Surpassing These Senses

73/08/08 London, Bhagavad-gita 2.8

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Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

na hi prapasyami mamapanudyad
yac chokam ucchosanam indriyanam
avapya bhumav asapatnam rddham
rajyam suranam api cadhipatyam
 [Bg. 2.8]

"I can find no means to drive away this grief which is drying up my senses. I will not be able to destroy it if even if I win an unrivalled kingdom on the earth with sovereignty like the demigods in heaven."

Prabhupada: Na hi prapasyami mamapanudyad. This is the position of material existence. We are sometimes in difficulty. Not sometimes. Always, we are in difficulty, but we call it sometimes, because to get over the difficulty, we make some attempt, and that attempt-making is taken as happiness. Actually there is no happiness. But sometimes, with the hope that: "By this attempt, I shall become happy in future,"... As the so-called scientists are dreaming: In future, we shall become without death." So many, they are dreaming. But those who are sane persons, they say: "Trust no future, however pleasant."

So that is the actual position. Na hi prapasyami mamapanudyad. Therefore he has approached Krsna: sisyas te 'ham [Bg. 2.7]. "I, now I become your sisya." "Why you have come to Me?" "Because I know nobody else can save me from this dangerous position." This is real sense. Yac chokam ucchosanam indriyanam. Ucchosanam. When we are put into great difficulties, it dries up the existence of the senses. No sense enjoyment also can make us happy. Ucchosanam indriyanam. Here happiness means sense gratification. Here... Actually this is not happiness. Real happiness is described in the Bhagavad-gita: atindriyam, sukham atyantikam yat tat atindriyam. Real happiness, atyantikam, the supreme happiness, is not enjoyed by the senses. Atindriya, surpassing, transcendental to the senses. That is real happiness. But we have taken happiness as sense enjoyment. So by sense enjoyment, nobody can become happy. Because we are in the material existence. And our senses are false senses. Real senses -- spiritual senses. So we have to awaken our spiritual consciousness. Then by spiritual senses we can enjoy. Sukham atyantikam yat atindriya. Surpassing these senses. Surpassing these senses means... These senses are, means covering. Just like I am this body. Actually I'm not this body. I'm spirit soul. But this is the covering of my real body, spiritual body. Similarly, spiritual body has spiritual senses. Not that nirakara. Why nirakara? It is a common-sense affair. Just like if you have got a hand, a or two, one or two hands, you have got two hands. Therefore when the hand is covered by some cloth, the cloth also gets a hand. Because I have got hand, therefore my dress has got a hand. Because I have got my legs, therefore my covering, dress, has got legs, pant. It is a common-sense affair. Wherefrom this body came? This body's described: vasamsi, garments. So garment means it is cut according to the body. That is garment. Not that my body is made according to the garment. It is a commonsense affair. So when I have got hands of my shirt, this is my subtle body or gross body, therefore originally, spiritually, I have got my hands and legs. Otherwise, how it comes? How do you develop?

So originally we are all persons, no imperson. Krsna also says... He'll say that: "These soldiers, these kings, you and Me, My dear Arjuna, it is not that we did not exist in the past. Neither it is that in future we shall cease to exist." So this particular instruction of Krsna, that: "I, You and all these kings and soldiers who have asembled here, they existed. As we are existing now, individual persons; similarly, they existed, individual persons. And in future also we shall exist as individual persons." So where is the question of imperson? These nonsense impersonalists, voidists. Therefore, the principle is to understand things in reality one has to approach Krsna as Arjuna has approached, sisyas te 'ham: [Bg. 2.7] "Now I am Your disciple. You just teach me. Sadhi mam prapannam. I am surrendering. I am not trying to talk with You on equal level."

To accept guru means whatever guru says, you have to accept. Otherwise, don't make guru. Don't make a fashion. You must be ready. That is called prapannam. Tad viddhi pranipatena [Bg. 4.34]. You can understand simply by surrendering, not to test guru. "I shall test him, how, how much he knows." Then what is the use of making guru? No. Therefore Arjuna says that: "Besides You, there is nobody else who can actually satisfy me in this perplexed condition." Yac chokam ucchosanam indriyanam. "My senses are being dried up." Because the superficial senses... That are not actually senses. Real sense is within. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. We have to serve Krsna, Hrsikesa... Krsna is real, and we have to come to that position or reality. Then we can serve Krsna. Hrsikena. Tat paratvena nirmalam. When our senses are purified. Indriyani parany ahur indriyebhyah param manah, manasas tu paro buddhir [Bg. 3.42]. These are different stages. This bodily concept of life means senses. But when you transcend these senses, you come to the mental platform. When you transcend the mental platform, you come to the intellectual platform. When you come to the intellectual platform, when you transcend, then you come to the spiritual platform. That is spiritual form. There are different grades and steps. In the gross bodily platform we demand pratyaksa-jnanam. Pratyaksa means direct perception. There are different stages of knowledge. Pratyaksa, aparoksa, pratyaksa, paroksa, aparoksa, adhoksaja, aprakrta. These are different stages of knowledge. So knowledge acquired in the bodily platform, direct perception, is not real knowledge. Therefore, we can challenge these scientists, so-called scientists. Their basic principle of knowledge is on the bodily concept of life, pratyaksa, experimental knowledge. Experimental knowledge means this gross sense perception. That is experimental. Pratyaksa. Everyone says: "We do not see God." God is not such a subject matter that you can see with this pratyaksa, direct perception. God's another name is Anubhava. Anubhava. Just like in this room we do not see the sun directly. But we know that there is sun. It is daytime. How do you know it? You do not see. But there are other processes by which you can experience. That is called aparoksa. Pratyaksa paroksa aparoksa. In this way, Krsna consciousness means adhoksaja and aprakrta, beyond the senses. Therefore, in the Bhagavad-gita it is said: adhoksaja. Where direct perception cannot reach. So where direct perception cannot reach, then how you can perceive anubhava? That is srota-pantha. That is sruti. You have to take knowledge from the Vedas. And the Vedic knowledge is explained by guru. Therefore one has to take shelter of Krsna as the Supreme guru, or His representative. Then all these troubles, means ignorance, can be dissipated. Yac chokam ucchosanam indriyanam.

So now Krsna may say: "There are, that's all right. You are, for temporarily... You go on fighting. And when you will get the kingdom, you'll be happy. There is no need of making Me guru. Neither it is..." Just like ordinary men, they think that: "We are earning so much money. What is the use of making a guru? I can understand everything in my own way." And another rascal is: "Yes, yata mata tata patha. Whatever their opinion, that's all right. You can make your own opinion." That is going on. You can make your own opinion to understand God. So all foolish rascals, they're making their own opinion. No, that is not possible. Therefore Krsna, Arjuna says: avapya bhumav asaptnam rddham. This is a very significant word. Sapatni. Sapatni means "rival wife, co-wife." If a man has got two, three wives... Why two, three? Our Lord had 16,100. So this is God. Sapatnya, but there is no competition. You'll find in the statements of all the queens in Krsna book, when they were talking with Kunti, er, Draupadi, every wife was giving description that how much she was anxious to become maidservant of Krsna. Nobody is rival. In the material world, if a man has got more than one wife, there is rivalry. Rivalry. This example is given in the Srimad-Bhagavatam that just like we have got our senses, similarly, if somebody has got different wife, so one wife is snatching him that: "You come to my room," another wife is snatching: "You come to my room." So he's perplexed. Similarly we have got these wives, the senses. The eyes are dragging: "Please come to the cinema." The tongue is dragging: "Please come to the restaurant." The hand is driving somewhere else. The leg is driving somewhere. So our position is like that. The same man, who has got different wives and dragging him different room. This is our position. So why this position? Because these wives are rivals. Here: sapatnyam rddham. If there are many kings to claim one property, there is difficulty. And Arjuna says: avapya bhumav asaptnyam rddham. "Getting riches for which there is no other claimant. I am the only proprietor, even if I get such riches, rajyam, such kingdom, suranam api cadhipatyam, not only kingdom of this world, but also kingdom of higher planetary system..." These men are trying to go to the moon planet. But there is, that is also another kingdom, another kingdom. So that kingdom belongs to the higher living entities, those who are known as demigods. They are very powerful. Just like Indra. Indra is very powerful controller of the rains. He has got the thunderbolt. But people do not believe this, but we believe. What is described in the Vedic literatures... Not believe. You have to believe. This is fact. Wherefrom this thunderbolt is coming? Who is arranging for the rain? There must be some director. As in government offices or state, there are so many departmental management, similarly in God's government there must be so many directors, so many officers. They are called demigods. Devarsi-bhutapta-nrnam pitrnam [SB 11.5.41]. Devatah, the demigods, they are also supplying us by the order of Krsna. Just like Indra. Indra is supplying us. Therefore Indra yajna, there is sacrifice for satisfying the different demigods. Krsna stopped this Indra yajna, you know, Govardhana. When Nanda Maharaja was arranging for Indra yajna, Krsna said: "My dear father, there is no need of Indra yajna." That means anyone who is Krsna conscious, for him, there is no need of any yajna. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga, it is very difficult to perform different kinds of yajna. That was possible in the Treta-yuga. Krte yad dhyayato visnum tretayam yajato makhaih. Makhaih means yajna, performing yajna. Yajnarthe karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanah [Bg. 3.9]. So these formulas, these directions, nobody is following. It is not possible in this age. Therefore the sastra injunction is: yajnaih sankirtanair prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah. Those who have got good brain substance, so instead of bothering with so many things, one performs sankirtana-yajna. These are the statements in the sastra.

krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam
sangopangastra-parsadam
yajnaih sankirtanaih prayair
yajanti hi sumedhasah
 [SB 11.5.32]

So here, in this room, especially, krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam, here is Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is Krsna Himself, but His complexion is akrsna, not blackish. Krsna-varnam tvisa... Tvisa means by complexion. Akrsna. Yellowish. Sangopangastra-parsadam. And He's accompanied by His associates, Nityananda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu, srivasadi gaura-bhakta-vrnda. This is the worshipable Deity in this age. Krsna-varnam tvisakrsna. So what is the process of worship? Yajnaih sankirtanair prayair yajanti hi sumedhasah. This sankirtana-yajna as we are performing before Lord Caitanya, Nityananda and others, this is the perfect performance of yajna in this age. Otherwise, no other... Therefore it is becoming successful. This is the only prescribed yajna. Other yajnas, Rajasuya yajna, this yajna, that... There are so many yajnas... And sometimes India, they perform so-called yajnas. They collect some money. That's all. It cannot be successful because there is no yajnic brahmana. The yajnic brahmana is not in existence at the present moment. The yajnic brahmana used to test how correctly they are pronouncing Vedic mantra. The test was that one animal should be put into the fire and he would again come with fresh, young body. Then it is tested that the yajna is being performed nicely. The brahmanas, the yajnic brahmana, they are pronouncing the Veda mantra correctly. This is the test. But where is that brahmana in this age? Therefore no yajna is recommended. Kalau panca vivarjayet asvamedham, avalambham sannyasam bala-paitrkam, devarena suta-pitr kalau panca vivarjayet. So there is no yajna in this age. There is no yajnic brahmana. This is the only yajna: chant Hare Krsna mantra and dance in ecstasy. This is the only yajna.

So rajyam suranam api cadhipatyam. Formerly there were many demons who conquered over the kingdom of the demigods. Rajyam suranam api cadhipatyam. Just like Hiranyakasipu. He spread his authority even over the kingdom of Indra. Indrari-vyakulam lokam mrdayanti yuge yuge. Indrari. Indrari means the enemy of Indra. Indra is the king of the heavenly planets, and enemy means the demons. The demigods and their enemy, demons. Just like we have got many enemies. Because we are chanting Hare Krsna mantra, there are so many critics and so many enemies also. They do not like. So this is always. Now the number has increased. Formerly, there were some. Now there are many. So therefore indrari-vyakulam lokam. When these demons, the population, demonic population increases, then vyakulam lokam. People become perplexed. Indrari vyakulam lokam mrdayanti yuge yuge. So when, at that time, Krsna comes. Ete camsa-kalah pumsah krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. There are list of names of the incarnation of Krsna and God, or God. But after mentioning all the names, the Bhagavata indicates that: "All the names listed herewith, they are partial representation of Krsna. But the name, Krsna is there. He's real, original Personality of..." Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. And He comes... Indrari-vyakulam loke. When people are too much embarrassed by the onslaught of the demons, He comes. And He also confirms. This is sastra. One sastra says He comes in this condition. And Krsna says: "Yes, yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata tadatmanam srjamy aham: [Bg. 4.7] at that time, I come."

So in this Kali-yuga, people are so much disturbed. Therefore, Krsna has come in the form of His name, Hare Krsna. Krsna has come not personally, but by His name. But because Krsna is absolute, there is no difference between His name and Himself. Abhinnatvan nama-naminoh. Nama-cintamani krsna-caitanya-rasa-vigrahah purnah suddho nitya-muktah. Name is full. As Krsna is full, complete, similarly, Krsna's name is also full, complete. Suddha. It is not material things. Purnah suddhah nityah. Eternal. As Krsna is eternal, His name is also eternal. Purnah suddhah nitya-muktah. There is no material conception in chanting Hare Krsna mantra. Abhinnatvan nama-naminoh. Nama, the holy name and the Lord, they are abhinna, identical. So we cannot be happy... Rajyam suranam api cadhipatyam. Even if we get the kingdom of the demigods, asapatya, without any rival, still we cannot be happy so long we have got material conception of life. It is not possible. That is explained in this verse.

What is the time? Thank you very much. That's all. (end)

 

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Satisfying The Senses

73/08/15 London, Bhagavad-gita 2.9

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Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

sanjaya uvaca
evam uktva hrsikesam
gudakesah parantapah
na yotsya iti govindam
uktva tusnim babhuva ha
 [Bg. 2.9]

Translation: "Sanjaya said: Having spoken thus, Arjuna, chastiser of enemies, told Krsna, ‘Govinda, I shall not fight,' and fell silent."

Prabhupada: In the previous verse, Arjuna said that "There is no profit in this fighting because the other side, they are all my relatives, kinsmen, and by killing them, even if I become victorious, so what is the value?" That we have explained, that such kind of renouncement sometimes takes place in ignorance. Actually, it is not very much intelligently placed. So in this way, evam uktva, "saying that, ‘So there is no profit in fighting,' " evam uktva, "saying this," hrsikesam, he is speaking to the master of the senses. And in previous verse he has said, sisyas te 'ham prapannam: [Bg. 2.7] "I am Your surrendered disciple." So Krsna becomes guru, and Arjuna becomes the disciple. Formerly they were talking as friends. But friendly talking cannot decide any serious question. When there is some serious matter, it must be spoken between authorities.

So hrsikesam, I have several times explained. Hrsika means the senses, and isa means the master. Hrsika-isa, and they join together: Hrsikesa. Similarly, Arjuna also. Gudakesa. Gudaka means darkness, and isa... Darkness means ignorance.

ajnana-timirandhasya
jnananjana-salakaya
caksur-unmilitam yena
tasmai sri-guruve namah

Guru's duty is... A sisya, a disciple, comes to the guru for enlightenment. Everyone is born foolish. Everyone. Even the human beings, because they are coming from the animal kingdom by evolution, so the birth is the same, ignorance, like animals. Therefore, even though one is human being, he requires education. The animal cannot take education, but a human being can take education. Therefore sastra says, nayam deho deha-bhajam nrloke kastan kaman arhate vid-bhujam ye [SB 5.5.1]. I have several times recited this verse, that now... In the lower than human being condition, we have to work very hard simply for four necessities of life: eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Sense gratification. Main object is sense gratification. Therefore everyone has to work very hard. But in the human form of life, Krsna gives us so much facilities, intelligence. We can make our standard of living very comfortable, but with the purpose of attaining perfection in Krsna consciousness. You live comfortably. That's all right. But don't live like animals, simply increasing sense gratification. The human effort is going on how to live comfortably, but they want to live comfortably for sense gratification. That is the mistake of the modern civilization. Yuktahara-viharas ca yogo bhavati siddhih. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said yuktahara. Yes, you must eat, you must sleep, you must satisfy your senses, you must arrange for defense -- as much as possible, not to divert attention too much. We have to eat, yuktahara. That's a fact. But not atyahara. Rupa Gosvami has advised in his Upadesamrta,

atyaharah prayasas ca
prajalpo niyamagrahah
laulyam jana-sangas ca
sadbhir bhaktir vinasyati
 [NoI 2]

If you want to advance in spiritual consciousness -- because that is the only objective of life -- then you should not eat more, atyaharah, or collect more. Atyaharah prayasas ca prajalpo niyamagrahah. That is our philosophy.

The other day in Paris one press reporter came to me, the Socialist Press. So I informed him that "Our philosophy is that everything belongs to God." Krsna says bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram [Bg. 5.29]. "I am the enjoyer, bhokta." Bhokta means enjoyer. So bhoktaram yajna-tapasam. Just like this body is working. The whole body is working, everyone's, to enjoy life, but wherefrom the enjoyment begins? The enjoyment begins from the stomach. You have to give sufficient nice foodstuffs to the stomach. If there is sufficient energy, we can digest. If sufficient energy, then all other senses become strong. Then you can enjoy sense gratification. Otherwise it is not possible. If you cannot digest.... Just like we are now old man. We cannot digest. So there is no question of sense enjoyment. So sense enjoyment begins from the stomach. The luxuriant growth of the tree begins from the root, if there is sufficient water. Therefore the trees are called pada-pa. They drink water from the legs, the roots, not from the heads. Just like we eat from the head. So there are different arrangements. As we can eat from the mouth, the trees, they eat from their legs. But one must eat. Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithuna. Eating is there, either you eat through your legs or your mouth or your hands. But so far Krsna is concerned, He can eat from anywhere. He can eat from hands, from legs, from eyes, from ears, anywhere. Because He is complete spiritual. There is no difference between His heads and legs and ears and eyes. That is stated in the Brahma-samhita,

angani yasya sakalendriya-vrttimanti
pasyanti panti kalayanti ciram jaganti
ananda-cinmaya-sadujjvala-vigrahasya
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
 [Bs.5.32]

So as in this body our sense enjoyment should begin from the stomach, similarly, as the tree begins developing luxuriantly from the root, similarly, Krsna is the origin of everything, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1], root. So without Krsna consciousness, without pleasing Krsna, you cannot be happy. This is the system. Therefore how Krsna will be pleased? Krsna will be pleased that... We are all Krsna's sons, God's sons. Everything Krsna's property. These are fact. Now, we can enjoy taking prasadam of Krsna, because He is the proprietor, bhokta, enjoyer. So everything should be given first to Krsna, and then you take the prasadam. That will make you happy. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Bhunjate te tv agham papam ye pacanty atma-karanat: "Those who are cooking for eating themselves, they are simply eating sin." Bhunjate te tv agham papam ye pacanty atma... Yajnarthat karmano 'nyatra loko' yam karma... Everything should be done for Krsna, even your eating, anything. All sense enjoyment, you can enjoy. But after Krsna has enjoyed. Then you can eat. Therefore Krsna's name is Hrsikesa. He is the master. Master of the senses. You cannot enjoy your senses independently. Just like the servant. Servant cannot enjoy. Just like the cook cooking very, very nice foodstuffs in the kitchen, but he cannot eat in the beginning. That is not possible. Then he will be dismissed. The master first of all must take, and then they can enjoy all the nice foodstuffs.

