"Nothing More To Be Known"

73/09/10 Stockholm, Bhagavad-gita 7.1-3



Prabhupada:

sri bhagavan uvaca
mayy asakta-manah partha
yogam yunjan mad-asrayah
asamsayam samagram mam
yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu
[Bg. 7.1]

This is a verse from the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gita which we have published: Bhagavad-gita As It Is. There are many editions of Bhagavad-gita, but most of them, they have been edited to push forward the editor's own personal philosophical views. But we do not accept Bhagavad-gita in that light. Bhagavad-gita is supposed to be spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore it is stated here, bhagavan uvaca. Those who are Sanskrit scholar, they will understand what is meant by the word bhagavan. Bhagavan. Bhaga means opulence, and one who possesses opulences, he is called van. The vat-pratyaya. From vat-pratyaya, the word comes, van. So bhagavan means "one who possesses all opulences."

There are six kinds of opulences: wealth, I mean to say, reputation, strength, knowledge, renunciation, beauty. These are called opulences. If one person is very rich, he is opulent, he attracts attention of many persons. Similarly, if one person is very influential, strong, he also attracts. Similarly, if one man is very famous for his activities, he also attracts attention. Similarly, if one man is very beautiful or a woman is very beautiful, he or she attracts attention. If one is very wise, learned, he also attracts attention. These are called six opulences, and these opulences are possessed by us in small quantity. Every one of us may possess some riches, maybe little wise or very... Not very strong, little strong. Little, little quantity of these opulences are there in every person. But when you find a person that nobody possesses more than him all these opulences... The Sanskrit word is asama urdhva. Asama means "equally," and asama means "without being equal." And urdhva means "above." When you find somebody, above him or equal to him, anyone else is as rich, as famous, as opulent, as wise, as beautiful, that person is called God. This is the definition of God. God is great means nobody is equal to Him, nobody is above Him in any kinds of opulences. That is called bhagavan.

So here it is said... Vyasadeva, he writes... This Bhagavad-gita is one of the chapter of Mahabharata. Mahabharata means the history of greater India. Formerly Bharata... "India" is given name by the Westerners, but real name is Bharata, Bharata-varsa. This planet was formerly known as Ilavrta-varsa, and later on, after the Emperor Bharata, this planet was known as Bharata-varsa. So Bharata-varsa means not only India, but the whole planet. At least five thousand years ago it was known as Bharata-varsa. Bharata-varsa name is there, but it indicates only India. So this Bhagavad-gita is a chapter of Mahabharata. Perhaps you know the book Mahabharata, "Greater Bharata-varsa," "The History of the Greater Bharata-varsa." That is Mahabharata. So the background of this Bhagavad-gita is that there was worldwide fight, battle, called the Battle of Kuruksetra. Kuruksetra, the place is still there. If some of you went to India, (you) might have seen it is near Delhi, New Delhi. The railway station is called also Kuruksetra. So there was a battle five thousand years ago. The parties were two cousin-brothers, and this Bhagavad-gita was spoken by Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan. Therefore it is called bhagavan uvaca.

So He is teaching Arjuna bhakti-yoga. Yoga means the means by which you can contact the Supreme. That is called yoga. Another, yoga means linking. So there are many types of yoga system for linking ourself with the Supreme Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases: impersonal, localized, and personal. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said that the Absolute Truth is realized by different persons according to different angle of vision. Just like if you see from a distant place one mountain, you find something cloudy. If you go nearer, then you find it is something green. And if you enter actually the mountain, then you find there are so many varieties. There are trees, there are houses, there are living entities, animals, everything. The object is one, but according to the vision of the person, from length of distance, the same object is realized in different phases. Therefore the Bhagavata says, vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam yaj jnanam advayam [SB 1.2.11]. The object is one, but according to the understanding of the same one, somebody is realizing the Absolute Truth as impersonal Brahman, and somebody is realizing the Absolute Truth as localized Paramatma, and somebody is realizing the same Absolute Truth as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Ultimately, the Absolute Truth is Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan. Therefore Vyasadeva, the compiler of Mahabharata, he says, sri bhagavan uvaca.

So our this Krsna consciousness movement... The bhagavan is called Krsna. He has got many millions of name, but "Krsna" is the chief. "Krsna" name means the all-attractive. God must be all-attractive. It is not that God is attractive for one person, not for the other. No. God is attractive for all living entities. Therefore you see the picture of Krsna, He is loving the calves and cows, He is loving the trees, He is loving the gopis, He is loving the cowherds boy. For Him, for God, everyone is lovable object because everyone is son of God. That is stated in this Bhagavad-gita. Sarva-yonisu kaunteya sambhavanti murtayo yah [Bg. 14.4]. There are different species of life and different forms of life. Sarva-yonisu. "As many forms are there," Krsna says... Tasam mahad yonir brahma aham bija-pradah pita: "Their mother is this material nature, and I am the seed-giving father." So God is attractive for everyone and God is equal to everyone. There is no distinction for God that "Here is an animal, here is a man, here is a tree." No. Every living entity is part and parcel of God. That is our understanding of God consciousness, or Krsna consciousness.

So we are practicing this bhakti-yoga... Amongst the... There are different types of yoga system. As I have already explained that God is realized as impersonal Brahman, as localized Paramatma or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the process of linking with Him, it is called yoga, and there are different processes of yoga system, out of which three are principle: jnana-yoga, hatha-yoga and bhakti-yoga. So bhakti-yoga is the topmost. That is described in the Bhagavad-gita:

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

Of all the yogis, the yogi who is always thinking of Krsna with love and faith... It is not very difficult. Krsna says, "He is first-class yogi." So how to become the first-class yogi, that is described in this Seventh Chapter of the Bhagavad-gita. Krsna says personally. If you want to understand God, it is better to understand from God Himself. Instead of speculating what is God, better to understand God from the words of God.

So Krsna is accepted by the... Just like Vyasadeva. Vyasadeva is the compiler of all Vedic knowledge. He accepts Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Later on, the acaryas -- Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Visnusvami, Lord Caitanya -- they have all accepted Krsna. So far our Vedic culture is concerned, Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here it is also said, sri bhagavan uvaca. So He is teaching how to become first-class yogi in Krsna consciousness. That is His teaching. He is saying, mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. Mayi, "unto Me," asakta, "attachment." The Krsna consciousness yoga means to increase the attachment for Krsna. That's all. We have got attachment for something, every one of us. So everyone has got attachment, either for His family, either for some friend or for some house or some hobby or for some cats, some dogs. There is attachment. That is not to be learned. We cannot... There is no need of explaining what is attachment. Attachment is there, existing in everyone's heart. He wants to be attached to somebody else or he... Everyone wants to love somebody else. Love does not mean oneness. Love must be two, the lover and the beloved. So attachment is there. That is natural. Everyone knows. Now, this yoga system, Krsna consciousness yoga system, means to increase your attachment for Krsna. That's all.

Therefore it is said here, mayy asakta-manah partha, "Increasing gradually the attachment for Me." Krsna says, mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan, "practicing this yoga system," mad-asrayah, "taking shelter of Me." The mad-asrayah means two things. You can take directly shelter of Krsna or you can take shelter of a person who has taken shelter of Krsna. That is meaning of mad-asrayah. That is the system of parampara. Evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. If you increase your attachment for Krsna, that attachment, and if you increase your attachment for a person who is devotee of Krsna, it is the same. Just like electricity. If one thing is charged with the electricity power, if somebody touches it, he also becomes electrified. We have got daily experience that from the electric powerhouse, the electric wires are distributed, and as soon as we join the plugs, immediately it is electrified. Similarly, parampara system... Krsna is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. The words given by Krsna. If you carry as it is carried by other disciplic succession, then you are in t ouch with Krsna. That is called yogam yunjan mad-asrayah, always being linked up with Krsna.

mayy asakta-manah partha
yogam yunjan mad-asrayah
asamsayam samagram mam...
[Bg. 7.1]

Asamsayam means "without doubt," and samagram means "in completeness." Asamsayam samagram mam. Krsna says... Mam means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Asamsayam samagram mam yatha jnasyasi: "As you can understand, please try to hear from Me." Krsna is speaking personally. So if we accept Bhagavad-gita as it is, as instructed by Krsna Himself, then we understand what is God without any doubt. Asamsayam and samagram, in completeness. Asamsayam samagram mam yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu.

In our present position, with blunt material senses, with four defects, it is not possible to understand what is God. We have got four defects in this material condition. We commit mistake, every one of us; we are illusioned; we accept something for something for something. So to commit mistake, illusioned, and our senses are imperfect. The knowledge we gather through our senses, that is imperfect because our senses are imperfect. Just like we see every day the sun with our eyes, but because our senses are imperfect, we see the sun like a disc, although it is fourteen hundred times bigger than this earth. In this way, if we analyze our senses, it will be found that our senses are imperfect. By the imperfect senses speculating, that is not perfect. Therefore all the speculators, they, so-called scientists, philosophers, they put forward theories: "Perhaps," "It may be," like that. That means it is not perfect knowledge. But if we receive knowledge from the supreme perfect God, that it is actually perfect. Our process is like that.

In the Fourth Chapter of the Srimad-Bhagavad-gita you will find, Krsna says, evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. Imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1]. Krsna said this philosophy of Bhagavad-gita first to the sun-god, and he spoke to his son Manu, he spoke to his son Iksvaku. In this way, disciplic succession, this Bhagavad-gita has come down to this earthly planet, and if we accept that disciplic succession, do not unnecessarily interpret, then we understand what is Bhagavad-gita. That is the process. Our Krsna consciousness movement is to understand the Supreme Person, Krsna, as He is, without any interpretation. That is called Krsna consciousness yoga. That can be achieved, as Krsna says, always keeping center Krsna.

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

You can understand. If you practice this yoga, keeping Krsna in the center, always thinking of Krsna, the form of the Krsna, then it will be revealed. Yasya deve para bhaktir yatha deve tatha gurau [SU 6.23]. This is the yoga system of Krsna consciousness.
So next verse He says,

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

"I am speaking to you a process of knowledge, jnanam." Jnanam means knowledge. Te: "unto you." Aham sa-vijnanam. Sa-vijnanam means... Jnanam is theoretical, and vijnanam means practical. Just like in scientific knowledge, the student has to pass both theoretical knowledge and practical knowledge. Theoretical... "Combination of this chemical and that chemical makes this chemical," this is theoretical knowledge. But when you mix these two chemicals or three chemicals and produce that object, that is practical. Recently, I may say, in California University, one learned professor came there to speak about the evolutionary theory of chemicals, and he said that life is produced, perhaps you know, from four chemicals. But when one student he said that "If I supply these four chemicals, whether you can produce life?" In answer to this, he said, "That I cannot say." That is imperfect knowledge. If you say, "Life is produced from chemicals," then you must make experimental demonstration, by mixing those chemicals, you produce life. That is called vijnanam, practical demonstration. Otherwise it is not perfect. Scientific knowledge means observation, then experiment. If you fail in your experiment, that is not scientific knowledge. It must be experimented.

So here also, it is said, jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam: "I am speaking to you this knowledge which you can practically experience." Not theoretical simply. Jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam idam vaksyamy asesatah. Asesatah means "without any reservation, as far as possible." "As far as you can understand, I am explaining." Yaj jnatva, "If you understand this," na iha bhuyah anyaj jnatavayam avasisyate... "If you can understand this knowledge with practical experience, then there will be nothing to know anymore." That means your knowledge is complete, perfect. In the Vedas also, it is stated that yaj jnatva, kasmin tu bhagavo vijnate sarvam idam vijnatam bhavati. If you simply try to understand what is God... Not try to understand. If you understand everything. Because God is everything. God is the central point of everything. Yato va imani bhutani jayante. These are the Vedic versions. "From whom all this material cosmic manifestation has come into being." In the Vedanta-sutra it says janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. The Absolute Truth is that from which everything has come down. So if you understand the Absolute Truth, kasmin vijnate, sarvam idam vijnatam bhavati, then you can understand all other departments of knowledge. Therefore Krsna says that jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam idam vaksyamy asesatah: "Explicitly, elaborately I am saying." Yaj jnatva, "If you understand," na iha, "in this world," anyat bhuyah, "again," anyat, "anything else," jnatavyam avasisyate, "there is anything remains to understand. Everything is understood."

So Krsna said,

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

Manusyanam sahasresu. There are living entities, 8,400,000 species or forms. And nine... Jalaja nava-laksani, 900,00 forms in the water. Jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati. Two million forms of the trees and plants. In this way there are, altogether, different forms of life, 8,400,000. Don't think that the plants and trees, they have no life. They are also living entities. We do not accept this theory that the animals have no soul. No. Everyone has got soul. Even the plants, trees, everyone has got soul. They have got different bodies only. It is not that only human being has got the soul, not others. No. Actually if we make analysis what is the symptoms of possessing soul, you will find everywhere. Even in plants' life you will find. Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose, one of the greatest scientist of the world, he has proved by machine that when you cut the trees or the leaves, they feel sensation, pain, and that is recorded by machine. So everyone has got soul.

