Now out of these five subject matter, in the Bhagavad-gītā it establish that the Supreme Godhead or Kṛṣṇa or Brahman or Paramātmā... You may call whatever you like. But the supreme controller. There is a supreme controller. So the supreme controller is the greatest of all. And the living beings, they are in quality like the supreme controller. Just like the supreme controller, the Lord, He has control over the universal affairs, over the material nature, how the... It will be explained in the later chapters of Bhagavad-gītā that this material nature is not independent. She is acting under the direction of the Supreme Lord. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). "This material nature is working under My direction," mayādhyakṣeṇa, "under My superintendence." So we, we are mistaken. When we see wonderful things happening in the cosmic nature, we should know that behind these wonderful manifestations, there is a controller. Nothing can be manifested without being controlled. It is childish to, not to consider about the controller. Just like a very nice motor car with very good speed and very good engineering arrangement is running on the street. A child may think that "How this motor car is running without the help of any horse or any pulling agent?" But a sane man or an elderly person, he knows that in spite of all engineering arrangements in the motor car, without the driver it cannot move. That engineering arrangement of a motor car, or in electric powerhouse...
Whatever you like (Lectures, BG)
Expressions researched:
"whatever I like"
|"whatever he like"
|"whatever he likes"
|"whatever she likes"
|"whatever they like"
|"whatever we like"
|"whatever you like"
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
So if all human beings become vegetarian, not vegetarian, but eater of the Kṛṣṇa's prasādam, all these liquor house and slaughterhouse and brothels will be closed. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We want to close these nonsense places of sinful life: brothels, illegitimate sense gratification, sex relationship, prostitution. If we are embarrassed with this sinful life, there is no possibility of becoming again acyuta. We remain cyuta, fallen. We remain fallen.
It is not so easy thing that "I do everything, whatever I like." Some rascals preach that "Oh, religion has nothing to do with your eating. You can eat anything you like, and still you become a religious man." This is all nonsense. Nobody can become religious man if he is attracted by sinful activities. It is not possible. You must stop sinful activities. That is first condition. Otherwise you cannot understand what there... People... Perhaps, in this Kṛṣṇa conscious, except this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement, all rascals, they do not know what is God. They have no clear conception of God. Because they are sinful. We can give the name, address and everything of God, clear conception, not vague idea, "God may be like this, God may be like that." Why maybe? He is God.
He is giving you body. He is giving the body of Brahmā, He is giving you the body of ant. As you desire. As you desire. If you want the body of a tiger, Kṛṣṇa will give you. If you want the body of a hog, He will give you. If you want the body of Brahmā, He will give you. If you want the body of a demigod, He will give you. If you want the body of American, He will give you. Englishman, He will give you. Indian, He will give you. That is Kṛṣṇa. He is so kind. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). Kṛṣṇa is very kind. Just like a son disobedient to the father, but he wants to enjoy something. Still, father giving him, "All right, you take money, and enjoy." Father is so kind. "You become free. Whatever you like, you can do. You take some money." This is our concession.
This material life is a concession to us, given by God, for gratifying our senses. This is material life. Kṛṣṇa does not want that you become entangled in this material world. That He doesn't want. Why He should want? Kṛṣṇa... Just like you produce your sons, children. Why? To remain in household life, enjoy in the company of wife, children, friends. This is... One can understand. Why I take so much responsibility of family? I was alone. Why I get married? Why I beget children? Why I make friends? Because I want to enjoy. So Kṛṣṇa is also a person. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He has produced so many children, these living entities. Why? To enjoy along with them. Just try to understand the psychology.
So Karna, nobody knew that he is kṣatriya. He was supposed to be son of a carpenter. Karṇa was born before Kuntī's marriage. Therefore she... Karṇa remained hidden, whose son. But he was kṣatriya. So it was unknown. So Draupadi took this opportunity that "This competition is meant for the kṣatriyas, not for the non-kṣatriyas." Because he was supposed to be son of a carpenter, śūdra. So he was not given the opportunity to gain Draupadi. But if he was given the opportunity, he would have come out victorious. So now Karṇa took this opportunity. When Draupadi was lost in the game, so he immediately... Karṇa was Duryodhana's friend. He immediately advised, "Now she is our property. We can do whatever we like with. Arjuna has lost his wife." So he advised that "Make her naked in this assembly." To become naked in the, so many people, that is a great insult for woman. So actually, they tried to insult. Not tried, it was fact. But Kṛṣṇa saved. You know, Draupadi's vastra-haraṇa. She was tried to become naked, but these people could not make her naked. The sārī was supplied by Kṛṣṇa, one after another, one after another, heaps of sārī. Then they become fed up, gave up that business, that "She cannot be made naked."
Ahāṅkāra, by false ego. The asuras, they think, "I am independent. I can do whatever I like." No. You cannot do so. If you do so, then you will be punished.
- daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī
- mama māyā duratyayā
- mām eva prapadyante
- māyām etān taranti
- (BG 7.14)
For every little action, you are responsible. It is being noted by the material nature. And you will be forced to accept a kind of body for suffering. In so many types of bodies. Therefore Arjuna, being devatā, he is considering that "Although they are ātatāyinaḥ, at the same time, they are family men. Whether it is good to kill family?" He is asking Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is there. He is considering, he is consulting with Kṛṣṇa that "Do you think that killing this kind of aggressor, I will be benefitted or not?" Therefore in the last line he said, sva-janaṁ hi kathaṁ hatvā sukhinaḥ syāma mādhava: (BG 1.36) "My dear Kṛṣṇa, do you think by killing my family men, my relatives, shall I be happy? You are Mādhava. You are always happy because You are husband of goddess of fortune. But do you think I shall be happy in this way?" This is consultation.
Because Rāmānujācārya is there. She must receive. Grocer shop. The grocer knew that this woman is very woman, uh, very poor, so his business was to entice her. But she never agreed, although she was young. Now this woman went to the grocer's shop that: "You know that I am very poor. I require immediately some grains, ghee, and other things. My Guru Mahārāja has come at home. I must receive. So tonight I agree with your proposal. Please give me. Even at the sacrifice of my chastity I want this." So the grocer was very glad. "Oh, this woman, I have canvassed her, I have tried to induce her. She never agreed. And now she's agreeing." So: "All right, you take, whatever you like. Take." So she was given all kinds of food grains, as much as she wanted. And she cooked and gave to the spiritual master and his associates, his servants. Everything was very nice. In the meantime, the husband came, working whole day. And he saw that everything was nicely done. "Guru Mahārāja is fed, and his associates, they're fed." So he asked his wife: "How did you get all these things?" Then she narrated the whole story. Then husband also said: "Yes, you have promised. All right. Take some prasādam and go to him. Because you have promised to meet him this evening. So go." Then the grocer heard the whole story and his mind became changed. "Oh, such a chaste woman. Such a faithful... You are my mother. You take more ingredients, grains, as much as you like, you shall..."
So they obtain eight kinds of siddhis. They are also called siddhas. From material point of view, a perfect yogi can counteract anything, and whatever he likes, he can do. That is called siddhi, aṣṭa-siddhi. But still, he is not as siddha as Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa's name is Yogeśvara. He is the master of all the yogis. Yogesvara. Yatra yogeśvaraḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (BG 18.78). The yogis also, they are deficient with Kṛṣṇa's power. Still, some rascals, without any yoga siddhi, they claim that "I have become God." What is your qualification? Have you got all the yoga-siddha? Then how you claim that you are... But rascals, they claim to become God, and other rascals, they also believe that "Here is God." Both of them are animals. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). One who does not know actually what is Kṛṣṇa, if he accepts somebody, some rascal as God, then he is also animal. That is also animal. One who is claiming that "I am as good as Kṛṣṇa," he is certainly animal, crazy. He does not know what is the power of Kṛṣṇa, how much He is Yogeśvara. Still, he is falsely claiming to become Kṛṣṇa. And one who accepts him as Kṛṣṇa... So Kṛṣṇa, one should understand first of all Kṛṣṇa. Without understanding Kṛṣṇa, if somebody remarks, if he thinks Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11), that is the mūḍha's business, rascals' business. Kṛṣṇa, because He comes as ordinary human being, manuṣya-līlā, if we take Him, Kṛṣṇa, as like me, like ordinary, than I am a mūḍha. How a human child at the age of six or seven years, one can lift the whole mountain Govardhana? First of all try to understand Kṛṣṇa, how much powerful He is. How a three-month-old child can kill a big demon, Putana. These things are there in the Bhāgavatam about Kṛṣṇa's life. How do you claim to become as good as Kṛṣṇa? This is crazy. Animalism.
Simply if I remember this picture, that is perfection. Because we have to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. We have to simply think of Kṛṣṇa. You think in any way. That is your perfection. Smartavyaḥ satataṁ viṣṇuḥ. This is the injunction. You have to think of Viṣṇu always. This is samādhi; this is meditation; this is yoga siddhi, perfection of yoga.
So one who has learned to think of Kṛṣṇa always, he is already on the perfectional stage. Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim (Nārada-pañcarātra). If one has come to this stage, just to understand Kṛṣṇa the great, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he's surrendered soul, "Kṛṣṇa, whatever You like You do. I am surrendered."... This is ārādhana. Then he doesn't require to undergo any austerities or penance. His everything is finished. And nārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim. And if he does not come to this stage, his so-called scholarship, learned argument, this or that—all nonsense, finished. Useless. One has to come to this stage. Therefore Lord Caitanya embraced the brāhmaṇa, "Yes, your study of Bhagavad-gītā is perfect." Because one has to come to this stage, thinking of Kṛṣṇa always. So if one does not come to this stage, simply by academic education, he says "It should be like this. The interpretation should be like this," he's simply wasting time. Frog philosopher. One has to come to this stage. Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim, nārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim (Nārada-pañcarātra). So that is the perfection. Kṛṣṇa and gopīs. They were cowherds girl. Their father, mother, they were only ordinary village men, keeping cows. That's all. What was their education? They were not Vedantists. But they learned to love Kṛṣṇa. That was their qualification.
