"God Is Open To Everyone" 66/12/08 New York, Bhagavad-gita 9.22-23

Prabhupada:

ananyas cintayanto mam
ye janah paryupasate
tesam nityabhiyuktanam
yoga-ksemam vahamy aham
[Bg. 9.22]

Now Lord Krsna is speaking about His own devotees. So far He has spoken about the elevationists, materialist elevationists. Evam trayi-dharmam anuprapanna gatagatam kama-kama labhante. Repeating, repeating the same process, sometimes going up, sometimes coming down -- this is the material process. Today I am the richest man, and tomorrow I may be a poverty-stricken man in the street. This is going on. As we find in this earth, so also by our pious activities we can be promoted in better planets. Then ksine punye martya-lokam visanti [Bg. 9.21]. And when the resultant actions of pious activities is finished, then again we are driven to this earth or down than this earth. So this is going on. Lord Caitanya said that ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva [Cc. Madhya 19.151], that "This way, this cycle of different species of life, they are going on. So traveling in this way, somebody who is very fortunate, by association of devotees, he gets the seed of devotional service." Ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. To achieve the seed of devotional service is a fortunate achievement. It is not very easy because it ceases the cycle of different transmigration of the soul. By ignorance we take this spot life as permanent settlement and we think that "We shall live here permanently and make arrangement to live here permanently and make assets for my children, for my nation." But we do not know that the cycle of transmigration is not fixed up.

I do not know what next life is mine. I do not know where is the..., who is coming as my son, who is coming, who is going out of the scene as my son. These laws we do not know. But we are chewing the chewed. Evam gatagatam kama-kama labhante. Under the spell of this illusory energy, we are captivated by this temporary sense gratification and we have forgotten our real life. So those who are in the sense of his real constitutional, of their real constitutional position, as Bhagavad-gita started from the very beginning... This very conception, that "I am this body," beginning from, from beginning of the Bhagavad-gita this is discredited, that "You are not this body." So you have to mold your life in your identification of spiritual existence. So so far the materialist is concerned, they are chewing the chewed. Punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. The example, which I gave you the last day, that as sugar cane, one has extracted all the juice by chewing, and it is again thrown into the, on the earth and somebody is chewing, so there is no juice. So we are simply repeating the same thing. We do not question whether this process of life can at all give us happiness. But we are trying and trying, trying the same thing.

The ultimate purpose of sense gratification and the highest, topmost sense gratification is sex life. So we are trying, chewing, eschewing, you see, extracting. But that is not the process of happiness. The happiness is different. Sukham atyantikam yat tad atindriya-grahyam. Real happiness is transcendental. And that transcendental means that I must understand what is my position and what is my process of life. In this way this Krsna consciousness will teach you. So those who are Krsna conscious, about them the Lord is saying, ananyas cintayanto mam. Ananyas cintayantah means always, twenty-four hours, without any deviation, always thinking of Krsna. Naturally, if you are engaged in the business of Krsna, then you will always think of Krsna. Anyone who is absorbed in certain particular business, he's always thinking of that thing. So anyone who is engaged in Krsna consciousness, his business is to think of Krsna always. Just like you are reading, hearing on this Bhagavad-gita. It is spoken by Krsna. And if you think at home that "This sort of speeches was given by Lord Krsna. This is the essence," so that is Krsna cintayantah. To think of Bhagavad-gita is also Krsna thinking because Bhagavad-gita is not different from Krsna, absolute. It is from the absolute one. There is no duality.

In the absolute sense there is no duality. If I speak something, because I am not speaking in the absolute, therefore my speaking and my self, different. But here I am speaking the words of Lord Krsna. Therefore the words of Lord Krsna is not different from Krsna. So if we think of Bhagavad-gita, the instructions which we receive from Bhagavad-gita, that is also thinking of Krsna. So ananyas cintayanto mam: "Always who are thinking about Me..." Ye janah paryupasate. And why one should think of Krsna unless he has fully surrendered to Krsna? Unless one has taken the business of Krsna, he cannot think of Krsna. He cannot think of Krsna. Therefore it is said that ananyas cintayanto mam ye janah paryupasate. Paryupasate means constantly worshiping in that way. Tesam nityabhiyuktanam. Abhiyukta: he is always engaged in Krsna consciousness. Therefore, yoga-ksemam vahamy aham [Bg. 9.22]. Not that only the materialistic people will remain happy. Krsna assures that one who is always engaged in Krsna consciousness, his happiness will be not divorced. "He will be also happy because I will make him, I will supply him whatever he requires."

It is very easy to understand. Just like somebody maintains his family, children. He all day works, and he has the aim, how his family member will be happy, because he knows that those people, those children, they are fully dependent upon him. This is same consciousness. Because wherefrom this consciousness comes unless it is not in Krsna? Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. In the Vedanta-sutra it is stated, whatever you think, whatever you see, it has its origin. And where is that origin? In Krsna. Unless in Krsna this thinking is not there, that "My devotees..." Krsna... Every one of us is son of Krsna. That's all right. But especially... Just like a very big businessman, all his employees, they are also taken attention by the person, by the boss. But special attention is taken for his own children. Similarly, Krsna, the Supreme Lord, He is anxious for all living entities but especially anxious for His devotees. Samo 'ham sarva-bhutesu na me dvesyo 'sti na priyah. You will find in the Bhagavad-gita that the Lord says that "I am equal to everyone. Nobody is My enemy and nobody is My friend. I don't show anyone any partiality because nobody is My enemy." How God can be anyone's enemy or friend? He is friend of everyone. But ye tu bhajanti mam bhaktya tesu te mayi. One who is devoted specially to the Lord, He takes special attention.

That do you think that God is in that way partial? No. It is the... Just like the sunshine. Sunshine is open for everyone, but one who does not take advantage of the sunshine, he keeps himself within the dark room, oh, the sun, what can sun do? Similarly, this partiality of God, that He takes special interest of the devotees because the devotees are able to take the Supreme, the complete sunshine of Krsna, it is not the partiality of the sun or Krsna, but it is the capacity of the person who can take full advantage of the sunshine. One should come out of the darkness and take full advantage of the sunshine. So sun is open for everyone. Similarly, God is open for everyone. One who comes out of this darkness of ignorance, he takes more advantage of Krsna's favor. So therefore it is His capacity. Ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham [Bg. 4.11]. So He gives instruction to everyone. This Bhagavad-gita is meant for everyone. It is not for, not only for Arjuna. Arjuna was His eternal devotee. He had all knowledge. But Arjuna placed himself as one of us just to receive this instruction from the Supreme Lord. So this instruction is open to everyone. It is not... Krsna's instruction, Bhagavad-gita, is not limited within a circle, within a particular circle. No. It is for every living entity. Now, if anyone takes advantage of it...

Just like the sunshine is for everyone. The same sun in India and same sun in your America. You cannot say that "This is American sun." Can you? Or we cannot say, "Oh..." I see sometimes... Because I am now foreigner, I see sometimes, "Oh, the same moon is here, and same sun is here? The same cloud is here? Oh, why I am foreigner?" Nobody is foreigner. Everyone is under the sunshine. It is our misunderstanding. It is our misunderstanding. In God's kingdom nobody is foreigner. Everyone is brother. The ultimate father is the Supreme Lord. That is Krsna consciousness. Even the animals. Why should we think animals different from us and we shall kill them? No. You have no right. He is also your brother. So this is universal brotherhood. When you come to the open sunshine, we can see, oh, everyone is eligible to take advantage of the sunshine. And so long we are in the darkness, we say, "Oh, this is my room; this is your room." So for such persons who are completely in Krsna consciousness, for them there is no scarcity. This is very encouraging. No Krsna conscious person will think that "I will be in scarcity. I will be in want." No. Be rest assured. You will never be in want. You will never be in want. If you keep your full faith in Krsna, you will always happily live and will be given a chance of chanting Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama... Here it is guaranteed.

So if you take this advantage of Krsna, Krsna, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, in whatever position you may be, you will never be unhappy. You will always be prosperous. So why don't you take this advantage? Be situated. Oh, you are medical practitioner? That's all right. You are engineer? That's all right. You are a clerk? That's all right. You are a real estate man? That's all right. Never mind whatever doing. Everyone has to do something to keep his body and soul together. That is the law of nature. Niyatam kuru karma tvam karma jyayo hy akarmanah. Arjuna was Krsna's friend, but He never said that "You stop your working." Rather, He engaged him in his real work. He was a fighter. He was a soldier. He was declining to do the duty of a soldier. But Krsna induced him, "No. You must become a soldier." So we may do whatever by God's grace or by nature's freaks we are situated. That doesn't matter. But if you take this formula, ananyas cintayanto mam, always think of Krsna, then the result will be that you will never be unhappy. Just try. Make an experiment.

We don't say that you give up your engagement and become a mendicant or sannyasi like me and give up your wife and children. No. Krsna does not say that. You may ask then, "Why you have given up your wife and children?" I have given up my wife and children for this purpose. If I am engaged in family life, then I cannot do this missionary work. I have taken absolute shelter to this work without any disturbance. So for a preacher, for a missionary, that is a different thing. But for ordinary man, he does not require to give up his family, his home. He will remain. You remain in your occupation, you remain at home, but chant this Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Is there any difficulty?

Why don't you try it? This is our mission. We don't say that you change your life. We simply say that in whatever position you are, you please chant. That's all. You please chant. You will be happy. You will be prosperous. Krsna will be pleased upon you, and you will be never in scarcity. Is it not a very nice thing? You will never be unhappy, you will never be in scarcity. That... It is guaranteed here. Tesam nityabhiyuktanam yoga-ksemam vahamy aham: [Bg. 9.22] "Those who are thus engaged always in thinking of Me..." Well, you can do your business and think of Krsna, and what is your harm? And that thinking may be, I mean to, divert your attention, but if you chant Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, you will practice. And Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. But you will not be deviated what you are doing, but at the same time, you will be able to hear this sound, transcendental sound vibration. So this is the formula given by the Lord Himself. Please try to follow it. Ananyas cintayanto mam. Always, always chant Hare Krsna. There is no rule, no regulation. Never mind what you are, what you are doing. Simply chant and hear. We are anxious that everyone may take up this simple thing. And Lord Caitanya says from Padma Purana,

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

If you want to live just like animal, simply within the sphere of eating, sleeping and mating and defending, that will not solve your problem of life. Dharmo hi tesam adhiko visesah.(?) You are elevated from animal life only for this reason, that you can take up this line of action, Hare Krsna. The animal cannot take up. So don't miss this chance. If I instruct a dog, "My dear dog, please chant Hare Krsna," it is not possible for him. But for a human being -- never mind in whichever country he is born and whatever religion he's professed... That doesn't matter. This Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare is for everyone. It is not very difficult. So take up this.

ye 'py anya-devata-bhakta
yajante sraddhayanvitah
te 'pi mam eva kaunteya
yajanty avidhi-purvakam

Avidhi-purvakam. Now Krsna says... Of course, in India there are different types of worship. That I have already explained. Mostly they worship Lord Krsna, mostly. At least 80% of the people, they are Visnu worshiper. And 20% of the people, Hindus, they are worshiper of different gods and impersonalists, like that, still. So here Krsna says... But because that is recommended in the Vedic literature. Why? The Vedic literature... That I explained the other day, that worship of different gods, that is also along with Visnu worship. Aradhananam sarvesam visnor aradhanam param. Visnu is the central point. Without Visnu worship, with(out) Krsna worship, no other worship is successful. So here, those who worship other gods in this conception, that because God is everything, therefore the, any demigod, because the demigod... People, those who are less intelligent, they worship demigod to take immediate effect. Just like a man who is diseased, he is recommended to worship the sun. Sun. Now, that is effective. I may worship... Because when sun is worshiped you have to go to the sunshine and offer something, water and some pradipa. There are some paraphernalia. So if a diseased man goes to the sunshine, he is actually... He is cured. Sunshine has got... Scientifically also, it has got ultraviolet rays. So one keeps... If he does not take any medicine, if he simply sits down in sunshine, he will be cured. Nature's way. So either you take this way or that way... But one thing is that those who are worshiping sun for cure of disease, for them Bhagavad-gita says, antavat tu phalam tesam tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam. Antavat tu phalam tesam.