Therefore Krsna says,

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

So here it is said that manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]. There are millions and millions, human beings. Out of them, one is very much anxious how to get perfection of life. Because everyone is carried by the animal propensities. What are the animal propensities? Eating, sleeping, sex life and defense. Ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca, samanyam etat pasubhir naranam. These are the common formulas both to the animals and the human being. What is that? Eating, sleeping, mating, sex life and defending. Defense. Everyone is doing that according to his own capacity. Cats and dogs, they also eat, they also sleep, they also have sex life, and they also try to defend when there is danger, when there is enemy. So these things are common formulas both for the animal and human being. But what is the especial prerogative for the human being? That is siddhi, how to make life perfect. Therefore here it is said, manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]. Siddhaye means "for perfection." What is the perfection of life? Perfection of life is no more birth, no more death, no more disease, no more old age. That is perfection. That the people do not know, that there is possibility of attaining stage when there is no more birth, no more death, no more old age. There are so many universities, so many educational institution all over the world, but nowhere there is department of understanding this science, how to stop birth, death, old age and disease. In the chemical laboratory, they are trying to manufacture chemicals for stopping birth, contraceptive. But there is no medicine that after taking this medicine or these chemicals, there will be no more death or no more birth, no more old age and more disease. You can manufacture chemical or combination of medicine as counteracting the disease. Just like in the Western countries the cancer disease. There are so many chemicals and medicines they are discovering, but there is no medicine, no chemical, which can say that no more cancer disease. That is not possible.

So actual siddhi means to overcome these four principles of miserable condition of life. That is perfection. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita: janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam. Everything is being attempted to suppress our miserable condition of life. That is going on. All advancement of science, knowledge, philosophy, theology, anything -- the idea is how to stop the miserable condition of life. But the real miserable condition of life according to Bhagavad-gita is birth, death, old age and disease. Don't go, take seriously, the side-miserable condition. Just like people are very much anxious to feed the hungry, the hungry men. Well, that you can do. That is nice business. But why don't you try that... The hungry man and the welfare man both will die. You cannot stop death, either you feed him well or he is hungry. Death is there. "As sure as death." So actual benefit is... If you can stop death, that is actual benefit. So our Krsna consciousness movement is to stop death. You will be surprised. You may not be very much pleased, but it is possible. It is possible. Because we are eternal. We living entities, soul, we are part and parcel of God, we are eternal. Nityah sasvato 'yam na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. These are the statements. First of all we have to understand the constitutional position of ourself. That is self-realization. Our nature, we are eternal. We are not dying. When this body dies or is annihilated, it does not mean I do. I exist. Just like my childhood body is no more existing. It is died. My youthhood body is no more existing. So many bodies I had in the past, they are no more existing. But I am existing. I remember. Therefore I am eternal.

So siddhi means when you seriously understand that "I am eternal, so why death is taking place?" That is serious understanding of self-realization. Therefore Krsna says that manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye [Bg. 7.3]. Siddhi means, perfection means, to stop... Because I am eternal. Just like when you are diseased, your siddhi, perfection means how to cure the disease, how to become healthy. That is your problem. Not that simply curing the disease, simply eating the medicine. No. The object is how to become in healthy condition. So our healthy condition is no more birth, no more death, no more old age, no more disease. That is healthy condition. So who is trying for that? Nobody is seriously educated on this point, and because one is not educated, he does not know that there is possibility, such possibility, that no more death, no more birth, no more disease. Therefore Krsna says, manusyanam sahasresu: [Bg. 7.3] "Out of many, many millions of persons." Just like our Krsna consciousness movement. We are trying to teach this perfection of life -- how to become free from these four kinds of miserable conditions: birth, death, old age and disease. But how many are joining with us? Some of them are thinking these are fictitious. No, it is fact. It is scientific. It is scientific. But people have no interest in these things. They are simply interested in sense gratification. Nunam pramattah kurute vikarma [SB 5.5.4]. This is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. They have become mad, simply mad, to gratify senses. But they are forgetting that this human life is meant for making a solution for all the problems of life. They are not interested in that. They are thinking, "By increasing the volumes of sense gratification, that is perfection." That is not perfection. You may improve the material condition of life, but you cannot live here. Just like you have constructed very nice city, Stockholm, or any European city. That is very good. But you'll not be allowed to stay here. You'll be kicked out at any moment. What is the solution for that? You construct a nice place. That's all right, very good. But you stay here. But you cannot stay. That is your problem. If you solve that problem... "Yes, I have constructed nice place, nice city, nice country, and everything is nice, but I will stay and enjoy," but that is not allowed. Then where is your perfection? This is the problem.

So Krsna says therefore, manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye, yatatam api siddhanam [Bg. 7.3]. There are many persons, they are trying to attain that perfectional stage of life by jnana-yoga, dhyana yoga or hatha-yoga. There are many processes. But there is no system... Or there is system, but people are not interested. What is that system? Yatatam api siddhanam kascin mam vetti tattvatah [Bg. 7.3]. Nobody is trying to understand what is God. They are trying to understand so many things, but that will not solve their problems. But nobody is trying to understand God. Manusyanam sahasresu [Bg. 7.3]. Out of many thousands, millions of persons, one may try to attain perfection of life. And out of such persons who are trying to attain perfection of life, some may understand what is God, what is Krsna. Therefore Krsna is trying to speak about Himself in the Seventh Chapter especially.

So it is not possible to describe all the verses. One or two, three verses we can explain. Then He says,

bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh
kham mano buddhir eva ca
ahankara itiyam me
bhinna prakrtir astadha

Prakrti, nature. Now, first of all we have to study the material nature. Just like the scientists, physicist and chemists, they are trying to understand the material nature. So what is this material nature? The material nature is described here as eight varieties. Five varieties gross, and three varieties subtle. The five gross varieties are the bhumi... Bhumi means this earth. Apah, the water. Bhumir apah anala, the fire. Bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh, the air. And bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham. Kham means the sky, ether. Then manah, mind. Then buddhi, intelligence. Ahankara, then self-consciousness, "I," "I am." "I am American," "I am Englishmen," "I am Swedish," and... This "I" consciousness.

So these are eight: earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence and "I" consciousness. These are material eight elements. Mind is also material. Intelligence also material. So there is cultivation of knowledge of the gross material. Just like soil expert, there are, trying to understand the earth, where there is mine, where there is something, something. That is analyzing the earth. Similarly, somebody is studying the light or the air -- they are all material things. There is no spiritual understanding. So bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham manah. Mind... Psychologists, they are also studying the mind, the activities, thinking, feeling and willing, and their varieties. That is also material. And ethereal understanding. So many things are going on, but they are all material. Krsna says,

bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh
kham mano buddhir eva ca
ahankara itiyam me
bhinna prakrtir astadha

Krsna is claiming, "They are the manifestation of energy." So there is connection with Krsna with this earth, water, physical science. But we do not know Krsna. We simply (are) studying externally. Just like medical science. He is studying the external body, but within the body there is a spiritual spark, soul. He does not know that.

dehino 'smin yatha dehe
kaumaram yauvanam jara
tatha dehantara-praptir
dhiras tatra na muhyati
[Bg. 2.13]

Who is accepting another body? The Darwin's theory is that the body is changing to another body. That is nonsense. That is not the fact. The soul is transmigrating from one body to another. That is knowledge. This is fact. So we can discuss if it is needed, but this is the fact. There is the soul, and these eight elements, material elements, they are outer covering. That you have got... As you have got shirt and coat, the shirt is the inner covering, the coat is outer covering. Similarly, the body is made of earth, water, air, fire. This lump of matter is nothing but distribution of the material elements. Just like we make some machine by manipulating the material elements. This is also just like a machine. And it is stated here in the Bhagavad-gita, yantrarudhani mayaya. We have been given this machine to move. By whom it is given? By maya, by the illusory energy.

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

We are given a certain type of machine, certain type of body, according to our desire, and we are moving. Just like if we have got a car, we can move from here to there. Similarly, by this body we are moving not only within this planet, but sometimes in other planet also -- but within the universe. With this material body we can move within the universe, material world. But if we want to go to the spiritual world -- there is another universe, spiritual world -- then we have to get rid from this material encagement and transfer ourself in the spiritual body, in the spiritual world. Then we get actually eternal life, blissful life, full of knowledge. This is our Krsna consciousness movement.

So we request you to read our books. We have got many volumes of books, but we are giving information to the people of the world that "You can get out of this entanglement of birth, death, old age and disease and be transferred to the spiritual world, where you can live eternally with blissful life and full of knowledge."

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. [break]

Devotee: This man wants to know something about the Hare Krsna movement in Europe.

Prabhupada: Yes, we have got many branches in Europe. In England we have got about six branches, in Paris we have got one branch, in Amsterdam we have got one. And now this branch is opened newly in Sweden, and in Germany we have got four branches. You can give some account of your German activities.

Hamsaduta: In Berlin, in Munchen, in Hamburg and Heidelberg we have centers, and we have published Sri Isopanisad, Easy Journey to Other Planets and the Topmost Yoga book. We publish a magazine bi-monthly, Back to Godhead magazine, and we are distributing a hundred thousand magazines every two months. Of course, many, many books. There are at least sixty, seventy students like myself and these boys and girls here. So we follow very strictly four principles. We don't take any meat, fish, or eggs; no intoxicants, not even tea or coffee, cigarettes; no gambling; and no illicit sex life. And besides that, we are always engaged in different kinds of devotional activities. Mainly we are engaged in distributing the books which are translated by His Divine Grace, like Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Isopanisad, Caitanya-caritamrta. These are standard books of knowledge, Vedic books. Not manufactured, standard. [break]

Guest: ...spiritual thinking can be used to cure bodily sickness?

Prabhupada: Yes. That is not very difficult to understand. Just like a living man and a dead man. Living man means the body is carrying the spirit soul, and dead man means the body is there, but there is no spirit soul. But as soon as the body is dead or the spirit soul is out of it, immediately it begins to decompose. The same body, as long as carrying the soul, there is no such thing. Therefore if you keep your body spiritualized, then there is no question of decomposition or diseases. Another example: just like if you take an iron rod and put into the fire, it becomes warm, warmer, and at the end, it becomes red-hot. When it is red-hot, it is no more iron rod, but it is fire. You touch that iron rod, red-hot, anyplace, it will burn. Similarly, if you make your body spiritualized by Krsna consciousness, then there is no question of disease.

Swedish man (1): (Swedish)

Devotee: (translating) He is requesting Srila Prabhupada to read the verses in Sanskrit in Second Chapter, verse eight and five verses on.

Prabhupada: Hm. Find out. Second Chapter, eighth verse?

Devotee: Verse number ten, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Ten. What is the reading there?

Devotee: "While lamenting..." (someone translates)

Prabhupada: What is that verse number?

Devotee: Number ten, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: What is the reading?

Devotee: This is number eleven. "While speaking learned words..."

Prabhupada: Eleven. Yes.

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

The translation reads, "The Blessed Lord said, While speaking learned words..." Arjuna accepted Krsna as the spiritual master. First of all he was talking just like friends, but when he saw that by friendly talkings the problem which was present before him, that cannot be solved, therefore he accepted Krsna as the spiritual master, and the spiritual master, Krsna, first of all chastised him in this way, that asocyan anvasocas tvam: [Bg. 2.11] "You are lamenting on the subject matter which is not object of lamentation." Asocyan. Asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams... "But you are talking like a very learned scholar." So He mildly rebuked him that "This kind of lamentation is not done by pandita, by learned scholar." That means "You are rascal number one. You are fool. You are talking like learned scholar, but you are a fool." Indirectly He says that gatasun agatasums ca nanusocanti panditah. "Panditah, those persons who know..." Just like this body. Panditah, those who are learned scholar, they know that his body is the lump of matter. Just like a nice Rolls Royce car. It is very nice car, very valuable car. But it is after all a lump of matter. The car is important so long the driver is there. Otherwise, it is lump of matter. So those who are fools... Suppose if there is accident in the car. They become bewildered, "Oh, I am lost, I am lost." What you are lost? You are not this car. You are not this car. You are not this car. You get another car. Where is the cause of lamentation? That is being put, that "Why you are lamenting for this body? The body is not the object of lamentation. Either it is living or dead, it is a lump of matter." This is the meaning.

Devotee: Next verse, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Next verse? Next verse is

na tv evaham jatu nasam
na tvam neme janadhipah
na caiva na bhavisyamah
sarve vayam atah param

He explained that "I, you, and all these persons, the kings and the soldiers who have assembled here, it is not that they were not existing previously. They were existing as individual souls. Or as I am also individual God, and you all people, individual souls, we were existing in the past; we are now existing. I am existing, you are existing. The soldiers and other kings, they are also... And in the future also, we shall exist. The body may change. Just like in the past we were existing. The body has changed now. Similarly, at present also, when this body will be changed, we will exist in another body. So what is the cause of lamentation?" This is the translation. "Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you." That means "You existed, I existed, and all of them existed." Because we are eternal. This is the point. We are soul: we are not this body. Just like in childhood I existed. In my boyhood I existed. In my youthhood I existed. And now I am existing. Therefore the right conclusion is "When this body will not exist, I will exist in another body." So one should not lament for the lump of matter. One should be serious to understand what is that ever-existing eternal thing, soul. That is education. Superficially, we are overwhelmed with this external body. That is ignorance. We should be serious to understand what is that eternal thing which is existing within this body.

Swedish man (1): I may ask you, you see, that this foundation is a Christian foundation, and I wonder what is your personal opinion about the main figure in the Gospel, Jesus Christ.

Prabhupada: I do not know much about him. What is that? You know? Anybody knows?

Hamsaduta: The main feature of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Guest: No, Jesus Christ.

Hamsaduta: What is your opinion about his main teaching?

Prabhupada: Yes. But main teaching, so far we read Bible, Jesus Christ said, "Thou shalt not kill." But they are, you are, everyone is killing. That's all. The first commandment is violated. It is clearly said, "Thou shalt not kill." But when I ask any Christian, "Why you are killing?" He cannot give me any satisfactory answer.

Swedish man (1): But in himself, Christ himself. I mean not the...

