"Forgotten That We Are Spirit" 73/09/26 Bombay, Bhagavad-gita 13.3

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Prabhupada: ...ksetra-ksetrajnayor jnanam yat taj jnanam matam mama. (aside:) Both of them are not in order.

(reads from purport:) "While discussing the subject matter of this body and the owner of the body, the soul and the Supersoul, we shall find there different topics of study: the Lord, the living entity, and matter. In every field of activities, in every body, there are two souls: the Supersoul and the individual soul."

Sometimes the Mayavadi philosophers, they take it for acceptance that there is one soul only, Supersoul. But here we get from Krsna, the authoritative source of knowledge, there are two souls: the individual soul and the Supersoul. Not one soul. Atma and Paramatma.

(reads from purport:) "Because the Supersoul is the plenary expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, Krsna says ‘I am also the knower, but I am not the individual owner of the..." (loud buzzing sound) What has happened? If it is not working, get it out.

Last night we have already explained that the Supersoul, or Krsna, is the knower of the pains and pleasure of every body, whereas the individual soul is the knower of pains and pleasure of his own body. In another place Krsna says, avinasi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idam tatam. The consciousness of the individual soul is spread all over the body. That is avinasi. Indestructible. That is avinasi. Krsna says, avinasi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idam tatam. Yena, by the soul, he is, by his potency, spread all over the body.

Similarly, Krsna, being the Supersoul, He is not only spread, His consciousness is not only spread over this, my individual body, but His consciousness is spread in, of all bodies. All over the universe there are eight million four hundred thousand species of forms, and Krsna's consciousness is all-pervading. He knows everything. So as soon as our consciousness becomes Krsna conscious, Krsna understands. Krsna is within your heart. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrdese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61].

So Krsna can understand your purpose. We cannot cheat Krsna. Krsna can immediately understand how much serious and sincere you are for understanding Krsna or approaching Him or going back to home, back to Godhead. That Krsna can understand. As soon as He understands that "Here is a soul, he's very serious," He takes care of you, especially. Samo 'ham sarva-bhutesu. Krsna, being the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is equal to everyone. Samo 'ham sarva-bhutesu. Na me dvesyo 'sti na priyah. Nobody is dearer, or, dvesa, or subject, object of jealousy. Krsna is not envious, neither specially inclined to everyone. Actually, God's position is neutrality. Everyone, He likes for everyone. Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam jnatva mam santim rcchati. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita. He is friend of everyone.

We are seeking friendship with so many people to get our motive realized. But if we make Krsna, if we know Krsna is already ready... In the Upanisad it is said that two birds in friendly way are sitting in the same tree, the body. So if we understand, "Krsna is my best friend..." Krsna says, suhrdam sarva-bhutanam. He's not only my friend, your friend, but He's a friend of everyone. So that friendship is equally distributed. But if one becomes special devotee, ye tu bhajanti mam pritya, with love and affection, one who is engaged in the service of the Lord, He's especially inclined to him. That is Krsna's mercy to the devotee. Krsna is equal to everyone, but He is specially inclined to the devotees who is engaged in His service with love and faith.

tesam satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti te
[Bg. 10.10]

Krsna gives him... Because He specially takes care of the devotee...

So everyone's heart, He is sitting. Ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata. But He takes special care of the devotee, guides him, gives him intelligence. What kind of intelligence? Yena mam upayanti te. Just to give him the clue how one can go back to home, back to Godhead. Krsna does not give intelligence how one can gain some material prosperity. That is entrusted to the maya, Daivi maya or Durgadevi.

Therefore people are not very much interested in worshiping Krsna. They are generally interested in worshiping goddess Durga, Lord Siva. Because by worshiping Lord Siva, goddess Durga, they get material opulence. So to worship the demigods means cent percent materialism. There is no question of spiritual life. Therefore Krsna says... What is that verse? Nasta-buddhayah. Kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah prapadyante 'nya-devatah [Bg. 7.20]. Those who are interested in worshiping other demigods, their intelligence is taken away, hrta-jnana. Kamais tais tair..., mayayapahrta-jnana. These terms are there. maya is working in two ways: praksepatmika-sakti, avaranatmika-sakti. Avaranatmika-sakti means she is covering. Avaranatmika-sakti, she is covering. Real fact is covered by maya.

