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
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