Now, suppose you are diseased and you are cured by worshiping sun, or becoming in the sunshine. Do you think that is the solution of your life? You may be cured. So how long you will remain cured? There will be again disease. Again you worship sunshine. So this is called gatagatam, chewing the chewed. The problem is why you shall be diseased at all? That should be the problem of intelligent person, not that I become diseased and I worship sun or go to the doctor and be cured and again become diseased. No. Sukham atyantikam. You should cure from all diseases. The... So long you have this material body, you have got life, you have got birth, you have got death, you have got diseases, and you have got old age, besides other miseries. This is a permanent thing. Now, your human form of life is meant for curing for good all these inconveniences. You should not be satisfied by curing disease and again falling diseased. No. That is not your business. Therefore Lord Krsna says, antavat tu phalam tesam: "Those who are worshiping other demigods for some immediate result, their result is antavat. It is to be ended at a certain point. It has got end. So such things are desired by alpa-medhasam, alpa-medhasam, those who have got less amount of brain substance." Why one should be satisfied by temporary cure? He must see that "Why I shall die? Why I shall be diseased? Why I shall go again into the womb of the mother? And why I shall become old? This is my problem." So if you want to solve all these problems, then you have to become to Krsna conscious.

janma karma me divyam
yo janati tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti kaunteya
[Bg. 4.9]

Anyone who becomes Krsna consciousness, even partially, simply to know Krsna, that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, His activities are transcendental, simply by knowing this, you will solve your all these problems, simply by knowing this. Tyaktva deham punar janma [Bg. 4.9]. These things are stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Therefore, in every way, if you make analytical study of Bhagavad-gita, then you have to become Krsna conscious. Bhagavad-gita is being preached all over the world in so many languages. But I am sorry they are not in the right way. Therefore we are very serious to preach this mission of Bhagavad-gita all over the world so that people may become happy and people may take advantage of it. That is our mission, and we invite everyone, every gentleman, every sane man, to come and cooperate with us. This is a nice mission. We shall be glad to cooperate for the good of all people of the world. Yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama [Bg. 15.6]. The Lord says that if you transfer yourself to the kingdom of God, then you will have no more to come in this world of miseries, full of miseries. What is the time? Thank you very much. Any question? (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 9.22-23 -- New York, December 8, 1966

"Heavenly Planets-Temporary Happiness" 66/12/06 New York, Bhagavad-gita 9.20-22

Prabhupada:

trai-vidya mam soma-pah puta-papa
yajnair istva svargatim prarthayante
te punyam asadya surendra-lokam
asnanti divyan divi deva-bhogan

Now, Lord Krsna has described different types of transcendentalists. First He has described about the mahatma, mahatma, the great soul. And their symptoms have been described, that satatam kirtayanto mam [Bg. 9.14]. They are engaged twenty-four hours, cent percent, in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, yatantas ca drdha-vratah, and trying to serve the Lord very carefully with vow. So they are first-class transcendentalists or the great soul. And then? Second-class? Those who are trying to understand the Supreme, the Absolute Truth, by identifying himself with the Supreme, that "I am, I am the Supreme." This I have already explained. This "I am Supreme" means "I am part and parcel of the Supreme, of the same quality." So these people, these devotees, not exactly devotees, transcendentalists, they, doing that, when they are little more advanced and if by chance they get association of another pure devotee, then he can understand that "I am not Supreme, but I am the part and parcel of the Supreme." Then he makes further advance and the ultimate goal, as I have several times explained before you, ultimate goal is to know Krsna, or the Supreme Lord. That is the ultimate goal.

So this is direct method. The Krsna consciousness, which we are trying to popularize, this is direct method and just suitable for this age. As Lord Caitanya introduced, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. In this age of Kali, the age of quarrel and hypocrisy -- this is called Kali -- in this age this is the simplest method and direct, direct action. Just like in military art there is a word, "direct action," this is the spiritual direct action, this Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. But because it is very simple, sometimes those who think themselves as very intelligent and advanced, they think, "Oh, what they are doing, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna? We are meditating, we are philosophizing, and we are doing penance and austerities and following the rituals, so many things." So practically, they are, according to Bhagavad-gita they are not directly in touch with the Supreme Lord, but they have taken different paths as ahangrahopasanam, thinking himself as one with the Lord, pantheism, thinking everything the symbol of God, and thinking the universal form as the Supreme, in different ways.

So anyway, all of them, the first-class mahatma and all these people, they are transcendentalists. They are trying to realize the Absolute Truth. May be in a different grades, but they are trying. And besides that, besides them, there is another class who are, more or less can be called, not transcendentalists but materialists. And who are they? That is described here.

trai-vidya mam soma-pah puta-papa
yajnair istva svargatim prarthayante
te punyam asadya surendra-lokam
asnanti divyan divi deva-bhogan

Deva-bhogan means this is with reference to the standard of living. As in this world we have got different standard of living and it may be that your standard of living in America or Europe may be, from material point of view, very high and standard of living in other country may be lower... Different standard of living there are. But in other planets also, there are different standard of living. They are called deva-bhogan. That standard of living we cannot imagine here, in the moon planet and other, surendra-lokam. Surendra-lokam means where the demigods live. They are also human beings, but they are highly intellectual, and their duration of life is very long, and their standard of living is very high, most costly. We cannot imagine even.

So they are soma-pah. Soma is a kind of beverage. Just like in this material world we have got different kinds of liquors. It is not intoxicating, but there is mention. Here in the Bhagavad-gita is also mentioned, soma-pah, soma-rasa. And in Srimad-Bhagavatam we get information that in the moon planet they also drink this soma-rasa. But the soma-rasa is not an intoxicant. It is a different thing. Here it is said, soma-pah puta-papah. One who will drink the soma-rasa, he will be freed from sinful reaction. Just the opposite. Here, just like when we become intoxicated, we become addicted to so many sinful actions, it is soma-pah. When we drink soma-rasa, it is just the opposite. We become freed from all sinful reaction. That soma-pah is recommended here also. So either they try to go to other planets, or they manufacture here soma-pah, soma-rasa. Of course, at the present moment we have no such facility. But from Bhagavad-gita it is understood that there was a method.

Anyway, the process is mentioned, described in the Vedic literature, trai-vidya. Trai-vidya means Vedas. There are three kinds of knowledge in the Vedas, trai-vidya: karma-kanda, upasana-kanda, and jnana-kanda. Karma-kanda means this, how we can adjust material happiness or material living very nice. That is called karma-kanda. And then upasana-kanda. Upasana-kanda means how to worship the Supreme Lord or the demigod or different types of... There are demigods. The demigods are living beings like us, but they are very powerful. So that upasana-kanda, worship of different demigods is also mentioned there in the Vedas. That is called upasana-kanda. And jnana-kanda. Jnana-kanda means knowledge, philosophical. So therefore Veda is known as trai-vidya, trayi. Trayi means three kinds of knowledge there are. So the persons who are more or less materialists -- they are not transcendentalists -- they take shelter of this Vedic trai-vidya, three kinds of knowledge. And to prepare themselves to be transferred in other planets they become freed from all sinful reaction.

As I have several times mentioned that your standard of living in America is very nice. So others, people from other parts, they also try to come here and settle here. But you have got restriction, visa department. There is restriction department. You do not allow. So similarly, if you want to go to the moon planet, then you have to qualify yourself. You have to obtain the visa. That is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita.

yanti deva-vrata devan
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah
bhutani yanti bhutejya
yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam
[Bg. 9.25]

So any planet, wherever you want to go... Of course, you may try to go there by sputnik but we have no such mention in the sastras that you can manufacture some machine and you can go there. You have to qualify yourself. You have to qualify yourself. Just like even there is machine, jet plane, still, you require the visa to enter into America or any other country, similarly, even if you can manufacture some machine, although it is not possible, but you have to qualify yourself to be a resident in the better planets. So those who are after going to the better planets, sun planet, moon planet, and heavenly planet... There are many. Svargaloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, Maharloka. They are in Sanskrit names.

So here it is mentioned, trai-vidya soma-pah puta-papah. They, after preparing themselves to be transferred in other planets, they become free from all sinful reaction. The higher planet, as you go, you have to become free from sinful action. The lower grade life and higher grade life in this material world means those who are proportionately less sinful, they are promoted in higher planets. You cannot be free from sinful reaction in this material world. There will be some portion, some percentage. So the higher grade life and lower grade life means those who are proportionately greater sinful, they have got lower grade life, and those who have got greater pious life, they get higher grade life in higher planets, in Brahmaloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka. Tapoloka means those who have performed here severe penances, and they are transferred there in Tapoloka. In Tapoloka, when there is destruction, annihilation of this material world, in the Tapoloka there is no destruction. They get information, "Now annihilation has begun." There is a great fire, and they still feel that heat, and at that time they transfer themselves to the spiritual sky. That mention we have got. So yajnair istva svargatim prarthayante.

So these materialists... Anyone, even if you go to the higher planets, still, you are materialist. Even you go to the highest planet, Brahmaloka, where the duration of life you cannot calculate, still there is death. The material pangs, birth, death, old age and disease, there is. So in the Bhagavad-gita we get all this information, where other planets are, what is the condition. Simply we have to know it from this book. Similarly, we have got information of the supreme planet Krsnaloka, or the planet of Krsna, where you can go. The Lord says, yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama: [Bg. 15.6] "The planet where going you have no more to come back." Now, these planets, these material planets, as it is mentioned here, surendra-loka... Surendra means highly qualified demigods, their planets. Surendra-lokam asnanti. Asnanti means they enjoy. And what do they enjoy? Divyan divi deva-bhogan. They enjoy godly comforts, deva-bhogan.

Now, Lord Krsna says, then what is after? The after result is, is said here,

te tam bhuktva svarga-lokam visalam
ksine punye martya-lokam visanti
evam trayi-dharmam anuprapanna
gatagatam kama-kama labhante
[Bg. 9.21]

So those who are so materially attached, their business is that they qualify themselves to be promoted in higher planets, undoubtedly. And there... Te tam bhuktva svarga-lokam visalam. And they enjoy life for a very, very long duration of life and godly facilities. That's all right. But ksine punye martya-lokam visanti [Bg. 9.21]. Then, when their pious, I mean to say, asset of pious activities finished, then they are again driven out from that planet; they come to here, this material, I mean say, earthly planet. And again they try here. Again they try here by sacrifices, by other means, to go there. So Lord Krsna says these materialists, they, gatagatam kama-kama labhante, sometimes up, sometimes down. This is going on, sometimes up, sometimes down. Just like... What is called, that wheel? Sometimes go up, the boys enjoy in this way. What is the name of that wheel?

