"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