Prabhupada: Christ. We offer our all respect to Jesus Christ. Yes. We call "Lord." We offer our sincere respects to him. That is all right. His teaching is all right. He gives you the message of God. We are doing the same thing. So therefore he is bona fide. Anyone who is spreading the knowledge of God, he is bona fide representative of God. That we admit. But unfortunately, his instructions are not being followed. That is our lamentation. Otherwise it is very nice.

Swedish man (2): Now, a question concerning the 8,400,000's of lives which man has to evolve through. A spiritual being, having entered, or placed(?), the way of man, can he ever gain a reincarnate in the kingdom of animals?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Swedish man (2): What happens to his consciousness which he has achieved as a man during that time which he is in the animal kingdom?

Prabhupada: Yes, consciousness is according to the body. Just like when you were a child, your consciousness was different because you had a different body. In your childhood you might have talked so many nonsense things. Your father, mother did not care. "He is a child." But if you talk such nonsense things now, then you will be differently considered. Because the body is different. So consciousness is there according to different types of body. So in this human form of body we have got our consciousness very developed. Now we should utilize this consciousness to understand what is God, what is our relationship with God, and act accordingly. Then we become perfect. But if we do not take advantage of this human form of life, we keep our dog's consciousness, eating, sleeping, mating only, then we do not know what kind of body we are going to get next.

Swedish man (2): If I come in contact with Krsna movement now, will that in my next life get me a human body?

Prabhupada: Not only human body. We are getting... You have got already the spiritual body. Now it is covered by this material body. So if you develop your Krsna consciousness, then you are not going to be covered by material body again. You keep in your spiritual body, so that in spiritual body you go to the spiritual world and live with Krsna. That is the highest perfection.

Swedish devotee: Srila Prabhupada, if meeting you here now would make sure that he would get a human form in his next life?

Prabhupada: Yes. If you are in Krsna consciousness, even though you cannot finish it properly, still, you get the chance of getting a human, a higher standard human form of life. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrasto 'bhijayate. One who could not finish this yoga system of Krsna consciousness, he gets his life again as a human being in very rich family or in a very pure family. So at least human body is guaranteed, even one fails to complete the Krsna consciousness. Because he gets another chance. To get birth in a rich family means he has no economic problem. He can completely engage himself to understand what is God. But people are not doing that. As soon as he gets birth in a rich family, he thinks that "For nothing I have got so much money. Let me engage in sense gratification." No guide. Otherwise there is a chance. Similarly, in a pure brahmana family also, the family is already enlightened. Just like the children of our students. From the very beginning they are getting chance to understand Krsna. That is a very good chance. From childhood. Fortunately, we got such father and mother. So two alternatives. If a Krsna conscious person could not complete the course, then he gets another chance. Sucinam srimatam gehe yoga-bhrasto 'bhijayate. Yoga-bhrasta, means one who falls down... But there is no cause of falling down if we are strict. Just like if a student is studying nicely, he will pass his examination. Where is the difficulty there? If he neglects, he may fail. But even if he fails, then he gets the chance of getting a human body. Otherwise there is no guarantee. Krsna says, tatha dehantara-praptih. You have to change this body. But what kind of change? That will depend on your work. You are being educated with the expectation of being situated, posted in some nice occupation, but that occupation will depend on your work in student life. You may become a high court judge, you can become a great engineer, you can get so many things, or you could not get anything, such post. That will depend on your work. Similarly, this life is preparation for the next life. So best thing is that you prepare, heart and soul, for going back to home, back to Godhead, Krsna consciousness. That is the highest perfection of life. Our students are being taught in that way, highest perfection of life.

Swedish man (3): Is there free will?

Prabhupada: Yes, yes. Just like you are sitting here. If you don't like, you can go away. That's your free will. There is free will. Because we are part and parcel of God, God is completely free to do anything. And because we are part and parcel of God, therefore we have got minute quantity of freedom. Just like a drop of ocean water, it is also salty, but the quantity of salt in that drop is not equal to the salt in the ocean. Similarly, you have got a little quantity of freedom, but not as freedom as God has got. That is not possible. You are subordinate. Your freedom is subordinate to God's freedom. Therefore if you misuse your freedom, then you become punishable. The government gives you freedom, but if you misuse your freedom, if you violate the laws, then you are criminal. Yes?

Swedish man (4): Couldn't we say that we as men are determined to freedom, determined to indeterminism, so to say, determined to take some responsibility?

Prabhupada: Yes. That determination required. We must know that we have got little freedom, so we may not misuse it. That is determination. If you misuse it, that is not good determination. Yes?

Swedish woman (5): Will I ever, in another life, will I feel my "I," my ego? Will I feel that again?

Prabhupada: Yes, you are already feeling. So next life also you will feel, and the past also you felt. That is described. You are always individual. That is described, that "In the past we were existing in the past, your feeling was also there. As you are existing now, your feeling is already there, and in the future also, you will exist. The feeling will be there."

Swedish woman (5): You say that our souls are..., we will always go on. But you are getting more and more people.

Prabhupada: That is your misunderstanding.

Swedish woman (5): No, we are getting more people, aren't we?

Prabhupada: (laughs) You are getting more people. That is also another illusion. I shall give you one example, that in a village there is a marketplace. So thousands of men gather there, and one village woman, old lady, she began to cry that "Where shall I accommodate so many people?" So his (her) son came, "Mother, you don't worry. In the evening I shall show you." So in the evening, the mother came. There was nobody. So you are thinking just like village lady, "Where we shall accommodate so many men?" They come and go. This conception of increasing, that is your misconception. There is no question of increasing and decreasing.

Swedish woman (5): No, but it's not. We can see it everyday. We are getting more and more.

Prabhupada: No. That seeing is imperfect. Because you have no perfect vision, therefore you are seeing like that. Just like even from your room you will find from a hole many thousands of ants will come out. Are you worried for that? Have you seen it, experienced?

Swedish woman (5): No.

Prabhupada: No. We have got experience. (laughter) But if you become worried, "Oh, so many ants have come here. Where shall I accommodate?" It is like that. There is ample arrangement for accommodating them. You should not worry. You better mind your business, how to become God conscious and go back to home, back to Godhead.

Swedish woman (5): Yes, but you can't neglect that there are.

Prabhupada: No, we are not neglecting. We have come here to teach you. Therefore we are not neglecting you.

Swedish woman (5): Yes, I see that you can't neglect that.

Prabhupada: Yes, we are not neglecting. We are not neglecting. But we are not worried. That is the difference. We are trying to serve you, but we are not worried about you. Because I know that you will be provided with everything by God. Eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. It is stated, nityo nityanam cetanah. God is not very poor man that He cannot maintain you. He will maintain you. There may be millions of population. God is quite able to feed them. Why do you think that God is so poor? We have already explained that He is full with all opulences. So it does not matter whether there is increase of population. But if the people are unfaithful, they must be punished with starvation. That is God's will. It is not that they will not be fed. There is no question of overpopulation.

Swedish man (6): But the number of human bodies increase.

Prabhupada: No, that is also your misconception. Human bodies increasing may think that from evolutionary process they are coming to the human body. But they are not going to be liberated. Therefore we see that human, congestion of human body. You can explain like that. But even there is increase of population of human body, there is no problem if you believe in God. That is another thing. But if you think that you have taken the responsibility of feeding them, that is another thing.

Swedish man (6): Do you have any sort of teachers in your centers, and how do they get their education if you have any teachers?

Prabhupada: Yes, we have got our books. You can see in our books, every word, Sanskrit word, is given, the equivalent English. We give the roman transliteration, explanation, so there is no difficulty. Just like here is one of my students. He has learned Sanskrit now. He can read, he can write, he can edit. So it is a question of learning. There is no difficulty.

Swedish man: (Swedish) [break]

Devotee: He's asking if this religion is a matter of reason or is it a matter of feeling?

Prabhupada: Because it is a science. Religion means a kind of faith. It is not faith. It is a science. Science must be based on logic and philosophy. Science means that. And religion means sometimes sentiments. So religion without philosophy is sentiment, and philosophy without religion is mental speculation. Both must be combined. Then it is perfect. You cannot have religion without philosophy. That is sentiment, fanaticism. And if you simply take philosophy without religion, without sense of God, this is mental speculation. So religion must be on the basis of science and logic. That is first-class religion.

All, chant Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973

"At University -- What Supreme Acutally Means?"

73/09/08 Stockholm, Bhagavad-gita 7.1



Prabhupada:

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

Sri bhagavan uvaca. Bhagavan means the Supreme Being. That is also dictionary word. In the... I consulted the Oxford Dictionary, "God." God means "the Supreme Being." And the Supreme means... That is also stated in the dictionary, "The greatest authority." So God means the greatest authority, supreme, Supreme Being. We have got little idea of supreme. Suppose when you go to work in our office, the proprietor of the establishment or the managing director of the establishment, he's called the supreme. We have got experience of the Supreme Court. In India, we have got Supreme Court. If there is any judgment which is not accepted by the litigant, he can go to the Supreme Court. And in the judgment given in the Supreme is final. No more any appeal. That is final. Supreme means that, final.

So bhagavan uvaca. Bhagavan means the Supreme Being. We are all beings. We are also living entities. Similarly, Bhagavan, or God, He's also a living entity. As living entity, we are the same. But He's the supreme living entity. No more greater than Him. Here, we can distinguish. I am here. You may be greater than me. Another person may be greater than you. Another person may be greater than him. In this way, you go on searching, greater, greater, greater, greater, and when you come to a person, nobody is greater than him, that is God. Nowadays, it has become a fashions, so many gods. Especially, they come to your country, Western country. But God cannot be plural number. God is always singular number, one. If God is plural number, then that is not God. That plural-number God may be the living entities. We are living entities, and God is also living entity, but the supreme living entity. That is the difference. It is Vedic statement.

nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam
eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman
(Katha Upanisad 2.2.13)

Description of God. He's nitya. Nitya means eternal. And we living entities, we are also eternal. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. We, at the present moment, in the material condition, we are changing body. That change of body is called death. Actually, the living entity within the body, he has no death. Na jayate na mriyate va kadacit. This description we have got in the Vedic literature. So God is also nitya, eternal. We are also eternal. God is also cognizant, and we are also cognizant. We have got knowledge, and God has got knowledge. The difference is that I have got knowledge limited within this limit of this body. I have no knowledge what is going on in your body; neither you know what is going on in my body. Therefore, we are individuals. But God is, although individual, He's spread everywhere. That is God.

Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham [Bs. 5.35]. God is within this universe, within yourself, within myself, within the atom. Andantara-stha-paramanu... Paramanu means atom. He's within the atom also. But I, you, we are limited within this body. We are limited. I cannot say that I understand what is going in your body, pains and pleasure. That I cannot say. But I can understand pains and pleasure of my body. So the quality is the same. God has knowledge. You, you, me, we have got knowledge. But our knowledge is limited. God's knowledge is unlimited. But knowledge is there, cognizant. Therefore the Vedas says nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam (Katha Upanisad 2.2.13). He is the supreme eternal amongst all other eternals. He's the supreme cognizant amongst all other cognizants. This is the difference.

So Bhagavan means the supreme opulent. Bhaga means opulence. Just like riches, reputation, strength, beauty, knowledge, renunciation. These are called opulences. So every one of us has got little opulences. I have got also little money. You have got also little money. But I cannot claim, neither you can claim that you are the proprietor of all the riches of the world or the universe. That you cannot claim. Nobody can claim. But God can claim. That is the difference. God can claim. As He claims... We understand from the Bhagavad-gita:

bhoktaram yajna-tapasam
sarva-loka-mahesvaram
suhrdam sarva-bhutanam
jnatva mam santim rcchati
[Bg. 5.29]

God says that "I am the enjoyer of everything." We are acting in this material world to enjoy something. We are working day and night to get some fruit of our labor and enjoy it. Everyone, either he's doing business or he's a professional man or he's a worker or anything he is, he's working very hard, day and night, to enjoy something. So... But we cannot claim that we can enjoy everything in this world. Although we have got the desire, but limited power to enjoy. The unlimited enjoyer is Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Just like we want to enjoy life, family life. We marry one wife. Or, in some countries, more than one wife -- two, three, four. But when Krsna married, He married 16,108. So... And sixteen thousand wives were given sixteen thousand palaces. And each wife got ten children. And Krsna also expanded Himself into 16,108. That is God. For us, it is very difficult to maintain even one wife at the present moment. This is the difference. Just try to understand what is the meaning of this word bhagavan. Bhaga means opulence. This is one of the opulences, richness. When Krsna was present on this planet, He was so rich that He could maintain sixteen thousand queens in sixteen thousand very costly palaces, made of marble, the furnitures made of ivory, and the beds were made of silk, and each and every room was decorated, bedecked with jewels, glittering jewels, so that at night there was no need of electricity or lamp. These descriptions are there in the Srimad-Bhagavatam of Krsna's palace, Krsna's sixteen thousand wives, Krsna's expansion into sixteen thousand forms. This is Bhagavan. Bhagavan means unlimitedly potential. That is Bhagavan.

So here in this chapter, we are trying to understand what is Bhagavan. This Krsna consciousness movement means to try to understand what is Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is our endeavor. It is very difficult to understand Bhagavan, but there is process, you can understand God, or Bhagavan. That process is being described by the Supreme Lord Himself, Bhagavan. Bhagavan uvaca. What is that process?

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

"My dear Arjuna, now I shall explain to you. You hear with attention." Tac chrnu. What is that? Mayy asakta-manah partha. "You have to increase your attachment for Me." Mayy asakta. Mayi asakta. Mayi means "unto Me," and asakti means "attachment." Mayy asakta-manah. Mind has to be trained up in such a way that you increase your attachment for God, or Krsna.

