"This Movement Appeals Directly To The Soul"

71/07/29 Gainesville, Bhagavad-gita 7.1


Prabhupada: Where is my spectacles?

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

Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, speaking about the topmost form of yoga system. In the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita He has explained the general hatha-yoga system. Please remember that we are preaching this Krsna consciousness movement on the authority of Bhagavad-gita. It is nothing manufactured. (dog barking) (pause) Whose dog? He may go away. So this bhakti-yoga system is authorized, and if you want to know about God, then you have to adopt this bhakti-yoga system. Because in the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita it is concluded... [break] ...he who is always thinking of Krsna within himself.

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

When Krsna recommended the yoga system, astanga-yoga system... Astanga means eightfolded different states of elevation: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, samadhi, like that. Dhyana, dharana. So the first step of yoga system, as recommended by Krsna, the supreme authority, is one has to select a very secluded place and sacred place. The astanga-yoga meditation cannot be performed in a fashionable city. It is not possible. One has to first of all select a nice place, sacred place. In India, therefore, those who are very serious to practice yoga system, they go to Himalaya, Haridwar. That is also Himalaya. Very secluded place. They remain there alone, and very restricted process of eating, sleeping. There is no question of mating. So those rules and regulations are very strict, and unless you follow, simply if you make a show of gymnastic, that is not perfection of yoga. Yoga means indriya-samyama, to control the senses. If you allow your senses unrestrictedly and if you make a show of yoga practice, that is not successful. It will never be successful.

So you have to select a nice place, sacred place. Then you have to sit right angular and you have to close your eyes half, not full, and see on the tip of your nose. You cannot change your asana. There are so many rules and regulations which is not possible at the present moment. What to speak of at the present moment, even five thousand years ago, when circumstances of the world was different... And a personality like Arjuna, who was talking with Krsna face to face... Just imagine what is his position. Arjuna belonged to the royal family. He was a great warrior and intimate friend of Krsna and constantly living with Him. He, after hearing this process of yoga, astanga-yoga, he said, "My dear Krsna, it is not possible for me." He flatly said, admitted that "For me, these rules and regulation and practice and controlling the mind is not possible." He flatly denied.

So we have to think, five thousand years ago a personality like Arjuna, he expressed his inability to practice this astanga-yoga system, and what to speak of us? Therefore the conclusion is that in this age when people are very short-living... At least, in India the average duration of life is thirty-five years. In your country it may be more than that, but actually, as your grandfather lived for one hundred years, you cannot live. The things are changing. Especially the duration of life will be reduced. There are prediction in the sastras. In this age the duration of life, people's sentiment for becoming merciful, brain substance, in so many ways they are being reduced. They are not so powerful. So the duration of age is very small. We are always disturbed, and practically we have no knowledge about spiritual science. For example, that in this university... Not only in this university -- there are hundreds and thousands of universities all over the world -- there is no department of knowledge where the science of the soul is taught.

Actually, we are all spirit souls. In the Bhagavad-gita we understand,

dehino 'smin yatha dehe
kaumaram yauvanam jara
tatha dehantara-praptir
dhiras tatra na muhyati
[Bg. 2.13]

We are transmigrating from one body to another, exactly like in our present life. Just like all of us present here, we had a body, a small baby body. Where is that body? That body is gone. So far I am an old man. I remember that I was a small baby. I still remember when I was about six months old I was lying down on the lap of my eldest sister, and she was knitting, and I was lying down and playing. I remember. So it is possible for everyone to remember that "I had a small body, then that I had a boy's body, then I had a youthful body. Now I am in this body." So where are those bodies? The body's now gone. It is a different body. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita, tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. Similarly, when I give up this body, then I'll have to accept another body.

