"The Supreme Abode-- Attainable Only by the Completely Pure" 66/11/19 New York, Bhagavad-gita 8.21-22

Prabhupada:

avyakto 'ksara ity uktas
tam ahuh paramam gatim
yam prapya na nivartante
tad dhama paramam mama
[Bg. 8.21]

This verse we have been discussing last day, that avyaktah aksarah. Avyakta means which is not manifested. This material world is manifested, but the spiritual world is not manifested before us. But, although not manifested, that part of this creation is eternal. Aksara. Aksara means "which has no annihilation." In the material world everything is born, it stays for some time, it develops, it gives some by-products, then it dwindles and then vanishes. These six forms of changes of the material form -- sad-vikara. This is called in Sanskrit word sad-vikara, six kinds of changes. But the spiritual world, avyakta, which is not manifested at the present moment before us, that is aksara. Aksara means it is eternal. It does not annihilate.

Now, this spiritual vision at the present moment, because we are covered by the material dress, or material senses, therefore the spiritual world or anything spiritual is not conceivable due to our material senses. But we can feel that there is something spiritual. That is possible. Although we are fully in ignorance of the spiritual matter, still, we can feel. If you analyze yourself silently, "What I am? I am this finger? I am this body? I am this hair?" you'll deny, "No I am not this." So beyond this body, what is, that is spiritual. That we can feel. Similarly, as we cannot find our self within this matter, although I'm here, that we can distinguish, the distinction between dead body and living body, something minus. That something is spirit. That something is spirit. Although we have no eyes to see, but the spirit is there. That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gita. Avinasi tu tad viddhi yena sarvam idam tatam. That spiritual existence is eternal, whereas this body is not eternal.

Now, here it is said that avyaktah aksarah: "That nonmanifested, spiritual atmosphere is nonmanifested." But how it can be manifested? We have little feeling of it, but how it can be manifested? Yes. It can be manifested. And that is Krsna consciousness, which we are preaching. In the Vedic literature it is said that atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [BRS. 1.2.234]. Indriya means the senses. We perceive or we get knowledge through the instruments of different senses -- eyes, ear, or smelling, tongue, touch. These are our five sense for gathering knowledge. And there are five senses for working. So we have got ten senses. And the ten senses are being conducted by the mind. So atah sri-krsna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih [BRS. 1.2.234].

Now, because Krsna, Krsna is complete spirit and He's absolute, therefore His name is also spirit; His name, His form, His quality, His, I mean to say, opulence, His paraphernalia -- everything is spiritual. But at the present moment, due to our material bondage or condition, we cannot understand what is spiritual. But this ignorance can be moved by this process, chanting Hare Krsna. How it is? I'll give you example. Just like a man is sleeping. A man is sleeping. How you can awake him? By vibration of sound. "Mr. such-and-such, just get up. Get up! The time is up." Although he is now practically unconscious, he cannot see, he cannot, er, still, that hearing process is so prominent that a sleeping man can be awakened by vibration of sound. Similarly, the spirit soul, although it is now overpowered by this material bondage or material conditions, that spiritual consciousness can be revived by this transcendental vibration, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. And for practical example, we are experiencing, and some of you...

Now, this is Sanskrit word. Some of you do not know what is the meaning of this Hare Krsna. This meaning of Hare Krsna is... It is just addressing the Supreme Lord and His energy, Hara. Hara is the energy, and Krsna is the Supreme Lord. So we are addressing, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna: "O the energy of the Lord, O the Lord, please accept me." That's all. "Please accept me." We have no other prayer. "Please accept me." Lord Caitanya taught that we should simply cry, and we shall simply pray for accepting us. That's all. So this vibration is simply a cry for addressing the Supreme Lord, requesting Him, "Please accept me. Please accept me."

ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram
patitam mam visame bhavambudhau
krpaya tava pada-pankaja-
sthita-dhuli-sadrsam vicintaya

This prayer was offered by Lord Caitanya. He's praying, "O my dear Krsna, the son of Nanda..." Krsna appeared as a foster son of Nanda Maharaja. And Krsna is very delighted when He is connected with some of His devotees' names. So Lord Caitanya addresses Him, "O the son of Nanda, somehow or other, I have now fallen in this ocean of nescience, ignorance. Please pick me up and fix me as one of the atoms of Your lotus feet." That's all. Just like a man fallen in the ocean, the only survival is... If somebody goes and picks him just one inch above the water, he feels immediately relieved. Immediately. So as soon as we are fixed up in Krsna consciousness, the immediate relief. Immediately. There is no question about it. It is such a nice thing.

So although we cannot perceive the transcendental nature of the Supreme Lord, His name, His fame... Simply by speculating that what is the name of God, he cannot understand what is the name of God. Simply by speculating what is the form of God, it is not possible to understand. But as soon as you become situated in Krsna consciousness, sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah. If you engage yourself in this Krsna consciousness business, then gradually God will reveal Himself before you. Oh, you cannot see God by your own endeavor. But if you qualify yourself, God will reveal Himself and you'll see Him. This is the process. You cannot order, "O God, please come before me and dance before me." No. He cannot be order-supplier. But you have to do in such a way that He'll be pleased to reveal Himself before you and you'll see Him fully.

So here it is said, avyaktah aksarah. The transcendental, there is. Because it is spoken in the Bhagavad-gita and the Supreme Personality of Godhead is speaking Himself, there is no cause of doubting. There is no cause of doubting. The only thing is how to feel it, how to understand it. That understanding will gradually be developed, and it will be..., the truth will be revealed to you if you go on with this chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama... This is simple process, very simple process. Even children can take part in it. Even a child of six months took part in it. Perhaps in the last meeting you have seen. There was a small child, sitting on the lap of his father, and he was also (claps) joining. You see. Because automatic. A dog will dance, a cat will dance, a child will dance. There is no necessity of preliminary qualification for understanding, because it is from the spiritual platform. It is from the spiritual platform.

So this simple process will reveal before you what is spiritual kingdom, what is God, what you are, what is this material world, why you are conditioned, what is the remedy. Everything will be... Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. Gradually, step by step by step by step.

So avyakto 'ksara ity uktah: "It is in the Vedic literature it is said that that spiritual world and the spirit, everything is nonmanifested, but still, that is eternal, eternal." We have to see through the books of knowledge. We have to believe. And it will be revealed, if you follow. Just like you purchase a ticket for going to India, some India Airline or Pan American Airline, you purchase. But why do you purchase? You can disbelieve. So what is the evidence that I shall go to India by purchasing the ticket? But still, with faith, because people are going there, the company's running, under certain circumstances, you create some faith, "Yes, it will take me." And actually, when you purchase ticket and sit down on the plane, ah, next morning you get down. So you have to be... But faith, why you are accepting that faith? Because it is a company which is authorized, which is recognized, and therefore you are creating faith. Faith you must have. Without faith, you cannot go a step forward, even in your ordinary life. But faith, what faith? Ah, the belief and faith should be in the authorized, authorized place. That is the process. Faith we must have. Without faith, we cannot make progress, but not blind faith, but to accept something which is recognized.

So here Bhagavad-gita is recognized. Bhagavad-gita is recognized, so far India is concerned, cent percent. Either they may be theist or atheist, that doesn't matter. Bhagavad-gita is accepted by all classes of men in India. And so far outside India is concerned, all scholars, all religionists, all philosophers, they have accepted this Bhagavad-gita as authority. So there is no doubt about Bhagavad-gita's being authority. Even Professor Einstein, he was reading regularly this Bhagavad-gita, such a great scientist. So there are many evidences. So you believe this, that there is a spiritual atmosphere and that is the kingdom of God. And here it is stated that yam prapya na nivartante, if you somehow or other, you can reach that spiritual atmosphere, then the result is na nivartante, you'll have no more to take this material body, na nivartante. Tad dhama paramam mama. So you'll become quietly and happily situated in your eternal life. Don't you think?

Now, suppose if you are placed in some country where you can understand that "In this country I'll have no more death, no more miseries, no more old age, no more disease," will you not be happy? Suppose you are transferred to a country where these things are available... Oh, yes, I shall, I must be happy. If I can get some place where going I'll have not to die again or not to become old and not to have any diseases, oh, certainly I shall accept it. That is my desire, heart's desire. I want. I want that. Why you want that? Because you have got the right to have that prerogative. You have got the right. Therefore you want. You are eternal. You are blissful. You are full of knowledge. Simply you are covered by this material entanglement. Therefore you have forgotten yourself. Now, here is the chance. Here is the chance to take advantage and revive my original status of life, original status of life. Here it is clearly said, yam prapya na nivartante: "If you somehow or other can approach that spiritual atmosphere, then you haven't got to return again in this land of miseries of the atmosphere."

We have already discussed that we are trying to become happy by transferring ourself to the moon planet. Now the present movement is going there. We are thinking that if we can transfer ourself to the moon planet, we shall be happy. Oh, it is useless. Bhagavad-gita has already informed you that even if you go to the highest planet, abrahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino 'rjuna [Bg. 8.16], even if you go by some way or other... You cannot go. That is a dream only. But still, if you go by your sputnik or by aeronautic means, but still, the four principles of material miseries, namely birth, death, old age and disease, you cannot avoid. So it is not our business to have our place anywhere within this material world. Either this country or that country or this planet or that planet, you'll never be happy. Here is information. Avyaktah aksara ity uktas tam ahuh paramam gatim. If you can reach that highest perfectional stage of life, then only you'll no longer be required to come back again to this nonsense material world. Yes. This is the information you get.

And where you shall do, what you shall do there? Some philosophers think that that spiritual atmosphere must be impersonal, impersonal, void. There are some philosophers, they think like that, that "There is. We accept the spiritual atmosphere." The impersonalists, Sankarites, even the Buddhists, they also, some way or other, they accept that there is the voidness. But the Bhagavad-gita does not disappoint you in that way. That voidness philosophy has created atheism. Because, just try to understand clearly, I am spiritual being. I want enjoyment. That is my life. I want enjoyment. But as soon as my future is void, I must be inclined to enjoy this material life. Therefore they simply discuss this voidness impersonalism, but they enjoy as much as possible this material life. Simply armchair philosophical discussion. But as soon as we see their behavior, they're too much attached with the material enjoyment. So that is simply you can enjoy some speculation. That's all. But there is no benefit. But really if one has any spiritual sense, he'll at once cease from all this nonsense enjoyment. That is the symptom of any idea of spirituality. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat [SB 11.2.42]. The test is... If you have developed your Krsna consciousness, if you have developed your devotional spirit, spiritual realization, the result will be that you'll be at once detached from these all kinds of material enjoyment. How it is? The example is given that just like a hungry man, if he's given nice foodstuff, and as soon as he eats and feels satisfaction, he says, "No, I don't want anymore. I am satisfied." Svamin krtartho 'smi varam na yace. This is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita. You'll find.

