Car Is Ford--Ford Is Not Car

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.1
February 21, 1975, Caracas


Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Prabhupada: (translated into Spanish by Hrdayananda dasa) Last night we discussed about the origin, source of everything. So it is explained here, namo bhagavate vasudevaya, om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. This is already ascertained, that Vasudeva, the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Lord is Vasudeva because He is present everywhere. This evening there was some discussion that God has no particular name, but His names are there on account of His different type of activities. Just like God is present everywhere, therefore His name is Vasudeva. In the Brahma-samhita it is said that God is within this universe, andantara-stham, and not only within the universe, but He is in everyone's heart, and also He is within the atom. Therefore God is unlimited. God is not limited to become gigantic universal form, but He is also able to enter within the atom. Therefore, in the Vedic language God is described, anor aniyan mahato mahiyan: "He is greater than the greatest and the smaller than the smallest." God has expanded Himself in two different types. He has expanded Himself as svamsa, or personal expansion, and another expansion is vibhinnamsa, separated expansion. So God expands Himself personally.

ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan
nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu
krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yo
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.39]

By His personal incarnation He expands as Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha, Vamana and so many, thousands. That is His personal expansion. Here is Lord Caitanya, Nityananda. They are also personal expansion. So that is one type of expansion. Another type, expansion, is the vibhinnamsa, just like we are. We are also expansion of God. But this is... Vibhinnamsa means a smallest particle. Just like the sunshine. The sunshine is combination of bright molecules. So very small parts, bright, brightened part, combined together, that is called sunshine. So we living entities, we are also small bright particles as part and parcel of God. In this way God is expanded everywhere. The Mayavadi, impersonalists, they think "If God is expanded everywhere, then where is God personally?" That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita,

maya tatam idam sarvam
jagad avyakta-murtina
mat-sthani sarva-bhutani
na caham tesv avasthitah

Krsna, or God, says that "I am expanded in My impersonal form everywhere. Everything is existing on account of Me. But still, I am not everything." Just like God has expanded in this microphone. The microphone is also expansion of God's energy, but that does not mean we have to worship the microphone. So God has got that power, that although He has expanded Himself in His impersonal form everywhere, still, He has got His original existence. A small example can be given in this connection. Just like a father. He has given birth to hundreds of children. That does not mean the father is finished. These children is expansion of the father, but father keeps himself as father. So in this way He is Vasudeva, means He is present everywhere. He says in the Bhagavad-gita, sarvatah pani-padam tat: "He has got His hands and legs and eyes everywhere." Because the part and parcel expansion of God, either visnu-tattva or jiva-tattva, they are everywhere.

Besides that, God is existing in everyone's heart as Supersoul. So the Supersoul is giving direction to the individual soul. Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistah. Hrdi means in the heart. "I am situated in everyone's heart." Mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca [Bg. 15.15]. Because God is situated within my heart, therefore He is giving me direction. So our remembrance and forgetfulness is due to God. Sometimes we forget something and try to remember. Immediately God helps us: "It is this." And we say, "Yes, yes, now I remember." "Now I remember" means we were forgetting. Krsna immediately gives him, "It is this." Then I remember. In this way, God, by His plenary expansion, He is situated everywhere. Therefore His name is Vasudeva. Now Vasudeva is the origin of everything. So that is explained in the Bhagavad-gita, vasudevah sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah [Bg. 7.19]. Anyone who has understood that everything, whatever we see, that is Vasudeva... But we should always remember that Vasudeva is everything; still, everything is not Vasudeva. Just like in a big factory. In your country or in America that Ford, Mr. Ford, he has got very big factory. So in the factory, everywhere the Mr. Ford is there. But if you have to see Mr. Ford, you cannot see the car Ford and you become satisfied. The car is also written there, "Ford." So if I want to see Mr. Ford and if we see the car, and we say, "Now I have met with Mr. Ford," that is foolishness. (laughter) The car is Ford, but Ford is not the car.

In this way try to understand. Everything is God, but everything is not God. In this way you have to understand. Don't be misled by the Mayavadi philosophy that "Everything is God and my knowledge is finished." That is imperfect knowledge. Then the origin of everything, what is the nature of that origin? That is being explained now. Vasudeva is everything, accepted, but whether Vasudeva is a living being or a dull matter. Nowadays the theory, scientists' theory, is going on that life is made of chemicals. That means matter. This has been discussed five thousand years ago by Vyasadeva, whether the origin of life is life or matter. So he says that the origin of everything is life because Vasudeva is also life. And now you come to your argument and reason, whether origin of life is matter or life. That you have to discuss. So here it is said that origin is life because here it is said, yato 'nvayad itaratas ca arthesu abhijnah svarat. Just like if I am taken as the origin of this Krsna consciousness movement, that means I know everything directly and indirectly of all this movement. If I do not know directly or indirectly everything of this movement, then I cannot be called the founder-acarya. And as soon as the origin becomes a knower, he is life. So therefore dull matter cannot be the knower of everything.