Now, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. Again jihvādau, beginning from the tongue, controlling the tongue. Just see it is something peculiar, that you have to understand Kṛṣṇa by controlling the tongue? This is something wonderful. How is that? I have to control my tongue to understand Kṛṣṇa? But it is, the śāstra injunction is there: sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. Jihvā means tongue. So in order to see Kṛṣṇa, in order to understand Kṛṣṇa, the first business is to control your tongue. Therefore we say, don't take meat, don't take liquor. Because it is controlling the tongue. The tongue is the most strong enemy as sense, as perverted sense. And these rascals they say, "No, you can eat whatever you like. It has nothing to do with religion." But Vedic śāstra says, "You rascal, first of all control your tongue. Then you can understand what is God."
So this is called Vedic injunction—perfect. If you control your tongue, then you control your belly, then you control your genital. Rūpa Gosvāmī gives instruction,
- vāco-vegaṁ manaso krodha-vegam
- jihvāvegam udaropastha-vegam
- etān vegān yo viṣaheta dhīraḥ
- sarvām apīmāṁ sa pṛthiviṁ sa śiṣyāt.
- (NOI 1)
This is instruction, that anyone who has become competent to control the tongue, to control the mind, to control the anger, to control the belly and control the genital..., if six kind of control is there, he is fit for becoming spiritual master; he can make disciples all over the world. And if you cannot control your tongue, if you cannot control your anger, control your mental concoction, then how you can become even a spiritual master?
So we have to believe that in future, even after liberation... Now, one thing we must also explain—the liberation, the conception of liberation. So there are different, five kinds of liberation. One of them, liberation, is to become one with the Lord, one with the Supreme. That is called sāyujya-mukti, to merge into the existence of, of the Supreme. That is also another. That is one of the five liberations. That is not the only liberation. That means we all individual beings, we are individual constitutionally. God is the father or creator or whatever, or the source of all life, or source of our existence. Whatever you like, you can say. So we have, we have been created in that way. Eko bahu syāma. God has become many. This is also version of the Vedas that many, all these many, we are also god. Just like the fire diffuses its sparks. The sparks coming out of the fire, it is the..., they are also part and parcel of the fire. Similarly we, we are all parts and parcels of the Supreme. Now, He wanted to become many. He wanted to become many, so He has become many, and we are that many. So we are not different from God. We are not different from God, but because He wanted to become many, so we have become many. Now, thing is, when God wanted to become many, there must be some purpose behind this. Otherwise, why did He like to become many? He was one, one without second. That's all right. But why did He become many?
We are controlled by the material energy. But Kṛṣṇa is the controller of the material energy. Not only material energy, spiritual energy, all energies. Everything that we see, everything manifested, whatever we see, that is Kṛṣṇa's energy.
Just like heat and light is the energy of the sun, similarly, Kṛṣṇa's energies... There are many energies, but they have been divided principally into three: external energy, internal energy and marginal energy. So we are living entities. We are marginal energy. Marginal means we may remain under the external energy, or we may remain under the spiritual energy, as we like. The independence is there. Yathecchasi tathā kuru: (BG 18.63) "Whatever you like, you can do." Kṛṣṇa gives this independence to Arjuna. After describing Bhagavad-gītā, He said, yathecchasi tathā kuru. He does not force. That is not good. Forceful thing will not stand. Just like we advise, "Rise early in the morning." This is advised. Not that I have to force everyone. That will... Force, I may force one day, two days, but if one does not practice it, then simply force is useless. So similarly, Kṛṣṇa does not force anyone to leave this material world. We all conditioned souls, material world, we are under the influence of the material energy. Kṛṣṇa comes here to deliver us from these clutches of material energy, that "You are suffering so much..."
Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, or Kṛṣṇa's son, directly. If the son is in difficulty, the father suffers also. Although father directly has no suffering... Suppose a son has become mad, or nowadays hippy. The father is very sorry that "My son is not living like a gentleman. He is living like a," what is called, "wretch." So father is not happy. Similarly, we conditioned souls in this material world, we are suffering so much, living like wretches and rascals. So Kṛṣṇa is not happy. Therefore He comes personally to teach us, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7).
These are the Vedic information.
So vāsudeva-parāyaṇa, vāsudeva-parā makhāḥ. These are the śāstric injunctions. So a person can take intelligence from studying Bhagavad-gītā. And Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). After many, many births... Because foolish rascals, they will have to transmigrate from one body to another, and there are 8,400,000's of different forms of body. And he has to go through the cycle of this birth and death. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Take birth once, and becomes, defy God: "I don't care for God." And when Yamarāja comes, "All right. Whatever you like, you do." Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). These atheist class of men, who defy the authority of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they'll meet Kṛṣṇa. When? At the time of death, when Kṛṣṇa will take him, take everything, his body, his society, his country, his family, his bank balance, his house. Everything will be taken away. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham. Mṛtyuḥ. Kṛṣṇa is appearing to the atheist class of men as sarva-haraḥ. Sarva-haraḥ means "Taking everything." I am very much proud. "Oh, I have got so much bank balance. I am the leader of this country. I am the father of so many children. I have got so beautiful wife and so..." So many things I am thinking, puffed-up. "I don't care for God. I am God." All right. At the time of death, are you God? Are you God at the time of death? God means controller. Can you control your death? Then how you are God? God, īśvara... Īśvara means controller. Are you īśvara? Are you controller? Can you control birth? Can you control death? Can you control disease? Can you control old age? Then what kind of God you are? The foolish, foolish person, mūḍha. They are called mūḍha. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). "The rascals only, avajānanti, defy Me."
In many places. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam. In another place, that, if you execute your morality principles but if by executing such morality principle you do not, I mean to say, awaken your Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is simply waste of time. Wherever you go, the Bhāgavata conclusion, harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. We have to keep in point of view that to become... Kṛṣṇa also says in Bhagavad-gītā: api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). Even one is found su-durācāraḥ, not very strictly following moral principles, but he is an unflinching devotee of Kṛṣṇa, he's sādhu. These things are there. Therefore the point should be that we should not accept this karma-vāda or the bauddha-vāda or Māyāvāda, there are so many vādas. We shall simply take kṛṣṇa-vāda. Simply, simply accept Kṛṣṇa. And whatever He orders, whatever He likes, for His satisfaction, we shall do anything and everything. That is our morality.
If there is no head, who will give the direction? So a kṣatriya, kṣatriya has got a very difficult task to see. Kṣatriya means government, the governing division. So the governing division has got a very important duty to see that everyone is following his duty. The brāhmaṇa is following his duty, a kṣatriya is following his duty, vaiśya is following the duty, and śūdra... That is, government's duty is... Just like in India nowadays it has become a secular government. Secular government means impartial to any religious system. But the government should not be so callous that in religious principle, let people do whatever he likes. No. The government cannot do so. You can say that "You are Hindu; you execute your own system of religion. You are Muslim; you can execute your system of religion. You are Christian; you follow your system of religion. You are Buddhist; you follow your system of religion." But the government cannot be callous that whatever they may follow or whatever they may not do, and government is neutral. No. Anyone, if he is professing himself that "I am Hindu," then it is the government's duty to see whether he is actually executing the Hindu principles of religion. That is secular state. If you are calling himself Muslim, then it is government's duty to see that whether actually you are following the Muslim principles of religion. If you are a Christian, it is the government's duty is to see that you are following the Christian principle of religion. Not that callous, "You can do whatever you like." No.
Everything is there, formula. If we follow the regulative principles, the injunction of the ācāryas or the śāstra, then we get success. Otherwise we may simply labor unnecessarily, wasting time. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ (BG 16.23). That is said in the Bhagavad-gītā. One who does not follow the regulative principle mentioned in the śāstras, śāstra-vidhim..., vidhim means regulative principle. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, and lives whimsically, as he, whatever he likes, and that is sanctioned by some rascal swami, that, "Oh, yes, you can do whatever you like..." Yato mata tato patha. "You can manufacture your way of religious principle." These things are going on. But actually that will not help us. Śāstra-vidhim, śāstra-vidhim, that must be observed. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ na sa siddhim avāpnoti. If one violates the regulative principle mentioned in the śāstra, he'll never get success. Na sa siddhim avāpnoti na sukham, neither happiness. Na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim: Then what to speak of going back to home, back to...? He'll rot in this material world.
Whatever you act, there is reaction. Good act or bad act... There are two things. So if while in this body we act piously, then our future is very good. If we act impiously, then our future is not very good. So actually we should act piously, not impiously. That is human life. We should know what kind of action we should do. In the Sixteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā you'll find pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttiṁ ca na vidur āsura-janāḥ: (BG 16.7) "Those who are asuras, they do not know what kind of action should be done and what kind of action should not be done." Not that "Anything I like at my whims..." That is not... At least for human being, he should not do. Even in the state laws, if you act whimsically, whatever you like, you'll be liable to so many difficulties, and what to speak of spiritual life?
So Kṛṣṇa has described so far... Sāṅkhya yoga means analytical study of the soul and the body. He has very nicely... So this analytical study of the soul and body means so far, He has described the activities of the body. That is sāṅkhya yoga. Just like a medical man has got full analysis—not full, to a portion—of this body, the anatomy, the physiology. They have studied how the veins are working, how different secretions are transforming into blood, how the heart is working. This is called analytical study. So eṣā te abhihitā sāṅkhye.