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

Oh. One who is spiritually realized, his symptom will be full satisfaction. He'll no longer be hankering after this nonsense material enjoyment. That is spiritual realization. Param drstva nivartate. Rasa-varjam raso 'py asya. Raso 'py asya.

Now, just like... It is very clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gita. Just like a diseased man, he's forbidden by the doctor, "Oh, you don't eat. You don't have sex life. You don't, don't..." So many don't's. But he is forced to accept that don't, but inner side he feels, "Oh, if I get, I'll be happy." Inner side is want. But a spiritualist, inner side is strong. He's not impotent, but he'll don't like sex intercourse. Doesn't like. He hates. That is spiritual life. Inner side is strong enough. He can marry thrice, but he has got a detachment. That is spiritual life. Param drstva nivartate. Just like if you get something superior, naturally, you give up all inferior things.

So we want enjoyment, but this atheism or this voidness, this impersonalism, they have created such an atmosphere that we are simply speculating, but we are addicted to these material enjoyments. That is not the process. Here it is said, purusah sa parah partha bhaktya labhyas tv ananyaya. If you accept this principle of Krsna consciousness, the devotional path, and if you worship that Supreme Personality of Godhead, then you can have the spiritual realization and you prepare yourself and you become detached from this material enjoyment. Your life becomes sublime. Oh. That is the process of Krsna consciousness. Purusa. Here it is clearly said, purusa, purusa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Purusah sa parah. Parah means Supreme. Parah: "O My dear Arjuna, that in that spiritual atmosphere, there is the Supreme Personality." He's a person just like you and me. Just we have got talking face to face, when you'll reach there you'll talk face to face with God. You'll play, you'll eat, everything. Purusah sa parah partha.

How can I attain that state? Bhaktya. Not by speculating, but bhakti. You have to submit. You have to render transcendental loving service. That is the way. Bhaktya tv ananyaya. Tv ananyaya means without any adulteration. Adulter... What is that adulteration? "Now I love God for some material benefit." That is adulteration. "I love God to become one with Him." That is adulteration. This adulteration in devotional service will not help you. Unadulterated. Tv ananyaya. Ananyaya. Yasyantahsthani bhutani yena sarvam idam tatam. And that Supreme Personality, although He's just like a person, like you and me, still, He's so widespread that everything is within Him and everything in Him, He's outside and inside. That is the conception of God. God is everywhere, but still, He has got His kingdom, abode. He has got His association, everything. Just like the sun. The sunshine is all over the universe, but it has got his own planet, his own residence, localized, everything.

So that is the conception of God. And that God, or Krsna, is in that spiritual atmosphere. If we approach, then our life will be successful, our aims will be fulfilled, and we'll be happy, and we'll be prosperous eternally, not for temporary, but eternally.
Thank you very much. Any questions? (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 8.21-22 -- New York, November 19, 1966

"There Is Another Nature" 66/11/18 New York, Bhagavad-gita 8.20-22

Prabhupada:

paras tasmat tu bhavo 'nyo
'vyakto 'vyaktat sanatanah
yah sa sarvesu bhutesu
nasyatsu na vinasyati
[Bg. 8.20]

Now, this verse we have been discussing from the last day. There is another nature, paras tasmat tu bhavah. Bhava means nature, and para, para means superior. So there is another, superior nature, avyaktah avyaktat sanatanah. Vyakta means what you see manifested. Now, this material universe you are seeing manifested... Practically not seeing, but at least at night we can see how the stars are twinkling, so many planets innumerable. This is manifested. And beyond that manifestation there is covering of the universe. Vyakta-avyakta. And beyond that avyakta there is another, material nature, er, spiritual nature...

So Krsna is pointing out that, that nature... Paras tasmat tu bhavo 'nyo 'vyakto 'vyaktat sanatanah. Sanatana means eternal. This nature, this material nature, it has got its beginning and end. But that spiritual nature, that has no beginning and no end. How it is? You can understand by simple example. Just like this sky, and in some insignificant part of the sky there is some cloud, and the cloud covers us. When there is cloud or snowfall we see everything is covered. But that covering is only an insignificant part of the whole sky. That covering is not for the whole sky. Because we are very minute, small, so a few hundred miles, if it is covered, this sky, we see that everything is covered. Similarly, this material sky is within the covering, with the covering of mahat-tattva, matter. And as this cloud, when it is clear, the original sky you can see, similarly, this covering of material matter, when it begins... Just like cloud has beginning and end, similarly, this material nature has beginning and end. Just like your body. It has got its beginning and end -- simply for some time. We get our birth of this body, we stay for some time, it grows, it gives some by-products, then it dwindles, then vanishes -- these six transformations. So similarly, anything material, manifestation that you are seeing, observing, that is under these six kinds of transformation. So at the end it will be vanquished.

So Krsna says, paras tasmat tu bhavah anyo 'vyakto 'vyaktat sanatanah: [Bg. 8.20] "Beyond this vanquishing, cloudlike material nature, there is another superior nature which is sanatana, eternal. It has no beginning, no end." And yah sa sarvesu bhutesu nasyatsu na vinasyati: "When this material manifestation will be annihilated, that will remain." Just like the cloud, when it is vanquished, when it is annihilated, the sky remains, similarly, spiritual sky will remain; the material covering of the spiritual sky will be vanquished. This is called ghatakasa-potakasa.

So there are many volumes of knowledge of this material sky and spiritual sky. In Srimad-Bhagavatam, Second Canto, you will find description of the spiritual sky, what nature it is, what kind of people remain there, what is their feature -- everything. Even we get information that in spiritual sky there is aeroplane, spiritual aeroplane in the spiritual sky. And the living entities, they are liberated. They travel on the spiritual sky on that plane, and it is so nice, just like lightning. The description is... They travel just like lightning. So everything is there. This is only imitation. This material sky and everything, whatever you see -- all imitation, shadow. It is shadow. Just like in cinematographic picture you see the shadow of the real thing behind, similarly, this is only shadow. And in Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said that janmady asya yatah anvayad itaratas ca arthesu abhijnah svarat, yatra tri-sargo 'mrsa [SB 1.1.1]. This material world is a combination of matter. Just like you have seen a nice girl's doll in the showcase of the shopkeeper's exactly just like a nice, beautiful girl. But that is imitation. Imitation. Every sane man knows, "Oh, this is imitation."

So whatever we are seeing here, beautiful, they are all imitation of the real. As the doll is imitation of a beautiful girl, similarly, yasya satyataya nityapi satyam eva abhipadyate. Sridhara Svami says, "Because the spiritual world is real and this unreal manifestation appears to be real, appears to be real, but it is not real, we can understand reality will exist; reality will not vanquish." That is... Reality means eternal. Therefore real pleasure, that is Krsna. The material pleasure is temporary, not actual. Therefore those who are after reality, they don't take part in this shadow pleasure. Shadow pleasure, they don't take part. So Lord Krsna says that yah sa sarvesu bhutesu nasyatsu na vinasyati. That is reality. "When everything will be vanquished, that spiritual nature will continue to remain." That remains always.

So our aim is, the human life's aim is, to reach that spiritual sky, but they do not know. Bhagavata says, na te viduh: "They do not know that there is reality." There is reality. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. They do not know their self-interest, that this human life is meant for understanding that reality and prepare for being transferred into that real reality, not to remain. The whole Vedic literatures instructs us like that. Tamasi ma jyotir gama: "Don't remain in this darkness." This material world is darkness. We are artificially making it illuminated with electric light and fire and so many things, but the nature is dark. But that nature, that spiritual nature, is not dark. That is full of light. Just like the sun planet, there is no possibility of darkness, similarly, every planet there, they are self-illuminated, so there is no darkness. This description we'll get from Bhagavad-gita:

na tad bhasayate suryo
na sasanko na pavakah
yad gatva na nivartante
tad dhama paramam mama
[Bg. 15.6]

Lord Krsna says, "Oh, that spiritual sky, there is no need of sun; there is no need of moon; there is no need of electricity." Na tad bhasayate suryah. Surya means sun. Na sasankah: "Neither moon." Na pavakah. Pavakah means fire, electricity. These things are not required there. Yad gatva na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama: [Bg. 15.6] "That is My abode. Anyone who goes there, he doesn't come back again." We get eternal life.

So Krsna says, avyakto 'ksara ity uktas tam ahuh paramam gatim [Bg. 8.21]. That nonmanifested... Because in the material eyes, material science... It is not possible to, I mean to say, disclose by material science. What is material science? We cannot go even to this moon planet, what to speak of the spiritual planet. It is not possible. It is not possible. So avyakto 'ksara ity uktas tam ahuh paramam gatim. That is the... If we want to penetrate the outer space, we should be able to penetrate this outer space or this covering, then enter into that spiritual sky, and there it is called paramam gatim. That sort of journey is called supreme. Not that you go up 25,000 away from this planet and again come back. This is not very heroism. Oh, you should have to penetrate the whole material space and then penetrate the cover and then reach the real sky. Yes. And that information is here also in the Bhagavad-gita. Paramam gatim. That is the superior journey. That you cannot do with your tiny sputniks. It is not possible. That you have to do by Krsna consciousness. Sada tad-bhava-bhavitah [Bg. 8.6]. One who always absorbed in Krsna consciousness, and if by fortune at the time of death he thinks of Krsna, he is at once transferred within a second. That is the process.

Therefore if we at all want to go, that spiritual sky, and attain real life, eternal life, blissful life, and full of knowledge, sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah... Isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. The Lord has got this body, sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah. We have also that sort of body, but it is very small. Now it is covered by this matter, by this dress, and if we some way or other able to give up this false dress, then we reach that spiritual kingdom, God's kingdom. That is paramam gatim. Yam prapya: "If you can reach there, if you can achieve that perfection," yam prapya na nivartante, "if at once you go, you cannot..., no more to come back. No more to come back." Yam prapya na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama: "That is My superior abode."

So everyone should try to go there. God Himself comes to call you, He sends His son to call you, and the literatures are there, the scriptures are there. We should take advantage of this. This is meant for human body, human life, not for the cats and dogs. So we should take advantage of it. Human life is meant for that achievement. When we finish all this trouble... This trouble of repeating birth and death, the cycle of birth and death, this should be stopped. This is the information of Bhagavad-gita. This is the perfection. Any system, either yoga system or jnana system or bhakti system -- anything, if you... Whatever you like, you can accept, but the ultimate goal is this paramam gatim. If this is not achieved, then all yoga exercise and all philosophical speculation -- all nonsense, simply waste of time, simply a waste of time. Aradhito yadi haris tapasa tatah kim. If you can achieve this stage, that there is no other necessity of philosophizing or yogic practice or anything, if you receive that, if you reach that perfection. And if you do not reach that perfection, then it is all useless.

