"Different Varieties" 75/02/27 Miami, Bhagavad-gita 13.4

Nitai: "Now please hear My brief description of this field of activity and how it is constituted what its changes are, whence it is produced, who that knower of the field of activities is, and what his influences are."

Prabhupada:

tat ksetram yac ca yadrk ca
yad vikari yatas ca yat
sa ca yo yat prabhavas ca
tat samasena me srnu


We have discussed that this body is the field of activity. We are acting according to the body. I am the same person, but when I had my boyhood body or childhood body, I was acting differently. This child, they are acting now some way, but when they will get another body, they will act in a different way.

Similarly, not only this human form of body, but there are eight million four hundred thousand different types of bodies. We have explained several times. Jalaja nava-laksani: "In the water there are nine hundred thousand different forms of body." How many do we know? We do not know all the details. We know there are different types of fishes, and say, a hundred thousand we have seen or experimented, the zoologist. But from the Vedic literature we understand that there are nine hundred thousand forms of body within the water.

So this is called Vedic knowledge. Perfect information is given there. Doesn't say nine hundred one or nine hundred fifty. Exactly, nine hundred thousand. Jalaja nava-laksani. Then next, sthavara laksa-vimsati. Then, after aquatic, when the water dries, the vegetation comes out, and that vegetation grow gradually into plants, trees, herbs and so many, big, big trees. Here we have got big, big trees. So from aquatic life they have come to this vegetable life. And one tree standing for thousands of years. They cannot move an inch. This is also life. There is life.

The trees, these banyan trees, they are making their arrangement how to stand fixed up very strong. Nobody can move. The same struggle for existence is going on. As we are struggling to make our position secure, similarly, the trees are also making their position secure. The cats and dogs, they are also making attempt to make their position secure. This is called struggle for existence. So from this tree, just try to remember that there are nine hundred thousand species of aquatics.

We get information from sastra. There is a fish which is called timingila which swallows big, big whales just like big fish swallows a small fish. This is struggle for existence. Jivo jivasya jivanam. Phalguni mahatam tatra jivo jivasya jivanam.

The natural law is that ahastani sahastanam: "The animals which has no hands" -- that means four-legged animals; they have got legs, no hand -- "so they are food for animals with two legs and two hands." That means human being. Human being is also animal, more powerful, more intelligent than the lower animals. So the sastra says, ahastani, "The animals who hasn't got hands, they are food for the animals with two hands." Ahastani sahastanam and apadani catus-padam: "And the animals or the living entities which cannot move, apadani..." Pada means legs.

Just like the trees, plants, grass. They cannot move. They have no leg. They have got leg, but they cannot move. They are eating through the legs. Therefore they are called pada-pa, means "collecting waters through the leg." Just these trees. They are drinking water from within the earth with their legs. Therefore they push their roots very deep to find out where is water. And if you put little water on the root of the tree, they live. They drink water. They are standing on the river side drinking water and becoming very flourished. But although they are drinking the same water, still, they are differently constituted with different fruits, different flowers. This is God's creation, we have to understand that.

So apadani sapadanam, apadani catus-padam. Apadani means those who cannot move, these trees, plants, grass, they are eatables for the four-legged animals, catus-padam. Catuh means four. Similarly, phalguni mahatam tatra. Those who are weak, they are food for the strong. That is going on. "Might is right." In the human society also. Just like you Europeans, Americans... Europeans they have come. You come this land of America. Because you are strong, you have eaten up all the original inhabitants. (laughs) So this is going on. This is called struggle for existence.

Therefore Krsna says, tat ksetram yac ca yadrk ca. Why we find so many varieties of life? How it has come into being? It is... Everything will be explained by Krsna. He says, tat samasena me srnu: "From Me you hear." Everyone is inquisitive, "Why there are varieties of life?" I do not know what the modern scientist says, but they do not understand that there is soul in these different types of body. That we have already discussed, that idam sariram ksetram ity abhidhiyate. Every different particular living entity... Not particular. We are all living entities, part and parcel of God. But we have entered into different types of bodies according to our desire. That's it. According to... We have got desires, different types of desires. The eight million four hundred thousand bodies means, at least, we have got eight million four hundred thousand different types of desires. That we have to learn from authorities like Krsna.

Therefore He says, tat samasena me srnu: "You try to understand." You cannot speculate. Is there any psychologist who can say that how many different types of thinking, feeling, willings are there? No, they cannot say. But we must know from Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that these eight million four hundred thousand species or forms of life are there because there are eight million four hundred thousand different types of desires, exactly eight million four hundred thousand.