When we speak of Krsna, you understand "God." Krsna is one of the names of God. There are many millions of names, of which "Krsna" is the chief. Because this word, Krsna, means all attractive, because He's fully opulent. Just like if, in this material world, if one man is very rich, he's attractive. He draws attention of the people in general. If he's very powerful, he draws attention. If he's very reputed, famous, he draws attention. If he's very wise, learned, he draws attention. But Krsna has got all these things in fullness. Therefore, He draws attention of everyone. Therefore His name is Krsna. This "Krsna" means all-attractive. He has got all the attractive features. Therefore He's called Krsna. So Krsna says: "Just try to increase your attachment for Me. Practice this." It is not difficult. Just like we have got attachment for something here in this material world. Somebody's attached to do business, somebody's attached to woman, somebody's attached to man, somebody's attached to riches, somebody's attached to art, somebody's attached to... So many things. There are many subject matters of attachment. So attachment we have got. That we cannot deny. Everyone. We have got some attachment for something. That attachment should be transferred for Krsna. That is called Krsna consciousness. We are attached to something with consciousness, not blindly. So we have got the consciousness. When we turn our attachment, or train ourself to increase our attachment for Krsna, that is called bhakti-yogam. Bhakti-yogam. You have heard the name of yoga. Yoga means connecting link. So if you practice this bhakti-yoga, then, gradually, you increase your attachment for Krsna. That is the... It is stated also in the Bhagavad-gita: bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah [Bg. 18.55]. "If you practice bhakti-yoga, that is called bhaktya, then you can understand Me. Not otherwise."

There are different types of yoga system, bhakti-yoga, jnana-yoga, karma-yoga, hatha-yoga, dhyana-yoga. So many yogas. But the bhakti-yoga is the supermost. That is stated in the last chapter. I am reading before you the Seventh Chapter. At the end of the Sixth Chapter, Krsna says:

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

Yoginam api sarvesam. One who practices yoga system, he's called yogi. So Krsna says, yoginam api sarvesam: "Of all the yogis..." I have already stated. There are different kinds of yogis. "Of all the yogis..." Yoginam api sarvesam. Sarvesam means "of all yogis." Mad-gatenantar-atmana: "One who is thinking of Me within himself." We can think of Krsna. We have Krsna's form. Krsna Deity, we worship. So if we engage ourself in the worship of the Deity, the form of Krsna, which is nondifferent from Krsna, or, in the absence of Deity, if we chant the holy name of Krsna, that is also Krsna. Abhinnatvan nama-naminoh [Cc. Madhya 17.133]. Krsna is Absolute. Therefore, there is no difference between Him and His name. There is no difference between Him and His form. There is no difference between Him and His picture. There is no difference between Him and His topics. Anything about Krsna is Krsna. This is called absolute knowledge. So either you chant the Krsna's name or you worship Krsna's form -- everything is Krsna.

So there are different forms of devotional service.

sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
[SB 7.5.23]

You just hear about Krsna. That hearing is also Krsna. Just like just now we are trying to hear about Krsna. So that hearing is also Krsna. These boys and girls, they are chanting. That chanting is also Krsna. Sravanam kirtanam. Then smaranam. When you chant of Krsna, if you remember the picture of Krsna, that is also Krsna. Or you see the picture of Krsna. That is also Krsna. You see the Deity of Krsna. That is Krsna. You learn something about Krsna. That is also Krsna. So anyway,

sravanam kirtanam visnoh
smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
[SB 7.5.23]

Any of the nine items, if you accept, you immediately contact Krsna. Either you accept all the nine items or eight or seven or six or five or four or three or two, at least one, if you rigidly take and... Suppose this chanting. It does not cost anything. We are chanting all over the world. Anyone can chant by hearing us. It does not cost you. And if you chant, there is no loss on your part. So... But if you do, then immediately you contact Krsna. That is the benefit. Immediately. Because Krsna's name and Krsna is non...

Abhinnatvan nama-naminoh [Cc. Madhya 17.133]. These are the descriptions of the Vedic literature. Abhinnatvan nama-naminoh. Nama cintamanih krsnah. Krsna's name is cintamani. Cintamani means spiritual. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-laksavrtesu [Bs. 5.29]. These are the Vedic descriptions. Where Krsna lives, the place is described: cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam [Bs. 5.29]. So nama, the holy name of Krsna, is also cintamani, spiritual. Nama cintamanih krsnah. He is the same Krsna, person. Nama cintamanih krsnas caitanya [Cc. Madhya 17.133]. Caitanya means not dead, but living entity. You can get the same benefit by chanting name as you get personally talking with Krsna. That is also possible. But this will be gradually realized. Nama cintamanih krsnas caitanya-rasa-vigrahah. Rasa-vigraha means the pleasure, reservoir of all pleasure. As, as you chant the name of Hare Krsna, so gradually you relish some transcendental pleasure. Just like these boys and girls, while chanting, they're dancing in joyfulness. Nobody could follow them. But they are not crazy fellows, that they're chanting. Actually, they're getting some pleasure, transcendental pleasure. Therefore they're dancing. It is not that the dog-dance. No. It is really spiritual dance, the soul's dance. So... Therefore, He's called rasa-vigraha, reservoir of all pleasure.

Nama cintamanih krsnas caitanya-rasa-vigrahah purnah [Cc. Madhya 17.133]. Complete. Not that one percent less than Krsna. No. Cent percent Krsna. Complete. Purna. Purna means complete. Purnah suddhah. Suddha means purified. There is contamination in the material world. Material, any name you chant, because it is materially contaminated, you cannot continue it for very long. This is another experience. But this chanting of Hare Krsna mantra, if you go on chanting for twenty-four hours, you'll never feel fatigued. That is the test. You go on chanting. These boys can chant twenty-four hours, without eating anything, without drinking water. It is so nice. Because it is complete, spiritual, suddha. Suddha means pure. Not materially contaminated. Material pleasure, any pleasure... The highest pleasure in the material world is sex. But you cannot enjoy it twenty-four hours. That is not possible. You can enjoy it for few minutes. That's all. Even if you are forced to enjoy, you'll reject it: "No, no more." That is material. But spiritual means there is no end. You can enjoy perpetually, twenty-four hours. That is spiritual enjoyment. Brahma-saukhyam anantam [SB 5.5.1]. Anantam. Anantam means unending.

So in order to enjoy this spiritual pleasure, you have to practice some tapasya, austerity. Because you are spiritual, every one of us, spiritual. Aham brahmasmi. We are not this material body. We change. It is for certain years. Again we change: another body, another body. This changing of body is going on because we are seeking material pleasure. So God is giving us different types of body for enjoying different types of material pleasure. But if we want to enjoy spiritual pleasure, then you do not require to change body. That is the mission of Krsna consciousness. That every one of you want pleasure, but that pleasure, in the material world, you cannot enjoy perpetually. But if you purify yourself of this material contamination, if you do not accept this material body again, and you remain in your spiritual body, then you enjoy transcendental bliss eternally.

So this human form of life is meant for that purpose. Lower than the human form of life, cats and dogs, they cannot understand what is spiritual pleasure. That is not possible. But in the human form of life you can understand what is spirit and what is matter and what is spiritual pleasure and what is material pleasure. This distinction we can make. That much consciousness is developed in the human form of life. But if we misuse this developed consciousness for material pleasures, then we are missing the opportunity. This is Krsna consciousness movement. Our Krsna consciousness movement is that you have got this human form of body. Don't miss the opportunity. That you can, if you properly utilize, if you train yourself, you can be transferred to the platform of eternal, spiritual bliss. This is Krsna consciousness movement.

So here Krsna is teaching, Himself, how you can become Krsna conscious. The first item, He says: mayy asakta-manah partha. "My dear Arjuna, if you increase your attachment for Me, that is the beginning." And that is the end. That is beginning, and that is end. It is not that beginning is something... Spiritual means it is nothing beginning, nothing end. The beginning and the end, the same thing. If you increase your attachment for Krsna... Because, at the present moment, in our material conditional life, we have no attachment for Krsna. We have got attachment for non-Krsna. So you have to transfer that attachment to Krsna. Attachment is there; simply you have to transfer the object of attachment. So here it is said: mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. This is yoga. This is meditation. If you are fond of meditation, then you meditate upon Krsna, on the form of Krsna, playing flute, bluish color, having a peacock on His head. The description is there. Barhavatamsam asitambuda-sundarangam.

venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam
barhavatamsam asitambuda-sundarangam
kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.30]

Venum kvanantam. Krsna is, you'll see, Krsna's picture, always a flute in His hand. Always joyful. Because He's the Supreme Lord, there is nothing moroseness. Always joyful. That is the symptom of spiritual life. You'll see Krsna always smiling, always playing on His flute. As you see in this material world also, somebody, he has got a flute and he's playing, enjoying. So this is imitation. That enjoyment will not last. But Krsna's flute-playing is eternal. He's enjoying eternally. Venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam [Bs. 5.30]. And His eyes are just like lotus petals. Very beautiful. Venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam, barhavatamsam asitambuda-su... Barhavatamsam, a peacock feather, He's very fond of a peacock feather. So that is on His head. Barhavatamsam asitambuda-sundarangam. Very beautiful body like new, blackish cloud. But very beautiful. Blackish cloud. Asitambuda-sundarangam. Kandarpa-koti-kamaniya. But, although he's blackish, He is more beautiful than millions and trillions of Cupids. Kandarpa... Therefore, He's all-beautiful.

venum kvanantam aravinda-dalayataksam
barhavatamsam asitambuda-sundarangam
kandarpa-koti-kamaniya-visesa-sobham
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.30]

Visesa-sobham. Specifically beautiful. Visesa-sobham govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami.

So this Deity, description of Krsna, is there in the temple, in the book. So if you always simply think of this beautiful form of Krsna, that is called perfect meditation. If you simply think of. That is very easy. If you... We are always attracted by beautiful things. So Krsna is the most beautiful. So if you meditate upon Krsna, then your meditation becomes very easy and perfect. Because Krsna has said that yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana [Bg. 6.47]. "Of all the yogis, one who is thinking of Me within himself," mad-gatenantar-atmana sraddhavan, "with devotion and faith," bhajate yo mam, "engaged in devotional...," sa me yukta..., "he's the first-class yogi." So you can become a first-class yogi at home without any expenditure, without any loss. But you come, become the greatest yogi and achieve the result. Krsna consciousness movement is so nice. And we are distributing this system of yoga... We don't charge anything. We are not business man, that we give you something and charge something. Of course, when we give you book, we take, because we have to pay to the printers, to the press man. That is another thing. So far our words are concerned, our service is concerned, we don't charge anything. That is not our movement. That is free.

So Krsna says mayy asakta-manah partha. In this way, you can begin your attachment for Krsna. Mayy asakta-manah partha yogam... This is yoga. To increase attachment for Krsna is the first-class yoga system. But how it can be done? Mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. You have to take shelter of Krsna or His representative. Asraya. Asraya means to take shelter. You cannot practice this yoga separately. You have to take shelter of Krsna or His devotee. That is called mad-asraya. Or mad-asraya means "one who has taken shelter of Me." One may say that "How can I take shelter of Krsna? Krsna is not here present." He's present everywhere. It is a question of realization. Then you can take shelter of His representative. Mad-asraya. Asamsayam samagram mam yatha jnasyasi tac... [Bg. 7.1]. Asamsayam, "without any doubt," samagram, "in complete," yatha, "as," jnasyasi, "you can understand," tac chrnu, "you hear from Me." Krsna is describing Himself, how you can increase your attachment for Krsna.

This will be very elaborately described. We have no time to read now, but one or two verses I can speak before you. Just like Krsna says: raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhasmi sasi-suryayoh [Bg. 7.8]. Raso 'ham. Rasa means the taste, or the attractive taste. Just like when you eat sweetmeat or any, any eatables, there is some nice taste for which you eat. Or you drink water. You are thirsty; you want water. But there is a good taste in the water. Otherwise, how you quench your thirst? There is taste. Everyone knows. So Krsna says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: "Any liquid thing, the taste, which attracts you, that is I am." Even you are a drunkard, you are fond of tasting wine, I should recommend that you simply think that "This taste of wine is Krsna." That will make a yogi of you. That will make you the greatest yogi. If you simply think this, that "I am tasting wine. Oh, very nice taste. This is Krsna." Is there any loss if you think like that? This is Krsna consciousness. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhasmi sasi-suryayoh: [Bg. 7.8] "I am the shining of the sun and the moon." Now, every day, morning, you see the sun shining. So as soon as you see the sun shining, if you think of Krsna: "Oh, this sun shining is Krsna," you become a yogi. You become a yogi. At night also, as soon as you see the moonshine, so immediately, if you think, "This moon shining is Krsna..."

So you can become Krsna conscious in any circumstances. There is no limitation, that "You have to become Krsna conscious under this condition, that condition." The condition will be enunciated later on. First of all, try to become Krsna..., that you, at least, you drink water and so many times in a day, you just try to think that the taste of the water is Krsna. That is the beginning of your Krsna yoga system. And then, if you chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, then you'll become, gradually, the greatest yogi without becoming very learned scholar, without becoming Vedantist, without becoming religionist or... Simply by this process you try to practice, and your life will be perfect.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 7.1 -- Upsala University Stockholm, September 8, 1973

"Yoga-- Our Confidential Relationship With Krsna"

68/09/10 San Francisco, Bhagavad-gita 7.1



Prabhupada:

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

So this yoga system, Krsna consciousness yoga system, is to begin with developing attachment for Krsna. And the process of developing attachment I have already explained to you for the several last meetings. So for the beginners, attachment for God, everyone, people in the lowest stage, he has to admit the greatness of the Supreme Lord. God is great; there is no doubt about it. Everyone, even in the lowest status of life, he can admit. I don't speak of the animals. Animals, they have no sense of God. I am speaking of the human being. There are different, different grades of human civilization -- the highest type of civilization and the lowest aboriginal -- but every one of them has got a sense of God. That is there. This is the special prerogative of human being. Not that only the civilized men. Perhaps you know all, when you came here from European countries in America, the Red Indians. They are considered as aboriginals; still, they have some religion, they have some conception of God.

