle, authoritative, tattva-darśibhiḥ. Tattva-darśibhiḥ saṅkhye (?) ubhayor api dṛṣṭo 'ntaḥ, conclusion. Although Kṛṣṇa is saying that this is sat and this is asat, this is permanent and this is nonpermanent, but still, He is giving evidences that tattva-darśibhiḥ, those who have seen the truth, they have concluded like that. This is, means, authority. "They have concluded like that. Don't think that I am manufacturing something. No." Tattva-darśibhiḥ. This is the way of understanding. Whether tattva-darśibhiḥ. We also give reference sometimes in the modern age that such and such professor says such and such. But they are not tattva-darśibhiḥ. They are all speculator. They are not tattva-darśibhiḥ. But we have to go to the tattva-darśī.
Similarly, māyā is simply covering our eyes. Just the... Just like this cloud, it is not possible for the cloud to cover the sun. Sun is ninety-three millions, or at least, fourteen, fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this earth. So how a cloud, spreading over, say, a few miles, ten miles, it can cover the sun? No. The cloud cannot cover the sun, but the cloud can cover my eyesight. This is the position. Similarly māyā cannot touch Kṛṣṇa. The Māyāvādī philosophy is that māyā also covers Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa comes here, He comes covered by this māyā. No. This is not. Māyā cannot touch. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... When Vyāsadeva realized Kṛṣṇa, before writing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam...
- bhakti-yogena manasi
- samyak praṇihite 'male
- apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇaṁ
- māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam
- (SB 1.7.4)
So Vyāsadeva, by his meditation, saw the Supreme Person and māyā also. Māyā is on the backside. Māyā cannot come in the front side. So Kṛṣṇa is never covered by māyā. It is our eyes which covered by māyā. So we, the fragments of Kṛṣṇa, mamaivāṁśaḥ, we are covered by māyā, not Kṛṣṇa. The theory that Kṛṣṇa becomes covered, that is nonsense. How Kṛṣṇa can be covered? Kṛṣṇa cannot be covered. He is the controller of the māyā. And we are controlled by the māyā. That is the difference. Kṛṣṇa, māyādhīśa, and we are māyādhīna. Adhīna. We can become free.
So more or less, the modern civilization is in darkness. That is the treatment of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Lokasyājānata. All the people of the world, they are rascals and fools. That is the statement in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, First Canto. Vyāsadeva wrote the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and the introductory portion is stated like this, you have seen, that by his devotional meditation he saw Kṛṣṇa and His material energy also. Bhakti-yogena manasi (samyak) praṇihite 'male, apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇaṁ māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam (SB 1.7.4). By bhakti-yoga meditation he saw two things. Manasi praṇihite amale. By bhakti-yoga only. The yoga process is to clear the mind. The whole process of yoga indriya-saṁyama, controlling the senses and clearing, that is actually yoga system. So the perfection of yoga system—bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga. Because by executing bhakti-yoga you can cleanse up the mind perfectly. Yoga system, the purpose of yoga system is to cleanse up the mind, and this bhakti-yoga process... Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). The first benefit of this bhakti-yoga process, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, is cleansing the mind.
So Vyāsadeva, before writing... He was not an ordinary fiction writer. Anyone can write any nonsense. No. Formerly, no book will be accepted unless it is written by liberated soul. That was the system. No other man will dare to write any book, neither his book will be accepted in society. Only Vedic literature and literature produced out of Vedic knowledge. That is book. Otherwise, what are these books? These fictions and novels and... They are not books; they are rubbish. Actually they are rubbish. Don't you see? The newspaper, it is published after spending so much money. You know. Every day, the newspaper proprietors, they are paying to the news collectors, to the photographers, to the staff, to the establishment huge amount of money and producing newspaper, say, fifty pages or twenty-five pages, and throwing in the street. Nobody cares for it. Because everyone knows what is the value of this news. Nobody is taking care. "Oh, here is a newspaper behind which there is so much expenditure." "Oh, here is one. Let me take it." Everyone kicks it.
So Vyāsadeva, he was liberated soul. So in clean heart, clean mind, he experienced, he saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and māyā, tad-apāśrayam, and māyā standing behind Him. Māyā is darkness. Māyā cannot stand before Kṛṣṇa. Just like darkness cannot stand in front of the light. Now here is light. There is no darkness. In the backside you'll find some darkness. Is it not? Not in the front. So māyā cannot stand before Kṛṣṇa. Māyā stands behind Kṛṣṇa. So if you put always Kṛṣṇa or if you are always Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then māyā cannot touch you. Kṛṣṇa sūrya-sama māyā haya andhakāra, yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra. So Vyāsadeva, in clear consciousness, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he saw Kṛṣṇa and this māyā. And what is this māyā? That is said, yayā sammohito jīva. That māyā which has enchanted all these conditioned souls. Yayā sammohito jīva ātmānam anarthaṁ manute (SB 1.7.5). Considering himself that "I am material product." I am coming to this point. Those who are thinking that "I am a material product," they're completely in darkness of māyā. Yayā, manute anarthaṁ tat-kṛtaṁ ca abhipadyate. And identifying himself with this body, they are acting in bodily consciousness and increasing their problems of life and conditional life in material existence. Horrible condition. Therefore Vyāsadeva says, anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje (SB 1.7.6). Anartha, this anartha, this misconception of life, if you want to discard this misconception of life, that "I am this body," and you act according to that consciousness and suffer... This is your disease.
Now if you want to get out of this disease, then sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje. You just try to be in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Sākṣāt. Lokasyājānata. The rascal people, they do not know it. Therefore vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām. Therefore vidvān. Vidvān means this learned scholar, Vyāsadeva, he prepared the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Lokasyājānata. The rascal people, they do not know. They are being carried off by this misconception that "I am this body, and my body will be finished within so many years. Now I have got this chance, I have got my strong body, let me have sex life as far as possible, then finish it. Who knows where I am going, what is the path?" You see? It is dangerous civilization. Dangerous. And anyone who will come and say, "Yes, you enjoy your senses and simply sit down for fifteen minutes. And you chant this one alphabet—bas. You finish your business." This is going on. So don't be misled in that way. Try to understand Bhagavad-gītā perfectly. You'll be happy in this life and next life.
If you really serious. In our vaiṣṇava-paramparā also... vaiṣṇava-paramparā is actually Vedic paramparā. That ādau gurvāśrayam... Ādau gurvāśrayam: "To enter into the spiritual life, first thing is first of all to accept a guru." That is... All big, big stalwarts... Even Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva, the wonderful literature. This reading. We are reading Bhagavad-gītā. It is Vyāsadeva's literature. He heard from Kṛṣṇa and wrote it. And not only this. The Mahābhārata, the Purāṇas, the Vedānta-sūtra, and the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Wonderful literatures. There is no possibility of producing such literature by any scholar of these days. It is not possible. But he accepted guru, Nārada, Nārada Muni. When, after compiling all the Vedas, and Purāṇas, even Vedānta-sūtra, Vyāsadeva was not satisfied himself, he was seeming very morose, at that time, his spiritual master, Nārada, came, and he asked that "Why you are morose? You have done so much nice literary work. So why you are not very happy?" So Vyāsadeva replied, "Yes, my lord, I am actually not happy, but I cannot understand why I'm not happy. So you know everything. Kindly describe why I'm not happy." So at that time, Nārada replied him that "All the literatures you have so far made, they are with reference to the body and the mind. You have nothing described very nicely about the Supreme Soul. So now you try to describe something about the Supreme Lord, about the Supreme Soul. That will make you happy." Therefore he described the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. This is the history of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And his last contribution was mature contribution was Vedānta-sūtra. So from the Vedānta-sūtra, he began writing Śrīmad-Bhāgavata: janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). This is the beginning of Vedānta-sūtra. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. He said, in a different language, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā.
So a human life should be engaged inquiring about the Absolute Truth, and he should inquire from a person who, who has heard about the Absolute Truth from a realized person. There is a.... Therefore it is called śruti, paramparā, disciplic succession. One... Just like Vyāsadeva is hearing from Nārada. Nārada is authorized. He has heard from Brahmā. Brahmā has heard from Kṛṣṇa. So this is the paramparā system, disciplic succession. So there are four paramparā systems. They are known as, at the present moment, Rāmānuja-sampradāya, Brahma-sampra..., Brahma-samprada..., yes, Madhva-sampradāya, Brahma-sampradāya, Madhva-sampradāya, the same, and Rudra-sampradāya and Śrī-samp..., Śrī, Rāma, Kumāra-sampradāya. These is four sampradāyas.
Now people may say that Arjuna was Kṛṣṇa's friend. To satisfy his friend, he has accepted Him as paraṁ brahma. But that is not the fact. Arjuna gives evidences that "Not only I, but the great authorities like Vyāsa, Nārada, Asita, Devala, they have also accepted You as the Supreme Personality of Godhead." In the recent ages... This is five thousand years ago. Even one thousand, five hundred... Śaṅkarācārya, who is impersonalist, he has also accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇa. He has written in his commentary on the Bhagavad-gītā: nārāyaṇaḥ avyakta, avyaktāt, para avyaktāt. Nārāyaṇaḥ para avyaktāt. "Nārāyaṇa is not a creation of this material world. He's transcendental." He has accepted. And what to speak of the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, all. They have written so many nice commentaries on the Bhagavad-gītā, Brahma-sūtra, establishing that the Supreme Absolute Truth is person, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa is speaking as person. And He is warning the rascals: avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). "Because I am speaking as a human being, the rascals, they deride." Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ. They do not know what is My influence, what is My power."