This is called Vedic knowledge. Exactly what is the fact, that is stated there. So our process of understanding, this Krsna consciousness movement -- we do not hear from any bogus person. We hear from Krsna. Therefore Krsna says for us, those who are Krsna conscious, tat samasena me srnu: "From Me because I am the supreme authority, Krsna." Krsna says that mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya: [Bg. 7.7] "There is no more superior authority than Me." So we get knowledge from superior authority. That is the process of acquiring knowledge.

We go to school, colleges, teachers. So why? To receive knowledge. So teacher or school, college, they are in higher authority. Similarly, you go on, higher authorities, higher authorities, higher authorities. You reach to Brahma because he is the original creature and he described the Vedic knowledge. So he is also not higher authority. He also received knowledge from God. Tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavata. Adi-kavaye, the original person.

We have got this body, expanding, expanding. The original person is Brahma. From Brahma there was Lord Siva, and from Siva there were so many, then these Daksas and Pracetasas and many sages gradually. So we are descendant, Manu. Manu also, one of the sons of Brahma, and from manusya, Manu, the name has come, manusya. Manusya means man. In English also it is called "man." Manu, man. So we are all descendants from the original person, the supreme father, original. So we are not different.

Here we have created out of ignorance, "I am Indian; you are European; he is American; he is African; he is black; he is white." That we have created. "He is cat; he is dog." But actually, we are all living entities. Because we have got different types of desire and that is calculated eight million four hundred thousand types of desires, so we are now in different types of body. This is understanding. Samah sarvesu bhutesu.

So when we get that spiritual knowledge, brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54], prasannatma, then there is no difference. A learned person who has realized Brahman, spiritual realization, he looks everyone on the equal level. He knows that it is a dog or it is a cat on account of this body. He is neither cat, neither dog, neither I am human being. We are all spirit soul, aham brahmasmi. This is understanding. This is real understanding.

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

Those who are learned, they see that "Here is a learned brahmana, and here is a dog, and here is a hog, and he is a dog-eater. There is an elephant. There is a cow. So they are in different dresses only, and the real occupier of the dress, or the body..."

That is explained that, idam sariram kaunteya ksetram ity abhidhiyate [Bg. 13.2]. This is only, we have got... According to different desires, we have got these different types of body. Ksetra. Just like field. The cultivator, the farmer, works on the field and gets some result. Similarly, we have got different types of body and we are working on this body in the bodily concepts of life. That is not advanced life. If we are in the bodily concept of life, that is animal life. When we understand that "I know that I am not this body; I am working with this body," that is knowledge. Abhidhiyate.

And not only I. One should understand. It is clearly stated here. There is no difficulty. Krsna says that "The living entity and Myself, we are both within this body." Ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu. The difference -- we are individual soul. We are living, every one of us, living within this body, and there is another living entity. God is also living entity like you and me. The difference is that He is great, and we are subordinate. Otherwise... Just like you have got your president. He is a big man of your nation, and we are small men or you are a small man. But he is also a human being; I am also a human being or you are also. Similarly, God is exactly like us, with two hands and two legs. To see Krsna, He hasn't got a hundred legs or a hundred... He has got the same, two legs and two hands, exactly like our body. In the Bible also it says, I think, that "Man is made after the feature of God"? So it is not that we have imagined God with two legs and two hands like us, no. Our this body is made imitating God's body. And the animals, they are also imitating God's body. God has got many forms. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca [Bs 5.33]. He has got many other forms, innumerable.

So anyway, this is knowledge, that "I am occupying this body, I have got this body according to my desire, and this desire has been fulfilled by God. God is with me, with you. He is within your heart. He understands what you desire. You have come, we have come in this material world to satisfy our different desires. Therefore, there are so many different forms of body." Now you can calculate also. What is that? There are three qualities within this material world. You know, everyone. Some are in goodness, and some are in passion, and some are in ignorance. In the animal or in the vegetable kingdom, in the human society, you will find these three types of men.