So Krsna is the master of the senses. The whole world is struggling for sense gratification. Here is the simple philosophy, truth, that "First of all let enjoy, let Krsna enjoy. He is the master. Then we enjoy." Tena tyaktena bhunjitha. The Isopanisad says everything belongs to Krsna. Isavasyam idam sarvam: [Iso mantra 1] "Everything belongs to Krsna." This is the mistake. Everything belongs to Krsna, but we are thinking, "Everything belongs to me." This is illusion. Aham mameti [SB 5.5.8]. Aham mameti. Janasya moho 'yam aham mameti. This is illusion. Everyone is thinking, "I am this body, and everything, whatever we find in this world, that is to be enjoyed by me." This is the mistake of civilization. The knowledge is: "Everything belongs to God. I can take only whatever He gives me, kindly allows." Tena tyaktena bhunjitha. This is not Vaisnava philosophy; this is the fact. Nobody is proprietor. Isavasyam idam sarvam [Iso mantra 1]. Every... Krsna says, "I am enjoyer. I am the proprietor." Sarva-loka-mahesvaram [Bg. 5.29]. Maha-isvaram. Maha means great. We can claim isvaram, controller, but Krsna is described as maha-isvaram "controller of the controller." That is Krsna. Nobody is independently controller.

So therefore Krsna is described, Hrsikesa. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. And bhakti means to serve Hrsikesa by the hrsika. Hrsika means senses. Krsna is the master of the senses, and therefore, whatever senses I have got, the master is Krsna, proprietor is Krsna. So when our senses are engaged in the satisfaction of the master of the senses, that is called bhakti. This is the definition of bhakti, devotional service. And when the senses are engaged for sense gratification, not for the master, that is called kama. Kama and prema. Prema means to love Krsna and do everything for satisfaction of Krsna. That is prema, love. And kama means everything done for the satisfaction of my senses. This is the difference. The sense is the medium. Either you do it, satisfy your senses, or you satisfy Krsna's senses. But when you satisfy Krsna's senses, you become perfect, and when you satisfy your senses, you become imperfect, illusioned. Because you cannot satisfy your senses. That is not possible without Krsna. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170].

Therefore one has to purify the senses. At the present moment, everyone is trying to satisfy his senses. Aham mameti. Janasya moho 'yam [SB 5.5.8]. Pumsah striya maithuni-bhavam etat. The whole material world is that... There are two living entities, male and female. The male is trying also, satisfy his senses, and the female is also trying to satisfy her senses. Here the so-called love means... There is no love. It cannot be love. Because the man and woman, nobody is trying to satisfy the other party's senses. Everyone is trying to satisfy his or her senses. A woman is loving a man for satisfying her senses, and the man is loving a woman for satisfying. Therefore, as soon as there is some little disturbance in the sense gratification, divorce. "I don't want it." Because the central point is personal sense gratification. But we can make a picture, show-bottle, "Oh, I love you so much. I love you so much." There is no love. It is all kama, lust. In the material world, there cannot be possibility of love. It is not possible. The so-called is cheating, cheating only. "I love you. I love you because you are beautiful. It will satisfy my senses. Because you are young, it will satisfy my senses." This is the world. Material world means this. Pumsah striya maithuni-bhavam etat. The whole basic principle of this material world is sense gratification. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham kanduyanena karayor iva duhkha-duhkham [SB 7.9.45].

This material world, so-called love, society, frienship and love -- everything is depending on that sense gratification, maithunadi, beginning from sex. Yan maithunadi grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham. So when one becomes free from this maithunadi-sukham, he is liberated, he is liberated, svami, gosvami. So long one is attached to this maithunadi, sex impulse, he is neither svami nor gosvami. Svami means when one becomes master of the senses. As Krsna is the master of senses, so when one becomes Krsna conscious, he becomes master of the senses. It is not that senses should be stopped. No. It should be controlled. "When I require, I shall use it; otherwise not." That is master of senses. "I shall not act impelled by the senses. Senses should act under my direction." That is svami.

Therefore Arjuna is called Gudakesa. He is master of... He is also, when he likes. He is not a coward, but he is compassionate because he is devotee. Because he is devotee of Krsna... Anyone who becomes a devotee of Krsna, all the good qualities manifest in his body. Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah. All godly qualities. So Arjuna, he is also... Otherwise how he can become intimate friend of Krsna unless of the same position? Friendship becomes very strong when both the friends (are) on equal level: same age, same education, same prestige, same beauty. The more similarity of position, then the friendship is there, strong. So Arjuna is also on the same level of Krsna. Just like if somebody becomes friend of the president, friend of the king or queen. So he is not ordinary man. He must be of the same position. Just like the Gosvamis. The Gosvamis, when they gave up their family life... It is described by Srinivasa Acarya, tyaktva turnam asesa-mandala-pati-srenim sada tucchavat. Mandala-pati, big, big leaders, mandala-pati. Big, big leaders, zamindars, big, big, big men. He was minister. Who can become his friend unless he is also a very big man? So Rupa Gosvami gave up their company. As soon as Rupa Gosvami and Sanatana Gosvami became acquainted with Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, immediately they decided that "We shall retire from this ministership and join Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to help Him." To serve Him, not to help Him. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu doesn't require anyone's help. But if we try to associate and try to serve Him, then our life becomes successful. Just like Krsna says... Krsna came to preach Bhagavad-gita. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That was His mission, that "These rascals have become servant of so many things: society, friendship, love, religion, this, that, so many things, nationality, community. So these rascals should stop all this nonsense business." Sarva-dharman parityajya: "Give up all this nonsense. Simply just become surrendered unto Me." This is religion. Otherwise, how Krsna is advising that sarva-dharman parityajya, [Bg. 18.66] "You give up all religious system?" He came -- dharma-samsthapanarthaya. He came to reestablish the principles of religion. Now He says, sarva-dharman parityajya: "Give up all." That means anything without Krsna consciousness, without God consciousness, they are all cheating religion. They are not religion. Religion means dharmam tu saksat bhagavat-pranitam, the order of the Supreme Lord. If we do not know who is the Supreme Lord, if we do not know what is the order of the Supreme Lord, then where is religion? That is not religion. That may go on in the name of religion, but that is cheating. So the Bhagavad-gita ends: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. And Bhagavata begins from that point.

Therefore Bhagavad-gita is the preliminary study of Srimad-Bhagavatam. Bhagavata begins, dharmah projjhita-kaitavah atra: "Now, in this Srimad-Bhagavatam, all cheating type of religions are rejected, projjhita." So there is link. Real religion means to love God. That is real religion. Therefore Bhagavata says, sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhoksaje: [SB 1.2.6] "That is first-class religion." It doesn't mean that you follow this religion or that religion. You may follow any religion. It doesn't matter, either Hindu religion or Christian religion or Mohammedan religion, anything you like. But we have to test. Just like a student who has passed M.A. examination. Nobody inquires, "From which college you have passed your examination? You have passed M.A. examination? That's all right." And we are concerned, whether you are graduate, postgraduate. That's all. Nobody inquires, "From which college, from which country, from which religion, you have passed your M.A. examination?" No. Similarly, nobody should inquire, "To which religion you belong?" One must see whether he has learned this art, how to love God. That's all. That is religion. Because here is the religion: sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This is religion. Bhagavata says. Dharmah projjhita-kaitavah atra: "All cheating type of religion is kicked out from this Bhagavatam." Only nirmatsaranam, those who are not envious of God... "Why shall I love God? Why shall I worship God? Why shall I accept God?" They are all demons. For them only, Srimad-Bhagavatam, for them only those who are actually serious to love. Ahaituki apratihata yenatma samprasidati.

