"Always Think Of Krsna"

75/10/27 Nairobi, Bhagavad-gita 7.1



Prabhupada:

sri bhagavan uvaca
mayy asakta-manah partha
yogam yunjan mad-asrayah
asamsayam samagram mam
yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu
[Bg. 7.1]

Krsna, Bhagavan, the Supreme... Bhagavan means... Bhaga means opulence. Just like we use the word bhagyavan. From this bhagya, "fortune," comes the word bhaga. So personally the Supreme Bhagavan or Bhagavan... Bhagavan is never unfortunate. If somebody claims that he is Bhagavan, but Bhagavan is never unfortunate. He is always fortunate. Sannam bhaga itingana.

There are six kinds of opulences. Which one possesses in full, He is called Bhagavan. There is meaning. So we have several times explained: aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah sriyah. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, because He is the proprietor of all wealth, sarva-loka-mahesvaram, He is the proprietor of all the planets, all the universes, so who can be fortunate than Him? Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram [Bg. 5.29]. If you have got one lakh shillings or ten lakh shillings we think we have become very rich. But Krsna says, sarva-loka-mahesvaram: "I am the proprietor of all the planets." So who can become richer than Him? Therefore He is Bhagavan. The highest rich man, the richest person is called Bhagavan. Nobody can claim that he is the richest. That is not possible. So one who claims that "I am the richest. Nobody is equal to Me, and nobody is greater than Me," He is Bhagavan. Mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya: [Bg. 7.7] "Nobody is greater than Me." That is Bhagavan. Bhagavan cannot be so cheap that anyone can claim that "I am God. I am Bhagavan." That is cheating. He must prove first of all that he is the richest of everyone. Not only richest, aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya, in strength also. Viryasya. Viryasya yasasah, also reputation.

Now, Krsna is, at least in this material world, in this planet, everyone knows Krsna. Who is such a person who is so famous all over the world? Especially since we have started this Krsna consciousness movement, anywhere we go, they chant, "Hare Krsna." As soon as they see us, our men, jokingly or seriously they chant, "Hare Krsna." When I was first coming to Nairobi from London, the plane stopped at Athens at twelve o'clock at night. So we got down and was in the public room, and some young men, immediately they began to chant, "Hare Krsna," at twelve o'clock. (laughter) So Krsna is so famous at twelve o'clock in Athens even. Who is such a person within this world? This is Bhagavan. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah. Yasah mean reputation. He is so reputed. Anywhere Krsna is known.

So yasasah sriyah. Sriya, beauty. Krsna is so beautiful, nobody can surpass Him. Kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham [Bs. 5.30]. Although He is blackish, but He is so beautiful, He enchants the most beautiful, Radharani. So aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah sriyah. Sri means beauty. He is so beautiful. Therefore His name is Krsna. On account of His beauty, He attracts everyone. Beauty attracts. So nobody can be more beautiful than Krsna. Aisvaryasya yasasah sriyah, and jnana. Not only He is beautiful... Just like a flower, very beautiful to see but no good smell, no aroma -- useless. So Krsna is not only beautiful, but He is the most wise. He spoke Bhagavad-gita. Five thousand years ago He spoke. Still big, big scholars, religionists, philosophers, they studying. This is called jnana. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah sriyah, jnana and vairagya. Vairagya means renouncement. So Krsna claims that He is the proprietor of all the planet, but if you think, "Where is Krsna? Let me find out. He is the proprietor," oh, that you cannot find out. Vairagya. Although He is the proprietor of all the planets, you won't find Him within this material world, although His authority is going on. Just like the president of your country is not to be seen everywhere, but his authority is going on. Mat-sthani sarva-bhutani naham tesu avasthitah. Everything is situated on Krsna's opulence, but not that you will find Krsna there. You will find Krsna there when you are advanced. Otherwise you will not find. Mat-sthani sarva-bhutani naham tesu avasthitah. Krsna is situated everything, but still, you cannot see in Krsna unless you have got eyes to see. That is Krsna consciousness movement, to give you the eyes to see Krsna everywhere. So how this thing can be done? So if you are serious, then you can see Krsna.

So that Krsna is advising in this verse in the Seventh Chapter or throughout the whole Bhagavad-gita. Krsna is instructing us how to understand Him. That is our only business. This human form of life is meant for understanding Krsna because we are very thickly related with Krsna, just like father and the son. This relation cannot be broken. Maybe son is out of home, son may have forgotten, but Krsna, the supreme father, He does not forget. He comes. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata, tadatmanam srjamy aham [Bg. 4.7]. So Krsna is so kind that He has come to explain Himself, what He is. We should take advantage of it, because this human form of life is meant for understanding Krsna. Athato brahma jijnasa. That is the Vedanta-sutra. "Now you should inquire of the Absolute Truth." In the Bhagavata also it is said, jivasya tattva-jijnasa nartho yas ceha karmabhih. Jivasya, all living entities, especially the human being, his only business is inquire about the absolute knowledge, Krsna.

But we are missing the opportunity. Nature has given us the opportunity, possessing this human form of body after evolution, 8,400,000 different types of bodies, but there is no cultivation of this knowledge how this evolution is taking place, how many different species of life there are. We can see, but we don't see very seriously. I see there is a tree in front of my house and it is also a living entity. I am also living entity. I have got very nice house, apartment, living very comfortably, and the other living being, the tree, a few yards from me, he cannot move an inch. He has to stand up in scorching heat, in cold. He cannot protest. If you cut, he cannot cry. Of course, he feels, but he cannot do anything. This is also life and I am also life, so why these differences? But they do not consider, "How he has got this life, and how I have got this life?" There is no university education wherefrom they are coming, no knowledge. Still, they are passing on as great scientist, great philosopher. This is the position.

So our real business is to understand Krsna. So Krsna is explaining Himself. Then there is no difficulty. If you want to know me, you can imagine so many things: "Swamiji may be this. Swamiji may be that, like that, like this, like that." They are all imperfect. But if I tell you about myself openly that "I am like this," then your knowledge is perfect. Everyone says, "There is no God." Somebody says, "God is there, but He has no form," and somebody says, "He has any form you like. Imagine any form." In this way speculation is going on all over the world. Actually they are not interested in God. That is the plain simple thing. They do not want to know God, and they think there is no need of understanding. But that is the only need, to understand God. That they do not know. Therefore they are called fools and rascals, mudha. Mudho nabhijanati mam ebhyah param avyayam. So Krsna therefore left His instruction behind Him that "These mudhas, rascals, after studying Bhagavad-gita they may understand Me. I am keeping behind Me."

So we should take advantage of Bhagavad-gita. And even though we take advantage, we interpret in a different way. The same business is going on, how to kill Krsna. Instead of understanding Krsna, the endeavor is going on to kill Krsna. Asura. Just like Kamsa. He was always thinking of Krsna. His sister was pregnant, and it is foretold that "The eighth child of your sister will kill you." So he was thinking of Krsna, that "The eighth child...," but with a purpose to kill Him. That is the business of the asuras, how to wipe out Krsna, Kamsa philosophy. So we haven't got to follow Kamsa philosophy. We have to follow Krsna philosophy. Then our life will be successful. Anukulyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir uttama. Anukulyena, favorably, favorably to think of Krsna. As Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. This is favorable. Krsna never said that "Like My uncle Kamsa, you think of Me, how to kill Me." Krsna does not say that. Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. That will make your life successful.

So here also Krsna says,

mayy asakta-manah partha
yogam yunjan mad-asrayah
asamsayam samagram mam
yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu
[Bg. 7.1]

"My dear Arjuna, I have already explained in the Sixth Chapter that to become first-class yogi..." When Arjuna was advised by Krsna to become yogi, hatha-yogi... Hatha-yogi means to train the mind how to become Krsna conscious. The mind is disturbed always. This way, that way, mind is going, cancala, restless. So the hatha-yoga system is meant for persons who are too much under the bodily conception of life, that "I am this body." For them the hatha-yoga is there so that by practicing several sitting posture, controlling the mind, controlling the senses, they can concentrate on Krsna or Visnu, the Supreme Lord. This is yoga system. This is real yoga system. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1]. Who is the yogi? He is yogi who in meditation, dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa, always thinking of Krsna by the mind And gradually, when he is perfect in samadhi, trance, he can see Krsna.

premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena
santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti
yam syamasundaram acintya-guna-svarupam
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.38]

Syamasundara. You have come to this temple. Here is Syamasundara's form. You see always. Come as many times as you like. See the arati. Hear the kirtana. See the Deity nicely dressed. In this way the impression of God will be within your mind. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena. And when you have got this impression, if you always meditate upon Krsna as Krsna advises, man-mana bhava mad-bhaktah, man-manah, "Always think of Me," that is the perfect yoga system.

Therefore, at the end of the Sixth Chapter Krsna says, yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana: "Of all the yogis..." The Krsna and Arjuna was talking. Krsna advised Arjuna to become a yogi, but Arjuna said that "Krsna, it is not possible for me. Because I am a politician, I am a soldier, I cannot sit down to practice yoga superficially. My mind will be disturbed in political affairs, in state affairs." So, cancalam hi manah krsna pramathi balavad drdham: "My mind is so restless, it is not possible." Then Krsna, to encourage him, said,

yoginam api sarvesam
mad-gatenantar-atmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo mam
sa me yuktatamo matah
[Bg. 6.47]

"Anyone who is thinking of Me always," mad-gatenantar-atmana sraddhavan sa me yuktatamah, "He is the first-class yogi."

So we are trying to make our students the first-class yogi. Always think of Krsna. This is our Krsna consciousness movement. And Krsna is also saying the same thing, mayy asakta-manah partha yogam. How you can think of Krsna always? That is not possible unless you become too much addicted. Just like if you love somebody, then you can think of him always. Artificially, if I say, "You think of Mr. John always," how you'll be possible? Artificially it is not possible. If you have got some love for Mr. John as a friend, as a lover or as somebody, or son or master or something, then you can think of Mr. John always. Otherwise it is not possible. So that thinking, you can revive. There is relationship with you, with Krsna. So you have to revive that relationship. It is not artificial. Just like these European, American boys, Krsna was unknown to them. They are coming from Christian, Jews. So what they had to do with the Krsna? They had nothing to do, but why they are mad after Krsna? They are no longer mad after anything. They have given up everything. Simply for preaching in your country, they have come here. They have not come as a businessman to exploit African resources like other Europeans. They have come to distribute Krsna consciousness. Why? Why the responsibility they have taken? Because they have learned to love Krsna. This is the basic principle. Anyone can understand. Otherwise, do you think they are poor men? They have come here to earn some money? They are not poor men. The Americans are the richest country. Any third-class man, he earns there 400,000's rupees, any third-class man, and what to speak of the first-class man. This is America. The lowest pay to a person, whatever qualification, he has, must be at least four thousand dollars. This is their law. So how they can be poor? There is no question of poverty in America. Nobody thinks, "What shall I do next? I have no money." Money is there on the street. Go and take it and spend. So why they have come here, taking so much troubles? Because they love Krsna, therefore they have come. This is the... Mayy asakta. Asakta, attached.

So we have to increase the attachment. Krsna is already attractive, but we are trying to go away from Krsna. This is our business. "Krsna may not touch me." We are so clever that "Krsna may not touch me." This is maya. Big, big scholars, big, big politicians, they are writing comments on Krsna's book, Bhagavad-gita, but their aim is very acute, that "Krsna may not touch me." This is going on. And then why they are writing on Krsna's book? Now, that is their business. Because this book, Gita, is very famous, so if they can distribute their nonsense philosophy through Gita, it will be taken very easily. Otherwise they do not know Krsna; they do not know what is Bhagavad-gita. But they take advantage of the popularity of Bhagavad-gita and push their nonsense philosophy through Bhagavad-gita. The purpose is to kill Krsna, Kamsa philosophy. So, then, that way, they'll never get Krsna. They'll never understand Krsna. Krsna says that "If you want to know Me," asamsayam samagram, "if you want to know Me in full, completely, without any doubt, then you have to follow this yoga system," mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. Otherwise it is not possible.

So all these nonsense speculators... We use purposefully "nonsense," because they have no sense, simply speculating. God is unlimited. How you...? Your mind is limited. What you can speculate? "May be like this, may be like that," that's all. "Perhaps it is like this." All simply theoretical. It is never possible to know Krsna, God, perfectly and completely by the speculating method. It is not possible. If you want to know Krsna, or God -- when we speak of Krsna, God -- so then Krsna's formula must be followed, as it is said here, mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. The principal factor is to become attached to Krsna. Attached means become a lover of Krsna. Then you can understand asamsayam, without any doubt. Without any doubt. Otherwise you will find there are so many hundreds of religious system all over the world. Ask anyone who are their follower, "Do you know what is God?" They'll never be able to answer clearly, because they do not know God. And if you do not know God, then what is the meaning of your religion?