"In this life I must accumulate ten millions dollars in the bank," and he does work with great enthusiasm; similarly, we must have also similar enthusiasm that "In this very life, in this very human form of life, I must make my spiritual life perfect so that after leaving this body I may not come again to this material world." That is called utsāhā, enthusiasm. Utsāhād dhairyāt. Dhairya means patience. Patience. There may be so many obstacles in prosecuting our spiritual life, but we should patiently go forward. We shall not be discertained. Utsāhād dhairyāt niścayāt. And with confidence, with confidence that "Because I am following..." Just like Bhagavad-gītā is a standard book. If not Bhagavad-gītā, take Bible or take Koran, whatever you like. Now, there are some formulas for prosecuting spiritual life. So one must have confidence that "Because I am following the standard method, so my spiritual life will really be perfected." We must have this confidence. And that is a fact. Utsāhāt, first enthusiasm; second, patience; and then third, with confidence, niścayāt. Dhairyāt, utsāhād dhairyāt niścayāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt. Simply enthusiasm will not do. The formulas which are prescribed there we must follow. We must actually apply in our life. Utsāhād dhairyāt niścayāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt sato vṛtteḥ. And we must be, our vṛtti, our profession, occupation, must be very pure, must be very pure. Impure activities cannot lead me to spiritual emancipation. You will find in Bhagavad-gītā that the God is described, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). Pavitram means the purest. God is the purest. So unless we are purest, we cannot approach God. Therefore it is stated that sato vṛtteḥ. Our occupation, our vṛtti, should be very clear, pious. Sato vṛtteḥ and sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). Last, last word is very important, that all these things can be executed if we make our association with similar persons, similar persons.
"Only those who are kṛpaṇa, those who are not self-realized, they are hankering after sense gratification. They want to enjoy the fruits of their labor. But you don't be. Arjuna, you don't be. If you want to be spiritually situated, if you want to work from the spiritual platform, then you don't do it. You work on the spiritual platform and don't do anything which you cannot do in God consciousness." This is clearly stated here. Now, it is, of course... It depends on us whether to accept it or not accept it, because God has given us independence. You'll find also in the Bhagavad-gītā at the end that after the instruction is given, the Lord inquires from Arjuna that "I have given you all instruction necessary. Now whatever you like, you do." So this is the position. The Lord never interferes with the little independence that has been offered to us. We have got little independence because we are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Oh, so under certain percentage we have got independence. Not full independence, but under certain percentage we have got independence. And that independence we can use properly or misuse it also. When we misuse, then we become kṛpaṇa, the miser. And when we use it properly, then we become brāhmaṇa. So dūreṇa hy avaraṁ karma buddhi-yogād dhanañjaya buddhau śaraṇam anviccha, śaraṇam anviccha kṛpaṇāḥ phala-hetavaḥ. Buddhi. By intelligence, by intelligence you take shelter of the Supreme Lord. Don't be miser and be hankering after the result of your work and enjoy for yourself. No, sacrifice. Sacrifice means you sacrifice your energy. God is not hankering after your money or whatever you have got. He is full in Himself. He is full in Himself. He doesn't require.
If Kṛṣṇa orders we shall do, but not purposely at your whims. There is nothing wrong for a Kṛṣṇa conscious person. But what we think materially wrong, if it is ordered by Kṛṣṇa, we shall do it. For Kṛṣṇa there is no wrong. Just like the government orders somebody to be hanged. That means kills. So that does not mean the government becomes condemned. But if I kill, I immediately become condemned. The government is still pure because for higher purpose the government can order somebody to be hanged and somebody to be rewarded. Everything is justice.
Similarly, when Kṛṣṇa says, "You do this," we have no consideration whether material calculation, it is good or bad. That's all. But we cannot do on our own account. Then it is implication. That is the technique. Don't think that "We are now Kṛṣṇa conscious, we are Kṛṣṇa's persons, we can do anything." Just like if a policeman thinks that "I am government man. I can do anything, whatever I like." That is wrong. He cannot do that. But if Kṛṣṇa orders, then you can do. Yes.
"That is the circle." That is the circle, that how to work. That injunction is there.
Now, why your, or this work? Any work. Suppose you will drive a motor car. That is a sort of work in the street. There is injunction that "You should drive on the right. You should stop your car when there is red light. You should not proceed an inch." So, so many regulations, even for your driving car, anything... Anything of your life—you want to do—there are directions, proper directions from the authorities. And why not for your spiritual life? Why not for?
For spiritual life you can do anything and everything, whatever you like, what you manufacture in your own brain? No. How can you do it? In every field of your work, in practical life, you have got some direction, that "You have to act in this direction." Suppose you are working, running on a factory. Oh, there are so many factory laws. Anywhere you go, there are direction from the superior authorities.
So is there no direction for your spiritual realization of life? Yes, there is. We have to abide by that. Therefore Lord says, evaṁ pravartitaṁ cakram: "This is a circle, circle, that in Vedic literature, Vedic scripture, they give you direction how to work." And by working you perform yajña. By performing yajña, you have got regular rainfalls. By regular rainfalls, you get production of grains. And by production of grains, you eat and live happily. So this is a circle. This is a circle. So Lord says, Lord Kṛṣṇa says, evaṁ pravartitaṁ cakram. Cakram means circle. This is a circle.
That means that surrendering unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the real religion of the living entity. Not that I like a particular type of faith, that is my religion. Religion means when one is trained how to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is called religion. And the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also gives enunciation of the word dharma, that sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. That is the best system of religion, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). By which one is trained to surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is best.
Now you can select your own religion. Either you be a Hindu or Muslim or Mohammedan or Buddhist, whatever you like, Śrīmad-Bhāgavata does not stop you, but it gives you hint what is the purpose of religion. The purpose of religion is to develop your love of Godhead. That is real religion. So here Kṛṣṇa says that yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). As soon as there is decadence of people's love of Godhead... That means when people become forgetful, almost forgetful. Because at least some people remember that there is God. But generally, in this age, they are forgetful. That is dharmasya glāniḥ. And by forgetting God the people cannot be happy. That is also another cause. People are thinking that "God is dead. We have no obligation to God. There is no God." This sort of thinking will never make the people happy. And actually, it is happening. They have become atheistic. The modern civilization is Godless, but people are not happy. Therefore God or His representative comes when people forget his relationship with God.
These are the rules of prakṛti. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Guṇaiḥ karmāṇi. As you are associating with the particular type of the modes of material nature, you are preparing your next life.
But these foolish persons, they do not know what is next life, whether there is birth. Ignorance. Mūḍha. They have been described as mūḍha. They do not know their duty. They are thinking that this life is all in all and there is no next life because they cannot think of.... Duṣkṛtinaḥ, if for them there is next life, then they have to stop their nefarious activities. But they do not like that. They think, "No, no. There is no next life. Let us do whatever we like. Enjoy." But nature will not give you. Nature...
Just like if you think that "I am in, I am associating with some infectious disease. It will not affect me." No, no. You may think so, but it will affect you. That's a fact. Similarly, we may foolishly think that we are doing all nonsense things, jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. In tāmasika-guṇa, in ignorance we are doing so many nasty things. We may think that "This will not affect," but no. It will affect. The same example. If you infect some disease, you'll have to suffer. It is nature's law. You cannot avoid it.
Kṛṣṇa is the great, we are the small. Aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān. He is mahato mahīyān, we are aṇor aṇīyān. We are aṇu, atomic. Atomic sparks of Kṛṣṇa. So actually, we are pure, but as we associate with the qualities of material nature, we become impure. Therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to purify, to purity(?) the impure living entities. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). If you become purified, ceto-darpaṇa...
Where the purificatory process begins? From the heart. Ceto-darpaṇa. Cittaḥ. Desires. We have got so many desires and Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He fulfills your desire, my desire. Whatever you like you can do. But you'll never be happy in that way. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, "Give up all these nonsense desires. Simply surrender unto Me. That is your only business."
So that is the.... As we have discussed in the last verse, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). Glānir bhavati bhārata. Glāniḥ. We should not desire anything except serving Kṛṣṇa. That is our fulfillment of life. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). Or anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11). We should not desire anything except we simply desire how to serve Kṛṣṇa, how to remain a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Then our life is successful.
Therefore laws are made for the human being, not for the animals. I have several times explained. When there is law on the street, "Keep to the left," it is meant for the human being, not for the cats and dogs and cows. Say, if the cat, dog, goes to the left or right against the police direction, he's not punished. Because he's animal. Or a child. If he trespasses. But if an adult person transgresses the law, he'll be punished. So the human life has got responsibility.
What is that responsibility? Tapasya. Here it is said, jñāna-tapasā pūtāḥ, purified. Jñāna, knowledge, and tapasya. Then he's purified. Not that "You can do whatever you like. It has nothing to do with the religion." There are so many rascals" program. "You can eat anything. You can do anything, and still you become a Vedantist." This kind of rascal Vedantists are going on. But here it is said by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, jñāna-tapasā. Jñāna-tapasā pūtā mad-bhāvam. Without knowledge, without tapasya, you cannot make any spiritual progress. Not by simple words. That is not possible. Because in the previous verse it has been said that janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). So how one can come to Kṛṣṇa? Mām eti. That is being described. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ (BG 4.10). Mām upāśritāḥ, to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. To become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Therefore we are canvassing. We are going door to door, country to country, continent to continent, city to city, village to village, "Please become Kṛṣṇa conscious." We are teaching them how you can be happy, vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ (BG 2.56), how you can be a man of knowledge. That is our business. It is not very difficult. The examples are here. These Europeans, American boys and girls, four or five years ago, they were different persons. But how they have taken to it? People are surprised. Because they have followed what we have said according to the śāstra. They have followed, and they are following. They are trying to follow, sincerely.
That's it. He does not press you. He gives you all instruction.
Just like Kṛṣṇa gave all instruction of Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna, but at last, He asked him, "My dear Arjuna, I have given you all instruction. Whether you have understood it? And how you are going to follow? Have you decided to follow Me?" Just see. He does not say that "I force you to follow," no. He asked him, "Now, have you decided to follow Me?" And He gives him the, I mean to say, full independence—yathecchasi tathā kuru: (BG 18.63) "Now I have given you all instruction. Now it is up to you. You can do whatever you like."
