"Rise To Platform Of Firm Faith"

73/01/13 Bombay, Bhagavad-gita 7.1


Prabhupada:

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

So today's subject matter is Krsna-yoga. Yesterday we discussed some portion of it.

Now, Krsna is all-attractive.

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

Bhagavan. There is definition of Bhagavan. Not that any rascal advertises himself Bhagavan and he becomes Bhagavan. No. Parasara Muni, father of Vyasadeva, gave us what we mean by Bhagavan. Bhaga means opulence, and van means one who possesses opulence. Just like we have our practical experience. Anyone who is very rich, he's attractive. He becomes attractive. Many men go to him for some favor. One who is very influential, he becomes very attractive. One who is very famous, he becomes attractive. One who is very learned, wise, he becomes attractive. One who is very wise, he becomes attractive. And one who is in the renounced order of life Renounced order of life means one who possesses everything but renounces, does not use it for his personal benefit. Just like a person who is very charitably disposed, he gives everything to the public. He's also very attractive.

So these are six kinds of attraction. So Bhagavan means one who is in full possession of all these attractive features, He's Bhagavan. Not any rascal loitering in the street and becomes Bhagavan. No. That is misleading. We do not know what is meant by the word bhagavan; therefore we accept any rascal as Bhagavan. Aisvaryasya samagrasya. Riches. There are many rich men in Bombay city, but nobody can claim that "I am the possessor of all the riches. All the bank money or any money there is in Bombay, that is my money." Nobody can say. But Krsna can say. Aisvaryasya samagrasya. Samagra riches, not paltry portion of it. Samagra. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya. Strength, influence. Viryasya. Yasasah, reputation, fame. Just like Krsna spoke this Bhagavad-gita five thousand years ago, but still it is adored all over the world. Not only in India, but all over the world. Bhagavad-gita is known in any country, irrespective of religion or faith. Everyone, any intelligent man, any scholar, any philosopher reads Bhagavad-gita. That means Krsna is so famous. Everyone knows.

So aisvaryasya. And when He was present, He showed His riches. Narada Muni wanted to see how Krsna is managing His sixteen thousand wives, 16,108 wives. So when Narada Muni came, he entered each and every palace. There were 16,108, all marble palaces, bedecked with jewels. There was no need of electricity or light at night, all the palaces were so bedecked with jewels. And the furnitures were made of ivory and gold. Opulences. The gardens were full of parijata trees. And, not only that, Narada Muni saw that Krsna was present with each and every wife and He's doing..., He was doing different types of business also. Somewhere He was sitting with His wife, children. Some..., somewhere marriage ceremony was going on of His children. Somebody... So many, all. Not one kind of engagement. So this is called opulence, riches. Not that possessing a few tolas of gold, one becomes God. No. Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram [Bg. 5.29], suhrdam... Krsna declares that "I am the supreme enjoyer." Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram. "I am the proprietor of the planets." That is richness. Power. So far strength and power is concerned, Krsna, when He was three months old, on the lap of His mother, He killed so many demons.

So Bhagavan does... Is not manufactured by some process. Bhagavan is Bhagavan, always Bhagavan. Either He is representing as a child, as a boy or a youth, He never becomes old. That is another feature of Bhagavan. That is another aisvarya. We want to keep our youthhood by so many ways, but Krsna is always young. Bhagavan is always young. Bhagavan never becomes old. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca [Bs 5.33]. He's the Purana-purusam. Purana-purusam means the oldest person. Be..., because He's adyam, beginning of all purusas. Purusa means the three Purusas, Visnu -- Maha-Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu, Karanodakasayi Visnu. They are called Purusa. So adyam purusam. He's male, person. He's not imperson. Imperson is only His one bodily feature. So in spite of His being adyam, adi-purusam, the cause of all causes, cause of Maha-Visnu, cause of Brahma, still nava-yauvanam ca, He never becomes old, God never becomes old. That is His opulence. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah. Yasasah, I have already explained. He's so famous still. You cannot find in the history of the world, five thousand years ago, who appeared and still famous. You don't find. There is not a single instance within the human history. But Krsna, He appeared five thousand years ago, during the Battle of Kuruksetra, before that, and still He's famous. Not only famous in India, but He's famous all over the world. In each, every language, the "Krsna" word is there, dictionary. He's also stated as "Hindu God." But Krsna is not Hindu god or Muslim God. He's God. God is neither Hindu nor Muslim nor Christian. God is God. So Krsna is Bhagavan. Svayam Bhagavan. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. There are... There may be many Bhagavans, but Krsna is the original Bhagavan.