So real success of life is that when you learned how to love God. Then your heart will be satisfied. Yam labdhva caparam labham manyate nadhikam tatah. If you get Krsna or God... Krsna means God. If you have got another name of God, that is also accepted. But God, the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Person. When you have got this... Because we are loving somebody. The loving propensity is there. In everyone. But it is misdirected. Therefore Krsna says, "Kick out all these loving objects. Try to love Me." Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam [Bg. 18.66]. In this way your loving will never be able to satisfy you. Yenatma samprasidati. If you want real satisfaction, then you must love Krsna, or God. That is the whole philosophy of..., Vedic philosophy. Or any philosophy you take. Because after all, you want satisfaction of yourself, full satisfaction of your mind. That can be only achieved when you love God. Therefore that religion is first-class which teaches, which trains the candidate how to love God. That is first-class religion. Sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktih... [SB 1.2.6]. And that love not with a motive. Just like here in this material world, "I love you; you love me." Background is some motive. Ahaituky apratihata. Ahaituki, no motive. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11]. All other desires making zero. Zero. That will be taught in the Bhagavad-gita. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Cc. Madhya 19.167]. People are working... Somebody is working for knowledge and somebody is working for sense gratification. This is the material world. This is the material world. Somebody is trying to become very big scholar, knowledge, "What is this? What is this? What is this?" Not for understanding God, but for having some superfluous knowledge. So this is called jnana. And karma means working day and night for sense gratification. So bhakti is transcendental. Anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam [Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.1.11]. Not tinted by all these contamination, jnana and karma. Therefore Narottama dasa Thakura says, jnana-kanda, karma-kanda, sakali visera bhanda. Either you are engaged in the activities of karma or either you are engaged in the activities of speculative knowledge or acquiring knowledge, this is jnana-kanda and karma-kanda. So Narottama dasa Thakura says that "Both these, jnana-kanda and karma-kanda, are pots of poison. Either you drink this or that, it doesn't matter." Karma-kanda -- according to karma you'll get a different body. Jnana-kanda also. If you actually become very much advanced in knowledge, you can get a body in a brahmana family, in a very educated family. But I'll have to go through the transmigration of the soul, repetition of birth and death. There is risk. I do not know what I am going to get. It is not guaranteed. Little mistake. Little mistake... Just like Bharata Maharaja, little mistake. At the time of..., he was thinking of a deer. Next life he got the life of a deer. Little mistake. Yam yam vapi smaran loke tyajanty ante kalevaram. Because nature is so perfect, at the time of your death, what is the mental condition, you will get a similar body, next life. Karmana daiva-netrena [SB 3.31.1]. Because daiva, Krsna is with you. Krsna will see, "Now he is thinking of become a king. Now he is thinking to become a dog." So Krsna immediately gives you. You take the body of a dog. You take the body of a lion. You take the body of a king. Take the body. Similarly, if you are thinking of Krsna, take the body of a Krsna, immediately. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. This is Krsna consciousness, how to train the mind to die thinking of Krsna. Then your life is successful. Therefore we have to chant Hare Krsna, always think of Krsna. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Then your life is perfect.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.9 -- London, August 15, 1973

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Arjuna Playing the Role of a Rascal

73/08/16 Los Angeles, Bhagavad-gita 2.10

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Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

tam uvaca hrsikesah
prahasann iva bharata
senayor ubhayor madhye
visidantam idam vacah
 [Bg. 2.10]

Translation: "O descendant of Bharata, at that time Krsna, smiling, in the midst of both armies, spoke the following words to the grief-stricken Arjuna."

Prabhupada: So hrsikesah, prahasann iva. Krsna began to laugh, smiling, "What a nonsense this is, Arjuna." First of all he said, "Put me." Senayor ubhayor madhye ratham sthapaya me acyuta [Bg. 1.21]. "Krsna, just put my chariot between the two parties of soldiers." And now... (coughs, aside:) Bring me water. He was so enthusiastic in the beginning that "Put my chariot between the two armies." Now this rascal is saying no yotsya, "I will not fight." Just see the rascaldom. So even Arjuna, Krsna's direct friend, maya is so strong that he also becomes a rascal, what to speak of others. First of all very enthusiasm: "Yes, put my chariot between the two armies." And now in the..., na yotsya iti govindam [Bg. 2.9], "I am not going to fight." This is rascaldom. So he was smiling, that "He is My friend, direct friend, and such a big, and he is now saying that 'I will not fight.' "

So Krsna smiling, this smiling is very significant, prahasann. Tam uvaca hrsikesah prahasann iva bharata, senayor ubhayor visidantam, lamenting. First of all he came with great enthusiasm to fight; now he is lamenting. And Krsna is mentioned here as Hrsikesa. He is solid. He is Acyuta. He is solid. He is not changed. Another significance of this word Hrsikesa... Because in Narada-Pancaratra the bhakti means hrsikesa-sevanam. Therefore this very name is mentioned here, Hrsikesa. Hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate. Bhakti means to serve Hrsikesa, the master of the senses. And the master of senses, some rascals are describing that Krsna is immoral. He is master of senses and He is immoral. Just see how he has studied Bhagavad-gita. If Krsna is perfect brahmacari... Krsna is perfect brahmacari, for... It was declared by Bhismadeva. Bhismadeva is the first-grade brahmacari in the universe. He promised to Satyavati's father... You know the story. Satyavati's father... His, Bhismadeva's father was attracted by a fisherwoman, fishergirl. So he wanted to marry. And the father of the girl denied, "No, I cannot give my daughter to you." So "Why? I am king, I am asking your daughter." "No, you have got a son." Bhismadeva was the son of his first wife, mother Ganges. The mother Ganges was wife of Santanu Maharaja, and Bhismadeva was the only remaining son. The contract was between Santanu Maharaja and Ganges, Mother Ganges, that "I can marry you if you allow me that all the children born I shall throw in the water of the Ganges. And if you do not allow me, then immediately I shall leave your company." So Santanu Maharaja said, "All right, still, I shall marry you." So she was throwing all the children in the Ganges. So this Bhismadeva... So after all, father, so he became very much sorry, that "What is this? What kind of wife I have got? She is simply throwing all the children in the water." So at the time of Bhismadeva, Santanu Maharaja said, "No, I cannot allow it. I cannot allow it." Then mother Ganges said, "Then I am going." "Yes, you can go, I don't want you. I want this son." So he was wifeless. Again he wanted to marry the Satyavati. So the father said, "No, I cannot give my daughter to you because you have got a son, grown-up son. He will be king. So I cannot give my daughter to you to become your maidservant. Her... If I would have thought that her son would be the king, then I can offer you my daughter." So he said, "No, that is not possible." But Bhismadeva understood that "My father is attracted with this girl." So he approached. He said to the fisherman that "You can offer your daughter to my father, but you are thinking that I shall become king. So your daughter's son will be king. On this condition you can offer your daughter." So he replied, "No, I cannot." "Why?" "You may not be king, but your son may be king." Just see, this material calculation. Then at that time he said, "No, I shall not marry. That's all. I promise. I shall not marry." So he remained brahmacari. Therefore his name is Bhisma. Bhisma means very solid, firmly fixed. So he was a brahmacari. For the sake, for the satisfaction of his father's senses, he remained brahmacari.

So Bhismadeva, in Rajasuya-yajna, admitted that "Nobody is better brahmacari than Krsna. He was within the gopis, all young girls, but He remained a brahmacari. If I would have been within the gopis, I do not know what was, what would have been my condition." So therefore Krsna is the perfect brahmacari, Hrsikesa. And these rascals they are saying that Krsna is immoral. No. Krsna is perfect brahmacari. Dhira. Dhira means one who is not agitated even there is cause of being agitated. So Krsna is such a brahmacari. In spite of in His just on the verge of youthhood at the age of 15, 16, years, all the village girls were friends, they were very much attracted with Krsna's beauty. They used to come to Krsna for dancing in the village. But He was brahmacari. You will never hear that Krsna had some illicit sex. No. There was no such thing description. The dancing is description, but no contraceptive pill. No. That is no described here. Therefore He is Hrsikesa. Hrsikesa means perfect brahmacari. Vikara-hetu, even there is cause of being agitated, He is not agitated. That is Krsna. He has got thousands and thousands of devotees, and some of the devotees, if they want Krsna as lover, Krsna accepts that, but He does not require anyone else. He does not require. He is self-sufficient. He does not require anyone's help for His sense gratification. Therefore Krsna is Hrsikesa, the master of the senses.

So at least Krsna's devotees... There are many instances of Krsna's devotees. They are also... Why many? Almost all devotees, they are master of the senses, gosvami. Just like Haridasa Thakura, you know. Haridasa Thakura was young man, and the village zamindar, he was Mohammedan. So everyone was eulogizing Haridasa Thakura, such a great devotee. So the zamindar, the village zamindar, he became very much envious. So he employed one prostitute to pollute Haridasa Thakura. And she came at dead of night, nicely dressed, attractive. She was also young, very beautiful. So she proposed that "I have come, being attracted by your beauty." Haridasa Thakura said, "Yes, that's all right. Come on, sit down. Let me finish my chanting. Then we shall enjoy." So she sat down. But Haridasa Thakura chanting, he was chanting... We, we cannot chant even sixteen rounds, and he was chanting three times sixty-four rounds. How many it is?

Revatinandana: 196.

