"Surrender To The Supreme Person" 73/09/30 Bombay, Bhagavad-gita 13.8-12

Prabhupada:

amanitvam adambhitvam
ahimsa ksantir arjavam
acaryopasanam saucam
sthairyam atma-vinigrahah

indriyarthesu vairagyam
anahankara eva ca
janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-
duhkha-dosanudarsanam

asaktir anabhisvangah
putra-dara-grhadisu
nityam ca sama-cittatvam
istanistopapattisu

mayi cananya-yogena
bhaktir avyabhicarini
vivikta-desa-sevitvam
aratir jana-samsadi

adhyatma-jnana-nityatvam
tattva-jnanartha-darsanam
etaj jnanam iti proktam
ajnanam yad ato 'nyatha

Sri Krsna has explained... The question was ksetram ksetrajnam, and jnanam and jneyam, the questions. What is this body... (aside:) I am overlapped. Krsna has explained already,

rsibhir bahudha gitam
chandobhir vividhaih prthak
brahma-sutra-padais caiva
hetumadbhir viniscitaih
[Bg. 13.5]

There are many scriptures and many philosophers, rsis, as I explained yesterday, nasau rsir yasya matam na bhinna: "He's not a philosopher who hasn't got a different opinion." Because this material world is practically a challenge to the supreme authority. The supreme authority Krsna, He's the bhokta actually, He's the enjoyer.

bhoktaram yajna-tapasam
sarva-loka-mahesvaram
suhrdam sarva-bhutanam
jnatva mam santim rcchati
[Bg. 5.29]

That point is missing. Real enjoyer or proprietor is Krsna. Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram. He's the proprietor. Sarva loka, not only of this loka, earthly planet, but there are innumerable planets within this universe and there are innumerable universes also, not one universe. Yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti [Bs. 5.40]. Jagad-anda means universe. It is just like egg shape. anda. You can see this universe, the sky is..., horizon. So it is just like egg shape. All the planets and the universes, they are egg shaped. Therefore they are called anda, jagad-anda, brahmanda. So this jagad-anda...

And Brahma is called jagad-anda-natha. Jagad-anda-natha means Brahma. As in each department, for management there is a manager, similarly, in each brahmanda there is a manager who is called Brahma. And each planet, there is also a manager or head. That is the system. And the supreme head is Krsna.

Just like we have a manager, a head, on this planet. Now we have divided. Formerly this planet was one unit, and there one head, the emperor. Just like Yudhisthira Maharaja was the emperor of the whole world. Pariksit Maharaja. All kings formerly, whoever became king, emperor, he ruled over the whole planet. In each and every planet there was a ruler, but now, in the days of democracy, there are so many rulers, practically each and every one of us is a ruler. This is democracy.

But actually the arrangement is that ruler should be one, and the supreme ruler is Krsna. Ruler means isvara. So there are so many isvaras. Isvara means that actually there must be one isvara, one ruler, but because here in this material world every one of us is trying to become isvara, therefore the Mayavadi philosophy is that everyone is isvara. That's all right. But that isvara is not sublime. I may become isvara amongst my disciples, but I am not the supreme, I'm not isvara of everyone. So isvara is actually Krsna. Isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1], the sastra says. There are isvaras, rulers. That's all right. But the supreme ruler is Krsna. Isvarah paramah krsnah sac cid ananda vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. This is stated in the Brahma-samhita, and Krsna also says, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. "There is nobody else superior than Me." That is the fact.

People are searching after Isvara, "Can you show me God?" "There is no God." "God is dead." So many philosophers and theories are there, but actually there is God. Here is God, Krsna. Isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-anandah vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. Ekale isvara krsna. In Caitanya-caritamrta it is said that "Only isvara is Krsna, the Supreme." Ekala isvara krsna, ara saba bhrtya. "All others, they are servants." Nobody is actually isvara. And we find it practically. Everyone in this material world, he may become an isvara is his group, but he is also controlled by somebody superior. That is the position of this relative isvara. But Krsna is absolute isvara. Nobody is isvara above Him. That is Krsna. So, everyone is trying to be isvara. This is the material world. Everyone is trying to be isvara.

So Krsna says that, rsibhir bahudha gitam. Because everyone is trying to be superior. Nasau rsir yasya matam na bhinna, that every philosopher must give his own opinion and it must be refuted by another. Therefore sastra says that in this way you cannot ascertain what is the reality. Tarko 'pratistha. If you want to understand the reality by your arguments, reasoning power, that is not possible. Because I may be very nice arguer, but another person may be better arguer, he can defeat me. And that is going on.

Therefore simply by arguments, you cannot reach the Absolute Truth. That is not possible. Tarko 'pratistha. And if you simply depend on the sruti, srutayo vibhinnah. The Vedic literatures are different: Sama, Yajur, Rg, Artharva. And not only that, other scriptures there are. So Srutayor vibhinnah nasau rsir yasya matam na bhinna, dharmasya tattvam nihito guhayam. To understand religious principle, it is very difficult.

Therefore our duty is, mahajano yena gatah sa panthah. "We have to accept that way which is given by the mahajana." Mahajana. So sastra... We are sometimes in difficulty to find out the mahajana, who is mahajana. That mahajana is also described in the sastras, who can be accepted the greatest authority, mahajana. That is stated in the Sixth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Svayambhur naradah sambhuh [SB 6.3.20]. They are mahajanas. Svayambhuh means Brahma. Brahma is mahajana. Svayambhu, Narada. Narada Muni is mahajana. And Sambhu, Lord Siva, he is also mahajana. Svayambhur naradah sambhuh kumarah [SB 6.3.20], four Kumaras. Sanat-kumaradi, they are also mahajanas. Kapila, Kapiladeva who expounded that Sankhya philosophy, Kapiladeva. He is incarnation of God. Kumarah kapilo manuh.

Svayambhuva Manu, he is also authority. Manu's name is also mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita. Imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam vivasvan manave prahuh [Bg. 4.1]. So therefore Manu is also mahajana, he's authority. There is Manu-samhita. Our Vedic system is conducted, the law, the law-giver is Manu. From Manu, the manusya, "man", these words have come, Manu. Descendant of Manu, human society, manusya.

So Prahlada, Prahlada Maharaja is mahajana. Janaka, Janaka Maharaja. Prahlado janako bhismah, Bhismadeva, grandfather Bhismadeva, the grandfather of the Pandus. He is also mahajana. Prahlado janako bhismo balih, Bali Maharaja, he is mahajana. Vaiyasakih, Sukadeva Gosvami, and Yamaraja, he is also mahajana.

So we have to follow the footsteps of the mahajana. Otherwise we shall be bewildered. Krsna therefore, He says, rsibhir bahudha gitam: "There are many saintly persons, great sages, and they have spoken in various ways." But Krsna concludes, the Vedanta-sutra. Vedanta-sutra, He gives reference because this Vedanta-sutra comes from the disciplic succession of Brahma. Brahma-sutra. Lord Brahma, Krsna instructed Brahma. Tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. Adi-kavi is Brahma, and Krsna instructed him. Tene brahma... Brahma means Vedas. Sabda-brahma. The sabda-brahma was instructed to Lord Brahma by Krsna. Therefore Krsna is the original guru.

Therefore Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham: [Bg. 4.1] "This yoga system, Bhagavad-gita yoga system, I first of all spoke to the sun-god." Vivasvan manave prahuh. And the sun-god, whose name is Vivasvan, he spoke to his son Manu. Manur iksvakave 'bravit. And Manu spoke to his son, Maharaja Iksvaku. Maharaja Iksvaku is coming from the dynasty of the sun-god Vivasvan. There are two ksatriya families, one from the moon god, another, the sun-god. So Maharaja Ramacandra appeared in the family of the surya-vamsa, Iksvaku, Maharaja Iksvaku.

So this is the parampara system. And everything is described in the Brahma-sutra by Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva happens to be the disciple of Narada. Narada happens to be disciple of Brahma. And from Vyasadeva, Madhvacarya; then from Madhvacarya disciplic succession, Madhavendra Puri. Madhavendra Puri was the spiritual master of Isvara Puri. Isvara Puri was the spiritual master of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the spiritual master of the Six Gosvamis of Vrndavana: rupa sanatana bhatta raghunath, sri jiva gopala bhatta dasa raghunath. So from the Gosvamis, then Kaviraja Gosvami, Visvanath Cakravarti Thakura, then Jagannath das Babaji, then Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Gaura-Kisora dasa Babaji, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati. And we are servant of Bhaktisiddhanta. So there is a disciplic succession.

That parampara should be followed. Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. If we want to understand really Vedic literature, then we must follow the parampara system. There are four sampradayas, parampara: the Ramanuja Sampradaya, Madhvacarya Sampradaya, Visnusvami Sampradaya, Nimbarka Sampradaya. So we belong to the Madhvacarya Sampradaya. Fortunately, all these acaryas, even Sankaracarya, they appeared from South India. This sampradaya, acarya-sampradaya, is going on all over India. So every sampradaya has got his commentary on the Brahma-sutra. Therefore Krsna says here, brahma sutra-padais caiva hetumadbhir viniscitaih [Bg. 13.5]. Unless a sampradaya, the four sampradayas, they do not comment on the Brahma-sutra, he'll not..., that sampradaya is not accepted. And if you do not accept the sampradaya..., sampradaya- vihina ye mantras te nisphala matah.

If you do not take your initiation mantra from the sampradaya, then it is useless. Now, there are so many apasampradaya. They do not come in disciplic succession, but becomes guru, teacher. Therefore everything is topsy-turvied. Nobody has got fixed idea what is God. Everyone has created his own philosophy. The whole thing is now confused.

Therefore Krsna specifically mentions, Brahma-sutra. Brahma-sutra-padais caiva hetumadbhir viniscitaih [Bg. 13.5]. The sampradaya must have understanding of the Brahma-sutra, Vedanta-sutra. So all the sampradayas, they have got their commentary on the Vedanta-sutra and... Even Sankaracarya. But his commentary is not accepted by the Vaisnava acaryas because he has tried to derive some meaning, interpretation. But there is no question of interpretation. When the things are clear, in the Brahma-sutra, all the sutras are very clear. So you don't require any interpretation. You can expand, explain very elaborately. That is another thing. But you cannot go beyond the sutra.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore says, mayavadi bhasya sunile haya sarva nasa. Mayavadi bhasya means Sankara, Sariraka-bhasya of the Brahma-sutra. If you hear the Sariraka-bhasya, then you'll be doomed, you will be Godless. Therefore it has been forbidden by Caitanya Mahaprabhu. All the Vaisnava sampradayas, Ramanujya Sampradaya, Madhvacarya Sampradaya, they all, I mean to say, disagree with the commentary of Sankaracarya, Sariraka-bhasya, Brahma-sutra.

So far we are concerned, Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya, our acaryas, they took it, Srimad-Bhagavatam, as the right commentary on Brahma-sutra. Bhasyam brahma-sutranam vedartha-paribrmhitam **. This Srimad-Bhagavatam is the real bhasya of Brahma-sutra. So the Gaudiya Sampradaya did not make any commentary on the Brahma-sutra because they took it, Caitanya Mahaprabhu took it as, Srimad-Bhagavatam, as a natural commentary, because Srimad-Bhagavatam is also made by Vyasadeva and Vyasadeva is the original author of Brahma-sutra. So author made his own commentary; so there was no need of another commentary. This is the Gaudiya-siddhanta, Gaudiya-vaisnava-siddhanta.