Take our human society. Some of them are very good men, very truthful, very honest, very learned, and knows what is God. You find such men also. And you will find also very much passionate. And you will find also men like cats and dogs, no knowledge, blind. So there are three types of men. Why? Because there are three qualities or modes of material nature: goodness, passion and ignorance. Now, you mix up these three qualities with another three varieties of qualities. Just like the painter, they mix up different colors. The original color is blue, yellow and red. Now, you mix up these colors. You can... Hundreds and thousands of colors you can make. It requires expert handling. Similarly, originally these three qualities, goodness, passion and ignorance. Now, three into three equal to nine, and nine into nine equal to eighty-one. So we get immediately account for eighty-one varieties, and each variety is thousand and millions. Therefore eight million four hundred thousand, that is calculated.

And we have got so many varieties of life. Jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati krmayo rudra-sankhyakah, means the aquatics, there are nine hundred thousand, and the trees and plants, two millions, and eleven hundred thousand, these flies and insects. Krmayo rudra-sankhyakah. And then birds, one million types of birds. Then three million types of beasts. Then four hundred thousand of human being, civilized, uncivilized, white, red, black, so many varieties. In this way, the whole calculation is eight million four hundred thousand different types of body.

Now Krsna will explain that tat ksetram yac ca yadrk, why there are so many varieties. The living entity is the same, a spiritual spark, part and parcel of Krsna, or God, but why they have assumed these different types of body calculated to be eight million and four hundred thousand forms. But each form is part and parcel of God. Not each form, or you can say form also, each living entity. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita,

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

Krsna says -- I think in the fourteenth chapter it is there -- that "I am the seed-giving father of all these forms of life. All these forms of life. They are not automatic, come from anywhere. I am the original father."

Therefore those who are fully Krsna conscious or fully advanced in spiritual consciousness, they do not make any difference between an insect and a elephant because he knows very well that the same spirit soul is there within the elephant and within insect, within the microbe, because the dimension of the spirit soul is very small. You cannot imagine. It is one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair. Kesagra-sata-bhagasya satadha kalpita [Cc. Madya 19.140], everything is there. So such minute particle is so powerful that it is managing the body of the elephant and it is managing the body of the ant.

You will find even an ant. He has got all the propensities, just like human being. You can study how they are struggling, how they have organized their society, how they are eating, how they are sleeping, how they are begetting children. Everything is there in every life. The four principles of bodily demands, namely eating. sleeping, sex and defense, you will find in the insect, smallest insect, like full stop. I sometimes see at night. They wander on the page of the book, very small. But they have got all the propensities. All the propensities. You can study. Anyone, minute study, you can see. So these things are there everywhere, even to the ant or even to the elephant or to the demigod or any Brahma or in everything. That's all. That is clear.

So when we get by evolutionary process, come to this human form of life by God's grace, nature's mercy, we can understand what is what. Therefore Krsna is explaining to Arjuna, a human being, not to a cat and dog. Therefore He says, tat ksetram, "That body," how it has become varieties, what is the ingredients. The ingredients are the same. This material body, the ingredients are the four primary gross elements, means earth, water, air, fire and ether or sky, the mind, intelligence and ego. This is the composition of this body. And beyond this composition, I am there, soul. Indriyani parany ahuh.

Those who are in the bodily concept of life they are thinking, "The senses are everything. So let us enjoy the senses. That is our happiness." No, that is not. Therefore we are not happy actually. Although we are trying to gratify our senses profusely, still, we are unhappy because that is not actually happiness. The actual happiness is of the soul. Unless you satisfy the soul, you cannot be happy because my real identity is the soul, not this body.

The same example, as I have already said many times, that within the cage there is the bird. You don't take care of the bird, and you simply cleanse this cage -- the bird will not be satisfied. He will cry always, "Give me food. Give me food." The another example I gave the another psychiatrist, that this body is a machine. Actually it is a machine. And it is being driven by two persons. One is God and one is the living entity, individual. The God is giving direction. The living entity, individual soul, wants to enjoy, so he is on the carriage, same carriage, the Supersoul and the soul. So the Supersoul knows what I want to enjoy, and He is giving facility: "Oh, you want this facility? Now drive your car in this way. You want this facility? All right, drive this way, this way."

Actually Supersoul, or God, does not want, but He is so kind. Just like a gentleman. He gives the dog all facility, sometimes going this side, sometimes going this side, sometimes passing stool, sometimes passing urine, and he is standing. He is controlling, but he is giving some facilities: "This dog is my servant. Let him have." This is going on. Without God's sanction, we cannot do anything.

