"Occupant And Owner Of Body" 72/12/30 Bombay, Bhagavad-gita 13.3

Prabhupada:

ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi
sarva-ksetresu bharata
ksetra-ksetrajnayor jnanam
yat taj jnanam matam mama

Ksetra-ksetrajnayor jnanam. This body and the ksetra-jna, the owner and the occupier of the body. This subject matter we were discussing last night. It is very easy. I was explaining. Just like this apartment, we are occupying. Therefore we are occupier. But we are not the owner. The owner is different person. Similarly this body, there are two souls, the Supersoul and the individual soul. Jivatma Paramatma. Brahman, Parambrahman. Jivatma is Brahman constitutionally because mamaivamso jiva-bhutah [Bg. 15.7]. The living entities, they are part and parcel of Krsna, God. Therefore qualitatively, what is Krsna, the jiva, living entity's also the same thing. There is no difference in quality.

But quantity there is difference. Paramatma or Bhagavan, brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate. All these three features of the Absolute Truth, Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan, the ultimate cause is Bhagavan. As it is confirmed by Krsna: brahmanah aham pratistha. The Brahman effulgence, that is standing on Krsna. Krsna is the source of Brahman effulgence.

Just like the sun globe is the source of sunshine. Sunshine is very big, all pervading. And sun appears to be located in some place. But which is important, the sunshine is important or the sun globe is important? Because the sunshine is emanating from the sun it has no independent existence. As soon as the sun disappears, there is no sunshine. So wherever there is sun, there is sunshine. Therefore sunshine is dependent on the sun.

And within the sun, there are cities, palaces, inhabitants. Just like within this planet, there are cities, there are roads, there are so many varieties of living condition. Similarly in every planet, there is varieties of living condition. Kotisu asesa-vasudhadi-vibhuti-bhinnam. From Vedic literature we understand: yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti [Bs. 5.40]. Yasya prabha. Govinda's prabha, Krsna's prabha. Illumination. Prabha means illumination. Just like this bulb and the illumination. The illumination is broadcast all over the room. The bulb is located in a place.

Similarly Govinda is located in His planet which is known as Goloka Vrndavana. And from there, His bodily rays are being distributed. Sarvam khalv idam brahma. That is Brahman, impersonal Brahman. This impersonal Brahman is the bodily effulgence, rays of Krsna.

yasya prabha prabhavato jagad-anda-koti-
kotisv asesa-vasudhadi-vibhuti-bhinnam
tad brahma niskalam anantam asesa-bhutam
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.40]

We do not know actually what is Krsna's potency. Param bhavam ajanantah. Avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam, param bhavam ajanantah [Bg. 9.11]. People, mudhas, without knowing Krsna's potencies, how He is working, how His potencies are working... Parasya brahmanah saktis tathedam akhilam jagat. Tathedam akhilam jagat. In the Visnu Purana it is said: parasya brahmanah saktih.

eka-desa-sthitasyagner
jyotsna vistarini yatha
parasya brahmanah saktis
tathedam akhilam jagat

Eka-desa-sthitasyagneh. Agni, fire... Just like sometimes we see fire on the beach but illuminates. Similarly God, Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is situated in His planet, Goloka Vrndavana. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah [Bs. 5.37]. Although He is situated in one place, He can be present everywhere. That is God. We are sitting in this room. We are not sitting in other room. But Krsna, He can sit in His Goloka Vrndavana, He can dance with the gopis, but He is everywhere. With His full potencies. That is the difference.

That Krsna explained to Arjuna that. "I first of all explained this Bhagavad-gita to the sun-god." Arjuna, to clear the matter, inquired from Him: aparam bhavato janma param janma vivasvatah. So Arjuna knew that Krsna can remember forty millions of years ago He spoke to the sun-god, but to clear the misconception of others who will later on read Bhagavad-gita, he inquired the question that "My dear Krsna, we are born very recently. How is that You say that You explained this Bhagavad-gita forty millions of years ago?" In that answer, Krsna said that: "Yes, you were also present at that time, when I explained." Because Krsna and Arjuna, they're constant companions, friends. Parsada. Eternal associate.