Devotee: Ferris wheel.

Prabhupada: Oh. So it is something like that. Sometimes you go, sarva-ga, sarva-ga. Sarva... Jiva. Jiva means the living entities, they have got a propensity to go from here to there, there to here. That is their... Because they are living force, they cannot stay at one place. That is not their nature. Even in this life also, you Americans, you try to go to India; the Indians try to come here or some other country. This is nature. In the birds, beasts, everywhere, they want to transfer in some different... So it is going on. So the materialists who want to go to the higher planets by pious activities, they can go there, but they will have to come back again. But what is the idea of going there? The idea of going there is the materialists, they are always seeking of better comforts of life. There is no limit, where is better comfort. In this earth also, people are trying, advancement of material... Just like in your city I see very nice building. They are being dismantled, very strong, nice buildings. When I go to the Chamber side. I see that one very nice building, very strong building. But you think that "After dismantling this building, we shall prepare another skyscraper covered by nice glasses and we will be comfortable." That is the idea. You see?

So materialists, they do not know where their advancement of material civilization will be perfect. They do not know that. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. That perfection will never come, but they are after that perfection, dismantling and building. And after fifty years they will dismantle this building and prepare another kind of building. That will be... At that time further material advancement will be there. So this is going on, gatagatam. Gatagatam means, what is called, stereotyped. Everyone is going. The exact Hindi word is variyagasan(?). They call variyagasan. Variyagasan means that the goats, the goats, the goat merchant, they are taking to the slaughterhouse, and they are going hither and thither. But if one goat enters the door, all the variyas, they will enter. You see? So because one has entered... But nobody will consider that he has entered the slaughterhouse. No. "One has entered; therefore let us enter all." This is advancement. "Oh, one has entered; therefore I must enter also. I do not care where I am entering. That I do not know." So this is going on, gatagatam.

Gatagatam kama-kama labhante. Kama-kamah means sense gratification. Sense gratification. But transcendentalists, they have understood that "This sense gratification process will not help me." This is called Krsna consciousness. One must understand perfectly well that this process of sense gratification, variyagasan, that will not help me. He is very intelligent. I will have to search out something else, not this sense gratification. So long I have got a pinch of desire for sense gratification, I will have to take this material body. And as soon as I have got this material body, then all of the material miseries are along with it. So those who are serious about, that "I do not want any more..." But we have become callous. We don't think that "What is miseries of...?" But those who are actually in knowledge, those who want to live, those who want to have perfect knowledge, those who want to have blissful life, they understand that "This material existence, either this Svargaloka or the heavenly planet or this planet or that, will never give me happiness. I will have to... As Krsna informs herein, that yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama [Bg. 15.6], I will have to enter the kingdom of God, spiritual planet, where going I will have not to return back again to accept this material body."

That seriousness, one who has taken that serious attitude, they can actually perform this Krsna consciousness very nicely. But those who are still under the impression that "Material advancement will make me happy," they are still under the spell of illusion. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. This planet, that planet, that planet, that planet, that planet. But in no planet nowhere you can have perfect peace of life. That is impossible. Therefore those who are intelligent, those who are by God's grace, Krsna's grace, or by good association one who can understand that "This sort of life is not desirable. I must perform drdha-vrata, with great determination and vow, in this life so that yad gatva na nivartante [Bg. 15.6], I may be transferred into the Krsnaloka planet where going I shall not have to return back..." Now, the materialist says, "All right, you do not know whether you are going or not. You are giving up this material enjoyment. You are simply living on capatis. Oh, we have got so many palatable dishes, and you are not enjoying this. You are fool." So to these poor devotees who are taking capatis, the Lord says a very nice thing. What is that?

ananyas cintayanto mam
ye janah paryupasate
tesam nityabhiyuktanam
yoga-ksemam vahamy aham
[Bg. 9.22]

Well, materialist, Mr. materialist, you have to work very hard. But here the assurance is from the Lord that "Those who are unflinching and cent percent devoted in the transcendental service of Me, for them I take charge of the maintenance, all comforts." Nityabhiyuktanam yoga-ksemam vahamy aham [Bg. 9.22].

Now, this sloka is very important for the devotees. There was a great devotee. His name was Anandacarya. So when he was writing commentaries on this particular sloka, verse, he saw that tesam nityabhiyuktanam yoga-ksemam vahamy aham [Bg. 9.22], the Lord says that "I myself take the burden and take the load on my head, and I deliver them to my devotees, what they require, what they require. He doesn't require to go outside. I myself go and deliver the goods, whatever he requires." This is written here. Tesam nityabhiyuktanam. Those who are cent percent engaged in the loving service of the Lord, tesam nityabhiyuktanam yoga-ksemam vahamy aham [Bg. 9.22]. Yoga means what is required by him, and ksemam means what he has got, he requires to be protected. So these two things the Lord takes charge, that "I personally do it." For whom? Ananyas cintayanto mam. Those who have no other thought than Krsna, Krsna conscious. Ananyas cintayanto mam. Ye janah paryupasate, and engaged in that way always. He has no other business, simply Krsna. For him these things the Lord does. It is specifically mentioned here. Therefore this is an encouragement. This is an encouragement by the Lord that "Do not think that because you are not trying for going to the other planet you will be unhappy. You will have happiness." What is happiness? Happiness is within your mind. If you are assured of your peaceful existence and the next life you are transferred to the supreme planet, or supreme place, then that is happiness, not for trying life after life to adjust happiness. Here is an assurance.

Now this Arjunacarya...that's a very nice story. When he was writing commentaries, oh, he thought, "How is that Lord will come Himself and deliver the goods? Oh, it is not possible. He might be sending through some agent." So he wanted to cut vahamy aham, "I bear the burden and deliver." He wrote in a way that "I send some agent who delivers." So that Arjunacarya went to take bath, and in the meantime two boys, very beautiful boys, they brought some very nice foodstuff in large quantity. And in India there is a process to taking two sides burden on the bamboo. Just like a scale it is balanced. So these two boys brought some very highly valuable foodstuff and grains and ghee, and his wife was there. And the boys said, "My dear mother, Arjunacarya has sent these goods to you. Please take delivery." "Oh, you are so nice boy, you are so beautiful boys, and he has given. And Acarya is not so cruel. How is that? He has given so much burden to you, and he is not kind...?" "Oh, I was not taking, and just see, he has beaten me. Here is cane mark. Oh, see." His wife became very much astonished, that "Acarya is not so cruel. How he has become so cruel?" So she was thinking in that way. Then "All right, my dear boys. You come on." And gave him shelter. And, "No. I shall go because Arjunacarya again comes. He will chastise us." "No, no. You sit down, take foodstuff." He(she) prepared foodstuff, and then they went away. And when Arjunacarya came back, then he saw that his wife is eating. Because it is the system of Indian families that after the husband has taken the food, the wife will take. So they don't take together. After the family members -- the boys and the husband is sumptuously fed -- then the housewife takes.

So Arjunacarya, "Oh, you are taking food? What is that?" No. He did not. I am mistaken. Sorry. He said that "You are..." So the wife said, "Acarya, you have become so much cruel nowadays?" "Oh, what is that?" "Two boys, very nice boys, they have brought so many foodstuff. You loaded on their head, and they denied to take it, and you have beaten them, chastised?" He said, "No. I have never done this. Why shall I do it?" Then she described, "Oh, such a nice beautiful boy." Then Arjunacarya understood that "Because I wanted that God does not deliver, so He has delivered these goods, and because I cut these alphabets that He does not give personally, so He has shown that beating mark."

There is an incident in southern India of Yamunacarya. That story is there. Of course, you may believe or not believe. That's a different thing. But here the Lord says that "I personally deliver." So those who are in Krsna consciousness, those who are actually busy in the matter of discharging their duties as a Krsna conscious person, they may be assured that so far their living condition is concerned or their comforts of life is concerned, that is assured by the Lord. There will be no hampering. Thank you very much. Any question? (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 9.20-22 -- New York, December 6, 1966

"One Should Directly Approach Krishna"

Prabhupada:

gatir bharta prabhuh saksi
nivasah saranam suhrt
prabhavah pralayah sthanam
nidhanam bijam avyayam

The Lord is gati. Gati means the destination. We do not know what is our destination. Due to our ignorance, due to our becoming overwhelmed by the illusory energy, we do not know what is our destination of life. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. People do not know what is their destination of life. The destination of life is to reestablish his lost relationship with the Supreme Lord. That is his destination. Unfortunately, people do not know what is the destination. They are simply thinking, destination of life, to have the greatest amounts of sense gratification. This is illusion. Because we are materially absorbed and materially concept of life means these senses -- we have no other information -- so we are trying to squeeze out all kinds of pleasure from sense. This is called illusion. They have no other information. They are earning, working very hard, and the ultimate goal is sense gratification. This is illusion.


The ultimate goal is Krsna or the Supreme Lord, gati. Gati means destination. Where you are going? Which way you are making your progress? "Oh, that we cannot say. We make progress on sense gratification. The greatest amount of pleasure which we can derive out of the senses, that is our destination." No, the destination is God, Visnu, the Supreme Lord, of whom we are the parts and parcels. By forgotting, forgetting our relationship, we are struggling.

mamaivamso jiva-loke
jiva-bhutah sanatanah
manah sasthanindriyani
prakrti-sthani karsati
[Bg. 15.7]

Prakrti-sthani, in this material nature, the fragmental portion of the Supreme Lord, living entities, the senses and the mind, entrapped by the senses, they are struggling. But this is not the destination. The Lord says, the Bhagavad-gita says, that He is the destination. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya, durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. Bahir-artha-maninah means... This material nature is the external nature of the Supreme Lord. Because we have been entrapped in this material nature, therefore we are thinking that to make material advancement of life, that is the perfection. Durasaya. This is called durasaya. Durasaya means... Duh means very distant, or duh means very difficult, and asaya means hope. This hope is never to be fulfilled. This is a hope which will never be fulfilled. This is called illusion. We are making progress to make perfect life by this material advancement. This is our undue hope. It will never be fulfilled. Durasaya, bahir-artha-maninah.

And what is the activity? Adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram. Adanta-gobhih. Go means the senses. Adanta means unbridled, uncontrolled. Uncontrolled senses. Just like uncontrolled horse. You are on the carriage, and your horse is uncontrolled, unbridled, and he is taking you with full force and putting you in the Atlantic Ocean. You cannot control. You see? So similarly, adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram. Visatam means he is entering to the darkest part of ignorance by these uncontrolled, unbridled senses. So na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31], adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. These people who do not know the destination, they are trying to make experiment which is already experimented. It is already experimented. Just take for example...

I'll give you one practical example. One of our students, his father comes and instructs him, "Oh, I don't like this association. I have no meaning for marriage. You chase after women. You eat and drink and enjoy. I will give you car." You see? What is the fault of that poor student? That he is trying to give up all intoxication; he is not eating meat; he is living purely on vegetable; he is controlling; no illicit sex relationship, attending class morning and the evening. Oh, he thinks it is dangerous. So punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30]. He has already experienced. He is married. He was married. His wife divorced, and his wife divorced him three times, and so many things. He has bad, very bad experience of his life, but he is inducing his son to do the same thing. He has no other idea. This is called punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30], "chewing the chewed."