Religion means to know God. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. One must know God, and one must know what God desires. That is religion. Just like you must know your government, and you must know what government wants, expects from you. If you do that, then you are a good citizen. And if you don't know what is government, if you do not know what government desires, expects from you, then what is the meaning of your good citizenship? There is no meaning. Similarly, to become religious without any clear understanding of God is bogus, is cheating. That is cheating. That is not religion. Therefore Krsna said that "If you want to know Me," asamsayam, "without any doubt..." God may be personal, impersonal, or this, that, but you must know it perfectly well. Don't say, "Perhaps it may be like this. Perhaps may be like this..." That is imperfect knowledge. That is no knowledge. So therefore Krsna personally says, mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan. This is a yogi. This is the first-class yogi. Krsna has explained that yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana sraddhavan bhajate yo mam sa me yukta... [Bg. 6.47]. So sraddhavan bhajate yo mam, one who is worshiping Krsna with sraddha, with faith, complete faith, bhajate, and serving Him, so who is that person? A devotee. Without being a devotee, how with faith and adherence and reverence and obedience you can serve Krsna unless you love Krsna?

So mayy asakta-manah partha. We have got attraction for so many things in this material world. Somebody has got attraction for his family, somebody has got attraction for his wife, children, or somebody has got attraction for some sporting, or somebody has attraction for his country, so on, so on. We have got attraction. That is not a new thing. We have got attraction, but we have got attraction in different subject matter, material. So this yoga system, bhakti-yoga system, means you should be only attracted by Krsna. That is wanted. Attraction is there. Nobody can say that "I have no attraction for anything." That is false. Everyone has got attraction. If you have nothing to be attracted, then you keep a cat and a dog to be attracted. That is the nature. Especially in the Western countries we see. He has no family, but he keeps one pet dog or pet cat because he wants to be attracted by somebody. This is nature. So here Krsna says that "You have got already attraction, but in false things which will not exist. You turn that attraction unto Me. Then you'll get pleasure." You are attracted to something for getting some pleasure. So that pleasure is interrupted because we have posed our attraction in some false things. You have to change that attraction to the real thing, Krsna. Then you'll be happy. Mayy asakta. Mayy asakta. Mayi: "Unto Me," Krsna says personally. If you... Attraction means you have to engage your mind. Mayy asakta-manah. Attraction does not come in the air. The mind, mind fully engaged in something, is called attraction.

So this is yoga, bhakti-yoga. And this yoga has to be executed... Krsna says, mad-asrayah. "You have to execute this yoga system, taking shelter of Me." "Me" means either Krsna Himself or His representative. Just like Krsna says in the Fourth Chapter, evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. So you have to learn this bhakti-yoga directly under Krsna or under the direction of Krsna's representative. So if you do this, then asamsaya, without any doubt, and samagram, in completeness, mayy asakta, asamsayam samagram mam yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu [Bg. 7.1]. So Krsna will explain, item by item, how you can increase your attraction for Krsna. Then you will be able to execute the bhakti-yoga system under the guidance of Krsna directly or directed by His representative. Then it will be successful.

So one of the Krsna's representatives, Srila Rupa Gosvami, he has defined how this attachment can be increased. He has explained adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. Adau sraddha. Just like you have come here with some sraddha, some faith. This is required. And you have to increase this sraddha, this faith, more and more. How it can be increased? Sadhu-sanga, to intermingle with the persons who are engaged in Krsna consciousness. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. Sadhu means who is a devotee of Krsna. Otherwise he is not sadhu. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, api cet su-duracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. That is sadhu. You cannot create sadhu unless he is devotee of Krsna. Bhajate mam ananya-bhak. He is sadhu. So if you want to increase your advancement in Krsna consciousness, then you have to intermingle with the person who is sadhu, who are sadhu, mean devotees. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. But sadhu-sangah... Then gradually you will be inclined to execute devotional service as the sadhus are doing, chanting Hare Krsna mantra, offering arati, offering foodstuff, dressing, so many things. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh smaranam pada-sevanam arcanam vandanam dasyam... [SB 7.5.23]. The nine different types of methods, that is called bhajana-kriya. And adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat. Then anartha, all unwanted things which you have learned unfortunately, that will be finished. If you mix with, intermingle with sadhu, then you will be purified, and things which are not required at all -- artificially you have learned by bad association -- that will be... Anartha-nivrttih syat. Nobody learns to smoke from the very birth. He has to eat something. He drinks milk, the child. He doesn't say, "Give me a cigarette," but you have learned it by bad association. This is called anartha. You have learned it, drinking tea, coffee, not from the beginning of your life but by bad association. Then this is anartha. So if you engage yourself in devotional service, then these things will disappear automatically. You'll find in our temple, we are cooking so many nice preparations. Perhaps you have tasted some of them. But we are not preparing tea or coffee or meat -- nothing. These are anarthas. What is the necessity?

So anartha-nivrttih syat. Then you become purified. Then you become... When anartha-nivrttih syat, when you are free from all these unwanted nonsense things -- illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating... This is anartha. Then you, being purified, then your faith in Krsna becomes confirmed. Anartha-nivrttih syat. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya anartha-nivrttih..., tato nistha. Then you become firmly fixed up: "Yes, I shall continue, Krsna." Nistha. How this nistha, artificial? No. Ruci, taste. You cannot do without Krsna consciousness. That is called tato nistha rucis tatah, bhavah, "Oh, Krsna is so exalted." Sadhakanam ayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah. This is the step-by-step increasing perfection of Krsna consciousness. And when you are on the perfectional stage of Krsna consciousness, then your human life is perfect. This is Krsna consciousness movement.

Thank you very much. [break]

Reduce sex. Because material life means sex. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham [SB 7.9.45]. In the material world, not only in the human society but also in the birds, beast, animal, insect -- everywhere the sex impulse is very strong. And if you indulge in sex life, then you'll be complicated more and more in this material body. This is the law of nature. Therefore whole Vedic civilization is meant for curtailing sex life. First of all brahmacari, no sex life. First of all training is brahmacari, how to train him to remain without sex. That is brahmacari. Tapasa brahmacaryena [SB 6.1.13]. Tapasya means to remain brahmacari. This is tapasya. It is very difficult. Therefore it is called tapasya, because the whole world is attracted by sex life, pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam, whole world, not only in this planet, every planet, even in the demigods' planet.

So our this Krsna consciousness movement means not bodily consciousness. The material world means bodily consciousness: how to keep the body in comfortable. But that is not possible. Body means misery. You cannot keep it comfortable. That is maya. It will never be comfortable, but they are all trying to make it comfortable. This is called maya. Klesada asa dehah. So long you'll have a material body you'll have to suffer. So this Krsna consciousness movement is not on the bodily platform. It is on the spiritual platform. To come to the spiritual platform, it is necessary that you reduce or make nil sex life. So if one remains brahmacari throughout the whole life it becomes very easy for him to go back to home, back to Godhead. This is the secret. Therefore the whole Vedic civilization is based on first of all brahmacari, no sex life. Grhastha, that is also very regulated. Only for begetting child one can have sex life, father, mother, man and woman. So dharmaviruddho kamo 'smi. In the Bhagavad-gita you will find Krsna says that "Sex life which is prescribed by the religious system, that is, I am." Otherwise it is illicit sex. So illicit sex, there is punishment. These things are there. So tapasya means tapasa brahmacaryena samena damena va [SB 6.1.13]. You have to control. The more one controls, he becomes advanced in spiritual culture. The yoga system means yoga indriya-samyamah. "Yoga means how to control the senses." This is yoga system, and therefore Krsna says, mayy asakta-manah partha. So sex indulgence is against spiritual advancement of life. Therefore you have seen that the brahmacaris, they go there. It becomes very easy to enter into the spiritual kingdom. So that you can do here also. If you increase your attraction for Krsna, then naturally you lose attraction for sex. That is Krsna consciousness. Therefore Krsna's name is Madana-mohana. Madana means sex life. He can enchant even madana. So these are things which the devotee will learn by studying the literature. But even without studying, if you sincerely chant Hare Krsna mantra under regulation, everything, all good qualification will come.

Devotee (1): Srila Prabhupada, you said that if we asked the other religious sects what is God... [break]

Prabhupada: Nothing to do with any physiological, anatomical. We have to see that we are advancing in Krsna consciousness. So we have to eat something. We have to eat the remnants of foodstuff taken by Krsna. Prasade sarva-duhkhanam hanir asyopajayate. That is our policy. We do not see to the physiological, anatomical condition. That is not our business. That is automatically done.

Devotee (2): Srila Prabhupada (indistinct).

Brahmananda: He says that according to Krsna consciousness philosophy, the first living being was Brahma, and in the Christian Bible it says Adam was the first man. So he wants to know if in Krsna consciousness scriptures there is any mention of Adam.

Prabhupada: Why you want to tally with Bible and Krsna conscious literature? Do you think that Krsna conscious literature has to tally with Bible? There is, that "There is first living being, Brahma," and Brahma was also married couple. So you can take it as Adam and Eve. That's all. (laughter) Why do you want cent percent tally? But this nonsense theory, that there was a monkey first of all, (laughter) Darwin's theory, and from monkey, human being has come, this is nonsense. So any other question?

Indian man (1): Swamiji, some religions, the guru, if someone wants to be his disciple, he is being given a sort of beads by the guru himself. Is it possible to get beads through your worship?

Prabhupada: Yes. That is our process. When we accept a disciple we give him beads, we give him direction.

Indian man (2): This mantra we chant for Krsna and Rama both, but this movement glorifies the Krsna's pastimes and not much of Rama.

Prabhupada: Yes, there is... Vaisnavas... Ramayana is also approved. Ramayana is also Vedic literature, Valmiki Ramayana, not any other. So we discuss Valmiki Ramayana. In the Bhagavata there is discussion about Ramacandra's activities. So we are giving Srimad-Bhagavatam. There is Ramacandra's activities there. Where is Ramacandra, which planet He is now, that is also described in the Bhagavatam. So it is not that we are without Rama. And our direct worshipable Rama is Balarama, Krsna-Balarama. We have opened the temple of Krsna-Balarama in Vrndavana. So Rama is there. Ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu [Bs. 5.39]. Krsna has got many, many incarnation. Rama is also one of them. So when we speak of Krsna, it means including all the incarnation -- Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha -- everything. Ramadi... Therefore ramadi, "taking Rama as the original," murtisu, "in such forms," ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan [Bs. 5.39], "He is existing." Krsna is not alone. He is always existing with His different incarnations, Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha, Matsya, Kurma -- so many. So either you worship Krsna or Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha, Matsya, Kurma, anyone you can worship. We don't say that don't worship Rama. We never say, because Rama and Krsna, the same. We shall... In future we have got a hope we shall start an Rama-Laksmana murti, yes, in some temple. That is our worshipable Deity. We have got in my room Lord Ramacandra's murti, Sita-Rama. So it is not that we are neglecting worship of Ramacandra. There is. Yes? Somebody else?

Indian man (3): Srila Prabhupada, Krsna, 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?

Prabhupada: 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-gita, you will find, after explaining Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna He is giving the freedom to Arjuna, yathecchasi tatha kuru: "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 Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam 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): Srila Prabhupada, when we are preaching to Christian people or to Muslim people, is there advantage in being familiar with their scriptures or simply Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam?

Prabhupada: We are not preaching to Christian or Hindu or Muslim. We are preaching to human being. We do not see, "Here is a Christian. Here is a Muslim. Here is a Hindu. Here is a white man. Here is a black man." No. Every living being, his duty is to understand God. This is our preaching. This is our preaching, that "You are living being. You are part and parcel of Krsna. This designation, that ‘You are Hindu,' ‘You are Muslim,' ‘You are Christian,' ‘You are this' -- these are all designations. Actually you are living being, part and parcel of Krsna. Therefore your main duty is to understand Krsna." This is our preaching. We are not going to convert Hindu into Muslim, Muslim into Christian. No, that is not our... That is not our business. He may think that he is Christian, he is Hindu, he is Muslim, but we think that he is a spirit soul, part and parcel of God. That is stated in the...

vidya-vinaya-sampanne
brahmane gavi hastini
suni caiva sva-pake ca
panditah sama-darsinah
[Bg. 5.18]

If one is learned pandita, he does not see Hindu, Muslim, Christian. I went to America, I did not go there to turn the Christian to become Hindu. No, I never said that. Did I say, any, anyone, that "You are Christian. You become a Hindu"? No, never I said. That is not my business.

Indian man (4): Just now you said we are all part and parcel of God. What would you say is God?

Prabhupada: That we have explained, what is God. Asamsayam samagram mam yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu [Bg. 7.1]. You have to become God conscious. Then you will understand what is God. It is not a so trifle thing you ask me and, one minute, you understand God. That is foolishness. You have to study the science of God. God is not so cheap.

manusyanam sahasresu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam
kascin mam vetti tattvatah
[Bg. 7.3]

Out of many thousands of men, one wants to become perfect, and out of many millions of perfect men, one can understand God. So God is not so cheap thing. Therefore Krsna recommends,

mayy asakta-manah partha
yogam yunjan mad-asrayah
asamsayam samagram mam
yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu
[Bg. 7.1]

If you want to know God without any doubt, completely, then you have to adopt this yoga. So first of all come to the yoga. Then speak of God understanding. It is not so cheap thing.

Indian man (5): Krsna consciousness is the oldest teaching of God, or Krsna.

Prabhupada: Yes. That is mayy asakta-manah. That is explained.

Indian man (5): But the Gita was written about five thousand years ago.

Prabhupada: No. You have not read Bhagavad-gita. Did you read? Did you read Bhagavad-gita?

Indian man (5): Yes, I read some portion.

Prabhupada: Then why do you say like that, five thousand years?

Indian man (5): All the scriptures were written (indistinct).

