"Blockhead to Bhakta"

72/12/12 Ahmedabad, Bhagavad-gita 6.47


So we have been discussing Bhagavad-gita. In Second Chapter, the Lord has very elaborately explained the constitutional position of the living entity, and the whole first portion of the Six Chapter. The Bhagavad-gita is divided into three portions. The first six chapter, the second six chapters and the third six chapters. Actually just like this book, there are two hard covers, and in the middle there is the substance, writing. So the first six chapters, they are just like two coverings. Karma-yoga and jnana-yoga. And the middle six chapters, well-protected, that is bhakti-yoga. So at the end of the first six chapters, Krsna concludes the yoga system. In the Sixth Chapter He has explained the sankhya-yoga system and the concluding portion of the sankhya-yoga system is:

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

This is the conclusion of the yoga system. People generally they are attracted by the yoga system. So the yoga system means always thinking of Krsna. That is samadhi.

So five thousand years ago, when... (pause -- noise in background) Five thousand years ago, when this yoga system was discussed between Krsna and Arjuna, Arjuna frankly admitted that this system was very difficult for him. He thought himself as a grhastha and a military man, so concentration of the mind and sitting in a posture and looking on the point of the nose, so many systems, find out a secluded place, alone, and observing so many rules and regulation, asana, dhyana, pranayama, so he thought it difficult for him. Therefore Krsna, in order to encourage him, that, although he could not practice the astanga-yoga system, still there was no cause of disappointment. He concluded, therefore,

tapasvibhyo 'dhiko yogi
jnanibhyo 'pi mato 'dhikah
karmibhyas cadhiko yogi
tasmad yogi bhavarjuna.

He insisted... (aside:) Why you are sitting like that? Sleeping? If you feel sleepy don't sit like that.

So the conclusion is:

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

This is conclusion, that of all yogis, who is always thinking of Me, sraddhavan... Without being sraddhavan... Sraddha is the beginning of everything. Faith, sraddha, respect. If you have no respect for Krsna, if you have no faith in Krsna, there is no advancement of spiritual life or yoga life. Therefore it is said sraddhavan. Adau sraddha. The beginning of spiritual life is sraddha, faith. Adau sraddha. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. First of all, faith, and faith has been described by Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami as, faith means: visvasa. So he explains:

‘sraddha'-sabde -- visvasa kahe sudrdha niscaya
krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya

This is the sraddha. Sraddha means firm faith. As Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66].

So unless one has got faith. Why one should consider himself that "I must be completely surrendered to Krsna," unless one has got faith? Therefore faith is the beginning. And to create faith, Krsna has explained about Himself in the whole Bhagavad-gita. So one who is fortunate, after reading Bhagavad-gita thoroughly, he'll have a strong faith in Krsna. If you have failed to achieve this status of faith, then there is no question of progress. That is explained by Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami: sraddha-sabde visvasa kahe sudrdha niscaya. Sraddha means firm faith, with conviction, "Yes, if I surrender to Krsna, then all my business will be perfect, all my spiritual life will be perfect." Therefore Krsna says: sraddhavan bhajate. With sraddha, with full faith. Adau sraddha. Beginning is sraddha. If one has developed a little sraddha. Just like we are giving chance throughout the whole world by this propaganda, opening centers to create little sraddha. And if the sraddha is there, then next stage is sadhu-sanga, if one wants to become Krsna conscious, if he has developed a little faith in it, the next stage is to associate with sadhu. And who is sadhu? Sadhu, sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah. Titiksavah karunikah suhrdah sarva-bhutanam. So sadhu means very tolerant. In another place, sadhu is described in the Bhagavad-gita: bhajate mam ananya-bhak sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. Api cet su-duracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak sadhur eva...

In another place in the Bhagavata the sadhu is described:

titiksavah karunikah
suhrdah sarva-dehinam
ajata-satravah santah
sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah

A sadhu, the first qualification is he must be a staunch devotee of Krsna or God. Whatever you say. That is sadhu. That is the basic definition... Religion means to abide by the orders of God. And sadhu means who is staunchly a devotee of Krsna. These are the description of sadhu. Therefore sadhu-sanga means to associate with devotees, those who are devotees of Krsna. That is sadhu-sanga. Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in another place, says: sadhu-sanga sadhu-sanga sarva-sastre kaya, lava-matra sadhu-sanga... Sadhu-sanga sadhu-sanga sarva... lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi haya [Cc. Madhya 22.54]. Sadhu-sanga is very important. If we can associate with real sadhu, means real devotee, unadulterated devotee, anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11], then the recommendation is that simply by associating with sadhu all perfection will come. By simply associating... Sadhu-sanga sadhu-sanga sarva-sastre kaya, lava-matra sadhu-sange sarva-siddhi. So this is very practical. We have got little experience how sadhu-sanga is powerful. So adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. First thing is faith.

adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sango 'tha bhajana-kriya
tato 'nartha-nivrttih syat tato nistha rucis tatah
athasaktis tato bhavas tatah premabhyudancati
sadhakanam ayam premnah pradurbhave bhavet kramah

These are the steps, krama. Krama means one after another. So our, this Krsna Consciousness Movement is enacted just to create little faith. In Krsna. Then the person whom we are trying to help, his business is to associate with sadhu. Satam prasangan mama virya-samvido bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah. Satam prasangat. If we discuss Krsna consciousness... Boddhayantam parasparam tusyanti ca ramanti ca. Everywhere, the same thing. So sraddha is required. Then sadhu-sanga, then bhajana-kriya. If anyone actually seriously associates with sadhu, the next stage will be bhajana-kriya. How to worship. Bhajana-kriya. Tatah anartha-nivrttih syat. Then anartha. Anartha means unnecessary things. We have practiced so many unnecessary things in our life. Unnecessary things, when they are too much strong, that becomes sinful life. Unnecessary. The modern civilization is simply meant for creating unnecessary necessities of life. That's all. So we are becoming deviated from God. The more we are advancing in so-called material civilization, we are more becoming far away from God. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Thakura has sung: jada-bidya jato, mayara vaibhava, tomara bhajane badha. Jada-bidya, the material education, they are simply paraphernalia of this illusory energy, mayara vaibhava. And the effect of this advancement of material civilization means stopping one's relationship with God. Jada-bidya jato, mayara vaibhava, tomara bhajane badha, anitya samsare. Anitya means this temporary life, this... Everyone, we are in this material world, say, for fifty years, sixty years, hundred years. That is temporary. In the unlimited time, a duration of life, say of hundred years, that is nothing. Even, not even a point. It is very temporary, but in this temporary life, we are addicted to so many unnecessary things, and we are forgetting our real business, how to go to home, back to home, back to Godhead.

Therefore Bhaktivinoda Thakura laments... He was a great, responsible government officer, magistrate, but a great devotee of the Lord, and he's one of the acaryas, Bhaktivinoda Thakura. So he writes about his own experience that jada-bidya jato, mayara vaibhava, tomara bhajane badha. The more we make advancement in the temporary materialistic comforts, the more we become implicated in unnecessary things and they are all impediments for making progress in spiritual life. That is his opinion. And that's a fact. We have seen in Western countries, they are still more materially advanced, but spiritually, they are dull, block-headed, spiritually. Very difficult to convince them spiritually. So sadhu-sanga, by association of sadhus one can achieve advancement in spiritual life. And in all sastras it is recommended that associate.

Canakya Pandita, the great politician, you know, he also says: tyaja durjana-sangam, tyaja durjana-sangam bhaja sadhu-samagamam. Tyaja durjana-sanga. Give up association with bad elements. What are the bad elements? That is also explained by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. A devotee asked him that what should be the behavior of a person who is spiritually inclined, or Vaisnava? Spiritually inclined means Vaisnava. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that: asat-sanga-tyaga ei vaisnava-acara. Those who are interested in spiritual life, or to become a devotee, the first business is to give up the association of bad elements. Asat-sanga-tyaga vaisnava-acara. In one line. Then next question is then who is asat? Asat eka stri-sangi krsna-abhakta ara. There... He has described who is asat. Stri-sangi. Stri-sangi means those who are unnecessary addicted to women. Unnecessary. One should be married. One must have children. That is not illicit association. But otherwise... Krsna also says: dharmaviruddhah kamo 'smi. Kama, lust, sex life, which is not against religious principles, that I am. That kind of lust I am. So dharma... So according to religious system, people should not be cats and dogs or hogs in the matter of sex life. They must have married wife, married husband. And only for nice children, they should unite. These are the descriptions given by the... Vimsati prakara dharma-sastra manu-samhita. Not otherwise.

Therefore it is called grhastha-asrama. Asrama. The sannyasa-asrama, grhastha-asrama, vanaprastha-asrama. Everything is asrama. We can understand, as soon as this word is used, asrama, it means there is some spiritual tint or spiritual life. So grhastha, that is also spiritual life. One may lie with wife and children, and execute spiritual life. All the associates of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, they were all grhasthas. Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Himself, also was grhastha. So to become grhastha is not a disqualification. But to live as a grhastha according to the injunction of the sastras, that is required. That, Krsna says: dharmaviruddhah kama, which is not against religious principle, that sort of lust I am. So when Caitanya Mahaprabhu says: asat eka stri-sangi, that means one who is not satisfied. His, I mean to say, religious life with wife. That, that kind... He's asadhu. He's asadhu. Krsna... Stri-sangi and krsna-abhakta. He summarizes the description of asadhu in two words. One who is too much addicted to sense enjoyment and one who not a devotee of Krsna. He's asadhu.

