"This Skin=Suffering,This Happiness=Hankering"

74/08/03 Vrndavana, Bhagavad-gita 4.11



Nitai: "...I reward accordingly. Everyone follows My path in all respects, O son of Prtha."

Prabhupada:

ye yatha mam prapadyante
tams tathaiva bhajamy aham
mama vartmanuvartante
manusyah partha sarvasah
[Bg. 4.11]

Now, in the Caitanya-caritamrta, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that jivera svarupa haya nitya-krsna-dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. Actually, our position is eternal servant of Krsna. This is our real position. But artificially, we are trying to become master. This is called maya. Actually, my position is servant.

Just like a woman. Natural position is to remain dependent on man. That is natural position. But if some woman artificially tries to become man or master, that is suffering. That is suffering. We have given this example that in India the women, they voluntarily surrender to the subjugation of the husband, but there are many families, hundreds and thousands even -- they are happy. That's a fact. And in the Western countries they want to remain independent, so they are not happy. This is my study because I have seen the Western world and the Eastern world. Similarly, naturally, a woman is dependent.

Similarly, we are, we are prakrti. Prakrti means one who is controlled. That is called prakrti. And purusa means the controller. So our position in this material world, that we have revolted against Krsna, "Why should we, shall I serve Krsna?" Therefore we are subjugated by the external energy, Krsna's energy, material nature. We are not supposed to be controlled by material nature so that we are now under the jurisdiction of repetition of birth, death, old age and disease.

That is described in the Bhagavad-gita that na jayate mriyate va kadacit. For the living entity, there is no death, there is no birth. But this is something fictitious. Every one of us experience birth and death. But the real fact is na jayate mriyate va. But we are so foolish, we do not inquire that "In the sastra it is said that we have no birth and no death. Then why I am dying and why I am taking my birth?" This is our punishment.

We are... Actually, our real constitutional position is to be controlled by Krsna, but because we have revolted against Krsna, therefore we are servant of maya. Servant is my nature. Therefore it is called, ye yatha mam prapadyante. If you surrender to Krsna, then Krsna controls you, He takes care of you. But if you do not surrender to Krsna, but your position is to surrender, you have to surrender to the laws of material nature and you'll be controlled. Therefore ye yatha mam prapadyante. Mam prapadyante.

Krsna and Krsna's energy... Sakti-sakti-mator abhinna. Krsna's energy is also controller, Durga. Srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka chayeva yasya bhuvanani vibharti durga [Bs. 5.44]. Durga is the sakti, external energy. She has got also immense power. Srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana. The material nature is very strong, creating, maintaining and destroying. Srsti-sthiti-pralaya-saktih chayeva. But she's acting under the direction of Krsna. Mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram [Bg. 9.10].

Material energy is very strong, very powerful. You can know that. If there is a strong, a strong storm immediately, so many houses, so many trees and plants can be immediately uprooted. Material nature. If there is big storm in the ocean, it can inundate many cities, many towns. Material energy is very, very strong. That is stated, daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. So we are under the control of the material nature.

Here is a scientist. He knows how much we are controlled by the material nature. So material nature is also Krsna. Material nature... Because material nature is the energy of Krsna... Just like this light. This light is distributing illumination. So this illumination is also light. The illumination is coming from the light. Therefore, so far illumination is concerned, there is in the lamp as well as in the illumination. So energy is not different from the energetic.

But if you want to be controlled by the energy, Krsna says, "Yes, you be controlled." And if you want to be controlled by Krsna, Krsna says, "Yes." Therefore He says, ye yatha mam prapadyante. It is up to you. But you'll be controlled. There is no independence, sir. There is no independence. You'll be controlled. That is your nature. You cannot be controller. That is not possible. "Either you be controlled by Me, personally, or you be controlled..."

Just like in government. A person may say, "I don't care for government. I don't like government." That you can say. But you are controlled. If you go against the government, immediately you'll be arrested and put into the jail. You'll be controlled. You can say like a madman that "I don't want to be controlled. I don't care for government." That is not possible. So if... Therefore ye yatha mam... If you want to be controlled by the prison house, then Krsna says, "Yes, you be controlled." And if you want to be controlled by the civic laws, that also you can do. Ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajami... Mama vartmanuvartante.