Prabhupada: Hm? What does he say?

Indian man (5): Then how come in the locational(?), archaeological and ontological records, Krsna consciousness is not mentioned by other religions?

Prabhupada: Krsna consciousness is always there. You are calculating with reference to your age, but Krsna consciousness is there. In the Fourth Chapter, you read, imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam: [Bg. 4.1] "I spoke this Krsna consciousness science first of all to the sun-god." Then how do you say five thousand years? There is reference to the Manu. And if we take the, all these advanced calculation, then it becomes that forty millions of years ago Bhagavad-gita was spoken by Krsna to the sun-god. Have you got forty millions' history? (laughter) You haven't got even five thousand years' even history. Your history is so imperfect. So don't bring it into historical reference. It is eternal. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 7.1 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975

"Surrounded By Krsna Atmosphere"

74/06/29 Melbourne, Bhagavad-gita 7.1


Prabhupada: So here it is said that asamsayam. Asamsayam means without doubt. Without doubt. And samagram, samagram means in complete. Those who are philosophers, speculating what is God, what is the Absolute Truth, they cannot know. That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam,

athapi te deva padambuja-dvaya-
prasada-lesanugrhita eva hi
janati tattvam (bhagavan-mahimno)
na canya eko 'pi ciram vicinvan
[SB 10.14.29]

One who is, I mean to say, has gotten, who has gotten a little favor of Krsna, God, he can understand. Athapi te deva padambuja-dvaya-prasada, one who has got little mercy of the lotus feet of Krsna, athapi te deva padambuja-dvaya-prasada-lesa, little mercy, janati tattvam, he can understand what is God. Little favor; not all favor, a little. Others, ciram vicinvan, they may go on speculating, imagining what is God, "God may be like this," "God may be like that," "God may be like that." So in that way, ciram vicinvan, for many, many millions of years, if one thinks like that, he cannot understand. Therefore, Krsna comes Himself, and He manifests His pastimes in Vrndavana as cowherd boy -- how He is playing with His friends, how He is dealing with Radharani, how He is dealing with His parents. Everything is manifested practically just like ordinary human being. But at the same time, whenever there is need, big, big demons, beginning from Putana, when He was only a few months old, He is maintaining His position asGod, but dealing with His devotees. This father and mother and friends, lover, all in Vrndavana, who are they? They are expansion of Krsna. That story we have got in the Krsna book, that Brahma stolen all the cows and calves and cowherd boys. Stolen, and Krsna immediately created another set. Then Brahma understood that "Here is the Supreme Lord, my master." So, these, Krsna's associates, they are all also Krsna, expansion of Krsna. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhis tabhir ya eva nija-rupataya kalabhih. We are also expansion of Krsna. We living entities, Krsna says in the Bhagavata, mamaivamso, part and parcel.

So, samagram, one has to understand actually what is Krsna in complete. If you want to that, know that, then this is the process, mayi, mayi asakta-manah, mayy asakta-manah [Bg. 7.1], the mind has to be engaged in Krsna, first thing is. Mind. Therefore, Krsna manifests Himself in this Deity form. The Deity is Krsna Himself. But we cannot concentrate Krsna which is not visible. Krsna is not visible to the ordinary eyes. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. God is not perceptible with our, this material eyes, our material senses. atah sri-krsna-namadi na, even material ears. You are chanting. If you are not spiritually advanced, this chanting of Hare Krsna mantra also will not appeal. It will be happening mechanically. But by chanting you will gradually advance, ceto-darpana-marjanam, then you will understand that this Hare Krsna mantra is not different from Krsna. The mantra, the sound vibration, is also Krsna. So, we have to, I mean to say, repose our mind to the form of Krsna. Krsna says mayi, "Unto Me, rsna." We cannot see now Krsna personally. Personally He is here, but we want to see anything physically. Physically He is also there. Here, Krsna murti is physical, but, because you are differently educated, you do not know what is this world of physics. We think that this is different from Krsna. That will be explained. Therefore it is said, tac chrnu. Asamsayam samagram mam yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu. "You just hear from Me, as you can understand Me in complete, without any doubt." So Krsna is instructing Himself, about Himself. Why there should be any doubt? There cannot be any doubt. God is explaining Himself about Him, then why there should be doubt? This is the, this is called bhakti-yoga. Mad-asrayah. Mayy asakta-manah partha. So how you can engage your mind in the Supreme Personality of Godhead if you do not know the form? Therefore Krsna comes in His original form.

yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
(abhyutthanam adharmasya)
tadatmanam srjamy aham

When people forget or become engaged otherwise, rascaldom, duskrtinah, at that time He comes. He comes Himself or sends His representative to make this rascal know that "Here is Krsna." Tadatmanam srjamy aham. In the form of name, in the form of Deity, in the form of picture, in the, so many ways. If you think of Krsna within yourself, that "Krsna is like this, Krsna's leg is like this, Krsna's flute is like this, Krsna's hand is like this, mouth is like this, He is dressed like this," this meditation is perfect meditation. Not imagination. So that your mind will be gradually absorbed in Krsna.

So, Krsna comes therefore personally and exhibits this Krsna murti. Just like here is the picture of your spiritual master. So you worship this picture. You know that "This is my spiritual master's picture." Similarly, if somebody disregards this picture, you will not tolerate. Similarly, Krsna's Deity and Krsna not different. I was explaining this morning, Krsna has come, kindly, to accept your service as you can deal with Him. If Krsna comes in His gigantic form -- Krsna has got gigantic form also, as it was shown to Arjuna -- you will not be able to capture Him, neither you have any means to dress him. Suppose the universal form of Krsna is there, and you have to dress Him, so the (laughter) whole cloth factory will be finished.(laughter) Is it not? How you can dress? You have no capacity to dress. But Krsna has kindly accepted a form, the Deity. You can purchase cloth according to your means, and with your great devotion, you can dress. Similarly, the gigantic gigantic virat-rupa, universal form, the whole, it s described in the Bhagavad-gita that He is eating, the whole humanity is going on in His mouth. Then where you will get such food? (laughter) The whole human..., the whole universal living entities can be devoured by Krsna. But, because you are not able to offer such gigantic food to Krsna, Krsna says, "All right, give Me," patram puspam phalam toyam, "give Me a little flower, give Me a little fruit, give Me a little water, I shall accept it." This is called arcana-viddhi. Krsna has agreed to accept your service as you can afford to do. It is not idol worship. It is actually worshiping Krsna.

So therefore Krsna said, mayy asakta-manah partha, that simply you have to increase your attachment for Krsna. This is bhakti-yoga. We have got attachment for so many things. Our attachment is now disbursed in so many ways. You have to concentrate that attachment to Krsna, then your business will be successful, bhakti-yoga, mayy asakta-manah, "Mine." Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor. Somehow or other you have to engage your mind at the lotus feet of Krsna. Therefore so many paraphernalia how to engage your mind. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh: hearing about Krsna, chanting about Krsna, thinking of Krsna, worshiping Krsna, talking about Krsna, writing about Krsna, selling the books about Krsna, eating Krsna prasadam. In this way you become Krsnaized. All-around Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness. This is called bhakti-yoga. This is called bhakti. Somehow or other, you become surrounded by Krsna atmosphere. This is Krsna consciousness. Mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan, this is yoga, mad-asrayah, not... Mad-asrayah means "taking shelter of Me." So, "taking shelter of Me" through beginning teaching. Understanding of Krsna, taking shelter of Krsna's representative. Guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija. By Krsna's mercy one gets guru, and guru's mercy one gets Krsna. So, if one is sincere, he will take advantage of guru's mercy and Krsna's mercy, and then he will be perfect. This is called bhakti-yoga. Not that "I am now very much advanced, I don't require any help from my guru," as somebody are doing. This is rascaldom. You cannot get Krsna by overcoming guru. That is not possible. Therefore Caitanya-caritamrta, guru-krsna-krpaya paya. We should always remember that by the mercy of Krsna we get guru, and by the mercy of guru we get Krsna. So we have to seek mercies of both of them.

So, mayy asakta, mad, mad-asrayah. Mad-asrayah means, mat-asrayah, one...., guru means...., who has taken full shelter of Krsna, he is guru. A, a guru does not mean that he has taken shelter of somebody else and he has become guru. That is not. Guru means one who has taken full shelter, complete surrender to Krsna, he is guru. Or he speaks only what is spoken by Krsna. Just like we have, speaking in this Bhagavad-gita, as it is. There is no malinterpretation. Krsna says sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. The guru will teach his disciple that "You surrender to Krsna." Krsna is God, He is saying "Surrender to Me," and guru is saying "You surrender to Krsna." Therefore the statement is the same. Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru, so guru will say the same thing, that "You always think of Krsna, you become a devotee of Krsna, you offer worship to Krsna, you offer your obeisances." This is guru's business. Not that because in the sastra it is said that guru should be honore as Krsna, as bhagavan, therefore guru will think, "I have become bhagavan." No. That is mayavada. The disciple will offer as respect, as much respect he offers to Krsna, to guru. That is the sastric injunction. For that reason the real guru will not think that "I have become Krsna." Kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasado. By the mercy of guru, you get the mercy of Krsna. If, if guru approves, that "Here is a nice devotee," then Krsna accepts, "Yes, here is a nice devotee."

So therefore yasya prasadad, our business is to please guru. If he is satisfied, then Krsna immediately becomes satisfied, because he is the agent. That is very easy to understand. Suppose you are working in office, your immediate boss the superintendent, if he is pleased, that means the managing director is also pleased. You haven't got to please the managing director separately. If you please his representative, then the managing director sees the report, "Yes this man is working nice." That he will accept. He has never seen him. But that is not the fact, Krsna also seeing you. So this is called mad-asritah. Yunjan..., mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. You have to take shelter of Krsna. And Krsna, because you have no direct touch of Krsna, therefore you take shelter of Krsna's representative. Then this yunjan begins. He will teach you how to practice the bhakti-yoga, how to worship Him, how to think of Him, how to offer obeisances, how to observe the ceremonies. Just like yesterday we perfomed the ceremonies, Ratha-yatra, so this dress, Jagannatha dress, and function, everything you have to learn. This is called bhakti-yoga, mad-asrayah. And this, the beginning is mayy asakta-manah, asakta. Asakti, we have to develop attachment. If you do not develop attachment for Krsna, then other thing does not come.

So this asakti attachment has to be practiced. That asakti, there is rules and regulation, or the method how you can develop, increase your attachment for Krsna. So, the first thing is adau sraddha, faith, that "If I become Krsna conscious, I will be happy. That is my goal of life." This is called sraddha. If you have no sraddha, that "By loving Krsna, by surrendering to Krsna, my life will be perfect, that is perfection of life," then there is no beginning of bhakti-yoga. So first thing is this. Just like Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja. So, "You give up all other engagement, just surrender to Me." So if you have got faith actually, then you can devote yourself fully, cent percent in the service of, that is the beginning, adau sraddha, "Yes, Krsna says that by surrendering to Him I shall be free from all sinful reaction." If you have got faith, then you surrender, and actually you will be free from all sinful reaction. Krsna says... Krsna is not making any bogus propaganda. He sai, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami, "I shall get you released from all reaction of sinful life." We are suffering because there is reaction of sinful life, but if you surrender to Krsna, then your all reaction of sinful life is immediately nullified, squared up.

So this is the process of bhakti-yoga. You surrender and, in the past, whatever sinful activities you have done, that is squared up, now account closed. Now you begin a new life, devotional life, and if you stick to the principle as it is instructed, that do not have illicit sex life, do not have intoxicants, do not eat meat, do not play gambling, speculate, you promise before Krsna and before the spiritual master, before the Vaisnavas, so many witnesses, and if you violate, then you can understand what you are doing. You promise with..., before the Deity. Krsna is not different, so when the initiation takes place we promise so many things. But if we do not follow, if we do not keep our promise, that is a great fault. If you, by chance, by mistake, you violate the regulative principle, that is excused, but if willingly, if you go on committing sinful life -- so just like in the Churches they go to confess and again begin -- that kind of business will not help you. That kind of business will not help you. Now I have confessed, now I begin new chapter of sinful life. Again I shall confess. Krsna is not so fool that you can cheat Him by this process. No, that is not possible. You can be executing the process of your advancement; unwillingly if you commit some mistake, that will be excused. That is said in the Bhagavad-gita, api cet su-duracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak sadhur eva sa mantavyah. Sometimes we take shelter of this verse, that api cet su-duracaro, "However sinful you might, may be," bhajate mam ananya-bhak, "if he is fully engaged in My service..." But this word is very important. One cannot be fully engaged in the service of Krsna unless he is purified. Yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam [Bg. 7.28]. One who is completely free from reaction of sinful life and is always engaged in pious activities, such person can be Krsna conscious. So it is..., it is not that one is a debauch, at the same time a Krsna conscious. That is a contradictory. It cannot be. If he is actually Krsna conscious, he is cannot be debauch. And if he is debauch, then he is not Krsna conscious. Two things cannot go parallel.