So our position is always like that. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, or His bona fide representatives who come here, they can force you to go back to Godhead, but they do not do that. They want your voluntary cooperation. Unless you are prepared to cooperate voluntarily oh, there is no question of my improvement. So we must accept our voluntary cooperation with Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, or His representative who comes before you to canvass, "My dear sir, please be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Please look to the leadership of the Supreme Lord." Now it is up to you.
Now, He says that "Actually they are following my leadership." Because they are servant, they are followers of leader. They are servant of some created leader materially. So that means there is a propensity, that intrinsic background of following some leader, is there. That you cannot avoid. That you cannot avoid. Mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ. They have to... Every man has to follow the same principle. He cannot go out of it. His constitutional position is to follow a leader. He cannot go out of it. Nobody can go out of it. He has to follow either A, B, C, or D, or anyone. He has to select.
The material nature is working under His direction. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā. Material nature is working under His direction. He is not under the direction of material nature. Therefore He can be our leader, and nobody else can be leader.
So if you actually want... Because by nature we have to follow some leadership, so if we actually want the leadership which will lead us to the perfect goal of life, then we have to follow Kṛṣṇa. That is a fact. If you don't follow, that depends on our discretion. Just like Arjuna. He was asked by Kṛṣṇa, "Now, what you have decided? Are you going to follow Me? Oh, you can do whatever you like. I have told you everything." So Kṛṣṇa is telling us everything in the Bhagavad-gītā. Now it is up to us to accept His leadership or not. If we accept His leadership, then we are free from this material bondage, and if we do not accept, then we can do whatever we... Kṛṣṇa does not interfere with our independence. That is a fact.
Thank you very much. Now if there is any question, you can ask. (break)
Actually, that much facilities must be given to the head executive. If he becomes under the laws, then his position is not exalted. The... That is the principle of accepting in the highest order of life.
So in the material condition, that is not applicable perfectly, but so far spiritual condition is concerned, God must be given full freedom. Otherwise there is no meaning of God. If God is also under the, under your laws... Sometimes: "Why God has done like this?" They inquire like that. This question sometimes put. "Why God has put us into this condition?" These are foolish questions. But the real conception of God is that He is free to do anything, whatever He likes. You cannot say, "Why God can... Will... God will do this, will do not that." No. That is not the conception of God.
So here Kṛṣṇa says that na me karma-phale spṛhā. He is ātmārāma. Ātmārāma. Ātmārāma means He is fully satisfied in Himself. And He can create so many things. He is creator. So there is no question of desiring something. He can do anything, whatever He likes. But... That will be explained.
He sets example. Just like in the previous verse. We have already discussed.
And asura means just opposite number. Opposite number means those who are not interested in Viṣṇu worship. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know that ultimate goal of life—to approach Viṣṇu, Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
So asuras, they are engaged for fruitive result. They are working, but they are expecting that "I shall enjoy the result." So that freedom is given to everyone, that "You can work at your responsibility and enjoy or suffer." Just like state has given everyone individuality, everyone freedom, "You act as you like. But if you act criminally, then you will be punished." That you cannot avoid. You have been given freedom, "You act whatever you like," but if you violate the laws of the state, then you are to be punished, criminal.
Similarly, the same thing is there in God's kingdom, that we have been given freedom, we have got little freedom because we are part and parcel of God. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). Kṛṣṇa says, "All these living entities, they are My minute particles, minute part of My body." Just like father is the part of the body, er, son is the part of body of father, similarly, we are also part and parcel of the transcendental body of Kṛṣṇa. That is our real identity, spiritual identity.
Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). He is requesting Arjuna that "You just surrender unto Me." He is all-powerful. He can force anyone and everyone to be surrendered to Him, but that He does not do. That is not Kṛṣṇa's business. He gives freedom. Because Kṛṣṇa has given you little freedom, so He does not want to interfere with your freedom. Then what is the meaning of giving freedom? That is Kṛṣṇa's business. Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63).
Kṛṣṇa says, Arjuna, "Now I have explained to you the whole Bhagavad-gītā. Now what is your decision? You can do whatever you like." Because Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna's decision was that "I shall not fight. I am not going to kill my brothers and nephews and teachers and grandfather. Kṛṣṇa, excuse me. I will not fight." So therefore Kṛṣṇa instructed him the whole Bhagavad-gītā science. Now, after hearing Bhagavad-gītā, he asked, because he has got the freedom, "Now what is your decision?" Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63). "Whatever you like, you can do. You can reject My proposal or you can accept." This is freedom. Then Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna said, "Yes," kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73), "I shall accept Your proposal."
To have faith, this is called surrender. Not that, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa says, but may not be able to protect me." No. Kṛṣṇa is able. He is all-powerful, omnipotent. He can give you protection. When He says that ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi, that is a fact. This is called niścayāt. "Certainly Kṛṣṇa will give me protection." Not that "Because I do not see Kṛṣṇa, I do not know whether Kṛṣṇa will give me protection." No. That word is sufficient. This is called niścayāt. Utsāhād dhairyān niścayād tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt.
But you must follow the rules and regulation as it is enjoined in the śāstra. Not that "Kṛṣṇa will give me protection and I may do whatever I like. I can eat anything I like, I can do anything I like." Just some rascal advises that "There is no such thing, restriction, in the self realization. You can eat anything, you can do anything." People like that program. And as soon as there is restriction, they do not like. Because we put so many restriction, I am called in the western world, "Swamiji, you are very conservative." So we have to become conservative, follow the rules. Not that we give liberty, that "Whatever you like, you do, and at the same time you make progress, spiritual life." That is not possible.
That is the way of modern thoughts. You invent something new. Not modern, this is going on. Just like there is version in the Vedic literature, na cāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. If you want to be a muni or a sage, you must put forward some new theory. Otherwise he is not a philosopher. A philosopher is not counted a philosopher unless he defies all other philosophers and puts some new theory. And that is going on. Na cāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. So whose philosophy you will accept? Every day you will find a new philosophy. So whom to follow?
Therefore, out of disgust, everyone is trying to follow his own principle, whatever he likes. And there are some missionary activities. They also advocate that "You can do whatever you like, and you will get God." So people are trying like that.
But our process is different. We are following the old principles. We do not say something new. The old saying, as Kṛṣṇa said five thousand years ago, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So nothing new. We are simply repeating. That, our Hare Kṛṣṇa, is it (it is) also repetition. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare.
Devotee: "Such a desire is greater than any material desire. But it is not without self-interest. Similarly the mystic yogi who practices the yoga system with half-open eyes, ceasing all material activities, desires some satisfaction for his personal self."
Prabhupāda: Actually the yogis want some material power. That is the perfection of yoga. Not perfection, that is one of the procedures. Just like if you are actually practicing the regulative principles of yoga, then you can get eight kinds of perfection. You can become lighter than the cotton swab. You can become heavier than the stone. You can get anything, whatever you like, immediately. Sometimes you can even create a planet. Such powerful yogis are there. Viśvāmitra yogi, he did it actually. He wanted to get man from palm tree. "Why man should be begotten living ten months within the womb of mother. They'll be produced just like fruit." He did it like that. So sometimes yogis are so powerful, they can do. So these are all material powers. Such yogis, they are also vanquished. How long you can remain on this material power? So bhakti-yogīs, they do not want anything such. Go on. Yes.
Devotee: "But a person acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness works for the satisfaction of the whole without self-interest. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person has no desire for self-satisfaction. His criterion is the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. And thus he is the perfect sannyāsī or perfect yogi. Lord Caitanya, the highest perfectional symbol of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, prays in this way: 'Oh almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor to enjoy beautiful women. Neither do I want any number of followers. What I want only is the causeless mercy of your devotional service in my life, birth after birth.' "
There are eight different stages of practicing yoga. Yama, niyama, āsana, dhyāna, dhāraṇā, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, samādhi. So in the beginning first of all we shall speak in this chapter, Lord Kṛṣṇa will teach you what is yoga system. Therefore in the beginning Kṛṣṇa says that no one can become a yogi unless he renounces the desire for sense gratification. So anyone who is indulging in sense gratification, he's a nonsense. He's not a yogi. He cannot be a yogi. Yoga system is strictly celibacy, no sex life. That is yoga system. No one can become a yogi if he indulges in sex life. The so-called yogis come to your country and say, "Yes, whatever you like you can do. You meditate, I give you some mantra." These are all nonsense. Here is authoritative statement that no one can become a yogi unless he renounces the desire for sense gratification. This is the first condition. Go on.
Similarly, if you are convinced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness that "Kṛṣṇa will give me protection" and if you are true to Kṛṣṇa, that is the standard of happiness. You cannot be happy otherwise. That is not possible. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān.
That is the fact. Even in your rebellious condition Kṛṣṇa is giving you protection. Without Kṛṣṇa's protection you cannot live even for a second. He's so kind. But when you admit it, when you recognize it, then you become happy. Now Kṛṣṇa is giving you protection but you do not know it because you have taken your life at your own risk. Therefore He has given you freedom, "All right, do whatever you like. As far as possible I will give you protection." But when you fully surrender, the whole charge is to Kṛṣṇa. That is special. That is special protection. Just like a father. The child who has grown up doesn't care for the father, he's acting freely. What the father can do? "All right, do whatever you like." But the child who is fully under the protection of the father, he takes more care.
That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find: samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu (BG 9.29). "I am equal to everyone." Na me dveṣyaḥ: "Nobody is my enemy." How He can be envious? Everyone is Kṛṣṇa's son. How he can become enemy to Kṛṣṇa? He is son. That is not possible. He is friend of everyone. But we are not taking advantage of His friendship. That is our disease. That is our disease. He is friend to everyone. Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu. But one who is recognizing, he can understand that "Kṛṣṇa is giving me protection in this way." This is the way of happiness. Go on.