Prabhupada: 196 rounds. That was his only business. Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna... So sometimes somebody wants to imitate Haridasa Thakura. It is not possible. So Haridasa Thakura, when it became morning, the prostitute, "Sir, now it is morning." "Yes, next night I shall... Come next night. Today I could not finish my chanting." That was a plea. In this way three days passed. Then the prostitute became converted, fell down on his..., "Sir, I came to pollute you. Now save me, I am so fallen." So Haridasa Thakura said "Yes, I know that. I could have leaved this place immediately when you came, but I wanted that you have come to me, you may be converted to this Vaisnavism." So the prostitute became a great devotee by the mercy of... Haridasa Thakura said that "You sit down in this place. You chant Hare Krsna before this tulasi plant. Now I am leaving this place."

So Krsna-bhakti is like that. Full control over the senses. As Krsna has got full control over the senses, similarly, those who are actually Krsna devotees, they have got full control over the senses. Hrsikesa. Just like Yamunacarya. He is praying, he is speaking, yad-avadhi mama cittah krsna-padaravinde nava-nava-dhamany udyatam rantum asit: "Since I have begun to feel transcendental bliss being taken shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna," yad-avadhi mama cittah krsna-padaravinde, krsna-padaravinde, the lotus feet of Krsna. "Since my citta, my heart, has been attracted by the lotus feet of Krsna," tad-avadhi bata nari-sangame, "since then, as soon as I think of sex life," bhavati mukha-vikarah, "I hate, I spit on it." This is Krsna-bhakti. Krsna-bhakti is like that. Bhakti-paresanubhava-viraktir anyatra syat. This most attractive feature in this material world is sex. That is the foundation of material life. All these people are working so hard day and night only for that sex enjoyment. Yan maithunadi-grha... They are taking so much risk. They are working, karmis, they are working so hard. What is their pleasure of life? The pleasure of life is sex. Yan maitunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham. Very abominable activities, but that is their pleasure. This is material life. So Krsna is not like that. But the rascals, they paint picture, and that pictures are very much appreciated, that Krsna is embracing gopis.  Somebody was telling me that... Last... Who came? That Krsna's picture. So when Krsna is killing Putana, that picture they will not paint, or killing Kamsa, or... Krsna has got so many pictures. These pictures they will not, artists. They will simply paint the picture, His confidential dealings with the gopis. One who cannot understand Krsna, what is Krsna, which Vyasadeva has described what is Krsna in nine cantos, to understand Krsna, and then in the Tenth Canto he begins the birth advent of Krsna... But these rascals, they jump over immediately to the rasa-lila. First of all understand Krsna. Just like if you become a friend of some very big man, so first of all try to understand him. Then you'll try to understand his family affairs or confidential things. But these people jump over to the rasa-lila. And misunderstand. And therefore they sometimes say, "Krsna is immoral." How Krsna can be immoral? By accepting, by chanting Krsna's name, the immoral persons are becoming moral, and Krsna is immoral. Just see the foolishness. Simply by chanting Krsna's name, all immoral persons are becoming moral. And Krsna is immoral. And it is spoken by a rascal professor.

So it is very difficult. Nobody can understand Krsna without becoming a pure devotee of Krsna. Because Krsna says, bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. Tattvatah, in truth. Tattvatah means truth. If one wants to understand Krsna as He is, then he has to take this process of devotional service, bhakta, bhakti. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. When one is employed as the servitor of Hrsikesa, the master of senses. Master, and hrsikena, when your senses are also engaged in the service of the master of the senses, then you also become master of the senses. You also. Because your senses are engaged in the service of the Hrsikesa, the senses have no other opportunity to be engaged. Locked up. Sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayoh [SB 9.4.18]. So this is the process of devotional service. If you want to become master of the senses, gosvami, svami, then you should always keep your senses engaged in the service of Hrsikesa. That is the only way. Otherwise it is not possible. As soon as you become a little slack to engage your senses in the service of the master of the senses, immediately maya is there, "Come on, please." This is the process. Krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha kare, pasate maya tare japatiya dhare. As soon as you forget Krsna, even for a moment, immediately maya is there: "Please, my dear friend, come here." Therefore we have to become very cautious. We cannot forget Krsna even for a moment. Therefore the chanting program, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama... Always remember Krsna. Then maya will not be able to touch you. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etan taranti. Maya cannot touch. Just like Haridasa Thakura. He was engaged in the service of Hrsikesa. Maya came in full-fledged strength. Still, she was defeated; Haridasa Thakura was not defeated.

So try to understand Krsna as Hrsikesa. So Hrsikesa, Krsna, began to laugh that "He is My friend, constant associate, and such weakness. He first of all was enthusiastic to ask Me to take his chariot, senayor ubhayor madhye. Now visidantan, now he is lamenting." So... We are all fools like that. Arjuna is not fool. Arjuna has been been described as Gudakesa. How he can be fool? But he is playing the part of fool. If he does not play the part of a fool, how this Bhagavad-gita will come from the mouth of Sri Krsna? And because he is devotee, he is perfectly playing in such a way that Krsna is giving instruction. So perfect teacher and the perfect disciple, Arjuna. We have to learn from their de... Our position... Arjuna is representing just like ordinary man like us, and Krsna is Hrsikesa, giving His advice, perfect advice. If we take, if we read Bhagavad-gita in the spirit of understanding like Arjuna, the perfect disciple, and if we accept the advice and the instruction of Krsna, the perfect teacher, then we should know that we have understood Bhagavad-gita. By my mental speculation, by rascal interpretation, by showing one's scholarship, you cannot understand Bhagavad-gita. That is not possible. Submissive. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. So we have to surrender as Arjuna, he surrendered. Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam: [Bg. 2.7] "I surrender unto You. I become Your disciple." To become disciple means to surrender, voluntarily accepting the instruction, the advice, the order of the spiritual master. So Arjuna has already accepted that. Although he is speaking that na yotsye, "Krsna, I shall not fight." But master, when He explains everything, he will fight. Master's order. Not to fight, that is his own sense gratification. And to fight in spite of he had no desire to fight, that is the satisfaction of the master. This is the sum and substance of Bhagavad-gita.

So Krsna, seeing Arjuna, visidantam very much affected, lamenting, that he is not prepared to do his duty. Therefore in the next verse He begins that asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase: [Bg. 2.11] "My dear Arjuna, you are My friend. Never mind, maya is very strong. Despite your being My friend, personal, you are so much overwhelmed with false compassion. So just hear Me." Therefore He said, asocyan: "You are lamenting on a subject matter which is not at all good." Asocya. Socya means lamentation, and asocya means one should not lament. Asocya. So asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase. "But you are talking like very learned scholar." Because he has talked. But those things are right. What Arjuna has said, that varna-sankara, when the women become polluted, the population is varna-sankara, that is fact. Whatever Arjuna has said to Krsna in order to avoid the fighting, so those things are correct. But from the spiritual platform, those things may be correct or incorrect, but from spiritual platform, they are not to be considered very serious. Therefore asocyan anvasocas tvam. Because his lamentation was on the bodily concept of life. That bodily concept of life, in the very beginning of Krsna's instructions, it is condemned. Asocyan anvasocas tvam: [Bg. 2.11] "You are lamenting on the bodily concept of life." Because anyone who is in the bodily concept of life, he is no better than animal. So our all morality, all social status, all politics, all philosophy, everything is on this bodily concept of life. We want to enjoy senses. Senses means different parts of the body. So one who is interested with the body -- that means one who is interested with the senses -- their only business is how to... (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.10 -- London, August 16, 1973

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You Are Talking Like A Learned Man

73/08/17 London, Bhagavad-gita 2.11

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Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

sri bhagavan uvaca
asocan anvasocas tvam
prajna-vadams ca bhasase
gatasun agatasums ca
nanusocanti panditah
 [Bg. 2.11]

The Blessed Lord said: While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead."

Prabhupada: So, what is that thing which is living and dead? The body. The body is living and dead. So Krsna indirectly or directly chastised Arjuna that: "The behavior that you are showing, it is not like a learned man." Nanusocanti panditah. That means indirectly He said that, "You do not know things are there. Not learned. You are fool." In spite of Arjuna speaking so many things in support of his being nonviolent and not to kill his kinsmen, Krsna chastised him that "You are not learned. You are fool." So this is the position. Those who are under the bodily concept of life, they can speak so many learned things, but after all they are fool.

yasyatma-buddhi-kunape tri-dhatuke
sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih
yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij
janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah
 [SB 10.84.13]

In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, those who are under the bodily concept of life, they are described as follows: Yasya atma-buddhih. Atma means self. Atma-buddhih, in this body, what is this body? Kunape tri-dhatuke. It is a bag of three elements, kapha, pitta, vayu. Mucus, bile and air. So, or ordinarily you can understand, this is a combination, this material body is combination of flesh, bone, blood, mucus, stool, urine, and so many other things. That, we are not self, but the foolish persons, they are taking this lump of matter, bones and flesh, accepting that "I am this body." No learned man will take like that. The whole world is misled under this conception. They are accepting this lump of matter, blood and flesh and bones -- "I am this is I am." This is animal mentality. Animal thinks like that, not learned man. Learned man, one who knows, he will say aham brahmasmi, "I am spirit soul. I am servant of God." This is learned speaking. "I am not this body."