It is very simple to understand. As I have changed so many bodies, not only childhood, babyhood, boyhood, youthhood. According to medical science we are changing body every second imperceptibly. So this process, that the soul is permanent... Just like I remember my babyhood body or childhood body. I am the same person, soul, but I have changed so many bodies. Similarly, when ultimately I shall change this body, I shall have to accept another body. This simple formula is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Everyone can think on it. And there must be some scientific research. Recently I got one letter from a doctor in Toronto. He suggested there is body..., there is soul. I had some correspondence with him. Actually this is a fact. The soul is there. There are so many proofs. Not only in the Vedic literature, but even ordinary experience. The soul is there, and the soul is transmigrating from one body to another. This is going on, but unfortunately there is no serious study on the subject matter or department of knowledge in the universities. This is not very good.

Actually, this human form of life is meant for researching this: athato brahma jijnasa. The Vedanta-sutra says. This human form of life is meant for searching out about Brahman, or the spirit, Absolute Truth. So the yoga system means that brahma-jijnasa, to search out the Brahman principle within this material body. Matter and spirit. So that searching out, as recommended in the Bhagavad-gita by Krsna Himself... And Arjuna said that "The system You are recommending, or the hatha-yoga system, is not possible for me." But Krsna assured him that Arjuna was the greatest of all yogis. He, I mean to say, pacified him by saying that "Don't bother because you are unable to practice hatha-yoga system, you are not a yogi. You are the best yogi. You are the best yogi." Why? He gave this formula, that yoginam api sarvesam: [Bg. 6.47] "Of all different types of yogis..." There are hatha-yogi, jnana-yogi, dhyana-yogi, bhakti-yogi, many, karma-yogi. There are many yogis. But Krsna said, "Of all the yogis, the one yogi who is constantly thinking of Me within himself..." Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana. Mad-gata. Krsna says mad-gata. Means "simply upon Me, Krsna." Antar-atmana, "within the heart." Sa me yuktatamah: "He is the first-class yogi."

Now who can think of Krsna always within himself? That is also very easy to understand. If you love somebody, then you can think of him always within yourself. Otherwise it is not possible. If you love somebody, then naturally you'll think of him always. That is described in the Brahma-samhita:

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

Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena. One who has developed love of God, or Krsna... When I speak of Krsna, you should understand "God." Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena [Bs. 5.38]. Another name of Krsna is Syamasundara. He is blackish like the cloud, but very beautiful; therefore His name is Syamasundara. So in this verse of Brahma-samhita it is said that the santah, saintly person, who has developed love for Syamasundara, Krsna... Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva [Bs. 5.38]. Sadaiva means always, constantly. Santah sadaiva hrdayesu. Hrdayesu means within the heart. Actually, when one comes to the point of samadhi in yoga system, he thinks of Visnu form of the Lord within the heart without any stopping. That is called samadhi. He is absorbed in the thought of Visnu within the heart.

So Krsna, Syamasundara, is the original Visnu. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Aham sarvasya prabhavah [Bg. 10.8]. Sarvasya means including Brahma, Visnu, Mahesvara. Everyone. Aham sarvasya prabhavah. So He is the original Visnu. According to sastra, Vedic literature, He is original Visnu, Krsna, then His first expansion is Baladeva. Baladeva expansion: Sankarsana. Sankarsana expansion: Narayana. Narayana expansion: Visnu, Maha-Visnu, Garbhodakasayi, Ksirodakasayi. These are statements. So Krsna is the original Visnu, Syamasundara.

So this is the perfect system. Mad-gatenantar-atmana. "Anyone who is thinking of Krsna always within himself, he is first-class yogi." If you want perfection in yoga system, don't be satisfied only by practicing a course of asana. You have to go further. Actually, the perfection of yoga system means when you are in samadhi, always thinking of the Visnu form of the Lord within your heart, without being disturbed. Therefore the yogis go in a secluded place, and in samadhi they... Controlling all the senses and the mind. You have to control the mind, control the senses, and concentrate everything on the form of Visnu. That is called perfection of yoga. And after that, there are other siddhis, asta-siddhi-anima, laghima, prapti.