He's praying, "My Lord Kṛṣṇa, either You trample me down by Your feet, either You embrace me as lover, or You make me brokenhearted without Your presence. Whatever You like You can do. But still I am Your eternal servitor." So this attitude was Rādhārāṇī's. So Lord Caitanya is the feature of Kṛṣṇa understanding Rādhārāṇī. That Kṛṣṇa is great undoubtedly, but He thinks that Rādhārāṇī is greater than Him, because He cannot repay the loving transaction of Rādhā, of Kṛṣṇa. So he wanted to study what is there in Rādhārāṇī. "So I cannot study Rādhārāṇī in the feature of Kṛṣṇa. If I take the feature of Rādhārāṇī, then I can understand what are..." This is highest, I mean to say, transcendental sentiments. But Lord Caitanya is Rādhārāṇī's feature. Tad-dvayaṁ caikyam aptam. Caitanyākhyaṁ prakaṭam adhunā tad-dvayaṁ caityam āptam. Kṛṣṇa, when He wants to enjoy, He expands His pleasure potency, which is Rādhārāṇī. Now one Kṛṣṇa becomes two, Kṛṣṇa and His pleasure potency. And that pleasure potency, when unites with Kṛṣṇa, that is Caitanya. Kṛṣṇa becomes two, Rādhārāṇī and Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa cannot enjoy anything material because He is full in Himself. Therefore if He has to enjoy something, then that enjoyable personality must be expanded from Him only. So that is Rādhārāṇī. And when that enjoyable personality again takes into one, that is Caitanya. These things you'll understand as you develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in higher development stage. But it is, we can discuss. This is the fact. Yes?
Prabhupāda: No. Karma may be. Just like you are sent to school, college, to understand the right and wrong. Therefore you must be educated to know what is right and wrong, not that you do like animals, whatever you like. There is education required, and because we have no education, therefore there are so many books of knowledge, Vedic knowledge. You have to take advantage of it, and then you'll understand what is right and wrong. Otherwise not.
Indian man (1): According to the present situation here in South Africa...
Prabhupāda: So you can take advantage.
Indian man (1): Man has a very... The question is most of the African people here are not educated in spite of their education. They look upon a man of intelligence...
Prabhupāda: The real education... Real education is, first of all, you must know what you are. You are this body or something else than the body? Just like when a man dies, his son or relative laments, "Oh, my father has gone away." Now, father is lying there on the bed. Why do you say, "My father has gone away"? The father is lying on the bed. Therefore you did not see who is your father. After death you are realizing that your father is gone away. (applause) Then where is your education? You cannot see even your father; then where is your education? This is no education. Therefore you must know "What I am, what is my father, what is my mother." That is real education.
Indian man (3): Śrīla Prabhupāda, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is controller of everything, whole universe, everything. So why He is having these demigods to help Him? Because He's controller, He has got power to control whole universe, and why there are all these demigods? Why He can't control this universe?
Prabhupāda: He can control everyone, but He has given little freedom that He does not interfere the freedom given to you. Otherwise He can control. Just like in Bhagavad-gītā, you will find, after explaining Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna He is giving the freedom to Arjuna, yathecchasi tathā kuru: (BG 18.63) "Whatever you like, you do." He is supreme controller, He can force him to do it, but he doesn't do that. The little independence you have got, you have to utilize it favorably. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You do this." He can forcibly make me to do that, but He doesn't do that because He has given little independence, and He wants that voluntarily we surrender, not by force. That is wanted. Otherwise it is not that He cannot control you. He can control everyone.
Devotee (3): Śrīla Prabhupāda, when we are preaching to Christian people or to Muslim people, is there advantage in being familiar with their scriptures or simply Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam?
"I want this. I want this. I want this. I want this." Kṛṣṇa says, "All right. Take this." But Kṛṣṇa says that "You give up all this nonsense," that we do not take. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam: (BG 18.66) "Simply take Me." But that we do not do. We ask Kṛṣṇa, "Please let me do this." "All right, do it." Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63). Kṛṣṇa inquires from Arjuna after teaching him Bhagavad-gītā, "Now I have spoken to you everything. What you want to do, you can do." That is Kṛṣṇa's proposal. Kṛṣṇa says that best thing is that you simply take to Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa gives you the opportunity, liberty, that whatever you do, whatever you like, you can do. Now it is your choice. Just like father, (and) grown-up son. He says, "My dear boy, you do like this. That is my opinion." But when the son says, "No. I shall do like this." "All right, you do whatever you like." But without father's sanction, as the son cannot do anything, similarly, without Kṛṣṇa's sanction you cannot do anything. But the proposal is yours. Therefore this maxim: "Man proposes, God disposes." So God is not responsible for your work. If you act according to the order of God, then He's responsible. And if you act against the will of God, then you are responsible. Yes?
You have cooked very nicely, and if Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes, it is very nice," then your cooking is perfection. Saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam (SB 1.2.13).
So do anything. If Kṛṣṇa is satisfied, that is yajña. That is yajña. And one should live for that purpose. Yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yam. Work very hard, but yajñārthe. And if you work so hard like ass and cats and dog simply for satisfying your tongue or belly or the genital, a straight line, then you are going to hell. Yajñārthe karmaṇaḥ anyatra karma-bandhanaḥ. Then you are becoming bound up by the laws of nature. If you eat and sleep and act like dog, then become dog next life. And if you act like god, then you'll get god, very easy thing. So whatever you like, you can do. But the śāstra gives you direction, yajñārthe. "Act, work, work hard for pleasing the Supreme Lord." Yajñārthe. Otherwise you will be bound up in the cycle of birth and death. Don't do it.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching this education, that perform... You cannot escape it. You cannot say that "You are interested. You can do. We are not interested." If you are not interested, then you are living a very risky life because you have to change your body. Dehāntaram. You can see. There are examples of so many types of body. Now, suppose if you live at the risk of your life and next life you become a tree, stand up for five thousand years in the snow, scorching heat, scorching, blasting and so many disturbances, and you cannot move an inch, and people may cut down you, your leaves, your trunk, or you, they are cutting so many... What is that life? And if you think, "No, I am living for five thousand years," what is the use of living such five thousand years? No. Don't risk life. Karma-bandhanaḥ.
Uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. Uru means very strong, and dāmni means rope. Just like if I tie you with very strong rope, it is very difficult to open it, and you are put into difficulty. Similarly, we are in this material world uru-dāmni baddhāḥ, tied very tight with the laws of material nature. And we are declaring still, "I am free. I am independent, I can do whatever I like." This is called imperfection. So long we are in the bodily concept of life and think ourself that we are free to do anything, whatever we like, we are in ignorance, darkness, tama. Tama means darkness.
So Vedic injunction is tamasi mā jyotir gama. "Don't remain in darkness." This is darkness. Darkness means "I am this body, and the, to fulfill the necessities of the body is the highest perfection of my life." Everyone is trying for that, competition. Everyone is trying to have a skyscraper building and three Rolls Royce cars and so on, so on. They think that this is perfection of life, durāśayā, durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31), this material energy's production. But you do not think that "How many years I shall enjoy this skyscraper building? And what is my main business? My main business is how to become perfect." There are many animals within the skyscraper building. There are human being, there are dogs, there are cats, there are worms, rats, so many things. So to live in the skyscraper building, that facility is there even to the worms, cats, rats, everyone. That... Then what is the difference between these animals and me? The difference is how to become perfect, siddhi, svarūpa-siddhi. "What I am? Am I this body?" This should be the question. Athāto brahma jijñāsā.
So we cannot speculate about the Supreme. It is a useless waste of time. Therefore Bhāgavata says, "You give up this. You give up this process of speculating." Jñāne prayāsam udapāsy a: "Give it up." Then what is next? "Now, be submissive. Be submissive." Then? "All right, let me become submissive. Then next?" Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām: "You just try to understand, just try to hear the message of God."
The message of God is just like Bhagavad-gītā or Bible, any, as you like. Just try to hear, san-mukharitāṁ vārtām, from realized soul. Just like the truths of Bible were spoken by Lord Jesus Christ or Kṛṣṇa. Any, whatever you like, you hear. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. But you must hear about the Supreme Personality of Godhead and nothing more. That should be your profession. Then what will be the result? The result will be sthāne sthitāḥ. In whatever condition you are, that doesn't matter. "Oh, I am a very poor man." That doesn't matter. "Oh, I am a very rich man." That doesn't matter. "Oh, I am European." It doesn't matter. "I am Indian." Doesn't matter. "I am born very low." Oh, doesn't matter. Anything, unconditional. You remain whatever you are; that doesn't matter. If you simply hear, sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatām, if you simply give your aural reception to these transcendental words, the result will be that God, who can never be conquered, you'll conquer God. How you conquer? You will conquer by love. God cannot be conquered, but He can be conquered by love.
That is forbidden. I cannot talk with a woman. I give you one practical example. When my Guru Mahārāja, my spiritual master, was living... I am speaking about fifty years before. We were all young men at that time, and one of my Godbrothers, he was also young man, Dr. O. B. Kapoor, and his wife was also young. So his wife wanted to speak with my Guru Mahārāja. My Guru Mahārāja was at that time not less than sixty or more than that, and the girl, my friend's wife, she was not more than twenty-two years. But actually, she was just like his granddaughter. But she proposed, "Sir, I wanted to speak with you something confidentially." My Guru Mahārāja said, "Oh, no, no. I cannot speak with you confidentially. You can speak whatever you like here." Just see. "I cannot speak." Now the so much age difference, so much, I mean to say, affection, still, he refused: "No, no. I cannot talk with you confidentially because you are woman."
So a sannyāsī is forbidden not to talk even in private place with woman. But a householder, he, if he associates woman under marriage tie, then it is religious. And without this, this is irreligious. And that religious sex life is God. Religious sex life is God. This should be followed. If we, every one of us reading Bhagavad-gītā, every one of us, at least... So far India is concerned, that is a different thing. In America also, I find so many American gentlemen, they read Bhagavad-gītā. But I am afraid if they are reading Bhagavad-gītā so scrutinizingly, as it is stated here, dharmāviruddho bhūteṣu kāmo 'smi bharatarṣabha: "Sex life which is not against religious principle, that is I am." So in, I mean to say, regulated sex life, married life, that is Kṛṣṇa. So that is not without Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa.