So Krsna is also describe that

na mam duskrtino mudhah
prapadyante naradhamah
mayayapahrta-jnana
asuram bhavam asritah
[Bg. 7.15]

So there are many descriptions in many sastras that one should avoid asadhu and try to associate with sadhu. Then his life will be successful. Because human life is meant for spiritual advancement of life, not for advancement of eating, sleeping, mating and defending. That is cats and dogs life. Human life means advancement in spiritual life. Tapo divyam putraka yena suddhyet sattvam. We have to purify our existence. That people do not know, what is impure existence and pure existence. They do not know. There is no education, there is no science. The... Because we do not, do not understand that we are living entities, we are part and parcel of God. God is eternal, so I am also eternal. God is always fresh. I am also fresh. Nityah sasvato 'yam puranah. Although Krsna is the oldest person. Krsna is adi-purusa. He must be the oldest. But He... Nava-yauvanam ca. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam [Bs 5.33]. This is Krsna's feature. He is the adi-purusa, the oldest.

Aham adir hi devanam. Krsna says: "I am the origin of all the demigods, Brahma, Visnu, Mahesvara." The Brahma-samhita supports it that adyam purana-purusam. Lord Brahma says the Lord is adyam He's the origin. Krsna also says: aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. The Vedanta says: janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. Janmady asya yatah, the Supreme Lord. So He's the oldest and, we, being part and parcel, we are also the oldest. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam. We are also nitya, and Krsna is also nitya. We are also living entity with knowledge. Krsna is also living entity with knowledge. Simply He's our leader. He's the Supreme. That's all. So we do not know how our existence has been polluted. That we do not know. We are just like cats and dogs. We are taking birth and dying without any knowledge. Bhutva bhutva praliyate. But this is not our position. Our position is as good as Krsna. Krsna is all powerful. We are minute. He is vibhu, we are anu. That is the difference. Otherwise, qualitatively, we are all one. So why you are under this obligation of taking birth and dying again. This is our impure existence. This is our impure existence.

So this human form of life is meant for purifying this existential position. No more birth, no more death. As soon as there is birth, there is death. If there is no birth, there is no death. So this can be done simply by Krsna consciousness. Simply by developing Krsna consciousness. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita: janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. Divyam, this word is used, divyam. So we are to undergo austerities, penances for this divyam, for transcendental life, divyam. Tapo divyam, little tapasya. In the Kali Yuga we cannot perform very severe... Krsna is very kind. He has given us different opportunity for elevating to our transcendental life in different ages. In this age, because we are so fallen and so limited, and so badly associated, that it is very difficult to undergo severe austerities and penances. We cannot go into the forest. We cannot perform yoga systems very nicely. We cannot perform yajnas. We cannot worship the Lord in temple very nicely. So many difficulties. Therefore sastra has given us concession: kalau tad dhari-kirtanat. In this age, simply by chanting this Hare Krsna maha-mantra one can be elevated. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has blessed: iha haite sarva-siddhi haya tomara. If you chant this Hare Krsna mantra you'll get all perfection, all perfection. So everything is there. But we do not wish to take advantage.

Tapasya, human life is meant for tapasya. We know in our Indian history all big, big kings, they went to the forest, tapasya. The King, Bharata, Bharata Maharaja, under whose name this planet is called Bharatavarsa, he left his kingdom, young wife, children, everything, at the age of twenty-four years, and he went for tapasya. So the Pandavas also. Everyone. The last stage of life should be especially meant for tapasya. Not that up to the point of death we shall remain addicted to this worldly life. No. So this life is meant for purifying our existence. That means stop this cycle of birth and death. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam. We should always keep in front. We may think, we may be puffed up, as very much advanced in material comfort, but,... You may do so, but, at the same time, you should keep in front, janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. You should always think that what advancement we have made? Have we stopped dying? Have you stopped birth? There are so many contraceptive method, but the population is increasing, the birth is going on. Similarly we have discovered so many nice medicines, but people are dying. You can not stop this, birth, death. They are trying to remain as young men, as young women, but they are getting older.