Those who are intelligent, budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ, with a bhāva, with an ecstatic position, can understand that Kṛṣṇa is the original person. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). Sarvasya means including Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, all the devatās. Aham ādir hi devānām (BG 10.2). He is the original source of all the devas. The original devas within this... Brahmā is the first deva in the first creation. (aside:) What is that? So aham ādir hi devānām. The Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara. So He's the origin of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara. From Kṛṣṇa, for material creation, there are three Puruṣas. First of all, three puruṣas. Not directly from Kṛṣṇa. From Kṛṣṇa, Baladeva. From Baladeva, catur-vyūha: Saṅkarṣaṇa, Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha. Then from Saṅkarṣaṇa, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Nārāyaṇa. Then second catur-vyūha. From the second catur-vyūha, Saṅkarṣaṇa, the puruṣa-avatāras. Three puruṣa-avatāras, three Viṣṇus: Kāraṇodakaśāyī, Garbhodakaśāyī, and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. So the, in the Vedic literature all these informations are there. And as Kṛṣṇa says, personally, also... Arjuna accepted that "I accept, on the authority of Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Devala, Asita, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and You also speaking directly. Then where is my doubt?"
So according to Vedic injunction, he immediately becomes indebted to so many items. What is that? He becomes indebted immediately to the different demigods, sun, moon, Indra, Candra, so many. Because we are receiving light from the sun, from the moon, so we are indebted. People do not care for it because they have no knowledge. Therefore in the Vedas, the sacrifice is recommended, to perform respective duties to become discharged from the indebtedness. So you are indebted to the demigods, indebted to the sages. Just like Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva, he has given us so many Vedic literatures. So we are taking advantage. So deva, ṛṣi, bhūta, ordinary living entities, even cats and dogs. But we, instead of being indebted, we do something else. Just like we are drinking milk. So we are indebted to the cows. So instead of repaying the indebtedness, we are killing them. So in this way we are complicated in so many ways. Devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṟṇām (SB 11.5.41). Pitṟṇām means in the family in which you are born. You are indebted because you are inheriting property, you are inheriting the mother's affection, father's affection. So you are indebted. People should consider. That is civilization. So... But anyone who has taken shelter of Mukunda—Mukunda is Kṛṣṇa—he has no more any indebtedness. He becomes free. All indebtedness, charge is taken by Kṛṣṇa, and He will square up the account. There is no doubt about it. He says that, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66). Yes. All right. So any question? Yes?
So manute anartham. That is Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva, before writing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by the, under the instruction of Nārada, he meditated what is the position. Bhakti-yogena manasi samyak praṇihite amale apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇaṁ māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam (SB 1.7.4). 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. And the cloud is covering part of the sunshine which is combination of illuminating particles. So the māyā or the cloud cannot cover the sun, but it can cover the minute shining particles. So we are affected. Kṛṣṇa is not affected.
Therefore, Vyāsadeva saw, apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇam. He saw... Just like in airplane, you go above the cloud. The sun is not affected at all by the cloud. Although below the airplane you'll see vast mass of cloud. Similarly, māyā cannot affect Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, Bhagavad-gītā says daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā. Mama māyā (BG 7.14), Kṛṣṇa says, "My illusory energy." Kṛṣṇa is never affected by the illusory energy. Exactly like the cloud. But the Māyāvādī philosophers, they say that when impersonal Absolute Truth comes, appears, they also accept the incarnation, but their philosophy is that ultimately the Absolute Truth is impersonal. When He appears as a person, He accepts the māyā body. This is Māyāvāda. Kṛṣṇa may be accepted as the Supreme God, but He has accepted a material body. That means they want to compare Kṛṣṇa with ordinary living entity, and that is condemned in the Bhagavad-gītā. It is said that avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Because Kṛṣṇa comes in His original form... Original form is two-handed. It is also accepted in the Bible: "Man is made after the image of God." So God has got two-handed. Even the four-handed Viṣṇu form is not the original form. Viṣṇu form is secondary manifestation of Saṅkarṣaṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is never affected by māyā. This is point.
So śāstra-vidhim is required. So here is one śāstra-vidhim from Parāśara-smṛti. Parāśara was the father of Vyāsadeva. He has got his regulative principles. They're also realized souls on Vedic principles. They wrote so many books. In this Parāśara-smṛti it is said: kṣatriyo hi prajā rakṣan śastra, śastra-pāṇiḥ pradaṇḍayan. Śastra-pāṇi means always with sword in the hand for the benefit of the prajas. He should be so strong. "Oh, you are a thief? You have stolen?" Immediately cut his hand, bas. This one example will stop millions of thieves not to commit stealing. Simply by cutting. Even a hundred years ago this system was prevalent in Kashmir. If a thief is arrested and if he's proved that he has stolen, immediately king will cut off his two hands. Bas, finished. No court witness. And it will go for ten years to find out whether he has stolen. This is government. Therefore, the injunction is kṣatriya hi prajā rakṣan śastra-pāṇiḥ pradaṇḍayan. Always must be very strict. Nirjitya para-sainyādi dharmeṇa pālayet. This is dharma. In the Manu-smṛti it is said that if a man, a murderer, one man has killed another man... Why man? Even animal. He's a murderer. Now murdering is no offense. They are killing daily so many babies within the womb, murderers. That has become a custom. They're killing hundreds and thousands of animals daily in the slaughterhouse. It has become a custom. So now even human being, murder, he's not condemned to death. Is it not?
Either you execute one percent, two percent, fifty percent. If you can finish hundred percent, then next life, sure you are going to Kṛṣṇa. But even if you are unable to finish the whole course, still, whatever you have done, that is permanent credit. That will never be lost. The similar passage is there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, while Nārada Muni was instructing Vyāsadeva for writing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So he said this verse:
- tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer
- bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi
- yatra kva vābhadram abhūd amuṣya kiṁ
- ko vārtha āpto 'bhajatāṁ sva-dharmataḥ
- (SB 1.5.17)
Tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ. This dharma means according to social and spiritual position. Somebody is brahmacārī, somebody is householder, somebody is vānaprastha, somebody is sannyāsī, somebody is brāhmaṇa, somebody kṣatriya, somebody's vaiśya, somebody's śūdra. This is Vedic division of social and spiritual life. So each position has got different types of occupational duties. These are mentioned in the Bhāgavata. Brāhmaṇa has got to do: śamaḥ damaḥ śaucaṁ titikṣā. Kṣatriya-śauryaṁ vīryaṁ yuddhe cāpalāyanam. In this way, there are some prescribed duties.
So the reference of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... Attention diverted. (aside:) Yes. Yes. Keep it open. Let them come. Yes. There is a verse in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in connection with instruction of Nārada Muni to Vyāsadeva. And Vyāsadeva was disciple of Nārada Muni, and Vyāsadeva compiled so many Vedic literatures, Mahābhārata, Purāṇas, Vedānta-sūtra, Upaniṣads, various types of... Not types. Practically the same Vedas, divided into departmental knowledge for understanding of the common people. Just like Mahābhārata. Mahābhārata is the history of India. Mahā means great, and bhārata means India. And you see, Mahābhārata is the history of two royal families fighting in the Battle of Kurukṣetra and politics and diplomacy. This is the subject matter of Mahābhārata. Of course, there are many nice instructions. So this Mahābhārata was especially made for the less intelligent class of men. Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayi na śruti-gocara (SB 1.4.25). Strī means woman, and śūdra means ordinary, labor class of men. Strī, śūdra, and dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu means, dvija means higher class, twice-born. Śūdra means once-born and dvija means twice-born.
So for these classes of men, Mahābhārata was composed by Vyāsadeva. In this way he compiled so many literatures, but he was not happy. So Nārada Muni, his spiritual master, advised him to describe the activities of the Lord. That is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In that connection he says that some way or other, if somebody becomes in connection with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, and acts in that spirit, that is never lost. The action of Kṛṣṇa conscious activities will never be lost. That is the purport of this verse. Just like I am doing very large-scale business in my present body. I am earning... Just like Rockefeller, Ford, in your country. In our country also, Birla. There are many big industrialists earning money like anything, hoarding money. But this money, this acquisition or educational qualification... Suppose in this life you become a great scientist, a great scholar, M.A., Ph.D, D.A.C., LL.D., so many titles, and very good opulence, or very good beautiful body, so many material... These are material acquisitions, to get birth in high family, to become highly educated, highly educated, to become very rich, these are material acquisitions. But Śrīmad-Bhāgavata says that all these acquisitions will be finished as soon as the body is finished. The people, they do not know it.
Yes. Very big, big scientists, astronomers, mathematicians, they have written in that book, Evidence of Existence of God. And they have all agreed that if there is God at all, He must be person. He cannot be imperson. And God says personally, "There is no greater truth than Me. Arjuna, there is no greater truth than Me." Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8), "I am the source of all energy." So God says, Arjuna says, Vyāsa says, Nārada says; why should we hear a street man? (laughter) (Prabhupāda laughs) A man in the street, is he greater than Nārada? Is he greater than Vyāsa? He is greater than Kṛṣṇa? Then why should I hear him? You should ask him, "Please, keep your theory with you. We are greater authority than you."
So any yoga, either karma-yoga or dhyāna-yoga or jñāna-yoga, any system of yoga, once begun in this life, that will continue. That will continue. Yoga-sthaḥ kuru karmāṇi. The Bhāgavata says, Śrīmad-Bhāgavata says, tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi yatra kva vābhadram abhūd amuṣya kiṁ ko vārtha āptaḥ, āptaḥ abhajatāṁ sva-dharmataḥ (SB 1.5.17). This is speech by Nārada to his disciple, Śrīla Vyāsadeva, that "You should try, people, to connect them in spiritual life, in conducting spiritual life. It doesn't matter even if he fails to complete the course; still, he's not loser. Still, he's not loser. He..." The whole system of Vedic knowledge, especially the Kṛṣṇa philosophy... Kṛṣṇa philosophy—the whole philosophy. Vedic philosophy means Kṛṣṇa philosophy. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). The all Vedic knowledge, all Vedic wisdom means to understand Kṛṣṇa philosophy. That's all. Nothing else. The Kṛṣṇa philosophy in different ways all over the world, they have been described according to the time, place and people, but you must know the whole thing is Kṛṣṇa philosophy. Kṛṣṇa philosophy is... When we speak of Kṛṣṇa, you don't take this word, Sanskrit word, Kṛṣṇa, in a sectarian meaning. Kṛṣṇa means the Supreme, the highest pleasure, highest pleasure.
