Associate With Faithful

75/02/11 Mexico, Bhagavad-gita 2.11

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Prabhupada:

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

Sri bhagavan uvaca. Bhagavan means the Supreme Being. In the English dictionary when you consult the word God, it is stated there, "the Supreme Being." What is that Supreme Being? We are all living being, but amongst ourself there is comparative, superlative positions. I am here; you are here; he is there. So you may be better than me, he may be better than you, and somebody else may be better than him. In this way you go on searching after one better than the other. When you ultimately come to a point that nobody is better then him, that is Bhagavan.

Bhaga means opulence. So there are six kinds of opulences. One opulence is to become very rich, another opulence is to become very powerful, another opulence is to become very strong, another opulence is to become very famous, another opulence is to become very wise, and another opulence is to become very much renounced. So these six kinds of opulences, when present in the superlative degree, that is Bhagavan. This means, as it is stated in the Vedic literature, na tasya samah adhikas ca drsyate: "Nobody is found equal to Him or greater than Him." In this material world any person you take, next moment you'll find somebody equal to him and somebody greater than him. But the Vedic information is: God means who has no equal and who has no greater person than Him. Actually Bhagavad-gita was spoken by Krsna, and here it is said, bhagavan uvaca. So Bhagavan, the Supreme God, means Krsna. That is the statement in all Vedic literature.

isvarah paramah krsnah
sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah
anadir adir govindah
sarva-karana-karanam
 [Bs. 5.1]

Means that isvara, controller, the supreme controller is Krsna. We are also controller. I control a few people, you control a few men, another control more men, another, more men, or... You can go on. But the supreme controller, who controls everyone, all big controllers, that is Krsna. Therefore, when it is said, bhagavan uvaca, that means the version which is presented herewith was spoken by the supreme controller.

So our process of receiving knowledge is from the supreme controller because, according to the definition already given -- wise, the most wise -- Krsna, or Bhagavan, is the most wise. Therefore, if we receive knowledge from the most wise, then there is no flaw. That is our principle, that we are receiving from Krsna, the supreme controller, directly. Just like when there is some misunderstanding, we take help from the law books because in the law book or in the law court, the decision is obligatory to both the parties. So to give knowledge there are many, many parties, but when we receive knowledge from the Supreme, that is all-inclusive. So here Krsna says, asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase [Bg. 2.11]. Arjuna has accepted the guidance of Krsna. He has said previously that "The position is very perplexing. Therefore I accept You as my spiritual master, and You kindly give me enlightenment." This is the process. We should approach the Supreme or the representative of the Supreme, just like the same example: when there is any controversy, we refer to the law book or to the lawyer, or we take the decision of the law court, and that is final.

So here Krsna says to Arjuna that... Because he has accepted the leadership of Krsna, therefore Krsna is chastising him in this way. He is chastising in this way, that Arjuna was talking with Krsna as friends. So friends means equal status, but he gave up that status. He took the status of a disciple. A disciple means who voluntarily agrees to be disciplined by the spiritual master. When one becomes disciple, he cannot disobey the order of the spiritual master. Sisya. Sisya, this word, comes from the root sas-dhatu, means "I accept your ruling." So previously Arjuna has accepted, sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam: [Bg. 2.7] "I am now surrendered to You, and I agree voluntarily to accept Your ruling." This is the relationship between the spiritual master and the disciple. So we have got ten kinds of offenses in chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. So the first offense is guror avajna, means to disobey the orders of guru, spiritual master. One cannot disobey the orders of guru. Caitanya Mahaprabhu, although He is Krsna Himself, he also says, guru more murkha dekhi' karila sasana: [Cc. Adi 7.71] "My guru, My spiritual master, saw Me a fool, and therefore he has chastised Me." So therefore Krsna... Because Arjuna has accepted Krsna as guru, therefore He is chastising him that "You are lamenting on a subject matter which is not done by any learned man." That means "You are not a learned man. You are fool." "The learned man does not do like this" -- that means "You are not learned man because you are doing this." So Krsna said that "You... Practically you are not in the knowledge of things. Still, you are lamenting on the bodily concept of life." Anyone who accepts this body as self, he is not only unlearned, but he is compared with the animal. That is the

statement in the Vedic literature,

yasyatma-buddhih 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]

Go means cow, and khara means ass. So anyone who accepts this body as self, he is animal, he is not human being. That is the beginning of knowledge. People are accepting knowledge from a school, college, university, but at the present moment at least, how many people know that he is not body? Unless we understand this first principle of knowledge, there is no question of spiritual advancement of life. So the beginning of Bhagavad-gita is to give lesson that we are not this body. It will be later on explained that the spirit soul, or the real person, is within this body. Just like we are here. We are within this shirt and coat, but we are not the shirt and coat. So if the shirt and coat is stolen and if somebody becomes mad after it and lamenting, that is not very good sense. Therefore He is saying that asocyan anvasocas tvam: [Bg. 2.11] "You are lamenting on the subject matter which is never done by any learned man." So we shall go further on? Yes? Read, you, purport in Spanish. [break]

Hrdayananda: (translating question from Spanish) ...one does not follow the instructions of guru.

Prabhupada: Then he's misguided. A ship without rudder, or without captain. A ship without captain.

Hrdayananda: (translating) He wants to know why Lord Caitanya is not mentioned in the Bhagavatam with the other incarnations.

Prabhupada: He has not mentioned, but Bhagavata has mentioned. No, you don't bring any other question. You talk about this, which we have lectured. In this way, if you bring other question, that is not... We are discussing one verse. You can put question on this, not irrelevant question. Of course, that is not irrelevant, but not in connection with these verses. So question means in connection with this verse.

Hrdayananda: (translating) How can we understand the guru?

Prabhupada: How do you understand? When you go for treatment to a physician, how do you understand that here is a physician? How do you understand? Tell me?

Hrdayananda: He says by the title and reputation.

Prabhupada: Yes. Some way or other, you know that he is a physician. So similarly, you have to find out guru. Guru... First of all, who requires a guru? That is the question. Because guru is not a fashion... The... It is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, tasmad gurum prapadyeta: [SB 11.3.21] "On account of this, you should go to a guru." What is that account? Tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam: "One who is very much inquisitive to know about spiritual affair, he requires a guru." Spiritual affair means that... We are in this material world. We are suffering. When the question will come in one's mind, "Why I am suffering?" that is spiritual. Just like an animal is being taken to the slaughterhouse. He cannot inquire, "Why I am being taken to the slaughterhouse?" But if a man is being taken forcibly, he'll protest; he will cry; he'll call crowd. Therefore human being can inquire about spiritual affair. So when there is spiritual inquiry, then one requires a guru. And by going to guru, as it is stated, tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. One has to learn by surrendering, pranipata. So first of all there must be a strong impulse to inquire about the transcendental subject matter. Then one requires a guru. Not that, to follow a fashion, that one has guru. Acaryavan puruso veda. Unless one becomes under the control of acarya, he has no perfect knowledge. Therefore the Vedas says, tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet: [MU 1.2.12] "For understanding that transcendental science, one must approach a guru." And what is the symptom of guru? Samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham: Guru means one who has complete knowledge of Vedic version, and not only that, he is a staunch or fixed-up devotee of the Supreme Lord. These are the qualification. The guru strictly follows the Vedic injunction and teaches the same thing to his disciple. That is guru. So first thing is: one must be inquisitive to understand about the spiritual subject matter. Just like you have come here in this temple. You know that here nothing like political meeting is going on. Here something spiritual matter is being discussed. Therefore you have come. This inclination is the beginning of spiritual life. This is called sraddha. Sraddha means faith.

So this sraddha has to be developed further, and to develop this sraddha, or faith, one has to associate with persons who are keeping with this faith. Therefore it is said, adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah: [Cc. Madhya 23.14-15] "First of all faith, then to associate with persons who are devotees and faithful..." In this way, when further development is done, then atha bhajana-kriya, means the learning the process of devotional service. [break] ...gambling, no meat-eating. These are not wanted. In the beginning of life nobody smokes or nobody becomes intoxicated. It is learned by bad association. Similarly, it can be given up by good association. They are called anarthas. Anartha means unwanted bad habits. So when we are children, innocent, we have no bad habits, but as we grow and associate with bad company, we also acquire all these bad habits. So to give up all these bad habits means we have to associate with sadhus or devotees, saintly persons. Then we can give it up. This is called anartha-nivrtti, means giving up all unwanted bad habits. These things are not wanted. Nobody dies if he does not smoke or drink. Nobody dies. So artificially we learn it, so by good association we can give it up. So when we are purified out of all the bad habits, then we become fixed up in spiritual knowledge. So in this way we make advance in spiritual life, and at the last stage we become lover of God. This is the process, and one who teaches this process, he is guru. This is the definition of guru.