Now it is said, yato 'nvayad itaratas ca arthesu abhijnah svarat. He is abhijnah. Abhijnah means cognizant. The original and source of everything, He has His brain. He knows. He has the power of knowledge. Everything is there. That is the reason. Anything material we think... Just like this microphone. This microphone is combination of some metal and some wires or anything is metal or something plastic. But they have not combined together automatically. A person who knows the art, he has combined all of them together. Now it is acting. Now, if this microphone is not in order, then I will have to take to the person who knows what is indirectly and directly the composition of the microphone. Therefore the origin of everything or the original source of everything, He is the knower. He is not dull matter. So therefore it is stated here, abhijnah. Abhijnah means perfectly knower. Now, it can be said that abhijnah... perfect knowledge is received from the superior person. Just like I do not know what is the mechanical arrangement of this microphone. But if I want to know it, then I must go to a perfect knower who can explain (to) me that these ingredients or these parts of the machine are there. Therefore the question may be raised that "The original source of everything is knower of everything, accepting, but where He got the knowledge?"

Just like sometimes the atheist class of men enquire that "If God is the original father, the supreme father of everyone, then who is God's father?" The answer is that God has no father; He is self-sufficient. Therefore this word is used, svarat. Svarat means self-sufficient. So far we are concerned, I have got my father, my father has got father, his father has got father, father, father, go on. When you come to a person who has no more father, that is God. (laughter) That is the test. If we find somebody that he has no father, then He is God. And if some rascal comes and says, "I am God," then you ask him, "Whether you have got father?" As soon as he says that "Yes, I have got father," then he is dog. So in your country so many imitation gods come. I know this. But you ask them, to test him, "Whether you have got father?" If he says, "Yes, I have got father," then you say, "You are dog." Therefore God's another name is unborn. Unborn means He is not begotten by any father. That is stated in the Vedic language, that advaitam acyutam... govindam adi-purusam. Isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1], anadir adih. Anadi means He has no source of emanation. But He is adi. He is the original source of everything. Therefore it is said, anadir adih. Anadi means He is without any source. But everyone is on account of His presence. Now, it is simple understanding. There is no difficulty to understand God. Anadir adih. Everyone has got adi. Just like I have got my father, father has got his father, his father, his..., adi. Adi means the original source. But when you go to Krsna, or God, He has no adi. He is self-sufficient. Try to understand the simple formula of understanding God, that God has no origin, but He is the origin of everything.

Now, the next question would be... According to Vedic information, the original person is Lord Brahma. When there was creation, the first created being was Lord Brahma. Then from Brahma, all other living entities expanded. This is the creation understanding. So one may mistake, "Then Lord Brahma is, the Supreme Personality of Godhead because He has no..., nobody knew that by whom born Lord Brahma was born." It may be questioned like that. But Brahma is not the original source of everything. Although he has created this universe, he is not the original source. Therefore it is explained here that the original person is Vasudeva, or Krsna, and He gave intelligence to Brahma to create this universe. But if we put this argument that "Brahma was alone. How he took instruction from the superior person?" therefore it is said, tene brahma hrda: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead Vasudeva instructed him from within the heart." That is not only for Brahma. That is not the only prerogative of Brahma. Krsna, we have already stated, is seated in everyone's heart. If you want to consult Him, He can give you instruction. The only thing is that you have to become qualified like Brahma so that you can received instruction from Him within the heart. And what is that qualification? That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita, that

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

Krsna says that "I am situated in everyone's heart. Simply one has to become qualified to hear Me." And what is that qualification? That qualification is practice of bhakti-yoga. It is said, tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam. Bhajatam priti-purvakam means bhakti-yoga, always engaged in service of the Lord with love and affection. So tesam, those who are always, twenty-four hours, engaged in loving service of the Lord, to him only He gives instruction, "You do like this." And what is that instruction? Yena mam upayanti te. The instruction is meant for giving him facilities to come back to home, back to Godhead. Here in this material world we are struggling for existence, and therefore we are not happy here. Therefore Krsna says that sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "You give up all these rascal engagement; you simply just surrender unto Me." And when we are surrendered, that surrender is om namo bhagavate vasudevaya. That means "Krsna, Vasudeva, I accept Your proposal. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You." Then begin your loving service to render to Krsna, and gradually you will get instruction from within, "You do like this, you do like this, you do like this." So it is not difficult for anyone. It is very simple thing. And what is that simple thing? Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65], means "Always think of Me, man-manah. You just become My devotee." Unless one is devotee he cannot always think of Krsna. That is not possible. On the other hand, who thinks of Krsna twenty-four hours, he is devotee. Therefore we are spreading this news that "You chant Hare Krsna." The chanting of Hare Krsna means thinking of Krsna. Krsna says, man-mana bhava: "Just always think of Me." In other place He says,

yoginam api sarvesam
mad-gatenantar-atmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo mam
sa me yuktatamo matah
[Bg. 6.47]