Just like Śukadeva Gosvāmī. He was, as the other day we were narrating the story of Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he was passing on naked, sixteen-years-old boy, young boy, and very nice feature of the body, peaceful. And he was passing naked, and the girls who were taking bath, naked on the river, they saw that innocent person, so they did not cover their body. But when the father was passing, such a learned sage, old man, Vyāsadeva, who is the author of all Vedic literatures—he is not an ordinary man. But because he was a worldly man, a householder, the girls, after seeing him, covered their body. That story the other day we have narrated before you. So the stage of Śukadeva Gosvāmī is ātma-rati, self-satisfied, doesn't care for anything of the world. He is aloof from the world. We should not imitate Śukadeva Gosvāmī and become naked.
Just this morning we were discussing that all these... Strī-śūdra-dvijabandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā (SB 1.4.25). Vyāsadeva is so kind that he could understand that the next generation before, I mean to say, five thousands years before, when he was thinking... We should always know that great thinkers, great, I mean to say, sages, ṛṣis, they are sitting in the secluded place, in a forest, not idly. They are always thinking how people should be benefited, how people should be benefited. Lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau. Just like we sing daily about the Gosvāmīs.
And originally the Veda is one, Yajur Veda. And because it was very difficult to understand... Veda was spoken by Lord Himself to Brahmā. So seeing, foreseeing the condition of the present age, Vyāsadeva divided four Vedas, one Veda into four. The original Veda is Yajur Veda. Then he divided into Sāma, Yajur, Ṛk, Atharva. Then again the Vedic literatures were explained in Purāṇas, eighteen Purāṇas. Then Mahābhārata. Then again he summarized all the Vedic knowledge into Vedānta-sūtra, Vedānta-sūtra, summarized. Then again the Vedānta-sūtra is explained by Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. These are the all Vedic literature. When you read this book, in the preliminary, those who have got books, you will find all this description.
So Kṛṣṇa, for understanding of the common people, the highest truth of Vedic literature, the highest truth of Vedic literature is Kṛṣṇa, and nothing else. You will find in the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord says, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). The whole purpose of Veda is to understand Me. That's all. If one has understood Kṛṣṇa, then he has understood all Vedic literature. He has nothing to understand anymore. He has passed all examination. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedānta-kṛd veda-vid eva cāham.
And the Lord says that "I am the writer of Vedānta," because Vyāsadeva is an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa for writing this literature. His name is Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa. Therefore, as incarnation of Vyāsa, Kṛṣṇa wrote all this Vedic literature.
So vedānta-kṛt and veda-vid eva cāham: "And if anyone understands Veda, then it is I only who understands Veda." Therefore if we understand Kṛṣṇa, then we understand everything. We understand Veda. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. If anyone understands one... Just like in arithmetic, if you understand one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, then you understand everything because in arithmetic or mathematics there is nothing than these nine figures. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven—you make it a multiplication or subtraction or division, or whatever process you may. There is nothing but one, two, three, four, five, six, eight, nine. That's all. Similarly, if you understand Kṛṣṇa, then you understand the whole Vedas.
Now, He also again clears the subject matter. Sa evāyaṁ mayā te 'dya yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ: (BG 4.3) "So Arjuna, I am just trying to speak to you about that old system of Bhagavad-gītā yoga, old system of yoga which I first spoke to sun-god." Why? "Why You are speaking to me?" The question... "You say that the spirit of Bhagavad-gītā is lost, and You are... Why You have selected me to speak the Bhagavad-gītā? There are many learned men. There is Vyāsadeva. There is Vasiṣṭha. There is other, many sages. They are existing. I am an ordinary military man. I am a family man. I know simply fighting. So why You are anxious to speak to me about Bhagavad-gītā? Why You are anxious to speak to Me? I am not a Vedantist. I am ordinary man. So why?"
Now, the reply is bhakto 'si. Just see. Bhakto 'si me sakhā ceti rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam: "Oh, My dear Arjuna, I am just trying to speak to you Bhagavad-gītā because you have got an exceptional qualification which others haven't got." And what is that exceptional qualification? Here it is clearly mentioned, bhakto 'si. Bhakto 'si. Bhakto 'si means "You are My devotee. You know that I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore you have surrendered yourself unto Me, accepted Me, Myself, as the spiritual master. You know. You are My devotee."
He comes. He's so kind. He comes, He gives personally instruction, and He leaves the instruction recorded. Just like Bhagavad-gītā. This Bhagavad-gītā was spoken by Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna, and it was recorded by Sañjaya, by the grace of Vyāsadeva. And then Vyāsadeva put the conversation in the Mahābhārata. Mahābhārata means "The History of Greater India." That is Mahābhārata. The whole planet is called Bhārata, Bhāratavarṣa. And the history of the whole planet is called Mahābhārata. In this Mahābhārata, this Bhagavad-gītā is set in for the knowledge of the all human being. It is not meant for the Hindus, for the Indians, for the brāhmaṇas, for the... No. It is meant for everyone to take perfect knowledge from Kṛṣṇa and be happy. If you want to become happy actually, then Kṛṣṇa's instruction you accept. We are already fallen. Now if we want to save ourselves from this fallen condition, take instruction from Kṛṣṇa and do not try to deviate, do not try to interpret in your own whimsical way, in a rascal way. Simply try to understand what Kṛṣṇa says. That's all. Then your life will be perfect.
So if we increase our memory, then we approach godly nature. In this age we are decreasing our memory. Formerly, when this Bhagavad-gītā was written by Vyāsadeva, before that, people were so sharp in their memory that there was no need of publication of books. As soon as one hears from the spiritual master of any instruction, they remember for life. Now, gradually, that memory is decreasing. That means we are not advancing. We are decreasing in our duration of life. We are decreasing in our memory. We are decreasing in our prosperity.
This is very important verse to understand Bhagavad-gītā. By rascal interpretation, you cannot understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. It is a mystery. Rahasyam, mysterious. Only a devotee who is in intimate relation with Kṛṣṇa, he can understand. That is clearly stated here. When Kṛṣṇa was speaking Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna, it was in the battlefield. It is not a parlor, discussing, smoking and discussing Vedānta philosophy. No. It is not like that. Very serious, in the battlefield. And Kṛṣṇa selected Arjuna. Kṛṣṇa selected... At that time, when Kṛṣṇa was present, there were very, very great learned scholars. Even Vyāsadeva was present there, the Vedavyāsa. And many others—Asita, Devala... Great, great saintly persons and saints. Rājarṣis. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was rājarṣi. Because in the previous verse He said, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2).
There is a paramparā system. Kṛṣṇa, He instructed Lord Brahmā. Lord Brahmā instructed Nārada. Nārada instructed Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva instructed Madhvācārya. Madhvācārya instructed in so many ways. Then Mādhavendra Purī. The Mādhavendra Purī, Īśvara Purī. From Īśvara Purī, Lord Caitanya. In this way, there is a paramparā system. There are four Vaiṣṇava sampradāyas. The Rudra-sampradāya, Brahma-sampradāya, Kumāra-sampradāya, and Lakṣmī-sampradāya, Śrī-sampradāya.
So Kṛṣṇa is not formless. It is not that the devotees of Kṛṣṇa, by imagination, they have... As the Māyāvādī rascals say, that Kr..., "They have made a form by imagination." No. This is, this is described in the Vedas. So... And Kṛṣṇa, when appeared on this planet, the same thing was visible. Those who have seen, authorities... Just like Vyāsadeva, Arjuna. He has seen personally. He has described in the Bhagavad-gītā: paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān: (BG 10.12) "Your personality is unknown to the so-called scholars. But authorities like Vyāsa, Devala, Nārada, Asita, they accept Your this form." It is very difficult... These things are there. You'll find in the Tenth Chapter.
Generally, according to Buddha philosophy, there is no soul, no God. But they have to obey Lord Buddha. So there is also God because Lord Buddha is accepted by the Vedic literature. Just in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is a great list of incarnations, and Buddha, Lord Buddha, is accepted as one of the incarnations who would appear. It is in future tense. Kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati. Buddho nāmnā añjana-sutaḥ kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati. Now bhaviṣyati means "He will appear in future." Because Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was compiled by Vyāsadeva five thousand years ago, and Lord Buddha appeared about two-thousand-six-hundred years ago. Therefore before the appearance of Lord Buddha the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was written. This is called śāstra. Because there is accurate date and accurate calculation. Everything is there. Buddho nāmnā añjana-sutaḥ kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati. The mother's name also given there, añjana-suta. And kīkaṭeṣu means Gayāpradesh. In India there is a province called Bihar. In that province there is a district Gayā. In that district Lord Buddha appeared. Lord appeared in Bihar province. He was kṣatriya, He was Hindu, and He propagated this religion of nonviolence, Buddhism.
That we are making discussion. That we are making discussion. Yes. Kṛṣṇa is accepted as the Supreme by all stalwart past ācāryas. Just like Śaṅkarācārya, a great stalwart scholar. He also accepts Kṛṣṇa: sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ. Oh, he accepts Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Lord. You will find in his annotation of Bhagavad-gītā. Similarly, Śrī Rāmānujācārya, he accepts. And now Lord Caitanya, He also preached this Kṛṣṇa philosophy, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And formerly also, great leaders like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, and even at the present moment all big leaders of India...
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.