Hrdayananda: (translating)

Prabhupada: I do not know what you said. What he said?

Devotee: Devotee is compassionate to the sufferings of others.

Prabhupada: What is that? I cannot follow.

Paramahamsa: There's a tendency for someone who hears this verse to think that one should become callous to the sufferings of others.

Prabhupada: Where it is?

Paramahamsa: Well, there's a tendency to misunderstand it in that way.

Prabhupada: No, when we are teaching, it is because the people are suffering on account of ignorance. Therefore we are teaching. How we are callous? We are not callous; we are very much sympathetic to give them knowledge. How do you say? The devotees are not callous. Why they are touring all over the world, accepting so much trouble, opposition? Because they are very much sympathetic with the people who are suffering out of ignorance. They are the most sympathetic friend of the human society. So this is not true that they are callous. So any other question?

Hrdayananda: (translating) If we've already committed so many offenses to chanting, now, at this point, how can we purify ourselves?

Prabhupada: If you... You don't commit offense. Why do you voluntarily commit offense? You should not commit offense. Then it will be all right, purified.

Hrdayananda: (translating) He wants to know how we can increase our desire for sankirtana.

Prabhupada: By performing sankirtana. Just like if a man drinks and if he drinks, drinks, then you become a drunkard. (laughter) Drink more and you become drunkard. Similarly, chant more and you become perfect chanter.

Hrdayananda: (translating) He wants to know if the greatest offense is to disobey the guru.

Prabhupada: Yes, that is the first offense. Guror avajna, sruti-sastra-nindanam. Sruti-sastra-nindanam guror avajna. If you accept guru and again disobey him, then what is your position? You are not a gentleman. You promise before guru, before Krsna, before fire, that "I shall obey your order; I shall execute this," and again you do not do this. Then you are not even a gentleman, what to speak about devotee. This is common sense.

Hrdayananda: (Spanish)

Prabhupada: You cannot understand? What is that?

Hrdayananda: A devotee, how can he control his tongue?

Prabhupada: He can take prasadam. (laughter) Bhaktivinoda Thakura has said like that, ta'ra madhye jihwa ati, lobhamoy sudurmati, ta'ke jeta kathina samsare: "Out of all the senses, the tongue sense is very powerful. So it is very difficult to control it." So he says, ta'ra madhye jihwa ati, lobhamoy sudurmati: "The tongue is very greedy and very difficult to be controlled. Therefore Krsna has given us one weapon." What is that? Krsna baro doyamoy, koribare jihwa jay, swa-prasad-anna dilo bhai: "Krsna is very kind. Therefore He has given us His remnants of foodstuff." So if we make this promise, that "I shall not take anything which is not offered to Krsna," then your tongue will be controlled. And in the sastra it is said that you cannot understand Krsna... Atah sri-krsna-namadi. Not only Krsna, even His name you cannot understand with these imperfect senses.

atah sri-krsna-namadi
na bhaved grahyam indriyaih
sevonmukhe hi jihvadau
svayam eva sphuraty adah
 [Brs. 1.2.234]

 

"But when you engage your tongue in the service of Krsna, then Krsna reveals Himself." So the tongue's business is twofold. One is with tongue we speak -- it vibrates sound -- and another business is with tongue we taste nice foodstuff. So if you engage this tongue in the matter of Krsna's service by vibrating Hare Krsna mantra, and if you don't allow your tongue to touch anything which is not offered to Krsna, then you become immediately Krsna-realized soul. So when the tongue is controlled, all other senses are automatically controlled. This is the process. Now again engage your tongue, chanting Hare Krsna. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.11 (with Spanish translator) -- Mexico, February 11, 1975

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When To Approach A Guru

75/10/17 Johannesburg, Bhagavad-gita 2.1-11

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Prabhupada: I shall speak some verses from Bhagavad-gita, Second Chapter, in which the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna instructed. The beginning of instruction is the Second Chapter of Bhagavad-gita. So Arjuna, representing ourself, conditioned soul, covered with the material body and thinking in bodily conception of life... He was to fight with his brothers, nephews, grandfather, Bhismadeva, also teacher the military science, Dronacarya. In this way the business was not very palatable. Although he was forced to fight by the opposite party who were very near, thick and thin people, and he had to kill them, so it was not very satisfactory to him. Therefore he flatly denied to fight: "Krsna, I am not going to fight." He left his weapon, and then Krsna was surprised that "My friend, Arjuna, he is denying to fight in My presence."

So Sanjaya, the private secretary of Maharaja Dhrtarastra, he was relaying the message which was going on in the battle of Kuruksetra by higher process. Nowadays we have got experience of the television, but the another process, antar-drsti, that is also television. You can see the reflection of external activities within your heart, and you can explain. So Sanjaya, the private secretary of Maharaja Dhrtarastra, he explained that Arjuna was denying to fight. So,

tam tatha krpayavistam
asru-purnakuleksanam
visidantam idam vakyam
uvaca madhusudanah
 [Bg. 2.1]

Madhusudana is Krsna's another name. So when Krsna saw that Arjuna is unnecessarily disturbed, then, tam tatha krpayavistam asru-purnakuleksanam [Bg. 2.1]. Asru-purna: his eyes was full with tears. "Krsna, I have to fight with my relatives." So he was crying, that "This is not very good business." So why he was crying? Krpayavistam: being merciful upon them. They were so cruel upon the Pandavas that they insulted their wife, they tricked how to take away their kingdom. All this injustice was done to them. Still, because Arjuna is a Vaisnava, a devotee, still, he was sympathetic: "No, no, let them do whatever they have done, but I am not going to kill them." So krpayavistam asru-purnakuleksanam [Bg. 2.1], visidantam. Bhagavan uvaca. Then, after Arjuna being silent not to fight, then Bhagavan... Krsna is Bhagavan. Bhagavan means the Supreme Personality of Godhead, full with all opulences. That is called Bhagavan. Generally in India we speak, bhagyavan. Bhagyavan means one who has got opulences. So Bhagavan means one who is full in opulences -- in wealth, in strength, in influence, in beauty, in education, in renunciation. In these six ways, when one is opulent fully then he can be called Bhagavan. Partially, if one is very opulent, sometimes he is also called Bhagavan, but real Bhagavan, according to sastra, is Krsna. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Others, they may possess some of the opulences, not in full, partially. Just like Narada Muni or Lord Brahma, Lord Siva. They are also sometimes called Bhagavan. But real Bhagavan is Krsna. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Ete camsa-kalah pumsah krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. So here Bhagavan, the Supreme Person, Krsna. Krsna means, as Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya: [Bg. 7.7] "There is no more superior person or element more than Me." And when Arjuna understood Krsna he also admitted, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12].

So Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the origin of Brahman. He is the origin of Paramatma. Brahmeti paramatmeti bhagavan iti sabdyate [SB 1.2.11]. The Absolute Truth is experienced in three ways -- Brahman, Paramatma and Bhagavan. So Bhagavan is the last word of the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Person. Therefore Vyasadeva has purposefully written here, "sri bhagavan uvaca." Bhagavan uvaca mean you cannot exceed the Supreme Person. Nobody can be equal to the Supreme Person; nobody can be more than the Supreme Person. Everyone should be under the Supreme Person. That is the meaning of Bhagavan. So Bhagavan said,

kutas tva kasmalam idam
visame samupasthitam
anarya-justam asvargyam
akirti-karam arjuna
 [Bg. 2.2]

"My dear Arjuna, you are My friend, personal friend, and you are proposing this, which is befitting to the anarya." Anarya-justam: "This is not for the Aryan. You are ksatriya, you are meant for fighting for justice, and you are denying to fight? Oh, this is not good." Anarya-justam: "This kind of proposal, cowardice, can be proposed by the anarya." Arya means the advanced. One who is advanced in knowledge, in civilization, they are called arya, Aryan civilization. So in the Aryan civilization there are four divisions to maintain the society in the correct balance. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. The society must be divided into four classes of men. The first-class means most intelligent class of men. They should be trained up as brahmana. Samo damah satyam saucam titiksa arjavam jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. So this is the beginning of civilization, not that all sudras as it is now in this age. Kalau sudra-sambhavah. Kali-yuga, there is no training how to qualify a section of person to become first-class brahmana. That training is not there, neither ksatriya, neither pure vaisya class. We are proud of our business, vaisya, but vaisya means krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhava-jam [Bg. 18.44]. Vaisya means they should take care of the cows, cow protection, go-raksya. Why go-raksya? Why not other animal raksya? Krsna has not said "animal raksya" or "janawal-(?) raksya." Go-raksya. The cow is very, very important animal. If you want to advance your spiritual consciousness, then you must have sufficient milk and sufficient grains. That is civilization. Therefore it is the duty of the vaisyas to produce food grain. Annad bhavanti bhutani [Bg. 3.14]. Annad. In the society, if you have got sufficient anna, both the animals and the man, they will be happy. These are the instruction in the Bhagavad-gita, everything practical. If we follow Bhagavad-gita from all angles of vision -- social, political, economical, religious, cultural -- you will be perfect. This is Bhagavad-gita. We are therefore taken up this mission, to preach Bhagavad-gita as it is to solve all the problems of the world. That is Aryan civilization. Aryan civilization means following the principles of Bhagavad-gita.