Just like we take a sugar cane and we chew it, take out all the extra juice. I throw it in the street, and again somebody comes and chewing it. What is there? Already all the juice that contained, I have taken it. So this material life experience -- chasing after woman and drinking and sense gratification and so many things, spending like anything -- we have seen it, but we have not experienced any actual happiness. Still, I am trying to induce my son, my dependent, into that way. The foolish people do not think that "I have already experimented all these things. What benefit, what happiness, I have got?" This is called punah punas car..., repeatedly chewing the chewed, repeatedly. This is going on. Nobody thinks that "I have already experimented all these things. What benefit I have got? What happiness I have got? I am frustrated in my life. So why shall I induce my son? If I at all love my son, why shall I induce my son into that? Let him experiment this, Krsna consciousness." No. Because adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram.

Just like there is a very nice story. A monkey... Monkeys, they are very busy. Do you know? But their business is to simply destroy. You will find monkey always busy, very active. So in the village there was a carpenter who was bifurcating one big beam by saw. So at the end of his work, half of the beam was cut into two, so he put one block between the two pieces and he went away. And then one monkey came, and he pulled out the block, and his tail was captured in that, between the two, and it was cut. So he went to his society, and he said that "This is the fashion. This is the fashion." Langulim segar(?). He advertised, "To cut one's tail, this is the latest fashion." Similarly, I saw one cinema in my childhood, a similar story. One Mr. Maxlin or something like that, he played that. He was sitting in park, and some naughty boy nailed his tail, that tail coat, when ball dancing. So when he got up that half part of that tail was taken away. So when he was dancing in the ball, everyone is looking to his back side: "What is this? His tail is cut." So he saw in the mirror that "My tail is cut." So he began to dance more nicely, and everyone asked him, "What is...?" "Oh, this is the latest fashion. This is the latest fashion." So everyone began to cut his tail. You see? (chuckles) So this is...

Life is going on. "I have become befooled, so I don't want that my son will be intelligent. Let him become befooled. Let him become befooled." This is called punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30], repeatedly chewing the chewed. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya [SB 7.5.31]. But from the Bhagavad-gita we understand that our ultimate goal of life is to reach Krsna or the Supreme Lord, gatih. And bharta. Bharta means maintainer. Maintainer. He is maintaining everyone. That's a fact. There are 8,400,000's of species of life, and, out of which, human society, human beings, are a very small number, say, about 200,000 species of life. Balance eight hundred, two hundred thousand species of life, they are animal and aquatics, birds, beasts, uncivilized men, so many species of life. They have no economic problem. They have no economic problem. There is no question of starvation. They are eating, they are sleeping, they are having their mating, opposite sex, and they are defending also in their own way. So they have no problem. Only the civilized men, they have got problems. Only that small number of civilized men, so-called civilized men, they have got. They do not believe that God protects everyone. By advancement of civilization they have learned this art, to refuse God. They want to make their economic problem solved by themselves. God is giving them sufficient grains, sufficient fruits, sufficient vegetables, sufficient milk. No, they want to make solution of their problems by killing other poor animals. But they do not believe in God. They do not believe in God that "I am killing poor animals. They are also sons of God as much I am, as we are sons of God. God is maintaining that poor animal. God is maintaining me. Why should I encroach upon others' life?" You see? They have no such sense because they don't believe in God. They have no such faith. This is going on.

But in the Bhagavad-gita says, "No, I am the Supreme." The Lord says, "I am the prabhava. From every... Everything, whatever you see, that is emanating from Me." So we have no practical economic problem. God is maintaining everyone. The production which is being made all over the world, that is sufficient to provide all the population of the world. That is God's arrangement. There is no scarcity. But because we have made our own rules and regulation, although we have got enough grains produced, we can produce much more than what is needed by us and I can throw in the ocean the excess. Still, if some poor country or poor brother comes, I will refuse. This is called... Because we do not know that our destination is God, therefore the violation of the rules of nature, violation of the laws of God, we are making, and we are becoming entrapped by this material nature. This is a fact.

Gatir bharta prabhuh. Prabhu means the master. And saksi. Saksi means witness. God is sitting within your heart. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. Isvara, means Supreme Lord, is sitting in everyone's heart. So He is witness. Whatever you are doing, He is witness. He is giving you facility to do whatever you like, but at the same time you may forget. Suppose I wanted to do something in this life. This is not fulfilled. And next life, when I get another body, so God reminds me. "Well, you wanted to do this. Why not experiment?" That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistah: "I am seated in everyone's heart." Mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca: [Bg. 15.15] "From Me there is remembrance," smrti, "there is knowledge and there is forgetfulness also." So what is that, God making one person forgetful and another person encouraging? Why? Because I wanted like that. Because I don't want to revive my relationship with the Supreme Lord. Whenever I speak of God, oh, some person becomes: "Oh, what is God? Swamiji, what you are speaking, God?" They don't want God; so God gives him that "Forget Me. Yes, you forget and suffer." And one who wants God... Just like some poor students are trying to reestablish his relationship with Krsna. Oh, Krsna gives him too: "Yes." So therefore His business is to make you forgetful because you want to forget. And when you are advanced, if you want know... If you want to establish, reestablish your relation, He will encourage you.

So therefore two things are there witness. He gives you full independence. Whatever you like, you do, but He gives instruction at the same time that "These things will not satisfy you, My dear boy." Sarva-dharman... "You give up all this nonsense. Come to Me. I shall give you all protection." But we don't want to take protection. What God will go? Poor God, what can He...? He can do everything, but He doesn't interfere with your affair. If you want to forget, He will give you so many facilities by the illusory energy that you'll forget, forget, forget. Adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram. Now you have got this beautiful body of human, civilized human being. Or you can get the body of more and more developed body, just like Brahma, just like the sun, moon, and so many there are. And if you forget, you go down to the cats and dogs and ants and germs and so many things, become a worm of the stool. He will give you all facilities. This is called karma-cakra, cycle of work. As you desire, so God gives you facility. Therefore our desire should be revived: "What kind of desire we should at all make?" Therefore this Bhagavad-gita is there; the scriptures are there. You have forgotten. We have forgotten all these things. Therefore the books and the scriptures are there. That is also another mercy of God.

Just like you consult some book, doing something. Just like we do every day. What is the postal rate? I do not know. This is a parcel I have to send. So at once I consult book. The direction is there, postal guide is there, and I do the right thing. Similarly, when we forget our acti..., what is the destination of life, then we have to consult. This is the direction. The Lord says, gatir bharta prabhuh saksi: "I am the destination. I am your maintainer. I am your Lord. I am witnessing what you are doing." Nivasa: "And you are living in Me. You are not independent." You are living. Where you are living? I am living on the earth, underneath the sky. And what is the sky, and what is this earth? This is energy, energy of the Supreme Lord. So nivasah saranam. "You are trying to live. Every moment you are flattering somebody who is greater than you, but why don't you come to Me? You cannot live without flattering your boss. That is your position."

Saranam. Saranam means to take shelter of somebody. Especially in these days, however educated I may be, with an application I take shelter of a big man: "Please give me some employment." However great I may be... I may be very intelligent man to become the ruler of this country. Oh, I will have to, I mean to say, place flatters on the street: "Please vote for me. Please vote for me. Please reelect me." So I am taking saranam. I am flattering. I am taking shelter in every moment. Why not God? Oh, when I say, "Oh, what do you say? Why do you say, Swamiji, about God?" So they will take shelter of dog but not God. You see? This is going on. Saranam suhrt. Suhrt means well-wisher. Who can become more well-wisher than God? Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam. Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam. He is... I can be friend, well-wisher, to a limited circle, but God is friend and well-wisher of all living entities. I can take care of my family members, how they are happy, how they are eating, but God is taking care of innumerable living entities. You see? I don't take care of the ants in my room, what they are eating, I do not take care of the bugs in my bed, but God is taking care also of them. He is taking care. He is suhrt. He wants that "You live. You are given freedom, whatever you like. But if you want to be happy, then give up all this nonsense. Come to Me. Take shelter, Me. I will give you all protection." Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66].

So suhrt prabhavah, development. You are trying to make economic development, but how we can develop economic development provided there is no material supplied by God? Can you manufacture, can you build, construct, a big skyscraper building without the materials being supplied by God? Can you manufacture wood? Can you manufacture stone? Can you manufacture lime? You cannot manufacture. Can you manufacture iron? You can work, labor. The materials supplied by God, by your labor, by intelligence, you can transform from one thing to another. Economic experts, they say like that, that man cannot manufacture anything. He can transform one thing to another. You cannot manufacture iron. You can transform the iron ores to a big iron factory. That you can do and waste your time, valuable time. That energy you have got. But you cannot produce iron. You can manufacture glass and live in a very comfortably, all side, but where is the glass? Glass is, means, a stone is melted with some chemicals, and it becomes glass. So where is the stone? The stone is supplied by God, the chemicals supplied by God. The intelligence with which you are working, that is supplied by God. Your body is supplied by God. You are God's. So everything becomes God's. Prabhavah: "I am the source of supply of everything."

Prabhavah and pralayah. Pralayah. If God wants, in a second your New York City will be pushed into the Atlantic Ocean, in a second. So pralayah sthanam. He is the shelter. Nidhanam bijam. Bijam. Bijam means the seed. Avyayam. Now, what these living entities are doing? What are these living entities? They are also parts and parcel of the Supreme Lord. We are living entities. We are endeavoring our energy, applying our energy, to build up all these things, but these materials have no value if I am not there. Just like this America, this land, was lying vacant so long these civilized person from Europe, they did not come here. So by their energy, living entities, the matter has developed. Matter is not prominent. Don't give more importance to the matter. The important is the living entity. And what is this living entity? The living entity is the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Therefore He is the cause of the seeds of living entities. Mamaivamso jiva-bhutah jiva-loke sanatanah [Bg. 15.7].

Tapamy aham. Now, what is this sun. Tapami. He is giving heat? Who is heating? The Lord is heating. You cannot manufacture a sun. Tapamy aham aham varsam. And the rain. You cannot regulate rain. That is in God's hand or God's management. If there is no rain, you cannot make rain, or if there is over-rain, you cannot stop. Tapamy aham aham varsam nigrhnamy utsrjami: "And if I want, I can give trouble to the whole population of the world." Nigrhnamy utsrjami. He can... "If I want to annihilate them, in a moment I can do that." Amrtam caiva mrtyus ca sad asac ca aham arjuna. Amrtam: "If I like, I can give you eternal life." If we approach God, eternal life, there is guaranteed. And if we don't like, then go on, the cycle of birth and death. Mrtyum camrtam ca sad asac ca aham arjuna. Sat. Sat means the spiritual energy, and asat means this material energy. "Because both energies are God energies, therefore these energies are also God, Arjuna." This description is given by Lord Krsna to Arjuna about His personal position, God's position. So we have to learn from Bhagavad-gita directly spoken by the Supreme Lord and accept it and do accordingly. That is called Krsna consciousness. We think of Krsna: He is everything, or God is everything. So let us become submissive and prosecute this, the process of devotional service. That is the way of happiness. That is the way of perfection. Thank you very much. Any questions? (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 9.18-19 -- New York, December 4, 1966

"Everything Comes From God--Incl. Maya" 66/12/02 New York, Bhagavad-gita 9.15-18

Prabhupada:

jnana-yajnena capy anye
yajanto mam upasate
ekatvena prthaktvena
bahudha visvato-mukham

Now, those who are directly worshiping the Supreme Lord, Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, they have been described as mahatma. And there are others, worshipers; they cannot conceive of the Supreme Personality of Godhead directly on account of less, on account of being less advanced. Therefore they have been described here, anye: "others." So others, they worship the Absolute Truth in three different ways. The first-class others... Amongst the others, there is first-class, second-class, third-class, as amongst the direct worshipers, there, there are first-class, second-class and third-class. In every, I mean to say, department -- as you have got experience in the material world, there are things, first-class, second-class and third-class... Even in the whole material world is under first-class, second-class and third-class. The first-class is mode of goodness, the second-class is mode of passion, and the third-class is mode of ignorance. Simi..., in every department, more or less, there are three classes.