Just like Mahārāja Parīkṣit. He simply listened about Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. At the last stage of his life, he listened from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, simply Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and he became liberated. Śrī-viṣṇoḥ śravaṇe parīkṣit. The śrī-viṣṇoḥ śravaṇe, about Lord Kṛṣṇa or Lord Viṣṇu. Parīkṣit Mahārāja became liberated. Abhavad vaiyāsakiḥ kīrtane. And vaiyāsaki, the son of Vyāsadeva, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he simply narrated the topics of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He became liberated.
But in the Kali-yuga because gradually we are losing the potency of our brain, therefore we require in writing books. Vyāsadeva was very kind. He knew that in the Kali-yuga there will be no sharpened brain. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). They are made by nature; by the influence of Kali-yuga, they are all mandaḥ, very slow or very bad, mandaḥ. Sumanda-matayaḥ, and they have got, manufactured some ideas, sumanda-matayaḥ, which is not standard to the Vedic ideas. Manda-bhāgyāḥ, and unfortunately, they cannot accept. Manda-bhāgyāḥ.
Kṛṣṇa is accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead by all the śāstras. Vyāsadeva, He writes, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). In the Brahma-saṁhitā, Brahmā writes, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Kṛṣṇa personally says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). Arjuna, who heard Bhagavad-gītā, he accepts. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). The ācāryas, Śaṅkarācārya, Mādhvācārya, Rāma..., they accept Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was.... Then what evidence want you more? What is your knowledge? You do not accept so many authorities? You are so proud? That is our misfortune. Manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ, and disturbed condition of life. That is our misfortune.
So the best thing is that we should be submissive. We should not be proud. That will not help us. Sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatām. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. The so-called speculative knowledge should be given up. Jñāne prayāsam, namanta eva. Just be submissive. Namanta eva. Śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva, san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. San-mukharitām, those who are perfectly saint.... Just like Vyāsadeva, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, san-mukharitām. They have accepted.... Caitanya Mahāprabhu.... San-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. In this way we can understand, we can take the lesson, everything is clear.
Keep always yourself engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness activities. Māyā will not be able to touch you. Because there is no possibility of darkness becoming influential in light. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That when Vyāsadeva, under the instruction of his spiritual master, Nārada, by bhakti-yoga: bhakti-yogena praṇihite samyak, praṇihite 'male. Bhakti-yogena manasi (SB 1.7.4). The same, mind, manasi means mind. When enlightened by bhakti-yoga, bhakti-light, bhakti-yogena manasi samyak praṇihite amale. When the mind becomes completely freed from all contamination. That can be done by bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yogena manasi samyak praṇihite 'male apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇam. He saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam. And he saw this māyā just on the background. Apāśrayam. Light and darkness, along with, just like here is light. There is darkness also here, little darkness. So darkness remains under the shelter of light. But light does not remain under the shelter of darkness. So Vyāsadeva saw Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, and this māyā, darkness, apāśrayam, just under His shelter.
Take for the present Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya is a great authority, a recognized, great authority. Oh, He is mad after Kṛṣṇa. He is mad after Kṛṣṇa. Then after Him, His six disciples, Gosvāmīs, the Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, they have written immense literature, valuable literatures—especially Jīva Gosvāmī—volumes of literature on Kṛṣṇa. So... Then, under disciplic succession also, we have come to this point, and if you take past history, bygone, long, long ago, Vyāsadeva, who is known as Vedavyāsa, he has written book, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, on Kṛṣṇa. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is nothing but description of Kṛṣṇa. Vyāsadeva is also writer of Bhagavad-gītā. The Bhagavad-gītā was spoken by Kṛṣṇa and noted down by Vyāsadeva. And he has put this Bhagavad-gītā in the Mahābhārata. So Vyāsadeva accepts Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality. He has, in the Bhāgavatam, he has specifically mentioned, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. He has given description of different other incarnations of God. There are about twenty-five incarnations. In the conclusion he said that ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28), that "All the descriptions that are given of different incarnations, they are partially or part of the partial representation of God, but this Kṛṣṇa whom I have mentioned, He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself." He is not part. Cent percent. Cent percent God.
So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a great science. It is not a sentiment or mental speculation or bluff. It is based on scientific proposition, as described in the Bhagavad-gītā, as described in the Vedas, as described in the Saṁhitās, as accepted by the authorities like Lord Caitanya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Nārada, Asita, Vyāsa. There are so many authorities. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not an ordinary bluff-making or a money-making business. It is something reality. And if you take to it seriously, your life will be successful.
The perfection of life is not dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). That is described in the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, dharmaḥ projjhita-atra kaitavaḥ. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra paramaḥ nirmatsarāṇāṁ. In the beginning, introduction of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the author, Vyāsadeva, says that all kinds of kaitavaḥ-kaitavaḥ... Śrīdhara Swami has commented upon it, kalaḥ niṣandi rūpa. Any religion which is seeking after some result of action.... Generally we perform religion, dharma-artha. We perform religion for getting some economic benefit, artha. And why artha is required? For kāma, dharma artha kāma. For, for satisfying our sense gratification we require money, and generally we perform religious rites, ritualistic ceremonies, yajña, dharma for getting some economic development. Dharma artha kāma. Artha is required, money is required for fulfilling our sense gratification, and when we are baffled in gratifying our senses... Because here the whole struggle is going on.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are presenting the Bhagavad-gītā as it is. That's all. We have no difficulty. We have no difficulty because Kṛṣṇa is accepted as authority, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by all the ācāryas, not only formerly, like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita, Devala, many, many big, big stalwart... Vyāsadeva everyone knows. Vyāsadeva is the original writer of Vedic knowledge, Vedavyāsa. He accepts Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. 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.
So Bhagavad-gītā is that, religion combined with philosophy. If you simply take philosophy, it is dry speculation. No juice. Carvita-carvaṇānām: "Chewing the chewed." There is no benefit. And if you take, simply take religion without basis of philosophy, then it is fanaticism. That's all. So both should be combined. Religion based on philosophy and logic, that is religion. So that combination is Bhagavad-gītā. So here in the Seventh Chapter, beginning, opening chapter, it is said, bhagavān uvāca. You are searching after God. Now here is God Himself speaking. So recognized God by all sages: Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita. And later on by Rāmānujācārya, by Śaṅkarācārya, by Madhvācārya, by Viṣṇu Svāmī, by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and then our Guru Mahārāja. So our method is very simple: evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). So we accept this paramparā system. I may not know what is God, but because my predecessors, ācāryas, confirm it, the "Here is Bhagavān," we accept it. That's all. We save so much trouble by mental speculation. We accept the paramparā system. Therefore... And we get the result. So that is the way.
As soon as we desire to forget Kṛṣṇa, or to rebel against Kṛṣṇa, that "Why I shall serve Kṛṣṇa? I am Kṛṣṇa," immediately māyā is there, side by side. Kṛṣṇa is there. Apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇaṁ māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam. When Vyāsadeva, after getting instruction from Nārada, he wanted to write Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, so he first of all meditated. Bhakti-yogena manasi, apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇaṁ māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam (SB 1.7.4). He saw both Kṛṣṇa and His illusory energy, apāśrayam, on the back side.
There is definition of Bhagavān. Not that any rascal advertises himself Bhagavān and he becomes Bhagavān. No. Parāśara Muni, father of Vyāsadeva, gave us what we mean by Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence, and vān means one who possesses opulence. Just like we have our practical experience. Anyone who is very rich, he's attractive. He becomes attractive. Many men go to him for some favor. One who is very influential, he becomes very attractive. One who is very famous, he becomes attractive. One who is very learned, wise, he becomes attractive. One who is very wise, he becomes attractive. And one who is in the renounced order of life Renounced order of life means one who possesses everything but renounces, does not use it for his personal benefit. Just like a person who is very charitably disposed, he gives everything to the public. He's also very attractive.
Just like to understand the sunshine is partial understanding of the sun. It is not full understanding. Full understanding, if you have got power to go to the sun globe, to see the predominating deity there, Vivasvān, the sun-god, then it is full understanding. If you think that understanding the sunshine you have understand the whole feature of the sun globe, that is wrong. Similarly, to understand Brahman, impersonal Brahman, is also partial understanding. And to understand Paramātmā, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61), that is also little higher stage, but that is also partial. But when you understand Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality, that is full understanding. Therefore it is said, bhagavān uvāca, bhagavān uvāca, full understanding. Vyāsadeva could have said, "kṛṣṇa uvāca." But because Kṛṣṇa is understood wrong way sometimes by the fools and rascals, therefore he says directly, "bhagavān uvāca." Bhagavān uvāca.
Full opulent: complete wealth, complete strength, complete beauty, complete knowledge, complete renunciation. One who possesses all these six things completely, he is Bhagavān. Bhagavān is not so cheap thing that it can be found in the lanes and streets and road. So that is also another misunderstanding. Therefore, Vyāsadeva says, "śrī-bhagavān uvāca..." He is complete in everything. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ. Īśvara means controller. Parama means supreme, no more better than that. That is also enunciated by Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "There is no more superior element than Me." So, if we study Bhagavad-gītā, if we understand what is the nature of Bhagavān, then our life is successful. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). So Kṛṣṇa is describing Himself. You try to understand from the statement of Kṛṣṇa with your logic, argument, science and everything. You will find complete answer.
So we cannot accept the theories or the statement of some defective person. We should hear from the person who is not defective, perfect. Therefore our process of hearing or getting knowledge is from the perfect person. That is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are hearing Bhagavad-gītā, we are getting knowledge from Bhagavad-gītā, because Bhagavān Himself speaking. Therefore here it is said... Although it is said by Kṛṣṇa... Everyone knows that Kṛṣṇa spoke Bhagavad-gītā, and Vyāsadeva recorded it and then put it into the Mahābhārata, this statement. But here Vyāsadeva purposely says... One may not misunderstand that this knowledge is imperfect. Therefore he says, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān uvāca means there is no defect. You can accept it as it is and you get the full knowledge. This is the meaning of bhagavān uvāca. Many times he has said. So bhagavān uvāca, and He is speaking about Himself, Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa, coming here. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7).
