You Belong to Spiritual World

You Belong to Spiritual World

Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.02
Bombay, December 14, 1974

download  flash player

 

Take a test

---

Nitai: "Knowledge is the ultimate perfection of self-realization. I shall explain that knowledge unto you by which the knots of attachment to the material world are cut."

Prabhupada:

jnanam nihsreyasarthaya
purusasyatma-darsanam
yad ahur varnaye tat te
hrdaya-granthi-bhedanam
 [SB 3.26.2]

What is jnana, knowledge? We have got... Jnana means consciousness or living symptoms. That is jnana. Cetana. Cetana, ce..., nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13). Nitya and cetana. Cetana means consciousness. Two things we find, generally, conscious and unconscious. Just like this table is unconscious, but a small ant, it is conscious. That ant is coming this side, you try to stop it, it will struggle, it will resist. Because it is conscious. But the table, you take it and throw it away, it will not protest, because it is unconscious. So, this consciousness is the symptom of life, and that develops one after another.

Just like within the earth you have seen, you go to the beach, you'll find within the sand, there are so many living entities. But they are inferior, and the plants on the sand, we have seen there are many green plants, herbs, they are better. They have improved their consciousness. But better than these plants and herbs are the crawling insects, snakes, snail, because they can move. The herbs, they cannot move, and within the sands there are living entities, they cannot sprout. So in this way, this is called evolution, one after another. So the insects, the reptiles, they are better than the standing herbs and plants, and these insects, the worms, they grow wings at the end of their life. In this way they are elevated to the bird's life. In this life they could not attain the bird's life, but on account of very strong willingness they grow the wings, and next life they become small birds, they fly. So they are better, the small birds, they are better than these insects. Then there are birds, big, big birds, the eagle birds, they can fly very high. In this way, beast life, that is better. In this way, beast life, then human life, uncivilized life, that is better. And then civilized life, that is better. Then civilized life, those who are organized, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, they are better. And amongst the brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, the brahmana is the best, because they are on the platform of spiritual realization. This is the evolution. Evolution, we are coming in that evolution. Bahu-sambhavante. Bahu-sambhavam, bahunam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19], bahu-sambhavante.

So this human life is after many, many evolutionary process. We have forgotten that. So this life is meant for jnanam, ultimate knowledge. In the lower grade of life, there is jnanam, there is consciousness, there is knowledge. A mosquito bug, mosquito knows where to bite. The knowledge is there. They will bite on the joints. Therefore there is mosquito, you have to eat(?) your hands and legs, the joints, but they know where to bite. This knowledge is there, for eating, sleeping and sex life. Nobody takes education for sex life. Nobody takes education for eating or sleeping. Where is the education that you shall eat like this, you shall sleep like this, you shall have sexual intercourse like this? That is automatically known. This knowledge is automatically known. So human civilization does not mean that scientifically you have to do this, do that, eating, sleeping, mating. That is going on, scientifically. Now this science of mating is that we shall have sex intercourse, but there will be no pregnancy. Contracept. So this is not knowledge. Knowledge is different thing.

Knowledge means jnanam nihsreyasarthaya purusasya atma-darsanam, that is knowledge. Atma-darsanam, self-realization. That is jnanam. Otherwise this lower jnana or knowledge, how to eat, how to sleep, how to perform sexual life, and how to defend, this knowledge is there even in the mosquito or small ant. And what to speak of other, higher grade living entities. That is jnanam, but that is not nihsreyasaya. Sreya and preya, there are two things. Preya means to fulfill immediate necessities of life. That is called preya. And sreya means the knowledge, sreya means the goal of life. Nihsreyasaya, nihsreyasaya. Nihsreyasaya means the ultimate benefit. That education is lacking. In the material world, the jnana, especially in the present age, jnana means technical knowledge. How to eat, how to sleep. Now they are Somebody was telling me that they have invented eating, eatables from petrol. (aside:) Who was speaking the other day?

Nitai: Bhagavata Dasa.

Prabhupada: Bhagavata Dasa. So they might be very advanced in scientific knowledge but the ultimate aim is how to eat. That's all, nothing more. How to eat, how to sleep, that's all. Tranquilizer pills, in USA, a large selling line. That means how to sleep. This is the advancement, scientific advancement. There is no sleeping? Without scientific knowledge, he was sleeping very nice. But with advancement, advancement of scientific knowledge he has lost his sleep, insomnia. So they are taking the advancement of knowledge in this way, but the Vedic scripture says that, jnanam nihsreyasarthaya, to achieve the highest perfection. That we are discussing in so many ways. And what is that highest perfection? Highest perfection is there, mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita, napnuvanti mahatmanah samsiddhim paramam gatah. Highest perfection, samsiddhim paramam. Param means the supreme, and samsiddhim means perfection.

mam upetya kaunteya
duhkhalayam asasvatam
napnuvanti mahatmanah
samsiddhim paramam gatah
 [Bg. 8.15]

This is highest perfection, Krsna says. All sastra, it says like that, and the whole Vedic literature is meant for achieving the highest perfection of life. Vedic literature, you will get all kinds of knowledge. Veda means knowledge, and the Vedic literature is full of knowledge. Nigama-kalpa-taru. Nigama means Vedic knowledge and kalpa-taru means the tree from where you can get anything you desire. Whatever you desire. Generally we have got experience that a mango tree, if you desire mango, you can get from the mango tree. If you desire coconut, then you can get from the coconut tree. But you cannot get coconut from the mango tree, and mango from the coconut tree. But there are trees where you go, you can get both mango, and banana, and coconut, and everything you like. That is called kalpa-vrksa. We have no experience in this material world, but there is a tree. That is not in this material world, that is in the spiritual world. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. So we have to take knowledge from Vedic, Vedic scripture. Then the description of the spiritual world is there, what is that? Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu. They have got houses, they are made of touchstone. Here it is made of bricks and stone, ordinary stone. But there is another stone which is called touchstone. If you touch it with the iron, the iron becomes gold. That is called touchstone, paresapatha (?). So the spiritual world, all the houses are made of this touchstone. You can take the Tata iron factory and touch it there. (laughter) It will be very profitable. (laughter) Yes. Or go there and bring some touchstone as these moon exploiters. They go and they have brought some stone, and some sand. But if you go to Krsnaloka you can bring some touchstone and make the whole Tata iron factory gold. (laughter) These informations are there. If you have got capacity, then you will go and bring it.

So in the spiritual world, the houses are made of touchstone cintamani-prakara-sadmasu, cintamani, the touchstone. Sanskrit name is cintamani. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa [Bs. 5.29], and the trees, there are trees. But not like this, that you get coconut from coconut tree, and mango from mango tree. But cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa [Bs. 5.29]. There any fruit you require, or even kacauri, you can get. (laughter) That is called kalpa-vrksa. There are trees like that. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa [Bs. 5.29], and maybe one or two, no. Laksavrtesu, there is a nice garden, or jungle you can say. There are many, many. Just like you have got experience here in this material world. If you go to the forest, you get so many trees, congested. In Africa I have seen. Very, very high, long trees and very congested, jungle. So prakara laksavrtesu, similarly in the spiritual world, there are trees of this kalpa-vrksa, where you can get anything you desire.

Laksavrtesu surabhir, and surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. There Krsna is very fond of cows. There is Krsna's another name is Gopala. Gopala means who tends cows. Go means cow and pala means one who tends. Therefore Krsna's another name is Gopala. Govinda. Govinda means one who gives pleasure to the cows or Govinda means one who gives pleasure to the senses. So Krsna's name are different. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. There Krsna is tending this surabhi. Surabhi cow means, that is also wonderful, spiritual. You can milk cow, milk from the cows, as many times as you like. Just like here in the, we have got experience, we can take milk from the cows morning and evening, not more than that. But there you can milk the cows whenever you like, and you can draw milk as much as you like. That is called surabhi cow. The trees are like that, the cows are like that, but there are houses, there are forests, jungle trees, cows, water, everything, but they are all spiritual. All spiritual, therefore there is one. Here is also one, because everything material. Whatever, either you take cow's body or your body, or tree's body, or any body, what it is made of? Ksitir ap teja marut vyoma, the earth, water, air, fire, and sky, that's all. Here it is all one, but, and there also it is one, but there it is all spiritual, and here it is all material. That is the difference.