So amongst the persons who worship the Absolute Truth not directly as the Personality of Godhead but as ahangrahopasanam... Ahangrahopasanam means taking himself as the Supreme. This we have already explained, that taking himself as the Supreme means, as the part and parcel of the Supreme, if we study myself, then I can understand also what is God. The only difference is: quantitatively, God is great and I am small. Otherwise, so far quality is concerned, that is one. So this ahangrahopasanam, that is number one. Then next upasana, next worship, is ekatvena prthaktvena. Prthaktvena means pantheism. Just like there are persons who are worship any demigod as God. Their opinion is that there are different forms of God. So any form we accept as God and worship, we shall be benefited. We shall approach the highest perfection. That is another section. So this can be adjusted that God is everywhere. That... There is no denying this fact because by His energy, He is everywhere.

Just like we are His energy. Living entities, they are superior energy of God. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim param. Param means superior. So we are also energy. So energy and the energetic, they're one. Just like the sun and the sunshine, they're not different. So wherever the sunshine is there, there is sun. You cannot deny that. Wherever the sunshine is there, there is sun. Similarly, wherever the energy of God is there, there is God. So in that way, everything is God. Prthaktvena. Everything... Pantheism. These are different processes. But these processes one has to transcend. Just like simply studying the sunshine is not complete study of the sun. Although sunshine is not different from the sun, still, if you simply study scientifically, scientifically, what is the molecules, what are these rays, where this brilliant illuminative came... So many things you can go on studying. That is also, one sense, studying the sun, but not sun also.

So prthaktvena and visvato-mukham. Visvato-mukham means the universal form. Just like it is stated in the sastras, the hills, oh, they are bones of God. The trees and grass and, I mean to say, vegetation, vegetation, they are just like hairs on the body of the Lord. So the, the ocean is the navel of God. In this way there are description. The highest planet, Svarga, Brahmaloka, oh, that is the head of God. The lowest planet, Patalaloka, that is, I mean to say, sole of the God. These things are described, the whole universal form. So somebody prefers the universal form, somebody prefers that "All, everything, whatever we see, it is God," and somebody prefers that "I am God." So these are different methods of appreciating God. But they're also accepted because they have taken into the line. They are better than who are just like animals, simply eating, sleeping and defending and mating. But those who have taken either of these, jnana-yajnena, prthaktvena, and visvato-mukham...

So those who are impersonalists, they prefer these three processes. And those who are personalists, they prefer directly to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. So they're all transcendentalists. They're on the line. But here in the Bhagavad-gita, those who are directly worshiping the Supreme Lord, they have been described as mahatma. And those who are worshiping in other processes, they have been described, anye. Anye means others. So they have not been given so much importance, although they have been accepted. They have been... Because they have come to the line. Because... Suppose you are accepting the universal form of God. That is a fact also. Because the universe, the manifestation of the universe, is also manifestation of the energy of God. And the energy of God and God is not different. So therefore one who takes the manifestation of the energy as God, he's not mistaken. That is also true. Because there is nothing beyond God. If you think, "I am God," yes, you are also God. Because there is nothing beyond God. Ahangrahopasanam. If you think everything is God, that is also true. Because in the higher conception, there is nothing beyond God. Sarvam khalv idam brahma. Sarvam, everything.

But the Vaisnavas, those who are personalists, they take it in a different way. Why? Because in the Bhagavad-gita it is said by the Lord, maya tatam idam sarvam jagad avyakta-murtina: "I am spread all over the universe, all over the manifestation, in My impersonal feature." Mat-sthani sarva-bhutani naham tesu avasthitah: "Everything is resting on Me, but I am not there." Pasya me yogam aisvaram. So this simultaneously one and different, this philosophy, is accepted by Lord Caitanya, but it is also accepted in the Bhagavad-gita; mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. But this form, these two hands, with flute, Krsna, form of Krsna, there is nothing beyond this. So one has to come to this point. You may go in different way, accepting yourself as God, accepting everything as God, accepting the universal form of God. If you make actually progress, then you have come to this point. Sa mahatma sudurlabhah. Again He says, mahatma. When he comes to that point of Krsna, bahunam janmanam ante... [Bg. 7.19]. This process you have to proceed, you have to make progress, many, many births. That is line. You have taken the line. That's all right, but it will take some time. Not in one life you'll come to that point.

So therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said that bahunam janmanam ante. This is culture of spiritual knowledge. That's all right. But simply by culture of spiritual knowledge, without favor, without mercy of the Supreme Lord, you cannot approach the, I mean, ultimate goal. Therefore in the Eighteenth Chapter you'll find, bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. These are all partial understanding of the Supreme, but if you accept this process of Krsna consciousness, then you directly approach, directly approach the Su... Because after all, unless you approach to that point, that vasudevah sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19], "Here is Lord Sri Krsna, Vasudeva. He is everything"... So those who are intelligent, they take the root. Therefore in the Caitanya-caritamrta you'll find in a very nice verse, krsna yei bhaje sei bada catura. Catura means very intelligent. One who worships Krsna directly, he's very intelligent. Why he's very intelligent? He does not take so much round about way. He goes directly. If it is a fact that one has to come to this point for perfection of knowledge, why not take it immediately? I may not understand anything. I accept it. Let me accept it blindly. Some scientist, and some layman... And the teacher says, "This is fire." Oh, scientist says, "Oh, I'll see the characteristics of fire. I must see. Then I shall accept." All right, you can see. And somebody says, "All right, you are teacher. You are saying it is fire. All right, I accept it." But the scientist who, after studying the characteristics fire may come to the fire, he'll also feel the warmth of the fire, the heat of the fire, the light of the fire. He'll also understand. And this man, blindly or by devotion, by love, accepts... The result is the same, because fire is fire. Either you blindly touch it or your scientifically touch it, fire will act.

So this Bhagavad-gita says that those who are trying to make a show of their knowledge, so let them do that. Visvato-mukham. The universal form, pantheism, monotheism, monism. We have so many theories. But not atheism. You see? So these have come to this point. And sa mahatma sudurlabhah. Why does He says, sa mahatma sudurlabhah? Because the path is not very easy. Spiritual path and to attain complete perfection is not very easy, especially in this age. In this age we are not living for long time. We are not very intelligent. We may think that we are very intelligent, but we are not intelligent, because we do not know "What I am." Ask anybody, "What you are?" He has the conception of this body. Therefore he's not intelligent. As soon as one will say, "Yes, I am this, such and such gentleman, a son of such and such gentleman. My country is such and such," these are all false. So nobody knows it. Therefore one who does not know it.

Sanatana Gosvami... We were teaching in the morning. He said that gramya-vyavahare kahe pandita: "Even the layman, the laymen, they call me a very learned man. I accept it. But actually, I am not learned man." Why? "Because I do not know what I am. If I do not know what I am, then what is the use of other knowledge?" So actually, the intelligent person who knows his real position, his constitutional position, and his relationship with Krsna, then he takes directly this Krsna consciousness. And that is recommended in the Bhagavad-gita and all scriptures. All scripture. But if you want to go round-about way, you can go, but you have come to this ultimate point. That is the conclusion. Then there are divisions of Vedic knowledge: fruitive activities, worship and knowledge.

So Lord Sri Krsna is describing about the fruitive activities, sacrifice. In sacrifice we require so many things. Dravya-yajna. By material things... We require clarified butter, we require grains, we require mantra, chanting, and fire. So many things we require. So Lord says,

aham kratur aham yajnah
svadhaham aham ausadham
mantro 'ham aham evajyam
aham agnir aham hutam

"Now, all this paraphernalia for sacrificing a yajna, for performing a sacrifice -- the fire, the butter, the clarified, the wood, and the mantra and other paraphernalia -- everything is Myself. Everything I am." That's true, because everything is produced by His energy. Anything, whatever you take, that's a transformation of energy. Parasya brahmanah saktih sarvedam akhilam jagat: "Whatever you are seeing in the universal manifestation, they are simply manifestation of the different energy of the Supreme Lord." Just like in this room, this illumination is the energy of this light. Therefore we are seeing each, one another. Similarly, as the fire is placed in one place, but it distributes its heat and light, similarly, although the Lord is in His supreme abode, His energy is acting. The same example: just like the sun planet is far, far away, but its energy, sunshine, is all-over distributed, over the manifestation, material manifestation. So He's everything.

pitaham asya jagato
mata dhata pitamahah
vedyam pavitram omkara
rk sama yajur eva ca

Now He says, pitaham asya jagatah: "I am the father of this material world." How He becomes father? What is the definition of father? The father is who gives the seed. He is father. And again He says, mata: "I am mother also." What is the definition of mother? Mother receives the seed from the father, and the child is born. Similarly, this material energy is the mother, this... We have got this body from mother. So this matter, material covering is the mother. And I am, I am spiritual spark, the seed. I am the part of Supreme. So the material energy is also the energy of the father, and as I am a spiritual spark, I am also a part of the Supreme. So He is my father and mother. Therefore somebody worships the Supreme Lord as mother, goddess Kali, or... That is materialism. Because in the present conception of our life this body given by the mother is matter. Therefore worship mother means worship the matter. That's all. There are so many worshipers of mother. You worship your country. That is the same, material worship. This is called sakty-upasana. Sakti. Sakti means you are worshiping the energy of the Lord, not the Lord directly. You are worshiping the energy. All this nationalism or so many isms we have discovered, they are... Even the scientists. Scientists also, they worshiping the mother. He's finding out the complexities of the matter. So he's also worshiping mother. So materialism. This is called materialistic. One who is worshiping the mother, material energy, he's called sakta.

There are five stages of evolution: sakta, then ganapatya, then saura, then saiva, then vaisnava. In this way, there are five stages. So the impersonalists, they worship in five ways, pancopasana. They are called pancopasana. So one, when he comes to the Visnu stage, he comes to the real stage. But impersonal Visnu, all-pervading Visnu, but when he come to the personal Visnu, then that is perfection of worship. So, so any kind of worship, the Lord accepts, in this way. But that acceptance and devotional acceptance is different. If you are worshiping materialism, that's all right. You get material benefit. Actually you are getting. You are getting. But that is not spiritual. Ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham [Bg. 4.11]. One who worships the Supreme Lord materially, he gets material benefit. And one who worships spiritually, he gets spiritual benefit. But you cannot expect spiritual benefit by material worship. That is not possible. Everything accepted as the worship of the Supreme, but they have got different result also.