Indian man (2): The Bhagavad-gītā is the confidential message of from Lord Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna. Can Swamiji please explain how is it that Sañjaya is to Dhṛtarāṣṭra and how it came to pass that Vyāsadeva wrote the Bhagavad-gītā?
Prabhupāda: It is just like television nowadays. You can see things happening thousands of miles away in television, and you can explain to your friends. This is like that. It is a question of seeing power. So now we have got the instrument, television machine. It is not difficult to understand. In the football ground the matches is going on, and it is being relayed in your room. It is alike that.
So to know God, God, He is personally giving instruction how to know God. Kṛṣṇa says, bhagavān uvāca. Here it is not, Vyāsadeva is not speaking, Kṛṣṇa says. Because sometimes Kṛṣṇa is misunderstood; therefore Vyāsadeva writes or says in this connection, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means the fully opulent, samagrasya. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya: He is the most powerful, the supreme rich, supreme wise, supreme beautiful and at the same time supremely renounced. These qualification makes one Bhagavān. So kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). That is the verdict of Vedic literature. So īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Bhagavān is also sometimes called Parameśvara. Īśvara means the ruling power or the personality who controls. So everyone of us, we have got some controlling power either in the society or family or community or government or international. Everyone has got some capacity to control, but nobody is supreme controller. Supreme controller means that He is no more controlled by anyone. Other controller, they are controllers, but they are controlled by somebody else. But Kṛṣṇa is not that kind of controller. He is the supreme controller means He controls everyone but nobody has above Him to control. Therefore He is called Parameśvara. Īśvaraḥ means controller.
Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). He is not nirākāra; vigraha. Vigraha means form, but His form is different from our form. Therefore He is described as sac-cid-ānanda. Sat means eternal, cit means full of knowledge, and ānanda means full of transcendental bliss, eternal bliss. The beginning is eternal, so eternal life, eternal complete full knowledge and eternal bliss; this is the composition of Kṛṣṇa's body. But mūḍhas, rascals, they think of Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Fools and rascals, mūḍhāḥ—mūḍhāḥ means fools and rascals—because they see that Kṛṣṇa is incarnation just like ordinary human being: cousin of Arjuna or nephew of Kuntī, like that. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ, Kṛṣṇa comes just like ordinary human being, but that does not mean He is ordinary human being. Therefore Vyāsadeva says bhagavān uvāca. If you consider Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being, then you are missing the point. And I have already given the definition of Bhagavān.
So the Bhagavad-gītā was spoken by Kṛṣṇa personally when He was present for the benefit of the human society, for all nations. It is not for the Hindus or the Indians, it is for everyone. God is for everyone. Kṛṣṇa also says, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7), every living entity is part and parcel and He is the supreme father of everyone. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to re-establish the real dharma, not fictitious dharma. That is bhāgavata-dharma. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also the same thing is spoken where Kṛṣṇa ends Bhagavad-gītā: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). From the same point Vyāsadeva begins Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, janmādy asya yato 'nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ (SB 1.1.1), and he describes about dharma: dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). All cheating type of religious system are projjhita. Projjhita means to throw away, kick out.
Śrī bhagavān uvāca. Vyāsadeva could have written śrī kṛṣṇa uvāca, but purposefully he's writing śrī bhagavān uvāca. Because avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). The Supreme Personality of Godhead, because He descends as human being, mūḍhas, those who are rascals, they consider Him just like one of us human beings. Avajānanti. Therefore to avoid the offense on the part of the mūḍhas, he writes bhagavān uvāca. Directly.
It is śāstra because it is spoken by the supreme guru, Kṛṣṇa. So who is guru? At the present moment so many unauthorized persons are presenting themselves as guru. But you should be very careful. Guru, Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). He says that "I order you that you become guru. And your business is to deliver this country." "This country" means wherever you are living, you can become guru and deliver them. And one may say that "You are asking me to become guru but I have no qualification." A sincere man will say like that, "How can I become guru, and how can I deliver this country?" Caitanya Mahāprabhu says it is not difficult: yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Kṛṣṇa-upadeśa, there are two kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. One kṛṣṇa-upadeśa is what Kṛṣṇa is speaking personally, Bhagavad-gītā. And the other kṛṣṇa-upadeśa, what Vyāsadeva is speaking about Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa sa upadeśa or kṛṣṇena upadeśa. Kṛṣṇena upadeśa—Bhagavad-gītā. And instruction about Kṛṣṇa is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
So here it is said... Vyāsadeva, he writes... This Bhagavad-gītā is one of the chapter of Mahābhārata. Mahābhārata means the history of greater India. Formerly Bhārata... "India" is given name by the Westerners, but real name is Bhārata, Bhārata-varṣa. This planet was formerly known as Ilāvṛta-varṣa, and later on, after the Emperor Bharata, this planet was known as Bhārata-varṣa. So Bhārata-varṣa means not only India, but the whole planet. At least five thousand years ago it was known as Bhārata-varṣa. Bhārata-varṣa name is there, but it indicates only India. So this Bhagavad-gītā is a chapter of Mahābhārata. Perhaps you know the book Mahābhārata, "Greater Bhārata-varṣa," "The History of the Greater Bhārata-varṣa." That is Mahābhārata. So the background of this Bhagavad-gītā is that there was worldwide fight, battle, called the Battle of Kurukṣetra. Kurukṣetra, the place is still there. If some of you went to India, (you) might have seen it is near Delhi, New Delhi. The railway station is called also Kurukṣetra. So there was a battle five thousand years ago. The parties were two cousin-brothers, and this Bhagavad-gītā was spoken by Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān. Therefore it is called bhagavān uvāca.
In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said that the Absolute Truth is realized by different persons according to different angle of vision. Just like if you see from a distant place one mountain, you find something cloudy. If you go nearer, then you find it is something green. And if you enter actually the mountain, then you find there are so many varieties. There are trees, there are houses, there are living entities, animals, everything. The object is one, but according to the vision of the person, from length of distance, the same object is realized in different phases. Therefore the Bhāgavata says, vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). The object is one, but according to the understanding of the same one, somebody is realizing the Absolute Truth as impersonal Brahman, and somebody is realizing the Absolute Truth as localized Paramātmā, and somebody is realizing the same Absolute Truth as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ultimately, the Absolute Truth is Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān. Therefore Vyāsadeva, the compiler of Mahābhārata, he says, śrī bhagavān uvāca.
So Kṛṣṇa is accepted by the... Just like Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva is the compiler of all Vedic knowledge. He accepts Kṛṣṇa, (as) the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Later on, all the ācāryas—Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, Lord Caitanya—they have all accepted Kṛṣṇa. So far our Vedic culture is concerned, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here it is also said, śrī bhagavān uvāca. So He is teaching how to become first-class yogi in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is His teaching. He is saying, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mayi, "unto Me," āsakta, "attachment." The Kṛṣṇa consciousness yoga means to increase the attachment for Kṛṣṇa. That's all. We have got attachment for something, every one of us. So everyone has got attachment, either for His family, either for some friend or for some house or some hobby or for some cats, some dogs.
So to accept knowledge from these rascals who commit mistake, who are illusioned, who are cheater, whose senses are imperfect, is useless waste of time. This is the shastric injunction. We should receive knowledge from the perfect. So in all respect, who can become the perfect than Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is accepted by Vedavyāsa, by Nārada, by Arjuna, big, big stalwart scholars and personalities, that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like this Bhagavad-gītā. This Bhagavad-gītā is recorded by Vyāsadeva. The talks were between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, and it was recorded by Vyāsadeva's disciple, Sañjaya. And Vyāsadeva, while writing Mahābhārata, he put this dialogue within the Mahābhārata. So why Vyāsadeva put this conversation between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna in his authoritative book Mahābhārata? Mahābhārata means "greater India." Bhārata means Bhāratavarṣa. This planet was being called Bhāratavarṣa. So Mahābhārata, the history of the whole planet. So Vyāsadeva giving the history. Mahābhārata is also Vedic literature. Mahābhārata, Rāmāyaṇa, the eighteen Purāṇas, Vedānta-sūtra, four Vedas, and then Upaniṣad, they're all Vedic literature. So Mahābhārata is authorized Vedic literature. And within the Mahābhārata this Bhagavad-gītā is there. Therefore it is Vedic literature. So unless it is authorized perfect knowledge, why Vyāsadeva should put in his Mahābhārata? Therefore it is perfect knowledge. Because it is spoken by the most perfect personality, Kṛṣṇa, there is no question of mistake, there is no question of illusion.
So this knowledge of brahma-saukhyam is... In so many ways they are instructed in Vedic literature. We have got volumes and volumes of Vedic literature. The first, we have got the four Vedas. Then we have got the Upaniṣads. Then we have got Vedānta-sūtra. Then we have got Mahābhārata, Rāmāyaṇa, then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and so many. And one book, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it contains eighteen thousand verses. Mahābhārata contains hundreds of thousand verses. There are eighteen Purāṇas and 108 Upaniṣads and Vedānta-sūtra—immense literature for understanding what is brahma-saukhyam. So these literatures are meant for the human society, not for the cat society, dog society. The great sages of India, especially Vyāsadeva, he labored so hard and delivered so valuable literatures to us. There is opportunity. It was the duty of India to distribute this knowledge all over the world, this immense treasure of knowledge. Unfortunately... And as so far we have studied that persons who are great thinkers, they were expecting. They have still some respect for India's great treasurehouse of the spiritual knowledge. But unfortunately there is no arrangement for distributing this spiritual knowledge all over the world.
So manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). Manuṣyāṇām. There are 400,000 species of manuṣya, 400,000. Catur-lakṣāṇi mānuṣāḥ. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati, kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ. There are statements in the Padma Purāṇa how many living entities, forms are there. So out of 8,400,000 different forms and species, there are 400,000 species of manuṣya. So out of them, one who is born in India, he is first-class manuṣya. That is a fact. Unfortunately, we are missing the chance. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra (CC Adi 9.41). So those who are Indians present here should know that after many pious activities, one gets birth in India, bhārata-bhūmite. They should try to understand Kṛṣṇa. There is facility. There are śāstras. Kṛṣṇa personally speaks Bhagavad-gītā. Vyāsadeva speaks about Kṛṣṇa in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. We are neglecting, we have become so rascal and fools. This is not India's business, to imitate how economic development: "Money, money, money, money, money." This is not India's business. India's business is to understand Kṛṣṇa. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is India's business. These Americans and Europeans have come here not to see how much you are economically developed, industrially developed. They have got enough of this, enough, more than enough. They don't care for it. The modern young men, they do not like. They are fed up. They have come here to understand Kṛṣṇa. They come here to understand Kṛṣṇa. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3).
So māyā is controlled by Kṛṣṇa; Kṛṣṇa is never controlled by māyā. Kṛṣṇa is never controlled by māyā. That is not very good theory. That is due to poor fund of knowledge. Kṛṣṇa cannot be covered. Just like Vyāsadeva, by his bhakti-yoga meditation he saw Kṛṣṇa and māyā. Māyā apāśrayam, just on the background. Background, just like you find the shadow of the man. Not in the front. Similarly, māyā cannot cover Kṛṣṇa. That is wrong philosophy. Māyā can cover the individual soul. Therefore because the individual soul is apt to fall down sometimes under the clutches of māyā, it is called taṭastha-śakti. Taṭastha-śakti. Just like in the seaside the shore, the beach, sometimes you see it is covered by water and sometimes it is land; similarly, when we are covered by māyā, that is our jīva-bhūta stage, and when there is no more covering, that is brahma-bhūta stage. When we are Kṛṣṇa conscious, then we are brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20), and when we are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, we are materially conscious, that is māyā.
Because Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was composed five thousand years ago and Lord Buddha appeared 2,600 years ago... Therefore five thousand years ago Lord Buddha's case was in the future. Therefore it is said bhaviṣyati, "He will appear." This is called śāstra. Trikāla-jña. Śāstra writers, they are not ordinary men. Just like Kṛṣṇa is speaking. He is not ordinary man. Nobody will be interested so much if Bhagavad-gītā was written by ordinary man. It was spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and it was recorded by His incarnation, Vyāsadeva. So it is transcendental literature. Ordinary literatures, they cannot be perfect because there are four defect: bhrama-pramāda-karaṇāpāṭava-vipralipsā. Bhrama means "to commit mistake." Pramāda means "illusion," and vipralipsā means "cheating," and karaṇāpāṭava, "inefficiency of the senses." So śāstra means above these defects. Where there is no such defect, that is śāstra. And you can understand how five thousand years ago Lord Buddha's appearance was predicted. Similarly, still there is prediction about kalki-avatāra, which will take place about four lakhs and 27,000 years hereafter. Kalki-avatāra's name, his father's name and where he will appear, everything is there. This is called śāstra.
Just like if you sit down on the bank of a river, you cannot keep an account of the waves, how many waves are passing, similarly, there is no account how many incarnations are coming out from Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa is above all. Here Kṛṣṇa personally says, and it is confirmed by all the sages, authorities, formerly by great sages like Nārada Muni, Vyāsadeva, Asita, Devala, and in the modern age by all the ācāryas: Śaṅkarācārya, Madhvācārya Rāmānujācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī—so many other ācāryas—Lord Caitanya. Everyone accepts that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How can you deny? We have to be guided by the ācāryas. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. One who follows the principles of ācāryas, he knows the things as they are. That is the verdict.
So śāstra says Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Kṛṣṇa Himself also says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). Therefore, as Arjuna understood Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān... (BG 10.12). Arjuna has said that "I heard from the śāstras about Yourself, and You are personally speaking that You are the Supreme. And not only that, the great sages like Vyāsadeva, Asita, Devala, great authorities, they also admit that You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Therefore there is no doubt. The conclusion is the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa. As it was in the beginning said by Kṛṣṇa, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Asaṁśayam, "without any doubt."
So that... The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means... You can understand who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are so many societies all over the world, so many religious systems, but they cannot give exact idea of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Some has got some idea, others have got other idea, but so far we are concerned, we are fixed up in Kṛṣṇa. And that is rightly. Because Kṛṣṇa is supported not only by the Vedas and by the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā, and authorities like Vyāsadeva, Asita, Devala. And Arjuna, who heard Bhagavad-gītā personally from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he also admits. All the ācāryas. Even Śaṅkarācārya, although he was impersonalist, he admits, "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead," sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ. Nārāyaṇa... He also admits that "Nārāyaṇa is not a person of this created material world," nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt. And he admits also, kṛṣṇas tu..., sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ, "He has appeared as the son of Devakī and Vasudeva." He admits.
He is nice poet from materialistic point of view. That's all. To satisfy the materialistic person. He is not a nice poet from spiritualistic point of view. We have nothing to do with him. (chuckles) We have to do with the poet like Vyāsadeva. Don't you see how nicely he has written Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? There is no comparison, even from the literary point of view. He is perfect poet. Lokasyājānato vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām, anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje, lokasya ajānataḥ... (SB 1.7.6). People do not know this, that to get out of the clutches of māyā, all this nonsense, the only thing is bhakti-yogam. And people do not know it. Lokasyājānato vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām. The greatest poet, vidvān, learned Vyāsadeva, has written this Bhāgavatam. So he is the greatest poet.
Therefore, bhagavān uvāca. Vyāsadeva... This Bhagavad-gītā was written by Vyāsadeva, spoken by Lord Kṛṣṇa. It was noted by Vyāsadeva, and therefore Vyāsadeva says, śrī bhagavān uvāca: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead said." What does He say?
- idaṁ tu te guhyatamaṁ
- pravakṣyāmy anasūyave
- jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitaṁ
- yaj jñātvā mokṣyase 'śubhāt
"My dear Arjuna, now I shall speak to you the topmost part of knowledge." Idaṁ tu te guhyatamam. Guhyatamam means "most confidential." There are different kinds, grades of knowledge. But here the Lord says, "Just now I am going to explain what is the most confidential part of knowledge." Idaṁ tu te guhyatamaṁ pravakṣyāmy anasūyave. Anasūyave. This very word is used. Anasūyave means "who does not envy." Does not envy. Just like the Lord says, "I am the proprietor of all planets." Somebody may say, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is claiming the proprietorship of everything. How is that?" Because in the material world we are always envious. If somebody is greater than me, I am envious: "Oh, he's..., in that way, he has so much progressed." We are envious. This is the disease of material world, envious. So we are envious of God also. When God says that "I am the proprietor," we disbelieve it.
Just (take) Lord Buddha. He is śaktyāveśa-avatāra. Many śaktyāveśa-avatāra. So in this way Kṛṣṇa is always existing along with His expansion and incarnation. But the real original Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Therefore Bhagavad-gītā is being spoken by Kṛṣṇa. But in order to distinguish Him, Vyāsadeva is writing śrī bhagavān uvāca. He does not say, śrī kṛṣṇa uvāca just to make it distinguished that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān. So we are pledged to receive knowledge from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is our mission, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Here is knowledge given by Kṛṣṇa. Idaṁ tu te guhyatamaṁ pravakṣyāmy anasūyave. "Now I am giving you this knowledge, very confidential knowledge." Guhyatamam. Guhya means confidential and guhyatama, more confidential. Comparative, superlative. Positive, comparative and superlative. Guhya is positive. Guhyatara is comparative. And guhyatamam. So this brahma-jñāna, Brahman, is guhya, is very confidential because if you achieve brahma-jñāna, immediately you become the most important person within this material world. Brahma-bhūtaḥ. Brāhmaṇa. And brahma-bhūtaḥ means above brāhmaṇa or brāhmaṇa. So that is guhya. Guhya means confidential. To become brahma-bhūtaḥ, brahma-jñānī, that is guhya.
Actually this Bhagavad-gītā is described by Vyāsadeva. So Vyāsadeva recorded it, writing. Otherwise it was being received through hearing. Before this Kali-yuga Vyāsadeva, he kept all Vedic literature in writing. Before that, there was no book. The knowledge was received through the ear, aural reception, śruti. Therefore it is called śruti. Śruti means the knowledge which is received by hearing. And the memory was very sharp. In those days, five thousand years ago, any man... Not any man, but the intelligent class of men... They were called brāhmaṇas. They used to receive knowledge from guru by hearing. They could memorize everything, once heard. In the Kali-yuga the memory is being reduced. The duration of life is being reduced. Peoples' mercifulness is being reduced. This is the symptom of Kali-yuga. Bodily strength—reduced. Therefore Vyāsadeva preferred it that the Vedic knowledge should be kept recorded in writing. So he first of all then wrote all this Vedic knowledge into writing, and the writings...
