"Yoga System--Searching After Real Happiness"

66/09/09 New York, Bhagavad-gita 6.21-27



sukham atyantikam yat tad
buddhi-grahyam atindriyam
vetti yatra na caivayam
sthitas calati tattvatah

Now, every one of us is searching after happiness, but we do not know what is real happiness. The real happiness is, hint of real happiness, what is real happiness, that is being described by Lord Sri Krsna to Arjuna. What is that real happiness? Happiness we feel through our senses. Because material, dead stone, has no sense, therefore dead stone cannot feel happiness or distress. Now, this consciousness, the developed consciousness, feels happiness and distress more than undeveloped consciousness.

Just like the trees. The trees, they have got also consciousness, but it is not developed consciousness. Therefore the trees are standing on the road or anywhere, but they have no sense of feeling the miseries. Now, suppose a human being is asked to stand like the tree, at least for three days. Oh, it will be impossible for him because he cannot tolerate such kind of miseries. So therefore conclusion is that every living entity feels the pleasure and happiness according to the developed consciousness of his being. Similarly, the happiness which we are feeling now in the material mixture, that is not real happiness. That is not real happiness. If you ask the tree, "Are you feeling happy?" the tree will say, "Yes. I am feeling happy standing here the whole year, and the wind and snowfall I am enjoying very much." Oh. You see? So that sort of happiness the tree may enjoy, but you are human being. You will say, "Oh, this is the standard of his enjoyment."

Similarly, there are different kinds and different grades of living entities. Their standard of feeling happiness and miseries are also different grades. Animal. In the animal kingdom, they have no sense. One animal is being slaughtered. The other animal is seeing because he has no knowledge the next turn is he is being turned..., being slaughtered, but he is chewing some grass. He is happy. He is thinking that "I am happy." Next moment it will be slaughtered, but he does not know. So these are all different grades of happiness. But the highest standard of happiness is described here, sukham atyantikam yat tad buddhi-grahyam atindriyam. Buddhi-grahyam atindriyam. Buddhi means intelligence. One has to be intelligent. If you want to enjoy life, then you must be intelligent also. Just like the animals, they are not intelligent enough. Therefore they cannot enjoy life as a human being can, standard. So here, in the Bhagavad-gita also, it is said that buddhi-grahyam atindriyam.

Atindriyam. Now, just take the example of a dead man. The senses, the hands, the nose, the sense organs, and everything is there, but now he cannot enjoy. The dead body, it cannot enjoy. Why? This requires intelligence. Why the dead body cannot enjoy? What is the difference? The body is lying there. The hands and the nose and the legs and the eyes and all other sense organs are there. But why the dead body cannot enjoy? That requires intelligence. That means that the enjoying energy, the spiritual spark, that has gone away. Therefore it has no power to enjoy. Then, if you make advance further with intelligence, then you will understand that actually the body was not enjoying, but that little spark, spiritual spark, that was enjoying, not this body. This requires little intelligence. I am thinking that "I am enjoying with my sense organs," but you are not enjoying. The real enjoyer is that small spiritual spark within you. That spiritual spark has got the potency of enjoyment, but that is not being manifested on account of being covered by this material tabernacle, and therefore this enjoyment is not perfect.

This requires little intelligence, that "Where is the enjoyment for the dead body?" The dead body no more can enjoy. Suppose if a man is offered a dead body of a beautiful woman, will he accept? Or a woman is offered the dead body of a beautiful man, will she accept? No. Because that enjoying spark is moved now. That requires intelligence. Who is enjoying? Who is enjoying? The enjoying, the enjoying spirit. The spirit is enjoying, not this body. That requires intelligence. Then again... Now, if that spirit is enjoying, then the spirit must have enjoying senses also. Otherwise how it can enjoy? If you have no enjoying sense organ, then how you can enjoy? A blunt cannot enjoy. Therefore it is accepted that the spirit soul, although it is very small, atomic, we cannot measure... Several times I have repeated here that the measurement of the small, infinitesimal spirit spark is just one ten-thousandth part of the upper portion of your hair. It is so small. But that does not mean... Just like we are incapable to measure something. We define that "Point has no length, no breadth," but actually it is not a fact. If you see a point with microscope, you'll find the point has increased to one inch round, and it has got length and breadth. Similarly, we have no capacity to make a measurement of the soul, but there is measurement.