But practically, Krsna, so far those who are transcendentalists, they want to be controlled by three phases of Krsna: Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan. Those who are impersonalists, they want to be merged into the Brahman effulgence. That is also acceptance of being controlled.

Just like if you merge into the ocean... They give this example, generally. So they think that by merging, by dipping into the ocean, they become also ocean. That is not possible. You become controlled by the ocean. Suppose you dip, you dive into the ocean. Does it mean that you become ocean? You become controlled by the ocean. They are under the impression that "I am now a small drop. So if I merge into the ocean, the Brahman, then I'll become Brahman." Is that a very reasonable proposal? You are a drop of water. Scientifically, what is said? Suppose a drop of water is mixed in with the sea water, does it mean the drop becomes sea? What is your scientific explanation? It is also... Eh?

Svarupa Damodara: It has become part of the sea.

Prabhupada: Part of, remains part of the sea. The part of the sea it was, and it remains part of the sea. The sea water means composition of so many molecules of water or...? What is that?

Svarupa Damodara: Yes.

Prabhupada: So how the molecules can become the whole sea? Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninas tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah [SB 10.2.32]. The Mayavadi philosophers, they are thinking that "Being merged into the, existence of Brahman, I become Brahman." No, this is a wrong. You cannot become Brahman. You remain the same.

The example is given: just like a green bird enters into the green tree. It does not mean that the bird is mixed. No. The bird is keeping its independence as an individual. But it appears to others, those who do not see properly, that it has merged into the tree. It has actually not merged. And because it does not merge, therefore they fall down. They again come out. That is explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninah... Vimukta-maninah. They are thinking, "Now I have become one with the Supreme." But actually, that is a false impression. Maninah. Maninah means actually it is not fact, but he's thinking like that. Vimukta-maninah.

Why he's thinking like that? Avisuddha-buddhayah. His knowledge is not perfect. Avisuddha. Visuddha means perfect, and avisuddha means not perfect. Unnecessarily he's thinking that "I have become one with the..." I remain the same part and parcel. As Krsna says, mamaivamso jiva-bhutah [Bg. 15.7].

Just like a big bag of rice, and you put one grain of rice. It remains one grain, but it appears that it has become one with the bag. That is not possible. Therefore Bhagavata says, "They think like that, but actually it is not the fact." And if you question why they are thinking like that -- avisuddha-buddhayah, means intelligence is not very sharp. Ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninas tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah, aruhya krcchrena... aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adhah [SB 10.2.32].

These Mayavadis, they undergo severe penances for becoming merged into the supreme effulgence, Brahman effulgence, sayujya-mukti. It is also not easily obtained. It also requires... So therefore, aruhya krcchrena, by undergoing... Aruhya krcchrena, by severe penances and exercises... Just like the yogis, they also exercise. Aruhya krcchrena. Krcchrena means severe practices. So they reach, they realize Brahman, but after realization also, they fall down. Aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adhah [SB 10.2.32]. Because there is no shelter.

I have given several times the example. Just like if you go high in the sky, but if you don't get any shelter, then you come back again. Just like the people are going in the moon planet, but because they actually do not get any shelter, they are coming back again. So that is the position. Simply by worshiping impersonal Brahman, after severe penance and austerity, you can enter into it, but you cannot remain there because there is no ananda. It is simply eternity.

But we are actually eternity, bliss and knowledge, very small portion. Simply eternity will not satisfy us. So eternity also part and parcel of Krsna. So you can enter. Krsna has given you freedom. Therefore He says, ye yatha mam prapadyante. "If you want to merge into the Brahman effulgence, that you can do. Or if you simply want to realize the Paramatma, localized, that you can also do. And you can do also, come to Me." Just like Bhagavad-gita says that

yanti deva-vrata devan
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah
bhutani yanti bhutejya
yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam
[Bg. 9.25]

So if you want to go to Krsna and directly serve Him, associate with Him, that also you can do. Everything is open to you. Ye yatha mam prapadyante.