When Krsna comes, He comes with His associates. Just like if you invite King. That does not mean the king alone. The king comes along with secretaries, commander, ministers, soldiers, so many things. Similarly whenever Krsna comes... Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata, tadatmanam srjamy aham [Bg. 4.7]. At that time, Krsna, all His associates also come. So Krsna said that "The difference is that you have forgotten." That is the difference between Krsna, God, and ordinary living entity. Krsna says: vedaham samatitani. He knows past, present, future.

In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Vedanta-sutra, it is said: janmady asya yatah anvayad itaratas ca arthesu abhijnah [SB 1.1.1]. He knows everything, nook and corner, whatever is going on, in the nook and corner of His creation. You cannot hide anything from Krsna. Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistah. "I am situated in everyone's heart." Mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca [Bg. 15.15]. I may forget. But because Krsna knows that I wanted to enjoy something in this material world, He gives me the chance. "Now I give you the opportunity. Enjoy. You wanted a body like this? All right, You take this body. You wanted a body like demigod in the heavenly planet like Indra or Brahma? All right. Take this body. And if you want, you wanted a body like hog, to eat stool, all right, take this body." Ye yatha mam prapadyante. Whatever you want, Krsna is witness. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. So He is noting down your desires. And He's giving you opportunity.

Just like if somebody is kind upon me... Just like our Karttika is very kind. He has given me this room. If I say: "Karttika, this room does not suit me. Give me that room." "Yes, you come in. Yes, you come in." This is a question of love and affection. So Krsna is so affectionate to the living entity, whatever he wants, He's giving him. "Come on. Take it."

Therefore we find so many varieties of body. Why so many varieties of body? Because the living entity wants a particular type of apartment. "If this type of apartment would have been given to me I would have been very much happy." "All right. You take this" So... But the owner of the apartment is Krsna.

Therefore here it is said: ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata. So the living entity's the occupier of this body. And the owner is Krsna. Therefore Krsna's another name is Hrsikesa. Hrsikesa. This body means the senses. We are enjoying with this body means we are enjoying the sense gratification. My eyes, to see something very beautiful. so God has given us these eyes. See nicely. To your heart's content. I want to touch something soft. Krsna has given us. "All right, you take opportunity." Eko bahunam vidadhati kaman.

This is the Vedic injunction. That one Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, He is giving us satisfaction. Whatever we want to enjoy. He's given us full facility within this material world. But because we do not know what is actual enjoyment, therefore the so-called enjoyment is turning to be distressed condition.

Just like a child, if he's given full freedom, "All right, my dear child, whatever you like to do." So he cannot stay in one kind of engagement. Sometimes this, sometimes that, sometimes this, sometimes that. He's not happy. But if he follows the instruction of the parents, "My dear child, you do like this, you eat like," then he's happy. If he takes the freedom in his own hand, it is not possible to become happy.

Similarly Krsna has given us a certain type of body. I am the occupier of this body. And I am enjoying. But because my calculation is mistaken...

krsna-bahirmukha hana bhoga vancha kare
nikata-stha maya tare japatiya dhare

As soon as we forget Krsna, as soon as we forget that this body is given by Krsna, this body should be utilized for the satisfaction of Krsna... That is real sense. That is real knowledge. If I am given this apartment by somebody to live, I cannot dissatisfy him. Then I'll be asked: "Please vacate." That will be a distressed condition for me.

So why people are suffering? The people are suffering because he have been, one has been given all the facilities, as he desires, but because that is his own program, it is not satisfied. If he accepts Krsna's program, then he'll be satisfied. That is Krsna consciousness movement. We are asking people to follow Krsna's program. Don't plan your own rascal program. You'll never be happy. But we are busy for rascal program. We do not know what is happening as a resultant action. That means: yajnarthat karmanah anyatra karma-bandhanah. If you work simply for satisfaction of Krsna, that is called yajna. Krsna's another name is Yajna. Or Visnu. Yajnesvara. So yajnarthe karma, that's nice. You are free from any interaction or resultant action of your karma. You are not responsible.

