"Yoga-- Our Confidential Relationship With Krsna"

68/09/10 San Francisco, Bhagavad-gita 7.1



Prabhupada:

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

So this yoga system, Krsna consciousness yoga system, is to begin with developing attachment for Krsna. And the process of developing attachment I have already explained to you for the several last meetings. So for the beginners, attachment for God, everyone, people in the lowest stage, he has to admit the greatness of the Supreme Lord. God is great; there is no doubt about it. Everyone, even in the lowest status of life, he can admit. I don't speak of the animals. Animals, they have no sense of God. I am speaking of the human being. There are different, different grades of human civilization -- the highest type of civilization and the lowest aboriginal -- but every one of them has got a sense of God. That is there. This is the special prerogative of human being. Not that only the civilized men. Perhaps you know all, when you came here from European countries in America, the Red Indians. They are considered as aboriginals; still, they have some religion, they have some conception of God.

So God is great. That is admitted by the human civilization. Now what is that greatness? Generally when we speak of greatness...(coughs) (aside:) Water. We think of the greatness of the sky. That is the simple example how thing can be great: "As great as the sky." But in the sky you have no perception. As there is development of these material elements from finer, I mean to say, existential form, to grosser form, and the grosser form becomes tangible for our understanding, similarly, in every religion or in every society, the greatness of God is admitted. But how that greatness becomes tangible, that you can find in the Bhagavad-gita.

Suppose you have got conception of a sky, but you cannot have a definite idea of the greatness of sky because your experience and knowledge is gathered by sense perception. In the sky there is no sense perception. Just like we are sitting in this room. Within this room there is sky, but we cannot understand the sky. But if we try to understand this table we can at once understand, because in the table, if I touch, I feel the hardness; the perception is there. My knowledge can receive that this is a hard table. But if I speak about sky, I cannot get any direct perception. Therefore simply understanding of greatness of God is not all. That, that is the beginning of attachment, "God is great." But you have to develop your attachment to the fullest extent. And that is love of God.

You cannot love sky. That is not possible. If I say, "You love sky," you'll say, "How to love sky? I want a tangible thing. I want a boy, I want a girl, then I can love. How I can love sky?" So simply understanding of greatness is not all. Then from the development of the, from the idea of sky, there is, next development is air. In the air you can perceive something. When the air is blowing you can at least have some touch sensation. So as in the material world from the sky develops the air, from air develops the fire, electricity, and from electricity or fire develops the water, and from water develops this land... When it comes to the land you can understand something very tangible. Similarly, greatness of God has to be developed how? From greatness of God, the idea of greatness, the sense of service must develop. God is so great, so I must render some service to God. This sense of service is further development. Just like from the sky the air develops, similarly, from the idea of greatness of God the sense of service develops. Because I am serving somebody great, I go to some office because he provides me. The proprietor gives me some salary; therefore he is greater than me. I render service in exchange of something given by him.

So God is so great. In the Vedic literatures it is found that eko bahunam vidadhati kaman. That one great supreme living being, He is supplying all the necessities of all other small living beings. We are all small living beings, and Krsna, or the Supreme Lord, is the greatest living being. He is also a living being, just like us. The other day I explained that man is made after God, not that God is made after man. Don't think that because I have got two hands, two legs, one head, therefore I have created a Krsna who has got two hands, two legs, two... No. That is not the fact. Actually, because Krsna has got two legs, two hands, one head, therefore you have also got.

So God is great, and I am dependent. So my sense of love has to be developed. We must accept that God is great, He is supplying our necessities, why not render some service in gratitude? Is there any harm? Suppose somebody is always supplying you everything, don't you think in your gratitude to supply, to render some service to him? If you develop that sense of gratitude, that is further development, attachment, service. Now that service has again to be further developed. How it is to be developed? Just like service to your friend. A friend does not demand service. Just like master, he demands service: "You must do it." But friend does not demand service, but dear friend: "Yes, why not?" That means voluntary service. More intimately. That is further development. That friendly service... One sort of friendship is with awe and veneration. Just like if you have a very rich friend, you cannot talk with him so frankly although he is so..., he is your intimate friend. But a friend in the same status, you can talk with him very freely. Similarly, we can develop friendship with God in two stages. The first stage is with awe and veneration. "Oh, God is so great. God is supplying us so many things, and in gratitude I must serve Him." Or, "He is my well-wisher; He's my friend."