So Krsna is chastising Arjuna because he has accepted, he's becoming His disciple, so the spiritual master has the right to chastise the disciple for right direction like the teacher, like the father. Similarly, although Krsna and Arjuna are friends, but Arjuna has accepted Him as spiritual master. There should not be any compromising words as it is done between friend and friend. The right things must be said that "You are wrong. Don't talk nonsense. Talking like very learned man but you do not know anything." "Why I do not know?" "Because this body, while living, agatasun..." Asun means the living force. While the living force is there, and when the living force is gone, two conditions... This body is moving very nicely because the living force is there. And as soon as the living force is gone out, this nice body will no longer move. It will decompose. "Dust thou art, dust thou beist." "Again become..." It is called panca-bhuta. Mix with the earth. Earth, water, fire, air, sky -- these five gross elements are the ingredients of this body. So as soon as the soul is out of this body, this body again... Conservation of the energy. The earthly energy goes to the earth, the waterly energy goes to the water. It is a combination of earth. water, air, fire. So they become decomposed. And become distributed to different elements. And that is the scientific law, it is called conservation of energy. The energy is never lost. It comes back again to the original stock.

 

So Krsna says this body, either in living force or without living force... Without living force it is called dead. With living force it is called living. In both the condition, a learned man..., learned man means one who knows brahma-bhutah. One who knows Brahman, one who has realized Brahman. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. As soon as one is on the stage of brahma-bhutah stage, he can understand that "I am not this body. I am separate from this body." This knowledge was very common knowledge. At least we can see five thousand years ago. The ksatriyas were fighting severely one another, but still they are not in bodily concept of life. So Arjuna being ksatriya, is so much embarrassed with the bodily concept of life; therefore Krsna chastised him, that "You are not a very learned man. You are talking just like a learned man, but you are not learned man." So this conclusion is to be taken by us. That anyone within this world, if he has got bodily concept of life, he's not a learned man. He's a fool. So this world at the present moment at least, it is a fool's paradise. Nobody is learned. Because everyone is working under the bodily concept of life. This is chastise. This is the first chastisement. Just like before giving lesson, if the student is writing or reading wrongly, then the teacher immediately says, "You fool, it is not like this. It should be like this."

So the first step Krsna took in educating Arjuna... The Bhagavad-gita is now being actually being spoken, bhagavan uvaca. The first basic principle is explained to Arjuna that "You do not know anything. Don't talk just like a learned man." Actually, that is our own... Every one of us in the same position. Just like yesterday, two boys came. No philosophy, talking like nonsense, starvation, as if he has taken, what is called? Contract for stopping starvation. He's starving, everyone is starving, this law, the nature will go on. Somebody, because there are three qualities of the nature -- sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna. So the natural laws will go on under the three laws. Therefore always we shall find three classes or three status of living condition. That will be explained in Bhagavad-gita. Even, everywhere there are different species of life. Everywhere these three qualities are working. Just like there are some good trees. Good trees means which are producing nice fruits and flowers. They are good trees. And there are trees, no fruit, no flower, very long standing. No use. No useful purpose. I've seen in Los Angeles, big, big palm trees, very long, but there is no fruit. In India there are palm trees like that, they bear fruit, very nice fruit, tal. Very sweet fruit. So any tree which does not give us nice fruit or nice flower, that is sinful. Amongst the trees also there are pious trees, there are sinful trees, amongst the animals also there are pious animals, sinful animals. Just like dog and the cow. Cow is pious animal and the dog is sinful animal. So natures, amongst the birds, this crow is sinful bird. And the ducks, white swan, they are pious bird. The peacocks. So similarly in the human society also, there are pious men and sinful men. Those who are pious they have got different position. Janmaisvarya-sruta-sri.... [SB 1.8.26] Pious man means born in very good family, rich family. Janma, aisvarya, aisvarya means riches, opulence. Janma, first-class aristocratic family, brahmana family. Janmaisvarya-sruta, educated, highly educated; sri, beautiful. These are the signs of pious life. And similarly just the opposite, ugly, no education, born in poor family or low grade family, poor. These are the things.

So either you take human life or animal life or birds' life, beasts' life, trees' life, anywhere you go, these three laws are working. Goodness, passion and ignorance. Therefore, always there must be three classes. Middle class, high class and lower class. There must be. So you cannot make one classless. That is not possible. So long the bodily concept of life is there, there must be these three classes. High class, middle class and lower class. So those who are condemned, they must suffer. Everyone is condemned in this material world. But first-class condemned, second-class condemned, third-class condemned. So you'll find this first class, second class, third, you cannot stop it. Just like in Bombay sometimes I showed to my disciples, say in 1935. 1935 means about fifty years ago. Fifty years ago when I was in Bombay, that time I was doing some business. So a class of men, they were living on footpath. Their home (is) on the footpath. They have got a box or a bag and lying on the footpath and eating on the footpath, their, everything on the footpath. Now the same class of men are still there. Now economically, fifty years ago, the value of money was greater. At that time, fifty years ago we were purchasing, say ghee, at most one rupee per kilo. So now you cannot get first class ghee unless you pay twenty-five rupees per kilo. So the value of money has decreased. So that means, in other words people are getting more money. Formerly, one servant was engaged, ten rupees or twelve rupees per month. Now you cannot get a servant unless you pay one hundred rupees. So in that comparison, everyone is getting more money, but still the condition is the same. Condition is the same. This will go on. Even if you get more money, the other circumstances will force you to remain in the same condition as you were fifty years ago. Because you are destined. This is called destiny. You cannot change your destiny. That is not possible.

Therefore Bhagavata says that do not try to change your destiny. Everyone is trying to change the destiny. I am poor man, I must be very rich man. But you cannot change your destiny. Tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovido na labhate yad bhramatam upary adhah [SB 1.5.18]. In this world we are, every one of us are bound up by the laws of karma, destiny. We have got our destiny. So much happiness, so much distress we must have. Because this is a mixture of happiness and distress. Here you cannot have unadulterated happiness. That is not possible in this... Unadulterated happiness, real happiness can be achieved in the spiritual world. Not in the material world. So certain amount of happiness and certain amount of distress we have to enjoy and suffer. You cannot change it. This is the law of nature in this material world.

Therefore Bhagavata says, tasyaiva hetoh prayeteta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatam upary adhah. People are wandering within this material world, living entity, in different forms of life under different conditions of life. But they are not getting the information of Krsna. That is their misfortune. So one who is fortunate during this period of continuous wandering in different species of life on different planets, he contacts another devotee. Guru-Krsna. Or one who is actually anxious to unite with the Supreme Lord, how one gets this consciousness -- by associating with devotees. Just like we are holding this class. Even those who are not devotee, outsider, if they come they can also understand, then he becomes, one becomes very seriously anxious how to understand God, how to go back to home, back to Godhead. Then Krsna immediately helps. This is the process. Krsna is there within your heart. As soon as you become little serious, immediately, Krsna is ready. Krsna is ready, He is sitting with you as a friend. Simply looking for the opportunity when you'll come back to Him. That is Krsna. He's always sitting with you. But we are not willing to go back to home, back to Godhead. We want to become God in this material world. This is our position. Instead of going back to home, back to Godhead, live with God, we want to become God here. That is our position. Therefore, we are suffering. Here, you can... Nowhere you cannot be God. God is one. Nobody can be equal or above Him. Everyone must be subordinate to God. Therefore those who are not learned -- foolish people -- they are trying to be happy in this material world by adjustment and becoming himself God. This is atheism and this is demoniac tendency. But those who are advanced in knowledge, they know that "We are eternally servant of God; we cannot become God. Better to remain servant of God; that is our happiness."

So those who are in the bodily concept of life, they cannot advance in this real knowledge, that we are eternally servant of God. Our constitutional position is like that. If we do not serve God, we do not agree... We are servant of God, but if we deny that "No, I am not servant," so that means I become servant of maya. Servant I'll have to remain. That is my constitutional position. So one must first of all understand what is his identity. So this is the beginning of a lesson given by Krsna, that "You are lamenting for this body. This is not your identity. This is not your identity. You are wrongly thinking." Just like if your coat is some way or other destroyed, that does not mean that you are destroyed. If your car by accident is broken, that does not mean that you are finished. Sometimes we get accident, that is another thing. But I am not the car. I am not this body, I am not this coat. This is real knowledge. Although sometimes we become little sorry, but the identity is different. So Krsna says that "You are talking like learned man, but you do not know your identity. You are not this body."

This is the summary information. Asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase [Bg. 2.11]. So anyone who is not in perfect knowledge, he should not take the position of talking like a learned man. That is cheating and that is foolishness. First of all you know things as they are. Then talk. Otherwise, it is said that it is better not to talk than to talk foolish. It is better to stop talking. Therefore, sometimes in spiritual advancement there is a process, maunam. Maunam means not to talk. Those who are too much foolish, the spiritual master orders him, "Don't talk. Please remain silent." That's all. Because if you talk, you'll talk simply nonsense. Why should you spoil your energy by such nonsense talking? Better stop. The meditation is also like that also. Instead of talking or doing nonsense, if one is remaining silent for some time, it is little good for him. But this meditation and maunam, silence, is not meant for the devotees. They are meant for the lesser intelligent class of men. Devotees' business is always to talk about Krsna. Why they should stop talking? Maunam? No. Kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. Adi 17.31]. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that one has to chant and talk of Krsna twenty-four hours. Where is the question of maunam, silence? There is no question of silence. Silence is for those who are nonsense. "Be silent, don't talk." For them. At least they practice silence means at least they stop talking nonsense. But those who are actually advanced, for them there is no such restriction. Vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane. We should use our talking power for describing the glories of the Lord. Vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane. That is kirtana. That is chanting. Abhavad naiyasaki-kirtane. Just like for seven days when Pariksit Maharaja was going to die... He had only seven days left. So twenty-four hours without any eating or without any drinking a drop of water, he went on hearing from Sukadeva Gosvami. And similarly, Sukadeva Gosvami also went on speaking, speaking Srimad-Bhagavatam. Sri-visnu-sravane pariksit. They got, both of them got salvation back to home, back to Godhead. How? One was hearing, and one was chanting. These two processes. Pariksit Maharaja was hearing and Sukadeva Gosvami was chanting. And what was the subject matter? Krsna. That's all.