And there are senses of that spiritual spark. There are. Without having this... Without the spiritual spark having the senses, how this body is grown? This body is just like dress. When we speak of dress, the dress is made according to your body. If you go to a tailor, the tailor will take measurements of your body and the dress will be supplied to you, fit. Similarly, unless that spiritual spark has got body, how this, I mean to say, dress of this material tabernacle has grown? This requires intelligence.

So the conclusion is that that spiritual spark is not impersonal. It is actually personal. The soul is actual person. As God is actual, personal, similarly, because we are part and parcel of the Supreme, therefore, if I am a person, then God must be person. God is the father of everyone. Now, if I am the son -- I have got personality; I have got individuality -- how can you deny the individuality and personality of the Supreme Lord? So these things require intelligence. Intelligence. Sukham atyantikam yat tat buddhi-grahyam atindriyam. Atindriyam. Atindriyam means you have to transcend these material senses. Then you can actually appreciate what is happiness.

Just like the other day I explained the happiness of the yogis. Ramante yoginah anante satyanande cid-atmani. Ramante yoginah anante. The yogis, those who are transcendentalists aspiring after spiritual life, they are called yogis: bhakti-yogi, jnana-yogi, dhyana-yogi. There are so many departments of yogis. Now, they also enjoy. The whole process is to concentrate upon the visnu-murti, Visnu form, within the heart. And unless there is pleasure, there is no enjoyment, what is the use of controlling the senses and focusing the mind on the Supreme Supersoul within the heart? There is pleasure. What sort of pleasure that is? That pleasure is ananta. Ananta means endless. Endless. Yoginah. Yoginah. Ramante yoginah anante. Anante means that pleasure is not endless. That pleasure, why it is not ended? Because spirit is eternal and the Supreme Lord is eternal, therefore reciprocation of their loving exchanges, they are eternal. They are eternal. The living spirit is eternal, the Lord is eternal, and their exchange of feelings, or loving feelings, that is also eternal. So one who is intelligent, they should refrain from this sensual enjoyment of this material body which is flickering, which is not in essence, and should seek such enjoyment of spiritual life. That is called rasa-lila. You have heard about Lord Krsna's rasa-lila. That is not ordinary exchange of feelings of this material body. That is exchange of feelings of the spiritual body. So sukham atyantikam yat tad buddhi-grahyam. One has to use his intelligence to understand what is real happiness. Foolish man cannot understand what is real happiness. Intelligent. So as soon as one becomes intelligent... The next sloka will describe it. Vetti yatra na caivayam sthitas calati tattvatah. One who does not know what is real happiness, they are seeking happiness in this material world.

There is a nice story. A man, a friend, was advised by his friend that "If you chew sugar cane, oh, it is very nice, sweet." The friend who was advised to chew sugar cane, he had no experience what is sugar cane. So he asked his friend, "Oh, what is the sugar cane?" The friend suggested, "It is just like a bamboo log." So the foolish man began to chew all kinds of bamboo logs. So how he can get the sweetness of the sugar cane? Similarly, we are trying to have happiness and pleasure, but we are trying to derive happiness, pleasure, eschewing this material body.