Then why does He give sanction for our sinful activities? Because we want to do it. Because we want to do it. God does not want that you become implicated in sinful life. Therefore thief, he steals very stealthily. God says from within, "Don't steal. You will be implicated. You will be punished. Why you are stealing?" But he will do. He will do. That is ajnana. That is ignorance. God is always helping us, but we do not care for God. That is our disease. Therefore we are getting different types of bodies and suffering. This is the philosophy, real philosophy, that God is there with me in the same bird, in the same, exactly the same, that the driver is there and the proprietor is there in the same car. The car is a machine. Similarly, this body is a machine.

It is stated in the Bhagavad..., machine. Yantrarudhani mayaya.

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

"Isvara, the Supreme Lord, God, is situated in everyone's heart, and He is directing the travel, or wandering, of the living entity."

How? Yantrarudhani: "sitting on the machine of this body." And who has supplied this machine? Mayaya: "the material nature." The material nature, according to the order of God, has given me, you or me or anyone, the cats, dogs, a particular type of machine, this body. And the living entity is driving the machine or driving the car and God, the Supersoul, is reminding him, "You wanted to enjoy like this? Now you drive your car in this way. You drive your... You wanted to eat everything without any discrimination? Now I have given you the car of a hog. Now you go and eat the stool." And he is very glad. He is enjoying. He is enjoying he is thinking "I am eating very nice thing." This is going on.

Nana joni sada phire, kadarjya bhaksana kore, tara janma adhah-pate jaya. Narottama dasa Thakura is singing that "Those who have taken this path of fruitive activities, they are forced to accept different forms of life and eat all abominable things, and thus he is lost in this material world." So if we become God conscious, if we become faithful to Krsna, or God, then He will give right direction so that you may go again back to home, back to Godhead. And that is our business.

tesam satata-yuktanam
bhajatam priti-purvakam
dadami buddhi-yogam tam
yena mam upayanti te
[Bg. 10.10]

Now, according to my whims, according to my different desires I am going deep and deep to the hellish condition of life. I am becoming the worms of the stool beginning from Brahma. Now, if... When we have got this human form of life, we should understand, "How things are happening? How I am getting different types of body? How I am dictated according to the body and I am not happy? Now what is the reason? Then what I am? I do not want distress. Why distress is forced upon me? I do not want to die. Why death is forced upon me? I do not want to become old. I want to remain perpetually young. Why old age is forced upon me?" There are so many things. In this way, when we become intelligent enough and approach Krsna or a Krsna's representative, then our life becomes reformed.

This Krsna consciousness movement is for this purpose. They are giving the opportunity to the human society that "You are suffering on account of your whimsical desires. Now you learn how to purify your desire. Then you become happy." This is Krsna consciousness movement. Desire cannot be stopped. That is not possible. You have to purify your desire. That's all. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. I am thinking that "I am this American," I am thinking, "I am this Indian," or I am thinking this and that, and creating my desires accordingly. "It is my duty because I am American." "It is my duty because I am Russian. So let us fight." So this is going on. So you have to change your desire.

That is Krsna consciousness movement. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. You have to understand that "I am not this body. I am neither Indian, nor American, nor Russian. I am part and parcel of God. Therefore my business is to serve God." This is called bhakti. When you are self-realized... That is definition of bhakti. Sarva upadhi-vinirmuktam. You have to get yourself cleansed from all these designations, that "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am American," "I am this," "I am cat," "I am dog." These are all designations because I am pure soul, aham brahmasmi. And these conceptions are designation. So you have to be educated how to become free from the designation. That is sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170], that when we become free from the designation...

It does not mean because I become free from the designation, therefore I become zero. No, I remain because I am spirit soul, eternal. I may become sometimes American, sometimes Indian, sometimes cat, sometime dog, but that is change of designation or body. But as spirit soul, I am eternal. Na jayate na mriyate va kadacit. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. These things are all clearly stated.

So our request is that all over the world they should take advantage of this knowledge. This Krsna consciousness movement is not a bluffing movement. It is scientific movement for the benefit of the whole world. They are suffering. So that is our request, that let us wash ourself from the designation. Then how it will be possible? It will be possible. What is that?

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

Hrdy an... This I am thinking, "American, Indian, Hindu, Muslim," this is all dirty things in my heart. You cleanse your heart. Hrdy antah-sthah abhadrani. The dirty things are within my heart, so if we cleanse our heart, then we become free from this designation. Nasta-prayesu abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. Nasta-prayesu. These dirty things will be cleansed if we regularly hear Srimad-Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita. Nityam bhagavata...