He knows very well that "This designation, this honor, or this insult, they are pertaining to my body, but I am not this body." Just like Socrates. Socrates was condemned to death because he believed in the..., an immortality of the soul. So he was condemned to death, and he was asked to take hemlock or something like that, poison. And the judge wanted: "Well, Socrates, how do you want to be put into the grave?" He replied, "First of all, you catch me. Then you put me into the grave. (laughter) You are dealing with my body, nonsense. I am out of this. So you kill me or you put me into the grave or whatever you like, I don't mind. First of all, you catch me. Then you put me into the grave."
So this is... One who is completely conversant with Kṛṣṇa science, he knows very well, "I am not this body. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. My eternal relation is with Kṛṣṇa. But some way or other, I have been put into this entanglement of this material body. All right. Now I am in sense. I get aloof from you. I am not going to be associated with the three qualities of this material nature," as we are discussing this morning. "I am not concerned with the modes of goodness or modes of passion or modes of ignorance. I am concerned with Kṛṣṇa." Therefore such a learned and who has understood his real position and his relationship with Kṛṣṇa, he is jñānī. He knows. Therefore he is very much dear to Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa always guides him. This man, who is in distress, goes and prays to God. That praying of God is an asset to him, but it may be, when he is put into opulence, he forgets God. There is defect in that. But a jñānī, one who knows, he'll never forget God. His business will go on, continue.
Then, therefore, Kṛṣṇa says, teṣāṁ jñānī nitya-yuktaḥ. Jñānī is nitya-yukta. Jñānī is not a... He is not a jñānī, or man in knowledge, who is not eternally engaged in the service of Kṛṣṇa. There are...
The boy said, "My dear sir, you don't try to dissuade me in that way. If you know something about God, how can I see God, then tell me. Otherwise you go away. Don't disturb me." So he was firmly determined.
Now, this boy was initiated by Nārada. When he saw that "This boy is determined," then he initiated him and gave him mantra, that namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. He chanted that mantra and became perfect, and God came before him.
Now, when God came before him, God offered him: "My dear Dhruva, what do you want? Take whatever you like." Then Dhruva said, "My dear Sir," sthānābhilāṣī tapasi sthito 'ham, "oḥ, I was situated in this severe type of penance simply for the matter of my father's kingdom, a land." Sthānābhilāṣī tapasi sthito 'haṁ tvāṁ prāptavān deva-munīndra-guhyam: "But I have now seen You, and You who is impossible to be seen even by the great sages and great saints. So I have seen You. So what is my profit?"
Now, kācaṁ vicinvann api divya-ratnam: "As if I came out of my home to find out some particles of glass, but I have found out a very valuable diamond." Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: (CC Madhya 22.42) "Oh, I am satisfied. I have no necessity of asking from You."
This, these are the description of the Kṛṣṇaloka. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu: "The houses are made of touchstone." Touchstone. Perhaps you know touchstone. It's a... A small particle touchstone, if it is touched in the iron beam, it will at once becomes gold. Of course, I do not know if any one of you has seen this touchstone, but there is such a thing. So all the buildings are there of touchstone. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa (Bs. 5.29). The trees are desire trees. Whatever you like, can get. Here from mango tree, you get mango, and apple tree from, you get apple. But there any tree, anything you like, you can have. These are the some, some of the description of the Kṛṣṇaloka.
So best thing is not to try for elevate, for elevating ourselves in either of these material planet. Because in any material planet you enter, the same principles of miserable life... We are accustomed. We have been acclimatized to birth, death. We don't care. The modern scientists, they are very much proud of their advancement, but they have no solution of these unpleasant things. They cannot make anything which will check death, or which will check disease, or which will check old age. That is not possible. You can, you can manufacture something which will accelerate death, but you cannot manufacture anything which will stop death. That is not in your power. So those who are intelligent enough, they are not concerned with these four things, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi: (BG 13.9) birth, death and old age. They are concerned to have a spiritual life, complete, full of bliss and full of knowledge, and that is possible when you enter into the spiritual planets. That will be explained.
So everyone should try to go there. God Himself comes to call you, He sends His son to call you, and the literatures are there, the scriptures are there. We should take advantage of this. This is meant for human body, human life, not for the cats and dogs. So we should take advantage of it. Human life is meant for that achievement. When we finish all this trouble... This trouble of repeating birth and death, the cycle of birth and death, this should be stopped. This is the information of Bhagavad-gītā. This is the perfection. Any system, either yoga system or jñāna system or bhakti system—anything, if you... Whatever you like, you can accept, but the ultimate goal is this paramāṁ gatim. If this is not achieved, then all yoga exercise and all philosophical speculation—all nonsense, simply waste of time, simply a waste of time. Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim. If you can achieve this stage, that there is no other necessity of philosophizing or yogic practice or anything, if you receive that, if you reach that perfection. And if you do not reach that perfection, then it is all useless.
So ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim. Nārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim: (Nārada-pañcarātra) "One who reaches there, for him, all kinds of penances, austerities—no more required. And one who does not reach that place, all these austerities, penances—useless, simply waste of time." So this should be the aim of human life. Human civilization, human society, should be so formed that they should have the opportunity. The human form of life is the opportunity to get this boon. So it is the duty of the state, duty of the parents, duty of the guardians, duty of the husband, duty of the father—everyone's duty is how to elevate a living creature who has got this fortunate human form of life to understand this paramāṁ gatim, highest perfection of life.
"The planet for death." So Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja said, ahany ahani lokāni gacchanti yama-mandiram. Ahani, ahany ahani means daily, every day, every moment. At least every day we see so many death list. If you go to the crematorium ground, you can see. So ahany ahani lokāni gacchanti yama-mandiram, śeṣaḥ sthitam icchanti. But those who are still alive, they think, "Oh, death will not take place. I'll live. I'll live." He does not think that he... You are also subjected to this principle of dying. But he does not take it seriously. This is called illusion, māyā. He thinks, oh, that "I shall live forever. Therefore let me do whatever I like. There is no question of responsibility." Oh, this is very risky life, very risky life. And this is the most covering part of illusion. One should be very serious that death is waiting. "As sure as death." If there is any surety in this world, that is death. Nobody can avoid it. And when there is death, oh, there is no more intelligence, no more your puffed-up philosophy. You are under the grip of nature.
Prakṛti, prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sar... (BG 3.27). At that time you are not this stout and strong body, that you don't care for anything. Then you are that smallest, fragmental portion. So you are just under the material atmosphere, so under the mercy of the material nature. And that material nature will give you some kind of body for which you are fit. Then again begin your work. This is the position. So if we want to take that risk, then go on. Kṛṣṇa says. But if you don't, want to avoid this risk, then take Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no alternative.
Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthāḥ. Jaghanya means abominable, abominable, without any distinction. "Whatever I like, I shall do." No. You cannot do that. You have got now super consciousness. You must decide whether you want to stop this evolutionary process, cycle of birth and death, and go back to home, back to Godhead, or if you want to continue again the cycle of birth and death. That is up to you to decide. This is the human form of life. Therefore how you can promote yourself to the higher status of life or how you can degrade yourself to the lower status of life, that is to be decided. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find,
- yānti deva-vratā devān
- pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ
- bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā
- yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām
- (BG 9.25)
There are four ways suggested. If you want to go to the higher planetary system, not by force you can go to the moon planet. That is not possible. That is simply childish. You cannot go. You must have to be qualified how to go there. Just like if somebody comes to your country, Australia, he has to take the visa, permit, passport, so many things. Then you allow. So how you can be allowed to enter into the moon planet, which is the residential place of demigods? That is a very controversial point.
So this is called mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. If we want to save this botheration, then hear what Kṛṣṇa says. Then your life will be successful. If you don't accept Kṛṣṇa's works, which are very plainly explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, then you have to remain in this mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. It is very plain truth. There is no doubt about it, that... You may be very proud of your strong body, your social condition or political condition, but after death it is not under your control. It is under the control of the material nature. So don't be falsely proud, bewildered. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate (BG 3.27). Don't be foolish person by false egotism that "I am free, I can do whatever I like." Then you'll suffer and remain in the path of repetition of birth and death. And there are 8,400,000 species of life. We have to go through this process, we fall down. So this human form of life is obtained, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19), after many many births, evolutional process we have got it. Now it is the time to understand our position. What is that position? The position is that we are eternal part and parcel of God.
Still, if some poor country or poor brother comes, I will refuse. This is called... Because we do not know that our destination is God, therefore the violation of the rules of nature, violation of the laws of God, we are making, and we are becoming entrapped by this material nature. This is a fact.
Gatir bhartā prabhuḥ. Prabhu means the master. And sākṣī. Sākṣī means witness. God is sitting within your heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Īśvara, means Supreme Lord, is sitting in everyone's heart. So He is witness. Whatever you are doing, He is witness. He is giving you facility to do whatever you like, but at the same time you may forget. Suppose I wanted to do something in this life. This is not fulfilled. And next life, when I get another body, so God reminds me. "Well, you wanted to do this. Why not experiment?" That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ: "I am seated in everyone's heart." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca: (BG 15.15) "From Me there is remembrance," smṛti, "there is knowledge and there is forgetfulness also." So what is that, God making one person forgetful and another person encouraging? Why? Because I wanted like that. Because I don't want to revive my relationship with the Supreme Lord. Whenever I speak of God, oh, some person becomes: "Oh, what is God? Swamiji, what you are speaking, God?" They don't want God; so God gives him that "Forget Me. Yes, you forget and suffer." And one who wants God... Just like some poor students are trying to reestablish his relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Oh, Kṛṣṇa gives him too: "Yes." So therefore His business is to make you forgetful because you want to forget. And when you are advanced, if you want know... If you want to establish, reestablish your relation, He will encourage you.