So here Krsna is addressing Arjuna, anarya: "Non-Aryan. You are ksatriya. Your service is now required to fight with persons who have created injustice. So what is this, that you are denying to fight?" Anarya justam. And asvargyam. Asvargyam means "By denying your duty you cannot be elevated in your next life or you cannot be elevated in the higher planetary system." For a ksatriya, it is the duty of the ksatriya to fight and lay down his life. Then he is promoted to the higher planetary system. That is the shastric injunction. If he becomes victorious, then he enjoys this material world, and if he dies, he is promoted to heaven. These things are there. Therefore Krsna is advising Arjuna, asvargyam: "If you deny to fight, then you will be refused to enter in the higher planetary system." Akirti-karam. "And you are known as a great fighter, great soldier and My friend, and this will be going against your reputation. Don't do this." Then He says,

klaibyam ma sma gamah partha
naitat tvayy upapadyate
ksudram hrdaya-daurbalyam
tvaktvottistha parantapa
 [Bg. 2.3]

"My dear friend, parantapa..." Parantapa means one who gives trouble to the enemies. This is the material world. A ksatriya cannot behave like a brahmana, to excuse. Brahmana business is to excuse. Ksama-rupa-tapasvinah. Those who are tapasvi, they can excuse, but those who are in the governmental post, to make justice, there is no question of excuse. Life for life. "You have killed one man; you must be killed." This is justice. A brahmana, he may excuse, "All right, you have killed my man. Never mind. I excuse you." That is a brahmana's business. But a ksatriya, the government, the ruling power, he cannot do so. It is his mercy. It is the government's mercy when a murderer is hanged. That is the injunction in the Manu-samhita. "So parantapa, you are ksatriya. Your business is to punish the unjust." Ksudram hrdaya-daurbalyam: "For a ksatriya this kind of poor-heartedness, that ‘I shall not fight...' Give it up. Don't indulge in such thing."

Then Arjuna replied,

katham bhismam aham sankhye
dronam ca madhusudana
isubhih pratiyotsyami
pujarhav arisudana
 [Bg. 2.4]

He is addressing Krsna as arisudana, the killer of the enemies. He says, "But in my case, I have to fight with Bhisma, Dronacarya. They are my well-wisher, and how can I kill them? It is my duty to offer my respect, touching their feet, and You are enticing me to pierce their body with arrow? So, of course, You have killed so many enemies, but You have killed enemies. Why You are inducing me to kill my grandfather and my teacher?" Of course, Arjuna, also intelligent. He replied that "You cannot accuse me as anarya. This is the consideration. Therefore I am hesitating to fight." Then he says,

gurun ahatva hi mahanubhavan
 sreyo bhoktum bhaiksyam apiha loke
hatvartha-kamams tu gurun ihaiva
bhunjiya bhogan rudhira-pradigdhan
 [Bg. 2.5]

"They are not only my grandfather. They are guru. And mahanubhavan, very great personality, Bhismadeva, Dronacarya. So if I kill them and if I live prosperously, taking the kingdom, do You think it is all right that I live on the blood of my guru and great personalities? Do You think it is all right?" Of course, he says,

na caitad vidmah kataran no gariyo
yad va jayema yadi va no jayeyuh
yan eva hatva na jijivisamas
te 'vasthitah pramukhe dhartarastrah
 [Bg. 2.6]

"Krsna, actually I am puzzled. It is my duty to fight, but now I am puzzled whether I shall fight or not fight because, after all, the other side, they are my relatives, family members, dhartarastrah. Dhrtarastra is my elder brother of my father, and his sons they are my cousin-brothers. So I am puzzled whether I shall fight." He plainly explained his position that "Not that I have become anarya. I have got sufficient strength. I can fight, but I am puzzled whether I shall fight in this case or not."
Then he submits,

karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah
prcchami tvam dharma-sammudha-cetah
yac chreyah syan niscitam bruhi tan me
sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam tvam prapannam
 [Bg. 2.7]

Then Arjuna decided to accept Krsna as his guru. He... Sisyas te 'ham: "I become your disciple." To become disciple means no more argument. When we talk friendly there is argument, counterargument. But when there is order from guru there is no more argument. Therefore Arjuna says that karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah: "Actually my behavior should be exactly like a ksatriya, to fight for the just cause, but in this case I am denying. Therefore I am krpana." Krpana means one who does not properly use his position. One man is very rich, but he does not use his money, simply sees the money. He is called krpana. Similarly, Arjuna is powerful, he can fight, he is a ksatriya, but he is denying his ability. Therefore he is thinking that "I have become krpana, miser. Although I have got strength, I am denying to fight." "Although I have got money, I do not spend." These are called krpana. So karpanya-dosopahata: "Now I am infected with karpanya-dosa." Karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah.

So when we become puzzled with these material affairs, what to do -- to do or not to do, this is the example -- at that time we must approach a guru. That is the instruction here, we see. Prcchami tvam dharma-sammudha-cetah. When we are bewildered, we do not distinguish what is religious and what is not religious, do not use our position properly. That is karpanya-dosopahata-svabhavah [Bg. 2.7]. At that time there is need of guru. That is the Vedic instruction. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet srotriyam brahma-nistham [MU 1.2.12]. This is the duty. This is civilization, that we are meeting with so many problems of life. That is natural. In this material world the material world is problems of life. Padam padam yad vipadam. Material world means in every step there is danger. That is material world. So therefore we should take guide from guru, from the teacher, from the spiritual master how to make progress, because this... That will be explained later on, that the goal of our life, at least in this human form of life, in the Aryan civilization, the goal of life is to understand our constitutional position, "What I am. What I am." If we do not understand "What I am," then I am equal to the cats and dogs. The dogs, cats, they do not know. They think that they are the body. That will be explained. So in such condition of life, when we are puzzled... Actually we are puzzled every moment. Therefore it is necessary one should approach to a proper guru. Now Arjuna is approaching Krsna, the first-class guru. First-class guru. Guru means the Supreme Lord. He is guru of everyone, parama-guru. So anyone who represents Krsna, he is also guru. That will be explained in the Fourth Chapter. Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. So Krsna is showing example, where we should offer our surrender and accept guru. Here is Krsna. So you have to accept Krsna or His representative as guru. Then your problems will be solved. Otherwise it is not possible, because he can say what is good for you, what is bad for you. He is asking, yac chreyah syan niscitam bruhi tat. Niscitam. If you want advice, instruction, niscitam, which is without any doubt, without any illusion, without any mistake, without any cheating, that is called niscitam. That you can get from Krsna or His representative. You cannot get right information from the imperfect person or a cheater. That is not right instruction. Nowadays it has become a fashion; everyone is becoming guru and he is giving his own opinion, "I think," "In my opinion." That is not guru. Guru means he should give evidences from sastra. Yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah: "Anyone who does not give evidences, proof, from the sastra, then" na siddhim sa avapnoti, "he does not get at any time success," na sukham, "neither any happiness in this material world," na param gatim, "and what to speak of elevation in the next life." These are the injunction.

So we must select guru. Here it is, example, Arjuna. He's accepting Krsna as guru. Why he is accepting? Because, he says,

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

So he has selected that the right person, guru, and he said that "Unless I hear from You what is right and wrong, I cannot decide whether I shall fight or I shall not fight. Which way is better for me I cannot understand." In this way,

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

"After addressing Krsna that ‘You give me the right direction; otherwise I am not going to fight,' he left his weapon and became silent."