But sometimes back, in Jaipur, there was a challenge that "The Gaudiya Sampradaya has no commentary on the Vedanta-sutra." So at that time Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura was requested... Because he was grand scholar, grand old man scholar, at that time living in Vrndavana... So he was very old at that time; so he authorized Baladeva Vidyabhusana, that "You do it." There was no need, but people are demanding, "Where is your commentary on the Vedanta-sutra?" So Baladeva Vidyabhusana, with the order of Govindaji at Jaipur, he wrote the commentary on Brahma-sutra. That name is Govinda-bhasya. So the Gaudiya-Brahma Sampradaya, they have got also commentary on Brahma-sutra. That is required.

So Krsna has explicitly explained that brahma-sutra-padais caiva hetumadbhir. Hetumadbhir viniscitam. The Brahma-sutra is called therefore nyaya-prasthana, with logic and reason, hetumadbhir, cause and effect, Everything. Because people like to understand on the basis of philosophy and reasoning everything. Yes, that is required.

Any understanding without philosophy, that is sentiment. And philosophy without religious conception is mental speculation. These two things are going on, not combined. All over the world there are many so-called religious systems, but there is no philosophy. Therefore the so-called religious system does not appeal to the modern educated persons. They are giving up religion, either Christian, Muslim, Hindu. Simply formalities, rituals, they do not like. They want to know everything on the basis of philosophy. That is Bhagavad-gita.

Bhagavad-gita is based on philosophy, this system, Krsna-bhakti. Bhagavad-gita means Krsna-bhakti, devotion to Krsna, Krsna consciousness. That is Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita, the teaching is man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. This is Bhagavad-gita. "Always think of Me." Krsna conscious, pure and simple. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Everywhere Krsna stressed on His personality. Aham adir hi devanam: "I am the origin of all the devatas." Mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7].

aham sarvasya prabhavo
mattah sarvam pravartate
iti matva bhajante mam
budha bhava-samanvitah
[Bg. 10.8]

Everything is there.

So sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam [Bg. 18.66], mam, aham, "Me." So in every verse, every chapter, Krsna... Mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. Mayy asakta, "One who is attached to Me," asakta-manah, "mind attached to Me, that is yoga." Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantaratmana. Mad-gata, again mat [Bg. 6.47]. Mad-gatenantaratmana, sraddhavan bhajate yo mam sa me yuktatamo matah. So everything is given stress, Krsna. But the rascal commentators, they want to make minus Krsna.

This rascaldom has played havoc in India. These rascal so-called commentators, they want to avoid Krsna. Therefore this Krsna consciousness movement is a challenge to these rascals. It is a challenge that "You want to make Krsna without Krsna. This is nonsense."

Now let us report. This morning one of our devotee has come from, Syamasundara, from London. Now our this Bhagavad-gita As It Is, is the topmost selling book in London. All the booksellers, Bhagavad-gita As It Is. So Macmillan Company is our publisher, and within one year they have published three editions, fifty thousand each. So real thing will have real value. One professor of religion from London University came to see me. He said, "Now we have rejected Dr. Radhakrishnan's Bhagavad-gita." He said. What is the name of that professor?

Pradyumna: Peringer, Dr. Peringer.

Prabhupada: So we are very sure, although we are not getting very good response in India. In India they have become so advanced: "Oh, Krsna consciousness? We know everything about Krsna. This is old story. Krsna is our countryman, and we know everything of Krsna. And what these people, Europeans and Americans, they can teach us?" This is their... So bui para[?] pandita. In Bengal it is called bui para[?] pandita, "self-advertised pandita."

Actually India should have taken very serious care of this Krsna consciousness movement for the glory of their country because this Krsna consciousness movement originally originated from India. Krsna personally presented this Bhagavad-gita, He's speaking, and it is the duty of every Indian to carry this message. As Caitanya Mahaprabhu has advised,

bharata bhumite manusya janma haila yara
janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara
[Cc. Adi 9.41]

Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that anyone who has taken birth in India, he is fortunate. He can make his life perfect by reading at least this Bhagavad-gita and distribute the knowledge all over the world. So Krsna says, brahma-sutra padais caiva hetumadbhir viniscitam. You take Vedanta-sutra; you study from the authoritative sources. Then your life becomes perfect. And take the..., carry this message all over the world.

Formerly our, some swamiji, he also wanted to preach Vedanta-sutra, but while preaching Vedanta-sutra he learned how to eat meat and how to drink. That's all. This was done, Vedanta-sutra. And "Everyone is God." That was his conclusion. And this same message, it was not fruitive. But actually, Vedanta-sutra, because Krsna is the vedanta-vid, vedanta-krd... Krsna says,

sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistho
mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca
vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
vedanta-krd vedanta-vid caham
[Bg. 15.15]

So Krsna is vedanta-krd, the compiler of Vedanta-sutra. Because Vyasadeva is incarnation of Krsna, therefore Krsna is vedanta-krd. And one who has compiled Vedanta-sutra, he is vedanta-vid also. He knows what is Vedanta. Not by others. Vedanta-vid vedanta-krd. So both vedanta-krd is Krsna, vedanta-vid is Krsna. So what Krsna says, that is Vedanta. Vedanta means... Veda means knowledge, and anta means the ultimate, anta. Every knowledge has got the ultimate end. So everyone is acquiring knowledge, but what is the end of knowledge? The end of knowledge is to understand Krsna. That is end of knowledge. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah vedanta-krd vedanta-vid caham [Bg. 15.15]. So Krsna therefore says, brahma-sutra-padais caiva. He's recommending. He is Vedanta. Therefore whatever Krsna says, that is the ultimate conclusion of Vedanta.

What Krsna says? Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This is Vedanta. If you learn how to surrender to Krsna, that is real understanding of Vedanta. Bahunam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19]. This conclusion comes of the Vedantist, so-called Vedantist. Bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate. This is the ultimate understanding of Vedanta. Vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19]. If one understands that Krsna is everything, Krsna is the origin of everything... That is the Vedanta, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. That is the beginning of Vedanta-sutra, the origin, to understand the origin of everything, the original source of everything. And that is Krsna.

Aham adir hi devanam. Brahma is one of the demigods, Lord Siva is one of the demigods, but Krsna says, aham adir hi devanam maharsinam ca sarvasah. So if we understand Krsna -- vasudevah sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19], He is the origin of everything -- that is all perfect knowledge. Sa mahatma sudurlabhah. But such kind of mahatma is rarely seen. Kotisv apy mahamune. Kotisv apy mahamune. Amongst the crores of men, you'll find one man may know Krsna.

manusyanam sahasresu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam
kascin vetti mam tattvatah
[Bg. 7.3]

So if you try to understand Krsna, tattvatah, in reality, that is perfection of life. That is perfection of life. Janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. Simply to know, "Krsna was born at Mathura, He was the nephew of Kamsa and son of..." That is also nice. But you should try to understand tattvatah. That tattvatah means:

isvarah paramah krsnah
sac-cid-ananda vigrahah
anadir adir govindah
sarva-karana-karanam
[Bs. 5.1]

That is tattvatah, the cause of all causes. Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. Cause of all causes. Everything has got cause and effect, cause and effect. So Krsna is the original cause.

aham sarvasya prabhavo
mattah sarvam pravartate
iti matva bhajante mam
budha bhava-samanvitah
[Bg. 10.8]

Those who are intelligent, budha, complete in knowledge. So after knowing Krsna, vasudevah sarvam iti [Bg. 7.19], after becoming mahatma, sa mahatma sudurlabhah, bhajante. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivim prakrtim asritah bhajanty ananya-manaso [Bg. 9.13]. Without any deviation, ekam. So if you take to this Krsna consciousness without any deviation, then... There are other demigods, that is admitted. But Krsna is the root.

yatha taror mula-nisecanena
trpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopasakhah
yatha pranopaharac ca yathendriyanam
tatha sarvarhanam acyutejya

You don't require to worship any other demigods. All demigods, they're our respectable. We offer all respect. A Vaisnava offers respect even to an ant, and why not these demigods? That is another thing. But the krsna-bhakta, he knows that Krsna is the Supreme; the other demigods, they're all subordinate. Krsna also says in the Bhagavad-gita, kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah prapadyante 'nya-devatah [Bg. 7.20]. There is no need.

Just like if you pour water on the root of a tree, the branches, the twigs, the flowers and leaves, they all become nourished, similarly, by worshiping Krsna, you'll satisfy all the demigods. You don't require to satisfy everyone. This is the statement in all sastras.

devarsi-bhutapta-nrnam pitrnam
na kinkaro nayam rni ca rajan
sarvatmana yah saranam saranyam
gato mukundam parihrtya kartam
[SB 11.5.41]

We are indebted to so many persons: devatas, deva, rsi, devarsi, bhuta, living entities, nrnam, human society. devarsi-bhutapta. Our family men, our friends. Devarsi-bhutapta-nrnam pitrnam [SB 11.5.41]. Pitrloka, pitr-pinda. We are indebted in so many ways. It is very difficult to liquidate all these debts. It is very difficult. But if one surrenders to Krsna, sarvatmana yah saranam saranyam gato mukundam. If one has surrendered fully to Mukunda, parihrtya kartam. There are so many duties. Therefore Krsna assures that "If you surrender to Me..." If you think that you have not worshiped others, and if you are sinful thereby, Krsna says, ma sucah, aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami: "I shall give you protection."

So this is Krsna consciousness movement. Try to understand and follow. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 13.8-12 -- Bombay, September 30, 1973

"Nothing Is Material" 73/09/29 Bombay, Bhagavad-gita 13.6-7

Prabhupada:

maha-bhutany ahankaro
buddhir avyaktam eva ca
indriyani dasaikam ca
panca cendriya-gocarah

iccha dvesah sukham duhkham
sanghatas cetana dhrtih
etat ksetram samasena
sa-vikaram udahrtam

Krsna is discussing ksetra, ksetrajnah, jnana, and jneyam. So ksetra... Idam sariram ksetram ity abhidhiyate. This body is the ksetra. Ksetra means the field of activities. Just like a cultivator, he has got a certain portion of land and according to the land, he is seeding, sowing the seeds of grains, and as he's working, he's getting the profit by agricultural product, similarly, this body is a field, is field, and we are sowing the seed, karma, sowing the seed and getting the result. Karmana daiva-netrena.

Why we have got different types of bodies? Why we haven't got, everyone, the same type of body? Somebody is fat, somebody is very thin, somebody white, somebody black, somebody very beautiful, somebody very ugly. There are so many varieties of bodies. Why? Sanghata. This is combination, color combination. There are three gunas. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. As you are associating with the gunas, you are getting different types of body.

That is, Krsna is explaining here, that maha-bhutany ahankara. The ahankara is very important thing. False ahankara and real ahankara. Ahankara means law of identity. "I am Indian," this is ahankara. "I am American," this is ahankara. "I am rich man," this is also ahankara. "I am poor man." There are so many ahankaras, law of identification. So this ahankara is the basis of getting a type of body, And... This is the subtle basis, ahankara. Mano buddhir ahankara. There are eight material elements: bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca. That is stated in the seventh chapter. This earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence, and ahankara. This is creating my different types of body.