So aradhito yadi haris tapasa tatah kim. Naradhito yadi haris tapasa tatah kim: "One who reaches there, for him, all kinds of penances, austerities -- no more required. And one who does not reach that place, all these austerities, penances -- useless, simply waste of time." So this should be the aim of human life. Human civilization, human society, should be so formed that they should have the opportunity. The human form of life is the opportunity to get this boon. So it is the duty of the state, duty of the parents, duty of the guardians, duty of the husband, duty of the father -- everyone's duty is how to elevate a living creature who has got this fortunate human form of life to understand this paramam gatim, highest perfection of life. That should be the mode of thing. Simply have some eating and sleeping and mating and some defense and quarreling like cats and dogs -- this is not civilization. The human civilization is this, that he should properly utilize this human form of life and take advantage of this knowledge and prepare himself in Krsna consciousness so that always, twenty-four hours, cent percent, he will be absorbed in Krsna and at the time of death at once transferred there. This should be the process of life. Therefore we have taken this movement, Krsna consciousness. Join us. Cooperate with us. You'll... Yourself will be benefited, and the world will be benefited, this Krsna consciousness.

So yam prapya na nivartante tad dhama paramam mama. The Lord says, "That superior place, superior nature, if somebody can go there, then he has no more to come back here. He gets the highest perfection of life." Now, if there... What is there? What is the nature and what are the paraphernalia? Now, here it is said, purusah sa parah partha bhaktya labhyas tv ananyaya. Now, if we are at all interested to reach that supreme abode, then the process is bhakti. Bhaktya. Bhaktya means devotional service, submission, submission to the Supreme Lord. Bhaktya means bhaja. It is a Sanskrit word. The root meaning is bhaja-dhatukti. Bhaja. Bhaja means service. So bhaja-dhatukti bhakti, bhaktya.

Here it is clearly said, purusah sa parah partha bhaktya labhyas tv ananyaya. Tv ananyaya means "without any other engagement." Bhakti means... The definition of bhakti, devotional service, is given in authoritative books like Narada-pancaratra. It is said there that... This is the definition of bhakti: sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Now we are encumbered with so many designations, designation. This body is Indian -- it is a designation. Your body, American -- it is a designation. You are not this body, not this designation. Suppose if your university gives you one degree, M.A. or B.A., Ph.D., oh, that degree you are not. It is a designation. So bhakti means you have to get yourself from this designation. Designation. Sarva upadhi. Upadhi means designation. So somebody, if gives me title, Sir Anatole, or this or that, oh, I become very happy: "Oh, I have got this ‘sir' title." But I forget that this is my designation. It will exist so long I have got this body. But the body is sure to vanquish, so designation will vanquish. When you get another body, then you get another designation. Suppose in this body I am American and next body you get China. Then you become Chinese designation. So we are changing our designation. We should stop this business of designation. You see? So sarvopadhi-vinir... If one is determined to get out of all these nonsense designations, then he can attain bhakti.

So sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Nirmalam means complete pure. What is that purity? "Oh, I am spirit. Aham brahmasmi. I am Brahman. I am Brahman. I am not this matter. This is my covering. I am now eternal servant of Krsna. That is my real identity." So one who is freed from the designation and situated in his real constitutional position, that person, when he is fixed up, when he renders service in that way, hrsikena hrsikesa-sevanam bhaktir ucyate [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Hrsikena. Hrsika means the senses. Now my senses are designated. When my senses will be free from designation and with that freedom, with that freedom, in that purity, when I shall engage in Krsna consciousness service, that is called devotional service. So,

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

This is explained by Rupa Gosvami. He says,

anyabhilasita-sunyam
jnana-karmady-anavrtam
anukulyena krsnanu-
silanam bhaktir uttama
[BRS 1.1.11]

Anukulyena, favorable. We have to serve Krsna favorably, not unfavorably. Anyabhilasita-sunyam. We want to serve God with some material purpose, some material gain. Of course, that is also nice. If somebody goes to God for some material gain, he is far greater than the person who never goes to God. That is admitted in the Bhagavad-gita. Catur-vidha bhajante mam sukrtino 'rjuna, arto artharthi. That is a better man. But we should not be... We should not go to God with some purpose of material benefit. We should be free from this. Anyabhilasita-sunyam [BRS 1.1.11]. And jnana-karmady-anavrtam. Jnana-karma. Karma means work with some fruitive result. "I am working in Krsna consciousness just to get some profit out of it" -- no, this should not be done. And jnana. Jnana means I am trying to understand Krsna. Of course, we shall try to understand Krsna, but God, or Krsna, is so unlimited, we cannot actually understand. We cannot understand. It is not possible for us. Therefore we have to accept whatever we can understand. Just like this Bhagavad-gita is presented for our understanding. We should so far understand.

So jnana-karmady-anavrtam, anukulyena krsnanusilanam [Madhya 19.167]. Anusilanam, culture of Krsna favorably, that Krsna, how Krsna is pleased, we should do like that. We should know how Krsna is pleased. How you can know? The Bhagavad-gita is there, and take the right interpretation from a right person. Then you'll know what Krsna wants and do accordingly. Anukulyena krsnanusilanam bhaktir uttama. Then you are elevated to the first-class devotional service. You see? First-class devotional service. Everything should be anukula. Anukula means favorable.

So these things are there. It is a great science, and we have got immense literature for this. If we have got time, we can utilize. We can understand this science and prepare ourself for the supreme benefit.

So purusa... So in that spiritual planet, purusah sa parah partha, there is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the spiritual planet there are... Just like you see here millions of planets or stars within this universe. This universe is a small particle only. There are many universes like this. And in the spiritual sky there are three... This is only one-fourth manifestation of the planets. There are other. Three-fourth is there in the spiritual sky. That information is there in the Bhagavad-gita. Ekamsena sthito jagat. So each and every spiritual planet, there is expansion of Krsna, and they are differently named. In that picture we will find, our Bhagavata. Innumerable. So purusa. They are all purusa. Purusa means the person. They are not imperson. Purusa. Purusah sa parah. But superior. Purusah sa parah partha bhaktya labhyah. You can approach that purusa simply by devotional service, not by challenge, not by philosophical speculation or not by exercise of this yoga and that yoga. No. Simply by surrender and devotional service. It is clearly stated. It is not stated that you can reach there by philosophical speculation, mental concoction or by some physical exercise. This is not possible. You have to reach there bhaktya, by devotion, ananyaya, ananya-cetah, without deviation to this karma, fruitive activities, or the philosophical speculation or this exercise. No. Simply, simply this devotional service, unalloyed devotional service without any mixture. If you can adopt that, then...

And how is that purusa? Yasya antahsthani bhutani yena sarvam idam tatam. He is such a purusa, He is such a person, that everything, whatever you see, is within Him, and He is without, all-pervading. He has got such energy. How it is, that? Just like the sun is fixed up in one place located, but the sun rays is, all over the universe is distributed, similarly, although God is there, still, His energy is distributed everywhere. And He is not different from His energy. Just like the sunshine and the sun is not different, the same, same illuminating substance, similarly, He is distributed all over by His energies, different energies, and He is not different from His energy. Just like if there is electric energy, you can light up any lamp from anywhere, similarly, if we are progressive, if we are advanced in devotional service, we can see God everywhere, anywhere. We require to be qualified. Premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38]. Those who developed that love of God, they are constantly, twenty-four hours, seeing God before him. Santah sadaiva. Sadaiva means twenty-four hours, constantly. Not that "Oh, I have seen God yesterday night. Now He is not." No. He is always with you. God is everywhere. You can see Krsna everywhere. But we have to develop that eyes.

So these are the process of Krsna consciousness. We should invite you to come and cooperate with us. This is a great science. And let us take advantage of it.

Thank you very much. Now, if there is a question, you can put it. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 8.20-22 -- New York, November 18, 1966

"Nature Of The Material World" 66/11/17 New York, Bhagavad-gita 8.15-20

Prabhupada:

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

This verse we have been discussing in, on Friday. Krsna says that "Anyone who comes to Me..." Of course, Krsna is everywhere, but still, He has got His abode. The difference between Krsna and ordinary human being or ordinary living being is that we can remain at one place, but Krsna... Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah [Bs. 5.37]. Although He has got His abode in the transcendental kingdom, which is called Goloka Vrndavana... The Vrndavana city from where I have come, this Vrndavana is called Bhauma Vrndavana. Bhauma Vrndavana means the same Vrndavana descended on this earth. Just like Krsna descends on this earth out of His own internal potency, similarly, His dhama, or His abode, also descends, the Vrndavana dhama. Or, in other words, when Krsna descends on this earth, He manifests Himself in that particular land. Therefore that land is so sacred, Vrndavana. But Krsna has His own abode. And Krsna says, "Anyone who comes to My abode," mam upetya punar janma duhkhalayam asasvatam [Bg. 8.15], "he does not get again rebirth in this material world, which is full of threefold miseries." Duhkhalayam asasvatam napnuvanti.

Why? Because mahatmanah... They are called mahatma. Perhaps you have heard the name, this word, mahatma. Our leader, Mahatma Gandhi, he was known as mahatma. But mahatma is not the title of a politician. Mahatma, here, mahatma means the first-class Krsna conscious man who is eligible to enter into the abode of Krsna. He is called mahatma. Mahatmanah. And the mahatmanas' perfection is this, to prepare in this life, in this nice human form of life with all facilities of nature... We can command over the nature. We can utilize the nature to our best interest. The animals cannot.

So all these facilities should be utilized for becoming a mahatma, or becoming eligible to enter into the kingdom of Krsna. Because if we can do that, then there is no more birth in this material world, which is full of threefold miseries. We have several times discussed what are these threefold miseries, but every one of you know that, some way or other, we in miserable condition, either pertaining to the mind, or to this body, or natural disturbance, or from other friends or other animals. So there is always some kind of misery inflicted upon us. That is the situation of this material world. So Krsna says that this is a place -- you cannot avoid these miseries. They are meant for that. Unless the miseries are there, you cannot come to the Krsna consciousness. That is an impetus and help to elevate you to Krsna consciousness. An intelligent person, he can think that "I do not want miseries, but the miseries are inflicted upon me by force." Nobody wants. Then he should question that "Why these miseries are inflicted upon me by force?" Unfortunately, the modern civilization, they set aside: "Oh, let me suffer. Let me cover it by some intoxication. That's all." You see? But as soon as the intoxication is over, again I am in the same point.

So this is not the solution. You cannot make a solution of the misery of your life by artificial intoxication. That is not possible. You have to make the solution by this Krsna consciousness. If you always remain in Krsna consciousness, then gradually you'll develop and you will be able to leave or quit your, this material body in Krsna consciousness, so that immediately you'll be transferred to the planet where Krsna is. That is the process. So mam upetya. And if you can attain that situation, that is the perfection. That is highest perfection of your life, samsiddhim paramam. Paramam means the highest, highest perfection.