Just like the cloud covers the sunshine. We cannot see. Now a few days it is going on; there is cloud always. We do not see the sun. That does not mean there is no sun in the sky. So maya does not allow us to see Krsna. That is one sakti. Avaranatmika-sakti. And another sakti is praksepatmika-sakti. Even one desires to see Krsna, she throws away. She tests whether actually he wants Krsna or keeping Krsna in the front, he wants some material pleasure. Therefore she throws away. In this way maya-sakti is acting.

Krsna therefore says, daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. maya is very powerful. But if one is very rigid in devotional service, mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etan taranti te, he can overcome the influence of maya. So ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi. So that ksetrajna, knower of the body, Krsna, He's also there. He's always ready to help us, provided we are serious about Krsna. That is Krsna's mercy. So this is the process of pleasing Krsna.

Just like we are sitting here together and we are talking about Krsna. Our Krsna consciousness movement is specially meant for talking about Krsna, Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. Caitanya Mahaprabhu ordered,

amara ajnaya guru hana tara ei desa
yare dekha, tare kaha ‘krsna'-upadesa
[Cc. Madhya 7.128]

This is our mission. The Krsna consciousness movement means we are preaching the teachings of Krsna, Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Krsna-upadesa. Another Krsna-upadesa, about Krsna. Bhagavad-gita is the instruction given by Krsna, and Srimad-Bhagavatam is the instruction given by Vyasadeva and other sages about Krsna. So both of them are Krsna-katha. So that is our mission, Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. Yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. What Krsna is instructing directly, that is also Krsna-upadesa, and what is being spoken about Krsna, that is also Krsna-upadesa.

So the Bhagavata process is if we want to improve, if we want to make our life successful, then we must engage ourself in this program of Krsna consciousness or hearing about Krsna. Srnvatam sva-kathah krsna. Krsna is there, ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi. He is there, Krsna, within your heart. So as soon as you are very serious and eager to know about Krsna... This is very nice science. If you simply know about Krsna, you become liberated. Janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah. Simply you try to understand Krsna. Tasmin vijnate sarvam evam vijnatam bhavanti. This is the Vedic instruction. If you simply understand Krsna, then all other things becomes automatically known. You don't have to make separate endeavor to know. You'll know what is Paramatma, what is Brahman, what is this material world, what is this material nature, what is our relationship -- everything will be revealed. Tesam aham ajnana-jam tamah, nasayamy atma-bhavasthah. Krsna says to special favor.

tesam evanukampartham
aham ajnana-jam tamah
nasayamy atma-bhavastho
jnana-dipena bhasvata
[Bg. 10.11]

This is Krsna's words in the Bhagavad-gita. If you actually become Krsna conscious, the result will be you'll get special favor from Krsna. Tesam eva anukampartham. Krsna is specially favorable to the devotees. Ye tu bhajanti mam pritya. Therefore this is the beginning. This is the beginning of...

Caitanya Mahaprabhu also accepted this. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. We have to be submissive. Not a speculator, that "Now I have become Brahman." Brahman, everyone is Brahman. There is no question of becoming Brahman. We have now forgotten. We have forgotten that we are Brahman. We are misidentifying with this body. This is maya. Otherwise...

Therefore Bhagavad-gita says, brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. It is not that by some process I become Brahman. I am Brahman, but on account of maya, my knowledge is covered. I am thinking, "I am product of this material world," "I am American," "I am Indian," in terms of the soil where we have taken birth. Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih [SB 10.84.13]. Bhauma ijya-dhih. The whole world is mad after this process of bhauma idya-dhih. They are... Instead of worshiping Krsna, they are worshiping the land in which one is born. That is called under the name of, going on, so many isms. So this is described as bhauma ijya-dhih.