So, we are..., if we are fully surrendered to Krsna, Krsna takes our all sinful, because continually we are suffering. What is that? Because, just like the same example, a infection. I have infected, say, two, three kinds of disease, so I am suffering from one infection, again another infection. They come. They take time. Just like if you sow a seed, it not that immediately becomes a big tree and fruits. No. It takes some time. Similarly, our papa-bijam, the seed of sinful activity, we take it, but in the, immediately we may not see that it is fructified, but it will, in due course of time, it will. Same (indistinct), that one man has infected cholera bacteria, so not that immediately he is attacked with cholera; say after a few days. Therefore the injection is given, and that time is allowed in the medical treatment, so that if the infection has actually working, the disease will come. So immediately we may not see that we are infected with some certain type of sinful activities, but it will come into notice That is going on. Therefore we shall be careful not to infect. And how to become careful? If you always engage yourself in Krsna's service. Therefore the Deity worship in the temple is there to keep us always engaged. Not only Deity worship. The class, reading, hearing, kirtana. In so many ways. There are nine different kinds of ways,

sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma...

Any way, if you keep yourself always engaged in Krsna consciousness, in Krsna's business, then you are immune. You will not be infected. This is the process. Keep yourself always engaged in Krsna consciousness business, you will always remain immune. Sa-gunan samatitya etan brahma-bhuyaya. And willfully, we shall not do anything which against the bhakti process, willfully. But because I am habituated... Suppose a smoker he has taken to Krsna consciousness, at least has promised that "I shall not smoke, I shall...," but all of a chance, sudden, suppose his friend seduces him: "Oh what is that, smoke today, doing." So sometimes we become induced, but we should always remember that "I have taken this vow. Why shall I be induced by my friend to smoke?" That is very nice. But even if by mistake you do that, that can be excused, but not willfully: "Now nobody is seeing, Krsna is not here. Let me smoke now." Not that. (laughter) Krsna's eyes are everywhere. You cannot escape Krsna's eyes.

So, in this way, this verse says that "Increase your attachment upon Me." That attachment can be..., the process is this, that first of all you must have full faith in Krsna, or full faith in the words of spiritual master. That is the beginning. If you have no faith, there is no question of advancing. The advance, there is no question. Finished, then everything is finished. First thing is faith. Then, then we have to associate with persons who have faith, sadhu-sangah. This, this is, our opening of different center means we are giving chance. So those who are inmates of the temple, they should be also such nice devotees that anyone who will come in the association of devotees, he will immediately develop a sense of devotion. That is the duty, those who are managing this temple. By his character, by his behavior, he will be influenced. This, this is next step. First of all faith, the next step is to associate with devotees. But devotees must be also sincere devotee, otherwise what will be the affect of such asociation? Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango. Then, gradually he will be inclined to become one of the devotees. He will request the president, "Sir, you recommend me for being initiated. I am interested." That is called bhajana-kriya. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya. That bhajana-kriya, he is initiated, the activities begins officially. Then as he make advance in this bhajana-kriya, or activities in devotional service, then anartha-nivrttih syat, then all the unwanted things -- the so-called illicit sex life, meat-eating, drinking, gambling, even up to smoking and drinking tea -- finished. Anartha-nivrttih syat. Then you become pure. When you are pure, then your attachment for Krsna, athasaktis. That is called asaktih, attachment. Then tato nistha, then firm faith; tato rucih, taste; tatah saktih, then attachment; tato bhavah: in this way you will come to the platform of loving Krsna. Then your life is perfect. This verse explains that: how you can increase your devotional life, how you can become pefect, how you can know God perfectly, samagram; asamsayam, without any doubt. This is the process.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.... (break)

Prabhupada: No question?

Devotee (1): Yes, right here Prabhupada.

Devotee (2): What gives a man the right to take the renounced order of life, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Hmm?

Devotee (2): What, what gives a man the right to accept the renounced order of life?

Devotee (1): What, who gives?

Devotee (2): What qualifications?

Devotee (1): What qualifications should the man have to take sannyasa?

Prabhupada: Sannyasa?

Devotee (1): What qualifications?

Prabhupada: For sannyasi?

Devotee (1): Yes.

Prabhupada: Who has got no more material desires. Then he is fit for taking sannyasa. Sarvopadhi. Anyabhilasita-sunyam. Sunyam means zero. All material desires made into zero. Then sannyasa. Sannyasi, anasakta. That is described in the Bhagavad-gita, anasritah karma-phalam karyam karma karoti yah sa sannyasi... Who is a sannyasi? Anasakta. Anasakta means he is working day and night, but no attachment for the result. Karmis... What is the difference between karmi and sannyasa? Karmi is working so hard, day and night; he is expecting that "I shall get some money out of it and I shall enjoy." That is karmi. And sannyasi, he is working in the same way, day and night, but he is not expecting the profit for his personal use. For Krsna. That is sannyasa. What is the difference? There is no..., in the activities there is no difference, but the one is accepting the result for his personal benefit, and one is creating good result but not for his personal benefit, but Krsna's service. This is the definition of sannyasa. Anasakta..., anasritah karma-phalam karyam: he is doing as my duty. I am Krsna's servant, I have to do it. If I do not do it, then it is my misbehavior. Anasakta, anasritah karma-phalam karyam karma ka..., sa sannyasi ca yogi ca. Such person is yogi, such person is sannyasi, na niragnir na cakriyah. Not that artificially I have taken the dress of a sannyasi and talking nonsense. He is not sannyasi. Sannyasa means one who has completely devoted his life for Krsna. He is sannyasi, sa sannyasi, and he is yogi.

Devotee (1): Yes.

Devotee (3): Srila Prabhupada, how..., how is one able to draw the distinction between working very hard for Krsna and over-endeavoring?

Prabhupada: Hm. What is that -- phalena pariciyate. By the result you can understand. By service Krsna, he will understand more about Krsna. Krsna will be clear to him. That is the test, because it is said, sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam. Krsna cannot be realized by so-called speculation, but if you render service to Krsna, then Krsna will reveal to you. Revelation. So, he, how much service he is giving, that will be tested how much he has, I mean to say, realized Krsna. This is the test. If Krsna is still vague idea to him, then he has not advanced. This is the test. Just like if you are eating something, then you will feel satisfaction. You are hungry, you have been given some food, but you cannot say that "I am eating, also I am not satisfied in my hunger." That cannot be. If you are actually serving Krsna, then Krsna will reveal to you. You will know what is Krsna, asamsayam samagram mam, without any doubt, and fullness. Here is the test. If somebody comes, "What is Krsna," you say, "Yes, I am serving Krsna, but I do not know what is Krsna". What is his service? He must know, because here it is said, asamsayam samagram, without any doubt... (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 7.1 -- Melbourne, June 29, 1974 (New-2003)

"Attachment To Supreme"

75/03/09 London, Bhagavad-gita 7.1



Nitai: "Now hear, O son of Prtha (Arjuna), how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt."

Prabhupada:

sri bhagavan uvaca
mayy asakta-manah partha
yogam yunjan mad-asrayah
asamsayam samagram mam
yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu
[Bg. 7.1]

The Lord, Bhagavan... Bhagavan means the most powerful, almighty, with six opulences. That is Bhagavan. Bhaga means opulence, and van, this word, is used in the sense of possession. Just like generally we say bhagyavan. We Indians, we know. Bhagyavan means fortunate. This word bhagya comes from bhaga. Bhaga, and in relationship with bhaga the word comes: bhagya. And van means "one who possesses." Asty arthe vatup. The Sanskrit word, when the meaning is to possess, then one affix is added which is called vat, bhaga-vat. And the first word of the bhagavat-sabda is bhagavan.

So we are trying to understand Bhagavan, which is explained by Bhagavan Himself, Bhagavan, God. You cannot understand God, or Bhagavan, by your speculation. Any one of us, our senses are defective. Just like we are very much proud of our eyes to see. Sometimes some rascal says, "Can you show me God?" He does not think that how far his eyes are capable to see, but he wants to see God. Our senses are conditional. So long the electric light is there, we can see. If it is immediately dark, we cannot see. Then what is the value of this seeing? But we are very much proud of seeing. Similarly, we have our defective senses and we accept something which is not fact. That is called illusion. And we commit mistake, every one of us. There is no man in the world who can say, "I did not commit any mistake in my life." That is not possible. "To err is human," it is said. So we have got four defects. We commit mistake, we are illusioned, bhrama-pramada... Just like we accept this body as myself. "I am this body." "Who are you?" "I am Mr. such and such," "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Englishman," "I am white," "I am black," "I am fat," "I am thin." In this way we give description of our body. But we do not know what I am. This is called illusion. And commit mistake, we have got experience. Many times we have committed mistake, blunder, in our life.

So bhrama-pramada-karanapatava. Karanapatava means... Karana means the senses through which we act. Just like we catch up through the hand. This is called karana. So karana, these are imperfect. I am catching with my hand, but if the hand is paralyzed... So long we are not paralyzed, our machine is going nicely, we can catch. Otherwise, we cannot catch. This is condition. We can catch under certain condition. So therefore our senses are imperfect. Karana apatu. Apatu means imperfect. Bhrama-pramada-karanapatava, and another defect is vancana, or cheating. I am so much defective; still, I want to impress others that I have got full knowledge. How you can have full knowledge if you are so defective? Just like a diseased man. He cannot say, "I am perfect in health." That is not possible. Similarly, if we are defective in so many ways, and if I want to become teacher or preacher to give you the truth, then how can I give? This is not possible. So we cannot hear from anyone who is defective. That is not pure knowledge, that is not perfect knowledge. If we hear from some defective, who theorize, "I think," "In my opinion," "Maybe," "Perhaps..." These are nonsense speaking. So almost everyone, the so-called scientists, philosophers, they simply theorize, "I think." Who are you, you are thinking like that? You are imperfect.

So we cannot accept the theories or the statement of some defective person. We should hear from the person who is not defective, perfect. Therefore our process of hearing or getting knowledge is from the perfect person. That is called Krsna consciousness. We are hearing Bhagavad-gita, we are getting knowledge from Bhagavad-gita, because Bhagavan Himself speaking. Therefore here it is said... Although it is said by Krsna... Everyone knows that Krsna spoke Bhagavad-gita, and Vyasadeva recorded it and then put it into the Mahabharata, this statement. But here Vyasadeva purposely says... One may not misunderstand that this knowledge is imperfect. Therefore he says, bhagavan uvaca. Bhagavan uvaca means there is no defect. You can accept it as it is and you get the full knowledge. This is the meaning of bhagavan uvaca. Many times he has said. So bhagavan uvaca, and He is speaking about Himself, Bhagavan, Krsna, coming here. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata, tadatmanam srjamy aham [Bg. 4.7].

paritranaya sadhunam
vinasaya ca duskrtam
dharma-samsthapanarthaya
sambhavami yuge yuge
[Bg. 4.8]

Bhagavan comes for this purpose, to let people know what is Bhagavan, not this so-called rascal incarnation. Just try to understand what is Bhagavan. If Bhagavan... Bhagavan means the six opulences in full.

aisvaryasya samagrasya
viryasya yasasah sriyah
jnana-vairagyayos caiva
sannam bhaga itingana

Aisvarya means wealth, riches. One who is the greatest rich man. Every one of us... There are so many rich men, we are present here. But nobody can say, "I am the richest in the world." That is not possible. So one who can say and prove that he is the richest in the world, he can be accepted as Bhagavan, not these rascals, cheap Bhagavan. Cheap Bhagavan we don't accept. We accept Bhagavan Ramacandra, Bhagavan Krsna, because They did something which is impossible to be done by any human being. We are not going to accept cheap Bhagavan.

So Bhagavan means who is the richest, who is the most famous, who is the most..., who is the strongest, who is the most beautiful, who is the most wise, and who is most renounced. Just like Krsna. Krsna says that bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram [Bg. 5.29]. He is the proprietor of all the lokas. Lokas means where the people or living entities live. So there are so many planets. Everywhere there are living entities. Om bhur bhuvah svah tat savitur varenyam. There are Bhurloka, Bhuvarloka, Svarloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Satyaloka, Brahmaloka. Seven, fourteen planetary system. Then down: Tala, Atala, Vitala, Talatala, Patala, Rasatala. There are so many. This is only one universe. There are millions of universes. Yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti [Bs. 5.40]. Koti, we Indians understand, millions. There are millions of universes. Yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti-kotisv asesa-vasudhadi-vibhuti-bhinnam [Bs. 5.40]. And each and every universe there are millions of planets, and each planet is different from the other.

Just like the moon planet. You are going to live there, but you cannot live there, because it is, the scientist says, two hundred degrees below zero, the temperature. So it is different atmosphere. Similarly, in the solar, the sun planet, you cannot go there. But Krsna can go there. That is Krsna, that is God. Because Krsna is not like us. Neither His body is like us. Isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. And He went to the sun planet. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, Fourth Chapter. He says, imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1]. Just like here Bhagavan says, mayy asakta-manah partha yogam. This is a yoga. Similarly, this yoga system was spoken to the sun-god. Mayy asakta-manah..., yogam, what is that?
Pusta-krsna: Imam vivasvate...