This is called varṇāśrama-dharma, not to become... It is said in a Bengali poem, janame janame sabe pitā-mātā pāya: "In every life everyone gets a father and mother." Because without father and mother there is no question of birth. Janame janame sabe pitā-mātā pāya, kṛṣṇa guru nāhi mile bhaja hu diya (?): "But you cannot get the proper guidance, guru and Kṛṣṇa, in every life. You can get father-mother in every life, but you cannot get Kṛṣṇa and guru in every life." So we have got this chance this life, how to get Kṛṣṇa, how to get guru. We have got intelligence. We should not miss this point. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Take advantage of this movement. This is not a manufactured thing. It is authorized, spoken by Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and accepted by big, big ācāryas from very old time, Nāradadeva, Vyāsadeva, Asita. Then, in the recent years, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka, and then Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Everyone has accepted this Vedic literature, and they have preached. Formerly they were preaching within India. Now, by Kṛṣṇa's grace, the preaching is going on all over the world. Take advantage of it. Make your life perfect. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: (MU 1.2.12) "If you want to learn that transcendental science, then you have to approach the bona fide spiritual master." Tad-vijñānārtham. Tat means transcendental; vijñāna means science. If you want to learn. So the Vedic literature teaches us to accept the authorized bona fide spiritual master ācārya. Kṛṣṇa is the head of all ācāryas. He is the principal ācārya. From Kṛṣṇa, Brahmā learned this Vedic literature. From Brahmā, Nārada learned this Vedic literature. From Nārada, Vyāsadeva; from Vyāsadeva, Madhvācārya. From Madhvācārya, so many. In this way the paramparā system, the ācārya system, is coming down. So we have to believe that. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). You have to follow the footprints of ācārya. Not only in the... Everywhere, the footprints of ācāryas are followed. Just like in your country you are following the footprints of Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, that is the way. Or any ācārya. Because the ācārya, they come here to teach us about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness. That is their business. They have no other business. That is bona fide ācārya. If somebody claims that "I am God," then he is fool number one. At once reject him. One who teaches about the message of God, he is ācārya.
So here it is said bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān uvāca. The Vyāsadeva, writer, he says that, bhagavān... now, uvāca, said. What? He has already, we have finished nine chapters. He has already said man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). "Just become always thinking of Me. Just become My devotee. Just worship Me." Man-manā, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru. "Just offer your obediences." Mām evaiṣyasi. If you continue these four things... What are these four things? Man-manāḥ, always fix up your mind in Kṛṣṇa. That means you become always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
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.
As Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, or Vyāsadeva says in the Purāṇas, in the Vedānta-sūtra, they are meant for... As Caitanya Mahāprabhu says: anādi bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli' gelā, ataeva kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa karila (CC Madhya 20.117). What for these Vedas and Purāṇas are meant? Because we have forgotten Kṛṣṇa. We have forgotten Kṛṣṇa. Therefore to revive our Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so many Vedic literatures are there. So many.
Just like children, they want to play without caring for future life. But it is the duty of the guardians to engage them in education so that in future they may be happy. Similarly, all the great sages, saintly persons, just like Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Devala, Asita, many, many great saintly persons, sages... Even Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Personality of Godhead comes to give us instruction so that we can become eternally happy.
Unfortunately, in this age, which is called Kali-yuga, the people are so low-grade that they do not like to hear all these instructions of great sages, saintly persons or even of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the defect of this age. Therefore in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said mandaḥ. Mandaḥ means slow, at the same time, very bad.
Bhagavān means He is endowed with six kind of opulence. He is the supreme rich. He is the supreme famous. He is supreme beauty and supreme wise. We have to take knowledge from the supreme wise. That knowledge is perfect. Therefore here it is said, bhagavān uvāca. He did not say kṛṣṇa uv... Vyāsadeva does not say Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa may be taken by the demons as something like us. So therefore he purposefully says, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān uvāca means the Supreme Personality of God. There cannot be any doubt about His knowledge. So bhagavān uvāca, whatever Bhagavān says, that is fact; that is not knowledge like that "It may be," "Perhaps." These are all rascaldom. "It may be, perhaps"—that is not knowledge. That is speculation. Speculation is different.
So our process, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, means we take knowledge from Kṛṣṇa who is liberated from these four kinds of deficiencies. That knowledge is perfect. Similarly, Arjuna is also inquiring from Kṛṣṇa. Etad veditum icchāmi. Etad veditum icchāmi jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ ca keśava. What is actual knowledge and what is the subject matter of knowledge. That means six questions are presented by Arjuna before Kṛṣṇa. One pair, prakṛti-puruṣa, kṣetra-kṣetra-jña, and jñānaṁ jñeyam, what is knowledge and what is the subject matter of knowledge. Six questions. Śrī bhagavān uvāca. Now, here Kṛṣṇa is speaking, but Vyāsadeva, who recorded this dialogue between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, he is writing, "bhagavān uvāca." He does not say, "kṛṣṇaḥ uvāca." "Kṛṣṇa" may be misunderstood. But Kṛṣṇa is bhagavān. He wants to stress on this point.
Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated by Vyāsadeva that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. Similarly, in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Īśvara means controller. So parama means the supreme. So every one of us, we are more or less controller. But we are not supreme controller. We must know this. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). There are some men who claim to become Īśvara, to become God. So we have no objection, that if somebody says, "I am God," or "I am controller," we have no objection. But if somebody says that "I am supreme God," or "supreme controller," then we have got objection. Supreme means he has no controller. And ordinary controller, just like we are... You are controller. You are controlling some sphere of life. I am also controlling some. But I also being controlled.
So one who possesses all the wealth, all the strength, all the fame, all beauty, all knowledge, all renunciation, he is called Bhagavān. The meaning of bhagavān is this, ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇam. Therefore Vyāsadeva says, bhagavān uvāca. He is not ordinary person who is speaking. Who is full with all knowledge, because that is the qualification of Bhagavān. He is competent with all knowledge. So bhagavān uvāca.
So what does He, Bhagavān, says? Idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate: (BG 13.2) "My dear Kaunteya, Arjuna..." Arjuna's another name is Kaunteya because he is the son of Kuntī. His mother's name is Kuntī. Therefore he is addressed as Kaunteya. And Kuntī has got relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Kuntī is the sister of Kṛṣṇa's father, Vasudeva. Therefore out of affection for his aunt, He is addressing Arjuna as the son of his aunt Kuntī, Kaunteya. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram (BG 13.2), the field of activity, ity abhidhīyate. His two answers. Out of the six questions—kṣetra, kṣetra-jña, prakṛti, puruṣa, jñānam, jñeyam—He is answering the first two, pair.
Now in the previous verse, śrī bhagavān uvāca. Vyāsadeva could have said "kṛṣṇa uvāca," Kṛṣṇa said. No. He has purposefully said "bhagavān." Kṛṣṇa, you may not like, but He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān, with six opulences. One of the opulence is full knowledge. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ sriyaḥ jñānam (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). Kṛṣṇa is complete in knowledge. Sarvajñam. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayad itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ (SB 1.1.1). God means abhijñaḥ. He knows everything. You cannot hide anything from God. That is abhijñaḥ. Vāsudeva. Vāsudeva sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. One who can understand Vāsudeva. Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. Such great saintly person is very rare who can understand Kṛṣṇa.
Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. That is the verdict all... Just like Vyāsadeva, the giver of the Vedic knowledge, he says, bhagavān uvāca: God says. So we have to follow that. So kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata. (aside:) Don't do that.
And this perception, kṣetra-kṣetrajñayor jñānam. If we can understand what is kṣetra and what is kṣetrajñam. Kṣetra means field of activities. There are field of activities in so many ways. Not only of this body; body, mind, intelligence. They are all kṣetra. I am living entity, I am working with them. Similarly, I am working outside also. Not within, not outside.
This is our mission. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are preaching the teachings of Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. Another kṛṣṇa-upadeśa, about Kṛṣṇa. Bhagavad-gītā is the instruction given by Kṛṣṇa, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the instruction given by Vyāsadeva and other sages about Kṛṣṇa. So both of them are kṛṣṇa-kathā. So that is our mission, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). What Kṛṣṇa is instructing directly, that is also kṛṣṇa-upadeśa, and what is being spoken about Kṛṣṇa, that is also kṛṣṇa-upadeśa.
In the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is also stated, tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye (SB 1.1.1). Ādi-kavi is Lord Brahmā, and brahma means the Vedic knowledge. So there was nobody to teach Brahmā. Brahmā is called prapitāmaha (BG 11.39), the first-class knower of the Vedic knowledge, ādi-kavi. But wherefrom he got the knowledge? He got the knowledge form Kṛṣṇa. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye. And Brahmā distributed it to Nārada. Nārada distributed it to Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva distributed it to other ācāryas. In this way, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). So there is paramparā. The knowledge is the same. There is no alteration. But it is coming through disciplic succession, one after an... So one who receives the knowledge from the disciplic succession...
So Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ, simply two words. Bhāgavata explains. Bhāgavata ex... Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayat itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ (SB 1.1.1). Explanation. Explanation. Explanation. So similarly, athāto brahma jijñāsā, and Bhāgavata has jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. So same thing is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. First of all the whole Vedic knowledge is summarized in Vedānta-sūtra by Vyāsadeva. And again he explains under the instruction of Nārada, the Bhāgavatam, Brahma-sūtra. So brahma-sūtra-padaiś caiva hetumadbhir viniścitaṁ. So one has to take lesson from Bhāgavata, Brahma-sūtra, Bhagavad-gītā, and... Not that "I reject all these books, and..."
Just like the other day one, another crazy came. He said, "I am poet." What kind of poet? "Now, I have no aim of life. That's all. I am such a big poet that I have no aim of life." Oh. I think we are taking too much time. Yes. Thank you very much. No more. (end)
Ṛṣibhiḥ, not ordinary persons, rsi, great... Just like Vyāsadeva. Mahārṣi, devarṣi, rājarṣi, ṛṣi. Formerly the brāhmaṇas, they were ṛṣis, and the kṣatriyas also, they were also just like ṛṣis. Therefore they are called rājarṣi. The spiritual science is not understandable by ordinary men. Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the fourth chapter, imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ: "This science was understood by the great rajarsis." Just like Mahārāja Yudhisthira, rājarṣi, Lord Rāmacandra, rājarṣi, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, rājarṣi, Mahārāja Ikṣvāku, rājarṣi. There are many. They were rājarṣis. The monarchy was not a cheap thing. The king was as good as a ṛṣi. Therefore they are called rājarṣi. The king used to rule over the citizens on the permission of the great, great sages. Just like Nārada, the Devarsi. He used to visit Mahārāja Yudhisthira. Similarly, other kings.