So therefore two things are there witness. He gives you full independence. Whatever you like, you do, but He gives instruction at the same time that "These things will not satisfy you, My dear boy." Sarva-dharmān... "You give up all this nonsense. Come to Me. I shall give you all protection." But we don't want to take protection. What God will go? Poor God, what can He...? He can do everything, but He doesn't interfere with your affair. If you want to forget, He will give you so many facilities by the illusory energy that you'll forget, forget, forget. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisram. Now you have got this beautiful body of human, civilized human being. Or you can get the body of more and more developed body, just like Brahmā, just like the sun, moon, and so many there are. And if you forget, you go down to the cats and dogs and ants and germs and so many things, become a worm of the stool. He will give you all facilities. This is called karma-cakra, cycle of work. As you desire, so God gives you facility. Therefore our desire should be revived: "What kind of desire we should at all make?" Therefore this Bhagavad-gītā is there; the scriptures are there. You have forgotten. We have forgotten all these things. Therefore the books and the scriptures are there. That is also another mercy of God.
So they will take shelter of dog but not God. You see? This is going on. Śaraṇaṁ suhṛt. Suhṛt means well-wisher. Who can become more well-wisher than God? Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. He is... I can be friend, well-wisher, to a limited circle, but God is friend and well-wisher of all living entities. I can take care of my family members, how they are happy, how they are eating, but God is taking care of innumerable living entities. You see? I don't take care of the ants in my room, what they are eating, I do not take care of the bugs in my bed, but God is taking care also of them. He is taking care. He is suhṛt. He wants that "You live. You are given freedom, whatever you like. But if you want to be happy, then give up all this nonsense. Come to Me. Take shelter, Me. I will give you all protection." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66).
So suhṛt prabhavaḥ, development. You are trying to make economic development, but how we can develop economic development provided there is no material supplied by God? Can you manufacture, can you build, construct, a big skyscraper building without the materials being supplied by God? Can you manufacture wood? Can you manufacture stone? Can you manufacture lime? You cannot manufacture. Can you manufacture iron? You can work, labor. The materials supplied by God, by your labor, by intelligence, you can transform from one thing to another. Economic experts, they say like that, that man cannot manufacture anything. He can transform one thing to another.
So these are only perverted reflection, what is going on in the name of love. There is no love. So the nature of love is this, that the lover wants every moment to see without any remuneration, without any return. That is real love.
Real love is described by Lord Caitanya. His love of God is being expressed in one verse, that āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu māṁ marma-hatāṁ karotu vā adarśanāt: (CC Antya 20.47) "My Lord Kṛṣṇa, You embrace Me or trample Me down at Your feet. Whatever You like, You can do. And You make me brokenhearted by not being present before Me." Because lover wants to see his lovable object. But if the lovable object does not come he becomes brokenhearted. So Lord Caitanya says, "I am trying to see You, but You do not come. That's all right. I am brokenhearted, but still, I shall continue to love You. I cannot detract Myself from this love." This is pure love. This is pure love. So Kṛṣṇa says, ye tu bhajanti māṁ bhaktyā. One who is, I mean to say, entrapped in such love affairs with God, don't think that God is forgotten. God is also thinking in that way. Although you do not see, but you see. Those who are advanced in spiritual consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they always see Kṛṣṇa, always see Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, as the devotee sees always Kṛṣṇa, similarly Kṛṣṇa also always sees that devotee. This is reciprocation. Although He is neutral... He says, "I am neutral, but still, I cannot deviate Myself from My devotee. Who is always thinking of Me." This is His admission.
So God, the Supersoul is simply observing the activities of the individual soul. And He has given freedom to the individual soul. Because the individual soul has come in this material world to enjoy independent of the Supersoul. That is the material disease. He has to remain under the protection. He is already under the protection of the Supersoul, but he is thinking that he is independent. That is called māyā. He is not independent.
As soon as there is cause of death, he is no more independent. He cannot say that "I have got so many business to do, perform. Give me some time." "No, immediately get out." So he is under control, fully controlled. Still, he is thinking that he is independent and he can do whatever he like. In this way his life is being spoiled. And he is becoming entangled by the activities. And there is strong stringent laws of nature, exactly... Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu. These things are all explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.
Why one is put into one type of body, and why one is put in another type of body? One body is enjoying very nicely. Not enjoying, he is also suffering. He is enjoying for a limited time. He is also suffering. But he... Comparatively, one is situated in a very nice comfortable position, and the other is not. Therefore other is envious, that "Why this man is in a comfortable situation, and I am put into...? So let us become communist or revolt against this person or this group of person." In this way the struggle for existence is going on, and there is no solution.
We are enjoying with this body means we are enjoying the sense gratification. My eyes, to see something very beautiful. so God has given us these eyes. See nicely. To your heart's content. I want to touch something soft. Kṛṣṇa has given us. "All right, you take opportunity." Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān.
This is the Vedic injunction. That one Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, He is giving us satisfaction. Whatever we want to enjoy. He's given us full facility within this material world. But because we do not know what is actual enjoyment, therefore the so-called enjoyment is turning to be distressed condition.
Just like a child, if he's given full freedom, "All right, my dear child, whatever you like to do." So he cannot stay in one kind of engagement. Sometimes this, sometimes that, sometimes this, sometimes that. He's not happy. But if he follows the instruction of the parents, "My dear child, you do like this, you eat like," then he's happy. If he takes the freedom in his own hand, it is not possible to become happy.
Similarly Kṛṣṇa has given us a certain type of body. I am the occupier of this body. And I am enjoying. But because my calculation is mistaken...
Just imagine the living entities are eight million four hundred thousand species. So even if you divide so many thousands and hundreds, still, eight million. This is God's creation. God's creation means all these living entities, they want to enjoy this material world in a different capacity and God has given the facility, "Yes, you can enjoy. You can enjoy." He is giving facility. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo (BG 15.15). He's sitting, God is so kind, Kṛṣṇa is so kind.
Just like you have seen the master taking his dog. The dog is allowed to do whatever he likes, the master waits. The real business of the dog is to obey the master's order. But the master gives the dog facility, "Yes, you can walk, you can run, you can pass urine, stool, I'll wait." As the master gives facility. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is so kind, Kṛṣṇa is so affectionate, that we have come to enjoy this material world, He is giving us the facilities. Just like the master is giving the facility to the dog. Kṛṣṇa is so kind. But He wants, Kṛṣṇa wants that every living entity should be obedient to Kṛṣṇa. Then that is Kṛṣṇa's enjoyment.
He's so kind that He's asking every living entity, especially the human being, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). He's self-sufficient. He's not hungry. He is supplying necessities, food, to every living entity. Still He's hankering for a little flower, little fruit, from this living entity. "Please give Me." So this is the position. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati tad aham aśnāmi: "If you kindly give me even little flower, a little fruit, little water, with faith and love, I will eat." Kṛṣṇa is so kind. And He's simply trying to turn the face of the living entity towards Him. Therefore He is always with us. So this is another—Kṛṣṇa has come here in this temple to accept your offerings. So that you may again go back to home, back to Godhead.
He is so merciful. He is going, "My dear friend, why you are trying to become happy by enjoying this material fruit produced by your work in this body?"
We are creating different types of fruit? Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deha upapatti (SB 3.31.1). We are getting different types of body life after life, which is created by our own karma. We wanted a body like this. We get it. If you want a body like tiger, to eat meat and suck blood, then Kṛṣṇa will give you a tiger's body. And if you want a body like demigod you can get it. Everything, you can get it. Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63). Kṛṣṇa says, "Whatever you like, I will give you opportunity."
But the best advice is that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is your best way. It is up to me to accept it or not to accept it. Kṛṣṇa does not interfere with your independence. Because you are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, you have got little independence, minute quantity, not full independence. As Kṛṣṇa is full independent, we are not full independent. Kṛṣṇa is sva-rāṭ, fully independent. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ sva-rāṭ (SB 1.1.1). Sva-rāṭ means fully independent. But we are, being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, we are also little independent. So by misusing our independence, instead of serving Kṛṣṇa, we are serving our senses. Therefore bhakti-mārga means to rectify the senses, to purify the senses. By purifying senses, we come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the definition of bhakti.
That you can do. So far other things are.
Therefore śāstra says tasyaiva hetoḥ prayeteta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (1.5.18). You have traveled, sometimes up, sometimes down. Up means upper planetary system, down means lower planetary system. Urdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). If you develop sattva-guṇa then you are promoted to the higher planetary system. Madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ. If you remain in the passion modes of nature then you may remain within this world or few others. And jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. If you habituate jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti.
Just like nowadays people are being taught drink wine, eat meat, and do whatever you like. Jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). So they will go down, animal life. So they have no knowledge. And the leaders, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). The leaders are blind and they are leading other blind men. So it is a very dangerous civilization. In spite of being born in India, in spite of having the privilege of studying Bhagavad-gītā, they are not taking advantage of it, and they are being misled like cats and dogs. Very regrettable condition.
And when we do not like to obey Kṛṣṇa we cannot live in the spiritual world. In the spiritual world there is no such thing, disobedience. There is always... They are all devotees. Just like in Vṛndāvana. They are all devotees of Kṛṣṇa. Somebody is serving Kṛṣṇa as father and mother, Nanda Mahārāja, Yaśodā, and somebody is serving as friend; somebody is serving as servant; somebody is serving as conjugal lover. In this way there are five kinds of service, mellows, whatever you like. Everybody is not like... There is taste. "I like to serve Kṛṣṇa as a conjugal lover." "I like to love Kṛṣṇa as my son." "I like to love Kṛṣṇa as my friend." "I like to love Kṛṣṇa as my master." "I simply love Kṛṣṇa by glorifying Him."
These are pañca, five kinds of rasas, śānta, dāsya, sākhya, vātsalya, mādhurya. So you can select any one of them, because there must be varieties. Because we are living entities, everyone, we want to enjoy. Therefore variety is the mother of enjoyment. You cannot make everything impersonal, no. There is varieties. Even in the spiritual world there is varieties. That varieties are reflected in this material world. Therefore here also, we love somebody as friend; we love somebody as wife; we love somebody as father; we love somebody as mother, like that. The same thing is pervertedly reflected. And because it is illusion, therefore you are not satisfied.