Then people may inquire, "Well, you say that to enter into the planet of Krsna is the highest perfection, but we are trying to enter into the moon planet. Is it not perfection?" Somebody, you may question. Yes. So in answer, this tendency to enter into the higher planets is always there in human mind. Don't think that we have advanced, and we have invented this sputnik for entering into the moon planet or sun planet. This tendency is always there. A living entity's name is sarva-ga. Sarva-ga. He wants to travel everywhere. That is his nature. Just like you, sometimes, you Americans, you go to India or Europe. You cannot stay stagnant at a place. That is our nature. So this tendency, that we are trying to enter into the moon planet, this is not a new thing. They are trying, maybe by different process, by yoga process, by other process. Everyone is trying to enter into the higher planets.

So Krsna says, "Yes, you are trying to enter into the moon planet, or any other planet. That's all right. But you must remember..." What is that? Abrahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino 'rjuna [Bg. 8.16]. Abrahma-bhuvanal lokah. This, this universe of... They... The universe is divided into fourteen divisions of planetary system, fourteen divisions. We are just in the middle planetary system. There are fourteen. Caturdasa-bhuvana. There are seven down and seven up. We are in the middle. So Krsna says that abrahma-bhuvanal lokah: "Oh, what to speak of moon planet or sun planet or Venus, if you even enter into the highest planet, which is called Brahmaloka, still, there is birth and death, punar avartinah, repetition of birth and death, repetition of birth and death." Punar avartinah means just like I have got this body. Now, say, I'll live eighty years. Now I am seventy-one. So after nine years I'll have to change this body. Sure. There is nobody can, by scientific process, can stay here. No. That is not allowed. You have to change your body. This is called punar avartinah, changing... Just like you change your old dress, similarly, you have to change your old body, again enter into another new body. So this is called punar avartinah. So Krsna says that "If you enter in this material world, if you enter even to the highest planet..." What to speak of this moon planet... Moon planet is just our neighbor. Your modern scientists have calculated that if we want to go to the highest planet, it will take -- this same speed of sputnik, twenty thousand miles per hour -- still, it will take forty thousands of years to reach the highest planet. That is the scientific view.

But there is such planet where living entities like you and me are there. We have got this information from Bhagavad-gita and other Vedic literatures. All planets, they are full of living entities. Don't think simply on the earth we are here, and in all planets are vacant, no. From your experience, you can see that no place in this earth is vacant, without living entities. Even you dig earth, you'll find some worms. You, you go deep into the water, you'll find some living entities. You just analyze that outer space, air, you'll find so many living entities. So how you can conclude that other planets are without living entities? They are all full of living entities.

So Krsna says that in the Brahmaloka, in the highest planet of this universe, even you enter there... Abrahma-bhuvanal lokah punar avartino 'rjuna: [Bg. 8.16] "My dear Arjuna, if you enter even to the highest planet, still, you'll have to accept that repetition of birth and death. You cannot get rid of it." Mam upetya. Again He says... As in the former verse, He says mam upetya: "If you reach to My planet, then you haven't got to come back again this, in this miserable material world," again He says, repeatedly, that "If you enter into the highest planet of this universe, still, your, that repetition of birth and death will continue. But mam upetya, if you come to My planet," mam upetya tu kaunteya punar janma na vidyate. Oh, that same very thing is again confirmed here, punar janma na vidyate: "Oh, there is no more rebirth, no more. You get your eternal life."

We should be very serious about this problem, how to get our eternal life, blissful, and full of knowledge. That is the duty of human life. We have forgotten this, what is our aim of life. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. They do not know that their interest, self-interest is how to get that eternal, blissful life in the spiritual planets. That is his interest. Why they have forgotten? Durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah. The people have been entrapped by this material glimmer, by skyscraper and big factories and political activities, these..., entrapped, although he cannot live. He knows that "However skyscraper I may make, I'll not be allowed to live here. I'll have to leave it, and I do not know where I am going." Therefore the solution is that we should not spoil our energy for having a skyscraper. We should employ our energy to elevate ourselves to Krsna consciousness so that we can, after leaving this material body, we can enter into that spiritual planet. That is the process.

So Krsna consciousness is the necessity. It is not a religious formula or some spiritual recreation. No. It is the most important thing that we should imbibe in our life. Mam upetya. Mam upetya tu kaunteya punar janma na vidyate. He's stressing again and again.

Then you may ask, "Then why people are so much anxious to go to the other planets?" The description of other planets is there also in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Now, here it is said, "the Brahmaloka." Because there are many yogis and many, I mean to say, philosophers, they aim at being elevated to the higher planets by their yogic process... Why? Because the facilities of life in the higher planets are more than in this planet. The duration of life, the enjoyment and the amenities and everything is better, thousand times better, thousand times better. So people like. Somebody likes that "We shall go to the heavenly planets or this planet, that planet."

Now, a..., some of the description of the higher planet is given here. What is that?

sahasra-yuga-paryantam
ahar yad brahmano viduh
ratrim yuga-sahasrantam
te 'ho-ratra-vido janah
[Bg. 8.17]

Now, here is a nice description of the highest planet of this universe. What is that? Now, sahasra-yuga-paryantam. Sahasra-yuga means... One yuga means forty-three lakhs of years. Then that means 4,300,000's of years. That is the duration of one yuga. And sahasra-yuga... And sahasra means thousand. That 4,300,000 of years, just multiply it by another one thousand. Now we calculate. I am not mathematician. You can calculate what is that duration. So that duration, long duration, forty-three, five zero, into one thousand, that means forty-three, five zero, again three zero. Now, what is that duration? That is calculated to be twelve hours of Brahma. As you have got twelve hours from morning, six, to evening, six. So this duration of period in the Brahmaloka is forty-three and five zero into three zero. Just imagine. That is twelve hours. Similarly, another twelve hours -- night, same period. So that becomes one complete twenty-four hours of Brahma. Brahmaloka. And such one month, and such one year, and one hundred years duration of life is there. Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmano viduh [Bg. 8.17]. That is the duration of life there. You cannot calculate how long you can live there. But still, after so many years, millions and trillions of years' life, you'll have to die. Death is there. Death, you cannot... Unless you go into the spiritual planets, there is no escape from death. So abrahma-bhuvanal lokah, abrahma..., yuga-paryantam,

sahasra-yuga-paryantam
ahar yad brahmano viduh
ratrim yuga-sahasrantam
te 'ho-ratra-vido janah
[Bg. 8.17]

Avyaktad vyaktayah sarvah prabhavanty ahar-agame. Now, this duration of Brahma, the, the material manifestation in the lower status, this planetary system, when Brahma days is finished, all these planetary systems becomes covered in water. There is devastation, devastation, and when again Brahma, the supreme person in the Brahmaloka, he rises up, then again creation begins. That is the law of creation. So avyaktad vyaktayah sarvah prabhavanty ahar-agame. Ahah. Ahah means in the daytime. When there is daytime, daytime, twelve hours, then this material manifestation, what you see, all these planets, they are manifested, seen. But when there is nighttime, all these planetary system becomes merged into devastation of water. So ratry-agame praliyante tatraiva avyakta-samjnake. Ratry-agame means when the night is there, then again all these planets become invisible. They are devastated within the water. This is the nature of this material world. Bhuta-gramah sa evayam bhutva bhutva praliyate. So because the whole planetary system becomes, I mean to say, merged into devastation of water, therefore all living entities, they, at that time, pralaya, devastation, they all die. Bhuta-gramah sa evayam bhutva bhutva praliyate.

So this nature is going on. When it is a daytime they are again coming out, and when there is nighttime they again all becomes merged into this water. Ratry-agame avasah partha, prabhavaty ahar-agame. Avasah. Avasah means, although they do not like devastation, the devastation will come and, I mean to say, overflood all this. And again, when the day also comes, again gradually the waters will disappear. Just like in this planet the three-fourth is covered with water, and gradually land is coming out. It takes times. And one day it will come when there will be no water, simply land. There will be no water. That is the process of nature. Paras tasmat tu bhavo 'nyah. Paras tasmat tu bhavah anyah avyakto 'vyaktat sanatanah: [Bg. 8.20] "But My dear Arjuna, beyond this place of ‘sometimes it is appearing, sometimes it is disappearing,' beyond this, there is another nature." Just take this information from Bhagavad-gita. We cannot calculate what is the length and breadth of this universe, but there are millions and millions of universes like this within this material world. And above this material world there is another sky, which is called spiritual sky. And in that sky the planets are all eternal. And there life is eternal also.

This manifestation, this material manifestation, is only three-fourth part of the whole manifestation, both spiritual and material. You'll find in the Bhagavad-gita, ekamsena sthito jagat. Ekamsa means one-fourth part. These manifestations are one-fourth part. And three-fourth part manifestation is beyond this material sky. This material sky is covered. The... When you see to the sky you'll find that ball-like covering. That is the covering. So millions and millions of miles, the covering is there. And after penetrating that covering, you can enter into the spiritual sky. That is open sky.

So here you get the information that paras tasmat tu bhavah anyah [Bg. 8.20]. Bhavah means the nature, another nature. Just like you have got experience of this material nature, similarly, there is another, spiritual nature. Just like the material nature and spiritual nature you have got experience here also. What is that? Just like you are yourself combination of material and spiritual. You are yourself spirit. So long you are within this body, within this matter, it is moving. And as long, as soon as you are out of this body, it is as good as stone. So as you can perceive here, within yourself, what is matter and what is spirit, similarly, there is spiritual world also. The two natures are there, as you can experience two natures here, the material nature and spiritual nature. This we have discussed in the Seventh Chapter of Srimad-Bhagavata, er, Bhagavad-gita. The spiritual nature is called superior nature, and this material nature is called inferior nature. So this material nature, beyond this material nature, there is spirit, superior nature, spiritual nature. This information we have got.

Now, it is not possible to understand this, these things, by experimental knowledge, just like although you are seeing by microscope and other instrument, astronomical instruments, there are millions and millions of stars -- actually you are seeing -- but you cannot approach. Your senses, your means, are so insufficient that you cannot approach. What to speak of other planets, you cannot approach even the moon planet, which is the nearest. So just try to understand how much incapable you are. So being incapable, don't try to understand God and God's kingdom by experimental knowledge. This is foolishness. It is not possible. You have to understand by hearing Bhagavad-gita. And there is no other way. Just the same example: you cannot understand who is your father by experimental knowledge. You have to simply believe your mother. Similarly, you have to believe this Bhagavad-gita. Then you can get all this information. There is no possibility of experimental knowledge. But if you become advanced in Krsna consciousness, you'll realize. You'll realize. Just like whatever we are speaking, we are firmly convinced. We are not blindly speaking. So you'll also be... Svayam eva sphuraty adah. If... This knowledge will be revealed to you. If you stick to the Krsna consciousness, this knowledge you'll actually understand: "Yes, there is spiritual kingdom. There is God, and I have to go there, and I must prepare there," just like you understand everything while you go to some other country.