Krsna therefore says, maha-bhutany ahankaro buddhir avyaktam eva ca. Avyaktam means the total material substance. Just like when you construct a house there are heaps of materials, some stone, some cement, some woods, some iron, and you combine together... Tejo-vari-mrd-vinimayam. This whole world is exchange of three things: teja, fire, vari, means water, and mrt, means earth. So what is this Bombay city? The Bombay city is a heap of tejo-vari-mrd-vinimayah. And... Here is one expert engineer, he knows how to mix these three things, tejo-vari-mrd-vinimayam, exchange. If there was no stock of tej o-vari-mrd-vinimayam, you could not build such a nice city. But who is supplying the ingredients? Can you create earth? No. Can you create water? No. You cannot create. You are simply working. You are simply working hard mixing them. That's all. Tejo vari-mrd-vinimayam. You cannot create. That is not possible. The creator is God. The creator is God. That is stated in the seventh chapter, prakrtir me astadha. Me, Krsna says, "It is mine."

So this is called illusion. We are using Krsna's property, but we are claiming "our." That is called illusion. Therefore sastra says, Veda says, isavasyam idam sarvam: "Everything belongs to God." You cannot create this big mass of water, sea, or ocean. That is not possible. Who has created? Somebody has created. That is stated in the sastra. There is perspiration. This water is perspiration of Maha-Visnu. We can understand because we are minute particle of Maha-Visnu. Mamaivamso jiva-bhutah [Bg. 15.7]. So sometimes we perspire and create some water, say, half an ounce water. But if somebody has unlimited power to perspire and create water, where is the difficulty to understand? There is no difficulty. If you take it for acceptance that this vast mass of water has come from the perspiration of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So there is nothing to deny this fact. Acintya-sakti. Acintya-sakti means inconceivable power. We have got inconceivable power. Because we are minute particle of God, we have also minute inconceivable power. We do not know how the hairs are growing, but the energy is there within me. Similarly, so many things come out from the inconceivable power of Krsna. Therefore Krsna claims,

bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh
kham mano buddhir eva ca
ahankara itiyam me
bhinna prakrtir astadha

"They are My separated energy." So this whole earth is creation of these five elements, gross elements. So it is Krsna's property. How we can claim, "This is our property?" That is illusion. We are claiming, "This portion is American," "This portion is Indian," "This portion is Pakistani," but we do not know that no portion belongs to us; everything belongs to Krsna.

For practical purpose, even if we accept that the whole world belongs to Krsna, God, and we are sons of God, we have got right to use the property of father, so you can use. But the difficulty is that we are claiming that "This portion is mine, this portion is mine." But if we don't claim like that, everything belongs to God, that is practical communism. If we accept the whole world as the property of God, make God-centered communism... The Russians, they are making the state-center communism. But if you make God center... That is Isopanisad, isavasyam idam sarvam: "Everything belongs to God." And everyone has, that is stated in the sastra, that everything belongs to God, everything is property of God, and we can utilize. We can use that. Yavad artha-prayojanam. As much as we require, we can take.

Just like the birds and beasts. They are living on nature's condition. The bird will go to a tree and eat some fruit, but not more than he requires; neither he will take the fruit at his home to stock for next day or for making black market. No. We have created all this nonsense situation by claiming God's property as ours. This is the mistake. But the rascal leaders, they do not know what mistake they have committed in the beginning.

Stena eva sa ucyate. Everything belongs to God. Therefore everything should be employed in the service of God. This is our Krsna consciousness philosophy. We do not take anything which has no connection with Krsna. We take everything... Just like we are using this microphone. We do not think it is material. Because it is being used for Krsna's purpose, therefore it is spiritual. That is the difference between material and spiritual. When you accept it as your own or for your own sense gratification, that is material. And if you accept everything as Krsna's and you simply take Krsna's prasadam, then it is spiritual.
We are not Mayavadi philosophers that we say, brahma satyam jagan mithya. No. Why jagat should be mithya? If Krsna is truth, God is truth, the jagat is also truth because it is the energy of Krsna. Krsna says, bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh. Therefore our Gosvamis prescribed,

prapancikataya buddhya
hari-sambandhi-vastunah
mumuksubhih parityago
phalgu vairagyam kathyate

Prapancikataya buddhya. (sharp cracking sound; aside:) What is this sound? Prapancika-buddhya, by accepting something as material, hari-sambandhi-vastunah, but it has connection with Hari, so if we give it up, then it is phalgu-vairagya. Just like this, for land we are fighting. Because we are thinking that "Krsna has come here, Krsna is seated here. It cannot be vacated." We are not thinking that it is a material thing. This is an example.

Just like Arjuna. Arjuna fought because he thought that this war, this Kuruksetra battle is for the satisfaction of Krsna. Karisye vacanam tava [Bg. 18.73]. In the beginning, Arjuna denied to fight. He thought, "Why shall I fight with my kinsmen? Let them enjoy." But when he understood that "It is Krsna's desire," nimitta-matram bhava savyasacin: "It is already planned." Krsna said, "My dear Arjuna, you are thinking that you'll save your relatives, but you are wrong. It is already planned. Those who have come here, they must be killed. That is already my plan. You simply become an instrument." Nimitta-matram bhava savyasacin. So when Arjuna understood that "It is the Krsna's plan. Then I am servant of Krsna; I must satisfy Krsna." Arjuna therefore asked, Krsna therefore asked Arjuna, "Now, after hearing my instruction in the Bhagavad-gita, what you are going to do?" Arjuna replied, nasto mohah smrtir labdha. "My Lord Krsna, my illusion is now over." Smrtir labdha, "I have got my remembrance. Everything belongs to You. For Your satisfaction everything must be done." Karisye vacanam tava [Bg. 18.73]. "Yes, I'll fight."

This is Krsna consciousness. So long you think it is for your satisfaction, that is material. And as soon as you think, as soon as you understand that everything belongs to Krsna and everything should be used for the service of Krsna, that is spiritual. That is the distinction between material and spiritual. There is nothing like that spiritually something wonderful. But everything... Isavasyam idam sarvam. If everything belongs to Krsna, where is material? There is nothing material. Everything is spiritual, but we do not know how to use it. Therefore it is material. When you forget Krsna, when you forget the proprietorship of Krsna upon everything, that is material. Hari-sambandhena. Krsna-sambandhe. Nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate. This is the injunction of the Gosvamis, that we have to accept everything as Krsna. That is the fact.

And we are using everything without utilizing for Krsna's purpose; therefore it is material. And in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, stena eva sa ucyate: "He is thief. He is thief." Yanarthat karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanah [Bg. 3.9]. As one man is criminal because he does not satisfy the state... What is the position of a criminal person? Because he disobeys the laws of the state, he is criminal. That is the distinction between a good citizen and a criminal citizen. One who does not obey the laws of the state, he is criminal. So everyone who does not obey the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is criminal. Stena eva sa ucyate. This is the verdict of the sastra. Forgetfulness of Krsna, or God, is materialism, and not to use things for Krsna's satisfaction is criminality.

So people do not understand these things. Krsna therefore explaining that "This body..." Maha-bhutany ahankaro buddhir avyaktam eva ca indriyani dasaikam ca. Indriyani, these ten senses, five senses for acquiring knowledge and five senses for acting, ten, and the mind, ten and one, eleven... Indriyani dasaikam ca panca cendriya-gocarah. Indriya-gocarah, the object of sense gratification, tan-matra. Just like rupa-rasa-gandha-sabda-sparsa. Beauty. Rupa-rasa, taste. Rupa-rasa-gandha, smell; sabda, sound; sparsa, touch. These are the objects of enjoyment. Our eyes are there. We are hankering after seeing very beautiful things. Rupa-rasa. The tongue is there. We are always trying to taste very nice eatables. Gandha. Nose is there. We want to smell very flavorable flowers and other things. In this way we have got indriyas, senses, and this body made of gross elements, and the ahankara and buddhi, buddhi. Mano buddhir ahankarah. These are the subtle body. In this way this ksetra, this body, is combination of all these things. Combination of all these things. Now it is very...

maha-bhutany ahankaro
buddhir avyaktam eva ca
indriyani dasaikam ca
panca cendriya-gocarah

Iccha-dvesa... This is the iccha-dvesa, action of the mind, willing, feeling. Iccha-dvesa. Sometimes we like something, sometimes we do not like. This is called iccha-dvesa. Iccha dvesa-samutthena sarge yanti parantapa. We take birth within this material world according to iccha and dvesa. These two things are there. Something we like, something we do not like.

iccha-dvesah sukham duhkham
sanghatas cetana dhrtih
etat ksetram samasena
sa-vikaram udahrtam

This is the combination of all these things. That has made this body. So the composition is very subtle.

Good chemists, they can understand how by combining different elements they can produce something. So these chemical products of this body is described by Krsna very nicely, gross chemical and subtle chemical. But I am different from this. That is knowledge. I am different from this combination. But that we do not know. That is ignorance. I am thinking that "I am this combination," and I am thinking, "Wherefrom this combination has come into being, that is my place." That is described in the sastras, yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma idya-dhih [SB 10.84.13]. The chemicals comes from the earth. So everything in my body, they have come from these material elements and I'm identifying, "This place is mine because this body is born out of these elements." That is going on as nationalism. Bhauma idya-dhih. Bhauma idya-dhih. They'll not prefer worshiping Krsna. They'll prefer worshiping that land from which this body has emanated. Bhauma idya-dhih.

So sastra says, "Anyone who identifies this body as self," yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke... This body is made of three dhatus, kapha, pitta, vayu, according to Ayurveda system. Kapha, mucus, and bile. Kapha pitta vayu. Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu [SB 10.84.13]. And kinsmen, my own persons, sva-dhih kalatradisu, wife and production from the wife, children. Or dynasty, family, community. Sva-dhih kalatradisu. Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma idya-dhih [SB 10.84.13]. And that land, "This is my birthplace. This is worshipable." Yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij. And they go to the places, holy places of pilgrimage, tirtha-buddhih salile.

Just like somebody goes to Haridwar, Vrndavana. They finish their tirtha, going, taking so much trouble. Just like in Calcutta there is Ganges, but people will go to Haridwar for taking bath in the Ganges there. Why it is prescribed? Not for the Ganges. The Ganges is there already in Calcutta. But if you go to a holy place, you'll find saintly person. That is required. But if you simply go to the holy places and take bath in the water and finish your business... No. That is not recommended. Tirtha, going to tirtha means to find out a learned saintly person and take knowledge from him. That is tirtha.

Therefore it is said, yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij janesv abhijnesu. Those who are expert in giving knowledge, we should associate. Satam prasangan mama virya-samvido bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah. If we associate with saintly persons and hear from them Bhagavad-gita and other Vedic literatures, then hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah, it becomes appealing to the heart, hrt, and pleasing to the ear. Hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah taj-josanad. And if you bring them into practical purposes, apply in your life, then sraddha bhaktir ratir anukramisyati. Then gradually you'll become faithful to the Supreme. Sraddha bhaktir. You'll develop your natural instincts of devotional service. Sraddha bhaktir ratir, attachment. Anukramisyati, one after another. This is the process.