So therefore there is no happiness; there is no pleasure. For the time being, there may be a little feeling of pleasure, but that is not actual pleasure. That is for temporary, just a slight focus of that lightning. In the sky you will find some lightning, but real lightning is beyond that. So vetti yatra na caivayam sthitas calati tattvatah. Because persons they do not know what is happiness, so sthitas calati tattvatah. Real happiness... They are deviated from real happiness. Yam labdhva caparam labham manyate nadhikam tatah. This real happiness... Now, we are trying to be posted or to be situated in that position of real happiness by practice of this Krsna consciousness. By Krsna consciousness, we shall gradually develop our intelligence, real intelligence. Then we shall naturally like to enjoy that spiritual happiness. And as we make progress and get taste of spiritual happiness, so proportionately we give up the taste of this material happiness. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat [SB 11.2.42]. Bhakti, this Krsna consciousness, is gradually developed in realizing, understanding the Supreme Absolute Truth, paresanubhavah. Paresanubhavah. As paresanubhavah, as we make progress to understand the Absolute Truth, naturally we become detached from this false happiness we are trying to enjoy. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat.

Now, here it is stated, yam labdhva caparam labham manyate nadhikam tatah. If somebody, somehow or other, achieves or is promoted to that stage, then what is the result? Result is yam labdhva, "By achieving such stage of transcendental stage," caparam labham manyate na..., "other achievements, they become insignificant." Here we are trying to achieve so many things. We are trying to achieve so many riches or friends, fame, and beauty, and knowledge. So many things we are trying, achievement. But as soon as you become properly situated in Krsna consciousness achievement, then you will think, "Oh, no achievement is better than this achievement." Yam labdhva caparam labham. Aparam labham means other kinds of achievement. They will be considered as figs. It is so big, this Krsna consciousness, that one who understands and have a little taste... Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat: "A little taste can save one from the greatest danger." And as he makes progress and has a real taste, then he thinks that "All other achievements are useless, nonsense in comparison to Krsna consciousness."

yam labdhva caparam labham
manyate nadhikam tatah
yasmin sthito na duhkhena
gurunapi vicalyate

I am very glad to inform you a practical example. One of our students, he was put into very unfavorable condition, but he was not, I mean to say, at all disturbed due to this Krsna consciousness. Practical. So confident. And we are also not disturbed. We thought, "Oh, Krsna is there. He will not be put into difficulty. He cannot be put into difficulty." You see? So here it is said, yasmin sthito na duhkhena gurunapi vicalyate. If one is situated firm in Krsna consciousness, the gravest type of danger cannot disturb him. It is such a nice thing. Yasmin sthito na duhkhena gurunapi. Guru. Guru means very heavy, very heavy. Gurunapi duhkhena na vicalyate. He is not disturbed. He is not disturbed.

Of course, it may be stories, but I am telling you of my practical life. In 1942 there was heavy bombing in Calcutta, heavy bombing in Calcutta. By once or twice bombing, all the population vacated. Calcutta was a city of no man. But there were... Of course, many people remained there, those people who could not leave the city for some urgent or some other business. So somehow or other, I had to remain in the city, and on the 12th December, 1942, I remember, there was heavy bombing. But fortunately, we stayed perplexed.(?) He saw something, fireworks, is going on. "So let us enjoy." (laughter) You see? (makes sound of bomb coming down) Do-do-dee-dee -- dong! Like that, so many bombings. So what can be done? There may be so many dangers in our life because it is the place only full of dangers. We do not know. Because we are foolish, we are trying to adjust these things. That is our foolishness. We should...

Just like in a railway carriage. You are being transported from one place. Suppose it is crowded. So instead of adjusting the crowd, better tolerate for few hours and get down and go to your destination. Similarly, we may have many dangerous spots in this material life, but if we are preparing ourselves for going back to Krsna in Krsna consciousness, then these things will be not cared for. Let them happen. Agamapayinah anityas tams titiksasva bharata. They come and go. Let them happen. The bombing was not for all the days. All right, let them take place for few hours or few days. We have to adjust like that. But it is very difficult to adjust. But one who is situated in Krsna consciousness, he is not disturbed. He is not disturbed. That is the technique of not being disturbed. The more we advance in Krsna consciousness, we become free from this material entanglement.