That spiritual and material, what is the difference? The material is dull, and spiritual is consciousness. That is the difference. How the tree gives you, a mango tree there gives you a coconut? Because it is conscious. Suppose if I ask from you, because you are a conscious being, that "Give me some coconut." You can give me. "Give me some mango." You can give. But when you are out of this body, then I ask the body, "Give me some milk or cow or...," no response. This is material and spiritual. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13). So jnanam, real knowledge is that, when we understand that I am spiritual being, I am not this material, and I, my country, that is spiritual world. That is my place. That is jnanam, self-realization. Atma-darsanam, atma-darsanam. Suppose a foreigner is in America, an Indian is in America, or an American is in India, so he is conscious that "I am American," or "I do not belong to this country." Or Indian when he goes to America, he knows, "I am Indian. I do not belong to this country." Similarly when you realize, when you understand that you do not belong to this material world, you belong to the spiritual world, that is self-realization. Atma-darsanam, that we discussed, atma-darsanam.

Jnanam nihsreyasarthaya purusasya-atma-darsanam. Purusa, purusa means enjoyer. And prakrti means enjoyed. Something is being enjoyed and somebody is enjoyer. That is called prakrti-purusa. So here it is said purusa. Purusa means the living entity, who is trying to enjoy. He is trying to enjoy. But he is trying to enjoy where? In the material world, therefore he is not satisfied. In the spiritual world, the purusa, the living entity, enjoys with Krsna, not alone. Therefore you will find Krsna is always accompanied by someone else. Either Radharani or cowherds boy, or the gopis, or Mother Yasoda, or Nanda Maharaja, or the cows and the calves, like that. Or even with the monkeys. Krsna, you will never find alone. Therefore as soon as we speak Krsna, you must know there are so many associates. Krsna, just like if I say the president is coming, so one should know the president is not coming alone. He must be accompanied by his secretaries, by his military aide-de-camp, and so many other people, cabinet members. At least one dozen persons are coming with him, or with some soldiers, bodyguards. So similarly when you mean Krsna or God, you should immediately know that He is not alone. He is not impersonal boy. He is full with opulence, full with associates. Therefore this description is of the spiritual world in the Brahma-samhita, Vedic literature, cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. This is the trees, plants, and animals. Then laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami. He is not only in this surrounding of cintamani bricks, houses, and desire trees, many, many cowherd, not only the cows, surabhi, and the river, but also many thousands of Laksmi, Goddess of fortune. That is Krsna. That is the essence.

So one has to realize this. That is jnanam. Jnanam does not mean that because I am disgusted with this material world, to make this material world, not make, the material cannot be also made into zero, but we can imagine also something where there is no more these trees, and houses, and animals, and woman, and this and that, everything is finished. Nirakara. Nirakara, all kinds of akara, or forms, nirvisesa. Visesa means with varieties, and nirvisesa means without varieties. This is Mayavada philosophy. Finish this visesa, the varieties. Simply realize "I am," aham brahmasmi, so 'ham, like that. But that is not jnanam. That is not jnanam. That will be explained, one after another. Because nirvisesa, there is no possibility of nirvisesa. That I explained to you. As soon as you say Krsna, immediately you have to think of Krsna's paraphernalia. Not Krsna alone. So everywhere Krsna is there.

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

Krsna is everywhere. Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami [Bs. 5.35]. He is everywhere. So how it can be impersonal? Therefore the jnanam, which considers of impersonality without any varieties, that is not jnanam. That is not nihsreyasarthaya, that is simply a temporary appeasement. That because I am disgusted with this material varieties, let it be zero, void. That is a temporary solace. We cannot remain without varieties. That is not possible. If there is nobody here, and you sit down, make meditation, you can sit down for fifteen minutes or twenty minutes, then you will go away. This is not possible because the spirit soul, either the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Soul, or the living entity, he is also spirit, both of them are Brahman. Parabrahman and ordinary Brahman. We are ordinary Brahman and Krsna is the Supreme Brahman. So Brahman, either Supreme or ordinary is seeking after happiness. That is Brahman life. Seeking after happiness. Just like Krsna is Parabrahman, but He is also seeking happiness with Radharani and the gopis and the cowherds boy and the cows and the calves.

So the ananda, the spiritual happiness is not without varieties, anandamayo 'bhyasat (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.12). Spirit, Brahman, Parabrahman, is full of happiness, and how happiness can be possible without varieties? Variety is the mother of enjoyment. So therefore this nirvisesa, nirakara, or without any varieties, or voidness, this is not perfect knowledge. That is not self-realization. Self-realization is to understand that I am spirit soul. I do not belong to this material world. I am Brahman, not matter, that is called so 'ham, aham brahmasmi. But they have misinterpreted in a different way. So 'ham means, "I am the Supreme Lord." That is craziness. You are not Supreme Lord, but you are of the same quality. As Krsna, the Supreme Lord, He is also seeking enjoyment and because you are also part and parcel of Krsna, you are also seeking enjoyment. But you are seeking enjoyment in a field which is just opposite, in the material world.

What is that material world? Material world means forgetting Krsna. Krsna is covered. Krsna is there, Krsna is andantara-stha-paramanu, but they have no Krsna consciousness. Whole world, you analyze, there is no Krsna consciousness, there is no (indistinct). Rather they are declining, "There is no God." "God is dead." "I am God." "You are..." Because they have no information, no information of, that is material world. That is the difference between material world and spiritual world. Spiritual world means there is full consciousness of the existence of God, and material world means to full forgetfulness of God. This is the difference between material world and the spiritual world. So if you bring, in the material world also, Krsna consciousness, then it is spiritual world. How it is possible? Yes, it is possible. Just like you put one iron rod in the fire. It will become gradually warm, warmer, warmer, then the iron rod will be red hot and if that redness you will touch anywhere, it will burn you. It is no more iron rod, it is fire. So you keep yourself always in Krsna consciousness, then even if you possess this material body, you will be in the spiritual world. This is called jnanam. Jnanam atma-darsanam, jnanam nihsreyasaya.

So we have to come to this platform, spiritual platform. We are suffering on account of being on the material platform. So by keeping yourself always in the fire of Krsna or Krsna consciousness, you are transferred to the spiritual world. Very nice example, this iron rod, red hot. You cannot use it for any other purpose. It is simply for burning. Similarly you can become Krsnized. That we have already discussed in the previous verses. The, anyone who is fully absorbed in Krsna consciousness in devotional service he is two kinds of external body, namely the gross body, material body, this gross body made of earth, water, fire, air and sky, and the subtle body made of mind, intelligence, and ego. These two kinds of body become dissolved. Just like if you eat something, put into your stomach, and if you have got good digestive function, then everything will be digested. Similarly if you become Krsna conscious, spiritualized, the material activities will have no effect. It is dissolved. Otherwise, any material things you will do, it will have repercussion or reaction. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, yajnarthe karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanah [Bg. 3.9]. Yajnarthe, yajna means Krsna, Yajna-purusa, Yajnesvara. Krsna's another name is Yajnesvara. Bhoktaram yajna-tapasam [Bg. 5.29], Krsna says. Yajna-tapasam, bhokta, so therefore there is Yajnesvara. So whatever you do for Krsna, it will have no reaction. Digest everything. And if you do not do for Krsna, then it will take time to digest.