Just like in the ordinary life. You are working in office as a clerk. You cannot expect the salary of the high court judge. How can you expect? As you are working, you'll get a salary. Similarly, everything is God. That's all right. Everything is government service. But a foolish constable is not equal to the magistrate. He can say, a constable also can say, that "I am in government service." That's all right. But you are not equal to the magistrate. You are not equal to the high court judge. You may be government servant. That's all right. So similarly, everything is worship of God. That's all right. But you cannot be equal to the supreme worshiper. Na ca mam. "There is nobody dearer than me, than he..." In the Bhagavad-gita you'll find. So our ultimate aim is how to become in confidence of the Supreme Lord. So if you want to be in confidence of the Supreme Lord, then you have to take this devotional service. Bhaktya mam abhijanati, yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. The Lord says, "One can confidentially understand Me by bhakti, by devotional service, not by any other means, not by any other means." Bhaktya. It is clearly stated. So if you want to be directly in touch, directly in touch with the president, then you have to work differently. And if you are satisfied to become a constable in the government service, that is a different thing. You cannot contact.

So there, although everything is God worship, still, there are degrees, there are differences. We must remember. Then He says,

gatir bharta prabhuh saksi
nivasah saranam suhrt
prabhavah pralayah sthanam
nidhanam bijam avyayam

The Lord says that gatir bharta. Gati means "Everyone is coming to Me gradually," gati. Gati means destination. "They're all coming to Me." And bharta. Bharta means maintainer. God is maintaining us. God is maintaining us, and He's giving us chance, "All right. You come this way, or that way, that way. That's all right. Come gradually, gradually. That's all right." Gatir bharta prabhuh. Prabhu means He is the Lord. Nobody can be equal... Otherwise there is no question of worship. If you think that "I am God," so there is process of worship also: the, I mean to say, ahangrahopasanam. Just like we, devotees, we offer flowers to the Lord, they take the flower and offer to themselves. We offer the garland to the Supreme Lord in the, on the statue or the form of Lord. They take the garland and put on his own neck. You see? So the question is that if you are God, then why you are worshiping, why others not worshiping you? You are worshiping yourself. So what kind of God you are? Everyone worships, "Oh, I am the Lord. I am everything."

So this is a sense that in that process one may understand, if one day comes into his sense "Well, I am God. I am worshiping myself, but if I go to the street, nobody asks me. What kind of God I am?" So this sense should come. I may think, "Well, I understand that God lifted the hill. Krsna, He lifted the hill at the age of seven years. Oh, I cannot lift even hundred pounds or fifty pounds. What kind of God I am?" So this sense should come. You can worship yourself as God. That's all right. That's a process. That process is to understand that you study yourself, and then you understand the real constitution of God, not that you become God. So these are different methods, of course. But we should not be satisfied simply by the method. We should try to go further, on and on. Just like a little boy. He is promised by the father... He is in the eighth class. Father says, "My dear boy, if you can pass this eighth class, then I can make you a magistrate. I shall make you a magistrate." Boy is very enthusiastic. "I shall become a magistrate." You see. So similarly, these are some of the encouragement.

But actual point is, that we have come to the last point, is vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19]. If you want to be the rare, great soul, then you have to come ultimate to Krsna, the Supreme Lord. Thank you very much. Any question? (end)

"Sravanam Kirtanam Vishnu" 66/12/01 New York, Bhagavad-gita 9.15

Prabhupada:

jnana-yajnena capy anye
yajanto mam upasate
ekatvena prthaktvena
bahudha visvato-mukham

Now Lord Krsna, after describing about the mahatmas, or the great souls, who worship the Supreme Lord by this process of kirtana... Satatam kirtayanto mam [Bg. 9.14]. Sravanam kirtanam. The process of devotion is nine different types. Sravanam. Sravanam means hearing. Kirtanam. Kirtanam means chanting. Kirtanam actually means describing. You can describe with music. You can describe with words. You can describe in speeches. Any sort of describing, that is called kirtana. And sravanam. Unless you hear, you cannot describe. What you shall describe? If you do not know anything about the Supreme Lord, then how can you describe? Therefore hearing is the first item, sravanam. And the whole Vedic literature is called hearing, sruti, sruti-sastra. Sruti means to receive hearing. If you want to know the Supreme, you do not require to qualify yourself materially. You can remain what you are, but if you simply hear... God has given you the power of hearing. If you hear from authoritative sources, then you become perfect, simply by hearing. Therefore the first principle, hearing, is recommended, sravanam.

And formerly, the Vedas were heard by the students from the spiritual master. Just like in the Bhagavad-gita you'll find that Arjuna is hearing from Krsna. He's not studying any Vedanta philosophy in the battlefield. He was simply hearing. So that is the process, hearing. You can hear at any place. Even in the warfield, you can hear from the authoritative source. So that was the process of acquiring knowledge, hearing. Hearing means receiving the knowledge, not manufacturing. There are two process of knowledge. There are some persons who think, "Oh, why shall I hear from him? Oh, I can think. I can speculate. I can manufacture something new of my own group." These are nonsense. This is not Vedic process. Vedic process is hearing, ascending process, er, not..., descending process. There are two processes of knowledge: ascending and descending. Ascending means trying to go high by your strength, and descending means the pure knowledge which comes from up, you receive it. Inductive and deductive process.

So ascending process is not recommended in the Vedic process of knowledge. Vedic way of receiving knowledge -- by aural reception, by submissive aural reception from the spiritual master to the student. This is the way. It is coming. As we have read in the Fourth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]: "In this way, traditionally, from the spiritual master to the student, this knowledge was imparted." The Lord said that "I imparted this knowledge first of all to the sun-god, and the sun-god imparted this knowledge to his son, Manu, and Manu imparted this knowledge to his son, Iksvaku." Iksvaku was the king of this planet. So from Iksvaku, this knowledge is coming down from the master, or from the father to the son, or from the master to the disciple. It is coming on. And because that disciplic succession was broken, therefore Lord Krsna said that "I am speaking again that old system of knowledge to you, Arjuna, because you are My devotee, you are My dear friend." We have already studied this fact. So this is the way.

Therefore sravanam. Sravanam is the... Sravanam means hearing. Hearing is the first stage. And hearing is so powerful that simply by hearing from authoritative source, you can become completely perfect, simply by hearing. Submissive hearing, of course. Submissive. Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. This is a verse from Bhagavata, Srimad-Bhagavatam. Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. Don't be upstart. Don't try to understand the supreme knowledge, the Absolute Truth, by your strength. You are very poor. Your senses are imperfect. You cannot understand. This, this process, you should give up. Jnane prayasam. Attempt to know the Supreme by ascending process. "Oh, I shall know. I'll manufacture my own way." This is the way going on nowadays. Everyone is thinking that "Why shall I accept any authority? I shall think myself what I am and what is my duty." This is going on. But this is not the Vedic process. The Vedic process is to sravanam. So simply if we give up this foolish process of understanding the Absolute Truth by my own attempt, we, if we give up and we become submissive... Yes. Submissive means we must know our imperfectness.

Our imperfectness I have several times described in this meeting. So long we are conditioned, there are four kinds of imperfectness, that we must commit mistake. So long we are conditioned, nobody can say that "I'll not commit mistake. I never commit any mistakes." It is not possible. You must have. To err is human. So this is one imperfectness. And to become illusioned. To accept one thing which is not. Illusion means to accept something for something. Just like we accept this body. We identify with this body, every one of us. If we ask you what you are, "Oh, I am American." What is your American? This body is American. But it is not... You are not this body. So this is illusion. So conditioned soul is to commit mistake, to be illusioned, and the senses are imperfect. We are very much proud of seeing, but as soon as the light is put off, we cannot see. So our seeing is conditional. And similarly, all senses are conditional. So therefore imperfect. And there is another thing which is very nice. We have got a cheating propensity. I do not know anything, but I want to cheat others that I know everything. I don't... I am a fool number one, but I want to start a group of students and teach him foolish things. This is cheating. One must know from the authoritative sources and preach that thing. Just like Arjuna was taught by Krsna, and that philosophy is going on. And those who are accepting the principle of Arjuna, they're real student of Bhagavad-gita.

So therefore our attempt to understand the Absolute Truth by our faulty senses and experience is futile. We must hear. Sravanam. That is the Vedic process. The student used to go to the master and gurukula. It was known as gurukula. Every brahmana, every self-realized soul, every vipra, or expert in the knowledge of Vedic literature, he would be provided with some brahmacaris, group of brahmacaris. They will follow the rules and regulation of brahmacari life and live with the spiritual master, and the spiritual master will teach them, from Vedic literature, real knowledge. That is the process. This is called sravanam. So one should not adopt the means of ascending process. Jnane prayasam udapasya. Udapasya means "Give it up." And namanta eva: "And be submissive." Namanta eva jivanti san-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam. In this way, if one lives and hears, san-mukharitam, from the realized soul... Just like Arjuna is hearing from Krsna, from the perfect person, san-mukharitam. Krsna or His representative. His representative is a devotee of Krsna. Krsna is just like... Arjuna. Arjuna was made representative of Krsna. How? Because Arjuna, Krsna said, bhakto 'si: "You are My devotee." So nobody can become representative of Krsna, or God, without becoming His devotee. One who thinks that "I am God," he cannot become the representative of God. Suppose some of your representatives... You are a businessman.

Just see our imperfectness. (after spitting, coughing:) This body... We have got imperfectness, coughing something. So how we can become perfect? We are under the stringent rules and regulations of the nature. A little difference will put me into difficulty. So we are not all independent so long we are conditioned. So if... Suppose you are a businessman. You send your representative for securing business. And if he represents himself to the customer, "I am the proprietor. I am the proprietor," how long he can prolong? As soon as the master will know that "This foolish man is representing himself as the proprietor of this firm," at once cancel. Because there is cheating. He's not proprietor. Similarly, anyone who says that "I am God" he should not preach. He can think himself for acquiring knowledge of God. That is another thing. "I am God." "I am God" means to understand the quality of God, because I am qualitatively God. Because I am part and parcel of God, therefore my qualities are the same. Just like I have several times repeated that a part of gold, even a molecular part, a particle of gold, so it is gold. It is nothing but gold. Similarly, although we are very minute fragments of the Supreme, still, the quality is the same.

So if I study myself, then I can study God also because I can, I can understand the quality of God. I may not understand the quantity. Suppose if you receive some good grains of rice. You do not concern, think of what is the quantity in the stock, but the, from the sample, you can understand that "This quality rice is there. I can purchase." Then you make your transaction, "How many pounds you have got in your stock? I can take." So quantity is different. But quality, from quality, you can select. You can make your selection, what sort of rice you shall purchase. So you are qualitatively one with God. Therefore, if you study yourself that "I am God," and if you study your all propensities, all qualities, then you can understand God. So that is a process. But you cannot preach that "I am God." Because if you preach yourself as God, then people may ask you, "If you God, if you are God, then show me your all-powerfulness." That you cannot show. So you cannot preach that "I am God."