So Krsna subject matter is so nice that simply you do not do anything. Simply hear, that's all. You have got God-given ear. You can hear. Sit down. Stane sthitah srutigatam tanuvan manobhih. Srutigatam, sruti means this ear. Srota-pantah. This is called srota-pantah. Getting knowledge by hearing. Satam prasangan mama virya-samvido bhavanty hrtkarna-rasayana-kathah, satam prasangat [SB 3.25.25]. When there is actually sat-sanga. Sat-sanga means this talking of Krsna, hearing about Krsna. When there is, there is no business. Not like a rented reciter or a paid reciter who is earning money by reciting. No, no. Not to hear from him. Actually, he's self-realized, who is working for the Lord, from satam. Satam means devotees. Satam prasanga. Therefore is called satsanga. Satsanga means the association of the devotees. Sat means devotee. Sat means God. Om tat sat. Or everything is asat. Asat means temporary. This material world is temporary. And sat means spiritual. So sat-sanga means spiritual association. Sat-sangan mukta-duh-sangah. The more you associate with sat, with devotees, then you become, more you become liberated. Sat-sangan mukta-duh-sangah. Duh-sanga. We are in the material world, we are simply in association, bad association, duh-sanga. So if we want to get rid of this bad association, we must associate with the devotees. Sat-sangat mukta duhsanga. And satam prasangat mama virya-samvido, if we hear in really devotee's association, then the... [break]

So Arjuna has got the best opportunity. He's hearing from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He has got the... He's so fortunate. He's talking with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, face to face, directly. So our business should be we should follow the footsteps of Arjuna. How to follow the footsteps of Arjuna? As Arjuna understood Bhagavad-gita, you try to understand in that way. Arjuna accepted Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. "Krsna, You are the Supreme Person, Param Brahman, pavitra, the most pure." So if we, similarly, if we, even if we do not understand Bhagavad-gita, if we follow that: "Arjuna has understood like this, that Krsna is the Supreme Brahman, Supreme Personality of Godhead," then you understand everything. This is called parampara. You don't require to, I mean, to tax your brain, what is Krsna. Because now we have got poor intelligence. We cannot do that. But you simply accept what Arjuna says. Then you are perfect. Even I make a, I may become a fool number one, but if I accept... Mahajano yena gatah sa pantha. Mahajana. Those who are authorities, if you follow the authorities, then you understand. Dharmasya tattvam nihitam guhayam. It is very difficult to understand what is religion, what is the process of religion. People are very much puzzled. But if we follow the great personalities... They are also mentioned in the sastras. Svayambhu, Sambhu, Manu, Kumara, Kapila, Manu. So if we follow their footsteps... Just like Arjuna. That, that is, really we understand. "If Arjuna has understood like this, so let me understand like that." That's all. Simple thing. Then we understand Bhagavad-gita. But, if we want to speak very learned scholarly, but do not understand what is Krsna, this is simply waste of time. As the so-called scholars and philosophers are doing. They do not understand Krsna, but talking all nonsense, and such things are very much appreciated by others. That is described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam: sva-vid-varaha-ustra-kharaih samstutah purusah pasuh. These rascals, so-called scholars, so-called incarnation, are accepted by similar class of animals. Sva-vid-varaha. And actually Vedic understanding is to follow the footsteps of the predecessor acaryas who understand things. Then our life will be successful. We'll understand.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.11 -- London, August 17, 1973

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Krsna's Order Is Final

73/08/01 London, Bhagavad-gita 1.45-46

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yadi mam apratikaram
asastram sastra-panayah
dhartarastra rane hanyus
tan me ksemataram bhavet
 [Bg. 1.45]

sanjaya uvaca
evam uktvarjunah sankhye
rathopastha upavisat
visrjya sa-saram capam
soka-samvigna-manasah
 [Bg. 1.46]

Translation: "I would consider it better for the sons of Dhrtarastra to kill me unarmed and unresisting, rather than fight with them.""Sanjaya said: Arjuna, having thus spoken on the battlefield, cast aside his bow and arrows and sat down on the chariot, his mind overwhelmed with grief."

Prabhupada: Yadi mam apratikaram asastram sastra-panayah. It is the custom between the ksatriyas that in the fighting, if the other party hasn't got weapon to fight, this party will supply him weapon, not that the other party without weapon and this party will take opportunity to kill him. This is not the rules and regulation of fighting. There are many rules and regulation of the fighting. Not that "Because he is my enemy, I shall kill him any way." No. There are rules and regulations. If the enemy has broken his chariot, he is fallen down on the ground, the other party also will immediately get down from the chariot. Suppose he is feeling... If one is on the foot and another on the chariot, so he will be in superior position. So therefore the opposite party must also get down from the chariot and walk with him. That means the defeated enemy should be given all opportunities so he may not think that unnecessarily, in weak position, he has been killed. No. So Arjuna says... Arjuna, of course, did later on. When he killed Karna. Karna was without weapon, and he fell down from the chariot. Karna, after falling down from the chariot, and he was trying to raise the wheel of the chariot from the mud, so Krsna asked Arjuna "That this is the opportunity to kill him. You kill him immediately." So at that time he had no weapons and he fell down from the chariot, and in that position he was killed by Arjuna by the order of Krsna. This is violating the laws.

So you can violate the laws on the order of Krsna. You cannot do. This is surrender. When Krsna says that "You do this," although it is wrong, you have to do it. There is no consideration. Just like in fight, the commander says to the soldiers, "Do this." His duty is to do that. He should not think at that time what is right or wrong. Just like Yudhisthira Maharaja, he was advised by Krsna that "Yudhisthira, Maharaja Yudhisthira, you go to Dronacarya and inform him that ‘Your son is dead.' " It was a false information. Because Dronacarya would not die if he is not affected with some lamentation. So Krsna asked Maharaja Yudhisthira that "You go because you are recognized truthful, Dharmaraja. So when you will say, this is also false, he will believe." But Yudhisthira hesitated, "How can I tell lie?" He disobeyed the order of Krsna, and he wanted to become very truthful. For this reason he had to see hell. So in the mundane consideration there are so many things, right and wrong. So long you are on the mundane platform, you have to obey all these right and wrong. But in the spiritual platform, when it is ordered by Krsna... He is above all this duality. He is Absolute. So even if He says to do something wrong... Because He cannot say anything which is wrong. God is all-good. If you discriminate God's order from the mundane platform, then you will be misguided. Anyone who has got firm and fixed up faith that whatever God does, whatever God orders, even from mundane calculation it may be wrong, that is right... That is absolute understanding. So those who are in the spiritual platform, for them, there is no such consideration, which is right and which is wrong. Their only consideration is whether Krsna is pleased. That's all. If Krsna is pleased by inducing me to do something wrong, I will not hesitate to do it. I will do it because it is Krsna's order. Tasmin tuste jagat tustam. My principle should be, "If Krsna is satisfied, then everything is all right." But while we are in the mundane platform, we should not concoct the idea that "Krsna is pleased; let me do that." No. That you, cannot do. You have to follow the rules and regulations. But if you think that it is... You cannot think; neither you can manufacture. So either you should hear from Krsna directly or... That is not possible because we are not in touch with Krsna at the present moment. We are trying to see Krsna through the transparent medium of spiritual master. So we cannot manufacture that "This is Krsna's desire." No. You have to get it confirmed from the transparent medium, spiritual master. These are the principles.

So Arjuna says, yadi mam apratikaram. Pratikaram, apratikaram. Pratikaram means counteraction, and apratikaram means without any counteraction. So he is informing Krsna that "If the other party, dhartarastrah, the sons of Dhrtarastra, other party, they kill me while I am not prepared..." But that is not the regulation of fighting. So therefore he says apratikaram: "Whether if I am not prepared and they kill me all of a sudden, this is wrong. I accept, even they kill me, apratikaram, without I am fully equipped..." Asastram. In the fight, one must be equipped with all weapons. "But when I am not equipped with weapons or I am not willing to fight... Because I am not willing to fight." This has been decided: "I cannot kill my kinsmen. Therefore I am not going to take the step of pratikaram, counteraction. So even in this condition, they come and kill me," yadi mam apratikaram asastram, "I am not fully equipped with sastra, weapons," asastram and sastra-panayah, "and they are fully equipped with weapons," dhartarastra rane hanyus, "so in this condition the other party, my cousin-brothers, sons of Dhrtarastra, if they kill me," rane hanyus, tan me ksemataram bhavet, "I shall prefer that. I am not going to fight. If you think that ‘If you don't fight, then they will take the opportunity...' " He is talking with Krsna. He is already giving the counterargument, that "Krsna, if you think that I don't fight, but they will take the opportunity and kill me immediately, that also I shall prefer, but I am not going to fight. This is my decision." Sanjaya uvaca. So Sanjaya, the secretary of Dhrtarastra... They were sitting in a room. So evam uktva, "thus saying," Arjuna, the person... Arjuna is nominative case. Arjuna, sankhye, "in the battlefield;" rathopastha, "on the chariot," upavisat. You have seen the picture. When Krsna blew His conchshell and from the backside Arjuna is just trying to take his arrow and fight... But instead of fighting, he's visrjya sa-saram capam. "No, no, no. I am not going to..., giving up. Finished. I am no more going to fight." Visrjya sa-saram capam. Why it is? Soka-samvigna-manasah. His mind was overwhelmed with lamentation, that "How can I kill my kinsmen?" This is the position.