Prabhupada: Imam vivasvate yogam [Bg. 4.1]. Imam yogam, the same thing as Krsna is speaking to Arjuna, the same thing was spoken to sun-god. Imam vivasvate. Vivasvate: "unto Vivasvan." Vivasvan. The president of the sun planet is known as Vivasvan. His name is given. Just like we know who is the president of United States or India, similarly, those who are advanced in knowledge, they know who is the predominating deity or president of that planet. That requires knowledge. So Krsna said that "I spoke to the sun-god, Vivasvan." So we cannot enter into the sun planet. That is not possible. It is so fiery. Temperature is so high. But Krsna can go. Otherwise how Krsna went and spoke to the sun-god? It is stated. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is. We do not interpret the meaning that "Krsna, not this Krsna, that...," and all, so many nonsense things. No. Simple meaning is that if Krsna instructed the sun-god, Vivasvan, then He went there as He comes here. That is natural conclusion. And because He entered the sun planet and He did not burn down into ashes, therefore His body is different. Because if we go, if we enter such high temperature, immediately we are finished. What to say about speaking.

So Krsna spoke. These are natural, as it is, conclusion. You cannot interpret. So therefore conclusion is: Krsna's body is different from us. One who does not know, rascal, he thinks that Krsna is like ourself. Krsna, how He can be like ourself? If He entered the sun planet and spoke to the president of the sun planet, then His body is different. Therefore Krsna says, avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam: [Bg. 9.11] "Because I look just like a human being, the rascal think of Me, I am an ordinary man." Therefore the conclusion is: one who thinks of Krsna as one of us, he is a fool, he is a rascal. Krsna's body is explained in the sastra, Vedic. What is that body? Sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah. Isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1].

ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhis
tabhir ya eva nija-rupataya kalabhih
goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhuto
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.37]

These are the Vedic information.

So Krsna has body, but not a body like us. That is stated in the Vedas. Apani-pado javano grahita pasyaty acaksuh. Pasyaty acaksuh. He has no eyes, but He sees. Then what is that seeing power? That means He has got a different type of eyes, but He has got His eyes. He is not nirakara, but not akara like us. His body is sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. Sat, cit, ananda. Sat means eternal, and cit means full of knowledge, and ananda means full of bliss. So His body is made of such qualities. Sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. Then you can compare your body. If we compare, if I think of my body, it is not sat. Sat means eternal. This body will be finished. So it is not sat. It is asat. Sat means which exists, and asat means which does not exist. Therefore, how you can say Krsna's body and my body is the same? No.

Then cit. Cit means knowledge, and our body is full of ignorance. We cannot understand knowledge. We have no knowledge immediately what is beyond this wall. If you ask me what is beyond this wall, then I will have to ask some of my disciples, "What is there beyond this wall?" Therefore it is not cit, not full of knowledge. But Krsna knows, He says in the Bha..., vedaham samatitani: "I know everything past, present, and future." When Arjuna enquired... Krsna, Arjuna, he is also playing just like Krsna's friend. So he enquired for dissipation of the ignorance that "My dear Krsna, You are saying that You spoke this philosophy, Bhagavad-gita, formerly to the sun-god." Without asking Him, "How did You go? How did You return?" he simply asked that "Krsna, I know that You are my contemporary. We are of the same age. And how can I believe that millions and trillions of years ago You spoke to sun-god?" So the answer was that "My dear Arjuna, at that time because you are My friend, you were also there, but you have forgotten. I have not forgotten." Therefore He is full of knowledge. We cannot say what we did in our childhood. We have forgotten. This is one of our qualification, forgetfulness. But Krsna says that "You have forgotten. Because you are living being, your nature is to forget. But because I am the Supreme Lord, I have not forgotten." Therefore His knowledge is perfect.

And then ananda. Ananda means pleasure, blissfulness. He is always... Krsna, while He was present on this planet, He showed how to dance with the gopis. He was always full of ananda. Here we have got Krsna. He is ananda-murti. He is not nirananda, without blissfulness. He is always with His consort, Srimati Radharani. And He is playing flute and Radharani is dancing. This is ananda. So where is our ananda? We imitate Krsna, but we are not able to enjoy because we are in this material body. In this way from Bhagavad-gita, if we study Bhagavad-gita nicely, then we can understand what is God. Otherwise you can go on speculating for millions of years or for many, many births, you cannot understand what is God. There are so many societies, theological societies, this, theosophical societies, but what do they know about God? They do not know, neither can know. It is not possible, because they are thinking with their imperfect senses? How you can have the idea of the perfect, of the unlimited, by your imperfect speculation? That is not possible.

Therefore the sastra says, athapi te deva padambuja-dvaya-prasada-lesanugrhita eva hi, janati tattvam. Tattva means the Absolute Truth. "You are Absolute Truth. Who can understand the Absolute Truth without Your mercy?" Therefore Krsna is merciful to Arjuna, and therefore He said... Sri bhagavan uvaca, mayy asakta-manah partha: "My dear Arjuna, if you simply concentrate or meditate upon Me, Krsna..." Mayy asakta. Mayi asakta. Mayi means "unto Me, Krsna." Mayy asakta-manah, "Those who are attached to Me, that is perfect yoga." That is yoga. The yogis... You have heard the names of so many yogis, meditation. The meditation is good, but most of them do not know what is meditation. Most of them. How? Now, they do not meditate upon Krsna. Meditation means to fix up one's mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. First of all they do not know who is the Personality of Godhead. But the yoga practice, according to sastra, is that. Here it is: mayy asakta-manah partha yogam. This is yoga. In other Vedic literature that is also stated, the same thing. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1]. Yogi means who meditates. It is the business of the yogis to meditate. But if you do not know upon whom to meditate, then what is the meaning of your yoga? Therefore I have seen practically in America. There are so many yoga societies. They close their eyes, and I do not know what they are meditating, but I have seen, they are snoring. (laughter) And what they will do? (makes snoring sound) (laughter) This is yoga system. So don't be misled by these bluffers' yoga system. Don't be misled. Here is yoga, Krsna, because yoga means to meditate upon the Supreme, dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa, mind fully absorbed, and they see Krsna or Narayana, the same thing. So

yam brahma varunendra-rudra-marutah stunvanti divyaih stavair
vedaih sanga-pada-kramopanisadair gayanti yam sama-gah
dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yogino
yasyantam na viduh surasura-gana devaya tasmai namah

This is Vedic mantra. So yoga means to think of Krsna. That is yoga. So it is also confirmed in the Sixth Chapter. We are reading Seventh Chapter. Krsna says... Krsna taught Arjuna how to practice yoga. Then He concluded His teaching on the yoga that,

yoginam api sarvesam
mad-gatenantar-atmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo mam
sa me yuktatamo matah
[Bg. 6.47]

Who is the first-class yogi? There are many different types of yogi. But who is the topmost yogi? Yoginam api sarvesam. Who is that? Mad-gatena antar-atmana: "One who is thinking of Me always." That is perfect yoga. So that statement, that "One who is thinking of Me always, he is perfect yogi," so that is now being explained. It is the conclusion of the Sixth Chapter, and in Seventh Chapter Krsna explains how you can think of Krsna twenty-four hours. This is being explained. Therefore He says, mayy asakta-manah partha. How you can think of somebody else unless you are very much attached to him? Just like a boy is attached to some girl or a girl is attached to some... That is natural. So when he becomes too much attached, he always or she thinks always. Otherwise it is not possible. To come to this attachment platform you have to learn how to love Krsna. Otherwise how it is possible? Unless you love somebody, how can you think of him twenty-four hours? That is not possible.

So this mayy asakta, Krsna is summarily... But the acaryas, they have defined how we can... We have got attachment. Every one of us got this propensity or the quality of attachment to others. The wife is attached to husband; husband is attached to wife. The son is attached to the father; father is attached to the son. Everyone. That attached you increase, then to your family, to your community, to your society, to your country, to your nation. The attachment is there. You cannot say that "I have no attachment for anything." That is not possible. When... Sannyasi. Sannyasi mean sat nyasi. One who has given up attachment for this false material world... That is the philosophy of Sankaracarya. He says, brahma satyam jagan mithya. Therefore he is advising that "You have got attachment for this material world. This is false." Brahma satyam. Jagan mithya. He simply explains the negative side. But brahma satyam: "Brahman, the Supreme Absolute Truth, is truth." So attachment for that. You cannot give up the attachment spirit, but you have to change the attachment. That is freedom. We have got so many attachments for this material world. You have to transfer that attachment for Krsna. Therefore Krsna says mayy asakta-manah partha. He doesn't say that "You give up your attachment." How you can give up your attachment? That is not possible. He says, "Just transfer the attachment to Me."

So all of a sudden to transfer the attachment to Krsna and give up our all attachment for this material world, that is called renounced order of life. But Krsna says, "You do this," but it is not so easy. It is not so easy. Therefore we have to go to the person... Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. This is the sast..., Vedic injunction, that in order to learn that art, how to transfer your attachment to Krsna, you must approach to guru. He will teach you. So this Krsna consciousness movement means that we are teaching people how to give up this material attachment and become attached to Krsna. Attachment cannot be given up. That is not possible. Attachment should be purified. That is wanted. That is... Therefore the bhakti definition is, given by Narada Muni,

sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate
[Cc. Madhya 19.170]

Now, our attachment is on account of these designation. What is that designation? "I am American," "I am Englishman," "I am Indian." These are all designation because the soul is neither Indian nor American nor this nor that. Soul is pure. Pure spirit soul. These are material designation, according to the body. So if we become purified, sarva upadhi-vinirmuktam, that is called mukti. Mukti, the definition of mukti, means hitva anyatha rupam svarupena vyavasthitih. Because we are staying at the present moment in this material state, we have got so many material attachments. That is, we are staying in a different way. We are living in the bodily concept of life, and in relationship with this body we have got so many different attachments. So mukti means when you do not stay in the bodily concept of life, you stay in your original state of life, that is called mukti. Mukti does not means that one has to acquire so many hands, so many legs. No. It is the change of consciousness. That is mukti.

Just like Arjuna did. He was conscious... In the beginning of the fight he was conscious of his relatives, of his family, means bodily. But when he understood Bhagavad-gita from Krsna, he said, "Yes," karisye vacanam tava [Bg. 18.73]. In the beginning he denied to fight, but when he understood Bhagavad-gita, he agreed, "Yes, I shall fight." Karisye vacanam tava. "I am now full conscious." Nasto mohah: "This attachment, bodily attachment, is now finished. Krsna, it is now finished." Nasto mohah smrtir labdha. Because we forgot, I have already said that we are forgetful. This is our another nature. "Now my forgetfulness is gone," tvat-prasadat, "by Your mercy. You have taught me Bhagavad-gita, so by Your mercy my two things -- that bodily attachment and misconception of life -- is now gone. Now I know that I am Your servant. I am Your eternal servant, and it is my duty to carry out Your order. Therefore I agree." Karisye vacanam tava [Bg. 18.73]. "I shall now execute. You want me to fight, no consideration of my relatives or family. I shall fight with them." This is the conclusion of Arjuna.

So similarly, if you want actual life, this is a... This is a bhrama, or mithya life, this material concept of life, that "I am this body, and this family is mine, this country is mine, the community is mine. I have got to do for my family, I have got to do this, I have to got...," so many. This is due to attachment, and this is all false attachment. Therefore we have to transfer the attachment to Krsna. That is called mayy asakta-manah partha. This is yoga system, how to transfer this attachment to attachment to Krsna. This is called bhakti-yoga. And this is the first-class yoga. (aside:) You sit down there or stand there. Mayy asakta-manah partha. This is to be practiced. This yoga should be practiced, how to increase attachment for Krsna. Mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan.

You have to practice this yoga. How? Mad-asrayah: "Under Me. Or under My representative." Mad-asrayah. Mat means "Me," and asrayah means "taking shelter of." So either... But if you say, "Where is Krsna?" No. Mad-asrayah means another thing: "One who has taken of My shelter." That is devotee, mad-asrayah. So either you take... That is not possible because Krsna is not here present. He is present, but we have no eyes to see. Although He is present here in this Deity, He is present here, but because we have no eyes to see, we are thinking, "This is made of stone," and some rascal will say that "They are going to see some stone." Because we have no eyes to see. So we have to learn the art, how to see Krsna, how to see Krsna. So that practice, mad-asrayah, if we want to learn this art, we have to take the shelter of the Gosvamis or the devotees.

So Rupa Gosvami says how this asakti can be increased. He gives formula. Mad-asrayah. Krsna said, "Either you take shelter of Me directly or to a person who has taken shelter of Me." Just like electric power. Electric house, powerhouse, may be long away, but if the electricity is coming through some wire, and if you touch, immediately you will..., immediately in touch with the powerhouse. So either you touch the powerhouse or an wire, insig..., who is empowered by the powerhouse, you touch, you get the electricity. This is called parampara system. Mad-asrayah. Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2], yogo nastah paran... These are all explained. So mad-asrayah. As soon as we... Because Krsna is not visible at the present moment. He is visible, but we cannot see. So we take asrayah, shelter of His devotee. Therefore Srila Rupa Gosvami gives his formula how to become attached to Krsna. First he says, adau sraddha. First of all, faith, the beginning. Just like you have come very kindly to this temple with some faith that "Here is the Krsna consciousness movement. Let us go there and see what they are doing," out of inquisitiveness or something. So this is little faith. Now you have to increase this faith. This is required. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. How you can increase the faith? Those who are actually engaged in Krsna consciousness, in devotional service, associate with them. Don't think that at home you will be perfect. That is not possible. At home there is no such facilities. Here you will get the facilities. Here the devotees, they are actually following the instruction of mad-asrayah, one who has taken the shelter. They are rising early in the morning. And at home you will think, "Oh, what is early in the morning?" (laughter) "Let me enjoy sleep."