And bhagavata means the book Bhagavata and the person bhagavata. The person bhagavata is spiritual master or any exalted devotee. He is bhagavata, maha-bhagavata, bhagavata. So bhagavata-sevaya means not only reading Bhagavad-gita and Bhagavatam, but we have to study from the person bhagavata. That is required. Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised, bhagavata para giya bhagavata-sthane: "If you want to learn Bhagavata, then go to the person bhagavata who is realized soul."

Not professional. That will not help you. Official professional -- I go to a temple, to a church, and go back again to hellish condition of..., no. You just associate with the person bhagavata who is realized soul and hear from him this the same book, the same knowledge. Krsna's representative. Just like Krsna says, tat samasena me srnu. Me srnu: "Hear from Me or My representative. Then you will benefit."

So these centers are being opened just to give the opportunity to the people who are suffering not only in this life, life after life.

ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija
[Cc. Madhya 19.151]

So it is our duty, we have taken this duty on behalf of Krsna. Krsna personally comes to teach. Just like He left His Srimad-Bhagavatam. Then He entrusts His devotees to explain to the people in general. We are attempting to do that. We have not manufactured anything or we have got anything of our own. The asset and the property is there. We are simply distributing as peon. That's all.

And we have no difficulty. If we simply present Bhagavad-gita, the instruction of Krsna, as it is, then our duty finished. We haven't got to manufacture anything; neither we have power to manufacture anything. Just like there are so many others. They manufacture new type of ideas, new type of philos..., all nonsense. That will not help. Take the real knowledge. Tat srnu. What is called? Tat samasena me srnu. Try to understand from the Supreme Personality of Godhead or the real servant of Godhead who will present simply what Krsna has said. He will not say anything more or less.

That is the identification of real servant. Just like you have got a servant. You say, "My dear boy, you go this errand. Inform him this." So his duty is to carry your news and deliver to the person. Similarly, we who are now in the Krsna consciousness movement, we should simply take, tat samasena me srnu. We should hear from Krsna and distribute this knowledge. We have no difficulty. Then those who will hear, they will be benefited and we will be benefited. This is Krsna consciousness movement.

Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. [break] ...instruction which I have given to you. Chant Hare Krsna mantra -- it is very easy -- at least sixteen rounds, and follow the regulative principle, and pray to Krsna to help you. Everything will be all right. [break] ...books, everything is there. [break] ...Krsna. Hare Krsna is Krsna personally. So if you chant Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, you associate with Krsna. And if you associate with fire, you become warm. Similarly, if you associate with Krsna, then you become gradually Krsnaized. And when you perfect... Just like you put one iron rod into the fire. It becomes warm, warmer, warmer, and at last, it becomes red hot. At that time it is fire because it has acquired the quality of the fire, although it is iron rod. So the process is to remain with the fire. Similarly, if you remain with Krsna by chanting His holy name, then you will be purified and one day will come -- you will be Krsnaized. The process is very simple: chant Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. That's all. [break] ...twenty-four hours. Kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. adi 17.31]. This is not my word; this is Caitanya Mahaprabhu. You have to associate with kirtana. The reading is also kirtana, and chanting on the beads, that is also kirtana. There is no difference. So make your life in such a way. Either chant Hare Krsna or read books. And when you are hungry, you take little prasadam. Don't take much. Then you will sleep more. Take as little as possible. Then you will also sleep... Our business is to conquer over the demands of the body. The demands of the body is eating, sleeping, sex and defense. So spiritual life means make it almost nil.

Nidrahara-viharakadi-vijitau. All the Gosvamis, they did so. They conquered over sleeping, conquered over eating, conquered over sex desire and conquered defense. So in this way we have to minimize nidrahara-vihara and save time for chanting Hare Krsna. [break] And chant Hare Krsna. That is a botheration. [break] ...use of industry? That you have created trouble. You can get your food by cultivation. That is stated in the Srimad Bhagavad-gita, annad bhavanti bhutani. You produce food grains, and both the animals and the men, they will remain satisfied. And we have got so much land even on this earthly planet. I am traveling all over the world. You can produce food grains so in large quantity that you can feed all the population, ten times population. So we are not interested in producing food grain. We are interested in... [break] ...this is education. You get your admission in this institution. You will understand. [break] If you do not follow the rules and regulation, you go to hell. That's all.

Woman devotee: Prabhupada, how can Lord Siva get intoxicated and be so pure?