It is very, very easy to understand. Just like in a office, if you work for the satisfaction the proprietor, then you have no responsibility, either loss or gain, you are free. But if you create your own plan and work for, under your own responsibility, then you'll suffer or enjoy. Actually there is no enjoyment. It is simply suffering. So that is going on. Yajnarthat karmanah anyatra karma-bandhanah. We are becoming bound up. We have got this body according to the karma of my past life, and again I am creating another series of karma. I'll have to accept another body and finish that karma. Again I'm creating another karma. This is going on.

nunam pramattah kurute vikarma
yad indriya-pritaya aprnoti
na sadhu manye yata atmano 'yam
asann api klesada asa dehah
[SB 5.5.4]

This is the instruction given by Rsabhadeva to his sons. Nunam pramattah. All these living entities, they have become mad, mad. We can see very easily. Whole world, wherever we... Big, big cities. They are working just like madmen. So many cars, so many flyways, so many under-subways and always busy. But kurute vikarma. They are not working very nicely. Vikarma. Karma vikarma akarma.

These things are to be understood. Karma does not mean that anything you like, it becomes karma. Just like monkey. Monkey, whatever he does, it is simply mischievous. Therefore sometimes we accuse: "You are an ass. You are monkey." There is activity, but there is no meaning. There is no meaning, jumping. Monkey wherever he'll sit, (makes noise:) katak katak katak. So this kind of activities are not karma. Foolishly, rascaldomly. That is not karma.

Karma means prescribed duties. Prescribed duties. Janma-karma. Guna-karma. Catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. Guna-karma. Catur-varnyam, According to Vedic civilization, there are four divisions of karma. Because there are three qualities of the material nature. Sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. So when we come to certain type of activities or accept certain type of body, Krsna is giving us opportunity. I wanted certain type of body. Krsna is giving. Krsna is giving through the agency of material nature. Karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-janma-yonisu.

Why the living entities having different types of body? Sat asat. Some types of body are nice. Suppose you become demigod, Indra, Candra. That's very nice. But if you become dog or worm in the stool, that is not very nice. But we have to. Why? Karanam... The reason is: guna-sangah asya. As we associate with the gunas... There are three gunas, qualities of the material nature, sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. So if we associate with sattva-guna, urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha [Bg. 14.18], then those who are associating with sattva-guna...

This is very easy to understand. If you become a nice, educated person, good character, you'll be always welcome anywhere, good position. And if you are a thief, rascal, without any education, then your position will be different. So karanam guna-sangah asya. So if we associate with goodness of the material nature, then we are promoted to the higher planetary system where we get better comforts of life, long duration of life, so many facilities.

Similarly urdhvam gacchanti sattva-stha madhye tisthanti rajasah [Bg. 14.18]. Those who are associating with the qualities of passion, they remain within this middle planetary system, Bhur bhuvah svah. And then... Jaghanya-guna-vrtti-stha adho gacchanti tamasah. And if we associate with tamasika qualities, then we degraded to a lower species of life, lower planetary system, dark planetary system. There are many planets, they are dark. As we have got a part of this planet, also, six months dark, six months light. There are so many different varieties of planets. This is the... We are wandering from different planetary systems... Different... This way. Karanam guna-sangah asya.

And the society, the human society, not the animal society. Krsna says: catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma [Bg. 4.13]. Guna-karma-vibhagasah. So according to guna, if we are associated with sattva-guna, then that class is called brahmana. If one is associating with rajo-guna, that class is called ksatriya. If one is associating with mixed guna, especially rajo-guna and tamo-guna, that class is called vaisya, and if one is associating with tamo-guna, that class is called sudra. Catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. So in this way, there are varieties of life.