So these are all practical things. If you take up this Krsna consciousness, you'll understand all these practical, and the whole problem of your life will be solved.

Thank you very much. If you have any question, you can put.

Devotee: Swamiji, night and day... The day that's the birth of the universe and night, the dissolution, is that also Brahma's day and night?

Prabhupada: Just like day and night differs. Now, it... Suppose you take a small germ. At night... Of course, I do not see here. In India we find some small worms. Their duration of life is only a few hours in the night. They, they, they get their birth, they grow, and they beget children and in the morning you'll find so many worms, dead, you see, on the floor, in this month especially. It is called divali poga(?). So that is also a living entity. But if you speak to them, "Oh, there is a human being whose life is... Our duration of life, within that, he has got... That is only night. He has got day. And that day and ni..." (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 8.15-20 -- New York, November 17, 1966

"Remember Krishna Without Deviation" 66/11/16 New York, Bhagavad-gita 8.14-15

Prabhupada:

ananya-cetah satatam
yo mam smarati nityasah
tasyaham sulabhah partha
nitya-yuktasya yoginah
[Bg. 8.14]

Last day we have been discussing the, how the impersonalists, they transfer themselves in the spiritual kingdom. The yogis and the jnanis, they are generally impersonalists. So for them, the process -- at the time of death, they vibrate the transcendental sound om, omkara, and by that way they transfer to the spiritual world, but they do not enter into the spiritual planet. This point we have discussed. And the risk is that if we do not have any rest in the spiritual planet, if we remain in the outer space only, then there is risk of coming down again in this material world.

The Bhagavata confirms it:

ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninas
tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah
aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah
patanty adho 'nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah
[SB 10.2.32]

It is said that "Persons who are interested of becoming liberated," ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninah, "simply by the concept of impersonal merging into the spiritual existence," so ye 'nye 'ravindaksa, "they consider themselves that they are liberated." That is also point of liberation, but the Bhagavata says that "Although they consider themself as liberated, the avisuddha-buddhayah..." Avisuddha means their knowledge is not very pure, not yet pure. Avisuddha-buddhayah. The result is aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah: [SB 10.2.32] "They can rise up to the Supreme Absolute platform by their penances and austerities, meditation." That is right. They can reach to that platform. Aruhya krcchrena. Aruhya krcchrena means "raising themselves, elevating themselves by severe penances to that platform," aruhya krcchrena param padam [SB 10.2.32], the Supreme Absolute platform. But patanty adhah: "They again fall down in this material world." Why? Anadrta: "Because they have not taken seriously about Your personal feature." Anadrta-yusmad-anghrayah: "Without worshiping Your lotus feet, the result is that they come down again in this material world."

Just like however you may rise in this material space, five thousand feet or any, if you have no rest in any planet, then naturally you'll come down again, naturally, because you have no rest. So in the spiritual effulgence, if we do not have any rest, then we are sure to come back again down. The reason is -- that I have already explained -- that our life... We, as living entities, we are part and parcel of the Supreme, sac-cid-ananda. We want pleasure. So impersonal feature does not give us that pleasure which we want, which is our demand. That pleasure is available in the spiritual planets. If you enter in any of the spiritual planets, then that spiritual happiness and exchange of pleasure you can attain. Therefore the Lord says, Krsna, ananya-cetah satatam yo mam smarati nityasah: "A person without any deviation..." Ananya-cetah. Without any consideration of jnana, yoga, or any other process... Simply devotional process, simply surrendered process... "My Lord, I am Your eternal servant. Please give me Your service. Let me engage. Let me be engaged in Your service." This is called ananya-cetah. Ananya-cetah satatam. Satatam means always, twenty-four hours, cent percent, without any deviation. This is Krsna consciousness. If anyone is engaged in such Krsna consciousness, twenty-four hours and cent percent, then yo mam smarati nityasah, always remembering... Suppose if you are engaged in some work, naturally you'll be thinking of that particular work. When you go to your office and work, oh, you have to think always of the office business. That is quite natural. Similarly, if you engage yourself in the business of Krsna consciousness, naturally you'll be always thinking of Krsna. Therefore it is said, yo mam smarati nityasah: "Always remembering Me." Tasyaham sulabhah partha: [Bg. 8.14] "My dear Partha, Arjuna, for him I am very cheap." Sulabhah means very easily available.

God, Krsna, is called Ajita. Ajita means nobody can conquer God. Therefore His name is Ajita. Just like God has innumerable... He is unlimited, and His functions and activities are unlimited. And according to His activities, His names are also unlimited. So this is one of the names, Ajita. Ajita means "the personality who is never conquered." Nobody can conquer Him. Therefore His name is Ajita. So there is a very nice verse in the Srimad-Bhagavatam,

jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva
jivanti san-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam
sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhir
ye prayaso 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyam

Brahma is praying Lord Krsna in this way, that "A person," jnane prayasam udapasya, "giving up the futile endeavor to understand the Supreme by one's limited knowledge..." Give. Give up this attempt. Jnane prayasam. Jnane prayasam means that the theosophists, the philosophers, they are trying years after years, life after years -- "What is God? What is God? What is the Absolute Truth?" Just like we throw sputniks -- "How much the space is length and breadth?" This is frog philosophy. Just like several times I have recited: A frog is measuring the length and breadth of Atlantic Ocean. You see? A frog, whose life is within the well, three feet, three cubic feet, measurement, he's trying to measure what is the length and breadth of Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. Similarly, our attempt to measure how far this outer space is -- just like that, futile. And what to speak of this, speak of this space, our measurement of our limited knowledge... With the limited knowledge, if we want to know how far, how much long and short is God, it is a futile attempt, futile at... It is not possible. So Bhagavata recommends, jnane prayasam udapasya: "Just give up this nonsense habit, to measure the Supreme." It is not possible.

So jnane prayasam udapasya. A person who has taken this determination, that "It is futile. It is useless to try to understand what is God by my limited knowledge," he's a..., he's an intelligent man who takes this decision. So jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva: "Just become submissive. Just try to understand your position that you are very insignificant segment in this material world or in the creation." Namanta eva: "Just become submissive." Jnane prayasam: "Giving up this endeavor to understand the Supreme by one's limited knowledge and just become submissive."

Then? What is the process? San-mukharitam bhavadiya-vartam: "You just try to understand the Supreme from the reliable source." San-mukharitam. Sat-mukharitam. Mukharita means from the lips, from the lips of realized souls. Just like Arjuna is understanding about God from direct Krsna, from the lips of Krsna. Svayam padmanabha-mukham, mukha-nihsrtah. So this is the process. So similarly, if we understand about God through the lips of Arjuna or his bona fide representative, that is the process. Jnane prayasam udapasya namanta eva: "Submissively, one who tries to understand the transcendental nature of God from the reliable source..." Sthane sthitah. Never mind what he is. Never mind what he is. Either Indian or European or American or Japanese or Hindu or Muslim, never mind. So sthane sthitah: "Just be situated in your place. That doesn't matter." Sruti-gatam: "Just try to understand through your ears by aural reception, aural reception." San-mukharitam, sruti-gatam. Sruti means this ear, reception through the ear. San-mukharitam sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. Then just try to practice it in your practical life. Tanu-van-manobhir ye prayasah ajita: "My dear Lord, You are unconquerable, but by this person, You become conquered, simply by hearing." It is such a nice process. God is not conquerable, but He becomes conquerable, He is conquered, by a devotee who gives up this nonsense process of understanding Him by his limited knowledge and becomes submissive. And just try to hear from the right source, and try to appear, apply in your life. Then you become a conqueror of the Supreme.

So similarly, Lord Krsna also says that tasyaham sulabhah. Sulabhah means "I am easily available." God is not easily available. It is very difficult. "But for a person who is constantly in Krsna consciousness," the Lord says Himself, "for him, I am easily available, easily available." So why don't you take up this process? There is another nice verse in the Brahma-samhita that... Just, I forget. The purport is that a person, if he tries to understand by his sensual process... This is called sensual, aroha-pantha. Aroha-pantha means trying to ascend, trying to ascend. There are two kinds of ways to understand knowledge. One process is aroha-pantha, ascending process, and another process is descending process. Descending process. What is that aroha-pantha? Aroha-pantha means that "I shall understand what is God by my own knowledge. I don't care for any authority, any books. I'll understand, I'll meditate, I'll think, I'll philosophize, and I'll understand what is God." This is called aroha-pantha. And against this, there is avaroha-pantha. Avaroha-pantha means getting knowledge from the authority.

There are two processes. Now, out of these two processes, the aroha-pantha, one who is trying to understand the Supreme by his own limited knowledge, for him, it is said in the Brahma-samhita,

panthas tu koti-sata-vatsara-sampragamyo
vayor athapi manaso muni-pungavanam
so 'py asti yat prapada-simny avicintya-tattve
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.34]

Now, panthas tu koti-sata-vatsara-sampragamyah. By the ascending process, if anyone makes progress with the speed of mind and speed of air... You, you know the speed of mind, how it is powerful. You are sitting here, and you can think of thousands and thousands and thousands of miles away immediately. Just see the speed of mind. Similarly, the velocity of air is very thousands of miles in a second, velocity of air. So the example is given here that if anyone traverses on the path of ascending process with the velocity of mind and air... Panthas tu koti-sata-vat... And if he makes progress not only for one day, two days, three days, one month -- koti-sata-vatsara, millions and millions of years, if he goes in that speed... Panthas tu koti-sata-vatsara-sampragamyo vayor athapi manasah [Bs. 5.34]. Vayu. Vayu means air. By the airplane or sputnik, or by the speed of the mind, if he makes progress... Panthas tu koti-sata-vatsara-sampragamyo vayor athapi manaso muni-pungavanam. And not very ordinary man, but muni-pungava. Muni-pungava means the highest thoughtful. Pungava means the greatest, and a muni means thoughtful, thinker. If he goes on for millions of years in the speed of mind and speed of air, still, he will find still not knowable, not knowable. Panthas tu koti-sata-vatsara-sampragamyo vayor athapi manaso muni-pungavanam, so 'py asti yat prapada-simny avicintya-tattve [Bs. 5.34]. Still the subject matter remains inconceivable, inconceivable, not definite.