Unfortunately, we are not taking advantage of these prerogatives of human life. We are simply engaged like cats and dogs for utilizing our life: eating, sleeping, sex life and defense. Ahara-nidra-bhayam maithunam ca samanyam etat pasubhir naranam. These demands of the body, eating, sleeping, sex life and defense, that is there in the animal life. Then where is the difference between the animal life and human life? Unless you become inquisitive to know, athato brahma jijnasa.

Therefore Vedanta-sutra says that this life is meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth, tattva-jijnasa. Jivasya tattva-jijnasa. In the Bhagavata also says. Athato brahma jijnasa. So this Krsna consciousness movement is awakening the dormant inquiry of the human society to inquire "What I am? What is God? What is my relationship with God? Why I have come here in this material world? What is the reason? Why I am suffering? I don't want to die, but why death is forced upon me?" These are the questions to be solved in human life. Not the economic development. There is no question of economic development. Everyone is taken care by the mercy of God. Just like we are human beings. We are only four hundred thousand species, forms. But out of eight million four hundred thousand species, the eight millions forms of life, birds, beasts, they are taking [taken] care. There is no economic development program. They are eating very nicely. In Africa there are millions of elephants. They are eating very nicely. There is no question of scarcity of food. So why don't you think like that? Tasyaiva hetoh prayeteta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatam upary adhah.

Therefore human life is simply meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth, not for engaging oneself for this so-called economic development. That is already there by God's arrangement. Actually, I am wandering all over the world. There are immense space in this planet also. In Africa, in Australia, ten times of the population can be accommodated, and they can produce their food. But the isavasya... We have forgotten that everything belongs to God. We are thinking "It is my land. You cannot come here. It is my land. You cannot come here." This mismanagement of the human society is the cause of all troubles, all problems. Therefore the human society must have Krsna consciousness to solve all the problems of life. Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 13.6-7 -- Bombay, September 29, 1973

"Even The Lion Has To Struggle" 73/08/13 Paris, Bhagavad-gita 13.5

Pradyumna: (Leads chanting, etc.)

rsibhir bahudha gitam
chandobhir vividhaih prthak
brahma-sutra-padais caiva
hetumadbhir viniscitaih
[Bg. 13.5]

Translation: "That knowledge of the field of activities and of the knower of activities is described by various sages in various Vedic writings -- especially in the Vedanta-sutra -- and is presented with all reasoning as to cause and effect."

Prabhupada: So about the soul and Supersoul, rsibhih, great sages, saintly persons, they have also discussed. Just like in the present age also, we are different parties, the impersonalist and the personalist. Sankara-sampradaya, they ascertain the Absolute Truth as impersonal, nirvisesa, and the Buddhists, they ascertain, "The Absolute Truth is zero."

We are struggling -- nirvisesa-sunyavadi. We are struggling against these nirvisesa-sunyavadi, voidists and impersonalists. So it is not now new. From time immemorial there are different views. But Krsna refers herewith that brahma-sutra-padaih hetumadbhir viniscitam. Others... There are many other books of knowledge. They are not very reasonable. That is dogmatic. But hetumadbhih, if we accept with our logic and sense, that is first-class book which gives us information of the atma, Paramatma.

Therefore, in the Caitanya-caritamrta the author says, caitanyera dayara katha karaha vicara, vicara karile citte pabe camatkara. The author says that "You kindly put your consideration and judgement about the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And if you consider with logic and reason," vicara karile pabe citte camatkara, "you'll feel that these are wonderful things." So we haven't got to accept anything blindly.

The Brahma-sutra, or Vedanta-sutra, is called nyaya-prasthana. There are three different processes for understanding the Absolute Truth: nyaya-prasthana, sruti-prasthana, smrti-prasthana. Brahma-sutra is nyaya-prasthana. Nyaya-prasthana means every-thing, all the sutras and codes, are there with full reasoning. Hetumadbhir viniscita. And whatever Brahma-sutra says, that is viniscita, means ascertained. There is no doubt. Just like Brahma-sutra says, athato brahma jijnasa. Brahma-sutra says, "Now it is the time for inquiring about the Absolute Truth." "Now" means in this life, human form of life, or...

Just like in Europe and America it is the time now to inquire about the Absolute Truth because materially they are advanced. They have seen all material advancements. The scientists are now perplexed that "How we shall maintain ourselves because we have nothing to give anymore? Whatever stock we had, that is finished." Now they are simply to bluff, no more stock to give. They have given us motorcar and atomic bomb and aeroplane and electronic activities. So many things they have given. That's all right. Simply they could not give us relief from birth, death, old age, and disease. That's all. The real problems are there. But they have given some superfluous...

Just like this is also scientific improvement, microphone, but the microphone sometimes goes wrong. That does not mean I stop speaking. We can do without microphone. That is not a very great problem. Suppose science has given us motorcar. That's all right. But sometimes, without motorcar, we walk. Or there is bullock cart. So real problem, which very much disturbing us, that we, all of us, we do not want to die, but the science could not give us any formula assuring that "There is no more death." That is not possible. So athato brahma jijnasa.

As I was talking, that in the Western countries, Europe and America... About forty years ago, sometimes in the year 1935-36, about forty years ago or little less, one of my godbrother, German... His name... He's still living. He's now in Switzerland. So he is... Now he has taken the name of... What is the name?

Hamsaduta: Sadananda.

Prabhupada: Sadananda, yes. His real name is Souyle[?], German. So when he came to India, in a meeting he said that "So far mystic power is concerned, that we have solved by science. So we have nothing to learn about the mystic power. I have come to India to learn how to understand God and His service, loving service." So actually that is the position. Forty years ago he said. So the Europe and America, they have enough of material enjoyment. Meat-eating, wine, woman -- they have got sufficient. So they are not very much interested with all these things, although, because they have no other alternative for enjoyment, so they are enjoying or trying to satisfy them. But that is not giving them real satisfaction. That's a fact. This wine, woman and meat-eating, that is not giving them any more satisfaction. But because they have no other alternative, what they can do? Punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30], chewing the chewed, that's all. It is already chewed, it is already tasted, but there is no other alternative; therefore they are tasting the same thing this way and that way.

So their time is now athato brahma jijnasa. Therefore from India, any rascal comes as yogi and sadhu and avatara -- they go. They are hankering after. We see practically this younger generation. They ask me sometimes that "Why so many younger, younger generation come to you?" Yes, they are frustrated. They are no more interested to live like their fathers and grandfathers. That is become... That has become hackneyed. The same things, same gambling, same meat-eating, same woman-huntering, and same intoxication -- that has finished.

So when one has finished his material enjoyment, then the next question is brahma-saukhya. Athato brahma jijnasa. They try to inquire about the Absolute Truth. That is natural sequence. Therefore the Vedanta-sutra, the first aphorism is athato brahma jijnasa. Yes, that is natural.

As you are, you young boys and girls, why you are after me? The natural sequence is that "Now we have to inquire what is the next because this material happiness has not given us any happiness actually." So when a man becomes civilized, when a man has enjoyed enough of this so-called material, the next inquiry is about the Absolute Truth. That is natural. That is natural because every living entity is spiritual spark. He's not this body.

Therefore... Krsna has already explained. To understand what the ksetrajna, the knower of the body, and to understand what is this body, ksetra-ksetrajnayoh, and who is the another, real proprietor of the body, Krsna -- ksetrajnam ca api mam viddhi -- so if one can understand these three things -- ksetra, ksetrajna, and the supreme ksetrajna -- he... It is...

Even by common sense we can understand. It requires little cool brain. But that cool brain cannot act without giving us, giving up these four things, namely illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication, and gambling. If your brain is congested always with all these four rubbish things, you cannot think of higher, finer things. That is not possible. Therefore we restrict, to make the brain clear to understand about Krsna. Pariksit Maharaja said, vina pasughnat.

nirvrtta-tarsair upagiyamanad
bhavausadhac-chrotra-mano'-bhiramat
ka uttama-sloka-gunanuvadat
(puman) virajyeta vina pasughnat
[SB 10.1.4]

Vina pasughnat. And these are the sastric injunction. The meat-eaters, they have no brain to understand about the Absolute Truth. It is no... They simply speculate. They cannot understand. It is not possible.

That is the... Pariksit Maharaja says, vina pasughnat: "Except the rascals who are accustomed to kill animals, all, everyone, will take shelter of the glorification of the Lord, except these persons." Vina pasughnat [SB 10.1.4]. He says, nirvrtta-tarsair upagiyamanat. Glorification of the Lord,

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

it is chanted by the liberated person. It is not chanted by the conditioned soul. It is not possible. Therefore not everyone can chant. You'll... You have seen it, experienced, that your chanting, dancing, is very in ecstasy, emotion. Others are standing without opening their mouth. They cannot chant. That is a very difficult job for them because it is the property of the liberated person, not for the conditioned soul.

Therefore Pariksit Maharaja said, nirvrtta-tarsaih. Tarsaih. Trsna. Trsna means hankering. Hankering. Just like if you are thirsty, you feel: "Where is water? Where is water? Where is water?" That is called trsna. So nirvrtta-tarsaih means one who has finished all hankering for material enjoyment. He's called nirvrtta-trsna. Nirvrtta means finished. And trsna means hankering. The same thing is described in the Srimad-Bhagavad-gita. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. Kanksati. Kanksati means if I hanker, that means still I am hungry or thirsty. But there is a position, brahma-bhuta position, by brahma-jijnasa, that we can get relief of these two activities, hankering and lamenting. The material world, there are two things only: lamenting and hankering. Those who haven't... Those who do not possess, he's hankering. And those who have lost, they are lamenting. But they are two things only. Actually we do not possess. Somehow or other, if we possess, that is also lost.

Just like we have got this body. Ksetrajna, ksetra-ksetrajna. Ksetra is this body. So by hankering, by desiring, you can get any type of body. There are eight million four hundred thousands of bodies. Just if you are eager to get a certain type of body or certain type of standard of living, Krsna will give you. Ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham [Bg. 4.11].

Because here it is the business... Krsna's business is... These rascals, these conditioned souls, they want to lord it over this material world, and Krsna has to supply them. That is Krsna's business in this world, simply botheration. Just like so many children, and the father is put into difficulty. One children wants: "Father, give me this." Another child says, "My father, give me this." "Give me that." "Give me that." And father, being affectionate, he has to satisfy all the children. So Krsna's position is like that.

Therefore Krsna comes, being bothered by these rascals, that "You want from Me so many things, but you are not happy. Please, therefore, give up this business." Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam [Bg. 18.66]. "Just become... Follow Me. You'll be happy." Therefore Krsna comes. Real solution is that, Krsna consciousness. Therefore the Vedanta-sutra says, athato brahma jijnasa: "Now you don't inquire for any other things." Why should you? All other things required by you, that is already supplied. It will be supplied. Why you bother? You just try to understand the value of your life in Krsna consciousness. That is your only business. Tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovidah. Kovida: "Those who are intelligent," tasyaiva hetoh, "for that thing," prayateta, "endeavor." So try to get that thing. For that thing... Na labhyate yad bhramatam upary adhah.