So intelligent men should always keep in front that what advancement we have made, simply struggling. A struggle, a heavy struggle, a hard struggle. That struggle. And we are thinking: "This is advancement." You struggling just like ass . So the whole day and night you are working. Actually I am working very hard, but I am thinking that I am advancing. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. We are trying to find out so many medicine. So many humanitarian work. What is that? There is famine, there is struggle. Why don't you do something so that people will not be anymore in famine, any more in distress. There will be no more scarcity of water. That is required. So these are the problems and so however we may solve all these problems, the problem of material existence, birth, death, old age and disease, that cannot be stopped, either you become Brahma or something like that. That is not possible. That is possible only by Krsna consciousness. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita:

mam upetya punar janma
duhkhalayam asasvatam
napnuvanti mahatmanah
samsiddhim paramam gatah
[Bg. 8.15]

Mam upetya tu kaunteya, duhkhalayam asasvatam. This world is recommended by the Creator of this world as duhkhalayam asasvatam. It is the place for miseries. And that also temporary. If you make, want to make compromise, "All right, it may be miserable life. I will stay here." Oh, that also you'll not be allowed. You'll be kicked out after some days. You may try to become very comfortable, good income, good bank balance, or nice wife, nice car, but one day it will come you'll be kicked out. "Please get out." Finished. Mrtyuh sarva-haras caham. Krsna says that "I am mrtyu. I take away everything. At that time, finished, everything."

So this is our foolishness, that we are trying to be happy in a place which is recommended by the Creator Himself: duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15]. Duhkhalayam. This is called foolishness. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Thakura says: anitya samsare. We are already in a distressed place, and we are increasing our distressed condition of life. That means you are becoming more and more ass. By the name of so-called advancement of education. Jada-bidya jato, mayara vaibhava, tomara bhajane badha. If, by advancement of civilization, we forget God and forget the mission of our life, that is nothing but to become like an ass. Unnecessary working. The ass... The example is given, the ass, because ass has no sense. He works very hard. The... You have got experience. The washerman's ass, it is loaded with three tons of cloth and takes it to the ghata and again brings it. And what is the result? He gets little grass. That's all. But he has no sense that this grass, I can get anywhere. Why I am so working hard for this washerman? Therefore it is ass. I'll take four capatis, but I am working so hard. There is no limit of my working. And one day Krsna comes. Please get out. Finished. So we are all asses. Therefore Kaviraja Gosvami says: krsna yei bhaje se bada catura. Only intelligent man is he who is Krsna conscious. Otherwise all asses.

Krsna yei bhaje se bada catura. So that bhajana Krsna is teaching us. He's beginning the yoga system:

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

He's first-class yogi. So we shall discuss first-class yogi from tomorrow again. Thank you very much.

Question: To what extent the Society has succeeded in India for propagating Krsna consciousness?

Prabhupada: Now you have come, it is success. It is success. You have come to Krsna consciousness. That is our success. Formerly you were not coming. Now you have come. So that is our success.

Question: ... Western materialistic countries, quite dangerous materialistic country, where India is forgotten in the ... of the...? (indistinct)

Prabhupada: Because there is great propaganda to curb down by your leaders. They are naturally inclined. Anyone who takes birth in India, it is to be supposed that in this past life, he was spiritual. Bharata-bhumite manusya-janma haila yara [Cc. Adi 9.41]. There is great opportunity for persons who are born in India for spiritual advancement. Unfortunately by force, by propaganda, we are suppressing them. That is the cause. We are suppressing them. Otherwise still we get experience. We hold these Hare Krsna Festival in Calcutta, Bombay, and other places. Here also. Many thousands of people are coming. Because at heart there is Krsna consciousness, but, by external forces, they are being suppressed. That is going on. It is not natural. It is unnatural. Natural is every Indian is Krsna conscious. That is natural. By artificial means they are being suppressed. This is the misfortune of the present day of India. [break] ...can be done? In the educational system no Bhagavad-gita. Just see. How much unfortunate... One Indian girl in Berkeley University, she asked me, "Swamiji, what is God?" Just see. She's Indian, where God takes birth, Ramacandra, Krsna, and she is now materially advanced. Now she is asking what is God. This is our position. The land where God come, from that land a advanced student is asking: "What is God?" This is our advancement. Hare Krsna.

Question: Is it necessary that God should be worshiped in particular form only?

Prabhupada: Well, there is only one form, bhakti. There is no other form. It is not a particular. It is the only. Just like there are nine holes in your body. The only one hole will be used for eating. Not other holes. If you pushed your foodstuff in other holes, it will be useless. Similarly God is one, and to understand God the only process is bhakti. That's all. There is no other process.

Question: How may a devotee arrive to this particular form?

Prabhupada: This is in the sastras. God says: bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. Only through devotion one can understand Me. So not the devotee has discovered. God says: "This is the only way." If you want to know God, you must know Him by the process He recommends, Don't discover your own way. Not that yato mata tato patha. You discover all rascal mata and God will be available. No. If you want to know God, then this is the only: bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. That is the only way. There is no other way. Chant. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 6.47 -- Ahmedabad, December 12, 1972