So God is great. That is admitted by the human civilization. Now what is that greatness? Generally when we speak of greatness...(coughs) (aside:) Water. We think of the greatness of the sky. That is the simple example how thing can be great: "As great as the sky." But in the sky you have no perception. As there is development of these material elements from finer, I mean to say, existential form, to grosser form, and the grosser form becomes tangible for our understanding, similarly, in every religion or in every society, the greatness of God is admitted. But how that greatness becomes tangible, that you can find in the Bhagavad-gita.

Suppose you have got conception of a sky, but you cannot have a definite idea of the greatness of sky because your experience and knowledge is gathered by sense perception. In the sky there is no sense perception. Just like we are sitting in this room. Within this room there is sky, but we cannot understand the sky. But if we try to understand this table we can at once understand, because in the table, if I touch, I feel the hardness; the perception is there. My knowledge can receive that this is a hard table. But if I speak about sky, I cannot get any direct perception. Therefore simply understanding of greatness of God is not all. That, that is the beginning of attachment, "God is great." But you have to develop your attachment to the fullest extent. And that is love of God.

You cannot love sky. That is not possible. If I say, "You love sky," you'll say, "How to love sky? I want a tangible thing. I want a boy, I want a girl, then I can love. How I can love sky?" So simply understanding of greatness is not all. Then from the development of the, from the idea of sky, there is, next development is air. In the air you can perceive something. When the air is blowing you can at least have some touch sensation. So as in the material world from the sky develops the air, from air develops the fire, electricity, and from electricity or fire develops the water, and from water develops this land... When it comes to the land you can understand something very tangible. Similarly, greatness of God has to be developed how? From greatness of God, the idea of greatness, the sense of service must develop. God is so great, so I must render some service to God. This sense of service is further development. Just like from the sky the air develops, similarly, from the idea of greatness of God the sense of service develops. Because I am serving somebody great, I go to some office because he provides me. The proprietor gives me some salary; therefore he is greater than me. I render service in exchange of something given by him.

So God is so great. In the Vedic literatures it is found that eko bahunam vidadhati kaman. That one great supreme living being, He is supplying all the necessities of all other small living beings. We are all small living beings, and Krsna, or the Supreme Lord, is the greatest living being. He is also a living being, just like us. The other day I explained that man is made after God, not that God is made after man. Don't think that because I have got two hands, two legs, one head, therefore I have created a Krsna who has got two hands, two legs, two... No. That is not the fact. Actually, because Krsna has got two legs, two hands, one head, therefore you have also got.

So God is great, and I am dependent. So my sense of love has to be developed. We must accept that God is great, He is supplying our necessities, why not render some service in gratitude? Is there any harm? Suppose somebody is always supplying you everything, don't you think in your gratitude to supply, to render some service to him? If you develop that sense of gratitude, that is further development, attachment, service. Now that service has again to be further developed. How it is to be developed? Just like service to your friend. A friend does not demand service. Just like master, he demands service: "You must do it." But friend does not demand service, but dear friend: "Yes, why not?" That means voluntary service. More intimately. That is further development. That friendly service... One sort of friendship is with awe and veneration. Just like if you have a very rich friend, you cannot talk with him so frankly although he is so..., he is your intimate friend. But a friend in the same status, you can talk with him very freely. Similarly, we can develop friendship with God in two stages. The first stage is with awe and veneration. "Oh, God is so great. God is supplying us so many things, and in gratitude I must serve Him." Or, "He is my well-wisher; He's my friend."

But if you further development your friendship... Just like Arjuna. Arjuna developed friendship with Krsna. When he saw Krsna in His supreme universal form, he said, "My dear Krsna, I have talked with You as friend. I have insulted You in so many ways." Friends and friends, sometimes they talk in insulting tone, but that is not insult, that is pleasure. Similarly, Arjuna also talks to Krsna in so many insulting tones. But when he saw that "Oh, here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead," he was afraid. So friendship. Then further development of service is to accept the Supreme Lord as son. When I get somebody as my son, the full service is there from the beginning of his life. So similarly, as the subtler form of elements develop into grosser forms, from sky to air, from air to fire, from fire to water, from water to land, similarly, the attachment of Krsna begins to develop from the sense of greatness. "God is great," then "God is master," then "God is friend," and then "God is my son," and then "God is my lover." In the lover stage, there are all other elements. When you love somebody, then there is loving element, and there is paternal element, there is friendship element, there is master and servant element, and there is greatness element. Therefore, in the sense of loving God, all other elements are full. Therefore the full attachment for Krsna is to love Him as your lover.

So Krsna says, mad-asrayam. This yoga system, bhakti-yoga, is to develop attachment for Krsna under His protection. Mad-asrayah. Just like a friend protects his friend, a master protects his servant, a parent, a father protects his child, or a lover protects his lover, similarly, there is some protectional element. Mad-asrayah: "Krsna is my friend, He'll protect me. Krsna is my master, He'll protect me. Krsna is my son, He'll protect me. Krsna is my lover, He'll protect me." So this, this is called mad-asrayah. If we take this attitude in either of these attitudes, either friend or lover or son or master, like that, and you develop your attachment for Krsna, then asamsaya, without any doubt, samagram, in complete..., in full completeness, you can understand what is God. This is the philosophy of Krsna consciousness, that you have to take shelter of Krsna in either of these aspects, and you have to develop your attachment for either of these aspects.

Then Krsna says that jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam idam vaksyamy asesatah. Now this knowledge of God is not a sentiment, it is science. It is science. This is scientific. Nobody can deny it. We are not preaching any particular type of sentiment, or any frog's speculation. It is fact. How our relationship with the Supreme Lord can develop, how we are related with Him, these things are fact on philosophical basis. Therefore Krsna is assuring Arjuna that "What I'm talking to you is not a religious sentiment, but it is jnanam." Jnanam means it is practical knowledge. Jnanam. Jnanam means theoretical knowledge, and vijnanam means practical knowledge. So Krsna says, jnanam. Jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam: "I am just speaking to you the exact knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead with practical demonstration." [break]

...appear for practical examination. Simply knowing that such and such chemical element mixed with such and such chemical element becomes such and such chemical element is theoretical knowledge. Oxygen and hydrogen mixed together produces water. This is theoretical knowledge. But when in the laboratory you actually act -- such and such quantity of oxygen gas you mix with such and such quantity of hydrogen gas -- at once there is formulation of water. As soon as you mix alkali and acid together, there is at once reaction, soda-bicarbonate. So similarly, theoretical knowledge that we have got a particular type of relationship with God, that you cannot deny. Anything, whatever you have got in your possession, you have got some particular relationship. Suppose you are Americans, we are Indian. So we have got some particular relationship with the state. I am Indian citizen, you are American citizen. So relationship must be there. You are sitting here. There is some relationship. Suppose my students, they have got relationship with me. I am their teacher, they are my disciples. Or if you are not my disciple then you are audience, I am speaker. Must be there some relationship.

So similarly, if with everything we have got some relationship, why not with God? There is. That is practical relationship, but we have forgotten. We have forgotten our relationship. And yoga means to connect, to reconnect that relationship again. That is called yoga. Yoga is not a mental speculation or for health's sake. Oh, for health's sake you may not go to the yoga system. If you simply adopt the practice of Sandoz exercise you can become very healthy, very strong. There is no need of... Yoga is different thing. Yoga means concentration of the mind towards God, God, Paramatma, which we have forgotten now.

At the present moment, although we remember sometimes there or the material energy, we have forgotten. So we have to establish, reestablish our forgotten relationship. It is not that you have no relationship with God and we are artificially forcing something, relationship with God, Krsna consciousness. No. You have your relationship. Simply by hearing, by cultivation of this knowledge, you revive your relationship, that's all. Just like in the matches there is fire. You simply rub it for some time, for a few seconds, oh, the fire will come out. Similarly, your relationship with Krsna, Krsna consciousness, is there within you. Otherwise, how could you accept the Krsna consciousness? "I've imported Krsna from India," that is also a mistake. Krsna is not for India or America. Just like the sun. This is same sun which I have seen in India, the same sun is in your America. So nobody can claim, "Oh, this is Indian sun and this is American sun." Sun is one. It is our miscalculation that we say, "This is American land, this is American sun, this is American atmosphere." No. Everything in relationship with God. That is jnanam. That is knowledge. And vijnanam. And practical also.

So Krsna says that "I will explain to you, if you adopt this principle, that development of attachment with Krsna, under My protection..." If you don't take the protection of Krsna, then you cannot develop attachment for Krsna. You have to accept. That development I have... The other day, I have explained to you that it takes place by giving something, by taking something, by disclosing something, by understanding something, by eating something, by giving Krsna to eat something. By six processes. So Krsna says, "I am speaking to you this jnanam," sa-vijnanam. Jnanam te aham sa-vijnanam idam. Sa-vijnanam means "with scientific knowledge." Vaksyamy, "I'll say." Yad jnatva, "If you try to understand this knowledge, or if you understand this knowledge," yaj jnatva na iha, "not in this material world." Na iha. Because in the spiritual world there is no ignorance. Spiritual life means full of knowledge, full of bliss, eternal life. So therefore Krsna says that "If you understand this knowledge, the knowledge of Krsna or the science of Krsna, or the science of Krsna consciousness," yaj jnatva na iha bhuyo. Bhuyo means "again." Anyaj, "anything more." Anyaj jnatavyam, "understandable," avasisyate, "there remains." That means "If you understand as I am speaking to you, in science, practical and theoretical, if you understand this knowledge, then you'll have nothing to know. There is nothing more knowable to you in this world. That means your knowledge becomes full." Yaj jnatva neha bhuyo anyaj jnatavyam avasisyate. Tac-chakti-dvaya-vivikta-svarupa-visayakam jnanam vijnanam tena sahitam te tubhyam prapannayasesatah samagram vaksyami.

Now here Krsna says that "I am speaking to you." He's particularly marking Arjuna. Why? He does not say here, "I'm speaking to everyone." No. Everyone cannot understand this knowledge. It is confidential. Krsna consciousness is not understandable by any ordinary man. Of course, Lord Caitanya has made it so easy for this age that if you sincerely, with devotion, chant Hare Krsna, you'll be able to understand. But the science as it is, itself, it is very difficult. It is very difficult. But because the age is not very favorable, the time is not very favorable, therefore Lord Caitanya has inaugurated this sankirtana movement by chanting Hare Krsna and dancing, so that your mind very quickly becomes cleared so that you can understand what is Krsna consciousness. This simple process. Otherwise, Krsna says it is not for all.

"I am speaking to you this scientific knowledge of Krsna consciousness unto you." Why "unto you"? Because he's a surrendered soul. He's a surrendered soul. The beginning of Bhagavad-gita is there. You know. When Krsna was talking with Arjuna as friend, He did not talk very seriously. He was simply saying, "My dear Arjuna, it is not good for you that you shall not fight. You are a ksatriya, you belong to the warrior class, so if you don't fight, it will not be very good." In this way, on the basis of friendship. But Arjuna also understood that "Krsna is not very seriously talking with me, because we are friends." So he surrendered himself. He said that "My dear Krsna, I can understand that the problem which has arisen in this battlefield, it is very difficult problem. I have come here to fight, but I have been disturbed with sentiments. So how I can kill my brothers, my teacher, my grandfather, my grandsons, and so on, so on? So, but I know also that these problems, this problematic situation which has arisen, it can be solved by You only." But Arjuna knew it that "Krsna is not my ordinary friend. He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Therefore he at once surrendered. Sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam: "I am surrendered unto You as Your disciple. Please accept me and just teach me what is good for me." Therefore Krsna also says that jnanam te aham, "I am speaking to you this knowledge, this confidential knowledge, because you are surrendered."

So this thing, this Krsna consciousness begins. Unless you have got at least a little attachment for Krsna, unless you have taken to any sort of service to Krsna it is very difficult to understand. Jnanam te 'ham sa-vijnanam. Tac-chakti-dvaya-vivikta-svarupa-visayakam. So jnanam, you can understand this because you are surrendered soul. Prapannayasesatah samagrena upadeksyami. So jnanam means the actual, factual knowledge. Jnanam means factual knowledge and practical demonstration of that knowledge. That will be explained in this chapter, and we shall further discuss on this point.

Now if there is any question, you can ask.

Devotee (1): Swamiji, you said that the relationship with Krsna as lover contains all the other symptoms of the other relationships.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Devotee (1): Does this mean that that rasa is superior or better than the other rasas?

Prabhupada: Yes. It is...If you neutrally examine that the position of the lover is better than the position of a person who is in relationship with Krsna as master and servant. But that is studying the relationship or the mellows from neutral point of view. But anyone, either who is..., anyone, either he is in relationship as master and servant or relationship as father and child or lover and lover, from his position, He is supreme. But from neutral position the lover and the beloved, this kind of relationship with Krsna is the best, is the supreme. Therefore the worship of the gopis to Krsna... Lord Caitanya also displayed. His propaganda or His understanding of Krsna was just like the lover and the beloved. Krsna as Lord Caitanya was playing the part of Radharani. He wanted to understand. Krsna wanted to understand what is there in Radharani. So that understanding, that feature of Krsna is Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya is not different from Krsna, but the feature in which Krsna is trying to understand Radharani, that is Lord Caitanya. So Radharani's position is greater than Krsna's. These are very confidential talks, but the relationship of love and the beloved, as it was between Krsna and the gopis, that is the highest type of relationship. There is no doubt about it. (pause) Yes?