So actually this yoga system is very, very difficult. It may be possible by some solitary man, but for the general mass of people it is not possible. The general mass of people, that is recommended in the sastra that

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha
[Cc. Adi 17.21]

There is no other alternative. Nasty eva, nasty eva. There is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative. Three times. Three times means yoga, jnana, and arcana. Yoga system as it was recommended in the Satya-yuga, krte yad dhyayato visnum, that is yoga -- always in meditation of Visnu. That is called yoga. Krte yad dhyayato visnum tretayam yajato makhaih [SB 12.3.52]. And in the Treta-yuga, by performing great sacrifices, yajnas. And in the Dvapara-yuga, by temple worship. Kalau tad dhari-kirtanat: in the Kali-yuga, this age...

The present age is called Kali-yuga. Kali-yuga means the age of quarrel and disagreement. Nobody agrees with any other man. Everyone has got his own theory; everyone has got his own philosophy. So therefore it is called Kali-yuga. And if I don't agree with you, you fight with me. Therefore it is called Kali-yuga. So this is the only method recommended in this age: kalau tad dhari-kirtanat. Simply by chanting the holy name of God, one can attain perfect self-realization, which was attained by the yoga system in the Satya-yuga, which was attained in the Treta-yuga by performing great sacrifices, and which was performed in the Dvapara-yuga by large-scale temple worship. That thing can be attained by the simple method hari-kirtanat. Hari means the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kirtanat -- by glorifying Him. This is the method recommended in the sastras. And Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, five hundred years ago, He appeared in a town which is known as Navadvipa. It is about sixty miles northern side of Calcutta. People still go there. We have got our temple, center there. It is also a sacred pilgrimage. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared there, and He started this sankirtana movement, mass sankirtana movement, without any discrimination. And He predicted that this sankirtana movement would be spread all over the world and the Hare Krsna mantra would be chanted in every village, town on the surface of the globe.

So in pursuance of the order of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, following His footsteps, we are trying to introduce this sankirtana movement, Hare Krsna, and it is coming out very successful. Everywhere. I am especially preaching in the foreign countries. All over Europe, America, Japan, Canada, Australia, I am traveling. Malaysia. And anywhere I have introduced this sankirtana movement -- we have got different centers, about sixty centers -- they have been received with great pleasure. Just like you saw these boys and girls. I have not imported them from India, but they have taken this movement very seriously, and they will take it, because it appeals to the soul directly. We have got different status of our life. Bodily concept of life, mental concept of life, intellectual concept of life and spiritual concept of life. So actually we are concerned with the spiritual concept of life, athato brahma jijnasa. If you are allured by the bodily concept of life, then we are no better than these dogs and..., cats and dogs. Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke [SB 10.84.13]. If we accept that "I am this body," then we are no better than the cats and dogs, because their concept of life is like that.

When we understand that "I am not this body...," As Krsna wanted to impress upon Arjuna in the beginning of His teaching of Bhagavad-gita: "First of all try to understand what you are. Why you are lamenting in the bodily concept of life? You have to fight. Certainly you have to fight with your brothers and brother-in-laws and nephews, other side. And you are lamenting. But first of all understand whether you are body or not." That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gita. He tried to make him understood that you are not body. So these instructions were not for Arjuna. For everyone. We have to first of all learn that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul." Aham brahmasmi. That is Vedic instruction. And as soon as you come to this point, if you are firmly convinced that you are not this body, that is called brahma-bhuta [SB 4.30.20] stage, Brahman realization stage. That is knowledge, real knowledge. Knowledge, advancement of knowledge for eating, sleeping, mating, that is animal knowledge. The animals also, the dog also knows how to eat, how to sleep, how to mate and how to defend. So if our education is only on these points... The dog is eating according to his nature, but we are also eating in a nice plate, nicely cooked food in a nice table, but the principle is eating. That is not advancement, that "I am eating in a better plate in a better place than the dog; therefore I am advanced." But you are eating, that's all. Similarly sleeping. You may sleep in a very nice apartment, six story building or 102nd story building; a dog is lying on the street. But when he sleeps and when you sleep, there is no difference. You cannot know whether you are sleeping in a skyscraper building or on the ground, because you are dreaming something else which has taken you from your bed. You have forgotten that "My body is lying there on the bed, and now I am flying in the air," dreaming. So this sleeping method, if you improve, that is not advancement of civilization. Similarly mating. The dog has no social custom. Whenever there is another she-dog, he mates on the street, and you may do very silent in a secret place, but the mating is there. But people are learning how to mate like dog. So in this way defending. A dog has also his defending measures. He has got teeth and nails. He can defend himself. And you might have atom bombs. But the measure is defending. That's all.