Although Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself... He can personally say anything which is authorized. Still He is giving reference to the statement of the ṛṣis. This is the way of Vedic understanding. You cannot establish anything dogmatically, "In my opinion it is like that." What you are, nonsense? What is your opinion? Even Kṛṣṇa says, ṛṣibhir bahudhā gītam. There are different kinds of ṛṣis—Gautama Ṛṣi, Kaṇada Ṛṣi... They have spoken different... In India there are six kinds of philosophies, but they are not recognized. Ṛṣibhiḥ, just like Devala Ṛṣi, Nārada Ṛṣi, Vyāsadeva, Asita Ṛṣi, Valmīki Ṛṣi, they are recognized. Ṛṣibhir bahudhā gītam. So they have got different philosophical ways to understand.
Therefore Bhāgavata summarizes that tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnā nāsau ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. He's not a ṛṣi who's opinion is not different. Yes. You are a ṛṣi. You have got some different system of philosophy. And if I want to become a ṛṣi, then I must disagree with you. Just like in the modern days it is going on, scientific research, philosophical research. Therefore it is said, nāsau ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na vibhinnam: "One cannot become a rsi unless he gives his personal different opinion."
Because the author, Vyāsadeva, after compiling Vedānta-sūtra under the instruction of Nārada Muni, his guru—Vyāsadeva's guru is Nārada Muni—he was not satisfied even after compiling Vedānta-sūtra. He was not very happy. So Nārada Muni advised him that "You should directly describe the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then you'll be happy. It is indirect. All the Vedic literatures, they are indirect. You directly..." Therefore Vyāsadeva took Vedānta-sūtra and from the very beginning of Vedānta-sūtra, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), he commented on the Vedānta-sutra. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayad itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ svarāṭ/ tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye muhyanti yatra sūrayaḥ. In this way. Here Kṛṣṇa personally gives the Brahma-sūtra. So Brahma-sūtra's commentary is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
So this is the paramparā system. And everything is described in the Brahma-sūtra by Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva happens to be the disciple of Nārada. Nārada happens to be disciple of Brahma. And from Vyāsadeva, Madhvācārya; then from Madhvācārya disciplic succession, Mādhavendra Purī. Mādhavendra Purī was the spiritual master of Īśvara Purī. Īśvara Purī was the spiritual master of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the spiritual master of the Six Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana: rūpa sanātana bhaṭṭa raghunāth, śrī jīva gopāla bhaṭṭa dāsa raghunāth. So from the Gosvāmīs, then Kavirāja Gosvāmī, Viśvanāth Cakravārtī Ṭhākura, then Jagannāth dās Bābājī, then Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, Gaura-Kiśora dāsa Bābājī, Bhaktisiddhānta Sārasvatī. And we are servant of Bhaktisiddhānta. So there is a disciplic succession.
So far we are concerned, Madhva-Gauḍīya Sampradāya, our ācāryas, they took it, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, as the right commentary on Brahma-sūtra. Bhāṣyaṁ brahma-sūtrānāṁ vedārtha-paribṛṁhitam **. This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the real bhāṣya of Brahma-sūtra. So the Gauḍīya Sampradāya did not make any commentary on the Brahma-sūtra because they took it, Caitanya Mahāprabhu took it as, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, as a natural commentary, because Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also made by Vyāsadeva and Vyāsadeva is the original author of Brahma-sūtra. So author made his own commentary; so there was no need of another commentary. This is the Gauḍīya-siddhānta, Gauḍīya-vaiṣṇava-siddhānta.
So Kṛṣṇa is vedānta-kṛd, the compiler of Vedānta-sūtra. Because Vyāsadeva is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, therefore Kṛṣṇa is vedānta-kṛd. And one who has compiled Vedānta-sūtra, he is vedānta-vid also. He knows what is Vedānta. Not by others. Vedānta-vid vedānta-kṛd. So both vedānta-kṛd is Kṛṣṇa, vedānta-vid is Kṛṣṇa. So what Kṛṣṇa says, that is Vedānta. Vedānta means... Veda means knowledge, and anta means the ultimate, anta. Every knowledge has got the ultimate end. So everyone is acquiring knowledge, but what is the end of knowledge? The end of knowledge is to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is end of knowledge. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ vedānta-kṛd vedānta-vid cāham (BG 15.15). So Kṛṣṇa therefore says, brahma-sūtra-pādaiś caiva. He's recommending. He is Vedānta. Therefore whatever Kṛṣṇa says, that is the ultimate conclusion of Vedānta.
Kṛṣṇa was present five thousand years ago on this planet, and just to benefit us He left His instruction, Bhagavad-gītā. Arjuna did not require the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. He was already enlightened, but he presented himself as a fool just to induce the Lord to speak on Bhagavad-gītā, and it is noted by Vyāsadeva, Vedavyāsa, in the Mahābhārata, so that people may take advantage of the instruction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Everything is there, what is this brahma-jyotir, what is this material world, what is that spiritual world, what is our object of life, what we should know.
Now we are speaking of Kṛṣṇa and the Supreme Person. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). So there is no need of Vivekananda. When the Supreme Person is speaking, accepted by all. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that "You are accepted by authorities." Vyāsa, Devala, Asita, Nārada. We have to accept authority who is accepted by authorities. Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Devala, Asita, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Caitanya, even Śaṅkarācārya—they have accepted Kṛṣṇa as the supreme authority. You take the authorities statement. Don't go elsewhere. Then you'll be misled. When the supreme authority is speaking, take it and apply it in life. You'll be happy. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
He showed by practical example. He is accepted by great, great sages like Nārada, Vyāsadeva, Devala, Asita. That is also stated when Arjuna accept Him that "You are the Supreme Lord. So You are the Supreme Lord how? Because people may say I am Your friend; therefore I am accepting. No. All the authorities says that You are the Supreme Lord. And I have understood by Your personal explanation and I accept You." Sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye yad vadasi keśava: (BG 10.14) "Whatever You have said, I accept it because You are Bhagavān." This is Bhagavān.
Actually they do not know what is what, what is the adjustment. But our philosophy, Vaiṣṇava philosophy, we don't say that "There is no God" or "This world is created by accident or combination of matter." We don't say that. We say that God is the creator. Not we say, but the Vedānta says. The essence of Vedic knowledge, Vedānta philosophy, Vyāsadeva, he says that janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "The source of janma or creation, the maintenance and annihilation, the source..." Where it is? Yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante. This is Vedic information. That is Brahman, wherefrom everything is coming. The same thing is said in the Vedānta-sūtra. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1).
So he does not want these rules and scriptures? He has marked this? Hm. Yes. But Kṛṣṇa, er, personally, Vyāsadeva has purposefully written here, śrī bhagavān uvāca: "Bhagavān the Supreme Person, the ultimate..." Bhagavān means the ultimate. Just like in some country there is supreme court. So when the judgement is given by the Supreme Court, that is final. And when it was monarchy, the order given by the king, that is final—no more questioning. Similarly, when it is mentioned, śrī bhagavān uvāca, that means it is final. No more argument, no more logic Logic is there argument is there but it is final. No waste of time anymore. What Bhagavān says, that is called paramparā. The first utterances, order, or statement, or judgement, is given by the Supreme Lord, and if that is followed through the disciplic chain, that is real understanding, real knowledge.
He is actually the Vedānta, compiler of Vedānta, Vedānta-sūtra. The most important philosophical theses—not theses, but actually... So Kṛṣṇa knows what is Vedānta. And what He says, that is Vedānta. Veda, Veda means knowledge. Anta, anta means the last word. So what is the last word of Vedānta? Last word is to know the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Vedaiś ca sarvaiḥ. Not only Vedānta-sūtra, but also all the Vedas. Sāma, Yajur, Atharva, Ṛk, the ultimate objective is Kṛṣṇa, to know Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15), Kṛṣṇa says. So Bhagavad-gītā is also Vedānta because the Supreme Person, who spoke Vedānta... As, as Vyāsadeva, incarnation of Nārāyaṇa. So Nārāyaṇa and Kṛṣṇa, the same, identical. So therefore incarnation of Nārāyaṇa, Vyāsadeva, wrote Vedānta-sūtra. Therefore Kṛṣṇa knows what is Vedānta. And if we accept Kṛṣṇa as He's saying, that, then we become actually vedāntī. Not artificially.
No, we differ from Śaṅkarācārya. We follow Kṛṣṇa. We do not follow Śaṅkarācārya. So if you think Śaṅkarācārya is better than Kṛṣṇa, that is your opinion. We follow Kṛṣṇa. Śaṅkarācārya is not original person. Kṛṣṇa is original person. That is accepted by Vyāsadeva and all... Nārada, Devala. So our proposition is "Follow Kṛṣṇa." Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). The original person. Ādi-puruṣam. Govindam ādi-puruṣam. Śaṅkarācārya is, say, one thousand five hundred years, but Kṛṣṇa, He's the original puruṣa, before the creation. The creation was made... Śaṅkarācārya also admits in his commentary on the Bhagavad-gītā: nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt. And he accepts Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead: sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ. So you cannot supersede Kṛṣṇa by accepting Śaṅkarācārya. Śaṅkarācārya admits, sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ. So Śaṅkarācārya admits Kṛṣṇa is the authority, but Kṛṣṇa says that this material body is prakṛti. How you can say it is puruṣa? Kṛṣṇa says that bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ, bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā: (BG 7.4) "These eight kinds of prakṛti, they are My separated energy." How you can say it is puruṣa?
| Page Title: | Vyasadeva (Lectures, BG) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 21 of Feb, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=125, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 125 |