Just like people are struggling. Wherever you go, material world, either you go to London or go to Paris or to Calcutta or Bombay, anywhere you go, what is the business? Everyone is struggling: (makes sounds) whoon, shoon, shoon, shoon, shoon, shoon, shoon. Day and night the motorcar going this way and that way, this way and that way. Last night I was speaking with Srutakirti. Wherever, we see this nonsense thing, whoo, shoo, shoon, shoon, shoon, shoon, shoo, shoo, shoo. Any city you go, the same road, same motorcar, same "whoo, shoosh," same petrol, that's all. (laughter) What is the difference? But we say -- this is called illusion -- "I have come to Paris. I have come to Calcutta." But where is the difference between Calcutta and Paris and Bombay? The same thing. Punah punah carvita-carvananam. Again and again, chewing the chewed. That's all.

Therefore the Brahma-sutra advises, "Now you have done this chewing the chewed so many lives." "Chewing the chewed" means ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca. Either you are dog or you are man, you have to make solution how to eat, how to sleep, how to satisfy your sex, and how to defend. The same problem is in the dog life, the same problem in the human life. Same life is in the demigod life also.

Just like our Bhagavan dasa was telling me that in Paris they are levying taxes, twenty per cent, for maintaining the expenditure of atomic bomb. So we are simply creating problem. That's all. The so-called advancement of civilization means the same problem. Atomic bomb, what is that? Defensing. Ahara-nidra-bhaya. Bhaya means fearfulness. Because we are afraid. Either English or France or German, everyone is afraid. Just like a dog is afraid whether another dog is coming, so the so-called civilized men, they are also afraid. "Whether Englishmen are coming to attack? Whether Germany...? Therefore there must be atomic bomb. I shall throw. Therefore you must give me tax." These things are simply the trying to solve the problems of fearfulness. That's all. Defense. So this fearfulness is there in the dog, in the hog, in the small sparrow bird, everywhere.

You have seen the sparrow bird. As soon as one, they land, want to eat something, like this, like this. He's afraid. "Is not somebody coming to kill me?" That's all. Everywhere. In the aquatic also. Everyone is afraid for life. But Krsna has given them different types of defensive measures. It is learned from the sastra that the fish, they can, by the waves of the water, they can understand that "Few miles away there is enemy." They can understand. And they become immediately defensive, how to protect. Because this is struggle for existence. I want to eat you; you want to eat me. Jivo jivasya jivanam. This is going on. So everyone is afraid. Everyone is taking defense.

Even tiger is also afraid. Do you know that? Tiger is also. Tiger has become very powerful animal. Everyone is afraid of. He can catch anyone and kill him and eat him. Unfortunately he does not get the opportunity of catching anyone. The tiger cannot eat every day very nicely. He gets once in a week a chance or once in a fortnight a chance to capture an animal. Therefore he kills and keeps it for eating daily. It is not that... Just like you are getting daily Bhagavat-prasadam, nice dish. Nobody is supplying to tiger. Nobody is going to tiger's front: "Sir, kindly kill me and eat me." No. Nobody's going. Everyone has got to struggle. Na hi suptasya simhasya pravisanti mukhe mrgah. This is the statement. This material world is so made that even the lion, if he keeps himself sleeping... Because lion is considered to be the king of the forest. So if he thinks that "I am the king of the forest. So why shall I work? Let me sleep, and my eating animals will come and enter into my mouth..." No. You have to struggle. You have to struggle. You have to find out.

Therefore this energy is called karma-samjnanya. This... There are many energies of Krsna. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. But learned scholars, they have divided into three: the spiritual energy, the marginal energy, and the material energy. Avidya-karma-samjnanya trtiya-saktir isyate. So here this material world, either you become a tiger, either you become Lord Brahma or you become a small ant, you have to struggle for your existence. This is material world. You cannot think that "I shall be happy without any working."

People are trying to do that, that... When a man get some money, bank balance, he no more works. But that is the tendency, that "Without working, I shall maintain myself happily." That is our tendency. Ananda-mayo 'bhyasat. Vedanta-sutra says. Because our tendency is to enjoy life, but we do not know where to enjoy, how to enjoy. And that is called illusion. We are trying to enjoy life in this material world, where there is no enjoyment. There is no enjoyment. Repeatedly sastra says. Krsna says, duhkhalayam asasvatam: [Bg. 8.15] "This place is simply for miserable condition of life." Duhkhalayam asasvatam: [Bg. 8.15] "And still, it is temporary."

Even if you think, "All right, there are so many miserable conditions. Never mind. Let me adjust and live here permanently," oh, no, that will also not be allowed. Temporary. You may decorate your Paris city. Napoleon tried and other tried. But you cannot live here, sir. You have to go out. But these rascals, they do not understand. They are decorating, decorating. "Tax. Give more tax. Give more tax. Let us decorate." But how you'll... How long you shall live in this decorated city? Even if you live, if you are so much lover, great nationalist of the country, suppose next life you get the... Because when one has very much attraction for a certain land, then he again takes birth in that land, so if you take your birth not as human being or as a cat and dog or a cow, then you'll be sent to the slaughterhouse. Then what is the use of your becoming nationalist? Your men, for whom you have worked so hard, next life, if you take your birth as a cow, the same men will send you to the slaughterhouse. But these rascals, they do not know what is the mystery.

Therefore to make solution of this problem -- athato brahma jijnasa: "Now inquire what is the Absolute Truth." That is intelligence. Therefore Krsna, although He is Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is giving reference to the Brahma-sutra. Whatever He speaks, it is all right. He doesn't require to refer any authoritative book. But He is also giving. You have seen Caitanya Mahaprabhu. That is the way. But these rascals are trying to avoid authoritative scriptures. Even Krsna is giving reference to the authoritative scripture, and these rascals, they have so degraded, they say, "Oh, why these books? Now I can manufacture own knowledge." And other rascals, they are accepting: "Yes, it is right."

So this is called Kali-yuga. People are so degraded, less than animal, less than animal. Therefore to revive them, the Vedanta-sutra says, athato brahma jijnasa: "Now you inquire about the Absolute Truth." Hetumadbhir viniscitam. Now, hetumadbhih. Hetumadbhih means "with reason." Reason. What is that reason? Now, if I want to inquire about the Absolute Truth, so how I shall understand? Now... There are three ways, namely pratyaksa, pratyaksa, aitihya, and sruti, sruti-pramana. Sruti-pramana, pratyaksa-pramana, direct perception...

Now, Brahman, the Absolute Truth, how we can understand the Absolute Truth? Absolute Truth means the Supreme. Now we have got experience that everything is created by somebody, everything, whatever we see, this pillow, this seat, or this book, or this microphone, whatever we are seeing. Even my body is created by my father and mother. Everyone can understand. So why they should deny the creation of this material world?

We see. Everything material, that has got a beginning, date of birth and date of death. And there are, in the middle, between the birth and death, there is disease and old age, deterioration. Old age means deterioration. Just like this body. When I was young man, child, I was also jumping. Now I have to go with a stick. The deterioration... This is called de... Deterioration. Deterioration means now it is coming to be finished.

There are six changes: first of all birth, then living for some time, then producing some byproduct, then deterioration, then finish. Janma-sthiti... There are six kinds of changes. So anything material you study, these six kinds of changes are there. So this material world... How this rascal says that "It was existing"? "It was existing." Nothing was existing. Otherwise why the Brahma-sutra says, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1], that "The Absolute Truth is that from whom, or from which, everything is taking birth." This is Brahma-sutra. So "everything is taking birth" means this material world also has taken birth from that Absolute Truth. That is answered in the Bhagavad-gita, aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. Krsna says that "I am the origin of all births, everything." So the material world was not existing. This is insufficient. How you can say it is existing? Anything you see, material, it has got a date of birth. Who can deny it? Can you present anything material which was, which has no beginning? Everything has got beginning. So how you can say this material world has no beginning? This is nonsense.

Therefore hetumadbhir viniscitaih. Hetu means "with reason," not like dogmatic obstinacy. You must have the beginning. Then, as soon as you, we, accept that this material world has had a beginning... The sastra says it has beginning. Just like Brahma-sutra, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. Why it says, janmady asya [SB 1.1.1]? Everything has beginning.

And we see from the sastra how this material world has a beginning. There was first of all Mahavisnu. From Mahavisnu, these universes came out.

yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya
jivanti loma-bilaja jagad-anda-nathah
visnur mahan sa iha yasya kala-viseso
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.48]

Before this universal creation, Krsna took the form of Mahavisnu, and Mahavisnu's breathing period is the creation and annihilation. So long the breathing goes on, exhaling, that is the creation period; inhaling, the destruction, annihilation. So the whole cosmic manifestation is being maintained within the breathing period of Mahavisnu.

Yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya jivanti loma-bilaja jagad-anda-nathah [Bs. 5.48]. Jagad-anda...Brahma. Brahma is the supreme living being within this universe. But it is plural number, jagad-anda-nathah. So there are innumerable universes. So if we discuss all these things from the sastra, then we get really knowledge, and then we can actually act what is the perfection of life. Therefore Krsna suggests, brahma-sutra-padais caiva hetumadbhir viniscitam.

Try to understand Brahma-sutra, Vedanta philosophy. Vedanta philosophy is explained -- Srimad-Bhagavatam. That is the real commentary of Vedanta-sutra. You cannot understand Vedanta-sutra as it is because it is mentioned in codes. Just like we have got business, Bentley's code. One small word but they take It has got a big sentence. Just like in business they write, Bentley's, CIF. So CIF means it is the... Just like we say, ISKCON. ISKCON means... "I" means international, S means society, and K means Krsna consciousness, and so..., Krsna, and CON means consciousness. As we have simplified, similarly there are many things, codes. So in the Vedanta-sutra means they are codes, but in each code there is ample meaning. So that is commentary.

So Vedanta-sutra says, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1], simply two words. Bhagavata explains. Bhagavata ex... Janmady asya yatah anvayat itaratas ca arthesu abhijnah svarat tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye muhyanti yat surayah [SB 1.1.1]. Explanation. Explanation. Explanation. So similarly, athato brahma jijnasa, and Bhagavata has jivasya tattva-jijnasa. So same thing is explained in the Srimad-Bhagava tam. First of all the whole Vedic knowledge is summarized in Vedanta-sutra by Vyasadeva. And again he explains under the instruction of Narada, the Bhagavatam, Brahma-sutra. So brahma-sutra-padais caiva hetumadbhir viniscitam. So one has to take lesson from Bhagavata, Brahma-sutra, Bhagavad-gita, and... Not that "I reject all these books, and..."

Just like the other day one, another crazy came. He said, "I am poet." What kind of poet? "Now, I have no aim of life. That's all. I am such a big poet that I have no aim of life." Oh. I think we are taking too much time. Yes. Thank you very much. No more. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita, 13.5 -- Paris, August 13, 1973

"The Process Of Progress" 73/09/28 Bombay, Bhagavad-gita 13.5

Prabhupada:

rsibhir bahudha gitam
chandobhir vividhaih prthak
brahma-sutra-padais caiva
hetumadbhir viniscitaih
[Bg. 13.5]

Yesterday we were discussing tat ksetram, ksetram, this body, how we enter into different types of bodies, how it is obtained. There are eight million four hundred thousand forms of bodies according to the qualities. Three qualities. Three multiplied by three, it becomes nine, nine multiplied by nine, it becomes eighty-one. So at least, in the lower grades of forms, there are eighty-one lakhs or eight million one hundred thousand and above that, about four hundred thousand forms of human beings. So one has to understand.

Unfortunately, people are so foolish at the present moment that they do not believe even in the next life. Mudha. What to speak of understanding God and Krsna, they have no even the basic principle of spiritual knowledge.