But that opportunity is given by Krsna. Because He's witness. He is anumanta, upadrasta. He's seeing everything. He is within our heart. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese arjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. So in this way we are changing different varieties of life... Sometimes human being, sometimes animal, sometimes demigod. Sometimes something else. Sometimes rich man, sometimes poor man, sometimes brahmana, sometimes sudra. In this way, we are wandering in different species of life, and different position, in different planets. There are millions and trillions of planets. And there are eight million, four hundred thousand species of life. In this way, we are wandering. this is our position.

So this is not very good business. Bhutva bhutva praliyate. We accept... Just like we have got this now human form of body, Mr. Such-and-such, very good position, very good business, very good... But at any moment, I'll be kicked out. At any moment. That is no guarantee. And again I'll have to accept according to my karma, another body where I may not get this position. I may be... I may not be even human being. Because, according to my mentality, I'll get the body. Yam yam vapi smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram. Our next birth will be settled according to the mental condition at the time of death.

So that mental condition one has to practice. What kind of practice? That is also, how the practice should be done, that is also indicated in the Bhagavad-gita: yanti deva-vrata devan pitrn yanti pitr-vratah [Bg. 9.25], They are trying to go to the moon planet, but you cannot go in that way. That is not possible. You cannot go by force in any planet. You have to prepare yourself. Just in this planet also, if you want to go to some other country, in America, you have to prepare yourself for passport, visa, and what... So many papers. Pink forms. And bank balance. This, that, so many things. You cannot by force, that "I have come to America..." The immigration department will immediately check: "Where is your passport? Where is your visa? Where is your bona fide?"

Similarly, if such rules and regulations are here, even in this planet, how you dare to go into the moon planet or other planet by force? This is all childish. Now they have stopped. The American government has stopped financing this foolish excursion. Going to the moon planet. They have stopped. They have now come to sense that simply these so-called scientists, they're experi, experimenting on public money and wasting.

Long, long ago, when I wrote my book, Easy Journey to Other Planets, I described: "This moon planet excursion, simply childish and foolishness." And about two, three years ago, in San Francisco the press reporters asked my opinion about the moon, moon planet. So I told them: "it is simply waste of time and money." Now, now it is happening. Long, long ago, I said this. This is not possible.

Although there are innumerable planets, but even if you go to the moon planet, your problem is not solved. What is the benefit? If you... Suppose if you go to moon planet. How your problem is solved? The real problem is that I am forced to accept different types of body. Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. And as soon as I accept body, I have to be under the tribulation of material nature.

That was advised by Rsabhadeva: nunam pramattah kurute vikarma [SB 5.5.4]. All these foolish rascals, being mad, they're acting against the laws of nature. Vikarma. Vikarma means against the laws of nature. That is vikarma. Karma means prescribed duties. And akarma means doing something which will have no effect. Three things are there. Karma, vikarma, akarma. Karma means prescribed duties. If you want... Just like you want to do business, you must do according to the rules and regulations, license of the government. Then you make profit, be happy. That's another thing. But if you act vikarma, against the rules and regulations of the state, you commit theft or this or that, then you'll suffer. Vikarma.

And akarma means you act in such a way that you become liberated. Akarma. You are not bound up. That akarma is yajna, yajnarthat karmanah anyatra karma-bandhanah. If you act for Visnu or Krsna, then you are not, I mean to say, liable of the responsibilities of karma. Because you are doing everything for Krsna. Just like Arjuna did. Arjuna was thinking that "If I kill my grandfather, the other side, then I shall be merged into the sinful activities. He's my superior. He's my guru. And he's my..." In this way, he was thinking. Actually it was so. So he was declining to fight. Because that was karma. But when he decided to fight on the order of Krsna, that is not karma. That if there is any sin, that is... It may be transferred to Krsna.

Just like if you kill a, some animal with your stick, the stick is not responsible. You are responsible. Similarly if I become a stick and instrument in the hands of Krsna, then I am not responsible for any karma. Otherwise, I am responsible.