Devotee (1): I just didn't hear you correctly. Did you say that Sri Krsna Caitanya was playing Radha?

Prabhupada: Yes, He is playing the part of Radharani. He is worshiping Krsna as Radharani worshiped Krsna. There is a verse composed by Lord Caitanya. He says,

aslisya va pada ratam pinastu mam
(adarsanan) marma-hatam karotu va
yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato
mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah

He's praying, "My Lord Krsna, either You trample me down by Your feet, either You embrace me as lover, or You make me brokenhearted without Your presence. Whatever You like You can do. But still I am Your eternal servitor." So this attitude was Radharani's. So Lord Caitanya is the feature of Krsna understanding Radharani. That Krsna is great undoubtedly, but He thinks that Radharani is greater than Him, because He cannot repay the loving transaction of Radha, of Krsna. So he wanted to study what is there in Radharani. "So I cannot study Radharani in the feature of Krsna. If I take the feature of Radharani, then I can understand what are..." This is highest, I mean to say, transcendental sentiments. But Lord Caitanya is Radharani's feature. Tad-dvayam caikyam aptam. Caitanyakhyam prakatam adhuna tad-dvayam caityam aptam. Krsna, when He wants to enjoy, He expands His pleasure potency, which is Radharani. Now one Krsna becomes two, Krsna and His pleasure potency. And that pleasure potency, when unites with Krsna, that is Caitanya. Krsna becomes two, Radharani and Krsna. Krsna cannot enjoy anything material because He is full in Himself. Therefore if He has to enjoy something, then that enjoyable personality must be expanded from Him only. So that is Radharani. And when that enjoyable personality again takes into one, that is Caitanya. These things you'll understand as you develop Krsna consciousness, in higher development stage. But it is, we can discuss. This is the fact. Yes?

Gargamuni: I just want to... You said that yoga means to connect with the Supreme, and then you said by that we concentrate our mind on God, and then after that you said Paramatma.

Prabhupada: Yes. The beginning of searching out God is within yourself. God is within yourself. So yoga means concentrating the mind on the Paramatma. Paramatma is the feature of the Supreme Lord who is seated in everyone's heart. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. Hrd-dese means in the heart. In the heart I am, as spiritual spark, I am also sitting, and the Krsna is also sitting. The medical science cannot explain. As soon as the heart fails, they say, "Oh, he's gone." That means in the heart I am sitting and the Paramatma is sitting. As the I and Paramatma leaves the heart, the heart fails and there is no life. And it is a fact from medical science that all the energies of the body is coming from the heart. So this statement of the Bhagavad-gita, that isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese... [Bg. 18.61]. Hrd-dese means in the heart. So yoga means, as prescribed in the standard yoga system in the Bhagavad-gita, means I myself try to find out the Paramatma within my heart. So I cannot concentrate unless I withdraw all my sensual activities. You cannot practice yoga, (chuckling) at the same time indulge in sensual activities. These are all nonsense. So we have to concentrate all our sensual activities. That means repose them in the mind, and mind is concentrated upon the Paramatma. That is real yoga.

Gargamuni: Yes, but we in Krsna consciousness, we aren't interested in that Paramatma, are we?

Prabhupada: No. We have no interest because we are directly meditating the Supreme. Therefore if we concentrate our mind on Krsna, that means Paramatma is already served. If you have got one million dollars, then ten dollar service is already done. Paramatma is partial representation of Krsna. So if you concentrate your attention, whole attention to Krsna, that is far, far better than... And that is, I mean to say, accepted in the Bhagavad-gita. Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana [Bg. 6.47]. "Anyone who is concentrating his mind upon Me, he is the topmost yogi." He's the topmost yogi. And that is very easy. If you simply see the picture of Krsna, the statue of Krsna, worship Krsna, chant His name Krsna, eat Krsna's prasadam, talk Krsna, read Krsna's book, then you are always in samadhi. Samadhi, this is perfect samadhi. So Krsna consciousness is not an ordinary thing. It is the highest, topmost yoga system. Is that clear?

Gargamuni: Yes.

Prabhupada: All right. Chant. Sri rama jaya rama jaya jaya... (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 7.1 -- San Francisco, September 10, 1968

"Life's Aim Is Self Realization"

72/07/01 San Diego, Bhagavad-gita 7.1


Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

sri bhagavan uvaca
mayy asakta-manah partha
yogam yunjan mad-asrayah
asamsayam samagram mam
yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu
[Bg. 7.1]

Translation: (not on tape) "Now hear, O son of Prtha (Arjuna) how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt."

Prabhupada: Purport.

Pradyumna: "In the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, the nature of Krsna consciousness is fully described. Krsna is full in all opulences, and how He manifests such opulences is described herein. Also, four kinds of fortunate people who become attached to Krsna and four kinds of unfortunate people who never take to Krsna are described in this chapter. In the first six chapters of Bhagavad-gita, the living entity has been described as nonmaterial spirit soul, which is capable of elevating himself to self-realization by different types of yogas. At the end of the Sixth Chapter, it has been clearly stated that the steady concentration of the mind upon Krsna, or in other words, Krsna consciousness, is the highest form of all yoga. By concentrating one's mind upon Krsna, one is able to know the Absolute Truth completely, but not otherwise. Impersonal brahmajyoti or localized Paramatma realization is not perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth because it is partial. Full and scientific knowledge is Krsna, and everything is revealed to the person in Krsna consciousness. In complete Krsna consciousness one knows that Krsna is ultimate knowledge beyond any doubts. Different types of yoga are only stepping-stones on the path of Krsna consciousness. One who takes directly to Krsna consciousness automatically knows about brahmajyoti and Paramatma in full. By practice of Krsna consciousness yoga, one can know everything in full, namely the Absolute Truth, the living entities, the material nature and their manifestations with paraphernalia. One should therefore begin yoga practice as directed in the last verse of the Sixth Chapter. Concentration of the mind upon Krsna, the Supreme, is made possible by prescribed devotional service in nine different forms, of which..."

Prabhupada: There are many persons who like meditation. Nowadays, it is very popular, especially in your country. But when we ask them what is the subject of meditation, they cannot say. Can you say what is the subject of meditation? Anyone who is little aware of this meditation? What is that meditation?

Devotee: It's a process of negation.

Prabhupada: Eh?

Devotee: It's a process of negation for some yoga systems...

Prabhupada: Negation how?

Devotee: Of feeling. Thinking, feeling, and willing.

Prabhupada: No, no. Negation... Something positive you negate. So what is that positive, and what is that negation? Nobody can...

Devotee: Desires, negating the desires, natural desires? They want to...

Prabhupada: That means these are manufacturing. Actually, there is no fixed-up knowledge. Just like somebody was asking (about) transcendental meditation. What is that transcendental meditation? Can anyone explain?

Devotee: I went to one of their meetings, and it was just..., they talk about something concentrating, feeling, something going down, like, something coming up. But it's just...

Prabhupada: Not very, I mean to say, clear. Something vague. So this will not help. Here is positive proposition, that you concentrate on the form of Krsna. Mayy asakta-manah partha. Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana sraddhavan... Antar-atmana [Bg. 6.47]. One has to fix up the form... Actual yoga system is to concentrate on the form of Visnu. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa. By... Meditation means to concentrate the mind without being diverted to any other subject. Simply thinking of Lord Visnu. That is the yoga meditation recommended in Vedic literature. So here also, Krsna says "Me." Krsna and Visnu, the same. Visnu is expansion of Krsna. So when we concentrate our mind upon Krsna, Visnu is included there. Go on.

Pradyumna: "Concentration of the mind upon Krsna, the Supreme, is made possible by prescribed devotional service in nine different forms, of which sravanam is the first and most important."

Prabhupada: So our yoga system is not like that, that we whole day, twenty-three hours and forty-five minutes, I engage myself in all nonsensical activities, and fifteen minutes I concentrate my mind, the meditation. That kind of yoga system is not here. Here, twenty-four-hours' meditation. Even during sleeping. Twenty-four hours means during sleeping also. Life should be melded, molded in such a way that twenty-four hours you'll be able to think of Krsna. So we are engaging our students in so many Krsna activities. They are going to the park, chanting Hare Krsna, or distributing literature. All these activities, remembering Krsna. They have no other, I mean to say, thought except Krsna. So this fifteen minutes, twenty-minutes, sitting, is all right. But one who is twenty-four hours thinking of Krsna or Visnu, how far he is advanced, that can be imagined. Therefore Krsna says personally, yoginam api sarvesam: [Bg. 6.47] "Of all the yogis..."

There are different types of yogis. It is, it is not that... Just like we do some other business, twenty-three hours, forty-five minutes, and fifteen minutes we sit down for meditation. No. Twenty-four hours. Kirtaniyah sada harih. Sada means twenty-four hours. That is recommendation of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

trnad api sunicena
taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih
[Cc. adi 17.31]

To execute this twenty-four-hours' meditation one has to be, become, has to become, has to become very humble. Because so many people will criticize. Just like last night our Atreya Rsi was speaking that some of his fellow officer was criticizing him. So we have to tolerate. Just like when the elephant passes, many dogs bark. So we do not care for these dogs barking. As elephant, we must go on gravely. You see.

Therefore trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. We have to execute this twenty-four-hours' Krsna business, Krsna consciousness, always absorbed in thought of Krsna -- in sitting, in walking, in eating, in sleeping, everything. In working. That is first-class yoga. It is also yoga, but first-class yoga. Not third-class, fourth-class yoga. Of course, any yoga system, we cannot say it is third class, fourth class, but when we make comparative study, there must be something better or something inferior. Just like we have already described. You have got a staircase to go to the one hundredth floor. So one has gone twenty steps, one has gone fifty steps, one has gone seventy-five steps, one has gone full hundred steps. So one who has gone twenty-five steps, he cannot be compared with one who has gone one hundred steps. Similarly, the yoga system is just like a staircase for going to the spiritual world. So one who has taken to Krsna consciousness, he's on the top, topmost yoga system. Go on.

Pradyumna: "The Lord therefore says to Arjuna, tac chrnu, or ‘Hear from Me.' No one can be a greater authority than Krsna, and therefore, by hearing from Him..."

Prabhupada: There... Here is another point. We have to learn by listening from somebody. Tad-vijnanartham sa gurum eva abhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. We approach guru for hearing from him the truth. Just like child listens from the parents and he learns to speak, he learns to know what is what. The father says, "This is dish"; the child also says, "This is dish." The father says, "This is spoon"; the child also says, "This is spoon." So he learns by hearing. "Mother language" means if the child is handed over to some other person whose mother, whose language is different from the mother, he'll learn, from the very beginning he'll learn that language.

So hearing is very important. Therefore our bhakti process, bhakti-yoga process is hearing. The more you give aural reception to the transcendental message, more you become expert. You haven't got to become a Ph.D. or very learned fellow, or very scholar. No. Even a child, without any education, he can also become Krsna conscious simply by hearing. In New Yor... In Los Angeles, our child friend, he's only three years old. Oh, he cites so many mantras. He has learned. Yes. So many. Of course, one child may be specially intelligent, but anyone can learn. The method is simply hearing and seeing the behavior. You put one child in this association; automatically, with his growth, he'll become a Vaisnava, a Krsna conscious devotee. Automatically, by seeing these activities, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65], by thinking of Krsna. Because the child will get the opportunity for hearing the word "Krsna, Krsna." Everyone has got God-gifted instrument, this ear. And if we give aural reception, we'll learn. There is no need of education, ABCD. No.

So hearing is so important. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's preaching work... Caitanya Mahaprabhu's, this propaganda of sankirtana movement, He has given stress on this hearing process. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. You can remain in your place. We don't say that you change your place. Whatever you are, you remain. If you are American, you remain American. If you are Hindu, you remain a Hindu. If you are Muslim, you remain Muslim. We don't say that first of all you become a Hindu or this or that. No. We simply request, "Please come here, sit down, and hear." That's all. This is the yoga system. Hearing yoga system. We don't say, press, that "You do this, you do that." We say the regulative principle. When one is seriously becoming our intimate friend or member, then we say that "You have to follow the rules and regulations." That he will agree. If he has actually heard our words, then immediately he will agree. It is not very difficult thing.

So hearing is so important thing. Sravanam. Sravanam means hearing. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu was talking with Ramananda Raya, the process of self-realization. You will have it. For those who have got Teachings of Lord Caitanya, he'll read it. When Ramananda Raya and Lord Caitanya (were) speaking, so Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked Ramananda Raya, "What is the best process for self-realization?" Because life is meant for self-realization. This human life is meant for self-realization. Atma-tattvam. Otherwise it is animal life. The animals, they are cats and dogs; they are not interested in self-realization. But human life is meant for self-realization. Therefore Caitanya Mahaprabhu questioned Ramananda Raya that "What is the best process of self-realization?" He recommended, first of all, the varnasrama-dharma. Ca...

varnasramacaravata
purusena parah puman
visnur aradhyate pantha
nanyat tat-tosa-karanam

The real business is visnur aradhanam. Visnu, the all-pervading Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is within the atom, who is within your heart, and who is also in His Goloka Vrndavana, that all-pervading... So varnasrama-dharma means how to realize that Supreme, all-pervading Godhead. That is varnasrama-dharma. Varna means four social divisions: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra; and asrama means four spiritual divisions: brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha... So accepting these four spiritual and four material principles of life, that is humanity. One who is not within this category, varnasrama-dharma, he's not accepted as a human being or a civilized human being.