Therefore here it is said, jnanam nihsreyasarthaya purusasya atma-darsanam. Purusa, purusa means the enjoyer. So, here in this material world, either the so-called man and so-called woman, everyone is hankering after sense enjoyment. Therefore all of them together has been described as purusa. A woman is not purusa, but by mentality she is purusa, because she also wants to enjoy. Although she has got the body of being enjoyed, but she has the mentality of enjoying. Therefore everyone is described, although by nature everyone is prakrti, not purusa. Prakrti means enjoyed. That is stated in the Bhagavata, prakrti me bhinna astadha. This material body is made of earth, water, fire, air, sky. That is prakrti. Bhinna, separated. Itas tu viddhi me prakrtim param. There is another nature that is para prakrti. That is spiritual nature. And how I can understand? Na jiva-bhuta. You can understand that para-prakrti is the living entity, yayedam dharyate jagat [Bg. 7.5], which is sustaining this material nature. So actually in the Bhagavad-gita they, both of us are described as prakrti, not purusa. Purusa is Krsna. Therefore Arjuna, when he realized after reading Bhagavad-gita, he addresses Krsna as Purusa. Param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan, purusam sasvata [Bg. 10.12]. We are, not that you have become purusa now, but sasvata, eternally.

Just like here, we are purusa. This birth I am purusa, next birth I may become stri or prakrti. If I am too much fond of woman, and at the time of death, if I think of woman, then I get a woman's body. Yam yam vapi smaran bhavam tyajanty ante kalevaram [Bg. 8.6]. Therefore too much attachment for woman is not good, because, or too much attachment for anything in this material world, that is doomed. Therefore, here it is said, hrdaya-granthi-bhedanam. Hrdaya-granthi-bhedanam, my attachment, my heart attraction is so strong, it is like granthi, knot. So atma-darsanam means hrdaya-granthi-bhedanam, opening the knot. Hrdaya-granthi-bhedanam, that is atma-darsanam. When I become free from all attachment of this material world, that is called hrdaya-granthi-bhedanam. And how the hrdaya-granthi, knot in the heart begins? That begins, pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etat tayor mitho hrdaya-granthim ahuh. We are in this material world, it is going on, pumsah, the man, and striya, of the woman, attachment. Pumsah striya mithuni, what is that attachment? Sex. Sex. Pumsah striya mithuni-bhavam etat tayor, the desire is there, and as soon as they unite by marriage or by agreement, by any way, then hrdaya-granthim ahuh. Then the attachment becomes more and more. There are thousands and millions of women, but the woman with whom I have got my bodily relation, I cannot forget her, and she cannot forget me. Hrdaya-granthim ahuh. The attachment increases. And as soon as they are united the, that is hrdaya-granthi, knot between heart to heart. "You my dear, you my heart." So then, "We must find out an apartment." There was no need of apartment, but as soon as there is hrdaya-granthi, there is need of a...

Atah grha-ksetra-sutapta-vittair janasya moho yam aham mameti [SB 5.5.8]. This hrdaya-granthi increases, develops. Now there is a need of attachment, apartment, grha. Now there is need of land for getting food grains. Now there is, they have gotten, what is called? Service, go to the office fifty miles away and you will get your food grains. Formerly this was not possible, therefore one must possess some land to produce food grains. Now, if you can get some money, you can purchase eight rupees kilo food grains. That is... But formerly even that was not possible. And formerly you must have land. Parjanyad anna sambhavah, annad bhavanti bhutani [Bg. 3.14], you have to produce. People are not interested now producing food grains. They, somehow or other, if they can get that paper currency, they can purchase. Therefore everyone has got this printed paper. The value is increasing. Competition. I can pay two rupees kilo. The other says, "No, I can pay three rupees." What is this rupees? This paper. You, somehow or other you gather this paper, and there will be competition and the price will increase. This is the economy. Because they have got false money, therefore there is false increment of price. Bad money. Gresham's theory: "Bad money drives away good money." As soon as there is bad money, this paper currency, the coin, gold coins and silver coins, they are finished, they are no more.

So hrdaya-granthi, we are, how we are becoming tied up between so-called one heart to another. Atah grha, first of all attachment for man and woman, then attachment for the apartment, grha, then land, grha-ksetra, then suta, children, then apta, friends, society, friendship, love. Suta, apta, then vitta, money. In this way we increase our, the knot, one after another. One knot, two knots, three knots, fourth knot, it is going on. And self-realization means opening the knots, opening the knots. The knots began like that. Janasya moho yam aham mameti [SB 5.5.8]. And here it is said, hrdaya-granthi-bhedanam. Bhedanam means separate them. Separate them. That is self-realization. Self-realization means that "I am spirit soul," aham brahmasmi. So 'ham, "I am as good as the Supreme Spirit, Krsna. Somehow or other I am now in contact with this material attachment." This is called atma-darsana. And that is clearly explained, atma-darsana means hrdaya-granthi-bhedanam. Atma-darsanam does not mean hrdaya-granthi vrddhi or increasing. Therefore, real atma-darsana, real liberation, real consciousness is separation from this material attachment. Voluntarily, forcefully, or by knowledge, that is required.

Therefore you will find, India, Vedic civilization is meant for this unknotting, the hrdaya-granthi. Therefore sannyasa is compulsory. Vanaprastha is compulsory. If you really follow Vedic principle you become student, brahmacari, you learn everything. What is this life, what is this world, what is Krsna, what is God, what is your relationship with Him. These studies, that is complete study. But still, if you want to be knotted by hrdaya-granthi, grhastha, a concession, all right. Pumsah striya mithuna. Mithuna, that concession is for sex life. Grhastha life is a concession given for enjoying sex life. Otherwise, there is no need of grhastha life. Therefore there were many brahmacaris, akhanda-brahmacari, never married in life, many. But that is not possible at the present. But there is training. The brahmacari is taught that this is the position: "Don't be knotted with this material world." But still, if he cannot do that, then with the permission of the spiritual master, he accepts a wife. That is grhastha life. But that also not for many years. Say for 25 years. After 25 years he will remain a student brahmacari, then you accept one wife according to religious ritualistic ceremony, but no illicit sex. That is not allowed. Bachelor daddy is not allowed. That is very dangerous.

So kamam, dharma-viruddho kamam aham asmi, Krsna says. Even without wife and everything. Then you take sannyasa. That is the stage of hrdaya-granthi-bhedanam. Hrdaya-granthi-bhedanam. Not that up to the last point of death you are attached to a family and wife and children. That is animal life. That is not human life. Human life, you must try to unknot this hrdaya-granthi, man and woman. Hrdaya-granthi-bhedanam. That is self-realization. So this Sankhya philosophy described by Kapiladeva is very scientifically described and if we try to assimilate it then our life will be successful.

Thank you very much. (end)

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.26.2 -- Bombay, December 14, 1974

HOME

© 2001 The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

From External Illusion

Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.36
Los Angeles, December 14, 1973

Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada


Pradyumna: Translation: "When the Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna, left this earthly planet in His self-same form, from that very day Kali, who had appeared partially before, become fully manifest to create inauspicious conditions for those who are endowed with a poor fund of knowledge."

Prabhupada: Here is one word, jahau. Jahau sva-tanva sravaniya-sat-kathah. So when Krsna left, He left with His, the self-same body. In the Bhagavad-gita Krsna says, yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata, tadatmanam srjamy aham [Bg. 4.7]. In another place Krsna says, atma-mayaya. Atma-mayaya. Maya means potency, energy. So there are three potencies... There are many potencies. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. God has unlimited potencies, but learned scholars, saintly persons, they have not rejected potencies, because they cannot be. There are certain philosophers, they are of opinion that God has no potency. But that is not fact. From Vedic information we see potency. What is that? How to understand the potency? The potency, you can understand. Just like from the fire you have got two potencies: heat and light. Nobody can deny it. Similarly, as fire is placed in one place but it expands its potencies heat and light... That is within our experience. It is not very difficult. Similarly, the sun also... Everyone can see that the sun planet is a big planet, the biggest planet. Or star, as somebody says. Whatever it may be, it is lying in one corner of the sky. But it expands its potency throughout the universe. The sunshine is distributed all over the sky, all over the planetary system. And similarly, heat also. We are feeling 99,000,000 miles away... Is that ninety-nine miles? What is that? Scientists say?

Devotees: Ninety-three.