So apratikaram, pratikaram. There are two things. Pratikaram means counteraction. Here in this material world, for everything there is counteraction. Just like if you are diseased, so you have to take the medicine. That is pratikaram. The disease is caused by some, what is called, disarrangement within the body. So we have to arrange, we have to set up the disarrangement within the body. That is pratikaram. Medicine, counteraction. Similarly, if somebody is coming to kill you, so you also become prepared to kill him. This is pratikaram. If somebody is drowning in the sea, then you have to give him some help, send some boat or some lifeboat so that he can be saved. So we have got so many... This material world is going on. It is full of dangers. Padam padam yad vipadam. Material world means step by step, simply danger. That is material world. So we have to find out pratikaram, counteraction, how to save yourself from danger. Just like when we walk, we see in so many doors, "Danger." So that you are warned. Sometimes the doors are: "Beware of the dog." So you have to take care, "No, I shall not enter." So everything there is danger, and there is pratikaram, counter, counteraction, how to save yourself from it. This is called struggle for existence. In this material world, there is only this danger and counteraction. I am unhappy; so just to become happy I have to work, I have to get money. Whatever I want... So this is going on. Pratikaram, danger, vipadam. Padam padam yad vipadam. Padam padam yad vipadam na tesam. So samasrita ye pada-pallavam plavam. Anyone who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Krsna, samasrita ye pada-pallavam plavam mahat-padam punya-yaso murareh. Murari. Murari means Krsna. So punya-yaso. He is simply glorified by pious activities. There is no impious activities in Krsna. Krsna is the purest. So whatever He does, that is pure. The rascals they do not know this. They think, "Krsna is immoral." And He has become a professor, teacher. He does not know, he does not understand Krsna. So many big, big professors, learned scholars, they do not understand what is Krsna. And they talking about Krsna. They are taking the position of instructing about Krsna. Just see how rascaldom. You do not know something perfectly, and still, you are talking about it. This is going on. Punya-yaso murareh. What is Krsna? Krsna says, bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyante [Bg. 7.19]. We have to know Krsna. Because as soon as you know Krsna, you become immediately liberated.

So knowing Krsna is not so easy thing. Therefore Krsna says, manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]. First of all you become siddha, perfect. Perfect means perfect knowledge. That is called siddha. And another siddha means very powerful, master of all yogic perfection. That is also siddha. Yogic perfection, eight kinds of perfection,

anima-laghima-praptih
prakamyam mahima yatha
isitvam ca vasitvam ca
tatha kamavasayita

So they obtain eight kinds of siddhis. They are also called siddhas. From material point of view, a perfect yogi can counteract anything, and whatever he likes, he can do. That is called siddhi, asta-siddhi. But still, he is not as siddha as Krsna. Krsna's name is Yogesvara. He is the master of all the yogis. Yogesvara. Yatra yogesvarah krsnah. The yogis also, they are deficient with Krsna's power. Still, some rascals, without any yoga siddhi, they claim that "I have become God." What is your qualification? Have you got all the yoga-siddha? Then how you claim that you are... But rascals, they claim to become God, and other rascals, they also believe that "Here is God." Both of them are animals. Sva-vid-varahostra-kharaih samstutah purusah pasuh [SB 2.3.19]. One who does not know actually what is Krsna, if he accepts somebody, some rascal as God, then he is also animal. That is also animal. One who is claiming that "I am as good as Krsna," he is certainly animal, crazy. He does not know what is the power of Krsna, how much He is Yogesvara. Still, he is falsely claiming to become Krsna. And one who accepts him as Krsna... So Krsna, one should understand first of all Krsna. Without understanding Krsna, if somebody remarks, if he thinks Krsna as ordinary human being, avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam [Bg. 9.11], that is the mudha's business, rascals' business. Krsna, because He comes as ordinary human being, manusya-lila, if we take Him, Krsna, as like me, like ordinary, than I am a mudha. How a human child at the age of six or seven years, one can lift the whole mountain Govardhana? First of all try to understand Krsna, how much powerful He is. How a three-month-old child can kill a big demon, Putana. These things are there in the Bhagavatam about Krsna's life. How do you claim to become as good as Krsna? This is crazy. Animalism.

So Krsna's order must be final. If He says then everything is all right. So here Arjuna's position is: Krsna has already arranged the battle, and he knows that Krsna wants this battle; still, he says that yadi mam apratikaram, he decides in his own way. This is called maya. He knows what is Krsna's desire, and still, he is speaking his own philosophy. That means Arjuna is placing himself on the position of ordinary man. Ordinary man does not know what is Krsna and what is Krsna's desire, and he manufactures his own philosophy and thoughts. That is ordinary man. But Arjuna, he is always friend of Krsna, constant friend. His name is Gudakesa, above all darkness. Certainly he must be. One who is Krsna's friend directly, how there can be ignorance? There cannot be. Then why Arjuna is playing that part? He knows Krsna's desire; still, he says that yadi mam apratikaram asastram sastra-panayah. And no... Tan me ksemataram bhavet. He is playing like that. Because without Arjuna's playing like that, how this Bhagavad-gita will come? This is just like playing on the stage. One very rich man, he is, in a drama, he is playing the part of a very poor man. But actually, he is not poor man. But in the stage he is playing the part of a poor man. Similarly, Arjuna is not bewildered, but for the time being he appears to be bewildered by Krsna's maya, because Krsna wants to speak Bhagavad-gita, for the benefit of the whole world, that what is spiritual knowledge. Therefore this is a stage arrangement.

So pratikaram and apratikaram. Whatever we have manufactured, pratikaram, counteraction, that will be also failure if Krsna does not sanction it. That is realized by Prahlada Maharaja. He says "My dear Lord," Hiranyakasipu, that "people have manufactured so many pratikaram, counteraction." But tanu-bhrtam, "Those who have accepted this material body, they are simply manufacturing things to counteract dangers. But even though they have all this counteracting machine or counteracting agents, still, without Your sanction, this counteracting machine or agent will not be fruitful." So similarly, Arjuna is being protected by Krsna. So even though Arjuna is not well-equipped, apratikaram, still he will be saved. Because Krsna is there. Tavad vibho tanu-bhrtam tvad-upeksitanam. And even one is well-equipped and if Krsna does not like to save him, he'll not be saved. Always mind this. Rakse krsna mare ke, mare krsna rakse ke. This is ordinary, that if Krsna wants to kill you, nobody can save you. And if Krsna wants to save you, nobody can kill you. This is the position. So the examples are given by Prahlada Maharaja: balasya neha saranam pitarau nrsimha. "My Lord Nrsimhadeva, the parents of children, they are not actually protector of the children." Because generally we think that "This child, this boy has got his father, mother, he is well-protected." No. Father and mother... Every father and mother wants to protect the child, but still, the child has to meet some danger and dies. There are so many experience. Similarly, balasya neha saranam pitarau nrsimha. The father and mother is a counteraction for the dangers of the child. But Prahlada Maharaja said, "No, they are not counteraction." It is not that if a child is in danger, because the father and mother is very strong, very rich, he will be able to give protection to the child. No. That is not possible. Then nartasya cagadam. The medicine... A person is suffering from some disease, some fatal disease. If you think "I shall engage first-class physician and I shall supply first-class medicine," if you think, "Then the patient will be saved," no, that is not possible. That is not possible. We have got many experiences like that. Then no rich man would have died. Because he has got money, he can employ first-class physician, first-class medicine, and simply by engaging such things, counteracting, pratikaram, he cannot be saved. There are many examples like that. So the conclusion is tavad vibho tanu-bhrtam tvad-upeksitanam: "If You neglect, if You have decided that this person, this child cannot be saved, then any amount of pratikaram will not help, will not help."

Therefore real pratikaram is Krsna. Real pratikaram is Krsna, counteractive. So better we take shelter of Krsna as Krsna says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. You must always know that no counteraction will be beneficial for us unless we are protected by Krsna. So therefore our business is fully surrender to Krsna and seek His protection. Krsna says, "Yes," aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami, "I shall give you protection." This is Bhagavad-gita philosophy. We have to believe on the assertion of Krsna that "He is prepared to give me all protection, provided I have fully surrendered unto His lotus feet."

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 1.45-46 -- London, August 1, 1973

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