So there is no such facilities at home. Therefore this institution is started. If you are serious about Krsna consciousness, if you are serious about increasing attachment for Krsna, then you should come and live with the devotees. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. And atha bhajana-kriya. The sadhu-sanga... Now they are chanting, they are having mangala-arati, they are decorating the Deity, and so many things. Everyone who will associate, you will see. And then he will be inclined to be initiated. This is our practical experience. They will submit, "Please let me be initiated." This is called bhajana-kriya. Bhajana-kriya means if he is serious about bhajana-kriya, how to worship, then anartha-nivrttih syat. Anartha means we have learned so many nonsense things. They can be summarized in four items: illicit sex, intoxication, gambling, and meat-eating. So anartha-nivrttih syat. If you accept bhajana-kriya, the activities of devotional service, then these things will be vanished. Then, when you are purified, as I have said, that sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170], when he is free from all these material bad habits, he is mukta. He is liberated. Then adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya, tato 'nartha-nivrt..., tato nistha. Then your faith... Beginning was the faith. This faith becomes established. You can... Nobody can move you. Tato nistha. Tato rucih. Then you get some taste, how Krsna consciousness is sweet. Tato nistha rucis tatah, athasaktih. Then attachment. Unless you get taste, how you can be attached to Krsna?

So these are the processes. So Krsna is saying, summarized. They are explained by the mad-asrayah, those who are devotees. So in this way we have to increase our attachment for Krsna. And when we increase our attachment for Krsna, then Krsna says, asamsayam samagram mam yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu [Bg. 7.1]. Now everyone has got some doubt, whether there is God or not, whether God is person or imperson, whether He is something... He has no idea. In any religion you take, ask him, "What do you know about God?" That he cannot explain. Because he is not in the platform, how he can be understand God? That is not possible. It is not... But we are confident what is God, what is His father's name, what is His name, what is His address, everything. No samsaya, no doubt. Everything complete. Asamsayam. We are confident that we are going to Krsna, back to home, back to Godhead. There is no doubt, asamsayam and samagram. Sama means full. What is God meant? Asamsayam... (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 7.1 -- London, March 9, 1975

"Beauty Of Brahminical Culture"

71/08/04 London, Bhagavad-gita 7.1-3


Prabhupada:

om ajnana-timirandhasya jnananjana-salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena tasmai sri-gurave-namah

sri-caitanya-mano-'bhistam sthapitam yena bhu-tale
svayam rupah kada mahyam dadati sva-padantikam

vande 'ham sri-guroh sri-yuta-pada-kamalam sri-gurun vaisnavams ca
sri-rupam sagrajatam saha-gana-raghunathanvitam tam sa-jivam
sadvaitam savadhutam parijana-sahitam krsna-caitanya-devam
sri-radha-krsna-padan saha-gana-lalita-sri-visakhanvitams ca

You can take. All right.

he krsna karuna-sindho dina-bandho jagat-pate
gopesa gopika-kanta radha-kanta namo 'stu te

tapta-kancana-gaurangi radhe vrndavanesvari
vrsabhanu-sute devi pranamami hari-priye

vancha-kalpatarubhyas ca krpa-sindhubhya eva ca
patitanam pavanebhyo vaisnavebhyo namo namah

mayy asakta-manah partha
yogam yunjan mad-asrayah
asamsayam samagram mam
yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu
[Bg. 7.1]

Krsna is speaking to Arjuna that mayy asakta-manah, "You have to train your mind to become attached to Me, Krsna." Actually, that is yoga system. Our mind... Mind has got two business: something accepting and rejecting. That's all. So we have to train our mind in such a way that we become simply attached to Krsna. That is called mayy asakta-manah. Mayi, "unto Me," asakta, "attachment"; manah, "mind." Mayy asakta-manah partha, "My dear Arjuna, you just become one of the persons who are attached to Me." Mayy asakta-manah partha yogam... This is the yoga. Yunjan. "If you execute this yoga..." Mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. "This yoga can be practiced by taking shelter of Me or My representative." Not alone. Therefore Krsna says, mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. Asrayah means shelter. Krsna says mat. Mat means "Me."

So either you take shelter of Krsna or you take shelter of a bona fide representative of Krsna. Just like if you do a business, either you transact a business in agreement with the proprietor or the proprietor's representative, the business is all right. If the representative of the firm signs that agreement, then even the proprietor does not know, it will be accepted as bona fide agreement. Is it not? So even though you cannot see eye to eye Krsna, you can execute this yoga system, Krsna consciousness, through the agency of His bona fide representative. Mayy asakta-manah partha. And how it is? Asamsayam. Asamsayam samagram mam [Bg. 7.1]. "By practicing that yoga, you will understand Me, or God," asamsayam, "without any doubt." Asamsayam samagram, "and in full." Not that partially. Yatha jnasyasi, "as you can understand"; tac chrnu, "now hear attentively." Krsna is beginning to speak to Arjuna about this bhakti-yoga system, and He's drawing attention, srnu, "Please hear attentively."

Yesterday there was a question. Somebody -- I do not know whether the gentleman is present here -- "Whether you have seen God, or Krsna." Not only me, everyone has seen Krsna. Everyone has seen Krsna. Krsna... It's not that... You can see Krsna in this form. He is playing flute and enjoying with Radharani. That is His natural picture or natural form. But He has got multi other forms also. If you are not fortunate enough to understand this form, then you can turn your attention to other, many other forms, and you can see Krsna. Actually, we cannot see spirit. Spirit soul even we cannot see. The modern advancement of science, they cannot see even the particle of the spirit. They have no power. Just like I am, you are, we are all spirit souls. We are in this body, but the medical science after dissection of the body cannot find out where is the spirit soul. But there is. That's a fact. But you have no instrument or power to see it. In spite of your advancement of so many scientific instruments, you cannot see. Therefore in the sastra it is said, atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [BRS. 1.2.234]. Our, these senses are so imperfect that we cannot perceive even what is spirit soul. We cannot see. That's a fact. And we cannot... It is very difficult to perceive also. But you can see also, you can perceive also, by accepting a certain method.

That method is called yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. "You have to practice this yoga system under My shelter or My representative's shelter. Then you can understand samagram, fully, completely; asamsayam, without any doubt." That you have to practice. And that is, that practice is also not very difficult. Simply one should be serious that "I want to see God." Everyone is seeing God, but he does not know that he's seeing God. That is maya. There are so many examples. Just like you can... Although you are in this room, you can know that sun is not yet set because you can see your watch and you can understand the sunset time is not yet there. So you can understand perfectly that there is sun in the sky. It is a method. Similarly, you can understand God is there. You have to accept the method. If you accept... That method is recommended here: yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. "You have to practice this yoga system under the shelter of Me." "Me" means... Just like the same example, a business firm signs "We." "We agree to this point." The manager signs, the proprietor signs, he says "We," means "We, the company, any one of us." Similarly, when Krsna says mad-asrayah, "under My shelter," it means that taking shelter of Krsna or anyone in the disciplic succession of Krsna. The same example: anyone attached to that business transaction, he's as good as the proprietor or the manager.

So Krsna says, jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam... The yoga system... Yoga system is a type of knowledge. Jnanam. Jnanam means knowledge. Jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam idam vaksyamy asesatah. "I'm just trying to explain the knowledge, or the devotional knowledge, or the yoga system, by which you can understand Me perfectly. That I am speaking to you in full knowledge." Jnanam, and sa-vijnanam, "with scientific knowledge." Not that bogus knowledge. Sa-vijnanam. Vijnanam means science. With scientific knowledge. Now, modern days, people are advanced. They like to talk on scientific basis. And here is the Krsna's statement: sa-vijnanam, "with scientific knowledge." Vaksyamy asesatah: "And I shall explain," asesatah, "in full explanation, without any reservation." Not that summarily I say something, you do not follow, you do not understand, I finish. No. "I shall fully explain," asesatah. Yaj jnatva, "And if you fortunately can understand," yaj jnatva neha bhuyo 'nyaj jnatavyam avasisyate, "if you understand this science, then you finish your process of acquiring knowledge."

Every one of us acquiring knowledge. That is called experience, one after another. So Krsna says that "If you understand this science," sa-vijnanam, "then your knowledge will be complete. You have nothing to hanker after any further knowledge. Knowledge is complete." That is also Vedic injunction. Kasmin tu bhagavo vijnate sarvam idam vijnatam bhavati. Kasmin vijnate, if you can understand the supreme knowledge, the Supreme, then sarvam idam vijnatam bhavati, everything becomes known to you. Just like in arithmetic, if you simply learn 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, then you learned all the arithmetic process. Because in the arithmetic there is nothing but 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6... That's all. Whatever you see, big, big calculation, that is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9... That's all. Similarly, if you simply understand Krsna, then you'll see the whole arithmetic, whole world, whole universe is full of Krsna consciousness. That's all. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita you'll see that bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. When actually one becomes wise, full of wisdom, jnanavan... How? After many, many births of speculation and calculation, when he actually becomes... Just like the same example. A very expert mathematician, he sees the whole mathematic, arithmetic is full of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6... That's all. So actually when one is in knowledge, then he can see Krsna everywhere. Not that... Those who are in the lowest stage, they think that Krsna is here in the temple and not anywhere else. That is the lowest stage of understanding Krsna. But the highest stage of understanding Krsna: the Krsna conscious person sees everywhere Krsna, even within the atom. Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham. Krsna can be found within this universe, in everyone, as well as in the atoms also, within the atoms. Samagram.

But this knowledge is little difficult. Therefore Krsna says, manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]. Out of many millions of human beings, one becomes interested in Krsna consciousness, or God consciousness. When I speak "Krsna," you should understand "God." So Krsna says manusyanam sahasresu. Sahasresu is plural number, means among thousands and thousands of men, millions and thousands of men, one become interested. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye. Siddhaye means perfection. Perfection of life. One should be very cool-headed. The distinction -- the human being and animal -- the animal does not know what is perfection of life. They are simply interested with four principles of bodily necessities: eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. That's all. They have no other inquiries, "What is the perfection?" That means that is not possible in that body. In that animal body, cat's and dog's or hog's or elephant, very big body, or tiger, very powerful body, but they cannot inquire what is the perfection of life. That inquiry is possible in the human form of life. The tiger has got body and a man has got body. Tiger may be very powerful, a man may be very weak, but there is a great distinction between the tiger and the man. Because tiger, becoming so powerful, he has no power to understand what he is or what is the perfection of life. But a human being, although he may be very feeble and very weak than the tiger, he has got the developed consciousness to understand what is perfection of life and what he is. That is the distinction.

So people are trying to be like tiger. In India, a certain section of people, the Muhammadans, they say that "We want to be like sera." Sera means tiger. And more or less in the Western countries also, everyone is trying to become a tiger, very powerful. But one should be very cool-headed. A tiger is very powerful; a tiger can attack anyone and kill him. That is very good, but what is the use of tiger? Nobody is interested in tiger. Rather, if the tiger comes within the city, immediately it will be shot down. Because it has no use. But a humble, meek cow... Of course, here there is no protection of cow, but in India the cow is protected. It is the duty of the human being to give protection to the cow.

Just like we offer Krsna our obeisances: namo brahmanya-devaya go-brahmana-hitaya ca: "Krsna, You are worshipable by the brahminical culture, brahmanya-devaya," not by others, "because You are go-brahmana-hitaya ca, You are well-wisher of the cows and the brahmanas." Why Krsna is not said tiger? Why this prayer is devoid of tiger? Hitaya ca, Krsna is always, I mean to say, thinking how to protect the cows and the brahmanas. When Krsna appeared on this planet He became a cowherd boy to give protection to the cows. He was tending cows by His personal example. You will read in the Krsna book how He was taking care of the cows. Therefore go-brahmana-hitaya ca. The first prayer is that "You are protector of the cows and the brahmanas." Jagad-dhitaya. "You are well-wisher of the whole universe, but Your special interest is to give protection to the cows and the brahmanas." Why that special interest? Because if the human society does not give protection to the cows and does not cultivate the brahminical culture, then it is cats and dogs society. Therefore it is given. And as soon as the whole society becomes full of cats and dogs, how can you expect peace and prosperity? The dog's business is "Gow gow gow gow! Why you have come here? Why you have entered in our neighborhood? Please get out. Please get out." Not "Please." "Get out." (laughter)

So we are..., we have cultivated a nice human society that there are all, I mean to say, what is called? Dogs. The immigration department: "Why you have come here? How!" (laughter) "Yes, sir, I have come here not to harm you. I have to speak something nice thing." "How long you shall stay?" (laughter) "Oh, not more than one month." "All right." (laughter) So immediately watchdog. In every house, "Beware of dog." "Don't enter. Beware of dog." This is human civilization. You see. You cannot enter anyone's house, you cannot enter anyone's country. And if you do... This means this want of this Krsna consciousness. But the Vedic culture says, grhe satrum api praptam visvastam akuto bhayam. Even if your enemy comes to your home, you should receive him in such a way that he'll forget that you are his enemy.

Devotees: Haribol. Jaya.