So far Krsna is concerned, He proved that He is God. How? In this Bhagavad-gita. Now we are reading Ninth Chapter. In the Eleventh Chapter Arjuna requested, "O Krsna, that will You kindly show me Your universal form?" So Krsna showed him, "Yes." So that... This was Arjuna's teaching to world that in future so many fools will represent himself as God. So don't be befooled by them. Just ask him, "Show me your universal form." Then accept him as God. Don't very cheaply accept any fool as God. So this is the highest imperfection, that he is in the stringent laws of the material nature. If there is simply a toothache, he becomes overwhelmed, and he himself preaches as God. So this sort of thing can be accepted by similar foolish-natured people. God is supreme. Nobody can God. Nobody can be equal with God. God is called in the Vedic literature, asamaurdhva. Asama means nobody's equal to Him. And nobody is higher than Him. Urdhva means higher. Nobody can be higher than God, and nobody can be equal to God. Everyone is lower than God, however great he may be. And there is a nice verse, siva-virinci-nutam. Siva-virinci. Siva means the Lord Siva, and virinci means Lord Brahma. They are considered to be the topmost demigods in this material world. So they also offer their respectful obeisances to Visnu, or God.

So nobody can be equal to God. Therefore we should be, instead of becoming God or instead of understanding God personally by our teeny knowledge and imperfect senses, better to become submissive. Give up this habit. Jnane prayasam udapasya. Just give up this habit, foolish habit, that "I can know God." Just become submissive and try to hear from authorities. San-mukharitam. Who is authority? Authority is Krsna and, or God, or His representative. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he's representative of God. So he's authority. Similarly, any authorized incarnation. But that incarnation will never say that "I am God." "I am servant of God" -- that is his representation. He'll never say, "I am God." That makes confirmation that he's representative of God. So he is authority, who does not say that "I am God," but he says, "I am servant of God. I am son of God. I am devotee of God." He is representative, real representative. So we have to hear from him. Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. I am just trying to explain to you the process of hearing. The process of hearing.

So submissively, submissively we shall try to hear from the authorized source, representative of God. San-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam jivanti, lives, sthane sthitah. Sthane sthitah means keeping himself in his position. Sthane sthitah. Just like you are hearing Bhagavad-gita. Some of you are medical man. Some of you are engineer. Some of you businessman. Some of you clerk. That doesn't matter. You keep yourself in your position. You remain as American. You remain as Christian. It doesn't matter. But there is no harm in hearing Bhagavad-gita. There is no harm. You'll get knowledge. You'll get knowledge. You'll become better Christian. You'll become better American. You see? It is not the purpose, that we are trying to convert American into Indian, or Indian into American, or Christian into Hindu. That is not our mission. We are just preaching the science of Krsna, or science of God, Krsna consciousness. So everyone can learn this science. Just like when you go to college there is no question of whether a man is American or Indian or African. Everyone is allowed in the schools, college and universities to take science, knowledge. So this is Krsna consciousness, science of God. Everyone can take. Sthane sthitah. You just keep yourself in your place. There is no need of change.

Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam. Again sruti. Sruti means these ears, by hearing. Sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih: "Just try to assimilate with your body, with your mind, with your intelligence." Sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. If you do this, then the result will be: prayaso 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyam. God's another name is Ajita. Ajita means nobody can conquer Him. Because everyone is lower than God, who will conquer Him? Therefore His name is Ajita. Ajita means unconquerable. What to speak of God, you cannot conquer even the energy of God. You are under the material energy of God. At your present conditioned life, you are under the energy of God, this material energy. You cannot conquer even the energy, so how you can conquer God? Not possible. So therefore another name of God is Ajita. Just like Krsna is another name of God. Of course, according to Vedic literature, Krsna is the principal name. God has many names. According to His work, according to different persons' understanding, He has got innumerable, numberless names. But the, in the Vedic literature it is said that Krsna is the principal name. Because Krsna means the highest pleasure.

So another name of God is Ajita. Ajita means one who is unconquerable. So that unconquerable becomes conquered. How? By this process. What is that process? Just submissively hear and try to assimilate it nicely. That's all. So God is neither Christian or Hindu or Muslim or anything. God is God. If you hear Bhagavad-gita submissively, with your arguments and... The first thing is you must be submissive. You should not think yourself that you are a... Do not be puffed up with false knowledge. Everyone, we should think that we are ignorant. We should have to receive knowledge. That should be the first step by me(?). And receive knowledge, and try to assimilate it, and try to apply it, apply it with your body, with your mind, with your intelligence. Then the, you'll understand God so nicely that although God is unconquerable, you'll conquer Him. You'll conquer Him, by this simple process. So therefore sravanam, hearing, is so important. So in the devotional service the first step is hearing, hearing submissively from the authoritative source and just to assimilate it and grasp it with our body, mind and intelligence. In this way you shall be able to conquer the unconquerable. And when you are able to do such, then you can make kirtana, kirtana. That is, that is the... But another process is... Not another process, same process. Whatever you learn, if you describe it, then that will help you to elevate yourself in this path of knowledge. Suppose whatever you are hearing this night in this platform, if you try to repeat it amongst your friends, amongst your family members, then you'll be established in this knowledge. That is called kirtana. Sravanam kirtanam.

And what about, hearing? Hearing, we are... Every, every day and night we are hearing something. There is television. There is radio. There is newspaper. There is so many things, hearing. Not that hearing. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23]. Visnu means the Supreme Lord. You should devote your time in hearing and chanting about Visnu, Krsna. Krsna-kirtanam. Kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet. If you simply do this, sravanam and kirtanam, then you shall become free from this material attachment, and you shall be elevated to the supreme place, the kingdom of God. Mukta-sanga... This is the remedy suggested in this age. You cannot practice anything. You cannot practice sacrifice. You cannot practice speculation. You cannot practice yoga, nothing. You can simply practice this: submissively hear from authoritative sources, try to assimilate it, and become perfect. Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 9.15 -- New York, December 1, 1966

"Find Real Pleasure Serving Krsna" 66/11/27 New York, Bhagavad-gita 9.11-14

Prabhupada:

avajananti mam mudha
manusim tanum asritam
param bhavam ajananto
mama bhuta-mahesvaram
[Bg. 9.11]

So Lord Krsna says that the mudha... Mudha means the foolish, just like animals or less than animal. An ass, he is called mudha. So avajananti. Avajananti means deride. "Deride at Me." That any person who does not believe in God, he must be either a madman or foolish man number one. Any person who does not believe in God. There is no reason that we cannot believe in God. There is every reason. So suppose if you are saying that "I don't believe in God," but who has given you this power to say that "I don't believe in God." You are speaking, "I don't believe in God," but as soon as there is something, you cannot speak, everything stops. So who has given you this speaking power that you dare to say that "I don't believe in God"? Will you not think that "How I am speaking? Who has given me the power?" Do you mean to say that this speaking power has come automatically from the stone? This body is just like as good as stone. As soon as the speaking power is withdrawn by the supreme authority, you are as good as stone, this body. What is the meaning of this body? So who has given you the speaking power that you are denying that "I don't believe in God"? Therefore an atheist or an unbeliever, he must be a first-class foolish man. There is no other reason that one can deny the existence of God. It is very simple reasoning, that who has given you the power to talk and who, if he withdraws the power from you, then what is your value? How can you boastly say that "I don't believe in God"? This very power of speaking is the proof that there is the greatest authority who gives you everything.

Therefore the Krsna conscious person, he knows that "Everything, whatever I have got, it is not my, under my control. The controller is different. I am feeling... I am simply using it. I am talking. This is my hand. I am working, but if the power of working is immediately withdrawn -- it is paralyzed -- have you got any power to revive this working power of this hand? No. You have not. One hand will work; another hand will stop. Who stops?" These things are to be thought. How can I deny? There is something. If I don't believe in God, but I must believe some power beyond me which is controlling me every step. Either call it God or anything, nature, but there is a controlling power. You have to admit. How can you deny it? Therefore anyone who denies the existence of God, he is a foolish man. He is not very intelligent man. No intelligent man will deny. So Krsna says, avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam [Bg. 9.11]. Krsna is saying here, because He was present on this earth just like a human being with some supernatural power. But mostly, 99% of people, they could not recognize Him, could not recognize Him that He is the supreme power, Supreme Personality of Godhead. Param bhavam ajanantah. Because they have no eyes to see. There are...

How we can recognize God? Some supernatural power, evidence of authorities, scriptural evidence. These things are required. So so far Krsna is concerned, every authority has accepted Him as God. And when He was present, His activities were superhuman. And from the evidence of Vedic literature, He is God. Then, in spite of all these evidences, if you don't believe Him, then it must be considered that asuram bhavam, that "I shall not believe. Whatever evidence you give, and whatever, I mean to say, activities you may show, I'll never believe You God. Finished." Then that is helpless. So avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam [Bg. 9.11]. Besides that, one must have the eyes to see God also. God cannot be seen with our imperfect senses. So the whole bhakti process, bhakti-yoga, is the process of purifying the senses to take, to understand what is God, what is spirit, what is soul. It requires... Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Anukulyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir uttama. And in the Narada-pancaratra,

sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate
[Cc. Madhya 19.170]

Simply, this bhakti-yoga is the process of purifying, purifying. As soon as you purify your power of seeing, power of hearing, power of tasting, power of touching, all these... We have got our senses to taste, to acquire knowledge. But if the senses are blunt, then we cannot understand what is God. But therefore you require regulative principles to understand what is God. That regulative principle must be undertaken. And the easiest regulative principle is this chanting of Hare Krsna. If you regularly chant with devotion, without any offense, then this very simple process will help you to purify your senses and you will appreciate presence of God, and God consciousness, Krsna consciousness will develop in you.

So param bhavam ajananto mama bhuta-mahesvaram. People, they do not know what is the inconceivable power and potencies of God. Therefore they think, "God might be somebody like me." They cannot understand God.

moghasa mogha-karmano
mogha-jnana vicetasah
raksasim asurim caiva
prakrtim mohinim sritah
[Bg. 9.12]

So why they cannot understand? Moghasa. Moghasa means whatever they are aspiring, whatever they are desiring, that will be baffled. Moghasa. Just the karmi... Karmi means the fruitive actor. They are always hoping, "Something better, something better, something better." There is no limit where they will stop. So much money, so much bank balance, so much money, so much... Still... So moghasa. Mogha means they are hoping to be very happy at a certain point, but that point never comes. That point never comes. Moghasa. This means moghasa. Because he does not know "what is the ultimate point of my satiation." Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah [SB 7.5.31]. People, they do not know... Who are, I mean to say, enamored by the external beauty of this illusory material energy, they cannot understand that what is the aim and objective of life. They cannot understand. Therefore moghasa.

Mogha-karmanah. Mogha-karmanah means fruitless, baffled. Whatever they are doing, doing something, but at the end they will find it is frustration. They are not happy. Take for example we have practical experience in India. Mahatma Gandhi, he was a great worker for national emancipation. You have heard his name. But at the end he was so much disgusted -- that I have seen personally -- wherever he used to go, he used to plug his ears like this. Why? Now, wherever he would go, thousands of people would gather and will cry, "Mahatma Gandhi ki jaya!" So the poor fellow could not sleep even. The person, as soon as there is some scent that "Mahatma Gandhi is coming here," at least five thousand people will gather and will cry, "Mahatma Gandhi ki jaya." So at the last stage of his life he could not sleep due to this crying. Just see. And he was so much disgusted, the very morning when he was, I mean to say, assassinated -- he was killed by bullet shot -- he said to his secretary, "I am so disgusted, I wish to die." You see. This very word was published in the paper. Now see. Such a big worker, such a..., simply a worker, but still, he felt baffled. And what to speak of others. So mogha-karmanah. Unless we become Krsna conscious, then all our activities will be baffled at the end. Take it what Krsna is saying, not ordinary person like me. Krsna is... Moghasa mogha-karmano mogha-jnanah [Bg. 9.12]. Mogha-jnanah. Jnana means research of knowledge, philosophical speculation.