Basic principle of spiritual knowledge is to understand that "I am not this body, I am spirit soul. I am now fallen in this material condition, and therefore, according to my different desires, I am accepting different types of bodies and wandering throughout the whole universe, sometimes this body, sometimes that body, sometimes in this planet, sometimes in other planet. This has become my unfortunate condition of life."

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore says, ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kono bhagyavan jiva. We are wandering in this cycle of birth and death and wandering in the universe. In this way, in the process of our wandering, some way or other, if we become fortunate by association of devotees, by understanding the Vedic knowledge... Jnana-vairagya-yuktaya. Human life is meant for achieving knowledge and vairagya, not that to increase the animal propensities even up to the point of death. That is not human life. Human life is meant for tapasya. Tapo divyam putraka yena suddhyet sattvam.

Unfortunately, the modern civilization does not care for all these things, and... It is very risky civilization. Because nature's process is that as you create your mentality, you get next life a similar body. Karmana daiva-netrena jantor dehopapattaye. You, in this body you have to work because this material world means one has to work. So by your karmana, if your karma is not adjusted, if you do not work as a human being to be promoted to the qualification of a brahmana and then surpass the brahmana qualification and become a Vaisnava, then your life is not perfect. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. When our aim of life will be to understand our relationship with Visnu... Na te viduh.

But we do not know it. We are so much captivated by the external energy, maya, that the whole program is how to forget Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But our real aim of life is to know our relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead Visnu. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya [SB 7.5.31]. They are trying to become happy within this material world. Durasaya ye bahir artha-maninah. Bahih, bahih means external energy. God has got parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. He has got multi-energies. All these multi-energies have been grossly divided into three: the external energy, the internal energy, and the marginal energy. So we living entities, we are the marginal energy. Marginal means between the two: spiritual energy and material energy. At the present moment, those who are in this material world, we are under the influence of material energy.

But we can get out of this material energy by bhagavad-bhakti. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etan taranti te. By our surrendering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, we can get out of these clutches of external energy and again become under the internal energy. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivi prakrtim asritah [Bg. 9.13]. Now we are under the influence of mahamaya. When we put ourselves under the influence of yogamaya, then we again go back to home, back to Godhead. So this is a great science and Vedic literature profusely has described this science, how to get out of these clutches of external energy. That Krsna says in the next verse, rsibhir bahudha gitam.

Rsibhih, not ordinary persons, rsi, great... Just like Vyasadeva. Maharsi, devarsi, rajarsi, rsi. Formerly the brahmanas, they were rsis, and the ksatriyas also, they were also just like rsis. Therefore they are called rajarsi. The spiritual science is not understandable by ordinary men. Just like Krsna says in the fourth chapter, imam rajarsayo viduh: "This science was understood by the great rajarsis." Just like Maharaja Yudhisthira, rajarsi, Lord Ramacandra, rajarsi, Maharaja Pariksit, rajarsi, Maharaja Iksvaku, rajarsi. There are many. They were rajarsis. The monarchy was not a cheap thing. The king was as good as a rsi. Therefore they are called rajarsi. The king used to rule over the citizens on the permission of the great, great sages. Just like Narada, the Devarsi. He used to visit Maharaja Yudhisthira. Similarly, other kings.

So spiritual science is meant for great personalities, brahmanas, ksatriyas, not for the vaisyas and the sudras. One has to get to the quality of brahmana and ksatriya. So Krsna says therefore, imam rajarsayo viduh. Unless one is rsi, great rsi, great saintly persons, one cannot understand the spiritual science. Therefore Krsna says... Although Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself... He can personally say anything which is authorized. Still He is giving reference to the statement of the rsis. This is the way of Vedic understanding. You cannot establish anything dogmatically, "In my opinion it is like that." What you are, nonsense? What is your opinion? Even Krsna says, rsibhir bahudha gitam. There are different kinds of rsis -- Gautama Rsi, Kanada Rsi... They have spoken different... In India there are six kinds of philosophies, but they are not recognized. Rsibhih, just like Devala Rsi, Narada Rsi, Vyasadeva, Asita Rsi, Valmiki Rsi, they are recognized. Rsibhir bahudha gitam. So they have got different philosophical ways to understand.

Therefore Bhagavata summarizes that tarko 'pratisthah srutayo vibhinna nasau rsir yasya matam na bhinnam. He's not a rsi who's opinion is not different. Yes. You are a rsi. You have got some different system of philosophy. And if I want to become a rsi, then I must disagree with you. Just like in the modern days it is going on, scientific research, philosophical research. Therefore it is said, nasau rsir yasya matam na vibhinnam: "One cannot become a rsi unless he gives his personal different opinion."

Therefore Krsna says, rsibhir bahudha gitam. Then which one we have to accept? We have to accept... That is stated in the Vedic literature. Nasau rsir yasya matam na bhinnam. Srutayo vibhinnah. Vedic literature -- Sama, Yajur, Rg, Artharva -- they are different. They are one, but we understand differently, according to our quality of understanding. Otherwise, all Vedic literature aims to understand Krsna. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. That is the purpose of Veda, to understand Krsna. After many, many births of studying of Vedic literature, in the process of jnana-marga, when one becomes actually wise, bahunam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19], when he is actually wise, jnanavan mam prapadyante, he understands Krsna and surrenders unto Him. That is actually understanding. So chandobhir vividhaih prthak.

But Sri Krsna, Bhagavan, is specially referring herewith, brahma-sutra-padais caiva. Brahma-sutra means Vedanta-sutra. Vedanta-sutra He's referring. That is approved. There are different philosophical ways: paramanu-vada, nirvisesa-vada, savisesavada, mayavada. They are all rejected. Simply brahma-sutra padais caiva hetumadbhir viniscitaih [Bg. 13.5]. Brahma-sutra means Vedanta-sutra. It is called Brahma-sutra because the first aphorism of Vedanta-sutra is athato brahma jijnasa: "This human life is meant for inquiry about Brahman, the Absolute Truth." That is human life. Therefore it is called Brahma-sutra. What is Brahman. Athato brahma jijnasa. Janmady asya yatah. Janmady asya yatah: [SB 1.1.1] "Brahman is the supreme source of everything."

So therefore Brahma-sutra is called nyaya-prasthana. Nyaya-prasthana, sruti-prasthana, smrti-prasthana. We have to accept this prasthana, the process of progress, to understand the Absolute Truth. So Brahma-sutra is called nyaya-prasthana. By logic, sufficient logic, Brahma-sutra. Krsna says therefore, brahma-sutra-padais caiva hetumadbhir viniscitaih [Bg. 13.5]. Hetumat, with reason, you must understand.

tac chraddadhana munayo
jnana-vairagya-yuktaya
pasyanty atmani catmanam
bhaktya sruta-grhitaya
[SB 1.2.12]

Bhaktya sruta-grhitaya. Tac chraddadhana munayo jnana-vairagya-yuktaya. One can understand the Absolute Truth. Absolute Truth means the Bhagavan ultimately.

vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattvam yaj jnanam advayam
brahmeti paramatmeti
bhagavan iti sabdyate.
[SB 1.2.11]

That is paratattva, Absolute Truth, which is known by somebody as Brahman and somebody as Paramatma and somebody, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The beginners, they understand... The beginners' or the neophyte realization is impersonal Brahman. Brahmeti. Further advanced... This is the achievement of the jnani. Those who are speculating on the Absolute Truth, they can understand the Absolute Truth in the impersonal feature. And those who are still further advanced, yogis, not only speculating, but they are practicing actually, they are called yogis. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1]. They are yogis. Yogis, dhyanavasthita, in meditation the mind is absorbed always. Tad-gatena manasa. Tad-gatena means visnu-gatena. Om tat sat. Tad-gatena manasa, by the mind, absorbed in Visnu understanding. Tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1]. Yasyanta na viduh surasura-gana devaya tasmai namah, devaya tasmai namah. Yam brahma-varunendra-rudrah stuvanti divyaih stavair vedaih sangopad-(kramopanisadair gayanti yam sama-gah.

So yogis are in the second stage of self-realization, but ultimate realization is Bhagavan. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Bhagavan has got many expansions, Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha... First expansion is Balarama, then Sankarsana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, then Narayana. In this way, Maha-Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu, Ksirodakasayi Visnu.

In this way the Visnu-tattva is expanded. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca [Bs 5.33]. So in this way there are many sastras, many Vedic literature, many explanations. But here Krsna gives a special reference to the Brahma-sutra, Vedanta-sutra. Jnana-vairagya-yuktaya means one has to learn very nicely Vedanta-sutra. And the explanation of Vedanta-sutra, natural comment on Vedanta-sutra, is Srimad-Bhagavatam. Bhasyayam brahma-sutranam. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the natural commentary.

Because the author, Vyasadeva, after compiling Vedanta-sutra under the instruction of Narada Muni, his guru -- Vyasadeva's guru is Narada Muni -- he was not satisfied even after compiling Vedanta-sutra. He was not very happy. So Narada Muni advised him that "You should directly describe the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then you'll be happy. It is indirect. All the Vedic literatures, they are indirect. You directly..." Therefore Vyasadeva took Vedanta-sutra and from the very beginning of Vedanta-sutra, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1], he commented on the Vedanta-sutra. Janmady asya yatah anvayad itaratas carthesv abhijnah svarat/ tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye muhyanti yatra surayah. In this way. Here Krsna personally gives the Brahma-sutra. So Brahma-sutra's commentary is Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Therefore if we want to understand spiritual truth as it is, then the beginning is Krsna's instruction, this Bhagavad-gita. Try to understand Bhagavad-gita very nicely, and if you can understand Bhagavad-gita nicely, perfectly, then you try to study Srimad-Bhagavatam. Srimad-bhagavatam amalam puranam. Amalam puranam, "transcendental Purana." Purana means supplementary Vedic literature, "that which completes." Because directly, Vedic literature is very difficult to understand by the common man. Common man... Vedic literature is not for common man. Even by the highly learned brahmanas, ksatriyas. Therefore Puranas are there and Mahabharata is also there.

Maha-bharata is meant for stri-sudra-dvija-bandhunam trayi na sruti-gocarah. Stri, woman, sudra, and dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu means born in a brahmana family, but he's not a brahmana. That is the dvija-bandhu, "friend of a brahmana." One who is not qualified brahmana. Satyah samo damas titiksah arjavam, jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. He's simply giving his identification, "I am brahmana," without any qualification of a brahmana. He's called dvija-bandhu, "friend of a brahmana."

Just like a son of a high court judge, he can say -- he has got the right -- that "I am friend of my father, of my son of high court judge." That you can say. But you cannot say that you are high court judge. It is a qualification. Even though you are a son of a high court judge, if you have no qualification, how you can say that "I am court judge."

But that is going on, especially in India. I have no qualification of a brahmana, but still, I say, "I'm brahmana." But they are called dvija-bandhu, dvija-bandhu. You cannot say. Brahma janati iti brahmanah. If you have got full knowledge of Brahman, then you are a brahmana. Jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma karma svabhava-jam. And Narada Muni says that these qualifications can be acquired by others also. As a son of a brahmana can, by bad association, disqualify himself, similarly, a son of a non-brahmana, he can qualify himself. It is education. It is not that it is monopoly by a certain section, no. That is not the Vedic injunction.