But actually, we are part and parcel of Krsna. Krsna is Parabrahman; therefore we, being part and parcel, we are also Brahman. Just like particles of gold is also gold. So there is no question of becoming Brahman. Brahman we are already. Simply we have to know that "I am not this body." Aham brahmasmi: "I am spirit soul, part and parcel of Krsna." That is knowledge. Jnanam jneyam. Jneyam, this knowledge, that "I am Brahman." And as soon as we are perfectly situated in that spiritual knowledge, aham brahmasmi, then brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. There is no lamentation.

Everyone is lamenting because he's a sudra. Sudra's business is to lament. But when one understands, brahmana, brahma janati iti brahmanah, he does not lament. We have seen many brahmanas. They are not very materially opulent, but they are happy. They are happy with Krsna. That is brahmana's business. Brahmana-vaisnava. Brahmana must be a Vaisnava, Krsna conscious. If a brahmana is not Vaisnava, then he cannot become guru. That is the injunction of the sastra. Sat-karma-nipuno vipro mantra-tantra-visaradah. A vipra, a brahmana, a learned... Vipra means a learned brahmana. Veda-pathad bhaved viprah. One who has learned, studied all the Vedic literatures and has acquired knowledge, he is called vipra. So simply studying Vedic literature will not do. Brahma janati iti brahmanah. He must realize what is Brahman. Then he becomes brahmana. Brahmana is a qualification. It is not by birth. Brahmana...

Just like high court judge is a qualification. It is not by birth. The high court judge's son is not a high court judge unless he has the qualification of a high court judge. Similarly, a son of a brahmana by birth is not a brahmana. When he has got the brahminical qualification, then he becomes brahmana. That qualifications are stated in the Bhagavad-gita. It is not imagination. Samo damas titiksavo 'rjavam, jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. So these things are lost.

Therefore India's position is now chaos and confusion because we have lost this Vedic civilization, we have lost Krsna consciousness, we have lost God consciousness. We are being directed by the whims. So it is very lamentable condition of India, although this Krsna consciousness is India's original culture, Krsna culture. Krsna appeared on this land. Although Krsna is not for any particular land, but still, Krsna appeared in this holy land of Bharata-varsa, Mathura.

So it is the duty of the Indians to understand Krsna culture, Krsna consciousness cultural movement, and take part in it seriously. That is the instruction of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He says, bharata bhumite manusya-janma haila yara janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara [Cc. Adi 9.41]. This is the injunction of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that "Anyone who has taken birth in the holy land of Bharatavarsa..." Bharata-bhumite haila. Of course, if he's a man. If he's a cat or dog, that is a different thing. But bharata-bhumite manusya-janma haila yara [Cc. Adi 9.41]. Manusya-janma. If he's a human being, then he must take advantage of the Vedic knowledge. Janma sarthaka kari'. Otherwise what he'll speak? If he does not know what is what, then what is the meaning of his preaching? No. So janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara. It is the duty of every Indian, every man who has taken birth in Bharatavarsa, to perform para-upakara, to do well others. Because in the other part of the world there is no such advantage of Vedic literature and Vedic knowledge.

Unfortunately, the Indians are neglecting this Vedic perfection, whereas in other parts of the world, the Europeans and Americans, they are taking interest. So we are not, of course, concerned with any particular nation or country. Our business is to carry out the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. Whomever you meet... It doesn't matter whether he is Indian, European, American or African. Anyone, he should be instructed about krsna-upadesa so that his life may be successful and the preacher of Krsna consciousness, his life also will become successful. This is Krsna consciousness movement.

So to become educated in the Krsna consciousness movement, this is the beginning -- to hear about Krsna, to understand about Krsna.