If you want real love, real position, then you have to transfer your, these loving propensities in five different kinds of mellows to Kṛṣṇa. Then it will be permanent, and you'll be happy.
If you are not prepared to accept the pravṛttis and not to accept the nivṛttis, then one must know that he is asura. Kṛṣṇa says here, pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttiṁ ca janā na vidur āsurāḥ (BG 16.7). They do not... "Oh, what is that?" They say, even the big, big swamīs will say, "Oh, what is there wrong? You can eat anything. It doesn't matter. You can do anything. You simply give me fees, and I give you some special mantra." These things are going on. So because we want such cheaters... If I say, just like in our Society, if you had been given the freedom, "Now, whatever you like you can do," millions of students would have come. But that is not possible. We don't make any compromise like that, that "You can do whatever you like. You can eat whatever you like." No. We don't restrict to the ordinary man, but if one comes forward to become our student, serious student, then he must follow this pravṛtti-nirvṛtti. Otherwise he remains asura. What we have to make an asura a deva. That is our process. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means that it is not that if a man is born in an asura family he cannot be deva. No. He can be deva. Kṛṣṇa says, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Pāpa-yonayaḥ means asura-yonayaḥ, or lower than asura-yonayaḥ. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. Everyone has got a chance.
Now, asura, the adjective is āsurīm. So āsurīm and daivīm, two sampattis are there. They are open before you. Now you take up whatever you like. It is up to you. It is not forbidden that daivī sampatti is meant for a class of men and āsurī sampatti is meant for another class of men, no. Kṛṣṇa is open to everyone.
Kṛṣṇa is not monopolized by a certain class of men. Don't think like that, that "Kṛṣṇa is Indian, Kṛṣṇa is Hindu," or like that, or "kṣatriya. Therefore He is meant for others." No. Because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is everyone's property. He is not... Don't think in that way, just like it is stated in the English dictionary: "Kṛṣṇa, one of the Hindu gods." But Kṛṣṇa does not say that "I am the Hindu god." They have made in the dictionary, "Kṛṣṇa, one of the Hindu gods." They have no knowledge about Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya: (BG 14.4) "In all species of life." There are 8,400,000 species of life. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Nine lakh species in the water, and trees and plants, there are two million species. Similarly, insects, sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati, kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyayaḥ. Eleven lakhs species, 1,100,000 species of insects, serpents, snakes, like that, gradually developing from water, fish, to... As the water dries up, then they come out as grass, as vegetables. Then grow, different types of trees, plants, creepers. Then gradually develops to become insects, flies. Then develops to serpents.
These are the qualification, daiva-sampada. Abhayam. One should be fearless. Who can become fearless? One of the qualification of conditioned soul is fearfulness. Only a person who is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can become fearless. And sattva-saṁśuddhi. Sattva-saṁśuddhi. Our, this sattva, existentional position is impure, diseased. Therefore we die, again take birth. Asunti(?). So sattva-saṁśuddhi. One should try to purify his existence. For that purpose there is necessity of tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). Tapasya means austerity. If you want to cure your disease, then you must follow some austerities, rules and regulation. One man is suffering from diarrhea. If he is allowed to eat whatever he likes, then he will never be cured. He must observe fasting for few days; then it will be cured. So this is sattva-saṁśuddhi.
So we are put into this cycle of birth and death. If we don't correct it... Correct means we shall be less attached to the material enjoyment. So long we are attached to material enjoyment, we have to transmigrate from one type of body to another. So daivī-sampada means those who are devatās, their first business is how to rectify this diseased condition of life, repetition of birth and death. Everything is there. Sattva-saṁśuddhir jñāna. This requires jñāna, knowledge. Unless I know what is my position, why I am dying, what is death... This requires jñāna. Jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). That means you have to become a brāhmaṇa. Then you will have complete knowledge. Abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhir jñāna, yoga, jñāna-yoga. Vyavasthitiḥ, dānam. Those who are kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, they should give in charity. That is also one of the sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ. Damaś ca. To control over the mind and the senses. Yajñaś ca: perform the yajña, hari-saṅkīrtana in this age. Yajñaś ca svādhyāyaḥ. Must read Vedic literature. Tapa ārjavam. Tapasya, austerity, ārjavam, very frank and no duplicity, ārjavam. Dānam ahiṁsā, not unnecessarily, not to become envious. (end)
So this cobbler... Just like we are protecting cows. We cannot kill for the skin, but these asuras, they are killing thousands and thousands of cows for getting the skin, only for the skin. So if you are interested in the skin, if you are interested in the flesh, so at least wait for the time the animal will die. There is no doubt about it. So at least let him, let her die natural death. Why you should kill? You can take at that time the skin, the bone, the hoof. Whatever you like, you can take, the flesh. So in India there is a class. They are called cāmāra. They are called opposite, muci. Śuci and muci. The first class is śuci, brāhmaṇa, and the last class is the muci. The last class men, muci, they... As soon as your animal is dead you give them information. They will come. They'll take the animal. They will get the skin for nothing. So they'll tan it and make shoes for selling. So they will get the raw materials free of charges, so they can make shoes. Tanning with oil and keeping it in the sunshine, the skin becomes soft and durable, and then you can prepare shoes. A class of men, muci. So there was no problem. And the bones you gather together and keep in a place. In due course of time it will become very good fertilization. And they can eat the flesh also. Only the cobbler class, the muci class, they eat this cow's flesh after taking the dead animal. So after killing, everyone eats, so why not wait for the natural death and eat it?
That means you require money. So unless you pay money, you will never get justice. This is Kali-yuga. Therefore a poor man cannot get justice. He cannot bribe. The other party will... If he has has got money, he will bribe. He will get justice, and he will suffer.
Just like Gandhi refused to take justice from the British court. That was his one of the items. He said that "There is no justice. So we shall deny to take any judgement from the British Court." That was his, one of the items. He never... When he was prosecuted, he never defended. He said, "Why shall I defend? There is no justice here. Why shall I spend my money for defending? No, you can do whatever you like. You are in power." Gandhi did always like that. "Here is no justice, so why shall I plead for justice?" That was Gandhi's philosophy, noncooperation. Whenever he was arrested, he will simply stand. That's all. Of course, he was given a seat. Such a big man, the court would offer him a seat. But he will never plead yes or no. "No, whatever you like, you can do. I don't expect justice from you." That was Gandhi's... He'll never plead. And all his followers did that. Therefore they were all sent jail. And by going to jail they got svarāja. And he declared, jail svarāja ke mandira hai: "If you want to get svarāja, independence, you must be prepared to go to jail."
Now, why not after changing this body, another body? Where is the reason? In my this experience I get that I have changed so many bodies. But I remember. I am existing. Although my different bodies are finished, I am existing. Similarly, tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). Similarly, I shall get another body. So what kind of body I shall get, that is the preparation stage in this life. What kind of body I'm going to get. That is karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur deha upapatti (SB 3.31.1). As you are working here, this is a chance, human body. Here is a chance. You can make your next body as lower animals, or demigods, or go back to home to Godhead. Whatever you like. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). These are the instructions of Bhagavad-gītā.
So one has to understand all these things by little tapasya. Because to go back to home, back go Godhead is not very easy thing. Because we are so much entangled with this gross material body and subtle material body. And the subtle material body is creating... Just like a spool, creating another body, another body, desires. Material desires. So we have to change these material desires into spiritual desires. Then we get spiritual body. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). There... This is the function of the laws of nature.
That's all. Where is the difficulty to understand? Just like this finger is the part and parcel of my body. The business of finger is to carry out my order. I ask the finger: "Please come here." "Yes, I am ready." "Come here." "Yes, I'm ready." Similarly, we should be like that, always ready to carry out the order of Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like Arjuna did. Arjuna, in the beginning, he denied to carry out the order of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wanted fight. He said, "No. Kṛṣṇa, I cannot fight. I cannot kill my kinsmen, the other side, my brothers, my nephews, my grandfather. No. I stop." Then Kṛṣṇa explained the actual position and He asked him: "Now, what is your decision? You can do whatever you like. I have explained everything." He said, "Yes, kariṣye vacanaṁ tava (BG 18.73)." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One must be ready to do anything for Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Not that "According to my whims, I shall decide." No, this is position. We must be ready because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just like my hand is moving because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Just like my hand is moving because I want to move it, similarly, we are all, all living entities, we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa; therefore, our duty is simply to move according to the will of Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Everyone has got a material body. The cats and dogs and hogs and trees and everyone has got. But ayaṁ dehaḥ nṛloke, especially in the human society, it is not meant for gratifying the senses, working very hard, whole day and night, like the hogs. The very example is given: hogs. Viḍ-bhujām. Viḍ-bhujām means hogs, the stool-eater. The stool-eater, you'll find the stool-eater, the whole day and night searching after stool: "Where is stool? Where is stool?" At night also, you'll find engaged. Day also, engaged. These are the examples by nature. What for? What is the business? Now, eating stool. And then, as soon as he gets some strength, then sex. Never mind, mother, sister, or anything. This is hog civilization. "Eat whatever you like, no discrimination even up to stool, and then have sexual intercourse. That's all."
So this is the warning of Ṛṣabhadeva, that this human life is not meant for this purpose, like hogs and dogs. Then what it is? Tapa. That is state..., stated here also: nātapaskāya. One who has not undergone austerities and penances according to the Vedic system, what he can understand Bhagavad-gītā and the Vedas? Therefore He has warned. And what is the result of tapasya? To become bhakta, devotee. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). One who has actually undergone austerities, penances, then the result will be that he will surrender to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is bhakta.
| Page Title: | Whatever you like (Lectures, BG) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 14 of Nov, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=67, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 67 |