In the civilized nation, there is the four divisions of spiritual life and four divisions of... But they do not know it. But those who are followers of Vedic culture, they know how the divisions are to be made. Just like in your body, you have got four divisions: the head division, the arms division, the belly division, and the leg division. They're all required. It is not that simply you have got a nice brain like Professor Einstein; that will do. No. You must have hands also. You must have belly. You must have legs. Then it is complete. The head is most important part of the body -- that is all right -- but leg is also required. You cannot neglect leg. So similarly, this division is very scientific: intelligent class of men and martial class of men and productive class of men and laborer class of men. When we compare the laborer class of men with intellect, intellectual class of men, there is difference. But both of them are important factors to maintain this body. That is called varnasrama-dharma.

So life's aim is self-realization -- Visnu -- not the skyscrapers. These are piling stones and woods. This is not very intelligent work. The woods and pile, stones and earth is there already -- big, big mountain, hills. You do the business of a porter, carry it out, and high, I mean to say, heap, heap it in one place, it becomes a skyscraper building. And if you simply are proud of these heaps of stones and woods and iron, that is not civilization. That is not civilization. Civilization is that the living entity who is using these resources, what, to know what is the actual business. This piling of stones and wood is done also by the birds. They also pick up, according to their strength, some twigs, and they make a nest. That intelligence is there. The rat also, he makes subway. (laughter) You see, So this is not very intelligent work, to imitate the rats, the birds, the cats, the dogs. That is not civilization. Civilization means self-realization, "What I am? Why I am forced to die? I do not like to die." To know this, that is civilization. When all these inquiries will come into one's mind... "Well, I do not wish to die. Why death is there, forced? I am forced to die. I do not wish to be diseased. Why disease comes to me upon me?" When this "why" question will come, "Why?" that is humanity. And if he remains dull, "All right, let me die," then he's cat and dog. That's all. If there is no "Why?" then he's cat and dog.

So human civilization does not mean this piling of woods and stones. No. That is not human civilization. Human civilization means brahma-jijnasa, inquiry. These are the inquiry. "Why? Why I am forced to do this?" These things are taught regularly in the varnasrama system. One is made brahmacari, celibacy, spiritual. One is made a very decently, family life, grhastha. One is made retired life, sannyasi. Very systematical. So if we don't follow the varnasrama-dharma, then we are not even human beings. They are cats and dogs. So therefore Ramananda Raya proposed this varnasrama... Varnasramacaravata. He quoted from Visnu Purana. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Oh, this is rejected." He immediately rejected. Now, so scientific institution of varnasrama-dharma system, coming from very early age, Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "This is external. Say something better." So in this way, Ramananda Raya was putting some better proposal than varnasrama-dharma. Then varnasrama-tyaga. Tyaga means renouncing, renounced order. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu's speaking, "No, no. It is ... It is not very important. Go more."

So when Caitanya Maha..., eh, Ramananda Raya quoted one verse from Bhagavatam which was spoken by Brahma, that jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva, "When one gives up this nonsense speculative process..." Everyone is speculating. The scientist, philosopher, everyone is speculating, just to show himself that he has grown very learned, he can put some theory. So this is first rejected. Brahma... Brahma says. Brahma's experience... He's the topmost living creature within this universe. He said that "When a person will give up this nonsense habit of speculation..." Jnane prayasam udapasya. He must become submissive. One should not pose himself that he knows something, he can speculate something, he can invent something. Just like the so-called scientists, they are simply speculating and wasting labor. Nothing can be done by you. Everything is already arranged. You cannot change. You can simply see how the law is working; so much you can do. But neither you can change the law, you can make a better facility for the law. No. That you cannot do. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. Duratyaya means it is very difficult. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu, when He was informed this statement of Brahma, that one should give up the speculative method, that he can create something... These nonsense habits should be given up. He must become very humble. Humbler than the grass. Just like we trample over the grass; it does not protest. "All right, sir, you go." That type of humble. Trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. Taru means tree. Tree is so much forbearing.

So Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva... "Or then I, I give up the speculative process and I become humbler, as you advise. Then what is My next duty?" Next duty is: namanta eva, being humble, san-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam, you should approach a person who is a devotee, and you should hear from him. Sthane sthitah. You remain in your place. You remain American. You remain Indian. You remain Christian. You remain a Hindu. You remain black. You remain white. You remain woman, man, whatever you are. Simply you lend your ear to the discourses given by realized souls. This is recommended. And when you hear, then you contemplate also. Just like you are hearing me. If you contemplate that "What Swamiji said...?" Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. Sruti-gatam. Sruti means just receiving through the ear. If you contemplate and try to understand with your body, mind, then gradually you'll... Because your aim is self-realization. So self means Superself. The Supreme Lord, He's the Supreme Self. We are part and parcel. So by this process, Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, God, Ajita, one who is never conquered... If you... By challenge, if you want to know God, you'll never understand. God never accepts challenge. Because God is great. Why should He accept your challenge. If you say, "Oh, my dear God, please come here. I shall see You," so God is not like that, that He will carry your order. You must carry His order. Then God realization. God says: "You surrender," sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That process, you'll learn God. Not that "Oh, I shall know God. I have got good intelligence, speculate." No.

So this hearing... We are talking of the hearing. The hearing process is so important. All our, this institute, Krsna consciousness movement has spread because the students who have joined us, they have given aural reception, by hearing. The hearing, everything was changed within themselves and they have joined with full, whole-heartedness, and the... Going on. So hearing is so important. We are opening so many centers just to give people chance of hearing about the transcendental message. So you take chance, you take, I mean to say, the advantage of this hearing process. Then?

Pradyumna: "No one can be a greater authority than Krsna..."

Prabhupada: Yes. Then hearing from Krsna. The Bhagavad-gita, Krsna is speaking. So hear from Him. If you say that "Krsna is no longer present before me," no, Krsna is present by His Bhagavad-gita. His words and He, there is no difference. Absolute. Absolute. If you pollute the words... Krsna is speaking something, and you are rascal, nonsense, explaining in a different way, then it has no meaning. Then Krsna is gone. But if you speak as Krsna is speaking, then it is..., Krsna is present before you by His words. Immediately. By His word, you can see Krsna. Just like the brahmana in South India. He was illiterate; he was reading, trying to read Bhagavad-gita, but immediately Krsna became present before his eyes, and he was crying. He was crying. That is reading.

So Krsna can be present by His words. Because Krsna's word and Krsna is not different, Absolute. If you actually accept Krsna in the form of Bhagavad-gita, then you are directly associating with Krsna, as Arjuna was doing. There will be no difficulty. Ajita. Krsna is unconquered, but simply by your humble receptive process, you will conquer over Krsna. How you'll conquer? He's already within your heart. You'll realize that "Here is Krsna." That is conquer. Then?

Pradyumna: "No one can be a greater authority than Krsna, and therefore by hearing from Him one receives the greatest opportunity for progress in Krsna consciousness. One has therefore to learn from Krsna directly or from a pure devotee of Krsna, and not from a nondevotee upstart, puffed up with academic education. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam this process of understanding Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, is described in the Second Chapter of First Canto as follows:

srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
punya-sravana-kirtanah
hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani
vidhunoti suhrt satam
[SB 1.2.17]

nasta-prayesv abhadresu
nityam bhagavata-sevaya
bhagavaty uttama-sloke
bhaktir bhavati naisthiki
[SB 1.2.18]

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah
kama-lobhadayas ca ye
ceta etair anaviddham
sthitam sattve prasidati
[SB 1.2.19]

evam prasanna-manaso
bhagavad-bhakti-yogatah
bhagavat-tattva-vijnanam
mukta-sangasya jayate
[SB 1.2.20]

bhidyate hrdaya-granthis
chidyante sarva-samsayah
ksiyante casya karmani
drsta evatmanisvare

‘To hear about Krsna from Vedic literatures, or to hear from Him directly through the Bhagavad-gita, is itself righteous activity. And for one who hears about Krsna, Lord Krsna, who is dwelling in everyone's heart, acts as a best-wishing friend and purifies the devotee who constantly engages in hearing of Him. In this way, a devotee naturally develops his dormant transcendental knowledge. As he hears more about Krsna from the Bhagavatam and from the devotees, he becomes fixed in the devotional service of the Lord. By development of devotional service one becomes freed from the modes of passion and ignorance, and thus material lusts and avarice are diminished. When these impurities are wiped away, the candidate remains steady in his position of pure goodness, becomes enlivened by devotional service and understands the science of God perfectly. Thus bhakti-yoga severs the hard knot of material affection and enables one to come at once to the stage of asamsayam samagram, understanding of the Supreme Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead.' "

Prabhupada: This is the process. By hearing, you become pious. Those who are hearing in this meeting, even they cannot understand the words which we are discussing, he's, he's becoming purer. He's becoming... Just like one becomes purer by acting piously. So simply hearing, if one cannot understand the whole thing, he becomes pious. Punya-sravana-kirtanah [SB 1.2.17]. One who is speaking Krsna's words, and one who is hearing Krsna's..., both of them are becoming purified.

So if we hear daily, regularly, nityam, nityam bhagavata-sevaya, then... Nasta-prayesv abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. If you hear daily... Just like we are holding class daily in the morning. And bhagavata-sevaya. Sevaya means service. To make the place nicely cleansed so that devotees will sit down and Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita will be discussed, this is called bhagavata-seva, serving the Bhagavata. Nityam bhagavata-sevaya... Nasta-prayesv abhadresu. The whole difficulty is that our heart is covered with so many dirty things. So by this process, this bhagavata-sevaya, the dirty things will be cleansed. Not that exactly all cleansed. Even a little portion is cleansed, nasta-prayesu, not fully cleansed, prayesu, almost, then immediately, bhagavaty uttama-sloke bhaktir bhavati naisthiki, immediately you come to the platform of bhakti-yoga. Little cleansed. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat. Not that... Therefore, we sometimes see that one who has taken to Krsna consciousness, still, he is committing something wrong. But that is not very, that is not a case of discouragement. You stick to this principle. Ksipram bhavati dharmatma. Api cet su-duracarah. We should not willingly do anything wrong. But due to our past habit, if we do something wrong, that we should not be discouraged, But stick to the principle, then gradually you'll be cleansed. Nasta-prayesu abhadresu. Prayesu means almost cleansed, not completely clean. So we don't claim that we have become liberated from all dirty things. There are so many dirty things still. But little clearance will help us to become a devotee of the Lord.

nasta-prayesv abhadresu
nityam bhagavata-sevaya
bhagavaty uttama-sloke
bhaktir bhavati naisthiki
[SB 1.2.18]

Naisthiki. This is the stage of attachment to Krsna. Mayy asakta-manah. There are different stages. So this nistha, firm faith. First of all, loose faith. Then, as we execute devotional service, the faith becomes firmer, firmer, firmer. And when it comes to firm, "Yes, Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I am His eternal servant," this is firm faith. Without any deviation. Bhaktir bhavati naisthiki.

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah
kama-lobhadayas ca ye
ceta etair anaviddham
sthitam sattve prasidati
[SB 1.2.19]

Sthitam sattve prasidati. Sattva-guna, when goodness, the modes of goodness... So progress in devotional service means one is becoming perfect. Because he is perfect, everyone is perfect, but he's covered with some dirty thing. Just like gold is covered with some dirty earth. But if you wash the gold, or, by chemical process, if you cleanse, then real gold will come out. Similarly, we are all part and parcel of God. Therefore Godly qualities are there, in every one of us. It is simply covered by these material dirty things. This will be cleansed by this hearing process. The more you hear, the more it becomes cleansed, the more you become fixed up in devotional service. Then more you give up your other nonsense habits. Kama and lobha. Other nonsense habits, they are based on two things: lust and greediness. Kama-lobha. Lust and greediness. These are two dirty things. So tada rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye. Ceta. Your heart will be cleansed of these lusty things and greediness. Then you come to the pure modes of goodness. And as soon as you come to the pure platform of goodness... Tada rajas-tamo-bhavah kama-lobhadayas ca ye ceta etair anaviddham. Then your heart will not be pierced by these nonsense two, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. You'll be situated in sattva-guna. Sthitam sattve...

tada rajas-tamo-bhavah
kama-lobhadayas ca ye
ceta etair anaviddham
sthitam sattve prasidati
[SB 1.2.19]

Then you'll see everything clearly and be satisfied. "Oh, this is my position."

So this is the process of the more you become purified, the more you'll be advanced in Krsna consciousness. And your advancement in Krsna consciousness will be tested, how you are developing good qualities. Officially I'm Krsna conscious yogi, but I am still addicted to so many nonsense habits -- that means you are not advancing. That is the test. Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah. He hasn't got to learn how to become good. Simply by executing this devotional service, he'll be all good. That is the test.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 7.1 -- San Diego, July 1, 1972

"Serious Ones Will Come To Krsna Consciousness"

74/06/13 Paris, Bhagavad-gita 7.1-3



Devotee: (leads chanting, etc.) "Now hear, O son of Prtha, Arjuna, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt."

Prabhupada: (translated throughout)

sri-bhagavan uvaca
mayy asakta-manah partha
yogam yunjan mad-asrayah
asamsayam samagram mam
yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu
[Bg. 7.1]

We are speaking from Bhagavad-gita. I think most of you know this book, Bhagavad-gita. The Bhagavad-gita is sometimes translated in foreign languages: "The Song of God." In other words, God Himself speaking. So far we are concerned, we cannot understand God by mental speculation. Even in this material world, we cannot understand what is there in the planetary systems. So our knowledge is very, very limited. Besides that, we have got four deficiencies.