Prabhupada: Ninety-three million miles away from us; still, we are feeling scorching heat, 120 degree, 135 degree. In Middle East the temperature the temperature is 135 degrees. It is impossible to stay on the surface of the globe. One goes down to the earth. So potency is there. If in material thing like the sun -- sun is a material thing; it has got so much potency -- so how much potencies the Supreme Personality of Godhead got? That is called inconceivable potency. Acintya, beyond your perception. He has got that potency.

So that is the statement of Vedas.

na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate
na tat-samas cabhyadhikas ca drsyate
parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate
svabhaviki jnana-bala-kriya ca

The is description of the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Person. Because it is said, tasya. Tasya means He's a person. So what kind of person? Like me? Whole day working, for money? No. Na tasya karyam karanam ca vid... He has nothing to do. See here. Krsna has nothing to do. Simply He is enjoying, playing on flute and enjoying with Radharani. That's all. He hasn't got to go to office, to the factory. (laughter) He hasn't got. He is simply to enjoy. Anandamayo 'bhyasat. And we also take, imitate that enjoyment. We also want to mix, young boys and girls, dance together. Because we imitate Krsna. The same thing is there. With gopis Krsna is dancing. Here also we are dancing, in nightclub, and this club, that club. But that will not give you satisfaction, because it is imitation. If you want real dancing, come to Krsna. That is wanted.

That is Krsna conscious movement, that we are trying to take the misled people from illusion to the reality. The Mayavadi philosophers, they see that there is no more any pleasure in this dancing. "Make it zero. Forget it." No. We don't say that. We say that this dancing is there in the original conception in the Absolute Truth. That is... The Vedanta-sutra says, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. Whatever you are experiencing, wherefrom it has come? It has come from the Absolute. That is the Absolute idea. But here, in the relative world, it is pervertedly reflected, and because it is not reality, therefore you are confused, baffled. So our proposition is come to the reality. That is Krsna consciousness. The same dancing... Just like here is a picture, Krsna is dancing with the gopis. We also like, anybody of us here. Even in old age they are dancing with young girls. In Paris there is club. All going to die, such old men, they are coming in the club, paying fifty dollars as entrance fee; then they have to pay for young girls and wine. But still, they come. They cannot actually enjoy. Vayasi gate kim yuvati nari:(?) "When one is old man, what is the use of mixing with young girls?" Yes. But they like it. They like it. They pay for it. But they do not enjoy, Because if they have enjoyed, they would have been satisfied, but they are not satisfied. Frustrated.

So this is the position. This is the position. Just like the heat and light. If... You are feeling the heat in the sunshine, but that does not mean the sun is there. You cannot say that. Sun is there and not there. This is called simultaneously inconceivable presence of God everywhere. He is present everywhere. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gita.

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

Maya tatam idam sarvam. Krsna says, "By My impersonal feature, I am spread everywhere, everywhere." Everywhere is Krsna. Mat-sthani sarva-bhutani: "Everything is resting on Me." This is the fact. Just like in this material world everything resting on the sunshine. That is scientific. Is is not scientist, the sunshine? The planets, they are rotating on account of this heat and sunshine. It is not a theory?

Svarupa Damodara: Yes.

Prabhupada: Yes. So now what do we mean by "everything"? Just like this planet. Everything with this planet -- the trees, the rivers, the mountains, the cities, the cars -- everything within this planet, that is an unit. So this is one planet. And there are millions and millions, trillions of planets. But how they are existing? Existing on the sunshine. So wherefrom the sunshine comes? The sunshine comes from God, or the sun comes from God. Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. Everything is born, everything is emanating form the Absolute. Therefore, indirectly, everything is depending on Krsna's potency. Mat-sthani sarva-bhutani: "Everything is resting on My potency." Na caham tesv avasthitah: "But I am not there." This is the acintya-bhedabheda-tattva, simultaneously one and different. This is our philosophy.

So our point is that Krsna, or God, is there, and He is working through His potencies. Just like a big man, he is sitting on his parlor. He hasn't got to go. Just like we have seen Mr. Birla in... Those who are with me, they have seen. He is sitting in his home, but he has got many potencies. He has got secretaries, clerks, and this and that, so many things. So they are doing all work. He hasn't got to work. A big man means he hasn't got to work personally. He has got so many assistants. Similarly, Krsna, He is the Supreme. He hasn't got to work Himself. He hasn't got to work. Vrndavanam parityajya padam ekam na gacchati. He is always engaged in His playing flute and dancing with the gopis. That's all. Pleasure. Anandamayo 'bhyasat. That is pleasure. So His potencies are working. What kind of potency? That is described. I have given the example. Just like the sun is there and the sunshine is there, and the sunshine is working everything. By the sunshine, the trees are coming out, the leaves are coming out. They are dropping when there is no sunshine. Everything is depending on sunshine. That is explained in the Vedic literatures:

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

Parasya brahmanah saktih. Whatever you are seeing in this cosmic manifestation, they are simply  demonstration of the potency of the Lord. Parasya brahmanah saktih.

So we are... We take our birth and we accept our death not independently. We are under the another potency. We are also one potency. The potency... There are... Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. Those potencies have been divided into three. Multi, but roughly, they have been divided into three. One is called internal potency, one is called the external potency, and one is called the marginal potency. So the external potency means this material world. The whole material universe -- so many universes, so many planets, stars, skies, and everything -- these are the demonstration of the external potency. And similarly, there is the spiritual world. Spiritual world. That we cannot see. That is not within our experience. But we get it from the sastra. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said, paras tasmat tu bhavah anyah [Bg. 8.20]. Krsna says, "There is another nature." Paras tasmat. "This material nature, beyond that there is another nature." Paras tasmat tu bhavo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktat sanatanah [Bg. 8.20]. That is eternal. This material nature is not eternal. Just like your body, my body, it is not eternal, similarly, this gigantic body of universe, that is also not eternal. It has a date of creation, and it has a date for dissolution. That is the nature. Therefore it is said that "That material nature is sanatana. That is never created; neither it is annihilated."

So we, marginal... Marginal means actually we belong to the spiritual nature. Because we are spirit soul, but we have come in contact with this material nature, some way or other. So therefore we are seeing our position incompatible. We cannot adjust here. Therefore we are getting one type of body and enjoying or suffering another type of body, another type of body, another type of body. This is going on. Therefore we are called marginal. If we like, we can transfer ourself to the spiritual world and remain eternally, because we are of the spiritual nature. That is described in the Bhagavad-gita: na jayate na mriyate va kadacin nityah sasvato 'yam na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. This is the description of the soul. The soul is never born, na jayate. Na mriyate, neither he dies. Na jayate na mriyate va. Kadacit, at any time. Not that sometimes we wish to live or sometimes we wish to die. No. Everlastingly, eternally, we never take our birth, never we die. Then what is this death? This death is of the material body, not of the soul. Therefore it is said, na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20], more distinctly, that "We don't think that the soul is dead after the annihilation of this body."

So now the conclusion is that because we are marginal, in between the spiritual nature and the material nature, although we are spiritual, although our real nature is na jayate na mriyate, we never take birth, never die, but on account of our contact with this material nature, we are getting this material body and the body is changing. Tatha dehantara-praptih. Body is changing. And that we have taken as our nature, birth and death. That is not our nature. We are spirit soul. We are put into marginal because... Just like the margin is explained: tatastha. That is... We have translated into "marginal." Just like we go on the Pacific beach. Some day we find the water is covering the beach, and some day we see it is open. There is no water. So that is called marginal. Marginal. Sometimes it is covered by water; sometimes there is no water. Similarly, we, being marginal potency, we are sometimes influenced by this material nature, not always. Because at the present moment for sometimes we are under the material nature, now, if we try, then we can get out of this covering of material nature and come to the spiritual nature. That is Krsna consciousness movement. Krsna consciousness movement means don't remain in the marginal position. Come in the land so there will be no disturbance by the water. This is the position. If you remain on the marginal position, then sometimes you will be covered by the water and sometimes it will be dry. But if you little come forward this side, land side, the ocean has no power to touch you.