isvarah paramah krsnah
sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah
sarva-karana-karanam
[Bs. 5.1]

So Krsna says, mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. We have to increase our attachment for Krsna. So how we can increase our attachment for Krsna unless we know Krsna, at least something about Him? Just like a girl becomes attached to a young boy when she knows about something about that boy. The more she knows, she becomes attracted. In the Caitanya Maha..., Caitanya-caritamrta, it is said:

siddhanta baliya citte na kara alasa
iha haite krsne lage sudrdha manasa

If you want to be attracted by somebody, we must know about him, something. Simply superficial understanding will not do. Just like we feel sometimes inconvenience in preaching about Krsna because people here, they think they know everything about Krsna; what they'll hear about from the Americans and Europeans? "What you can teach us?" Familiarity breeds contempt. No. Krsna is not so easy to know.

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

We have to know Krsna as He is. So "know" means to hear about Him. Because Krsna... We are not directly in contact with Him, Krsna, in yoga. Krsna-yoga means to know Krsna, and then we become attached or make connection with Him. Sambandha. This is called sambandha. We must know what is our relationship with Krsna. That relationship is described by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu when He was inquired by Sanatana Gosvami, "So what is my position? What I am?" Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that every living entity is eternal servant of Krsna.

This is our relationship. We are eternal servant of Krsna. Therefore Krsna is asking here: mayy asakta. We are eternally related with Krsna, but now, under the influence of this material energy or illusory, external energy, we have forgotten Krsna. Therefore Krsna says that "You have to divert your attention, attachment, to Me." Mayy asakta. Mayi. Krsna says mayi. Mayy asakta. Mayy asakta-manah. Mind has to be always fixed up in Krsna. This yoga has to be practiced. As Maharaja Ambarisa did: sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh. He always... He was a great emperor. He had many business, political and maintenance of the kingdom. He was always busy, great emperor of the whole world, but still he fixed up his mind always on the lotus feet of Krsna. That is called krsna-asakti. Krsna-asakti. Mayi, mayy asakta-manah. Mind has to be fixed with Krsna. The process is very simple. Process is very simple. Everyone, at home, in any condition of life, he can fix up his mind in Krsna. Our mind has to be fixed in something, because mind is never vacant. It is always fixed up or attached to some, something. Not for a second our mind is vacant. So this vacancy has to be filled up by the presence of Krsna. That is perfect yoga.

In the last chapter... We are speaking from the Seventh Chapter. In the last chapter, Sixth Chapter, Krsna said:

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

Yoginam. There are many yogis, many different types of yogis. But the best yogi, the foremost yogi, best of all is he... Who? Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatena: "Simply in relationship with Me, thinking of Me." Mad-gatenantar-atmana. Within the core of heart, always thinking of Krsna. Mad-gata. Yoga process means to concentrate the mind upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead, generally Lord Visnu. So Lord Visnu and Krsna, there is no difference. They are the same. Krsna is the original Visnu. So the first-class yogi is he who is always concentrating his mind upon Krsna. Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana, sraddhavan. Unless you have got sraddha, you cannot make any progress. Sraddha. Sraddha means faith. Just like you have all came. You have got little faith or more faith. There is faith. Without faith, how you could come here and spare some time for understanding Krsna, or hearing about Krsna? So this is the beginning, sraddhavan. Sraddhavan bhajate yo mam. With faith.

That faith begins... In the Bhagavad-gita, the Krsna is creating that faith, personally. He's speaking about Himself to create your faith. Krsna says that "You are searching after the Supreme." Krsna says, aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. Aham adir hi devanam. So in this way Krsna... Not advertising Himself, but He is presenting Himself. Because He comes down to establish real religious system. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata [Bg. 4.7]. Dharma-samsthapanarthaya. He has come. He came to establish real religious principle. Real religious principle means to accept the codes of Krsna. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Nobody can create religious principle. A man cannot create. That is not possible. Any religious system which is created by man, that is not religion. Religion means what is created by God. That is religion. Dharmam tu saksat. Saksat mean directly. So this Bhagavad-gita is real religion, because it is directly spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead for the benefit of the whole human society. And Krsna says also that "If you have got any other faith, religion. you give it up." Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam [Bg. 18.66]. Only one. God is one; religion is one. The process of religion is one, and the activity, who is in God-relationship, his activity's also one. That is oneness. There cannot be any different activities. Therefore Krsna is teaching mayy asakta-manah.