Vedic injunction is, as it is in the Bhagavad-gita: catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. Guna-karma. You must have the qualities of a brahmana or a ksatriya or a vaisya or a sudra. There are four divisions of the society. So if you have the qualification of a brahmana, guna, and if you act as a brahmana, then you are a brahmana. You have no qualification, you don't act as a brahmana -- how you claim yourself as brahmana? No. That is not allowed. This is sastric injunction.

Narada Muni says, yad anyatrapi drsyeta tat tenaiva vinirdiset [SB 7.11.35]. Every has got qualification. That is very natural. That is very natural. Yasya hi yal-laksanam syad varnabhivyanjakam. To ascertain which class a man belongs, whether he is a brahmana, or a ksatriya, or vaisya, there are qualifications. Just like ordinarily we know. We understand an engineer by qualification, a medical practitioner by qualification. We don't ask, "Whose son you are, Mr. Engineer?" No. If you have got engineer's qualification, you are engineer. Otherwise, how can you be engineer? Similarly, yasya hi yal-laksanam syad varnabhivyanjakam. Varna. This is brahminical quality.

In Bhagavad-gita it is said, satyah samo damas titiksah arjavam. Sauryam tejo yuddhe capy apalayanam. Ksatriya. Ksatriya must be very heroic. He'll never go away from fighting. If a ksatriya is challenged, "I want to fight with you." "Yes, come on." That is ksatriya. Similarly, brahmana. These are qualifications. So if such qualification is acquired by somebody else, even though he's not born in that family, Narada Muni says, tat tenaiva vinirdiset [SB 7.11.35]. If a brahmana has not acquired the brahminical qualifications but a ksatriya qualification or a vaisya qualification or a sudra qualification, then, according to the quality, guna, and work, he should be ascertained. Similarly, others also. Yad anyatrapi drsyeta. This is sastric injunction.

And Krsna therefore refers to brahma-sutra padais caiva hetumadbhir viniscitaih [Bg. 13.5]. So we have to accept the Vedanta-sutra, knowledge, through Vedanta-sutra. Srila Jiva Gosvami says knowledge means veda-jnana. Vedanta-sutra jnana, that is knowledge. Because it is very reasonably stated, reasonably. Hetumadbhir viniscitaih. So Krsna gives the authority of Vedanta-sutra. So we should have to accept the authority of Vedanta-sutra and try to understand. But Vedanta-sutra is explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, and if we accept Srimad-Bhagavatam...

First study Bhagavad-gita, and when we are actually realized... What is realization Bhagavad-gita? Realization of Bhagavad-gita is to know Krsna -- the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is realization. Aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayah. Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya: [Bg. 7.7] "There is no more superior authority than Me." If we accept that, that Krsna is the supreme authority, then you'll learn Bhagavad-gita. And if you try to make minus Krsna, or if you want to take the position of Krsna like the Mayavadis, then you become a rascal. There is no knowledge of Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita means to accept Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And Krsna also demands, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That is the authority.

So when one accepts Krsna as the supreme authority, then he can be... Just like after passing your entrance examination, you can be admitted in the degree college, similarly, Bhagavad-gita is the ABCD of spiritual knowledge. People even cannot understand the ABCD, what to speak of graduation, bas, Srimad-Bhagavatam. They have become so fool, so degraded. Simple thing they cannot understand. This is the position. Therefore our Krsna consciousness is trying its best to make people to understand Bhagavad-gita as it is, without any nonsensical interpretation. This is our mission. But people will not take that.

If we give some bluff, that "Krsna means... You are also Krsna. I am also Krsna. Why Krsna alone shall be God? You are also God, I am also...," these things will be very much appreciated. Because he bluffs. But that bluffing may be very pleasing to the demons, but those who are actually student of Bhagavad-gita, they'll not accept this bluff.

So therefore Krsna says,

manusyanam sahasresu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam
kascid vetti mam tattvatah
[Bg. 7.3]

To understand Krsna is difficult job, because Krsna says manusyanam sahasresu: "In thousands and thousands of people, one may be interested for siddhi." What is that siddhi? Siddhi, perfection. The perfection is how to get out of these material clutches, how to stop this repetition of birth, death, old age and... That is called siddhi. So kascid yatati siddhaye.

Who is interested? They are dying like cats and dogs. They have accepted, "Oh, death is..." That's all. But there is a solution of death, but they are not interested. They are prepared to die like cats and dogs. That's all. The human life is meant for making solution of birth, death, old age and disease, but they will not take it. "Oh, that's all right. Let us die." "You are going to accept a next life as a tree." "Never mind." They say like that. "I'll forget." "No, you'll have to stand up seven thousand years in one place." "That's all right." They have become so dull. This is called Kali-yuga. Mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya hy upadrutah [SB 1.1.10]. Very slow, very bad. Manda means very bad. Sumanda-matayo, and if one has got some path or some sect, that is also adulterated, nuisance. Manda-matayoh. Manda-bhagyah, unfortunate. Even people have no idea what he's going to eat tomorrow. Actually, these things are coming. Manda-bhagya, most unfortunate. Upadrutah, always disturbed by so many natural disturbances, health disturbances, political disturbances. This is the position.

So there is great necessity of pushing on this movement, Krsna consciousness, so that their life may be perfect. Although it is a difficult job, but still, we are trying our best. If people take advantage of this movement, then the whole problems of his life will be solved. That is Krsna consciousness movement. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 13.5 -- Bombay, September 28, 1973

"Varieties Of Insanities" 73/08/12 Paris, Bhagavad-gita 13.4

Devotee: "Now please hear My brief description of this field of activity and how it is constituted, what its changes are, whence it is produced, who that knower of the field of activities is, and what his influences are."

Prabhupada: Tat ksetram. Idam sariram kaunteya ksetram ity abhidhiyate [Bg. 13.2]. So Krsna has already explained, ksetra means idam sariram. Sariram means this body. Tat ksetram. First of all, you have to understand that this body or any field of action, anywhere, the three things are there: the field of activities, the owner of the field and the supervisor of the field. You can check and tally anywhere. So Krsna says ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi. There are two ksetrajnah and one ksetra. One field of activity and two personalities, ksetrajnah. One is to be supposed as occupier and the other is supposed to be the owner.

Just like in this house we are occupier. The house is ksetra, field of activities. The landlord is the owner and we are the occupier. Two ksetrajnah. This property is interest for two persons. One is the occupier and the other is the owner. Similarly, anywhere, any part of the world, anywhere you go, you will find these three things: One, the field of activities and the other two means one occupier and one owner. If one understands these three things and he can study everywhere these three things, then: ksetra-ksetrajnayor yad jnanam. This knowledge, to understand everywhere that there is a field of activity and two persons are interested in that field of activity... One is the owner, another is the occupier. If you study these three things only, then: taj-jnanam jnanam. That is knowledge. Otherwise all rascals and fools, that's all. Matam mama. (aside:) Don't sit like that.

This is jnanam. But ask anybody at the present moment who is the owner, who is the occupier and what is the field of activities. If you ask three things, nobody will be able to answer. That means everyone is rascal at the present. Or they do not know. Ksetra-ksetrajnayor yaj-jnanam, Krsna says, "This relationship between the field of action, and the owner."

Just like in agriculture. The land is owned by the state or the king. And it is rented or occupied by somebody else. And the land is the field of action. So Krsna is giving direction. Krsna is giving direction, and the living entity is there. He is acting according to that direction.

So both Krsna and the living entity are sitting in one tree. That is stated in the Upanisad. Two birds are sitting in one tree. One is eating the fruit of the tree and other is simply witnessing. The witnessing bird is Krsna. And the bird who is eating the fruits of the tree, he is the living entity. The Mayavadi philosophers, they cannot distinguish between the jiva soul, jivatma, and Paramatma. They know it, but because they are monists, to establish their theory, they say there is no two, there is one. No. Krsna says two. One ksetrajnah, the jivatma, and the other ksetrajnah He is, Krsna. The difference between the two is that the individual living entity knows only about his ksetra, body, but the other living entity, the supreme living entity, He knows all the bodies, everywhere, anywhere, throughout the whole creation. Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto [Bg. 15.15]. This is the difference.

So material nature is actually the field of activities in our conditioned life. We have -- manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati [Bg. 15.7]. In the fifteenth chapter you'll find it, that, who are these living entities, we? Krsna says, mamaivamso: "They are all my parts and parcels." Mamaivamso. Just like father and the son. A father has got many sons. Similarly, we are all sons of God. Mamaivamso jiva-bhutah [Bg. 15.7], sanatanah. Sanatanah means eternally. It is not that we are now part and parcel and after liberation we'll become one, or equal, the Mayavadi theory. No. That is not. Therefore this very word is used, sanatana, eternally. Eternally, we are part and parcel.

Then why they are not with You? Why they are here in this material world? Now manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati [Bg. 15.7]. They have preferred to enjoy this material world, to lord it over the material world. Therefore, mind and senses, manah sasthanindriyani , with these senses and mind, karsati. manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani. Karsati [Bg. 15.7], karsati means struggling. Struggle for existence. This is our position. We are part and parcel of Krsna. Now we have given up by misuse of our independence. We wanted to imitate Krsna. Krsna is the supreme enjoyer, so when we become envious of Krsna, tan aham dvisatah kruran, the demons are envious. They want to become Krsna. Therefore, you will find so many demons. They will say, "Why Krsna is alone God? I am God, you are God, all of us, we are God." So they are demons. So demons cannot be allowed in the spiritual world. They are sent in this material world.

Just like in some places I've heard in Europe there are many places, where the gamblers and the drunkards, without any license, they can go on with their business. Is there any place like that? Huh?

Bhagavan: Yes.

Prabhupada: What is the name?

Bhagavan: Monte Carlo.

Prabhupada: Yes. So we are given this place, Monte Carlo (laughter). Go on with your sinful activities without any license, go on. Demons. They'll not hear. They'll not accept Krsna as the advisor, instructor.

na mam duskrtino mudhah
prapadyante naradhamah
mayayapahrta-jnanah
asurim bhavam asritah
[Bg. 7.15]

The asurim bhavam asritah means demons. There are two classes of men, demon and god. Not the Godhead, God. Those who are Vaisnavas means obedient to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are also god or godly. And those who are not obedient, they are demons. This is the difference between demon and God or godly. So there are two classes of men always in this material world. In the spiritual world, they are all gods, godly. Krsna is the Godhead and all living entities there, they are godly.

So in the spiritual world there is no facility for the demons. Therefore when Krsna likes to fight, because after many many years not fighting, because in the spiritual world there is no fight. All obedient servant, where is the possibility of fighting? Therefore sometimes He comes here to fight with the demons. (laughter) Just to get the body fit. (laughter) Yes. Therefore sometimes when there are scarcity of demons, some of the devotees, they come and become a demon. Not become demon, just Krsna wants to fight, so without demon, how Krsna will fight? Therefore they play the part of demon so that Krsna -- that means they want to serve Krsna. Krsna wants to, just like sometimes big men they keep some wrestlers to make mock fight. Similarly, to serve Krsna, Krsna has desire to fight so they come down and become just like a demon and fight with Krsna.