But if you further development your friendship... Just like Arjuna. Arjuna developed friendship with Krsna. When he saw Krsna in His supreme universal form, he said, "My dear Krsna, I have talked with You as friend. I have insulted You in so many ways." Friends and friends, sometimes they talk in insulting tone, but that is not insult, that is pleasure. Similarly, Arjuna also talks to Krsna in so many insulting tones. But when he saw that "Oh, here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead," he was afraid. So friendship. Then further development of service is to accept the Supreme Lord as son. When I get somebody as my son, the full service is there from the beginning of his life. So similarly, as the subtler form of elements develop into grosser forms, from sky to air, from air to fire, from fire to water, from water to land, similarly, the attachment of Krsna begins to develop from the sense of greatness. "God is great," then "God is master," then "God is friend," and then "God is my son," and then "God is my lover." In the lover stage, there are all other elements. When you love somebody, then there is loving element, and there is paternal element, there is friendship element, there is master and servant element, and there is greatness element. Therefore, in the sense of loving God, all other elements are full. Therefore the full attachment for Krsna is to love Him as your lover.

So Krsna says, mad-asrayam. This yoga system, bhakti-yoga, is to develop attachment for Krsna under His protection. Mad-asrayah. Just like a friend protects his friend, a master protects his servant, a parent, a father protects his child, or a lover protects his lover, similarly, there is some protectional element. Mad-asrayah: "Krsna is my friend, He'll protect me. Krsna is my master, He'll protect me. Krsna is my son, He'll protect me. Krsna is my lover, He'll protect me." So this, this is called mad-asrayah. If we take this attitude in either of these attitudes, either friend or lover or son or master, like that, and you develop your attachment for Krsna, then asamsaya, without any doubt, samagram, in complete..., in full completeness, you can understand what is God. This is the philosophy of Krsna consciousness, that you have to take shelter of Krsna in either of these aspects, and you have to develop your attachment for either of these aspects.

Then Krsna says that jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam idam vaksyamy asesatah. Now this knowledge of God is not a sentiment, it is science. It is science. This is scientific. Nobody can deny it. We are not preaching any particular type of sentiment, or any frog's speculation. It is fact. How our relationship with the Supreme Lord can develop, how we are related with Him, these things are fact on philosophical basis. Therefore Krsna is assuring Arjuna that "What I'm talking to you is not a religious sentiment, but it is jnanam." Jnanam means it is practical knowledge. Jnanam. Jnanam means theoretical knowledge, and vijnanam means practical knowledge. So Krsna says, jnanam. Jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam: "I am just speaking to you the exact knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead with practical demonstration." [break]

...appear for practical examination. Simply knowing that such and such chemical element mixed with such and such chemical element becomes such and such chemical element is theoretical knowledge. Oxygen and hydrogen mixed together produces water. This is theoretical knowledge. But when in the laboratory you actually act -- such and such quantity of oxygen gas you mix with such and such quantity of hydrogen gas -- at once there is formulation of water. As soon as you mix alkali and acid together, there is at once reaction, soda-bicarbonate. So similarly, theoretical knowledge that we have got a particular type of relationship with God, that you cannot deny. Anything, whatever you have got in your possession, you have got some particular relationship. Suppose you are Americans, we are Indian. So we have got some particular relationship with the state. I am Indian citizen, you are American citizen. So relationship must be there. You are sitting here. There is some relationship. Suppose my students, they have got relationship with me. I am their teacher, they are my disciples. Or if you are not my disciple then you are audience, I am speaker. Must be there some relationship.

So similarly, if with everything we have got some relationship, why not with God? There is. That is practical relationship, but we have forgotten. We have forgotten our relationship. And yoga means to connect, to reconnect that relationship again. That is called yoga. Yoga is not a mental speculation or for health's sake. Oh, for health's sake you may not go to the yoga system. If you simply adopt the practice of Sandoz exercise you can become very healthy, very strong. There is no need of... Yoga is different thing. Yoga means concentration of the mind towards God, God, Paramatma, which we have forgotten now.

At the present moment, although we remember sometimes there or the material energy, we have forgotten. So we have to establish, reestablish our forgotten relationship. It is not that you have no relationship with God and we are artificially forcing something, relationship with God, Krsna consciousness. No. You have your relationship. Simply by hearing, by cultivation of this knowledge, you revive your relationship, that's all. Just like in the matches there is fire. You simply rub it for some time, for a few seconds, oh, the fire will come out. Similarly, your relationship with Krsna, Krsna consciousness, is there within you. Otherwise, how could you accept the Krsna consciousness? "I've imported Krsna from India," that is also a mistake. Krsna is not for India or America. Just like the sun. This is same sun which I have seen in India, the same sun is in your America. So nobody can claim, "Oh, this is Indian sun and this is American sun." Sun is one. It is our miscalculation that we say, "This is American land, this is American sun, this is American atmosphere." No. Everything in relationship with God. That is jnanam. That is knowledge. And vijnanam. And practical also.