So how to increase your attachment? We have got attachment in so many other things. We have got attachment for the body, we have got attachment for the family, we have got attachment for the society, country. Or... So many things. But Krsna says, mayy asakta-manah. That is yoga. That is perfect yoga. And to perform that yoga, Krsna says, mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. One has to take shelter of Krsna. You cannot practice krsna-yoga by taking shelter of anything else. You have to take shelter of Krsna. Just like in the Fourth Chapter, Krsna says that:

imam vivasvate yogam
proktavan aham avyayam
vivasvan manave praha
manur iksvakave 'bravit
[Bg. 4.1]

evam parampara-praptam
imam rajarsayo viduh
[Bg. 4.2]

So the beginning is Krsna. So Krsna, first of all, explained this Bhagavad-gita to the sun-god. Imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1]. So their beginning is from Krsna. And it was spoken first to the sun-god. The sun-god explained to his son, Manu, Viva..., vivasvate, Vaivasvata Manu.

This is, this age is Vaivasvata Manu age. There are so many things we have to learn, but we are neglecting. In one day of Brahma, there are fourteen Manus, and each Manu's age is forty-three lakhs of years multiplied by seventy-two. So now it is the age of Vaivasvata Manu. This is the, out of the fourteenth Manu, this is the seventh Manu. It is going on. So this age is called Manu. Manu, the father of the humankind. Manusya. There is Manu-samhita, to give direction to the people, how to act, how to live. That is Manu-samhita. So in this way, we have to learn the philosophy of Krsna which is directly spoken by Krsna, not interpreted by anyone. That is Krsna philosophy. If it is interpreted, or misinterpreted by some so-called scholar... We cannot accept them scholar who misdirect people by misinterpretation of Bhagavad-gita. That is not very good. Otherwise why people are so much misdirected? Because the so-called scholars and philosophers, they have misdirected. They have tried to kill Krsna from Bhagavad-gita and push forward their own rascal philosophy. So that is not good. We have to learn Bhagavad-gita directly from Krsna. That is mayy asakta. That is real Bhagavad... Because Krsna, Krsna says evam parampara praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. By the parampara system, all the great kings, rajarsayah, they understood Bhagavad-gita. So we have to accept the Bhagavad-gita by the parampara system. Not we manufacture our own interpretation. That is not Bhagavad-gita. That is misusing the Bhagavad-gita.

So if you want to increase our attachment for Krsna, then the sraddha is the basic principle, faith. "Yes. Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Even if we don't accept Him... At least everyone accepts Krsna, the greatest personality. So that much faith is the beginning of asakti, attachment for Krsna. That little faith. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. Now you have to increase that faith. That increased faith means, as it is enunciated by Rupa Gosvami, adau sraddha. If you have got little faith, to increase the faith, just yourself associate with the devotees. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. Because... Just like if you want to do some business, if you, if you want to increase the volume of business, you have to associate with business..., businessmen of the same line. Just like there are different mercantile associations, sharebroker's association, grain merchant association, oil ship merchant association. So to increase the volume of business, one has to associate with the similar persons. So if you want to increase your faith in Krsna, then you have to associate with Krsna bhaktas. Associate. Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah.

This sadhu means krsna-bhakta. Without becoming krsna-bhakta, according to Bhagavad-gita, nobody can become a sadhu. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gita. Sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. Who? Bhajate mam ananya-bhak. Api cet su-duracaro bhajate mam ananya-bhak, sadhur eva sa mantavyah [Bg. 9.30]. He's sadhu. Not that sadhu, simply like me, change the dress or having a long beard or... No. The sadhu means one who's purely devotee of the Lord. He's sadhu. Bhajate mam ananya-bhak. Without any deviation. One who has taken Krsna, the Supreme Lord, as the only worshipable, he's sadhu. Sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah. Titiksavah karunikah sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah. Ajata-satravah santah sadhavah sadhu-bhusanah. There, these are the definition of sadhu. Sadhu means titiksava. One who has taken Krsna as the Supreme Lord, Krsna as the Supreme Person, he has to tolerate so many things -- so many criticism, so many tribulations. Just like Prahlada Maharaja. Prahlada Maharaja had to undergo so much tribulation from the hands of his father because he became a sadhu, krsna-bhakta. The only fault was that he was a krsna-bhakta. Even the father, the atheistic father, became enemy. He wanted to kill him. You know Prahlada-caritra. If there is opportunity, we shall speak. It is horrible. Five-years-old boy, because he was chanting Hare Krsna, Narayana, the father became enemy. Titiksava. Therefore a sadhu has to become very tolerant.