Just like Hiranyakasipu. They are Jaya and Vijaya, attendant in Vaikuntha. But Krsna wanted to fight, so therefore they came down and became demons like Hiranyakasipu, Ravana and fought with Him. This is, Krsna has all the desires. Otherwise, this fighting desire, where from we get unless it is there in Krsna? There is.

Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. Everything that we find here, that is in Krsna. Therefore Krsna has got twelve different kinds of relationship. Akhila-rasamrta. Krsna is the reservoir of all kind of rasa. Sometimes fighting is also pleasing. Therefore the fighting spirit is there in Krsna. And we have got also that fighting spirit also, in small quantity. We can fight also, but Krsna can also fight. But when Krsna fight, the opposite party means finished. (laughter) When we fight, that is different. I may be finished or he may be finished. That is different. So this is the position.

Therefore Krsna in the next says tat-ksetram yac ca yadrk. How this ksetra, different types of body, they cannot explain. The so-called scientists, they cannot explain why there are different types of bodies. There are eight million four hundred thousand different types of bodies. And the human race, they are four hundred thousand. These four hundred thousand are distributed all over the universe. On this planet, may be some thousands, not four hundred thousand, not all of them are here. Yet here also in the human forms we find so many differences. The Europeans, the Americans, the Africans, the Indians, the Chinese, different forms. That also can be counted, maybe hundred, two hundred different types of forms of human beings. But there are four hundred thousands. Four hundred thousand. That is the human race.

And eight millions other forms. Eight millions. The aquatics, the trees, these plants, the grass and the insects. We have experience how many different types of insects are there in Mayapur. During night, so many different types of insects come to the fire, to the light. This is another illusion. These insects, they are coming, being attracted by the beauty of the light. The electric light, it is not open. Otherwise, these insects come in the burning fire and die. Beauty. Captivated by the beauty of the fire. So actually it is going on. We are attracted by the beauty of maya and exactly we are falling to the fire and dying.

So there are so many instructions. Even if you study simply these eight million four hundred thousand different kinds of... So how to study them? Krsna is explaining. Tat ksetram. Tat ksetram means that kind of, that body, there are so many. Tat ksetram yac ca yadrk. How they have attained different types of body? The soul is there. Soul, we have already explained, is the ksetrajnam. But except the followers of Vedic knowledge, nobody knows. Just like the Christian people they say there is no soul of the animals. And how is not? Ksetrajnam. Soul is there, everywhere, but they have got their different types of bodies. Therefore Krsna says, tat ksetram. Tat ksetram yac ca yadrk ca. How they have got different? Krsna has already explained in the fifteenth chapter, they are all Krsna's part and parcels.

In another place Krsna said,

sarva-yonisu kaunteya
sambhavanti murtayah
tasam mahad yonir brahma
aham bija-pradah pita
[Bg. 14.4]

He's the seed-giving father. Therefore, all living entities are Krsna's part and parcel. It is foolishness to say that other living entities, other than the human being, they have no soul. It is foolishness. They have got soul. Every... Even the ant has got soul, even the microbe has got soul, even the germ has got soul, everyone has got soul. But they have got different types of body only, outward. Therefore Krsna says, yac ca yadrk ca. How they have got different types of bodies? So these, subject matters are very subtle things.

But there is no facility for studying this subject matter in the university or any educational institution. Therefore they are called mudhas. They do not understand what is God. Who was telling me? Some Bengali professor came here, and he said, "I am agnostic." Who told me just now, in the car? So mostly the so-called educated circle, they are agnostics. They do not believe in God, they do not believe in the soul, and still they are passing on as educationists, learned scholars, professor. This is the pity. Therefore one should learn from Krsna, this education system at the present moment, you cannot learn anything positively. They are all vague.

Here Krsna says, try to understand, each and every body, tat ksetram. Why one soul has got a godly body and one soul has got dog body, one soul has got very beautiful body, another soul has got very ugly body? So one has got nails and jaws, one has very nice beautiful hand, fingers. There are varieties. Krsna says that sa ca yo yat prabhavas ca. Prabhavas ca. And each body has got a different type of influence. Each type of body. This is God's creation.

There are innumerable planets. Each planet has got a different atmosphere. Just like we have got experience within this planet, Europe has got another atmosphere, India has got another atmosphere. Similarly, all the planets, they are of different atmospheres and each and every planet there are varieties of living entities. Just imagine the living entities are eight million four hundred thousand species. So even if you divide so many thousands and hundreds, still, eight million. This is God's creation. God's creation means all these living entities, they want to enjoy this material world in a different capacity and God has given the facility, "Yes, you can enjoy. You can enjoy." He is giving facility. Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto [Bg. 15.15]. He's sitting, God is so kind, Krsna is so kind.

Just like you have seen the master taking his dog. The dog is allowed to do whatever he likes, the master waits. The real business of the dog is to obey the master's order. But the master gives the dog facility, "Yes, you can walk, you can run, you can pass urine, stool, I'll wait." As the master gives facility. Similarly, Krsna is so kind, Krsna is so affectionate, that we have come to enjoy this material world, He is giving us the facilities. Just like the master is giving the facility to the dog. Krsna is so kind. But He wants, Krsna wants that every living entity should be obedient to Krsna. Then that is Krsna's enjoyment.

He's so kind that He's asking every living entity, especially the human being, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati. He's self-sufficient. He's not hungry. He is supplying necessities, food, to every living entity. Still He's hankering for a little flower, little fruit, from this living entity. "Please give Me." So this is the position. Patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati tad aham asnami: "If you kindly give me even little flower, a little fruit, little water, with faith and love, I will eat." Krsna is so kind. And He's simply trying to turn the face of the living entity towards Him. Therefore He is always with us. So this is another -- Krsna has come here in this temple to accept your offerings. So that you may again go back to home, back to Godhead.

That is Krsna's desire. He's so kind. In whatever way possible, He's trying to get us back to home, back to Godhead. That is Krsna's mission. He's coming Himself as Krsna, the Supreme Personality. He's coming Himself as the devotee, Lord Caitanya. He came, Krsna, personally, and asked everyone, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "You just, why you are suffering here? You give up all these engagements." Because here whatever you do will simply create entanglement and suffer, that's all. You cannot be free to do anything. That is not possible. So Krsna therefore says that, "Don't bother by manufacturing your ways of thinking."

Just like yesterday one boy and girl came, he's poet. I asked him, "What poetry you write? What is the subject matter?" No subject matter. No subject matter. (laughter) This is pagal, Pagal means "mad." Pisaci paile yena mati-cchana haya mayar grasta jivera sei dasa upajaya. Pisaci, ghost. Ghostly haunted. A person, when he becomes ghostly haunted, he speaks all kinds of nonsense. So maya grasta jivera sei dasa upajaya. Those who have come to this material world under the influence of the external energy of Krsna, maya, they are all madmen.

It is not sastra, it is the opinion of medical science also. The medical science. In India there was a case, a murderer. So his pleader, lawyer pleaded that "This man, when committed this murder, he was insane." So the judge called for the civil surgeon to examine him whether he has got such tendency, insanity. So he gave evidence, "My lord, so far my knowledge concerned, I have tested so many men, everyone is insane. It is a question of degree. Now if you consider that he was insane, you, that is your business to punish him, or not punish him. But so far my knowledge is concerned, I have studied so many men and I have found they are all insane." Actually that is the position.

What does it mean, insanity? When his brain is not acting nicely. That is insanity. So anyone who is in this material world, they are against God consciousness. That is the sign of insanity. He's under the strict regulation of God, still he defies, "There is no God. There is no God, I am God." This is insanity. Pisaci paile yena mati-cchana haya. So how these different types of insanity is visible, that will be explained, Krsna. Tat ksetram yac ca yadrk ca. Not one kind of body or one kind of insanity, different types of insanities. Yac ca yadrk ca yad vikari. This vikari means transformation. Everyone's brain is vikari, not in order. Yat vikari yatas ca yat. How such kind of transformation, vikari, this derangement has taken place. Sa ca yo yat prabhavas ca. And prabhavas, everyone, every living entity has got a particular type of prabhavah.

Just like a small bird, immediately he can fly in the sky. And although we are very intelligent, if I want and if you want to fly in the sky, no you cannot. Although he's supposed to be very intelligent, scientist, but I cannot fly. But a small bird will immediately fly. That is his prabhavah. You must have to admit that this is his special power. Similarly, a vulture, he goes four miles up and his eyes are very small. But from the four miles away he will find out where there is a dead body, immediately jump over. And we have got so many big eyes. But we cannot say, after... This spectacle required. You cannot see even one feet. So this is his prabhavah, influence. A vulture, most, but a nasty bird, still it has got so much influence that you cannot compete with him. So you'll find in every creature, every living entity, a special prerogative than the others, than the others. So, with the body.

Just like the hog. The hog can eat stool very nicely, very nicely. But although we say that everything is food, we can eat... Then you eat the stool? You cannot eat. He has got the influence that he can eat the stool very nicely. Therefore we should not consider that all living entities are of the same status. They have different status. You cannot say because the other living entity is eating something abominable, therefore I can also eat, it is eatable. No, you cannot do that. If you eat, you will be diseased. Therefore, it is called, "one man's food is another man's poison." Prabhavas ca. One can eat anything. Not anything. Nobody can eat anything. His allotted food.

In the living entities lower than the human being, they follow the nature's way, their allotted food. Just like the tiger eats blood and flesh. If you offer him nice fruit, nice sweet rice, he'll not eat. Even the dog, they do not like the sweet rice or nice kachori and srngara. You'll see. They cannot eat. If they eat, they will fall diseased. In Bengal it is said, kukkure pete ghi sayanaya.[?] Too much fatty things, if you give to the dog, he'll not be able to digest. So similarly, we are also human beings, we have got special food. Special food.

Therefore Krsna says, Krsna's prasada will be taken by whom? By the human being. No, it can be offered to any living entities, but worship of Krsna is meant for the human being. Therefore, a devotee will take the remnants of foodstuff offered to Krsna. Therefore Krsna says patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati.

Krsna as the Supreme Lord, He can eat anything. He can eat anything because He is all-powerful, omnipotent. But we cannot do that. Therefore Krsna says, "You give Me this vegetable, fruit, grains, milk, and I will take." Therefore indirectly it is said, these are the foodstuff of the human being. Not any others things. You cannot say that "This is also eatable, therefore I shall eat." Then you become a hog. Those who have no discrimination, of eating, they are going to be hog next life. Therefore Krsna says, yad vikari yatas ca yat. How one becomes a hog, dog, cat or demigod or Indra, or Brahma, that will be explained. You are given the facility of human being and if you misuse your facilities, then according to your mental condition, you'll be offered the next body. Yam yam vapi smaran loke tyajyaty ante kalevaram, you'll find.

Therefore, give up doggish mentality. That is Krsna consciousness. Train up your mind, God, godly mentality. Then you'll be transferred next life, back to home, back to Godhead. That is required. This Krsna consciousness movement is training the people for being promoted to the highest standard of life. This Krsna consciousness movement is so important. We are giving chance to the people not to become next life cats and dogs and vultures. But associate of Krsna. To become a cowherd boy, to play with Krsna, or gopi, to dance with Krsna. This much facilities we are going to giving.

So everyone should consider how much welfare movement is this Krsna consciousness movement and they should follow the instruction of Krsna and the acaryas and make their life successful. Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 13.4 -- Paris, August 12, 1973