Prabhupada: Grhe satrum api praptam. Satrum means enemy. If you see that an enemy has come to your house, satrum api. Satru means enemy; api, although. You should receive him in such a way that he'll completely believe you that you are his enemy..., you are not his enemy. That was the system. In the Kuruksetra war, the two brothers, I mean to say, cousin-brothers are fighting. But after finishing the fighting there is no enmity. These people are going to their camp, they are coming, talking or taking lunch. Very friendly. Friendly. There was another fight between Bhima and Jarasandha. The whole day there was fighting. It was decided that one should be killed. That's a fact. The fighting between ksatriyas it will not end unless one of them is killed. That is ksatriya spirit. So they know... Bhima and Jarasandha knew it very well that this fighting is going on until one is dead, one of the belligerent parties. But at night Bhima is the guest of Jarasandha, eating together, talking friendly. This is brahminical culture. For duty's sake, for some cause, we may fight. That's all right. But that does not mean we shall remain inimical always. Grhe satrum api praptam visvastam akuto bhayam.

There is another example. The fighting was going on between Arjuna and Duryodhana. So Duryodhana criticized the commander in chief, Bhima, Bhismadeva. "My dear grandfather, you are affectionate to the other parties, my other cousin-brothers; therefore you are not fighting very nicely." "Oh, you think like that, that I'm not fighting very nicely?" "Yes." Just to enthuse him. Yes. So he said, "All right. Tomorrow I shall kill all these five brothers. Is that all right?" "Yes, that's nice." "So I'll keep these five arrows reserved for killing these five brothers." So Duryodhana did not believe, that "He may miss these five arrows," but he said, "My dear grandfather, better I keep these five arrows with me. I shall deliver you tomorrow morning." "All right, you keep it." Krsna understood. Krsna is all-pervading. He immediately said Arjuna, "Tomorrow you are going to be killed. Be assured." Why? "Now this is the position." "Then what to do?" "Now, you go to Duryodhana and take away all those arrows. Otherwise you'll be killed." So Arjuna remembered that Duryodhana once promised -- Duryodhana was elderly, Arjuna is young, younger brother -- that "My dear brother, I promise, whatever you want I can give you." So Duryodhana said, "All right. I shall ask you some days later. Not now." So Arjuna thought, "Now this is the opportunity. I shall go and ask Duryodhana to give me those arrows." So Arjuna went to the other camp, and immediately Duryodhana received him as his brother: "My dear brother, you have come? What do you want? You want the kingdom without fighting? Therefore you have come? I can give you. I can stop this fighting if you want without fighting." No. Arjuna said, "No, I have come for some other purpose." "All right. Whatever you want, you can..." "Yes, you sometimes promised that whatever I want you will give me." "Yes, I am keeping my promise. What do you want?" He said, "Give me those five arrows." (laughter) "Yes." Immediately. This is ksatriya spirit. This is brahminical culture. "Yes, you take it. Go on."

Ramacandra was going to be enthroned and the stepmother said the same to Dasaratha Maharaja, that... They were stepmothers, Maharaja Dasaratha's three wives. So one wife wanted that her son should be king. So immediately she proposed that "Instead of Ramacandra, my son should be king." Maharaja Dasaratha said, "How it can be? It is already arranged. He is the eldest son." "No, you promised sometime that you will keep your promise and satisfy me. So this is my demand." "So what do you want?" "That Ramacandra should be banished immediately and my son should be enthroned." He agreed. He called Ramacandra, "This is the demand of Your stepmother. Kindly go to the forest for fourteen years, and Your stepbrother will be king." Ramacandra agreed immediately. "Yes, that's all right, father." This is brahminical culture. Is there any single instance in the history that a king which is going to be enthroned next morning and by the order of his father immediately he goes away to the forest? Therefore there is no harm that we make materially very much advanced, but not like cats and dogs. Take brahminical culture. Then it will be perfect, the whole society. Go-brahmana-hitaya ca jagad-dhitaya krsnaya govindaya... That brahminical culture can be established only by understanding Krsna. Without understanding Krsna, whatever we do, we shall remain simply animals. That's all.

So how the animals can be interested in Krsna? That is not possible. Therefore Krsna says, manusyanam sahasresu [Bg. 7.3]. "Out of many thousands of people." Just like we have started this movement, Krsna consciousness movement, in the Western countries for the last five years, but how many people have come to take to this Krsna consciousness movement? Not very many. We have got about three thousand followers. Therefore Krsna says that it is not attractive for everyone. But if one is attracted, his life is successful. His life is successful. Lord Caitanya also said the same thing. Brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva. There are many, innumerable living entities. They are wandering within this universe in different forms of body and different planets, transmigrating from one body to another, one planet to another. Ei rupe brahmanda, kona... Out of them, if one is fortunate enough to associate with a bona fide spiritual master and Krsna, his life is becomes successful.

ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija
[Cc. Madhya 19.151]

Bija means seed. As from the seed a big tree come out, similarly, if one is injected with this Krsna consciousness understanding, then, gradually, it will grow into a big tree. And when the fruits will be there, he'll enjoy life.

So although this Krsna consciousness, God consciousness, yoga system is very easy, still, Krsna says that

manusyanam sahasresu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam...
[Bg. 7.3]

Not only perfect... Perfection of human consciousness is there when one understands that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul." Aham brahmasmi. That is perfection. But if you study scrutinizingly so many men, every one is bodily conscious. In Moscow I was speaking with a great professor, Kotovsky. He's in charge of Indology department of the government. He said... Although I defeated him in argument, he said that "After finishing this body, everything is finished." Just see. No. The spiritual knowledge begins when one is perfectly aware that "After finishing this body, I am not finished." That is perfection. Not that those who are in this concept of life, that with the finishing of this body everything is finished. That is nonsense. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. Krsna teaches. Na jayate na mriyate va kadacin..., nityah sasvato 'yam purano na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. "This atma is never born and he never dies." Na jayate mriyate va. Nitya, eternal; sasvata, ever-existing, sasvata. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. "Don't think that because the body is finished, therefore he is finished. No." In another place Krsna says, tatha dehantara-praptih. As we are changing body from babyhood to childhood, childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youth-hood, youth-hood to grown-up and old age -- this is our practical experience, I have several times explained -- similarly, this old body, when I give it up, I shall accept another body. What is that body? That will be given to you by the laws of nature according to your mentality. As you create your mentality, yam yam vapi smaran loke, absorb your thought and mind at the time of death, then you are given a particular type of body, either in the womb of a human being or a cat or a dog or a demigod or a tree or so many.

There are 8,400,000's of species of life. If you want the body of a tiger, if you have exercised very nicely to become like a tigerlike strong, then God will give you next life to become a tiger, actual tiger. "Why tigerlike? Become a tiger. I give you all facility. Become a tiger." So what is the use of getting tiger's life? You know... Perhaps you all know, the tigers cannot get food every day. And naturally, if in the forest there is a tiger, the other animals, they are very careful. But when he's too much hungry God provides him one animal. Because God provides everyone's food, so tiger also must have food. Eko bahunam vidadhati kaman. That one Supreme is maintaining all these living entities. So tiger is also part and parcel of God, and he has got that body. So God is kind even upon the tiger, and what to speak of the devotees.

So this human form of life, Krsna is stressing on this point, that manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]. Out of many millions, at least at the present moment, nobody is interested to know what is the perfection of life. They think or one thinks that perfection of life means to enjoy the senses to the best capacity, and as soon as the body is finished, everything finished. Just like Professor Kotovsky told, with the body everything is finished. Therefore people are so much anxious to enjoy sensually because he knows as soon "As this body is finished, everything is finished. So let me enjoy." This is the misconception, or illusion, or maya. Body's not finished. You are creating another body. Karmana daiva-netrena. And you'll get another body, karmana, according to your karma. Therefore the intelligent person, bahunam janmanam ante... [Bg. 7.19]. That intelligence comes after many, many births. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan. One who is actually wise. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate. Krsna says, "He surrenders unto Me." Why? How he...? Because he's wise. How he's wise? Because he knows, vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19]. He understands that Krsna is everything. Not that he's falsely surrendering. He knows that Krsna is everything. Aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. Krsna says also that "I am the root." Bijo 'ham sarva-bhutanam. "I am the root, I am the seed, of everything." Therefore, when one becomes actually wise, full of knowledge, then he surrenders to Krsna.

Now, intelligent persons, they will see this instruction of Krsna, "Krsna says..." That is our method. Our method of acquiring knowledge is to hear from the authority. That's all. Now, who can be better authority than Krsna? The Bhagavad-gita is a book of authority, is acknowledged in every part of the world. Not that simply Indians or Hindus are interested. Any scholar, any philosopher, throughout the whole world. Any religionist, any scientist. Even Professor Einstein, he was interested in Bhagavad-gita. He was reading it daily. So wise man means one who understands Krsna. So our formula is if one is not God conscious, or Krsna conscious, we immediately reject him. We immediately accept that he has no qualification. Harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-gunah. One cannot be qualified unless he is God conscious. His all qualities immediately become rejected. "Why? He has passed M.A., Ph.D. and D.A.C., and he's honored..." That's all right, but in spite of all his education, he will create simply havoc in the world. That's all. Harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna mano-rathenasati dhavato bahih [SB 5.18.12]. Because he is hovering over the mental plane, he'll simply create havoc. His education will be utilized for his sense gratification, and he will not care for anything. Just like great scientists have discovered the atom bomb, by scientific research. What is the effect? Now by one drop you can kill many millions of people. That is his advancement of science. "Oh, why don't you create something that people will not die?" That is not... "I can assure death, but I cannot save death. That is not in my power." Then what kind of scientist you are? You create something, you create some medicine, that "Take this tablet and no death, no more, at least, no disease." That is not possible. There is disease, development of different kinds of disease, and they are discovering different kinds of medicine. That is a struggle. That is not scientific improvement. There is one problem before you, and you are creating some antidote. That's all. This is struggle, struggle for existence. This is not scientific advancement.

But how one can be stopped from repetition of birth and death? That is here in the Bhagavad-gita. What is that? Krsna says, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. You try to understand Krsna only, what is Krsna. Janma karma yo janati tattvatah, anyone who knows in truth, not superficially: "Oh, Krsna I know. In the Seven..., there is a place. They have got an idol of Krsna. They are worshiping. I know everything about Krsna." Not like that. Try to understand Krsna, what He is. He is Krsna undoubtedly, but people want to know actually what is Krsna. That we are open. So if one simply understands what is Krsna, the result is tyaktva deham punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. Simply by understanding Krsna, there is no more taking birth. Punar janma. If you take birth, then there is death. If you stop your birth, then you can stop your death also. Because birth and death is in relationship with this body. If you don't have a material body, then there is no question of birth, death, old age and disease.

So this is the process of Krsna consciousness. People should be interested by hearing the words of Krsna. That is intelligence. Krsna says that "In this way you can stop your birth and death process." So why don't you do that? Why you are after so many things? If you simply try to understand Krsna and if you perfectly understand, then immediately you can stop your birth and death process. You are eternal. That is intelligence. That is intelligence. Just like Krsna says, "After many, many births, one comes to this conclusion that Krsna is everything." So why shall I wait for another many births? Why not accept Krsna as everything? This is intelligence. Krsna is saying, He's not bluffing. So why not take Krsna's word as truth and immediately, mam prapadyate, immediately surrender? "Krsna, I do not know anything. I simply surrender unto You. Please protect me." That's all. Finish business. Very simple thing, this Krsna consciousness movement. Everyone can take. Doesn't require to become very highly, scientist, philosopher and something like that. Simply accept Krsna's words and see the result. And the result is happening also. Those who are accepting Krsna in that way and trying their best to please Krsna with this human form of life, how much they are happy, how they are enjoying life.

So this is practical. So our request is that everyone should try to understand the Krsna consciousness movement and be happy. Thank you very much. [break] Yes. Yes. What is that?

Guest (1): Why does Krsna expanded Himself as maya?

Prabhupada: Krsna has not extended maya. You wanted maya, therefore He has given the facility to enjoy maya. Just like the government creates the prison department. It is not the government's desire that "There must be some prisoners." But you are criminal, therefore there must be prisonhouse. So you create the prisonhouse, not the government. Government creates university. "Come there, take education." Maya is created by you. As soon as you forget Krsna, the maya is there. Just like there is sunshine and darkness, side by side. If you want to keep yourself in the sunshine, there is no darkness. But if you voluntarily come to the darkness, what the sun will do? Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. "You surrender to Krsna." But why don't you do it? That is maya. It is up to you. Therefore you create maya. Krsna does not create. A man is hanged. Does it mean that the high court judge who orders that "This man should be hanged," the high court judge is enemy of that man he's hanging? No. He has created his situation that he should be hanged. God is very kind to everyone, but we have created situation so that we suffer. Karmana daiva-netrena -- by our own work and under the supervision of the Supreme. Just like in the state you create some criminal activity. Under the supervision of the government you are punished. All right. [break]

Guest (2): How do you recognize someone who has already a family and he's working and who wants to progress in Krsna consciousness? Is he, does he have to give up his job and shave his hair and wear robes?