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

Now, Krsna took the position of guru, and He began to instruct. Tam uvaca hrsikesah. Hrsikesa..., Krsna's another name is Hrsikesa. Hrsikesa means hrsika isa. Hrsika means the senses, and isa, the master. Therefore Krsna is the master of our senses, everyone's senses. That will be explained in the Thirteenth Chapter, that ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata [Bg. 13.3]. In this body there are two living entities. One is myself, the individual soul, atma; and the other is Krsna, Paramatma. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese arjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. So actually the proprietor is Paramatma. I am given the chance to use it, so my senses, so-called my senses, that is not my senses. I have not created my hand. The hand is created by God, or by Krsna, through the agency of this material nature, and I am given the hand to use it for my purpose, for my eating, for my collecting. But actually it is not my hand. Otherwise, when this hand becomes paralyzed, I am claiming, "my hand" -- I cannot use it because the power of the hand is withdrawn by the proprietor. Just like in a house, rented house, you are living. If the proprietor of the house, landlord, eject you, you cannot live there. You cannot use it. Similarly, we can use this body as long as the real proprietor of the body, Hrsikesa, allows me to stay here. Therefore Krsna's name is Hrsikesa. And this Krsna consciousness movement means that we have accepted the senses from Krsna. It should be used for Krsna. Instead of using it for Krsna, we are using it for our sense gratification. This is our miserable condition of life. Just like you are living in a place for which you have to pay rent, but if you don't pay rent -- you think that it is your property -- then there is trouble. Similarly, Hrsikesa means the real proprietor is Krsna. I have been given this property. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita.

isvarah sarva-bhutanam
hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati
bhramayan sarva-bhutani
yantrarudhani mayaya
 [Bg. 18.61]

Yantra: it is a machine. This machine has been given by Krsna to me because I desired that "If I get a machine like a human body, then I can enjoy like this." So Krsna fulfills your desire: "All right." And if I think, "If I get a machine in which I can directly suck blood of other animal," "All right," Krsna says, "you take the machine of a tiger's body and use it." So this is going on. Therefore His name is Hrsikesa. And when we understand properly that "I am not the proprietor of this body. Krsna is the proprietor of the body. I wanted a certain type of body to use it for my sense gratification. He has given it and I am not happy. Therefore I shall learn how to use this machine for the proprietor," this is called bhakti. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Because Krsna is the proprietor of the senses -- He is the proprietor of this body -- so when this body will be utilized for Krsna's service, that is our perfection of life. Hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate.

sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate
 [Cc. Madhya 19.170]

 If you want the definition of bhakti, the bhakti means to use the things for the proprietor. That is right use. If somebody use for another purpose, that is misuse. So bhakti means, when things are used properly, that is called bhakti. Now we are thinking that this machine, this body, "I am born in India, so it is Indian machine. It should be utilized for India's profit." Another person is thinking, "This machine, it is gotten from America, so it should be used for America." That is going on in the name of nationality or communism, or society or friendship and this and so on. We have invented so many "isms," but they are all misuse because actually the machine does not belong to the American or the Indian or the African. The machine belongs to Krsna. So this is misuse. So when we understand that we are misusing this machine improperly, that is called pure machine. That is called pure understanding, or Krsna consciousness. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. "I am not American. I am not Indian. I am not brahmana. I am not ksatriya. I am not human being." Aham brahmasmi: "I am Brahman." Not the Supreme Brahman, but part and parcel of Brahman. Supreme Brahman is Krsna, Parabrahman. He is addressed as Parabrahman. So we are part and parcel of Brahman. Therefore we are Brahman. So we have to realize this position. Aham brahmasmi: "I am Brahman." I am not this machine. I am put into this machine, but because the machine is gotten either from America or from India or from heaven or from hell, I am designating this machine as American machine or Indian machine. Actually this machine belongs to Krsna, and it should be used for Krsna. Therefore the definition of bhakti means hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. This is bhakti.

So Krsna, now He has taken the position of teacher. Now no more friendly talking because Arjuna has accepted Him as the teacher. So He's the teacher. It is the duty of the teacher to punish or to chastise the disciple when he is wrongly going on. That is the duty. So first teaching of Krsna, because Arjuna has accepted His leadership, His teachership, His instruction, accepted that he will follow His instruction, so first instruction is asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase: [Bg. 2.11] "You rascal, you are rascal. You are talking like a very learned man that ‘How shall I kill my, this grandfather? How shall I kill my brother, this and so on?' This is all bodily concept of life. You are talking on the bodily platform." So what is this body? It is to be neglected? "Yes." Asocyan anvasocas tvam: "It is not to be lamented."

asocyan anvasocas tvam
prajna-vadams ca bhasase
gatasun agatasums ca
nanusocanti panditah
 [Bg. 2.11]

Pandita means one who knows that "I am not this body." That is pandita. The body is a lump of matter, so what is the value of lump of matter? Either while it is moving or while it is not moving, it is a lump of matter. Suppose we are now moving with this body with nice coat, pant, hat. That's all right. But what it is? It is a lump of matter. Either coat, pant, or these bones and the skin and the blood and the stool and urine, whatever this body is composed of, it is all material. And when the living entity goes away from this body, the same lump of matter... Does it change? So we are not lamenting at the present moment because it is moving. And as soon as the movement is stopped, I say, "Oh, my father has gone. My son has gone," and we lament. So actually the body is the same. The same body is lying here as dead body, whom we are lamenting, "my father," but you have never seen your father. You have seen only the coats and pants and the body. That is your education. Therefore Krsna says, "Arjuna, you are thinking on terms of this coats and pants and bones and muscles and urine and stool. Therefore you are rascal number one." This is the first instruction, asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna... [Bg. 2.11]. "Do any gentlemen lament for this torn-up cloth, bones and skins and urine and stool? Does any sane man lament?" This is the first instruction. So asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase: "You are talking just like a very learned man to argue with Me, but you are fool number one because" --  gatasun agatasums ca nanusocanti panditah -- "this is not the business of the pandita."

So this is not the position of Arjuna only. The whole material civilization, the whole population of the whole world, they are like this asocyan anvasocas tvam [Bg. 2.11]. When the body is living, when the body is moving, they are busy how to make the body comfort. And when the body is not moving they are lamenting. That is the business. Therefore brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. The..., our business is, the material civilization means, socati kanksati, two business. Kanksati means desiring. While the body is moving we are desiring, making plan: "I want this. I want this. My son requires this. My nation requires this. My community requires this." This is, means, kanksati, desiring to possess this, possess... And when the body is lost, then socati: "Oh, my father is lost. My brother is lost. My son is lost." Two business. So long there is no spiritual knowledge, we have got on the material conception of body two business -- socati, kanksati: desiring for things which we do not possess and lamenting for things which we have lost. This is our two business. But if you become self-realized, if you become aware actually what you are, then na socati na kanksati.

brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param
 [Bg. 18.54]

This is the business. So our this Krsna consciousness movement is trying to educate people to give up this bodily concept of life. This is the sum and substance of this movement. And unless we come to understanding that "I am not this body; I am a spirit soul. My aim of life is missing," then we remain cats and dogs.

yasyatma-buddhih 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]

Anyone who is leading his life on the bodily concept of life, he is no better than the dogs and hogs. So in order to stop this civilization of dogs and hogs, the Krsna consciousness movement is essential. Krsna consciousness means to take instruction from Krsna. This is the first instruction. Asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase [Bg. 2.11]. So gradually He will give instruction.

So it is our request that you try to study Bhagavad-gita as it is. Don't try to distort it by your so-called education. Try to understand Krsna as He is saying. Then you will be benefited. Your life will be successful. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. [break]

Pusta-krsna: What is the meaning of sac-cid-ananda?