But here is the definite information. Just in the Bhagavad-gita we understand that ananya-cetah, ananya-cetah, without any deviation from this path of Krsna consciousness, without any deviation from the devotional service in submission, if anyone thinks always of Krsna... Krsna says, tasyaham sulabhah. Sulabha means "I am very easily available for him." Tasyaham sulabhah partha. "Why? Why You are so...? Why You become so cheap to this person?" Because nitya-yuktasya yoginah. "Oh, he is constantly... Twenty-four hours, he's engaged in My service. I cannot forget him." This is... This is the process. Just become submissive and attract the attention of God. Then you'll be successful. Just try to... My Guru Maharaja used to say that "Don't try to see God. You work in such a way that God will see you. God will take care of you. Don't try to see God." This is the process. "I want to see God. Oh, God please come and stand before me," oh, just like He's my servant. God is no one's servant. You have to oblige Him by your love, by your service. That is the process. Here it is..., tasyaham sulabhah partha. Anyone who is engaged in that way, in that submissive way, always, constantly, without any deviation, in Krsna consciousness, oh, for him, God is very cheap, although He's not..., He is unconquerable.

So take this process, Krsna consciousness. Very easy. This process is given to the humanity by Lord Caitanya, and Rupa Gosvami, the first disciple of Lord Caitanya, he appreciated it. He was a minister in the service of the..., then Muhammadan kingdom. And he become a disciple of Lord Caitanya. And when he first met Him, oh, he offered himself with this verse, nice verse,

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

"My dear Lord Caitanya, You are the most munificent personality, most charitable, the highest charitable person." Why? "You are delivering Krsna very cheaply. You are delivering Krsna very cheaply. Therefore nobody is comparable with Your charity." We want Krsna. The whole... We are hankering after Krsna, the most attractive, the most beautiful, the most opulent, the most powerful, the most learned and the most beautiful. That is our hankering. We are hankering after the beauty, the powerful, the learned. So raso vai. Krsna is the reservoir of everything. You just turn your attention to Krsna. You'll get everything, everything, whatever your want. Whatever you heart's desire, it will be fulfilled by this Krsna consciousness.

So this Krsna consciousness was given by Lord Caitanya. Therefore He's, I mean to say, recommended... He's called that namo maha-vadanyaya: "Oh, You are the most powerful, charitable personality. Nobody has given such a thing -- Krsna." Because we are all in want of Krsna. So that is the process given by Krsna Himself. And here Krsna says that "I am..." Tasyaham sulabhah partha: "I am... I become very cheap to him." Whom? "One who is constantly engaged in Krsna consciousness." And if you remain twenty-four hours in Krsna consciousness, then -- just like the impersonalists, the yogis, the jnanis, they transfer themselves to the spiritual world in the..., and merge into the impersonal effulgence -- you enter into the planet where Krsna is. Then what is the benefit? You can ask, "Well, suppose I do this and enter into the Krsna planet, then what is the benefit?" The benefit is stated in the next verse, mam upetya punar janma...

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

"My dear Arjuna, if anyone comes to Me," mam upetya, "by this process, by Krsna consciousness, then the result is," punar janma duhkhalayam asasvatam, na apnuvanti, "he does not get any more to come back into this material world full of miseries."

This material world is certified by the Supreme Lord, the creator, as duhkhalayam. Duhkhalayam means "the place of miseries." And how you can make it comfortable? Can you make it comfortable by your so-called advancement of science? No. It is not possible. But we do not know what is duhkha, or what is suffering. Real duhkha is, real suffering is, birth and death, old age and disease. But we have set aside. Because we cannot make solution of these things, we don't care for it. We are after sputnik and atomic bomb. That is our scientific advancement. Why don't you solve these important things, which is giving me always suffering? They have no power. So here is the solution, that Krsna says, mam upetya punar janma: [Bg. 8.15] "If anyone attains into My platform, then he does not come back again," punar janma, "rebirth again." Where? Duhkhalayam asasvatam: "This place, full of miseries, full of..."

Just try to understand that this place is full of miseries. There... In the modes of ignorance we cannot understand. Just like the cats and dogs and hogs, they cannot understand that what miserable condition of life they are pulling on, similarly, human... A human being is called rational animal. They are animal, but at the same time, they have got the rationality. But that rationality is being used in the purpose of animal propensities. That rationality is not being used how to get liberated from this miserable condition. That is a misuse of rationality. So here is the solution. Krsna says that "If anyone remains in Krsna consciousness, twenty-four hours, without any deviation, the result is that he comes to Me. And if he once comes to Me," mam upetya punar janma duhkhalayam asasvatam, napnuvanti [Bg. 8.15], "he does not get again rebirth of this miserable life." Why? Now, mahatmanah samsiddhim paramam gatah: "They are great souls, and they have achieved the highest goal of life."

So this is the highest goal of life. We should know our self-interest to achieve this highest goal of life, not temporary dolls. You see? Children are captivated by temporary dolls, but not a sane man... (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 8.14-15 -- New York, November 16, 1966

"Make Sure To Pass That Final Examination At Death" 66/11/15 New York, Bhagavad-gita 8.12-13

Prabhupada:

sarva-dvarani samyamya
mano hrdi-nirudhya ca
murdhny adhayatmanah pranam
asthito yoga-dharanam

We have been discussing about the transmigration of the soul. The... There are different kinds of transcendentalists who are called yogi: jnana-yogi, dhyana-yogi and bhakti-yogi. All the yogis, they are eligible to be transferred to the spiritual world. The yoga system is meant for linking our connection. We are eternally connected with the Supreme Lord. Somehow or other, we are now in material contamination. The..., the process is that we have to go back again. So that linking process is called yoga. Yoga, the actual translation of the word yoga means plus, plus, just the opposite of minus. Now, at the present moment, we are minus God, or minus Supreme. So when we make ourself plus, connected, then our human form of life is perfect. So at the time of death we have to finish that perfection. So long we are alive, we have to practice how to approach that point of perfection, and at the time of death, when we give up this material body, that perfection has to be realized.

So for the last three days we have been discussing. Prayana-kale manasa 'calena. Prayana-kale means "at the time of death." Just like the students, they prepare two years, three years, five years, in their college education, and the final test is their examination, and if they pass in the examination, they get the degree. Similarly, in our living condition, if we prepare for the examination at the time of death and we pass the examination, then we are transferred to the spiritual world. So prayana-kale. The whole thing is examined at the time of death. Just the other day I recited one Bengali prover, proverb. This is a very common saying in Bengal. They say bhajan kara pujan kara mrtyu-kale haya:(?) "Our, whatever you do for perfection, at the time of your death it will be tested." At the time of..., a tested.

So Bhagavad-gita is describing what should we do at the, at the point of our death, when we are giving up this body, this present body. So for the yogis, dhyana-yogis, this prescription is recited here, sarva-dvarani samyamya mano hrdi-nirudhya ca. Sarva-dvarani means... This system is called pratyahara. In the technical language of yogic system it is called pratyahara. Pratyahara means "just the opposite." Now, the senses, my eye, my eyes are engaged in seeing the worldly beauty. Now I have to retract from enjoying that beauty, and I have to see inside the beauty. That is called pratyahara. Similarly, I have to hear the omkara sound from within. So all the senses are to be stopped in their external activities -- that is the perfection of yoga -- and concentrate the mind on Visnu-murti. Mano hrdi. The mind is very agitating, so it has to be fixed up on the heart. Mano hrdi-nirudhya. Nirudhya means just arresting the mind within the heart. Murdhni, murdhny adhayatmanah pranam asthito yoga-dharanam. And in this way, when we transfer the air-life on the top of our head, that is the perfection of yoga. And a perfect yogi, then he fixes up where he shall go. There are innumerable planets, and beyond the planets, there are spiritual world.

So yogis, they have got information. How they have got information? From the scriptures, from Vedic literature, they have got. Just like before I came to your country I got the description of your country from the books, similarly, we can have all the description of higher planets and the spiritual world. They are mentioned there. The yogi know. The yogi knows everything, and he can transfer his self, any planet he likes. He does not require the help of any sputnik. The sputniks, they are trying for so many years, and they will go on trying for one hundred or one thousand years more. They'll never reach any planet. Be rest assured. This is not the process. This is not the process to reach another planet. Maybe, by scientific process, one man, one man or two man can reach, but that is not the general process. The general process is: if you want to transfer yourself any better planet, then you have to practice this yoga system, or jnana system, not bhakti system. Bhakti system is not meant for any material planet. That will be explained later on.

Those who are in devotional service of Krsna, or the Supreme Lord, they are not interested in any planets of this material world. Why? Because they know. In any planet you can, you can raise yourself, you can elevate yourself, you can go there, but the four principles of material existence are there. What is that? Birth, death, disease and old age. Any planet you go. Your duration of life may be very, very longer than this earth, but death is there. Death is there. But those who are in Krsna consciousness or those who are otherwise, those who are not interested in this material life... Material life means birth, death, disease and old age, and spiritual life means relief from these botherations -- no more birth, no more death, no more ignorance, no more misery.

So those who are intelligent, they do not try to elevate in any planet of this material world. There are higher planets. You have got. You get a long duration of life. Just like we are trying to reach the moon planet, and actually, if we get entrance into the moon planet... It is very difficult to get entrance. But even if you get entrance, then the period of life will be, I mean to say, enhanced. Of course, not in this body. Perhaps if you enter with this body, instant death is sure. But if you enter into higher planets by this yoga system, then you get the suitable body of that planet. Every planet has got a suitable body. You cannot enter... Just like you cannot live in the water with this body. You can make an experiment. You can live there, within water, say twenty-four hours or fifteen hours or sixteen hours. That's all. That's all. But the fish, the aquatic animals, they have got particular body. They are living whole life. Similarly, if you take out the fishes from water and put them on the land, oh, they will instantly die. As you see even in this planet that you have got to make your different kinds of body to live in a particular place, so similarly, if you want to enter into another planet, you have to prepare yourself to get that particular type of body.

So if anyone enters into the moon planet by this yogic process, he transfers his soul, transmigrates into the moon planet, he'll get long duration of life. In higher planets, our six months equal to their one day, and such one month, one year, for ten thousands of years they live. That is the description we get. So we get very long duration of life, undoubtedly. But there is death. There is death. After ten thousand years or twenty thousand years or millions of years... That doesn't matter. It is all counted, and death is there. But you are not subjected to the death. That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gita. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. You are spirit soul. You are eternal. (aside:) You keep the watch here. You are eternal. Why should you subject yourself to this death and birth? This is intelligence. This is intelligence.

So krsna yei bhaje sei bada catura: "Those who are persons in Krsna consciousness, they are very intelligent." They are not interested to get promotion in any planet where there is death, never mind the long duration of life there is. They want, just like God, sac-cid-ananda-vigraha. Isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. The God's body is sac-cid, sac-cid-ananda. Sat means eternal, and cit means full of knowledge, and ananda means full of pleasure. We have got our pamphlet -- most of you might have seen -- Krsna, the Reservoir of all Pleasure. Similarly, if we transfer our body, our self, leaving this body to the spiritual world, in the Krsna planet, or any other spiritual planet, then we get the similar body, sac-cid-ananda: eternal, full of knowledge and full of bliss.

