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We have to understand through sastra. We cannot see our past, present and future, but if we see through the sastras . . . Sastra-caksusa: "You should try to see from the sastra." Actually, we understand everything through sastra, not directly

Expressions researched:
"We have to understand through sastra. We cannot see our past, present and future, but if we see through the sastras . . . Sastra-caksusa" |"You should try to see from the sastra" |"Actually, we understand everything through sastra, not directly"

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

We have to understand through śāstra. We cannot see our past, present and future, but if we see through the śāstras . . . Śāstra-cakṣusā: "You should try to see from the śāstra." Actually, we understand everything through śāstra, not directly. Just like we understand in modern science from the newspaper that somebody is trying to go to the moon planet. I do not go personally to the moon planet, but I accept the newspaper.

Kṛṣṇa knowledge is so perfect. And if we take the real process, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23), the devotional service . . . because Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Here . . . in the Fourth Chapter, He says that yo jānāti māṁ tattvataḥ. Now here, in the Seventh Chapter also, Kṛṣṇa says again: tattvataḥ. The tattvataḥ word is very much used about understanding Kṛṣṇa. Not superficially, but in truth one has to understand.

But that is very difficult. That Kṛṣṇa says here: manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). This is the business of this human form of life, to . . . this is a chance to make our life successful, siddhaye. Siddhaye means to become successful. And what is that success? That success . . .

Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), that is success. Not that I earn millions of dollars and amass in the bank, and I think I am successful, but I do not know what is my next life, where will be my . . . this amassing of bank balance, my skyscraper building. I will have to accept another body, unwilling, although I have created that body.

Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27): as I have associated with the three guṇas. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ. If I associated with (54:55) sattva-guṇa, then I will be promoted to the higher planetary systems. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ (BG 14.18).

If I have associated with rajo-guṇa, then I shall remain in this planet, middle planetary system. And jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ: and if we have associated with the tamo-guṇa, the quality of darkness, ignorance, then I will be gliding down to the animal life.

These things are stated. We have to understand through śāstra. We cannot see our past, present and future, but if we see through the śāstras . . . Śāstra-cakṣusā: "You should try to see from the śāstra." Actually, we understand everything through śāstra, not directly. Just like we understand in modern science from the newspaper that somebody is trying to go to the moon planet. I do not go personally to the moon planet, but I accept the newspaper.

Similarly, we have to accept śāstra, how things are going on beyond our experience. Without that, we cannot have knowledge. That is called Vedic process. Śruti-jñānam. Śruti means hearing from authorities. That is real knowledge. Śrotra-panthā. It is called śrotra-panthā.

So how we can understand Kṛṣṇa, how we can fulfill our mission of life, how we can become liberated, all these things are stated in this Bhagavad-gītā. And if you try to understand as Kṛṣṇa is speaking or try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any malinterpretation, then your life is successful.

Page Title:We have to understand through sastra. We cannot see our past, present and future, but if we see through the sastras . . . Sastra-caksusa: "You should try to see from the sastra." Actually, we understand everything through sastra, not directly
Compiler:SharmisthaK
Created:2022-08-23, 13:06:37
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1