But Krsna is not like that, and that is described here. Although Krsna left this world, that does not mean that He left this world as we leave. Our leaving this world means we are leaving this material world and accepting another body. Therefore, at the present moment we are not in our own body. Our body is changing. Now this American body, and next birth may be Russian body. This is going on. You are fighting against the Russians, Americans, but he may get the Russian body next life. Therefore as American, he fought the whole life with the Russian, and he is going to become a Russian. Sada tad-bhava-bhavitah [Bg. 8.6]. This is the law of nature. This is the law of nature. Then again fights with American as soon as he gets the Russian body. Then he becomes again American. This is going on. Bhutva bhutva praliyate. Sometime Russian, sometime American, go on fighting. That's all. So this is called maya. (laughter) This is maya. Everyone is doing that. Everyone is doing that. Therefore Lord Caitanya said, ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva [Cc. Madhya 19.151]. The living entities are loitering like this, sometimes that body, sometimes this way, sometimes that way. He is simply loitering. He is not getting where to take shelter. Where permanent life, permanent happiness, he does not know. He does not know. He does not know. Simply changing. In the material world also, they are simply changing some form of government, electing one rascal, again rejecting, another rascal, another rascal. Because they are all rascals, they have no other alternative than to elect more rascal. But they are thinking that "By rejecting this rascal, we shall be happy." He does not know how to elect. He does not know how to elect. Andha yathandhair upaniyamanah. They are themselves blind, and they are accepting a leader who is also blind. So what will be the profit? If you are led by... You are blind, and if you are led by another blind man, then what will be the profit? Both of you will fall down in the ditch. That is going on.

Therefore, if you want real happiness, you must take the leadership of a man who has got eyes to see. Then it will be all right. So whose eyes are open? And that is in the Vedic literature said,

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

It is the business of the guru... Because everyone is blind or in darkness, cannot see, so it is the guru's business to open his eyes, or to help him to see things as they are. That is guru's business. Ajnana-timirandhasya. Everyone is covered by the darkness of ignorance. So how darkness can be moved? If there is light. Immediately, if you make the switch off of electricity, this room will be dark. And again you make the switch on, there will be light. Just like at night, we cannot see. Everything is dark because the light, sun, is not there. In the morning, as soon as the sun is there, again everything you can see. So things are there. Because we are in the darkness of ignorance, we cannot see them properly. I am there, you are there, God is there, everything is there. Simply we have to get the light or the proper situation to see things as they are. That is wanted.

So Vedic literature therefore advises that if you want... First of all Vedas advises, "Don't keep yourself in the darkness." Tamasi ma jyotir gama: "Don't keep yourself in the darkness." This is human life. In the human life... In the animal life you kept yourself in darkness because there was no possibility of come to the light. If I invite all the dogs and animals of Los Angeles city to come here to hear about Bhagavad-gita, it is not possible, because they are animals. But if I appeal to the human being, because he is human being, he may be interested. He should be interested, but the time is so bad that nobody is interested, but still, he may be interested. But that is not possible for the animals, cats and dogs. So in the human form of life, there is necessity of coming to the light and make a solution of the problems of life. Therefore Krsna comes. That is the statement of Krsna in the Bhagavad-gita: yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata, tadatmanam srjamy aham, atma-mayaya [Bg. 4.7].

So Krsna comes... He does not come like us. We are under the control of the material nature, but Krsna is not under the control of material nature. That is to be understood. Therefore here it is said that jahau sva-tanva. Sva means "own," and tanva, tanu, tanu means "this body." We have got distinction, "I am the soul, but my this body is material." This distinction we have got because we are conditioned soul. Actually, I am not this body. I am soul. But I have become conditioned by this material body. And in case of Krsna, He is not conditioned by this material body. Therefore it is said, sva-tanva: "by His own original, spiritual body." This is the distinction you must understand. One scholar has described... Because he does not know Krsna and still writing comments on Bhagavad-gita, when Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru: [Bg. 18.65] "Just think of Myself, just become my devotee, offer Your obeisances unto Me, worship Me," this rascal says, "It is not to Krsna the person, but to the soul." Now he says... Just see how much ignorant he is. He does not know that Krsna has no such division as His self or soul and the body, and he is writing comment. And this is very scholarly. It is... He is a rascal number one, and he is accepted as scholar. This is going on. This is going on, all over the world.

Therefore Krsna says, avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam: [Bg. 9.11] "Mudhas, the rascals, they think, because I appear as a human being, they think as ordinary human being." Param bhavam ajanantah: "They do not know the great potentiality of Myself." Param bhavam ajanantah. Still, they will go on explaining Bhagavad-gita, writing Bhagavata, comments on. These rascals, mudhas, one who does not know that Krsna has no distinction, as we have got distinction body and soul, Krsna has no such distinction. Krsna has no distinction between this Krsna's form of stone and Krsna Himself. Because the stone is also Krsna's energy. Bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh. The earth, water, air, fire, everything is Krsna energy. That we have already explained. Parasya brahmanah saktih. Everything Krsna's energy. So He can appear in any form from anywhere from anything. That is Krsna. That is Krsna.

So we have to understand what is Krsna. And as soon as you understand Krsna, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah, in truth, if you understand Krsna, then you become liberated. Tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya [Bg. 4.9]. So we have to understand Krsna like that. Sva-tanva: He left this body not as we leave our body. No. We are leaving and accepting our body by the force of nature, material nature. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. Our business is going on being forced, enforced by the laws of nature. Krsna is not under the laws of nature; neither He has got distinction between His self and body. This is to be understood. Sva-tanva. If somebody thinks that "Krsna left His body and died like us..." There are a party, they think like that, "Krsna also died like us." But that is not the fact. Krsna left His so-called body just to befool the rascals. Because the rascals are thinking, "Krsna is like us," therefore to bewilder them, Krsna leaves a maya body so that they may think that "Krsna is like us." But actually here is the secret, that jahau sva-tanva. He left this world in His original body. He has no such distinction. Sravaniya-sat-kathah. If His body is like our body, material body, then what is the use of hearing about His activity? We are interested in the words of Krsna. If Krsna is like us, He has got the same material body, then why we should be interested to read Bhagavad-gita, He is also a man like us?

Therefore here it is said, sravaniya-sat-kathah. By hearing about Krsna, you become liberated. So if He is equally as good as you are, then what is the use of reading His book, reading His instruction? But here it is said, sravaniya-sat-kathah, tadahar apratibuddha-cetasam. These things are spoken by less intelligent class of men, apratibuddha-cetasam. They say, cetasam abhadra-hetuh kalir anvavartata: "Because Krsna passed away, therefore Kali got the opportunity to enter." That is, to some extent it is fact. But Krsna, although left this planet, and if He is everything, how Krsna can go away? Krsna can remain with you eternally. And even if you say that "Because Krsna went away, therefore Kali got the chance of entering," but if you keep yourself with Krsna, where is the chance of Kali to enter? Where is the chance? So you keep yourself in Krsna consciousness. Kali will not be able to touch you.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.15.36 -- Los Angeles, December 14, 1973

"Theory of Uncertainty"

72/12/14 Ahmedabad, Bhagavad-gita 7.1-3


Prabhupada:

...partha
yogam yunjan mad-asrayah
asamsayam samagram mam
yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu
[Bg. 7.1]

So Krsna is advising simply by increasing your attachment for Krsna, we can be eligible to understand the whole knowledge, complete knowledge, without any doubt. By our mental speculation we acquire knowledge, but there are so many doubts. So many doubts. In the Ninth Chapter also, in the Bhagavad-gita, it is said, pratyaksa avagamam dharmyam. Pratyaksa. Krsna consciousness knowledge is so perfect that pratyaksa avagamam, you can directly perceive how far you are making progress. You don't require to take certificate from others, whether you are progressing or not. You'll understand, yourself. The example is given. Just like a hungry man is eating, so as he going on, eating, he's getting strength and his hunger is being satisfied. So he can understand himself. Nobody requires to certify, "Now you are satisfied," or "Now..." Similarly bhakti, Krsna consciousness, is so perfect that pratyaksa avagamam, one can understand directly. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat [SB 11.2.42]. This is the test of bhakti-marga.