Prabhupada: We are not concerned with Lord Siva. We are concerned with Krsna.

Male devotee: Should we beg people to read these books, Srila Prabhupada?

Prabhupada: Yes, by touching their leg, "Please read." That is the process.

dante nidhaya trnakam padayor nipatya
krtva ca kaku-satam etad aham bravimi
he sadhavah sakalam eva vihaya durad
caitanya-candra-carane kurutanuragam

This is the instruction of Prabodhananda Sarasvati. He says that "Taking a straw in my mouth..." That is a Indian system to become humble. If I approach somebody with a straw in my mouth, that means I have become very humble to him. So he says, dante nidhaya trnakam, "Taking a straw in my teeth," and padayor nipatya, "and falling down on your leg," kaku-satam krtva ca, "hundred times flattering you," aham bravimi, "I want to submit something."

Naturally the man will be inclined: "All right, you say it. What you want?" So he says, he sadhavah: "You are very nice man, you are very great man, but you kindly forget what you have learned. (laughter) You all nonsense, whatever you have learned, please forget." "Then, what I have to do?" Caitanya-candra-carane kurutanuragam: "Just take shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Your life will be successful."

So we shall flatter, we shall hold our hands, we shall fall on the feet and do everything, but we shall, "You nonsense, please forget what you have learned." That is our submission.

Male devotee: Prabhupada, did Jesus read all those books?

Prabhupada: Yes. You can read also Bible. That is nice.

Male devotee: He actually learned. He actually traveled to India...

Prabhupada: Yes, yes. We do not say that don't read Bible. Read something, but learn something. Jesus Christ said, "Thou shall not kill." You learn this art. But you read Bible and kill animals, then what is your benefit?

Indian: So Lord Krsna speaks through other beings or...?

Prabhupada: First of all try to understand that you read Christ and you violate his order. Then what is the use of reading? You follow. Then that is reading.

Male devotee: Prabhupada, if we follow these four regulative principles and chant sixteen rounds sincerely every day, all this nonsense knowledge will eventually be forgotten?

Prabhupada: Yes, yes. You can see practically, all of you, what you were and what you are now. That's all. It is practical; it is not theoretical.

Male devotee: Srila Prabhupada, if someone takes prasadam even once, is it true that they're guaranteed at least a human body in their next life?

Prabhupada: Yes. You go on simply eating, that's all. (laughter) And all of my devotees, they have come to me simply by eating prasada. You are also? (laughter) So we give all facilities. If you cannot do anything, please come and eat with us. All right, thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 13.4 -- Miami, February 27, 1975

"The Knowledge from Narayana" 74/04/20 Hyderabad, Bhagavad-gita 13.4

Nitai:

tat ksetram yac ca yadrk ca
yad vikari yatas ca yat
sa ca yo yat prabhavas ca
tat samasena me srnu
[Bg. 13.4]

Translation: "Now please hear My brief description of this field of activity and how it is constituted, what its changes are, whence it is produced, who that knower of the field of activities is, and what his influences are."

Prabhupada: So yesterday we had been discussing about the questions put forward by Arjuna,

prakrtim purusam caiva
ksetram ksetra-jnam eva ca
etad veditum icchami
jnanam jneyam ca kesava

So to some extent we have discussed from where we have to receive knowledge, perfect knowledge, without any mistake, without any illusion. Our knowledge... We are possessing four defects: we commit mistakes, we are illusioned, our senses are imperfect, and we have got a cheating propensity. We are possessing these four defects. However great a man may be, he makes mistake in calculation. "To err is human."

Then we are illusioned. Illusioned means we accept something for something. Just like we are accepting this body as myself. This is illusion. The whole world is illusioned. Everyone is thinking in terms of the body. And according to Vedic knowledge, anyone who is under the concept of this body as self, he is no better than the cow and the asses. Sa eva go-kharah [SB 10.84.13].

So these are our defects: bhrama, pramada, vipralipsa, karana-patava. Karana. Karana means senses, the instrument through which we gather knowledge. They are imperfect. So with so many imperfectness, how we can give right knowledge? That is not possible. So any knowledge received from these defective persons is imperfect. Therefore we should receive knowledge from the Supreme.