So those who are trying to be in Krsna consciousness, their aim of life is different than those who are trying to promote themselves in any of the better planet in this material world. So here Lord Krsna says that murdhny adhaya atmanah pranam asthito yoga-dharanam. This is called the perfection of yoga. If you can transfer yourself... You, you are very minute particle within this body. That you cannot see. But I am, my position is... This is external. This is external. So that is sustaining in the prana-vayu. And the yoga system, the sat-cakra system, is to get the soul from down to the top, tip of the topmost part of the head. This practice go, go on, goes on while we are living, and the perfection is that when we can place my, myself on the top of the head, and by fracture of this topmost head we can transfer into the higher planet as we like. As we like. That is the perfection. A yogi can transfer in either of these planets, wherever he likes. Wherever he likes. So if you like... Just like you are inquisitive to see what is the moon planet, so if a yogi likes: "Oh, let me see what is the moon planet. Then I shall transfer myself to higher planets..." Just like travelers. They come to New York, then go to California, then go to Canada. Similarly, you can transfer yourself in so many planets by this yoga system. But anywhere you go the, the same system, visa system and customs system, there are. So Krsna conscious persons, they are not interested in these temporary planets. May be for a long duration, but they are not interested.

So for the yogi, the process is how to give up this body.

om ity ekaksaram brahma
vyaharan mam anusmaran
yah prayati tyajan deham
sa yati paramam gatim

At the time of death, point of death, "Ommmm," if he can pronounce om, omkara... Omkara is the concise form of transcendental vibration, omkara. So om ity ekaksaram brahma vyaharan. If he can vibrate this sound, omkara, at the same time, mam anusmaran, plus he remembers Krsna or Visnu... The whole yoga system is to concentrate his mind to Visnu. But the impersonalists, they imagine that this is the form of Visnu, or the Lord. But those who are personalists, they do not imagine; they see actual form of the Supreme Lord.

Now, any way, either you concentrate your mind like imagination or you see factually, you have to concentrate your mind in the Visnu form. Here mam. Mam means "unto the Supreme Lord, Visnu." Yah prayati. "Anyone who leaves this body," tyajan deham, "after quitting this body," sa yati paramam gatim, "he enters into the spiritual kingdom." Unless he desires... Those who (are) actually yogi, they do not desire to enter any other planet because they also know that temporary planets, temporary life. They are not interested. That is the intelligence. Antavat tu phalam tesam tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam. Those who are satisfied with temporary happiness, temporary life, temporary facilities, they are not intelligent in their, according to Bhagavad-gita. They are not intelligent. Antavat tu phalam tesam tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam: "One whose brain substance is very small, they are interested in these temporary things." That is the version of Srimad Bhagavad-gita. Because I am permanent; I am eternal. Why shall I be interested in nonpermanent things? That, that is the intelligence. Who wants nonpermanent, I mean to say, existence? Nobody wants. Suppose you are living in a apartment, in an apartment, and the landlord asks you to vacate, or somehow or other, you have to vacate. You are sorry. Oh. But you'll not be sorry if you go to a better apartment.

So this is our nature, that wherever we live... Because we are permanent. We are permanent. So we want permanent residence. That is our inclination. We don't wish to die. Why? Because we are permanent. Death is... Just like we don't want to be diseased. These are all artificial, external things: disease, death, birth, miseries. They are not our... They are external things. Just like sometimes you are attacked with fever. You are not meant for suffering from fever, but sometimes it comes upon you. So we have to take precaution, have to get out of it. So similarly, these four kinds of external afflictions -- birth, death, disease and old age -- they are due to this material body. And if we can get out of this material body, then we can get out of these implications.

So for the yogi, those who are impersonalists, for them, this process is recommended. What is that? Om ity ekaksaram brahma vyaharan: "Just vibrating this transcendental sound, om, and leave this body." Then yah prayati: "Anyone who is able..." (aside:) Where is the watch? That's all right. "Anyone who is able to quit this material body in these circumstances, simply by uttering this transcendental sound, om, with full consciousness of the Supreme Lord, then he's sure to be transferred, to transmigrate in the spiritual world."

But those who are not personalists, they cannot enter into the spiritual planet. They remain outside. Just like the sunshine and the sun disc. The sunshine is not different from the sunshine, sun disc, but still, the sunshine is not the sun disc. Similarly, those who are transferred in the spiritual world, they remain in the effulgence of the Supreme Lord, which is called brahmajyoti. Brahmajyoti. So those who are not personalists, they are placed in that, into that brahmajyoti as one of the minute particles. We are minute particles, spiritual spark, and brahmajyoti is full of spiritual spark. So you become one of the spiritual spark. That is, means you merge into the spiritual existence. Although you keep your individuality constitutionally, but because you don't want any personal form, therefore you are held there, held there in the impersonal brahmajyoti. Just like the sunshine are small molecules, shining molecules -- those who are scientists, they know that -- similarly, we are also small, molecular, atomic, less than atom, one ten-thousandth portion of the tip of the hair. Our position is. So that small part remains with the brahmajyoti as if mixed up, homogeneous, although...

So difficulty is as living entity, we want enjoyment. Because I am not only simply existence. I have got bliss. Sac-cid-ananda. I am, I am composed of three spiritual existence. I am eternal, and I am full of knowledge, and I am full of bliss. So those who enter into that impersonal effulgence of the Supreme Lord, they can remain eternally and with full knowledge that "I am now mixed up. I am now homogeneous with the Brahman. Bas." But they cannot have that eternal bliss because that part is wanting. So the difficulty is that when he feels... Just like you, if you are confined in a room alone, you may go on, you may engage yourself in reading some particular book or in some particular thought, but still, you cannot remain alone for all the years and all the time. That is not possible. You'll find some association. You'll find some association, recreation. That is our nature. So similarly, if we merge into the impersonal effulgence of the Supreme Lord, then there is chance of falling down again in this material world. That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam.

ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninas
tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah
aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah
patanty adho 'nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah
[SB 10.2.32]

Just like this sputnik man, the aeronautics, they go higher and higher, twenty-five thousand or thirty thousand or hundred thousand miles away. But if they cannot take rest in some planet, they'll fall down, at once fall down again. So the rest is required. In the impersonal form the rest is uncertain, uncertain. Therefore in the Bhagavata says that aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah [SB 10.2.32]. Even after so much endeavor, if he gets into the spiritual world and remains in that impersonal form, the risk is that patanty adhah: he comes down again into this material world. Why? Anadrta-yusmad-anghrayah, because he has neglected to serve in love and devotion the Supreme Lord.

In this... So, so long we are here, we have to practice to love Krsna, the Supreme Lord. Then we can enter. This is the training. And if we are not trained up in that way, then, by impersonal endeavor, we can enter into the spiritual kingdom, but there is risk of falling down again. Because that alone, that loneliness, will create some disturbance, and he will try to have association. And because he has no association of the Supreme Lord, he will have to come back into this material world and associate with this material association. So better that we should know the nature of our constitutional position. Our constitutional position is that we want eternity, we want complete knowledge and we want pleasure also, pleasure. So if you are kept alone, you cannot have pleasure. Then you'll feel uncomfortable. And for want of pleasure, you'll accept any kind of pleasure: "All right, material pleasure." That's all. That is the risk.

Therefore this Krsna, Krsna consciousness, you'll have full pleasure, full pleasure, the same pleasure. Not the same pleasure. Just like here the highest pleasure of this world is sex life. That is also perverted, so diseased. So even in the spiritual world there is sex pleasure in Krsna, but that's not... We should not think that this is something like this. No. But janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. Unless that sex life is there, it cannot be reflected here. It is simply perverted reflection. The actual life is there, in Krsna. Krsna is full of pleasure. So best thing is to train ourself, train ourself in this Krsna consciousness, and then it will be possible in this life at the time of death to transfer ourself into the spiritual world and enter into the Krsnaloka, or the Krsna planet, and enjoy with the association of Krsna.

cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa-
laksavrtesu surabhir abhipalayantam
laksmi-sahasra-sata-sambhrama-sevyamanam
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.29]

This, these are the description of the Krsnaloka. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu: "The houses are made of touchstone." Touchstone. Perhaps you know touchstone. It's a... A small particle touchstone, if it is touched in the iron beam, it will at once becomes gold. Of course, I do not know if any one of you has seen this touchstone, but there is such a thing. So all the buildings are there of touchstone. Cintamani-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vrksa [Bs. 5.29]. The trees are desire trees. Whatever you like, can get. Here from mango tree, you get mango, and apple tree from, you get apple. But there any tree, anything you like, you can have. These are the some, some of the description of the Krsnaloka.

So best thing is not to try for elevate, for elevating ourselves in either of these material planet. Because in any material planet you enter, the same principles of miserable life... We are accustomed. We have been acclimaticized to birth, death. We don't care. The modern scientists, they are very much proud of their advancement, but they have no solution of these unpleasant things. They cannot make anything which will check death, or which will check disease, or which will check old age. That is not possible. You can, you can manufacture something which will accelerate death, but you cannot manufacture anything which will stop death. That is not in your power. So those who are intelligent enough, they are not concerned with these four things, janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi: birth, death and old age. They are concerned to have a spiritual life, complete, full of bliss and full of knowledge, and that is possible when you enter into the spiritual planets. That will be explained.

So next, next verse it is stated,

ananya-cetah satatam
yo mam smarati nityasah
tasyaham sulabhah partha
nitya-yuktasya yoginah

Nitya-yuktasya yoginah. Nitya-yukta means continuously in trance. He's the highest yogi, continuously thinking of Krsna, always engaged in Krsna consciousness. For him, ananya-cetah... He does not divert his attention to this sort of process or that sort of yoga system or the jnana system or dhyana system. No. Ananya-cetah. Simply the only one system, Krsna. Ananya-cetah. Ananya-cetah, "without any deviation." He's not disturbed by anything. Simply Krsna. Ananya-cetah satatam. Satatam means anywhere and any time. Just like my residence is at Vrndavana. That is the place of Krsna. When Krsna advented Himself, He was there. So now I am in America, in your country, but that does not mean that out of Vrndavana. Because if I think of Krsna always, so it is as good I am in India. In Vrndavana, I am as good as in New York, in this apartment. The consciousness is there. So Krsna consciousness means you already live with Krsna in that spiritual planet. Simply you have to wait for giving up this body.