Therefore Krsna says, asamsayam. The theoretical knowledge, experimental knowledge, always remains in doubt. All the scientists, they are not confident. Now there is a theory, "theory of uncertainty," among the scientists. Whatever knowledge they are making, they are making progress, everything is uncertain. Yes. It must be uncertain, because the basic principle is wrong. Therefore it must be uncertain. A conditioned soul, as we are, under the condition of the material nature, three modes of material nature, how our knowledge can be perfect? It is not possible. The first defect is, because we are conditioned, we commit mistakes, so many. And we become illusioned. Just like every knowledge is being based on the illusion that "I am this body, material body," which I am not. But the whole world is going on under this conception, that "I am this body." "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am brahmana," like that. So the basic principle is illusion. And there are so many mistakes we commit. And the senses are imperfect. And although my senses are imperfect, I, still, I theorize, "It may be...," "It is like this," "It is like that." These are all imperfect things. Therefore whatever knowledge we may make progress, it is samsayam, it remains doubt, uncertainty.

But what Krsna says, you can test even with your experimental knowledge. That is Vedic knowledge. Vedic knowledge, it is not dogma. The, the statement is there after sufficient experiment. So we, if we accept Vedic knowledge, we save so much time. We may go on experimenting with out limited power of senses, but that will always remain doubtful, then it is perfect. Asamsayam samagram. This samagram, this word, is very significant. Samagram means "complete." To understand Krsna means to understand the whole cosmic manifestation, God, the material nature, the time factor, the living entities, their respective relationship, everything. That is called samagram. Not that a Krsna conscious person does not know about the creation of the material manifestation. He knows, by his reason. That will be explained in this chapter, Seventh Chapter, how this material creation is going on. The modern scientists, they put up creation, that "There was a chunk, and it was burnt into pieces. Then the planetary systems came into existence." But if we inquire, "Wherefrom this chunk comes?" that they cannot answer. Therefore the so-called scientific knowledge always remains in doubt. Darwin's theory... There are so many passages: "It may be, perhaps."

So these things, "Perhaps, it may be," that is not certain. Therefore they have now accepted the theory of uncertainty. But here we, if we hear from Krsna, then it is perfect knowledge. Samagram. How this material world is created, how this earth, five elements of gross elements come into existence, and everything will be explained. Asamsayam samagram mam [Bg. 7.1]. To understand Krsna means to understand everything. Therefore tattvam.

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

We have to understand Krsna in truth. Simply superficially, if we understand Krsna, that "Krsna was born of the father and mother, Devaki and Vasudeva, and He was born in Mathura, and then played with the gopis. And then the..., He taught something on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra," that is not sufficient knowledge. We should try to understand samagram, as far as possible in complete. Then our devotion, our love for Krsna, will be increased.

In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said,

siddhanta baliya citte na kara alasa
iha haite krsne lage sudrdha manasa

Siddhanta, conclusive, conclusive understanding. You should try to understand Krsna. Simply by understanding Krsna, our life becomes perfect. Janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah, tyaktva deham punar janma naiti... [Bg. 4.9]. We can become liberated. Therefore Caitanya, yes, Kaviraja Gosvami recommends that "Try to understand Krsna in truth." And another place it is said,

sri-krsna-caitanya-daya karaha vicara
vicara karile citte pabe camatkara

It is not blindly accepted, this Krsna consciousness. With considerable deliberation, we take the decision. All the acaryas, they have taken decision. Therefore in the next verse Krsna says, jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam. This knowledge, with practical understanding, sa-vijnanam. Vijnanam means practical application. We understand Krsna as the Supreme. He's the creator of this cosmic manifestation. He's the Supreme. We are all subordinate. This is jnanam. And sa-vijnanam, when it is practically applied, that means when you take to devotional service, then it is practically application, practicing.

jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam
idam vaksyamy asesatah
yaj jnatva neha bhuyo 'nyaj
jnatavyam avasisyate

So when we understand perfectly, complete knowledge, then there is no more anything remains to be understood. Everything is... Kasmin tu bhagavo vijnate sarvam idam vijnatam bhavati. So the Bhagavad-gita is not theory. It is knowledge, and practically applicable in life. Sa-vijnanam. And if we try to understand Krsna in perfect order, then there is nothing remains to be understood. Everything becomes revealed. This knowledge becomes revealed. Naham prakasah sarvasya yogamaya-samavrtah [Bg. 7.25]. Revealed. Athapi te deva padambuja-dvaya-prasada-lesanugrhita eva hi.

So we have to receive this knowledge submissively. The, Lord Brahma recommends that jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. Namanta eva. We must be submissive. The whole thing depends, spiritual knowledge...

tad-vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet
samit-panih srotriyam brahma-nistham
[MU 1.2.12]

Tad viddhi pranipatena pariprasnena sevaya [Bg. 4.34]. So this knowledge, this process of knowledge, is received by submissive mood. Jnane prayasam udapasya. One has to give up the false prestigious position that "I can understand God and everything by my speculative, experimental knowledge." This is called jnane prayasam. Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva. One should be submissive, san-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam, and try to hear the message of the Lord from san-mukharitam, sadhu, devotees, san-mukha..., not professional. Sri Sanatana Gosvami has strictly forbidden: avaisnava-mukhodgirnam putam hari-kathamrtam, sravanam naiva kartavyam. Avaisnava, those who are not practically Vaisnava, devotee, in practical life, professional person, there is no use. Avaisnava. There must be heart and soul Vaisnava. Avaisnava-mukhodgirnam putam hari-kathamrtam. Hari-katha, the words about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, certainly that is amrtam. But still, it should not be heard from a person who is not a devotee.

So avaisnava-mukhodgirnam putam hari-kathamrtam, sravanam naiva kartavyam. And it is forbidden, "Don't hear." Why? Hari-kathamrta, krsna-katha, the message of God, the words of God, Bhagavad-gita? He may be anything, but the katha is the same; so what is the harm to hear from an avaisnava? Sanatana Gosvami gives the example: sarpocchistam payo yatha. Sarpocchistam payo yatha. Sarpocchista... Just like milk, everyone knows, a very nice food, most nutritious food, but if it is touched by the life of a serpent, immediately spoiled. Immediately. Another place, Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva-nasa. If we hear Mayavadi-bhasya, commentaries by the Mayavadis, those who do not accept the Personality of Godhead... They called, they are called Mayavadis. Mayavadi means they see everything maya. Even Krsna is maya. That is called Mayavadi. The Mayavadi philosophy is that "When Krsna comes, He comes with a material body." That is called Mayavadi. "God is impersonal. When He comes, He takes a form, He takes the form of this matter." This is Mayavadi. There are so many faulty statements of the Mayavadis. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, mayavadi haya krsne aparadhi. They're offenders, offenders. Therefore, mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva-nasa. One becomes doomed by hearing the Mayavadi commentary. This is so much condemned.

So actually, by the grace of Krsna, we can understand that the Absolute Truth is ultimately the Supreme Person. But we cannot accommodate within our teeny brain that how the Supreme Absolute Truth can be a person. That is the difficulty. That is the difficulty of Mayavada philosophy. That is the kupa-manduka-nyaya, that "Because I am a person, I am so much limited, how a person can be unlimited?" That is the difficulty for them. But therefore to remove this difficulty, one has to surrender. Without surrendering, it is not possible to understand. Therefore Krsna demands, "Surrender. Then you'll understand." Naham prakasah sarvasya yogamaya-samavrtah [Bg. 7.25]. By challenging, you cannot understand actually what is Krsna. One has to become submissive. So,

jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam
idam vaksyamy asesatah
yaj jnatva neha bhuyo 'nyaj
jnatavyam avasisyate

Then Krsna says,

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

Manusyanam sahasresu. Generally, whole human society, especially at the present moment, nobody cares for perfection of life. They do not know what is perfection of life. Just like animals, they do not know what is perfection of life. They think perfection of life: to gratify the senses. "We have got these senses. Let us..." Because they have no idea that there is life after death. Therefore their only proposition is, "Now we have got this life and we have got these senses. Let us enjoy it to the fullest extent." This is their perfection. But actually, that is not perfection. Perfection means, self-realization means to know that aham brahmasmi, "I am not this matter; I am spirit soul." To understand this. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54].