Narayanah parah avyaktat. Sripada Sankaracarya says, "Narayana is beyond this material creation. He is, exists before the material creation." Aham eva asam agre. Before the material creation, the Narayana is there, and after the annihilation of this material creation, the Narayana is there. Just like we are part and parcel of Narayana, living entities, soul. We existed before the creation of this body, this present body, my body or your body. And we shall remain also after the destruction of this body. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. The real we -- means the spirit soul, aham brahmasmi -- I am not annihilated even after the destruction of this body. Similarly, the huge gigantic material body also, when it is destroyed, Narayana exists. And we are part and parcel of Narayana. Mamaivamso jiva-bhutah [Bg. 15.7].

Narayana has got two kinds of expansion. One is called svamsa, personal expansion. Just like there are so many incarnations.

ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan
nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu
krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yo
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.39]

So Narayana, He has got many forms. Krsna is the original Narayana. And from Krsna, there are expansion, catur-vyuha: Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Aniruddha, Pradyumna. Then Narayana. From Narayana, purusavatara: the Maha Visnu avatara, the Ksirodakasayi Visnu avatara, the Garbhodakasayi Visnu avatara. In this way Narayana has got personal expansion. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca [Bs. 5.33].

We get this information from Vedic literature. So Narayana... And we are also expansion of Narayana, vibhinnamsa. We are called vibhinna, separated particles, part and parcel of Narayana. And Narayana has got personal expansions. So we are to get knowledge from Narayana or Krsna. That is perfect. That is perfect knowledge. The Vedas means the knowledge from Narayana. Therefore it is perfect. Tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye [SB 1.1.1]. He imparted the Vedic knowledge. Lord Brahma is not independent. He received knowledge from Narayana. So if you receive knowledge, that is perfect knowledge. That Narayana, sa bhagavan svayam krsnah narayanah. If you receive knowledge from Krsna, that is perfect.

Therefore Arjuna is putting question, these questions, that "What is this material nature?" Prakrtim purusam. "What are these living entities who are trying to enjoy this material nature?" Purusa wants to enjoy prakrti. So that I have explained yesterday, that although we are also prakrti, we are now in the mentality of purusa. Just like in this material world, man and woman. The man is trying to enjoy the woman, and the woman is trying to enjoy the man. This attitude of enjoyment is called purusa. Actually, we are not purusa. We are also prakrti. Jiva-bhutam maha-baho yayedam dharyate jagat [Bg. 7.5]. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim param. We are superior prakrti, but we are prakrti. But because we are trying to enjoy the other prakrti, which is dull matter, therefore we are sometimes called as purusa, the mentality as purusa.

So Arjuna question is prakrtim purusa, "What are these purusa? What are the prakrti?" Ksetra-ksetra-jna. "What is this body, ksetra? And who is the owner of the body?" That we must know. That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gita. The beginning of spiritual knowledge is to know what is this body and who is the owner of the body. That is the beginning of spiritual knowledge.

When Krsna began speaking Bhagavad-gita and Arjuna accepted to become His disciple, sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam... [Bg. 2.7] when he said... So Arjuna was bewildered whether he would fight in the battle or not. So the question was not solved by friendly discussion. Therefore Arjuna surrendered to Krsna as a sisya, as disciple, not as friend.

So as spiritual master, as teacher, immediately Krsna chastised Arjuna, asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase: [Bg. 2.11] "You are talking like a very learned man, but you are lamenting on a subject matter on which no pandita, learned man, laments." Gatasun agatasums ca nanusocanti panditah. He very mildly chastised. Indirectly He said that "You are not pandita; you are a fool, those who are learned, they do not consider this body as very important." They are pandita.

But at the present moment everyone is thinking this body as the most important thing. So according to Bhagavad-gita, not Bhagavad..., on the Vedic understanding, anyone who is stressing too much on the body, they are go-khara, asses and cows and animals, what to speak of becoming pandita. But at the present moment, the whole educational system is concentrated on this body, how to keep this body comfortable. Spiritual knowledge does not mean that you neglect your body. No. That is not the idea.

But the most important subject matter of understanding is the soul. Aham brahmasmi. Brahma-jnana. Athato brahma jijnasa. So far the body is concerned, that has been taken care in so many lives. In animal life, in bird's life, beasts' life, aquatic life. Now athato brahma jijnasa. This is the Vedanta instruction: "Now we should take care of the soul, of the Brahman." Aham brahmasmi. This is required.