Therefore sastra says that human life is not meant only for these four principles of life, bodily demands. There is another thing. That another thing is brahma-jijnasa. Athato brahma jijnasa. A human being should be inquisitive to learn what is Absolute Truth. So that education is lacking. Therefore without this brahma-jijnasa education, brahma janatiti brahmanah. According to Vedic civilization, a brahmana is learned. Pandita. A brahmana is called pandita because brahmana means one who knows Brahman. Brahma janatiti brahmanah. Therefore he is called pandita. In India the brahmana is addressed as pandita. Pandita means a brahmana is expected to know Brahman; therefore he is brahmana. Not by birth. Brahma janati. Janmana jayate sudrah. By birth everyone is sudra, fourth-class man. Janmana jayate sudrah samskarad bhaved dvijah. And when he's reformed by the purificatory process...

There are dasa-vidha-samskara, ten kinds of purificatory process. When one undergoes all these processes and at last comes to the spiritual master who gives him sacred thread as recognition of his second birth... Dvija. Dvija means second birth. One birth by the father and mother, and the other birth is by the spiritual master and Vedic knowledge. That is called second birth. Samskarad bhaved dvijah. At that time he is given chance to study and understand what is Vedas. Veda-pathad bhaved viprah. By studying very nicely all the Vedas, one becomes vipra. Then, when he actually realizes what is Brahman and his relationship with Him, then he becomes a brahmana. And above that situation, when from Brahman understanding, impersonal Brahman understanding, he comes to the platform of understanding Visnu, Lord Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he becomes a Vaisnava. This is the process. That is the perfectional process. Krsna therefore says in the Bhagavad-gita, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. "Anyone who knows Me in truth," what happens to him? Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti: [Bg. 4.9] "Such persons, after giving up this body, do not come back again in this material world to accept a material body." Then what happens to him? Mam eti: "He comes to Me, back to home, back to Godhead."

So this Krsna consciousness movement is directly giving people how to understand Krsna. Janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. Tattvatah, in truth. So we are giving Krsna knowledge based on this authorized scripture, Bhagavad-gita, Vedas. Vedas means knowledge. And what is the... Vedanta means the ultimate end of knowledge. What is that end of knowledge? That is Krsna. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. By all the Vedas, the ultimate conclusion should be Krsna. Bahunam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19]. This conclusion comes after many, many births. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan. After culturing knowledge for many, many births, when actually one becomes wise, then bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate, he surrenders unto Krsna. How he surrenders? Because he knows, vasudevah sarvam iti: [Bg. 7.19] Vasudeva, Krsna is everything. Whatever we see, it is simply a manifestation of the energy of Vasudeva. One must be convinced on this fact, and then he becomes a devotee. Prapadyate. Krsna therefore advises that you understand or not understand, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "Simply surrender unto Me."

So what Krsna taught in the Bhagavad-gita, we are teaching the same thing without any different manufactured ideas. That is our Krsna consciousness movement. And it is open to everyone. The process is very simple. We have got our center here. If you want to take advantage of this movement, you are welcome. You'll be happy.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (applause)

Prabhupada: If they have got any questions.

Hrdayananda: Are there any questions? Please feel free to ask any questions you like.

Prabhupada: All right. Have chanting. (kirtana) (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 7.1 -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971 University of Florida