He says that "Anyone who is always thinking of Me within his heart, he is first-class yogi." So the yoga system is very popular in your country, but this is the example of becoming first-class yogi. And you haven't got to take so much trouble by pressing your nose or dipping your head or this... Simply chant Hare Krsna. And you become first-class yogi. And as soon as you become first-class yogi, all power is within you. Perhaps you do not know the yogic perfection, eight kinds of power. Simply gymnastic practice is not yoga. You must attain the power. The power is anima, laghima, mahima, prapti-siddhi, vasita, isita, like that. Anima means you can become smaller than the smallest. One who has attained yogic perfection, he can become... You lock up anywhere, and he will come out. This is yoga-siddhi, not that a yogi is locked up and he cannot come out. That is simply gymnastic. So yoga-siddhi. The yoga-siddhi you can get when you become perfect yogi. Mahima also. You can float in the air. That is called laghima. Now the aeroplane is going in the air very good speed, but when you get yoga-siddhi your speed becomes... You become very light. You can go anywhere in a moment. It is speedier than the mind. Just like mind -- you are sitting here, and your paternal home may be ten thousand miles away, but by mind you can go immediately. This is mental speed. You cannot take your body immediately there, but you can take your mind there immediately. So why it is possible? Because mind is finer than this gross body. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, indriyani parany ahur indriyebhyah param manah, manasas tu para buddhih [Bg. 3.42]. The finer, finer, finer. Just like this gross body. This gross body means senses. The finer than this is the mind.

So yoga system means to control the mind. By controlling mind, you can control the senses. Because mind is the master of the senses. Then above mind, still finer, is the intelligence. So you can train up your mind with intelligence. That is the best intelligence, when one engages the mind in Krsna consciousness. Then you will get instruction from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, sitting anywhere. So these things can be understood gradually after purifying the mind. At the present moment, on account of our material contamination, our mind is contaminated with so many material things. If you purify your mind, then you come to the spiritual platform. That is intelligence, via media between the spirit and the mind. First of all body, finer than the body is mind. Then finer than the mind is the intelligence. And finer than the intelligence is the soul. So if you keep your mind always engaged at the lotus feet of Krsna, then it becomes purified. So this is the movement of Krsna consciousness, how to fix up the mind always at the lotus feet of Krsna. And it is for bhakti-yoga. So if you practice this bhakti-yoga, then everything will be perfect in your life. We are spreading this bhakti-yoga, all over the world, and here is one of the centers. You take advantage of it. It is not sentimental. It is authorized on scientific basis, philosophical basis. So we have got so many books, about fifty books about this Krsna consciousness movement. You can read them. You can ask the devotees if you cannot understand, and chant Hare Krsna and make your life perfect. Now thank you very much, if you have got any question you can ask. [break] Samadhi means always remain thinking of Krsna.

Girl: (translated by Hrdayananda)[break] She says at the temple there is much maya and that the people who live in the temple are phonies.

Prabhupada: And where there is no maya? Tell me a place where there is no maya. We shall go there. (laughter) In the temple there is no maya. Because I am in maya, I am thinking that temple is maya. That is said in the Bhagavad-gita, mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te: [Bg. 7.14] "One, anyone, who surrenders to Me, he overcomes the influence of maya." Therefore... Every member in this temple, they are surrendered. Therefore they are not in maya.

Guest: (translated by Hrdayananda) How many different paths are there for self-realization?

Prabhupada: Only one path. God is one, and to realize Him, the path is one. There cannot be two paths. Just like suppose in India. So India is from here to the eastern side? Yes. This is an example. But you cannot find in the western side. Just like Columbus. He wanted to discover India. He did not go to the eastern side; he went to the western side. So he found America, that's all. So if you want to find out God, then you have to take the right path. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. He never says, "By jnana, karma, yoga one can achieve God." That is not possible. Only by bhakti. So if you want to have God, then you have to take to these devotional activities, but if you want to have maya, you can take different paths. [break]

Guest: (translated by Hrdayananda) ...there's only one path straight. He was saying how Columbus also, if he would have kept going, he could have...

Prabhupada: But he is going to the... Yes, you are right. If Columbus would have gone still farther, farther, western side, and he could have gained India. That means if you take other path, then you will achieve God after many, many lifes, not... [break]

Hrdayananda: ...God is light and that, within us, inside of us.

Prabhupada: Yes. That everyone will say, one who is (in) knowledge. So if you follow Bible, you also get knowledge. That is knowledge. We are after seeing people, that he has got knowledge of God. It is not a question of Bible or Bhagavad-gita. We want that you become God conscious. That is our movement. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam there is no such mention as Christian religion, Hindu religion, Muslim religion or Buddha religion. There are so many... No. Bhagavata says, sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje: [SB 1.2.6] "That is first-class religion which helps one to love God." So we are propagating teaching people how to love God. That is our mission. We don't say that you become Christian or Hindu or Muslim or..., no. You become a lover of God. So comparatively, the process which we are recommending, that is the easiest process. That is admitted by one priest in Boston. He said that "These boys and girls are our countrymen or our boys. Before this movement, they did not come to the church, and now how they are mad after God?" So therefore this is the easiest process, to become pure and go back to home, back to Godhead. Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 21, 1975