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
punya sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah stho hy abhadrani
vidhunoti suhrt satam
[SB 1.2.17]

(loud beeping for some time) (aside:) What is this? Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah. If you kindly hear about Krsna seriously... This is our program. We give chance everyone to hear about Krsna. We are trying to construct a temple here not for making any profit, but to give chance to the people about hearing about Krsna. This is our mission. We are opening temples all over the world just to give people the chance to hear about Krsna. Because as soon as we seriously hear about Krsna... Srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah, punya-sravana-kirtanah. The Krsna is there. Ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu, He is there everywhere.

So as soon as that individual soul is seriously engaged in hearing about Krsna, immediately the dirty things within his heart becomes cleansed. Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. And as soon as the heart is cleansed, his all problems of this material world is solved. Bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam. Because he understands. Cleansing the heart means to understand that he is not Krsna. He's part and parcel of Krsna. His duty is to serve Krsna. This is cleansing of heart. So long it is not cleansed...

Just like the Mayavadi philosophers, they are thinking themselves that they are Krsna. "I am God." That is unclean. Vimukta-maninah. Tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah. Because their intelligence is not yet clear, it is still with dirty things, therefore they are thinking that they are Krsna. No. Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and we are eternal servant of Krsna. This is the philosophy.

Therefore Krsna demands in the Bhagavad-gita, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "Just surrender to Me." It is the right of the master to ask the servant that "You surrender." Similarly, Krsna comes to teach this. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam. Because we are eternally servant of Krsna.

The Mayavadi philosophers, they cannot understand. The servant wants to become the master. That is not possible. That is not possible. If the servant remains a faithful servant, that is perfection of his life. Artificially, if the servant wants to become master, that is only botheration. So the Krsna consciousness movement is educating everyone to understand this fact, that everyone is eternal servant of Krsna. Don't try to imitate Krsna. That is botheration. You cannot be happy. Artificially, if one wants to become something else which he is not, then it is simply botheration. There is no happiness. An artificial life is not happiness. Natural life is happiness. So naturally we are servant of Krsna. If we don't serve Krsna then we have to serve maya.

Actually, people are engaged. Those who are not Krsna conscious, they have given up the servitude of Krsna, but they have accepted the servitude of so many other things. Somebody is thinking, "I am the servant of my country," somebody is thinking, "I am servant of my fami1y," somebody is thinking, "I am servant of my wife," or somebody is thinking, "I am servant of my office boss," or somebody is thinking, "I am servant of my dog." That is also going on. Servant he must remain, but if he does not become servant of Krsna, he has to become servant of so many things. He cannot give up his position as a servant. That is not possible. He may change the name in different way, but he remains a servant. That's a fact.

So therefore one who is intelligent, one who is actually intelligent, he thinks that "If my position is to become a servant, why not become the servant of the Supreme?" This is intelligence. Kamadinam kati na katidha palita durnidesas tesam mayi na karuna jata na trapa nopasantih. We are servant of our senses, kamadinam kati na katidha palita durnidesas. And our senses are dictating so many nonsense things and we are serving. So therefore one who is not servant of the senses, but one who becomes servant of Krsna, then he becomes master of the senses. That is called swami or gosvami. One side you have to become servant of Krsna; then you become master of the senses. If you do not become servant of Krsna, then you become servant of the senses. Kamadinam kati na... The whole world is going on, everyone is servant of the senses, godasa. So one has to become gosvami. Go means senses.

So Krsna is advising that "I am in everyone's heart." You can take advice from Krsna. Krsna is ready. Krsna's another name is caitya-guru. Caitya-guru means the guru who is situated within your heart. Krsna comes out as instructor guru or initiator guru outside, and he is sitting within the heart as caitya-guru. Krsna is ready to help you, help us, every one of us, in two ways: by the external guru and internal guru. Internal guru, He is Krsna Himself, and external guru, His manifestation, the spiritual master. So we should take advantage of two gurus and make our life successful. This is Krsna consciousness movement. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 13.3 -- Bombay, September 26, 1973