Haridasa Thakura. Haridasa Thakura became a sadhu, a devotee of Krsna. He came from Muhammadan community. In those days, the Muhammadan Kazi, magistrate, called him, that "You are Muhammadan and why you are chanting Hare Krsna, the Hindu's God's name?" So he very mildly replied: "My dear sir, there are many Hindus, they have also become Muhammadans. So suppose I have become a Hindu. So what is the fault?" Oh, he become very angry, and he was ordered to be caned in seven markets. You see. So there are so many dangers. Although the time has..., is not so much polluted. People are liberated, liberal. Just like I am preaching in the Western countries. So nobody has checked, the government has not checked, because the time is not so cruel. Although in that Western country, Lord Jesus Christ was crucified.

So there is sometimes danger to become krsna-bhakta. Therefore people avoid it. At least the criticism is there. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that

trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
[Cc. adi 17.31]

One has to become tolerant like the grass. Trnad api sunicena. Sunicena. Just like we are trampling over the grasses. So many people are going on: no protest. Trees -- we are cutting trees. We are taking their leaves, their fruits, taking shelter of the trees, when there is sunrise, is very scorching. And still we are cutting. Tolerant. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given these two instances: taror api sahisnuna, trnad api sunicena. And amanina manadena. For one's self, for personal self, don't claim any respect, but you give respect to all others. Amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. adi 17.31]. If you can situate yourself in this position, then you can chant Hare Krsna mantra very peacefully. You'll not be disturbed. If you chant, if you begin chanting Hare Krsna mantra, then your friends will criticize. It is very easy job, but for the fear of criticism from my friends, "I do not like to chant. I do not like, like to take the beads. I can carry a trans..." What is called? That? "...transistor throughout the whole road, but if I carry one bead, I'll be criticized." So one has to be tolerant. Now these European, American boys, they don't care for any criticism. They have given their so-called hats and coats and they are chanting. They are going on the street, chanting Hare Krsna mantra. Not only here -- in European, big, big cities, New York, London, Hamburg, Berlin, everywhere. So they don't care for this so-called criticism. They are fixed up. And people are accepting.

So this is called increasing the sraddha, faith. Adau, adau sraddha. To increase your attachment for Krsna, the basic principle is sraddha, faith. Then the faith is created by reading Bhagavad-gita. You can understand what is Krsna. Then you can have your faith: "Oh, here is God." That much. And sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This is the beginning of faith, that "Now I must engage myself in the devotional service of Krsna." If you decide like that, then your reading of Bhagavad... [break] ...you have simply wasted your time. You may write very, so-called scholarly comment, but you have simply wasted your time. If you have not come to the conclusion that "Now I shall engage myself in the service of Krsna..." Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. If you do that, that is the beginning of sraddha. Then other things. Mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah.

This, this has been explained by Kaviraja Krsnadasa Gosvami:

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

This is sraddha. Sraddha means sraddha-sabde... [break] ...word means sraddha-sabde visvasa, full faith; sudrdha, very firm; niscaya, with conviction. That is sraddha. Sraddha-sabde visvasa kahe sudrdha niscaya. What is that visvasa? What is that faith? Krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya. "If I devote myself in Krsna consciousness, in the service of Krsna, all my work will be perfect." This is called sraddha. If you have got hesitation, that "Some percentage to Krsna, some percentage to my family, some percent to my country, some percent to my dog, some percentage..." In this... No. Simply sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That faith, if you can raise yourself to that platform of faith, that is the beginning of faith. Krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma... Sarva-karma krta haya.