Just like a soldier, his business is killing by the order of the state. he's killing so many persons. And he's getting recognition, medal, gold medal. And as soon as he comes home, if he kills one person, he'll be hanged. He can say: "My dear sir, I killed so many persons in the battlefield. I was awarded gold medal. Now I have killed only one person. Why you are hanging me?" Because you have done for your own sense gratification. And so many soldiers, it mean, men, you kill in the battlefield, that was the order of the state.

This is same position. Yajnarthe means to act on the order of the Supreme. That is called yajna. Anything which you act for satisfaction of the Supreme, that is called yajna. Yajnarthe karmano 'nyatra. Just like in the Visnu Purana it is said:

varnasramacaravata
purusena parah puman
visnur aradhyate pantha
nanyat tat-tosa-karanam

This division of varnasrama, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, they're all meant for satisfying the Supreme. Varnasrama. Varnasramacaravata. Those who are strictly following the rules and regulations of the varna and asrama, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, sannyasa. These are varna and asrama.

So this Vedic civilization is meant for, I mean to say, training the whole people in such a way, that they'll be engaged in the performance of yajna. That is called yajna, yajnarthe karma. So that either he acts as a sudra or either he acts as a brahmana, it doesn't matter. The real aim is to satisfy the Supreme. This is very easy. Now, there are so many grades of officer in a big establishment. Either the manager or the orderly or the servant. Because the whole thing is to satisfy the supreme authority of the office, everything is all right.

Similarly, according to the capacity, one is ordinary servant, one is manager, one is clerk, one is this and that. That, That's all right. Similarly, according to our particular quality, one may be a brahmana, one may be a ksatriya, nor be a sudra, or vaisya. It doesn't matter. But the whole society, if they are engaged in satisfying Krsna, that is perfection. The Krsna consciousness movement is not that we are asking everyone to become a sannyasi like me, and give up everything. No. That is not our program. You act as a brahmana, as a ksatriya or a vaisya or a sudra. It doesn't matter. But you try to satisfy Krsna. That is the program.

That is enjoined in the Srimad-Bhagavatam: atah pumbhih... In the Naimisaranya meeting, great meeting of great saintly persons and brahmanas, And Suta Gosvami was president. He was speaking. And he says: atah pumbhir dvija-sresthah. You all people, assembled here, you are the best of the brahmanas. Dvija-sresthah. My dear dvija-sresthah." The ordinary, not ordinary men. Atah pumbhir dvija-srestha varnasrama-vibhagasah. He's referring to that, varnasrama. You cannot. If you want to, if you want to maintain, keep the perfect human civilization, then you must maintain this varnasrama. Otherwise, there will be chaos. You have to adjust. Nobody's lower. Nobody's higher.

Just like in my body. My, I have got head. I have got my leg. Leg may be less important than the head, but everything is important in the service of the body, whole body. Simply head, there is no leg: you cannot work. Suppose that you have got good brain, but you have leg, there is no leg. Andha-pangu-nyaya. Then you have to take help from others. So yajnarthe karma. The brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha, everyone should be engaged in Krsna consciousness. Then the society will be perfect. Otherwise, there will be chaos.

Otherwise there be chaos and that is the position at the present moment. People are not happy. Although there is enough money in Western countries. Enough enjoyable things. And we see in other countries like Australia and Africa, there is enough potency of producing food and grains and milk. So this rascal proposition that population has increased, there is scarcity of... These are all rascal proposition. God has enough potency to give you ten times food you want. But because we have created chaos in the world, without following the Krsna consciousness, there is trouble.

So this Krsna consciousness movement is all-around solution, over-all solution of all problems. Therefore our request is... Those who are actually leaders, thoughtful, they should take this Krsna consciousness movement very seriously, study its philosophy and try to spread it as far as possible, according to his own capacity. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 13.3 -- Bombay, December 30, 1972