There is a very nice verse in Srimad-Bhagavatam.

samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam
mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh
bhavambudhir vatsa-padam param padam
padam padam yad vipadam na tesam

Samasrita ye pada-pallava-plavam. Now, this material world is compared with a great ocean, and actually it is. Those who have traveled on the sea, now they have seen Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean. This is only a spot. This earth is only a spot in this material universe. So we have got these two big oceans, Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. Just imagine that within this universe, millions and millions of planets are floating. How many Atlantic and Pacific Oceans are there you can just imagine. So this is actually a great ocean of misery, bhavambudhih. The sastra says it is a great ocean of birth and death. So bhavambudhih. Samasrita ye pada... Now in order to cross the ocean, you require a very nice boat, strong boat. Then you can cross over. So we have to cross over this ocean of nescience, material. And what is that boat? That is lotus feet of Krsna. You take shelter of the boat which is Krsna's lotus feet. Samasrita. Take with great faith, that "I am now accepting this boat as my life, lifeboat." Then what is the result? Now, mahat-padam. Mahat-padam. Don't think that "Oh, Krsna, Krsna's boat, or feet, is so small." No. It is mahat-padam. Mahat-padam means the whole material creation is resting on His leg. Mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh.

So one who has taken shelter there, for him this great ocean of nescience is just like the water containing on the impression of calf leg. Of course, you have no experience. In India I have got experience because these calves and cows, they go on the pasturing ground, and in rainy season their hoofs makes holes, and in that hole there are some water. So that water... This great ocean is compared like that water. So nobody has any difficulty to cross over it. So bhavambudhir vatsa-padam param padam: "And for them, those who have taken shelter of Krsna consciousness, for them is waiting param padam, the supreme abode." Padam padam yad vipadam na tesam: "This place, wherein every step there is danger, this place is unfit for them." Padam padam yad vipadam na tesam. It is very nice. So yasmin sthito na duhkhena gurunapi vicalyate. If we are actually situated in Krsna consciousness, under the shelter of Krsna's lotus feet, then gurunapi duhkhena, very heaviest type of danger may be before me -- I shall not be disturbed. Or anyone who has taken the shelter like that, he will never be disturbed. He will never be disturbed.

tam vidyad duhkha-samyoga-
viyogam yoga-samjnitam
sa niscayena yoktavyo
yogo 'nirvinna-cetasa

Tam vidya. Tam vidyad duhkha-samyoga-viyogam yoga-samjnitam. Now, this understanding of miseries or happiness can be appreciated by the yoga process. Therefore yoga process is so important.

sa niscayena yoktavyo
yogo 'nirvinna-cetasa
sankalpa-prabhavan kamams
tyaktva sarvan asesatah
manasaivendriya-gramam
viniyamya samantatah

So this yoga process is... Because we are being entangled in this material world due to these uncontrolled senses. So the whole process of yoga indriya-samyama -- we have to control the senses and turn our face toward that actual spiritual happiness. Then our life will be successful. Manasaivendriya-gramam viniyamya. Mind and the indriya-gramam, and the whole range of the senses, that has to be controlled. Then we can gradually, if we practice, gradually we shall understand what is the real happiness and how to attain it.

sanaih sanair uparamed
buddhya dhrti-grhitaya
atma-samstham manah krtva
na kincid api cintayet

Sanaih sanair uparamed buddhya dhrti-grhitaya. Intelligence, and thinking, feeling, willing, by all these assistants, whatever I have got, sanaih sanaih, always we have to think of controlling the senses. Atma-samstham manah krtva. And just mind being fixed up in the atma, in the Supersoul. Na kincid api cintayet. Then you do not think anything more. Just like this evening we were studying that Krsna says that yuddhyasva mam anusmara: [Bg. 8.7] "You go on fighting; at the same time, be Krsna conscious."

yato yato niscalati
manas cancalam asthiram
tatas tato niyamyaitad
atmany eva vasam nayet

Now, the practical practice of yoga is that mind is always disturbed. It is going sometimes this way, sometimes that way. So we have to drag the mind only to Krsna consciousness. That is yoga practice, real practice. Mind is going from here, from Krsna consciousness, to so many. Because that has been my practice since time immemorial. So many lives I have passed in that way. Now I have taken a new line of my life. So in the beginning there will be difficulties, but that difficulties can be overcome. Here it is, the suggestion, yato yato niscalati manas cancalam asthiram. Because mind is very much agitating, cancalam, and asthiram, not fixed up, therefore it goes from one kind of thought to another kind of thought.