The one deficiency is that we commit mistake. Anyone, any big man of this material world, he commits mistake. Besides that, he is illusioned. Illusioned means to accept something what is not fact. Just like... (coughs) (aside:) Water. We accept this body as self. This is called illusion. According to Vedic understanding, anyone who thinks of this body as the self, he's animal. Just like a dog, he thinks that he is the body, similarly, if a man thinks that he is this body, he is American or Indian or Frenchman or German or Hindu or Muslim, with this bodily concept of life, so, according to Vedic understanding, this conception is animal conception. So this is called illusion.

Then next item is cheating. Cheating means with imperfect knowledge one takes the place of a teacher. And the last deficiency is that our senses are imperfect. It is not independent. Still, we are very much proud of our senses. For example, atheist class of men, they say that "Can you show me God?" He does not think whether he has got any power to see. So far our eyes are concerned, we can see so long when the conditions are fulfilled. Just like we are speaking. As soon as the light will be off, we cannot see one another. So what is the value of these eyes? You simply see under certain conditions. You simply smell under certain conditions. You can hear under certain condition. So therefore your materialistic life is conditional life.

So with imperfect senses, we cannot understand what is God. The only sense is very, I mean to, usable, just is this ear. Just like man is sleeping, and some enemy has come to attack him or to kill him. So still he's nicely sleeping. But if some friend cries, "Mr. such and such, wake up, wake up! Here is enemy. He'll kill you, kill you!" He can rise up. So when all other senses are useless, the ear can work. Therefore, to understand God, we have to use this ear. And we have to receive the sound vibration and it will act.

So as you are all ladies and gentleman interested in the yoga system, so the first-class yoga system is bhakti-yoga. In this Bhagavad-gita, just now I am trying to explain the first verse of the Seventh Chapter. The Seventh Chapter begins after concluding the Sixth Chapter. In the Sixth Chapter, the yoga system has been explained. It is said that one has to select a very sacred, secluded place. He has to sit down there in a posture just like a perpendicular, a straight line, the neck and the body. And then he has to think of Krsna or Visnu. The thinking should be so careful that one cannot divert his attention to any other subject matter. In the Patanjala yoga system, it is said yoga indriya-samyama: yoga means to control all the senses. Because unless the senses are controlled, the mind will be flickering, go this way, that way, that way. So mind is the leader of all other senses. If you control the mind, concentrate on the feature of the Supreme Lord, that is the yoga system. The, in the... Therefore, describing the yoga system, Krsna prescribes so many methods, but after hearing the system of practicing yoga, Arjuna replied that "Krsna, this system is so difficult I cannot practice it."

So point is that Arjuna was not ordinary person. He was specifically friend of Krsna. So he said that "This practice of yoga, hatha-yoga, is not possible by me." So Krsna therefore concluded the yoga system that "Don't be discertain. There is another yoga system, bhakti-yoga system. You can adopt it." The bhakti-yoga is summarized in the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita:

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

You find out this last verse of the Sixth Chapter. So this is the topmost system of yoga, bhakti-yoga, always thinking of Krsna. So that system, bhakti-yoga system, is being described in the Seventh Chapter as

sri-bhagavan uvaca
mayy asakta-manah partha
yogam yunjan mad-asrayah
asamsayam samagram mam
yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu
[Bg. 7.1]

"My dear Arjuna, the..." Mayy asakta-manah. "Just try to divert your attachment to Me." Attachment, we have got attachment. Everyone has got attachment to something. So this yoga system, bhakti-yoga system, means simply divert the attachment to Krsna. That's all. When the mind is fully diverted for increasing attachment of Krsna, that is called bhakti-yoga.

So yogam yunjan mad-asrayah. This yoga system should be practiced, the mad-asraya... Mad-asraya means "under My direct supervision." This yoga system means it is not impersonal -- personal. And therefore the word is used, bhagavan uvaca: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead said." Bhagavan, the Absolute Truth, He's a person. Sometimes we think... There are many, they think the Absolute Truth is impersonal. But the Absolute Truth is person. Impersonal realization of the Absolute Truth is partial. It is not complete realization. Therefore it is mentioned here, asamsayam, "without any doubt" and samagram, "in full." After all, yoga system means an endeavor to understand the Absolute Truth. Yoga means linking, connecting.

So when you connect with the Absolute Truth, that is called yoga. Yoga... Another meaning is plus, adding something else. Just like two plus two. This is also called yoga. Similarly, God is one; I am also one. When we join together, that is called yoga. There are many methods of yoga practice, but the direct method is bhakti-yoga. I am a person, and God is also a person. When we intermingle together, or we join together, that is called bhakti-yoga. Bhakti means the process of connecting with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As soon as we use the word bhakti, means the process of devotion, there must be bhakta and Bhagavan. The Bhagavan is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and bhakta is Arjuna. So Bhagavan is personally teaching Arjuna the process how he can understand Him fully and without any doubt. Therefore it is mentioned here, bhagavan uvaca. Bhagavan uvaca means "the Supreme Personality of Godhead said."

So the Absolute Truth is realized in three angle of vision. It is said in the Vedic literature,

vadanti tat tattva-vidas
tattvam yaj jnanam advayam
brahmeti paramatmeti
bhagavan iti sabdyate
[SB 1.2.11]

The Absolute Truth is the ultimate truth, tattva. Tattva means Absolute Truth. So those who are aware of the Absolute Truth, they say that Absolute Truth is one, but He's realized in three angle of vision, namely, Brahman, Paramatma, and Bhagavan. Those who are trying to speculate and understand the Absolute Truth, they can realize up to impersonal Brahman. So generally, speculators means big, big philosophers. They can understand that impersonal Brahman. These impersonalists are generally known as jnanis. Jnanis means the wise men or persons who are very much aware of everything. So they can understand the impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth. But there are other class who are called yogis. The yogis can understand the Paramatma feature of the Absolute Truth. Paramatma means the Supersoul who is situated within everyone's heart. And the personal feature of the Lord is realized by the bhaktas, or the devotees.

So the jnanis and the yogis, they cannot understand perfectly what is God. God is transcendental, sat-cit-ananda, combination of eternity, knowledge and blissfulness. So if we realize the Absolute Truth partially, simply the eternity knowledge, that is called brahma-jnana. And when one is further advanced and he realizes the Absolute Truth as the localized aspect, Paramatma, or Lord Visnu within anyone's heart, by the yogic practice, that is called paramatma-jnana, or knowledge of the Absolute Truth. Actually, the objective is one, but different degrees of understanding. One example can be given in this connection. Just like the sun globe and the sun-god and the sunshine. The sunshine is also light, and there is temperature, and the sun globe is also light, and there is temperature, and within the sun globe, there is the personality known as sun-god, that is also light and temperature. But all this light and temperature, there are degrees. The sunshine degree of temperature and light is less than the sun globe, and the sun globe temperature and light is less than the sun-god. So when you reach the sun-god, then you understand the complete temperature and light. That completeness is realized by this word, bhagavan. Therefore the words are used here, asamsayam samagram: "You can understand Me in full, asamsayam, and without any doubt." So if you are interested to understand the Absolute Truth, God, then you must take to bhakti-yoga. And if we want to understand the Absolute Truth with some doubt, and not in complete, then we may take jnana-yoga, dhyana-yoga.

So our, this Krsna consciousness movement is meant for understanding the Absolute Truth in complete, without any doubt, and without any incompleteness. This is also confirmed in the Eighteenth Chapter, that if you want to know God in completeness and without any doubt, then you have to take to bhakti-yoga process. It is said,

bhaktya mam abhijanati
yavan yas casmi tattvatah
tato mam tattvato jnatva
visate tad-anantaram
[Bg. 18.55]

The meaning is that "One can understand Me only by this bhakti-yoga process. And when one is fully aware of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then he becomes fit to enter into the Kingdom of God." So the purpose of yoga practice is to promote or to leave this material atmosphere and enter into the spiritual atmosphere. All the yogis, the jnana-yogi, they remain in the impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth. The dhyana-yogi is practicing the localized aspect, but the bhakti-yogi, he is promoted directly in the planet which is called Goloka Vrndavana, and there he associates with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and enjoys life blissfully, eternally.

So there are different planetary systems within this material world. Just like we are situated, it is called Bhurloka. Above this, there is Bhuvarloka. Above that, there is Svarloka, there is Janaloka, there is Maharloka, Satyaloka. In this way, there are seven steps of planetary systems up, and similarly, seven planetary systems down. So by jnana-yoga, by bhakti-yoga, dhyana-yoga, means mystic yoga system, we can be promoted to the higher system, but if you practice the bhakti-yoga, then you go to the transcendental world directly and associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The dhyana-yogi and jnana-yogi can also go to the Brahmaloka or brahmajyoti, but there is chance of falling down again to this material world. But generally, jnana-yogi remains a speculator within this material world, and dhyana-yogi, they, as soon as they get some material miracle power, they become implicated with this power, no more going to the spiritual world. But bhakti-yogi, being perfectly the yogi, the topmost yogi, he can enter the kingdom of God, or the planet where God is there. God is everywhere, but He has got a special planet, which is called Goloka Vrndavana. You can enter there and mix with the Supreme Lord just like we are here, mixing one another. I can see you, you can see me, similarly, you can go directly, see God and live with Him, dance with Him, play with Him, eat with Him. That is the perfection of life.

This perfection of yoga can be achieved by practicing bhakti-yoga as it is recommended here: mayy asakta-manah partha yogam yunjan mad-asrayah, under the guidance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His representative, bona fide. If you practice this yoga, then you can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead in complete, without any doubt. And if you practice this yoga in this life, and try to understand Krsna, what He is, then, after giving up this body -- you have to give up this body, today or tomorrow -- then you go directly to Krsna. It is therefore explained in the Fourth Chapter, janma karma me divyam yo janati tattvatah punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya. "My dear Arjuna, anyone, if he simply tries to understand why I come in this material world, what is My mission, what do I do, if he simply one understands, then he immediately becomes fit for being transferred to the spiritual world." So our Krsna consciousness movement is to educate people how to understand Krsna, and then make his life perfect.

Thank you very much. Any question?

Translator: (translating questions from guests) So he's saying that many people are wondering why we are making so much propaganda for our Krsna consciousness movement. Because usually India doesn't make propaganda for philosophy.

Prabhupada: He does not know what is India. In India, he'll see, village to village, they're chanting Hare Krsna. In every village, in every town, there is a place which is called hari-sabha. Or every neighborhood, there is... Now, after the British rule, they have forgotten this culture, but they, originally, every village, every town, there is a club or society where this Hare Krsna chanting is going on. And, besides that, five hundred years ago, when Caitanya Mahaprabhu was there, He, all over India He traveled and preached this sankirtana movement. Not only that, He has ordered to His followers, to His devotees... Not only devotees, He has ordered to every Indian to preach the sankirtana movement all over the world. So He has said in these words, that

bharata-bhumite haila manusya-janma yara
janma sarthaka kari' kara para-upakara
[Cc. Adi 9.41]

Means "Anyone who has taken birth in India as human being, he must make his life perfect and preach this cult all over the world." And He has also said,

prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama
sarvatra pracara haibe mora nama

Means that "As many villages and towns are there on the surface of the globe, everywhere this Hare Krsna mantra will be preached." So this Hare Krsna movement, or Krsna consciousness, has just begun. You will see in future, in every village, every town, they'll chant and dance. So it is the Caitanya Mahaprabhu's prediction that is being fulfilled. Nobody can check it. Already we have got about hundred branches all over the world, and all kinds of people taking part to this movement. [break]

Translator: So his question is that how can Catholic people, without rejecting their own religion, take to Krsna consciousness?

Prabhupada: Well, it is not rejecting; it is reforming. The Catholic religion also teaches love of God, or love of Christ. So if I say the truth, it will not be very palatable, but this movement is reformation. But another thing is Catholic, Hindu, Muslim, or whatever you may be, everyone accepts there is God. So we are teaching not to formally accept there is God, but know what is God and love Him. So those who are interested for higher knowledge of God, they'll take it. The point is simply officially to accept God, There is God, know. You know what is God, what is His..., what He is doing, what He is acting, what is His name, what is His address. Everything you know and try to love Him. That we are teaching. So those who are actually serious to know about God, they'll come to this movement. And those who simply know God officially: "There is God. That's all," that is different thing. That is also good. But if you want to know more, then you have to take this Krsna consciousness. We are therefore presenting these books, eighty books, four hundred pages each, and just to explain what is God. So it is a great science. Any intelligent man will appreciate. And we are getting good response. Especially in America, big, big university, college, professors, they are now purchasing. We have proposed to publish Srimad-Bhagavatam in sixty volumes, but we have published only fourteen. But still, the big, big professors, they are giving us order, forward order, for all the sixty volumes. As soon as scholarly people, they read these books, they'll welcome this movement all over the world. Is that all right, or any more? Any more questions?

Translator: She would like to know if our religion can bring something more than the other religions.

Prabhupada: There is one religion. One who knows God, he is religious. One who does not know God, that religion has no meaning. Religion means to understand the order of God. That is religion. But if you do not know what is God, and how you can hear His order? So religion without understanding God philosophically and logically is sentiment. And philosophy without understanding of God is mental speculation. So when philosophy and religious sentiments combine, that is called religion. Otherwise, it is not religion.

Bhagavan: Have kirtana?

Prabhupada: Yes. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 7.1-3 -- Paris, June 13, 1974