So Krsna says that "I will explain to you, if you adopt this principle, that development of attachment with Krsna, under My protection..." If you don't take the protection of Krsna, then you cannot develop attachment for Krsna. You have to accept. That development I have... The other day, I have explained to you that it takes place by giving something, by taking something, by disclosing something, by understanding something, by eating something, by giving Krsna to eat something. By six processes. So Krsna says, "I am speaking to you this jnanam," sa-vijnanam. Jnanam te aham sa-vijnanam idam. Sa-vijnanam means "with scientific knowledge." Vaksyamy, "I'll say." Yad jnatva, "If you try to understand this knowledge, or if you understand this knowledge," yaj jnatva na iha, "not in this material world." Na iha. Because in the spiritual world there is no ignorance. Spiritual life means full of knowledge, full of bliss, eternal life. So therefore Krsna says that "If you understand this knowledge, the knowledge of Krsna or the science of Krsna, or the science of Krsna consciousness," yaj jnatva na iha bhuyo. Bhuyo means "again." Anyaj, "anything more." Anyaj jnatavyam, "understandable," avasisyate, "there remains." That means "If you understand as I am speaking to you, in science, practical and theoretical, if you understand this knowledge, then you'll have nothing to know. There is nothing more knowable to you in this world. That means your knowledge becomes full." Yaj jnatva neha bhuyo anyaj jnatavyam avasisyate. Tac-chakti-dvaya-vivikta-svarupa-visayakam jnanam vijnanam tena sahitam te tubhyam prapannayasesatah samagram vaksyami.

Now here Krsna says that "I am speaking to you." He's particularly marking Arjuna. Why? He does not say here, "I'm speaking to everyone." No. Everyone cannot understand this knowledge. It is confidential. Krsna consciousness is not understandable by any ordinary man. Of course, Lord Caitanya has made it so easy for this age that if you sincerely, with devotion, chant Hare Krsna, you'll be able to understand. But the science as it is, itself, it is very difficult. It is very difficult. But because the age is not very favorable, the time is not very favorable, therefore Lord Caitanya has inaugurated this sankirtana movement by chanting Hare Krsna and dancing, so that your mind very quickly becomes cleared so that you can understand what is Krsna consciousness. This simple process. Otherwise, Krsna says it is not for all.

"I am speaking to you this scientific knowledge of Krsna consciousness unto you." Why "unto you"? Because he's a surrendered soul. He's a surrendered soul. The beginning of Bhagavad-gita is there. You know. When Krsna was talking with Arjuna as friend, He did not talk very seriously. He was simply saying, "My dear Arjuna, it is not good for you that you shall not fight. You are a ksatriya, you belong to the warrior class, so if you don't fight, it will not be very good." In this way, on the basis of friendship. But Arjuna also understood that "Krsna is not very seriously talking with me, because we are friends." So he surrendered himself. He said that "My dear Krsna, I can understand that the problem which has arisen in this battlefield, it is very difficult problem. I have come here to fight, but I have been disturbed with sentiments. So how I can kill my brothers, my teacher, my grandfather, my grandsons, and so on, so on? So, but I know also that these problems, this problematic situation which has arisen, it can be solved by You only." But Arjuna knew it that "Krsna is not my ordinary friend. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Therefore he at once surrendered. Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam: "I am surrendered unto You as Your disciple. Please accept me and just teach me what is good for me." Therefore Krsna also says that jnanam te aham, "I am speaking to you this knowledge, this confidential knowledge, because you are surrendered."

So this thing, this Krsna consciousness begins. Unless you have got at least a little attachment for Krsna, unless you have taken to any sort of service to Krsna it is very difficult to understand. Jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam. Tac-chakti-dvaya-vivikta-svarupa-visayakam. So jnanam, you can understand this because you are surrendered soul. Prapannayasesatah samagrena upadeksyami. So jnanam means the actual, factual knowledge. Jnanam means factual knowledge and practical demonstration of that knowledge. That will be explained in this chapter, and we shall further discuss on this point.

Now if there is any question, you can ask.

Devotee (1): Swamiji, you said that the relationship with Krsna as lover contains all the other symptoms of the other relationships.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Devotee (1): Does this mean that that rasa is superior or better than the other rasas?

Prabhupada: Yes. It is...If you neutrally examine that the position of the lover is better than the position of a person who is in relationship with Krsna as master and servant. But that is studying the relationship or the mellows from neutral point of view. But anyone, either who is..., anyone, either he is in relationship as master and servant or relationship as father and child or lover and lover, from his position, He is supreme. But from neutral position the lover and the beloved, this kind of relationship with Krsna is the best, is the supreme. Therefore the worship of the gopis to Krsna... Lord Caitanya also displayed. His propaganda or His understanding of Krsna was just like the lover and the beloved. Krsna as Lord Caitanya was playing the part of Radharani. He wanted to understand. Krsna wanted to understand what is there in Radharani. So that understanding, that feature of Krsna is Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya is not different from Krsna, but the feature in which Krsna is trying to understand Radharani, that is Lord Caitanya. So Radharani's position is greater than Krsna's. These are very confidential talks, but the relationship of love and the beloved, as it was between Krsna and the gopis, that is the highest type of relationship. There is no doubt about it. (pause) Yes?