So without Krsna consciousness, without this definite point... Now, if you have sufficient knowledge, if you have such power for research, now here is a point, that Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Now make research work whether Krsna is not God. Then your research work will be sufficient. But without any point of aim, without any objective, what is this? Thousands of years, simply speculating.

panthas tu koti-sata-vatsara-sampragamyo
vayor athapi manaso muni-pungavanam
so 'py asti yat prapada-simny avicintya-tattve
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs 5.34]

Govinda, the Supreme Lord, who is so vast that you cannot reach Him by your mental speculation... Panthas tu koti-sata-vatsara. Koti means ten million, and koti-sata-vatsara, similarly, millions and millions of years, with the speed of air and with the speed of mind, if you proceed to speculate, to understand the Supreme, oh, that is not possible. That is not possible. So many speculators at the present moment or in the past, speculating, speculating, speculating. They never reach the point, never reach the point. There is not a single instance that they have reached the point.

So this speculating process will also not help. Moghasa mogha-karmano mogha-jnana vicetasah [Bg. 9.12]. Vicetasah means they are bewildered, that God cannot be perceived by your own endeavor unless God reveals before you. Vicetasah. Vicetasah means bewildered. Just like if you want to see the sun, can you see the sun just at this time, all over darkness? Have you got any machine or any apparatus or any searchlight, you can show me sun? No. It is not possible. So if you cannot see at night with your own endeavor even a material thing like sun, do you think that by your own endeavor you will see God? How it is possible? As the sun reveals in the morning at five o'clock or six o'clock, similarly, when the sun Krsna will reveal before you, then you will understand. You cannot find out Krsna or understand Krsna by your own endeavor. Now, that process is this Krsna consciousness. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam [Bg. 18.66]. You will be in confidence. Tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam [Bg. 10.10]. Those who have taken this line with faith and love, always engaged in the transcendental loving service of Krsna, buddhi-yogam dadami tam, then from within... Krsna is within you. We have no realization. Due to my material conception of life, I have no realization. So you have to realize that Krsna is there, and you have to purify yourself by service attitude. Then Krsna will reveal. You will see, eye to eye.

Moghasa mogha-karmano mogha... [Bg. 9.12]. vice..., raksasim asurim caiva prakrtim mohinim sritah. Raksasi. Raksasi means those who are atheists, they are called raksasas. Raksasa and asura. Asura, they are always against God. They are called asuras. And raksasa means they don't believe in God. So raksasim asurim caiva prakrtim. Why they...? That mohinim prakrtim. They are bewildered by this illusory material energy. They are... They think, "This is all, and this life..." They do not know God. "There is no life. Let us enjoy as far as possible. Squeeze out the extract of this matter." Squeezing, squeezing, they don't... They are frustrated, frustrated, moghasa, baffled in every respect. Squeezing to take essence of this material pleasure, they are baffled. They are baffled. Don't you see this practically? "So much money, so much I have earned." They go to enjoy, fifty thousand dollars, hundred thousand dollars, squeezing -- they do not find any pleasure. Simply squeezing, squeezing. Moghasa mogha-karmanah. That is not the process to find out real pleasure. If you have to find out real pleasure, then you have to take to this Krsna consciousness. You have to be trained up in this Krsna consciousness. Then you will have to change your habits in this way. You will find ananta. Ramante yoginah anante. Unlimited happiness which will never end, never end. Ramante yoginah anante satyanande. That is real happiness that does not end. Don't you see? Is there happiness in the material world, in your sense enjoyment, which does not end? It begins and ends, say, for few minutes or few hours or few seconds. It ends. But real happiness has no end. That is real happiness.

That you have to search, and for which you have to undertake some voluntary penance. You are trying to get the unlimited happiness and you are not prepared to sacrifice anything? What is that sacrifice? You have to sacrifice little time. Come here and hear this Bhagavad-gita and chant with us. Is it very great sacrifice? And you will learn everything. Just to sacrifice little time. In former days they used to sacrifice their whole life for realizing self-realization. Deva-munindra-guhyam. Even the demigods, even great saintly persons, they sacrificed everything; still, they were unsuccessful. You see? Now, for this age, Lord Caitanya mercifully has given you so much easier process for God realization. There is no comparison. Simply to sacrifice a little time. Sravanam. Simply hear. You haven't got to pay any charges. Sravanam. Simply you have to sit down a little patiently and hear. You'll realize it. It is such a nice thing. Lord Caitanya, therefore, recommended this process. In this age no process will help you for self-realization but this process.

Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. If you be situated in whatever position you are, it doesn't matter. We are not going to inquire what you are. "Are you businessman, engineer, doctor, or police, or intelligent, or educated, non-educated, black, white?" -- there is no question, no question. The only thing is sthane sthitah sruti-gatam. Sruti-gatam means... Sruti means this aural reception. You have to receive this word little submissively. Namanta eva. Don't think yourself, that you are very man of knowledge. Because our knowledge is very limited, so we should not be puffed up with false thinking that I am very learned man. No. Just become a little gentle and submissive, and hear these messages from Krsna. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. Tanu. Tanu means your body, and vak means your words, and mana means mind. Just try to adjust your mind, your body, your words, and hear the Srimad-Bhagavad-gita which is spoken by the Supreme Lord, and put your arguments, put your reason, whatever you have got. Don't accept it blindly. And think over it, and then you'll see what is the result. This is... So raksasim.

But in spite of all these facilities, the Lord says, the raksasim asurim caiva, those who are raksasas... Raksasa means almost man-eaters. Raksasa are called man-eaters, more than tigers. They, for their self-satisfaction, they can eat, I mean to say, even, even their own sons. You see? They are called raksasas. No shame. "My sense gratification should be satisfied. Never mind. You go to hell." So this is the age. So we, we create a machine that everyone comes and becomes smashed in that machine, and my sense satisfaction is there. Although I'll never be happy by that sense satisfaction. This is going on. You can know this world is now managed by the raksasas. Raksasa. They don't mind what is happening. They are prepared to sacrifice everything for fulfilling their whimsical nonsense. They are called raksasa. Raksasim asurim caiva prakrtim mohinim sritah. Why they are? Now, they are very much enamored by this material beauty. Not beauty. The material civilization. So they cannot. They cannot understand. It is very difficult for them. They cannot understand. And they'll never try to understand because they are raksasas.

Then who will understand God? Mahatma.

mahatmanas tu mam partha
daivim prakrtim asritah
bhajanty ananya-manaso
jnatva bhutadim avyayam
[Bg. 9.13]

And here it... "Those who are mahatma..." Mahatma means one who has enlarged his heart, enlarged his heart: "Oh, everything belongs to God, and I also belong to God." He's mahatma. Mahatmanas tu mam partha: [Bg. 9.13] "My dear Arjuna, these mahatmas, they are not in, under the control of this material nature." One who can think that "Everything belongs to God, and I also belong to God. Therefore the supreme proprietor is God. Everything should be engaged in His service..." This is the qualification of mahatma, broader. "God is great," and his heart is also has become great for serving the great. He's mahatma. Mahatma, not a stamp, a political leader, mahatma. Don't misunderstand. "I stamp you mahatma by votes, and you become God. You become mahatma." These are not accepted in Bhagavad-gita. Mahatma's description is there, that mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah: [Bg. 9.13] "He has taken the shelter of the superior, spiritual energy."

As we have discussed many times, God has got many energies. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. There are unlimited energies, different varieties of energy. Out of that, those who are in the knowledge, they have divided the whole energy into three divisions. What is that? Material energy, spiritual energy and marginal energy. This material energy, you are seeing. And the spiritual energy, now we have no knowledge. But the marginal energy, something spirit, something matter, that we are, we living entities. I am... As I am, I am spirit. But I am mixed up with this matter. Therefore I am marginal energy, between spirit and matter. I am combination of spirit and matter. As soon as I am spirit, I am away from this matter, this bodily matter. "Dust thou art; dust thou beist." Yes. So those who are mahatma, they have take shelter of the spiritual energy. Of course, for God, every energy is His energy. Therefore He has no distinction what is spirit and what is matter. But for me, because I am in marginal energy, I have to make distinction that "This is spirit; this is matter."

So mahatma, those who have broadened their heart for becoming Krsna conscious or devoting himself for the service of the great... Just like to, one, a government servant, important government servant, he also becomes important, similarly, God is great, and when you are engaged in His service you become great. You become great. That is called mahatma. So as soon as you take shelter of the spiritual energy of the Supreme Lord, at once you become mahatma. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah [Bg. 9.13]. And suppose now I have identified with the greatness of the Supreme, aham brahmasmi. This Vedic word is called aham brahmasmi: "I am the... I am Brahman." But simply being puffed up, "I am Brahman, I become God," that is another raksasim, another misleading. Here it is said that if you have become Brahman, then you must show your activities in Brahman. Because you are spirit, you are not inactive. To become Brahman does not mean that I become inactive. Oh, in matter I am so much active because I am Brahman. Although I am contaminated with matter, still, I am so active. And when I am purified from matter, do you mean to say my activities stop? What is this reasoning?

By nature I am active. By nature, because I am spirit, and by nature I am active. And my activities are exhibited even I am contaminated with this matter. And when you become purified from matter, do you think you shall be silent? Is there any reason? So do you...? To become Brahman does not mean to become void. No. To become Brahman means superior energy. With superior energy, we have to work with superior endeavor and superior energy and superior position. And therefore it is called, in the next line, bhajanty ananya-manasah: "One who has become mahatma, his symptom is that he's fully engaged in the loving transcendental service of Krsna." He is mahatma. How can you stop activities? Bhajanty ananya-manasah, jnatva bhutadim avyayam. Why does he engage in that way? Because he understands that "If service has to be rendered, it is to Krsna and nobody else. I have so long served my senses. Now I shall serve Krsna, the proprietor of the senses." That is called mahatma. You cannot stop your service because you are meant for service. Can you show anybody, within this meeting, anybody who does not serve? Is there anybody who does not serve anybody? You go outside, ask hundreds and thousands of people that "Do you, don't you serve anybody?" You go to the president, Johnson. Ask him, "Don't you serve anybody?" "Oh, yes, I am serving the country." So who is out of service? Nobody is out of service. But he's serving the illusion. And as soon as he serves the Supreme, he becomes mahatma. Service you cannot stop. But you have to stop your service to the nonsense, and you have to give service to the reality. Then you become mahatma.

Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah [Bg. 9.13]. They are under the influence of the spiritual energy. They are no longer under the control of this material energy. So

mahatmanas tu mam partha
daivim prakrtim asritah
bhajanty ananya-manaso
jnatva bhutadim avyayam
[Bg. 9.13]

He transfers his service potency to the Supreme instead of serving the false. Instead of becoming baffled always, he wants to make some asset in his life by serving the Supreme. And how does service begin? Now that is also stated here. You see. Satatam kirtayanto mam yatantas ca drdha-vratah [Bg. 9.14]. This kirtana. This kirtana, always chanting, glorifying. This is the beginning of mahatma. So you come here. You chant. You become mahatma. Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 9.11-14 -- New York, November 27, 1966