Prabhupada: No, no. No, never. Simply you have to see, what you are doing, by such action Krsna is satisfied. That's all. You can do anything. The test is... That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam,

atah pumbhir dvija-srestha
varnasrama-vibhagasah
svanusthitasya dharmasya
samsiddhir hari-tosanam
[SB 1.2.13]

The example is... Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was a warrior, fighter. So when he proposed that "I shall not fight. They are my brothers, my grandfathers, my nephews," that was his proposal. Krsna said, "Wherefrom you got this nonsense idea? You are in the warfield and are denying to fight." That means by his nice proposal that "I shall not fight," Krsna was not pleased. But after understanding Bhagavad-gita, when he saw that "Krsna wants this fight," "Yes. Karisye vacanam tava [Bg. 18.73]." That is perfection. So he remained a warrior and still he became perfect. So everyone can remain in his own occupation, varnasrama-vibhagasah, but one has to see that whether Krsna is satisfied. Then whatever he is doing, that is perfect. That is Krsna conscious.

Guest (3): Is it possible for any entity to do something until the Lord hears him?

Prabhupada: Yes. God sanctions, but you desire. "Man proposes, God disposes." Whatever you desire, if you insist, God will sanction. And without His sanction you cannot do. Therefore your doing something is dependent on God's sanction. But you desire something out of your own will. You are not a stone. You are a living entity. So you can desire anything. Krsna conscious, they do not do anything without Krsna's sanction.

Guest (3): The Krsna consciousness say, you cannot do anything unless the Lord desires it.

Prabhupada: Yes. Not God desires. God sanctions. Don't say like that. Desire is yours, but sanction is God's. Just like you want to do some business. You must take sanction from the government. You take license. You cannot do out of your own will. Similarly, you can desire and propose, "God, I want to do this," and God will sanction. So those who are not Krsna conscious, they want. "I want this. I want this. I want this. I want this." Krsna says, "All right. Take this." But Krsna says that "You give up all this nonsense," that we do not take. Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam: [Bg. 18.66] "Simply take Me." But that we do not do. We ask Krsna, "Please let me do this." "All right, do it." Yathecchasi tatha kuru. Krsna inquires from Arjuna after teaching him Bhagavad-gita, "Now I have spoken to you everything. What you want to do, you can do." That is Krsna's proposal. Krsna says that best thing is that you simply take to Krsna. But Krsna 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 Krsna'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?

Guest (4): (indistinct)

Prabhupada: I cannot hear him.

Devotee: Is desire, desire is due to the material contamination, or is it...?

Prabhupada: Yes. Desire is according to association. You mix with the drunkards, you'll desire to drink. And you mix with us, you'll desire to worship Krsna. Therefore we are giving you facility. You associate with us and desire only Krsna. That's all. Yes.
Indian man: But why there is so..., there is duality in this world?

Prabhupada: There is no duality. There is one, Krsna. But you have created duality. That is maya. When you forget Krsna, that is duality. When you think that there is something else other than Krsna, that is duality. So people are not coming to Krsna consciousness, that is duality. They are thinking that "We can be happy without Krsna." That is duality. If they know it perfectly well that "Krsna is one, and therefore my interest is with Krsna. My interest should not be different from Krsna's interest," that is oneness. Just like in a family the head is the father. So if anyone acts according to the head of the family, there is no duality. If some of the members says, "No. I'll act like this," there is duality. So if every one acts according to the desire of Krsna, there is no duality. There is oneness. But we don't act; therefore there is duality. Therefore duality is maya. So you have question? All right.

Guest: (indistinct)

Devotee: If you must have a spiritual body in order to go back home, she asks, is it only with this Hare Krsna mantra and by taking prasada that we achieve that body?

Prabhupada: Oh, yes.

Devotees: Haribol! Jaya! Haribol!

Prabhupada: You chant Hare Krsna and eat nice krsna-prasadam, you go back to home. Rest assured.

Devotees: Jaya, Prabhupada!

Prabhupada: That's all right. It is so nice. And don't you feel how you are becoming nicer and nicer? Practically. The news reporter... One lady in Philadelphia, she saw our students and she was surprised. She inquired, "Are you Americans?" So we are creating such devotees that people are becoming surprised how this is possible. Yes, it is possible by Krsna consciousness. It is simple method. Simply chant Hare Krsna and take Krsna prasada. That's all. Don't require any education, philosophical theorizing. Simply do these two business, chant Hare Krsna and take krsna-prasada. And our temple is open for that. Everyone. No fee. No charge. So why do you lose this opportunity? Yes?

Guest (4): Why do some people want to approach Krsna in hatred?

Prabhupada: What is that?

Syamasundara: Why is that some people want to approach Krsna in hatred?

Prabhupada: Because... Hatred? That is always. Not today. Every day. When Krsna was born, there was a Kamsa who was planning how to kill Krsna. When Krsna was born, you know that? So Krsna... To kill Krsna... There is a section of men who want to kill Krsna always. They are called demons, or raksasas. So the raksasas... More or less, everyone in this material world are demons. But those who are intelligent, from this demonic life they come to Krsna consciousness. Others who do not come God consciousness, they remain demons, and their business is just like Kamsa, Ravana, simply making plan how to kill God or kill Krsna. That's all. "There is no God." That is their propaganda. "I am God." That's all. So these demonic elements are always there. You have to do your own business. That's all.

Guest (5): Why is there soul and Supersoul in the body when soul is part and parcel of Krsna?

Prabhupada: Not why. It is always there, soul and Supersoul. There is no question of why. But soul and Supersoul, they are qualitatively one. Just like you have got your body. If you say, "Why there is hand?" so how can I answer? As soon as there is body, there is hand, there is a leg, there is a mouth. That is the creation. The creation is like that. There is soul and Supersoul. Just like you have got the whole body, and there are parts and parcels of the body, the limbs of the body. That is the beauty of the body. If you simply keep a lump of body it is not beautiful. Therefore the body should be nicely constructed, and there must be different parts and parcels of body. There is a design. But if simply there is soul, super, and there is no under soul, then how Krsna becomes anandamaya? About the Absolute Truth in the Vedanta-sutra it is said anandamayo 'bhyasat. "The Absolute Truth is full of bliss." So in order to enjoy bliss there must be Supersoul and under soul. Otherwise it is not blissful. Is it clear? Yes. There must be. Yes.

Indian man (2): Swamiji, in India, among the Bengali societies, many people worship demigods and demigoddesses. Now...

Prabhupada: They have been explained in the Bhagavad-gita as lost of intelligence. Kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah yajante anya-devatah [Bg. 7.20]. One who does not worship the Supreme Lord, but worships demigods or his officer in the office, his boss in the office, like that, but reject God, that person is considered as less intelligent.

Indian man (2): How they can become God conscious?

Prabhupada: By taking to Krsna consciousness. This is... Therefore this movement. This movement is to make everyone... Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan [Bg. 7.19]. They have suffered under misconception many, many births, and here is the opportunity that they can stop their birth and death process and take to Krsna consciousness and go back to home. That's all.

Indian man (2): Does that means they should not worship these demigods and goddesses?

Prabhupada: Yes, there is no need.

Indian man (2): Sarasvati and Laksmi and...

Prabhupada: There is no need. Just like here. Take practical example. They are not worshiping demigods. How they are advancing. You see practically. And what the Sarasvati worshiper has advanced? They fight simply. During the martial (?) ceremony in Calcutta... So what is benefit? You should judge by the result, not by sophisticated ideas. There is no necessity. Therefore our acarya Narottama dasa Thakura says that you haven't got to take shelter of any other demigods. Why? If Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, if He is all powerful, then even if you want something from Krsna, do you think that Krsna is unable to deliver to you? Why should you go to demigods? That is also described in the Bhagavad-gita. Antavat tu phalam tesam tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam. The benefit derived from the demigods, that is temporary. But rascals who have got less substance of brain, they are after that. It is clearly said. Antavat tu phalam tesam tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam. Alpa-medhasam means one who has got brain substance very little, they are attracted by all these things. They are meant for third-class, fourth-class men. Because they will not worship God, "All right you worship these demigods. At least, you try to worship something instead of becoming atheist." That is the process. But when one is actually intelligent, after many, many births, he should worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Indian man (3): Srila Prabhupada, Ramacandra also worshiped Durga.

Prabhupada: Well, Ramacandra also, I mean to say, constructed a bridge over the ocean. Can you do that? So why do you bring Ramacandra? He can do anything He likes. He's God. You cannot do. God is so kind, sometimes He worships His devotees.

Guest (6): What are the qualities of the holy name?

Prabhupada: Transcendental qualities. What is the question?

Syamasundara: What qualities is the holy name invested with?

Prabhupada: It is not clear. Holy name of God is God Himself. As in this material world there is difference between the name and the substance, in the holy name, as soon as you call holy name, that name is not different from the substance. Is it clear or not? First of all answer this.

Guest (6): I want a quote for each.(?)

Prabhupada: No, your first question was "What is this holy name?" First of all try to understand this. Then put another question. Don't disturb. First of all try to understand this question. Holy name means the name is nondifferent from the substance. Here if you become thirsty, you want water, the substance. If you simply chant "water, water, water," it will not act. But holy name means if you chant Hare Krsna, then you are associating with Krsna personally. That is holy name. Here the name is contaminated, whatever name you... But God's name, Krsna's name, is holy name. That is nondifferent from God. Otherwise, don't you see, they are chanting "Krsna." If Krsna name is not Krsna, how they are making advance in Krsna consciousness? They are associating with Krsna directly. That is the holy name.

Indian man (4): Prabhupada, is the best method to read Bhagavad-gita?

Prabhupada: To surrender to Krsna. You do not know this? You read Bhagavad-gita? You'll see that is the best method, to surrender to Krsna. That is the best method. What is the difficulty?

Indian man (5): Prabhupada, how can we (indistinct).

Prabhupada: That you have to practice and see.

Indian man (5): We can persuade my family to my religion. Instead of worshiping...

Prabhupada: First of all you persuade yourself; then you talk of your family and relatives. If you understand factually, then you will be able to convince others. But if you don't understand yourself, what is the use of talking family and friends? First of all you. Apani acari' prabhu jivera siksaya. First of all, you have to act accordingly; then you can teach others. And if you are not pure, if you indulge in all kinds of sinful activities and you talk of Bhagavad-gita, what will be effect? There will be no effect. This is going on. They are doing all nonsense, and talking of Bhagavad-gita. Therefore it is not effective. For last one thousand years Bhagavad-gita was known in the Western countries, but there was not a single krsna-bhakta. Because they did not act accordingly. Simply talked of Bhagavad-gita. That's all. Simply talking will not do. You have to behave as these people are, these boys and girls are behaving. Then you will understand Bhagavad-gita. Yes.

Guest (6): Can you explain about taking a spiritual body after death?

Prabhupada: After death you take another body. Do you understand it? Similarly, you take spiritual body. What is the difficulty? Can you understand that you take another body?

Guest (6): Yes.

Prabhupada: Then why do you don't (understand) another spiritual body? What is the difficulty. You accept another body after death. Dehantaram. So instead of accepting a material body, you accept a spiritual body. That's all. What is the difficulty to understand? Just like you have accepted now this body, American body or English body. You cannot say, "I have an Indian body" or Chinese body or Russian body. In the same way, after giving up this body you can accept spiritual body. What is the difficulty to understand? There is no difficulty. Just like if you take birth in the sun planet, you have to take a body of fire. There are different planets, and the climatic influence are different, but here the scientists, they are calculating from their own point of view. They do not know that God's creation there are different types of body, different types of atmosphere. Just like the fish. They are living in the water. But you take out the fish on the land, immediately he dies. So your body, you have got a particular type of body. If you are thrown in the water you immediately die. But you can understand that within water there is life, on land there is life, there is body. So when you go to a certain different atmosphere, you have to accept a different type of body. Similarly, when you go to the spiritual world, you'll accept a spiritual body. What is the difficulty to understand? Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti [Bg. 4.9]. One should be qualified to enter into certain association, atmosphere. That... If you spiritually qualify yourself, then after giving up this body you get a spiritual body and you enter in the spiritual world. That's all. Very easy. You make yourself spiritualized in this life. That example is... Just like you put one iron rod in the fire; it becomes warmer, warmer, warmer, and at the end it becomes red hot. At that time it is no longer iron rod. It is fire. You touch that iron rod anywhere; it will burn. Similarly, by spiritual activities you can make this body spiritual so that there will be no more material activities. That is spiritual body. Just like in this body we are training our boys and girls... They are young boys and girls, but they are no more interested to go to the restaurant, hotel or cinema or dancing party. They are simply interested to Krsna consciousness. How they have given up all these young men's demand? How it is possible? You can see. So when your material activities are stopped, that is spiritual body.

Indian man (6): It is written in Gita the soul never dies. When the soul does not die, where does it go after that?

Prabhupada: He goes as he likes. Yes. He can go to hell, he can go to heaven, he can go to God, he can go to China. Anywhere he likes. (laughter)

Woman: Srila Prabhupada, what does it mean practically to surrender unto Krsna?

Prabhupada: Yes. Surrender to Krsna means you have to accept things which is favorable for Krsna consciousness. Just like we restrict our students, no illicit sex, no gambling, no meat-eating, no intoxication. If you surrender to this process, that is surrender to Krsna. Is it clear? If you don't surrender, there is no surrender. Then you are not surrendered soul. Chant sixteen rounds, and if you follow, that is surrendering to Krsna. Don't take anything except krsna-prasadam. That is surrendering to Krsna. So many we have got. So if you surrender to these principles, that means you surrender to Krsna. Just like a good citizen surrenders to the state. What does it mean? He abides by the law. That's all. He does not do anything which is against the will of the state. That's all. So you surrender to the principles; then you surrender to Krsna. That's all. All right. Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971