So this is the process of Krsna consciousness. Ananya-cetah satatam yo mam smarati. Smarati means remember. Nityasah, continually. Tasyaham sulabhah partha. "Oh, I am very cheap for them." Krsna becomes very cheap commodity. The highest valuable thing becomes very cheap for him who takes this process of Krsna consciousness. Tasyaham sulabhah partha nitya-yuktasya yoginah: "Because he's continually engaged in such process of yoga, bhakti-yoga, oh, I am very cheap. I am easily available. I am easily available." Now, Krsna declares Himself that He becomes easily available by this process. Why should I try for any, I mean to say, very hard job? Why shall I take to that? We chant Krsna: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, and twenty-four hours you can chant. There is no rules and regulation. Either in the street or in the subway, or at your home, or in your office, oh, there is no tax, no expenses. Why don't you do it? Always chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Thank you very much. Any questions? (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 8.12-13 -- New York, November 15, 1966

"Women Should Give Birth Soon" 74/06/07 Geneva, Bhagavad-gita 8.1

Nitai: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "Arjuna inquired: O my Lord, O Supreme Person, what is Brahman? What is the self? What are fruitive activities? What is this material manifestation? And what are the demigods? Please explain this to me."

Prabhupada:

arjuna uvaca
kim tad-brahma kim adhyatmam
kim karma purusottama
adhibhutam ca kim proktam
adhidaivam kim ucyate

These are the subject matter of knowledge. Kim brahma. Brahman means the biggest. Brhannatvat brhatvat. Biggest, it is already biggest, but still increasing. That is called brahman. So this cosmic mani..., universe, it is already the biggest, but it is increasing. That is also scientific, modern science. It is... The statement is already scientific. Modern science also, they say that the universe is increasing. So brahman means the biggest.

So our Vaisnava philosophy, biggest means Krsna, because He is the richest, He is the strongest, He is the wisest, He is the most beautiful. In this way, He is the biggest. We also calculate. If anyone is very rich, we consider he is the biggest man in the society. But nobody can hold all the riches of the world. Krsna can hold. Krsna has got all the riches of the world. Sarva-loka-mahesvaram. Krsna says, "I am the mahesvaram, the supreme owner of all the planets." So actually Krsna is Parabrahman. He's not only Brahman, but Parabrahman. That is accepted. Kim adhyatmam. Atma. Atma means this body, atma means this self, atma means the mind. But Arjuna is asking, "What is the real meaning of atma?" Atma means the soul. You are also atma. I am also atma. Every one of us, the minute particle, part and parcel of Krsna. Kim karma. This karma means to work. That is material. Working is required in the material world. Without working, you cannot get anything. Here you have to maintain your body and soul together. Therefore you have to work. So work can be divided in different ways, but one has to work. One may work as a brahmana, one may work as a ksatriya, one may work as a vaisya or a sudra. So work is there. Without working... The just opposite, without working, without any endeavor, you can live eternally -- that is Vaikunthaloka. Vaikuntha means without any anxiety. Here we are full of anxieties.

Purusottama. Arjuna addressed Krsna as Purusottama, uttama-purusa. There are three kinds of purusas. Purusa means the male, or the enjoyer. So uttama-purusa, madhyama-purusa, adhama-purusa. Adhama means the lowest. We are also purusa. At least, we have taken the position of purusa to enjoy this material world. But we are adhama-purusa. Adhama means the lowest. We cannot enjoy independently. We require so many favorable circumstances. Just like we cannot see without the sunrise. Still, we are very much proud of seeing. We say, "Can you show me God?" Well, can you see God? You cannot see without sunshine, and still, you are so much proud of your eyes. That is called adhama. He has no knowledge; still, he's taking Ph.D. degree and getting Nobel Prize. This is going on. So Krsna is the Purusottama, uttama-purusa. The madhyama-purusa is the Supersoul. Via media between Krsna and we. We are adhama-purusa. So Krsna is addressed as uttama-purusa, "the best of all purusas, or enjoyers." Adhibhutam, the matter, five elements of matter. Kim proktam. Which of them are called the Brahman, atma.

Everything, Krsna..., Arjuna wanted to know from Krsna. Krsna, he has accepted Krsna as the spiritual master, and spiritual master means the authority. Unless you accept somebody as quite fit for becoming your authority, he cannot become a spiritual master. You must be satisfied by the authoritative statement of the spiritual master. You cannot argue. That is the principle of authority. Adhidaivam, the demigods. The demigods, they are controlling the universal affairs. Just like for rain, water supply, Indradeva, the demigod known as Indra, he is in charge. For heat and light, the demigod Suryadeva, he's in charge. Similarly, the moon, Candradeva... They are all devas, demigods. He's in charge of, what is called, activating the vegetables, the moon, activating the vegetables. In this way, all these demigods have got different power invested upon them by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are agents. They are called demigods, Indra, Candra... There are thirty-three crores of demigods, and they are controlling our activities also. The astronomy means the astral influence upon us. And according to the astral influence, we act. Therefore horoscope is made. At the time of birth, a person's situation according to different astral influence, and then the astrology science can make his horoscope, his future activities, his future hopes. Everything is done. Adhibhutam.
Then adhiyajnam. Adhiyajna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana or Visnu, Adhiyajna. Katham ko 'tra dehe 'smin madhusudana: "Where the Adhiyajna, Supersoul, living within this body?" Prayana-kale ca katham jneyo 'si niyatatmabhih, niyatatmabhih: "Those who are yogis or devotees, how do they meditate upon You, and at the time of death, prayana-kale, how he passes away?"

Sri-bhagavan uvaca: "Bhagavan replied."

aksaram brahma paramam
svabhavo 'dhyatmam ucyate
bhuta-bhavodbhava-karo
visargah karma-samjnitah

adhibhutam ksaro bhavah
purusas cadhidaivatam
adhiyajno 'ham evatra
dehe deha-bhrtam vara

So after explaining all these different items, adhibhutam adhiyajnam, the Supersoul, the material creation, the Purusottama, everything, then Krsna said,

anta-kale ca mam eva
smaran muktva kalevaram
yah prayati sa mad-bhavam
yati nasty atra samsayah
[Bg. 8.5]

This is the ultimate end of Krsna consciousness, that anta-kale, at the time of death, at the end of life, anta-kale ca mam, "unto Me," anta-kale ca mam eva [Bg. 8.5], "certainly," smaran, "remembering..." The Deity worship especially meant for this purpose, so that you go on worshiping the Deity of Radha and Krsna, naturally you'll be practiced to think of Radha-Krsna always within your heart. This practice required. Anta-kale ca mam eva smaran muktva [Bg. 8.5]. This is the mukti.

Mukti means no more material body. That is called mukti. We are now conditioned by this material body. In the material world, we are changing one body after another, but there is no mukti. There is no liberation. Mukti is... Simply by changing body, we are not mukta. Mukta means we change this body not to accept any more material body, but we remain in our own spiritual body. Just like if you are diseased, you are suffering from fever, so when there is no more fever, but you remain in your original healthy body, that is called mukti. It is not that mukti means to become formless. No. The same example: You are suffering from fever. To become free from fever does not mean that you become formless. Why I shall become formless? My form is there, but my form is no more disturbed by the fever, feverish condition. That is called mukti. Roga-mukta, free from disease. Therefore it is called muktva kalevaram. Just like the snake. They sometimes give up the outer covering of the body. Have you seen?

Devotees: Yes, yes.

Prabhupada: But he remains in the body. He remains in the body. But the extra covering which had, he had grown, that is also gone once he gives up. Everything, every education, is there in the nature's study. We can see the, the snake give up the covering, but he remains in his form. Similarly, we... Muktva kalevaram means this extra... Just like this dress, this is covering. I can give it up, but I remain in my original body. Similarly, mukti means I have got my original body already. It is covered by this material coating. So when there is no more material coating, that is called mukti. That can be achieved when you go to Krsna, back to home, back to Godhead. At that time, you do not become formless. Form remains. As I am individual form, similarly, when I go to Krsna, Krsna has also His individual form, I have also my individual form... Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam. He's the chief of all living entities. So that is called mukti.

So that mukti you can have if you can remember Krsna at the time of your death. So this is possible. If we are practiced to think of Krsna always, naturally, at the time of death, at the time of end of this body, if we are so fortunate to think of Krsna, His form, then we become materially free, no more this material body. This is Krsna consciousness. Practice. Yah prayati sa mad-bhavam yati [Bg. 8.5]. In the fourth chapter, I think, we have read that,

vita-raga-bhaya-krodha
man-maya mam upasritah
bahavo jnana-tapasa
puta mad-bhavam agatah
[Bg. 4.10]

So that mad-bhava, here it is said, yah prayati. Anyone who is passing away, who is leaving this body, thinking of Krsna at the time of death, yah prayati sa mad-bhavam yati [Bg. 8.5]. Mad-bhavam means spiritual nature, this spiritual world. This is also Krsna's world, but this is not the spiritual world. This is material world. We have already discussed that He has got two energies, material and spiritual. This material world is the manifestation of Krsna's material energy. Similarly, He has got a spiritual world also. Because He, His spiritual energy's also one of the energies. So mad-bhavam yati means that spiritual energy... Because Krsna remains in that spiritual world, therefore He says mad-bhavam, "the spiritual nature."

So this is the simple process. Anta-kale ca mam eva smaran muktva kalevaram, yah prayati sa mad-bhavam yati [Bg. 8.5], "He goes." Na asti atra samsayah: "You do not doubt it." If you have taken Krsna as the supreme authority, and Krsna says there is no doubt about it, then why shall I become doubtful? Why shall I disbelieve Krsna? This is the process. Chant Hare Krsna. Always remember Krsna. And death may take place at any time. There is no guarantee that after so much time you'll die. At any moment, you can die. Death, there is no guarantee. But it is a guarantee that you must die. That is guaranteed. But when you will die, that is not guaranteed. Therefore we must be prepared for death at any moment. Therefore a devotee is not afraid of death. He knows that death may come at any moment. We are... Nowadays, it has, the death is very cheap. Because we are using this motorcar, these aeroplanes, so many things, ships and other things for transportation, and there is, every moment there is danger of accident, collapse, everything. So death is now very cheap. So we must be prepared for death at any moment. There is no guarantee, that "I am not yet old enough. I am not yet eighty years, ninety years. Why shall I die?" No. You may be twenty years, twenty-five years or younger than that. Death is assured, and it can take place at any moment.

Therefore our only duty is to think of Krsna, Purusottama, so that we may die at any moment, but we become spiritual salvation. This is our only duty. We have no other duty. How to remember Krsna twenty-four hours? That is the greatest process of yoga perfection. Yoginam api sarvesam mad-gatenantar-atmana. Mad-gatenantar-atmana: [Bg. 6.47] "Always thinking of Me, he is first-class yogi." So this Hare Krsna maha-mantra is so nice that as soon as you chant Hare Krsna, you immediately remember Krsna. You go on chanting; that means remembering. So in chanting, chanting, if there is death, so I am remembering Krsna. What is my fear? I am going to Krsna, back to home, back to Godhead. It is so nice.

So always be engaged in Krsna consciousness, chant Hare Krsna mantra. Then you are sure and safe not only in this life, but also you are going home, back to Godhead. It is so nice thing.

Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 8.1 -- Geneva, June 7, 1974