Sometimes you might have experienced that you are doing some work. All of a sudden you remember. Some forty years before or thirty years before, some years before, some incident took place, and you at once remember. Although there is no cause, but it comes. There is... A subconscious state is there, and we are getting. That means the mind is always being agitated. Due to agitation the things which are stored in the subconscious state, they come out. Just like if you agitate a lake or a pond, all the mud from within, it comes. But we have to settle down. Then the mud will settle down.

So this yoga process is a process of settling down the mind.

yato yato niscalati
manas cancalam asthiram
tatas tato niyamyaitad
atmany eva vasam nayet

Therefore there are so many rules and regulations, practically. If you follow the rules and regulations, then this agitated mind will gradually be under my control. Therefore rules and regulations are required to be followed. "Don't do this. Don't touch your mouth. Don't touch it in that way. Don't do it." There are so many "don'ts" and so many "do's." So we have to follow that. Following that regularly, the mind will be under your control. These are the process.

prasanta-manasam hy enam
yoginam sukham uttamam
upaiti santa-rajasam
brahma-bhutam akalmasam

Prasanta-manasam hy enam. When mind will be prasanta... Prasanta means not being dragged to think anything more than Krsna. That is called prasanta.

There is a nice verse in Srimad-Bhagavatam. A devotee is aspiring, bhavantam evanucaran nirantarah prasanta-nihsesa-mano-rathantarah. Bhavantam eva. The devotee is praying to the Lord, "My dear Lord, when I shall be cent percent, twenty-four hours engaged in Your service?" Bhavantam eva. "Only Yours and nothing more." Bhavantam evanucaran nirantarah. Nirantara means "Without cessation. I shall always be engaged in Your service." And how? Prasanta-nihsesa mano-rathantaram. Because my mind is agitating, therefore I create so many mental concoctions. I think, "This will make me happy. This will make me happy." So many things I create. They are called mano-rathantaram. Just like a man on the motor car goes anywhere, everywhere, similarly, the mind is taking us everywhere and anywhere, sometimes here, sometimes there, sometimes here. So that shall be stopped. As soon as I engage my mind in Krsna consciousness, then my mind will be naturally stopped for loitering hither and thither. So he is praying that bhavantam evanucaran nirantarah. "When simply by being engaged twenty-four hours in Your service, my mind will be stopped carrying me from here and there?" Bhavantam evanucaran nirantarah prasanta-nihsesa-mano-rathantaram kadaham aikantika-nitya-kinkarah: "When I shall be Your eternal servitor?" Kadaham aikantika-nitya-kinkarah praharsayisyami sa-natha-jivitam. Sa-natha-jivitam means one who has got a person behind him, his patron. A patron is there. Whenever there is some difficulty, the patron supports. Now we have no patron. Forgetting our relationship with the Supreme Lord, we have no patron. We are thinking of this patron, that patron, but real patron is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam. He is the real friend of every living entity.

So we have to revive our friendship, or revive our actual relationship, just like Arjuna is doing. Then these questions will be...

prasanta-manasam hy enam
yoginam sukham uttamam
upaiti santa-rajasam
brahma-bhutam akalmasam

Now, by attainment of that perfect stage of Krsna consciousness, then the upaiti santa-rajasam. We are agitated due to the passion, modes of passion. Now, by practice of this yoga, or Krsna consciousness, this passionate hankering will be stopped. Passionate hankering..., santa-rajasam brahma-bhutam akalmasam. Then you become aham brahmasmi: "I am the soul. I am not this body." Akalmasam. Without any deviation, without any mistake, we shall be firmly situated in our transcendental position. Thank you very much. Any questions? (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 6.21-27 -- New York, September 9, 1966