So therefore mostly people are engaged in the animal propensities of life. Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca: eating, sleeping, sex life and defense. They are busy. But these things are visible in the animal life also. Then what is the special significance of the human life? Human life means athato brahma jijnasa. They, the human being should be inquisitive to understand Brahman. That is the special significance of human life. Narottama dasa Thakura therefore sings, manusya-janama paiya, radha-krsna na bhajiya, janiya suniya bisa khainu. Narottama dasa Thakura laments, hari hari bifale janama gonainu: "My Lord, I have simply spoiled my life." Why you have spoiled? You are eating very nicely, sleeping very nicely. "No." Manusya-janama..., radha-krsna, manusya-janama. This human form of life is especially meant for understanding Radha-Krsna. Krsna means Radha-Krsna. Krsna means everything, samagram. To understand Krsna, that is the special mission of human life. "So I did not try for it. I simply carried away by the waves of maya." And the Bhaktivinoda Thakura sings, mayar bose, jaccho bhese', Khaccho habudubu bhai. We are being carried away by the waves of this material modes of nature, sometimes drowned, sometimes on the surface. In this way, our life is going on. Jiv krsna-das, e biswas, korle to' ar duhkho nai. But we can stop this being carried away by the waves of maya simply if we accept that we are eternal servant of Krsna. We can stop the carrying away.

So the... Therefore... People do not understand this. Krsna Himself says, manusyanam sahasresu [Bg. 7.3]. Sahasresu means out of millions of men, they are interested how to make life perfect. Nobody's interested, especially in this age. In this age, prayenalpayusah sabhya kalav asmin yuge janah. The first disqualification is that in this age people do not live for a long time. First disqualification. Formerly, they were healthy and they could live about hundred years. As we have seen, our grandfather, grandfather, they used to live. My grandfather died at the age of ninety-six years. Similarly, there are many instances. People used to live for long time. But the first qualification of this age that they, they are dying fifty, sixty, forty-five. The India's average age is thirty-five. In other countries, a little more. So practically, nobody's living a very long time. Prayenalpayusah and manda. They do not know that they have a mission of life. Siddhi. Siddhi-labha. They do not know. Like cats and dogs, dying. Prayenalpayusah sabhya kalav asmin yuge, mandah sumanda-matayah. And if one is interested for spiritual life, they are also captured by so many pseudo spiritual things. Pseudo. Manda. Prayenalpayusah sabhya kalav asmin yuge janah, mandah sumanda-matayah. They have got a different views. They do not like to take knowledge from the Vedic, perfect knowledge from the Vedic literature or from Bhagavad-gita. They manufacture their own way of life, this mandah sumanda-matayah. And manda-bhagyah. And unfortunate, mostly they are unfortunate. And hy upadrutah. And distributed by so many things. Sometimes earthquake, sometimes famine, sometimes scarcity of water, sometimes war, or sometimes fight. So many things, problems, simply problems. This is the position of this age.

So if one is actually interested to make his life perfect, then we should accept the standard knowledge instead of manufacturing now different ways. No. Here is standard knowledge, Bhagavad-gita, the sastra. Sadhu-sastra-guru-vakya tinete kariya aikya. Yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah. If you do not follow the standard knowledge of perfect sastra, then Krsna says, na siddhim savapnoti. He never gets siddhi. Here it is said, siddhaye. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]. Siddhaye, to become perfect. So unless we follow the injunction of the sastra, then there is no possibility of siddhi. Na siddhim savapnoti na sukham na param gatim. Neither perfection, neither happiness in this life, and what to speak of next life? These things are not possible if we do not follow standard knowledge. So for the standard knowledge, manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye. And those who have taken the standard knowledge, yatatam api siddhanam [Bg. 7.3].

So for, by standard knowledge, by understanding Vedas, that is standard knowledge. Still, although they are siddhas, still they do not understand Krsna. Just like karmis, jnanis, yogis, they have taken to standard knowledge. That's a fact. But still, they cannot understand Krsna. The Mayavadis, the impersonalists, the speculators, they cannot understand. They are surprised, that "How Krsna can be the Absolute Truth?" Even a, a great scholar, Dr. Radhakrishnan, he's also amazed. He says that "Bhagavad-gita is mental speculation." And when Krsna says on the Ninth Chapter... He writes commentary. Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. He says that "It is not up to Krsna, but the fact which is within Krsna." So he does not know what is Krsna, and still, he dares to write commentary on Bhagavad-gita. This is the difficulty. Krsna has no inside or outside. Krsna is all spirit, all spirit. Sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1]. So he does not know. Not only he, many does not know. But the thing is that they dare to write commentary on Bhagavad-gita. Therefore here it is said that manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye, yatatam api siddhanam [Bg. 7.3]. First of all, one must be perfect. And amongst the perfect, then Krsna is known very rarely. Amongst the perfect. What to speak of the imperfect? Manusyanam sahasresu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu says therefore: koti-karma-nistha-madhye eka jnani srestha. There are millions and millions of karmis, working hard for sense gratification. They are called karmis. Koti-karma-nistha-madhye eka jnani srestha. One becomes jnani, he is chief. Then koti, koti-jnani-madhye haya eka-jana mukta. Out of many thousands of jnanis, one becomes actually liberated. And koti-mukta-madhye durlabha eka krsna-bhakta. He says, "Out of many muktas, liberated souls, it is very difficult to find out a krsna-bhakta, a devotee of Krsna." These things are there.

So Krsna also says, manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]. But this krsna-bhakti has become easily available through the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Caitanya Mahaprabhu is so liberal that Rupa Gosvami offered Him respect, namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te: [Madhya 19.53] "People cannot understand what is Krsna, and what to speak of krsna-prema, love of Krsna. It is far, far away. But You are so magnanimous that You are distributing this krsna-prema to everyone." Namo maha-vadanyaya krsna-prema-pradaya te krsnaya krsna-caitanya-namne. "You are Krsna, I can understand, but You have now appeared in the name of Krsna Caitanya."

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

So Lord Caitanya is accepted as Krsna Himself. Krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam... [SB 11.5.32]. There are many evidences in the sastra. So it is due to Lord Caitanya's mercy, if we go through the methods... Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeared as a devotee to teach us how to execute devotional service. So if we follow the footprints of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, then krsna-bhakti becomes very easily available. Therefore, first of all we offer our respect to sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu nityananda, sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda. Then we chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna... Because by the mercy of Lord Caitanya, it will be easier to approach Krsna. Tad viddhi pranipatena... [Bg. 4.34], as it is stated. So,

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

So Krsna consciousness, although it is very difficult, by the mercy of Lord Caitanya, it has become easily available. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended, param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam. He has recommended sri-krsna-sankirtana. Although He is Krsna Himself, His word is sufficient, still, whatever He said, He gave reference to the sastra. Otherwise it is not, I mean to say, authority. That is recommended in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet. These are the recommendations. Caitanya Mahaprabhu, whatever He has given us, not whimsically, according to the regulation of the sastra. And if we follow the footprints of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, then Krsna consciousness will be very easily understandable. And Caitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended, yare dekha tare kaha krsna-upadesa [Cc. Madhya 7.128]. This is the Krsna consciousness movement, that according to the order of Krsna, Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, we are trying to distribute the words given by Krsna, krsna-katha. Krsna-katha means the words given by Krsna and the words about Krsna. The words given by Krsna personally is this Bhagavad-gita, and words about Krsna is Srimad-Bhagavatam. So this Krsna consciousness movement means preaching these two principle Vedic literatures throughout the whole world.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. [break]

...the whole thing that every living entity is prakrti, every living entity. In the Bhagavad-gita it is said that apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim param, jiva-bhutam. Every living entity is woman. Those who are thinking of becoming man, they are in illusion. Prakrti, purusa. Purusa means the bhokta, the enjoyer, and prakrti, stri, means enjoyed. Every living entity is described as prakrti. No living entity is purusa. Purusa is only Krsna. So when we are thinking, "I have become a purusa, enjoyer," that is maya. That is maya. [break] ...as woman or man, but actually, every one of us, woman, prakrti. Every one of us. And every one of us are thinking as man. Even the woman. Man means enjoyer. So everyone is thinking enjoyer, "I am enjoyer." And this is called maya. And about the gopis, it is better not to speculate. The speculator's writing has no value. Gopis, they are pleasure potency expansion of Krsna. Ananda-cinmaya-sad-ujjvala-vigrahasya [Bs 5.32].

ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavitabhis
tabhir ya eva nija-rupataya kalabhih
goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhuto
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.37]

So gopis are also expansion of Krsna, Krsna's pleasure potency. Gopis are not these ordinary women; neither Krsna is ordinary man. So unless we understand Krsna as were discussing this morning, the verse, kascin mam vetti tattvatah... Out of many millions of siddhas, one can understand Krsna as He is. If we do not understand Krsna, then how we can understand gopis?
So this is not the subject matter of the mental speculators. Better not to read all these books. Because they are not realized souls, neither they are devotees of Krsna. Neither do they know what is Krsna. So what they will understand about Krsna? So if we want to understand Krsna, er, gopis, then we have to learn it from the perfect devotee of Krsna, not from the speculators, mental speculators. This is simply a waste of time. Just like Narottama dasa Thakura says, rupa-raghunatha-pade haibe akuti, kabe hama bujhabo se yugala-piriti. Yugala-piriti, the love between Krsna and Radharani... The gopis are expansion of Radharani, pleasure potency of Krsna... These are all spiritual subject matter. So this is not mental. An ordinary man, if he thinks that "I am becoming go...," that is artificial. That is artificial. This is not artificial thing. And the parakiya-rasa, the sense of paramourship, that is also there. But this is not this parakiya-rasa, as we understand from this material world. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu, er Sanatana Gosvami has said that avaisnava-mukhodgirnam putam hari-kathamrtam, sravanam naiva kartavyam. Those, one who is not Vaisnava... So it is, mental speculator, it is useless to learn from them what is the relationship between the gopis and Krsna. Neither it has to be practiced artificially. These things are rejected. So my request is that you should not read all these books, simply waste your time. [break]

...Krsna, Krsna's pleasure potency. This has been discussed by Srila Jiva Gosvami, that Krsna is Parabrahman, and to relish brahma-sukha, a person in austerity gives up all the material sense enjoyment... Tapasa brahmacaryena [SB 6.1.13]. They try to relish brahma-sukha. Now, when they... Brahma-sukhanubhuti, Krsna is the goal of brahma-sukha anubhuti. So when Brahman wants to have pleasure, does it mean that He takes pleasure within this material world? To understand Brahman, one has to give up all material pleasures. And when the Brahman relishes pleasure, does it mean this is material pleasure? Try to understand this fact. For relishing brahma-sukha, one undergoes severe austerities. Tapasa brahmacaryena samena damena [SB 6.1.13]. There are so many processes. Tapo divyam suddhyet sattvam. For purifying our existence, we have to adopt so many means of austerities, for understanding what is brahma-sukha.

Now, the reservoir of brahma-sukha, Krsna, Parabrahman, when He enjoys, does it mean this is material thing? This is not material thing. Ananda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhavita... There, that is the expansion of His spiritual bliss. Radha krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini saktir asmat. That is the existence of Krsna's hladini-sakti. So first of all we have to understand Krsna; then, in course of understanding Krsna, we shall understand His samvit-sakti, hladini-sakti. So these things are not subject matter for studying in our conditioned life. It is for the liberated soul. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu, you'll find in the teachings of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He only once discussed about the love affairs of Krsna with gopis, or Radharani, gopis, with Ramananda Raya. And never He discussed with anyone else. Because He was very elevated, Ramananda Raya. And otherwise, He never discussed. In the Bhagavad-gita also, you won't find Krsna is teaching anything about His relationship with gopis. Just like... Try to understand. This is not the subject matter for a person who is conditioned; neither it is a subject matter to be discussed and speculated by the conditioned soul. Try to understand this. [break]

This is practice. Abhyasa-yoga-yuktena cetasa, cetasa nanya-gamina [Bg. 8.8]. When we go to the puja room, we take our flowers and candana, offer to the lotus feet of Krsna. So gradually, our mind will be concentrated. Just like... Not nowadays. Formerly, young, very young girls were married. Even an... My eldest sister was married at the age of nine years. So I heard that my mother-in-law was married at the age of seven years. I was grhastha, and I was also married... My wife was eleven years. So in that minor ages, there is no actually love between husband and wife. But still, formerly, the system was that the young girl, minor girl, was giving some eatable foodstuff to the husband, and sometimes pan, like that. But unless they were major, they were not allowed to live together. But these things are going on. So similarly, gradually, we develop our love for Krsna. As the same example, in the young age the minor girl and the young boy, they do not come to the love platform, but in mature time, they become so lovable each other that they cannot be separated. Similarly, we have to practice. This arcana-marga means practice. Immediately you cannot expect that your mind is completely fixed up with Krsna. But if we follow the regulative principles, then it will mature. Mature. And mature stage, there will be love.

So don't be disappointed. Go on with your regulative principles, as they are advised in the sastra and the guru... Sadhu-guru-sastra-vakya. We have to stick to the principles. Therefore Rupa Gosvami says, utsahad dhairyad niscayat tat-tat-karma-pravartanat, sato vrtteh sanga-tyagat sadbhir bhaktih prasidhyati. The first thing is utsaha. Utsaha. Simply on the words of Krsna, that Krsna says sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], we must be very enthusiastic, that "I must surrender to Krsna. Although my mind is going outside, but I must be determined that I must surrender." Utsaha. This is called utsaha, enthusiasm. Dhairya. Dhairya means patience: "Oh, I wanted to surrender to Krsna. My mind is going somewhere else. This disturbance." Therefore the dhairya. You must be patient. Utsahad dhairyad niscayat. Niscaya means must be confident. "Krsna has said that ‘You surrender unto Me,' and He will give me protection. He must give me. So I must surrender." This is called niscaya. Utsahad dhairyad niscayat tat-tat-karma-pravartanat. And you must execute your business as it is advised by the sastra and guru. So utsahad dhairyad niscayat tat-tat-karma-pravartanat, sato vrtteh. Your dealings must be very honest, not duplicity. Tat-tat-karma-pravartanat sato vrtteh sanga-tyagat.

Therefore this association is required. Sadhu-sanga [Cc. Madhya 22.54]. Sadhu-sanga is very powerful thing. Therefore we have opened this society. Society means if you come to the society, and if the society is nice, then automatically you learn, you become attached. Just like if we mix, intermingle with drunkard society, gradually we become drunkards. Similarly, if we intermingle with the sadhus, with the devotees, then automatically we become devotee. Sangat sanjayate kamah. Therefore sadhu-sanga is very important.

satam prasangan mama virya-samvido
bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah
taj-josanad asv apavarga-vartmani
sraddha ratir bhaktir anukramisyati

These are the shastric injunction. So as far as possible, we should... Adau sraddha tatah sadhu-sangah. Sadhu-sanga is very important. Nowadays it is very difficult to find out sadhu-sanga. Therefore we are trying to spread this society's movement so people may take advantage of sadhu-sanga, and thus automatically, very easily, things may be successful. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 7.1-3 -- Ahmedabad, December 14, 1972