Prabhupada: That is spirit soul. Sat means eternal, and cit means knowledge, and ananda means bliss. So if we study ourself, this body is not eternal. Sat means eternal. So if you study this body... In the Bhagavad-gita you will find, antavanta ime deha nityasyoktah saririnah [Bg. 2.18]. This body is antavat; it will perish. Therefore it is not sat. Sat means eternal, and the body is not eternal. Therefore it is very difficult to understand what is sat because we have no education, no experience. Everything is annihilated, destroyed, anything material. So actually we have no experience what is sat. So... But Vedic instruction is sad gama asato ma: "Don't remain in asat, noneternal. Come to the platform of eternity." Sad gama asato ma. So that is our mission of life. The human form of life is distinct from the cats and dogs because if you instruct to the cats and dogs what is sat and what is asat, it is impossible for them to understand. It is not possible. Therefore Vedic instruction is asato ma: "Don't remain cats and dogs in the human form only. You come to the platform of eternity." Asato ma sad gama. So we must try what is eternal. So far in the present condition, as this material condition, we do not know what is actually eternal because our body is not eternal. Therefore the first instruction is that "You are lamenting on the body which is not eternal, but you are eternal. Your business is to understand the eternal." That is called sat. And cit. Cit means knowledge. At the present moment we are all in ignorance. We do not know what is the next step, "Whether I am going to live or to die." Everything in ignorance. Therefore this body is also not cit. It is full of ignorance. Then sat, cit and ananda, that we have got experience... Where is ananda? Ananda means blissfulness, joyfulness. There cannot be any joyfulness in this body. There are three kinds of miserable condition of material life: adhyatmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. So either these three or one or two is always there. Adhyatmika means miserable condition on account of the body and mind. So wherever we go, the body is there. So even if I am very opulent materially with wealth, we are getting experience that even the most rich, richest man in the society, he is committing suicide. Why? He has got every resources to enjoy. Why he is committing suicide? That means there is also no ananda, even you possess the material things. So there is no question of sac-cid-ananda in this material condition of life. If you understand what is spiritual life and if you practice how to come to the spiritual life, spiritual platform, as Krsna is, then we can become equal with Krsna, sac-cid-ananda. Otherwise we are in ignorance. This body is not sac-cid-ananda. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 2.1-11 -- Johannesburg, October 17, 1975

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Prabhupada: This is a conversation between Maharaja Pariksit and Sukadeva Gosvami. Maharaja Pariksit, five thousand years ago he was the emperor of the whole world. Formerly, up to five thousand years ago, the whole world was being controlled and ruled over by kings whose capital was Hastinapura, New Delhi. There was only one flag, only one ruler, one scripture, Vedic scripture, and the Aryans, Arya, they were the civilized persons. You Europeans, Americans, you are also Aryans. Indo-European stock. Maharaja Yayati, grandson of Maharaja Pariksit, he gave to his two sons the portion of eastern Europe, Greek and Roman. That is the history, Mahabharata. Mahabharata means great India. So there was no different religion. One religion, Vedic religion. Vedic religion means to accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the Supreme Person Absolute Truth. This is Vedic religion. Those who have read Bhagavad-gita, it is said there in the Fifteenth Chapter, vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg. 15.15]. Vedic knowledge means to understand God. This is Vedic religion.

Later on, with the progress of Kali-yuga... Kali-yuga means the dark age or the sinful age or the age for argument, unnecessary talks and fight. This is called Kali-yuga. That is going on. Since the last five thousand years, the Kali-yuga has begun, and the beginning of Kali-yuga was cow-slaughtering. When Maharaja Pariksit was touring all over the world, he saw one black man was attempting to kill one cow. And Maharaja Pariksit saw this and immediately... The cow was trembling for being slaughtered. And Maharaja Pariksit saw, "Who is this man, trying to kill a cow in my kingdom?" So immediately he took his sword. That is ksatriya. Ksatriya means that... Ksat means injury, and trayate -- it is called ksatriya. There are persons who want to do harm to others. It has increased now. But during the time of Maharaja Pariksit's time, it was not allowed. The king is responsible. The government is responsible that any one of his subject, either animal or man, he is not disturbed, he feels secure of his property, of his person. And it is the duty of ksatriya to save him, to protect. This was the system of government. So that's a long story.

So Pariksit Maharaja was very pious. That was the system. A king, monarch is supposed to give protection everyone within the kingdom. It doesn't matter whether he is man or animal. Even trees. There was no law, unnecessarily cutting or killing, no. Actually, if you are reasonable, national... National means anyone who is born in that land. At the present moment the governments take care of the man only, not of the animals. What is this nationalism? What the animal has done that they should not be protected? So this is called Kali-yuga, the sinful age. Sinful age. That is increasing. That is increasing. But during Maharaja Pariksit's time, nobody could do anything injustice. Therefore it is said in the sastra that kamam vavarsa parjanyah [SB 1.10.4]. Because everything was right, the nature's way of giving us all comforts, all necessaries of life, that was also complete. As soon as you become injurious or harmful or disobedient to the laws of the king or God... King is supposed to be representative of God. Therefore, in India the king is accepted as the representative of God.

So formerly the kings were trained up in such a way that one man is sufficient to govern the whole universe, whole..., at least one planet. That was the system. The king was so pious. There are many statement, I mean to say, statements about these king. Why they were pious? Because they were also governed. The kings were governed by first-class brahmanas, sages. The brahmanas should not take part in the management of the government, but they would advise the ksatriya kings that "You rule over the citizens like this." If the king would not do that, the brahmanas had so much power -- there are many instances -- they will dethrone the king or kill him. But they will not occupy the power themselves. His son will be given the chance. This was the system.

So that Pariksit Maharaja was condemned to death within seven days. That is also very nice, interesting. Not interesting very much. It is very sorry plight, that Pariksit Maharaja was cursed by a brahmana boy to die within seven days, bitten by a snake. What was the incident? The incident was that Maharaja Pariksit was in the forest, hunting. Hunting is allowed only to the ksatriya kings. Because they were to rule over, and formerly the rogues and rascals by the order of king or king himself would kill him immediately. So they had to practice how to kill. And that practice was done by hunting some ferocious animal in the forest, not for eating. Nowadays hunting is going on for eating purpose. No, that is not the law. So Maharaja Pariksit was in the hunting excursion and he became very thirsty. So he entered one asrama of saintly person. He was at that time on meditation. So he entered, and he asked him, "Give me drinking water. I am very thirsty." He thought, "It is asrama." But the sage who was engaged in meditation could not hear him. So the king became little disgusted that "I am king. I am asking water, and this man is silent." So he became little enraged, and there was a dead snake. So he took that snake and coiled over his neck and went away.

So his one boy, he was ten, twelve years old. He was playing, and his friends told him that, "The king has insulted your father in this way." And the boy became very angry, "Oh, the king is so rude that he has insulted my father." He saw that a dead snake is over his neck. He immediately cursed Maharaja Pariksit that "You will die within seven days, bitten by a snake." So when he was crying very loudly and this, I mean to say, sound was going on, the saintly person, the sage, he got up. "What has happened, my dear boy, you are crying?" "No, no! The king has insulted you, so I have cursed him." Oh, he became very sorry that "You have cursed such a saintly king? Oh, you have brought defamation to the whole brahmana community. You have allowed Kali-yuga to come in. It is the Kali-yuga's conspiracy." Anyway he sent the news to the king that "My son foolishly has cursed you. This is... But what can I do? It is God's wish. It has been done. So you be prepared." Now, just see, even a boy born of a brahmana, how much he was powerful. If a ten years old, he could curse such a great king and he had to abide by that. This was the condition of ksatriya, brahmana, and vaisya and sudra.

Catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. The human society, by the will of God there are four classes of men. The first-class is the brahmana; the second-class, the ksatriya; the third-class, the vaisyas; and all others, fourth-class, sudras. So at the present moment, practically there is no brahmana, no ksatriya, no vaisya, only sudras, fourth-class men. So you cannot expect any happiness guided by the fourth-class men. That is not possible. Therefore throughout the whole world there is chaotic condition. Nobody is happy. So this is essential that the human society must be divided into four divisions. The brahmana class means the first-class ideal men, so that by the seeing their character, their behavior, others will try to follow. Yad yad acarati sresthah [Bg. 3.21]. So this Krsna consciousness movement means we are trying to create some first-class men. This is Krsna consciousness, this movement. So therefore we have got these rules and regulation: no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling. This is the preliminary qualification of a first-class man. So we are trying our bit to make some men ideal first-class men. But formerly it was there. Catur... Still there is.