Krsna is Supreme. So by serving the Supreme, you can serve everyone.

yatha taror mula-nisecanena
trpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopasakhah
pranopaharac ca yathendriyanam
tathaiva sarvarhanam acyutejya

This is called... Yatha taror mula-nisecanena. If you pour water on the root of the tree, the water reaches to the branches, to the twigs, to the leaves, to the flowers, to the fruits automatically. You simply pour water on the root. That is the system. If you pour water on the every leaf, I think you'll have no time. "Oh, there are millions of leaves. How we can...?" No. Take the root and pour water and it will reach. That is the way. Similarly, if you love your society, your friends, your country, your family, yourself, your dog, everything, if you love Krsna, all love will be distributed. But if you don't love Krsna, if you simply love this, simply love that, simply that, it will be never be perfect. Therefore the whole world is confused. They do not know where to repose the love. That do not know. Therefore Krsna is canvassing: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam [Bg. 18.66]. "Come here! Love Me! Increase your attachment for Me. Everything will be all right." Otherwise it is simply vague. Srama eva hi kevalam. Simply waste of time.

dharmah svanusthitah pumsam
visvaksena-kathasu yah
notpadayed yadi ratim
srama eva hi kevalam
[SB 1.2.8]

It is simply waste of time. The whole world is trying to formulate... The United Nations. How to love the nations, one another. But there is no Krsna. Therefore twenty years they are trying to unite the nations, but they are simply becoming disunited, missing the point. They do not know how to unite. If you want to unite the whole human society into one, take to this Krsna consciousness. You'll be united politically, socially, religiously, culturally, philosophically, in any way. Because Krsna is everything. Aham sarvasya prabhavah. Krsna is the root. Sarva-karana-karanam [Bs. 5.1].

isvarah paramah krsnah
sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah
sarva-karana-karanam
[Bs. 5.1]

So take the root and your business will be successful. That is the effect of studying Bhagavad-gita. Krsne bhakti kaile sarva-karma krta haya. Simply by engaging yourself in the devotional service of Krsna, all our other activities will be perfectly done. This is the secret of success, Krsna consciousness. Try to understand this.

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

This is the whole philosophy. And practical example. Just like if you pour water on the root of the tree, then the water, however that water may be small, but because it is supplied... There are many examples. Just like if you pay your taxes to the government, it is distributed throughout the whole state: to the education department, to the water department, this department, that department. You are utilizing so many things, but you put your tax one place, to the government. It is distributed.

So therefore the yajna system is recommended in the Vedic way of culture to satisfy the Supreme. Visnur aradhyate pantha nanyat tat-tosa-karanam. Varnasramacaravata.

varnasramacaravata
purusena parah puman
visnur aradhyate pantha
nanyat tat-tosa-karanam

Yajna, yajna means to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To satisfy. But we do not know... Our culture is meant to... We do not know what is Supreme Personality of Godhead. We do not know what is God. Everything forgotten. If there is, we speak about God, they think that "These people have become crazy. They are, in this modern civilization, talking of God. What is this nonsense?" This is the position. But that is not the fact. God is there. God is there. God is personally canvassing here, Krsna. How you can say God is not there? God is there. God must be there. Otherwise, how things are going on? Just like because you are within this body, although you cannot see yourself. We cannot see ourself, where I am in this body. But I am in this body. As soon as I go away from this body, this body's useless. Not even worth farthing. The such nice brain, such nice dress, such nice activity, as soon as I go away, I leave this body... Tatha dehantara-praptih. As I leave this body and accept another body, this body's useless, immediately. Similarly you are seeing the whole cosmic manifestation, the gigantic body of this material world. So there is something, soul. Just like in this body, there is soul. Similarly this gigantic body has got a soul. That is God. How you can deny it?

In sastra we say:

eko 'py asau racayitum jagad-anda-kotim
yac chaktir asti jagad-anda-caya yad-antah
andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.35]

Eko 'py asau racayitum. Just like this body has developed. How it has developed? Because the spirit soul is there. The spirit soul is injected by the semina of the father, and it is put within the womb of the mother. And then the two secretions develops into small body, like a pea, and that develops, gradually. When the development is complete, on the seventh month, the child moves. His sense, consciousness, comes. He's in the dreaming condition then. In the beginning, he's unconscious. Susupti. Then dreaming condition. He returns to his consciousness. And then he wants to come out. And then, in due course of time, at the end of ten months, the child comes out. This is the process of bodily construction, material bodily construction. Karmana daiva-netrena jantur deha upapattaye [SB 3.31.1]. This is the beginning of body. So a dead child, coming out, does not grow because the soul is not there.

So unless the soul is there... There are so many instances. A very nice, big machine, aeroplane, 747, but if there is no pilot, who will drive it? The machine is worthless unless there is the pilot. Similarly this is also machine, this body. Yantrarudhani mayaya. Isvara... [break] ...yantra... (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 7.1 -- Bombay, January 13, 1973