Devotee (1): I just didn't hear you correctly. Did you say that Sri Krsna Caitanya was playing Radha?

Prabhupada: Yes, He is playing the part of Radharani. He is worshiping Krsna as Radharani worshiped Krsna. There is a verse composed by Lord Caitanya. He says,

aslisya va pada ratam pinastu mam
(adarsanan) marma-hatam karotu va
yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato
mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah

He's praying, "My Lord Krsna, either You trample me down by Your feet, either You embrace me as lover, or You make me brokenhearted without Your presence. Whatever You like You can do. But still I am Your eternal servitor." So this attitude was Radharani's. So Lord Caitanya is the feature of Krsna understanding Radharani. That Krsna is great undoubtedly, but He thinks that Radharani is greater than Him, because He cannot repay the loving transaction of Radha, of Krsna. So he wanted to study what is there in Radharani. "So I cannot study Radharani in the feature of Krsna. If I take the feature of Radharani, then I can understand what are..." This is highest, I mean to say, transcendental sentiments. But Lord Caitanya is Radharani's feature. Tad-dvayam caikyam aptam. Caitanyakhyam prakatam adhuna tad-dvayam caityam aptam. Krsna, when He wants to enjoy, He expands His pleasure potency, which is Radharani. Now one Krsna becomes two, Krsna and His pleasure potency. And that pleasure potency, when unites with Krsna, that is Caitanya. Krsna becomes two, Radharani and Krsna. Krsna cannot enjoy anything material because He is full in Himself. Therefore if He has to enjoy something, then that enjoyable personality must be expanded from Him only. So that is Radharani. And when that enjoyable personality again takes into one, that is Caitanya. These things you'll understand as you develop Krsna consciousness, in higher development stage. But it is, we can discuss. This is the fact. Yes?

Gargamuni: I just want to... You said that yoga means to connect with the Supreme, and then you said by that we concentrate our mind on God, and then after that you said Paramatma.

Prabhupada: Yes. The beginning of searching out God is within yourself. God is within yourself. So yoga means concentrating the mind on the Paramatma. Paramatma is the feature of the Supreme Lord who is seated in everyone's heart. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. Hrd-dese means in the heart. In the heart I am, as spiritual spark, I am also sitting, and the Krsna is also sitting. The medical science cannot explain. As soon as the heart fails, they say, "Oh, he's gone." That means in the heart I am sitting and the Paramatma is sitting. As the I and Paramatma leaves the heart, the heart fails and there is no life. And it is a fact from medical science that all the energies of the body is coming from the heart. So this statement of the Bhagavad-gita, that isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese... [Bg. 18.61]. Hrd-dese means in the heart. So yoga means, as prescribed in the standard yoga system in the Bhagavad-gita, means I myself try to find out the Paramatma within my heart. So I cannot concentrate unless I withdraw all my sensual activities. You cannot practice yoga, (chuckling) at the same time indulge in sensual activities. These are all nonsense. So we have to concentrate all our sensual activities. That means repose them in the mind, and mind is concentrated upon the Paramatma. That is real yoga.

Gargamuni: Yes, but we in Krsna consciousness, we aren't interested in that Paramatma, are we?

Prabhupada: No. We have no interest because we are directly meditating the Supreme. Therefore if we concentrate our mind on Krsna, that means Paramatma is already served. If you have got one million dollars, then ten dollar service is already done. Paramatma is partial representation of Krsna. So if you concentrate your attention, whole attention to Krsna, that is far, far better than... And that is, I mean to say, accepted in the Bhagavad-gita. Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana [Bg. 6.47]. "Anyone who is concentrating his mind upon Me, he is the topmost yogi." He's the topmost yogi. And that is very easy. If you simply see the picture of Krsna, the statue of Krsna, worship Krsna, chant His name Krsna, eat Krsna's prasadam, talk Krsna, read Krsna's book, then you are always in samadhi. Samadhi, this is perfect samadhi. So Krsna consciousness is not an ordinary thing. It is the highest, topmost yoga system. Is that clear?

Gargamuni: Yes.

Prabhupada: All right. Chant. Sri rama jaya rama jaya jaya... (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 7.1 -- San Francisco, September 10, 1968