The materialists, they are surrendering to the material nature. That also, Krsna says yes. They are working so hard, day and night, to gain a material profit. Krsna says, "All right, you can get it." That is also possible. But actual instruction of Krsna is that sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam [Bg. 18.66]. "You just personally unto Me surrender. That will be beneficial to you." Not that...

Everything is Krsna. You can surrender to so many manifestations of Krsna. Because nothing... Anything you experience, that is Krsna's energy. That is not different from Krsna. That is the conception of oneness. Krsna is expanding Himself by His plenary portion. We are also Krsna. We living entities, being part and parcel of Krsna, we are also Krsna. There is nothing but Krsna. Now it is up to you. If you want to surrender yourself to the Krsna's energy, you can do. If you want to surrender to the Krsna's expansion, that also you can do. If you want to surrender to the Brahman effulgence, that is also Krsna. If you want to surrender [to the] Paramatma feature, that is also Krsna. And if you want to surrender to Krsna directly, that is also Krsna.

Now, the Mayavadi says that whatever you do, you reach to the Supreme. But you reach to the Supreme... That is all right. But Supreme is variety. So one variety...

Suppose if somebody comes into this house, if he enters to the lavatory, that is also house, but that lavatory is not the sitting place. This is variety. Simply by thinking that "Now I have entered the house, my business is finished..." You have entered, any position, you have already entered. Because there is nothing but Krsna. But if you be satisfied by entering into the privy that "Now I have entered the house," that is not very good intelligence. That is not very good intelligence. You cannot say that the privy and the Deity room or the sitting room or the kitchen... These are varieties. You cannot say, by entering into the privy, you think that "I have entered the Deity room." This is a common example.

Krsna is variety. Ye yatha mam prapadyante means there are varieties of Krsna's manifestation. Krsna is there. Krsna personally is there. At the same time, Krsna, energy, they are varieties. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. Krsna is one, but His energies are multi-different energies. So you can take shelter of different energies or Krsna directly. The best thing is to take shelter of Krsna directly. That is intelligence. Therefore Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66].

But we prefer to take shelter of Krsna's energy. That is also external energy, this material nature. So Krsna has given us chance. You can work hard in this material energy, but that will not help you. Therefore, those who are devotees, they also take shelter of Krsna's energy. That is internal energy, not external energy. Internal. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah [Bg. 9.13]. Daivim prakrtim means internal energy.

So our business is that we have to take shelter. Instead of taking shelter of the external energy... That is also Krsna. There is no doubt. Krsna, Krsna's energy: nondifferent. But that is not very beneficial to us. We have to take shelter of the internal energy. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah [Bg. 9.13]. Daivim prakrtim means internal energy.

And Srimati Radharani is the, mean, the symbol of internal energy. Therefore we take shelter of Srimati Radharani in Vrndavana, and that is our perfection of life. Then it will be easier to associate with Krsna very easily. That should be our motto.

Ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham [Bg. 4.11]. Here it is said, "People who are attached to the bodily conception of life are so absorbed in materialism that it is almost impossible for them to understand that there is a transcendental body which is imperishable, full of knowledge and eternally blissful." So we have now surrendered to the bodily concept of life. We have to understand, therefore, what is our spiritual life. The Bhagavad-gita teaches in the beginning that "You, you have surrendered to the bodily con..., but it is wrong. You'll never be happy. You try to understand your spiritual identification." And surrender to the spiritual energy. That is required. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. Otherwise, you cannot avoid Krsna.

Just like you cannot avoid government control. That is not possible. Either you are in jail life or you are in free life, you are always under government control. Similarly, either we remain in the material world or we remain in the spiritual world, we are controlled by Krsna. There is no escape. You cannot do that. But if you remain controlled by the spiritual energy, by directly being controlled by Krsna, not by His energy, or by His internal energy, then you will be happy. That is the ambition of persons who are in Krsna consciousness.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 4.11 -- Vrndavana, August 3, 1974