You don't think that all men are of the same intelligence or same category. No. Still there is intelligent class of men. Just like those who are scientists or philosophers, religionists, they are supposed to be first-class men. But unfortunately, now nobody can recognize who is first-class and last class. So for proper management of the whole society the first-class, second-class, third-class men must be there. Just like in your body there are different parts of the body. The head, the arm, the belly, and the leg. This is natural. So without head, if we have simply the arms and belly and legs, it is a dead body. So unless you are guided, the human society, by the first-class men, the whole society is dead society. There must division according to catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma... [Bg. 4.13], not by birth, but by quality. So anyone can be trained up first class, second class, as he likes. That is called civilization. Some men should be trained up as first-class men, some men should be trained up as second-class men, and some men should be trained up as third-class men, and balance, who cannot be trained up, they can assist the other three higher class. That is called sudra. So... [break]

...that is not possible. A human being, if he is properly trained up, if he is willing to take the instruction he can be made first-class. Never mind. By birth one may be born in a low class, it doesn't matter. But by training, he can become first class. That is the injunction of the Bhagavad-gita.

mam hi partha vyapasritya
ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah
striyah sudrah tatha vaisya
te 'pi yanti param gatim
 [Bg. 9.32]

Param gatim. Param gatim means to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is our real home, the spiritual world. And live there eternally, blissfully, with full knowledge. That is our real position. So here we have come in this material world for material enjoyment. And the more we are making plan for material enjoyment, the more we are becoming entangled. That we do not know. They are thinking that material sense enjoyment is the aim of life. No, that is not the aim of life. That is the way to become more and more entangled. For sense enjoyment I have got this now body, Indian body, you have got this Australian or American or European body. But you have to change this body. Tatha dehantara-praptih [Bg. 2.13]. We are eternal. Na jayate na mriyate va kadacit. The soul does not take birth; neither it dies. We simply change body.

Tatha dehantara-praptih. Just like we are changing our body. In mother's womb we had a small body. It grows, and we come out. Again it grows. Grows... It is not actually growing, it is changing. The child is changing his body to baby, the baby is changing his body to boy, and the boy is changing his body to youthhood. Then... in this way you are changing body. That you have got experience. You had a child's body -- you remember. Or you had a boy's body -- you remember. But the body is no longer existing. But you are existing. Therefore the conclusion is that when this body will be no more fit for existing we shall have to accept another body. This is called tatha dehantara-praptih. So we have to change. That is nature's law. The soul is immortal. Na jayate na mriyate va kadacit na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. The soul is not finished, simply a particular type of body being finished, no. The people do not know it. And because they are simply engaged in sinful activities, their brain has become so dull that they cannot understand this simple truth that as you are changing body in this life therefore you will change this body to another life. This is very simple truth. But at the advancement of material civilization, we have become so dull and rascal that we cannot understand it.

But India still, although it is so fallen, you go to a remote village. A common man, he has no education. He believes. He believes. And here in the western countries, I saw many many big, big professors. They have no idea. I met one big professor, Kotovsky, in Moscow. He said, "Swamiji, after finishing this body, everything is finished." Just see. He is a big professor and in charge of a very big department, Indology. He has no idea. But this is not the fact. The fact is that we are all sparks, spiritual spark, part and parcel of God. Somehow or other, we have come into this material world for sense enjoyment. In the spiritual world there is no sense enjoyment. There is sense purification. In the material world the senses are impure. They simply want to enjoy material things. So Krsna consciousness means that you have to purify your senses. That is the way.

sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
tat-paratvena nirmalam
hrsikena hrsikesa-
sevanam bhaktir ucyate
 [Cc. Madhya 19.170]

This bhakti means that we have to clear ourself from the designations. What is that designation? Everyone is thinking "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am European," "I am Australian," "I am cat," "I am dog, "I am this, "I am that," -- bodily. We have to cleanse this bodily conception of life that "I am not this body." Aham brahmasmi: "I am spirit soul." This we have to realize. Then there will be no distinction that "Here is an American, here is an Australian, here is an Hindu, here is a Muslim, here is a tree, here..." No. Panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18]. Panditah means learned, one who knows things as they are. For them...

vidya-vinaya-sampanne
brahmane gavi hastini
suni caiva sva-pake ca
panditah sama-darsinah
 [Bg. 5.18]

A person, very learned, vidya and very gentle... vidya means, educated means, he is gentle, sober. He is not rogues and ruffian. That is vidya. That is the test of education. He must be very sober and silent. That is called gentleman, in one word. So vidya-vinaya, one gentleman, very learned scholar, vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmane gavi, and a cow, and hasti, an elephant, vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmane gavi hastini, and suni-suni means dog, and svapak... Svapak means a dog-eater. There are many persons, they prefer to eat different types of flesh. But one who eats the dog's flesh, he is considered to be very lower class. So suni caiva sva-pake ca panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18]. One who is pandita, learned, he sees every one, them, on the same level. What is that same level? Spirit soul. He does not see the outward body. That is called brahma-darsin. Panditah sama-darsinah. And if one becomes situated in that position,

brahma-bhutah prasannatm
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param
 [Bg. 18.54]

When one is self-realized that he is not this body, he is the spirit soul, brahma-bhutah, then what are the symptoms? Now, prasannatma: he becomes immediately very jolly. So long we are materially engrossed, bodily concept of life, there will be always anxiety. This is the test. Anyone who is in anxiety, means he is materially situated. And anyone who is elevated to the spiritual platform, he is prasannatma. He is jolly. What is the meaning of prasannatma? Na socati na kanksati. He does not want anything, and if anything he has got, if he has lost, he does not cry for it. That's all. Here in the material world we are hankering after something which we do not possess. And if we possess something, if it is lost, then we cry. Two business: Socana and akanksa. Everyone is trying to be very big man. That is called akanksa. And if he is lost of his possession, then he cries. So these two things will be finished if you become spiritually situated.

brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksat
samah sarvesu bhutesu...
 [Bg. 18.54]

Unless one is spiritually realized, he cannot see equally everyone. Then samah sarvesu bhutesu mad-bhaktim labhate param. Then one can become real devotee of the Lord, after surpassing the brahma-bhutah stage. So this bhakti line is not so easy. But by Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy we have installed the Deity here in your country. You are very fortunate that Caitanya Mahaprabhu has come to your country to teach you how you become free of all anxieties. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission. Everyone is full of anxiety, but everyone can be freed from all the anxieties if he follows the path chalked out by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And what is Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's instruction? Very simple.

harer nama harer nama harer nama eva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha
 [Cc. Adi 17.21]

This is not Caitanya Mahaprabhu's personal version. This is in the scripture, Vedic scripture. Brhan-Naradiya-Purana. This instruction is there. As people are fallen in this age the method also has been offered very simple. They cannot follow any strong or severe austerities. It is not possible. They have been recommended simply to chant the holy name of God. That's all. Anyone can do. It is not difficult at all. Then if you say that "You are from India. Your Caitanya is Indian, and He is recommending Hare Krsna. Why shall I chant? I have got my own God." All right, if you have got your own God, then you chant His name. Caitanya Mahaprabhu doesn't say that you chant simply Krsna's name. If you have got any relationship with God and if you know His name and address, (laughter) then you chant His name. Unfortunately, you do not know who is God; neither you know His address, neither His activities. So take this Krsna. Here is a solid name. And we give you His address, His father's name, His mother's name, everything. So if you have got your own God's name, Caitanya Mahaprabhu said you can chant. Have you got any name, anyone, God's name? Nobody knows?

Devotee: Jehovah.

Prabhupada: Jehovah. All right you chant Jehovah. So that is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's recommendation, that if you think that this is God's name, you chant. Namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktih tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah. This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's instruction, that holy name of God is as good as God. We cannot see God. We can see, but not immediately. When we are advanced we can see God, talk with Him. But because we are not competent now, so if we know this is the name of God, let us chant it. That's all. Is it very difficult job? Anyone will say it is very difficult job? Chant the name of, holy name of God. Then what will happen? Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. Your, if you chant the holy name of God, then your heart which is considered to be mirror... Just like you see your face on the mirror, similarly, you can see your position on the mirror of the heart, core of the heart. You can see. That is called meditation. So at the present moment our heart is covered with the dust of material conception. "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am this," "I am that," "I am that." This is all dust. You have to cleanse this. Just like on the mirror if there is a layer of dust you cleanse it. Then you see your real face.

So Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, ceto-darpana-marjanam: "By chanting the holy name of the Lord, you will gradually cleanse the dust which is covering the core of your heart." Very simple thing. Go on chanting. And then what will be the position? Bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam: "This blazing fire of anxieties of material existence will be over immediately." Simply by this method, chanting. If you have got any name, if you have got objection to chant Hare Krsna, so whatever name of God you know, you chant. This is our movement. We don't say that you have to... But this is accepted by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that harer nama [Cc. Adi 17.21]. So if you have no objection, you can chant Hare Krsna. And if you think that "The Hare Krsna is imported from India. We shall not chant," all right, you chant your own God's name. Where is the objection? But chant the name of, holy name of God. That is our propaganda.

Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. And as soon as you become cleansed of your heart, then the anxiety... Na socati na kanksati. You'll gradually increase. Then you will understand that "I am neither American, neither Indian, nor cat, nor dog, but I am the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord." Then, if you understand that you are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, then you will understand your business. Just like in your body you have got so many parts and parcels. You have got the hands, you have got the legs, you have got the head, you have got the fingers, you have got the ear, you have got the nose -- so many parts. So what is the business of all these parts of your body? The business of parts of the body to maintain the body properly, to serve the body. Just like this finger is there. I am feeling some incomfort; immediately my finger comes and serves, automatically. Therefore the conclusion is that it is the business of the part and parcel of God to serve God. That is the only business. Natural business. So when you are engaged in the service of the Lord, because you understand -- by chanting the holy names Lord you will understand who is Lord and what is His advice, what does He want service from me -- then you will be engaged in that service. That is the perfection of your life. This is Krsna consciousness movement. Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam sreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam [Cc. Antya 20.12].

And as soon as you become cleansed of all dirty things, then your actual progress of life begins. Just like kairava-candrika, just like the moon, on the first day it is just like a line, then gradually increases; the body and the moonshine increases. Therefore this comparison is given. The more you become Krsna consciousm the shining of your life increases. Sreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam. Then this life will be full of knowledge. Vidya-vadhu-jivanam. Anandambudhi-vardhanam. And to increase the life of knowledge means ananda. Ananda means pleasure. We want pleasure. So you will get more and more pleasing life. Anandambudhi-vardhanam. And prati-padam purnamrtasvadanam. And every step of life, as we are... In the material way of life we are experienced, only unpleasure, difficulties, the just opposite. Anandambudhi-vard... Ambudhi means the ocean. So this ocean does not increase, but when you come to the spiritual ocean of ananda, blissfulness, it will increase daily.

Just like these boys. They are coming from Europe, America. They are not Indians. But why they are sticking to this Krsna consciousness movement unless they are increasing their transcendental pleasure? They are not fools and rascals. They are educated. Why they have taken to this anandambudhi-vardhanam. It is increasing their transcendental pleasure. So anyone who takes to this process, he will increase his anandambudhi-vardhanam. Prati-padam purnamrtasvadanam. And he will be able to taste what is the meaning of life, what is the meaning of pleasure. Param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam: "All glories to the chanting of Hare Krsna mantra." So this is the process. Our Krsna consciousness movement is spreading this knowledge as far as possible, and by Krsna's grace we have got this temple in Melbourne, and it is all very creditful to our disciple, Sriman Madhudvisa Svami. And you take advantage of it. That is my only request. If you do not do anything, simply come and join chanting, you will gradually know very soon.

Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [Cc. Madhya 17.136]. Krsna, His name, His form, His activities, His qualities, we cannot understand with these blunt material senses. It is not possible. Atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih. "Then? We have got this only possession, indriyas. How we shall understand?" Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. If you engage your senses in the service of the Lord, svayam eva sphuraty adah, then Krsna will reveal to you that "Here I am." This is the process. Now this word is very significant. Sevonmukhe hi jihvadau. Jihva means tongue. If you simply engage your tongue in the service of the Lord, you will gradually develop. So how to engage the tongue? It is not said that "If you see, or if you touch, if you smell," no. "If you taste." So what is the business of the tongue? The business of the tongue -- that we can taste nice foodstuff and we can vibrate. Do these two jobs. Vibrate with your tongue Hare Krsna, and take as much as possible prasadam. (laughter) And you become a devotee. Thank you very much. (devotees offer obeisances) [break]

Madhudvisa: Is it possible for a dog-eater to become a first-class man?

Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Engage this tongue for these two business. Chant Hare Krsna and take prasadam. He will forget dog-eating. (laughter) There is no exception. Everyone can become Krsna conscious if he follows, beginning, these two rules: chant Hare Krsna and take prasadam. That's all. Test it. Make a trial. The temple is here. We are inviting. Come here. Do these two business. And our Madhudvisa Maharaja is ready to give you prasadam and chance for dancing and singing. That's all. Where is the difficulty? You haven't got to pay for it. No loss. If there is any gain, why don't you try it?

Madhudvisa: Srila Prabhupada, why is it necessary for someone to come here and chant Hare Krsna and take prasadam?

Prabhupada: Just to... Because here is the center. Everything is being done properly. You will learn. Just like you have to go to school or college to learn. So just similarly, if you have to take the education of spiritual life, they will come here and see how people are doing, ideal. And you should be ideal. If you are not ideal, then it will be useless to open center. You behave nicely; they will come, they will see, and they will learn. If you go to some school and the professors are rascals then what you will learn? It is both, reciprocal. You shall act as professor, teachers. Your life should be ideal, and they will come and see, and they will learn.

Girl: Srila Prabhupada, if the kings were taught to govern the whole universe, does that mean all the worlds, all the worlds in the universe?

Madhudvisa: She's just wondering how it would be possible for one king to rule the whole world? It seems like it is very difficult. Nowadays we have so many leaders and they cannot manage...

Prabhupada: Forget that. Why you are thinking that you cannot rule over; therefore others cannot? You are thinking in your term. But there are. That is possible. So that is not our field of activities. It is others', politics and... But let us... Our business is how to improve our spiritual condition of life. Even if you don't rule over the world, it doesn't matter. So why you are anxious to rule over the world? It is not our business. You chant Hare Krsna and take prasadam. All right, chant Hare Krsna. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam Lecture -- Melbourne, May 19, 1975

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© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

These Boys Were Jagai & Madhai

20 Apr 75 , Vrndavana

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Prabhupada: Thank you. (chuckles) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is addressed by Rupa Gosvami as maha-vadanyaya.

namo maha-vadanyaya
krsna-prema-pradaya te
krsnaya krsna-caitanya-
namine gaura-tvise namah
 [Cc. Madhya 19.53]

So Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Krsna Himself. Krsnaya krsna-caitanya-namine. He has assumed the name of Krsna Caitanya. Actually He is Krsna. That is confirmed in many literature. Especially in the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said,

krsna-varnam tvisa akrsnam
sangopangastra-parsadam
yajnaih sankirtanaih prayair
yajanti hi su-medhasah
 [SB 11.5.32]

So Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, after taking His sannyasa order, His name was Krsna Caitanya. So Rupa Gosvami said that "You are Krsna. You have now come as Krsna Caitanya." Why? Krsna-prema-pradaya te: [Cc. Madhya 19.53] "Just to distribute love of Krsna." And Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's mission was prema pum-artho mahan. Generally people understand dharma artha kama moksa [SB 4.8.41, Cc. Adi 1.90], but Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that above moksa, above liberation, there is love of God. That is wanted. Prema pum-artho mahan. And this is confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, that dharmah projjhita-kaitavo 'tra paramo nirmatsaranam satam, vastavya-vastu vedyam atra [SB 1.1.2]. And Sridhara Swami says that kaitava-dharma... In simple word, cheating. Kaitava means cheating, or false. So when there are false dealings, that is cheating. So according to Vyasadeva, dharma artha kama moksa, that is not very essential thing. Real thing is how to advance in the science of loving God, Krsna, Krsna-prema. And the Srimad-Bhagavatam says,

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhoksaje
ahaituky apratihata
yena atma samprasidati
 [SB 1.2.6]

If you want really peace, then you should stand on the platform of paro dharma. Paro dharma. Just like Krsna has described, apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim parah. Para and para. Para is applicable to the purusa, and para is applicable to the prakrti. So we are prakrti, we are not purusa. Purusa is Krsna, as described by Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gita, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan, purusam sasvatam adyam [Bg. 10.12]. And in the Brahma-samhita also it is: adi-purusam. Krsna is described, adi-purusam. Isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah, anadih adih govindam tam aham bhajami. [Bs. 5.1]

So this Krsna-bhakti, Krsna personally came to teach Krsna-bhakti. He came here in this district Mathura. And the Krsna birthplace is still there. So Krsna personally came to teach the science of Krsna-bhakti. And although He proposed that dharma-samsthapanarthaya sambhavami yuge yuge, but at the end He says, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. And this is confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, that dharma-projjhita kaitavo atra. Except surrendering to the lotus feet of Krsna, anything which is going on in the name of dharma, that is not dharma. Therefore Krsna says sarva-dharman parityajya [Bg. 18.66]. When Krsna came, He did not come to reestablish Hindu religion or Christian religion or Muslim religion. No. Religion is religion. Gold is gold. You cannot say "Hindu gold," "Muslim gold," "Christian gold." That is not possible. That is not possible. That is called kaitava-dharma, cheating dharma. Gold is gold, pure gold. Therefore Bhagavata says, dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam: [SB 6.3.19] "Dharma means the order or the law given by God." That is dharma. This is the simple explanation of dharma. If you want to know what do we mean by dharma, then dharma means dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Just like law. Law means which is given, sanctioned by the governor. You cannot make your law at home. You cannot say, "The law given by the government or by the governor, I don't care for it. I shall make my own law." That is not possible. That will never be accepted as law. You can make your law. Similarly, if you manufacture dharma without any reference to the authority, that is not dharma. That is cheating religion. Dharmah projjhita-kaitavah.

So therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, what He is speaking, mam ekam saranam vraja, that is dharma. All other things are cheating. And when Krsna says, mam ekam saranam vraja, He does not say it to any particular community or any country or any nation. He speaks to everyone.

sarva-yonisu kaunteya
sambhavanti murtayo yah
tasam mahad yonir brahma
aham bija-pradah pita
 [Bg. 14.4]

He says, "I am the seed-giving father of all forms of life." Krsna does not say that "I am speaking to Indian or the Hindus." No. Krsna is speaking to everyone, to His every son. It doesn't matter whether he is white or black or blue or... It doesn't matter. These are skin disease. Krsna says that we don't take this body as yourself. Asmin dehe. Dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam... [Bg. 2.13]. This transformation of the body, that is natural. But within the body, the part and parcel of Krsna is there. That you have to understand, that is the beginning of Bhagavad-gita. We have to understand what is there within the body. That is the beginning of spiritual education. Unfortunately, the whole world is going on under the impression that "I am this body." "I am Indian," "I am European..." That is condemned in the sastra.

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

Go, go means cow, and kharah means ass. So yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke. This bag of three dhatus-kapha, pitta, vayu -- if one takes it that "I am this body," "I am Indian," "I am American," so sastra says, "He is not even human being." Sa eva go-kharah [SB 10.84.13]. So this Krsna consciousness movement is very, very important from this angle of vision, that everyone is thinking this body as he is. Nobody understands that he is within this body. Just like we are within this dress. I am not this dress. This is the primary education of spiritual life. Unfortunately, it is very much lacking. And now you can see practically that these European and American boys, they are all young men, but they have forgotten the bodily relationship. We have got in our institution Africans, Canadians, Australians, Europeans, Indians, but they do not consider with reference to this bodily concept of life. They live as eternal servant of Krsna. That is the instruction given by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, jivera svarupa haya nitya krsna dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109].

So actually, if we want to be happy, then we have to accept the principle of Srimad-Bhagavatam, yato bhaktir adhoksaje. Bhakti comes out of love. You cannot make one forced to love you. It comes automatically. That automatic love is there in everyone's heart for Krsna. That is stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta:

nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti sadhya kabhu naya
sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya

Udaya means it is awakened. Everyone has got love for Krsna within the heart. That is natural. But that love is distributed in different ways. How? Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma idya-dhih [SB 10.84.13]. This love has been distributed familywise, communitywise, nationwise, countrywise, like that. So this love has to be concentrated, converted to be love of Krsna. That is required. Then everything is perfect. That is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching, and He practically... Krsna-prema-prdaya. To develop love for somebody, that requires very elaborate process. It is not... Because we are in the darkness. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita,

manusyanam sahasresu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam
kascid vetti mam tattvatah
 [Bg. 7.3]

So we cannot understand even Krsna, what is Krsna. Actually, there are so many malinterpretation about Krsna. I do not wish to discuss because they have been made mistaken by big, big leaders. So people cannot understand even Krsna, what is Krsna, and what to speak of loving Krsna. That is very difficult job. But Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He distributed this love of Krsna. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Lord Nityananda is standing before you, and He delivered many, many sinful persons to the transcendental position of love of Krsna. Srila Narottama dasa Thakura has sung, vrajendra-nandana yei, saci-suta hoilo sei, balarama hoilo nitai. This Balarama, He became Nitai, and Krsna, He became Caitanya Mahaprabhu. These two brothers, the same two brothers, Rama-Laksman, Krsna-Balarama, again as Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu. So what was Their business? The papi-tapi jata chilo, hari-name uddharilo. This is Their business. All the papis and all the persons suffering from material anxieties, They delivered, "Yes." How? Tara saksi jagai madhai. There were two brothers, Jagai and Madhai. They are very debauchees. That debauchees means what was their fault? The fault was that they took their birth in brahmana family, but they became woman-hunter and drunkards and cheaters, like that. So Nityanand a Prabhu delivered them to become first-class Vaisnava. Papi-tapi jata chilo, hari-name uddharilo, tara saksi jagai and madhai. So five hundred years ago, to become a drunkard was most abominable, especially in the higher section of the Hindu society. But now it has become a fashion. So if you want to develop the position of the society, position of the country, which is now full with papi-tapi, you have to accept the process of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and that is practically being manifested. These European, American boys, they are also the same type, Jagai and Madhai. That is a fact. They were at least. Now they are not. So how they have become delivered? The same process. Papi-tapi jata chilo, hari-name uddharilo.

So this Krsna consciousness movement is so important, and there is practical result, that you introduce this chanting of Hare Krsna maha-mantra offenselessly, not with offense, then the world situation will improve very much. That's a fact. And it is being actually enacted in the present position. We are sending our men from village to village in Europe and America. We have introduced. We are taking advantage of the modern facilities. We are using this microphone for chanting Hare Krsna mantra, we are using nice buses, cars and wagons to go to village to village and distribute book and chant Hare Krsna. One of the leaders is present here, Sriman Tamala Krsna Gosvami. He is going. He is controlling about one dozen buses. And here is Hamsaduta also. He is doing the same in Germany. So we have introduced this as Caitanya Mahaprabhu ordered, prthivite ache yata nagaradi-grama. Throughout the whole world, as many villages and towns are there, this sankirtana movement should be introduced. And especially in India, because if in India the people are generally Krsna conscious. By artificial means they are trying to forget. This is the position. This should be stopped. They have got natural tendency for becoming Krsna conscious. Therefore in these days, still so many hundreds and thousands of people coming to Vrndavana to relish the transcendental mellow of Krsna consciousness. And now the foreigners are also attracted to Krsna consciousness. And I am trying to place them in our temple. This temple is one of them. We have got four, five temples in India. We are constructing one big temple in Hyderabad, and we are getting good response. So it is our request to the leaders of the society and to the people of India that they may take this Krsna conscious movement, Hare Krsna movement, very seriously. It will be good for everyone and the whole world will become peaceful. We do not expect that throughout the whole world everyone will take to Krsna consciousness. But even five percent, two percent, three percent people takes to Krsna consciousness, there will be great example. Yad yad acarati sresthah lokas tad anuvartate [Bg. 3.21].

So our only request is that this simple thing,

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha
 [Cc. Adi 17.21]

this formula of the Vedic sastra. And you will be surprised. I invite you to come to our different centers in Europe and America, how they are chanting, dancing before the Deity, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, Nityananda or Radha-Krsna. Recently I had been to Atlanta for the first time. But the boys and the girls there, they have taken three big, big houses. The middle house has been transformed into temple. How nicely they are chanting and dancing. You will be surprised if you go. So this movement is undoubtedly increasing in the foreign countries, and why not in our country? So the government, the leaders and the guardians, they should deeply contemplate on the serious nature of this movement and help us. Now we are bringing men from the foreign countries to preach. How long I shall bring? If we want to spread this movement all over India very seriously, then we invite educated, intellectual young men to come forward to study this movement. It is not blind; we have got books. We have already published about fifty books on this movement. So for the Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement is meant for both kind of men. The ordinary men without any education, illiterate, he can also take to it, and the most advanced scientists, philosopher, philanthropist, politician, they also can take to it. So we are helping both ways. Those who are educated scientist, philosopher, for them we have got volumes of books. And those who are not educated, they can simply chant Hare Krsna. That will help them, both ways. Therefore this movement has become important and interesting. Our books are being purchased by the topmost class of man. Big, big professors in the universities, they are giving standing order. The books which are not published, they are putting standing order. Here our one sannyasi is present, Satsvarupa. He is visiting the libraries, universities, professors, and we are getting very good response. So don't take it as a sectarian movement. Don't misunderstand this movement as a CIA movement. These are all foolishness. Do you think that the Americans are so fools that for propagating their CIA movement they will become Vaisnava and chant and dance? The Americans have become so fools? No. They have taken it very seriously. They are not CIA, not American nor European. They are Vaisnavas; they are servant of Krsna. Don't misunderstand them. And try to cooperate and help this movement for the benefit of the whole human society.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Speech -- Vrndavana, April 20, 1975

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