That is spiritual knowledge. Unfortunately, for want of spiritual knowledge, for want of studying Bhagavad-gita properly, we are simply taking care of this, I mean to say, temporary body. That is being explained. First of all Krsna said that this body is the ksetra. Ksetra means field of activities. We are acting according to the body we have received. And this owner of the body is working; just like a cultivator has got a certain amount of land and he is cultivating and producing foodstuff according to his own capacity. This is called karma-kanda. We are working with this body and reaping the result and enjoying it. In this way we are repeating again and again, again and again, transmigration of the soul from one body to another. Tat ksetram yac ca yadrk yad vikari.

Now Krsna is explaining... First of all He has explained that we, the living entities, we are the proprietor of this body. But there is another proprietor. That is Krsna. Just like of a house, rented house, one is the occupier and another is the proprietor, similarly, this body, I the soul, you the soul, we are simply occupier. The real proprietor is Krsna. Therefore Krsna said, ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata [Bg. 13.3].

Just like a landlord has got hundreds of house, and each house is occupied by one tenant, but the landlord is occupier of all the houses, similarly, in each body there are two living entities. One living entity is the soul, individual soul, and the other living entity is the Supreme Lord. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. He is situated, both of them are situated within this heart. Hrd-dese, it is pointed out. Now, you have got... you, everyone knows, from the heart the energy is distributed to the whole body, and as soon as the heart stops to work, no more body existing. Everyone will know. Therefore the heart is the office, sitting office, of both the soul and the Supersoul. Atma and Paramatma.

That is described in the Upanisad, that two birds are sitting in one tree. This one tree is this whole body and the two birds -- one the individual soul and the other is the Supersoul -- both of them are sitting as friends. One bird is eating the fruits of the tree, and the other bird is simply onlooker. Upadrasta anumanta. The one bird who is eating the fruit is asking, "Shall I eat the fruit?" And the other bird says, "No." But he says, "No, I shall eat." "All right, you eat at your risk." This is going on.

This subject matter was written, I think, by Milton, the Paradise Lost. So the Paramatma is sitting within your heart to guide you. And without His permission, you cannot enjoy anything. But He gives permission. When you are persistent He gives permission, "All right, you can do it -- at your own risk." And when He is fed up, he may come to God again, "What shall I do?" But God's open declaration is that sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. The Supersoul bird is always expecting when this individual soul bird will turn towards Him. He is so merciful. He is going, "My dear friend, why you are trying to become happy by enjoying this material fruit produced by your work in this body?"

We are creating different types of fruit? Karmana daiva-netrena jantur deha upapatti [SB 3.31.1]. We are getting different types of body life after life, which is created by our own karma. We wanted a body like this. We get it. If you want a body like tiger, to eat meat and suck blood, then Krsna will give you a tiger's body. And if you want a body like demigod you can get it. Everything, you can get it. Yathecchasi tatha kuru [Bg. 18.63]. Krsna says, "Whatever you like, I will give you opportunity."

But the best advice is that sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This is your best way. It is up to me to accept it or not to accept it. Krsna does not interfere with your independence. Because you are part and parcel of Krsna, you have got little independence, minute quantity, not full independence. As Krsna is full independent, we are not full independent. Krsna is sva-rat, fully independent. Janmady asya yatah anvayad itaratas ca arthesu abhijnah sva-rat [SB 1.1.1]. Sva-rat means fully independent. But we are, being part and parcel of Krsna, we are also little independent. So by misusing our independence, instead of serving Krsna, we are serving our senses. Therefore bhakti-marga means to rectify the senses, to purify the senses. By purifying senses, we come to Krsna consciousness. This is the definition of bhakti.

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

Bhakti means to come to our original consciousness by purifying the senses. How the senses can be purified? This bhakti-yoga process. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23]. (aside:) Water.

This is the first process. You have kindly come here; you are hearing about Krsna, Krsna's talk with Arjuna. It is very good. If you continue hearing like this, you will be perfect, simply by hearing, even if you do not do anything. Kevala, only hearing. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. This is the recommendation by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that people should be given chance for hearing. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga, they cannot do anything, but if they simply agree to hear, sitting for some time... That can be introduced in every house, every home.

The Bhagavad-gita is there, and everything is explained there. If family-wise everyone sits down in the evening or in the morning for half an hour and reads Bhagavad-gita, chants Hare Krsna mantra, just see the result. Every home will be happy. This is our propaganda, Krsna consciousness movement. Simply try to hear about Krsna.

So about Krsna, Krsna is personally speaking this Bhagavad-gita about Himself. So why not take this opportunity? Why you are losing the opportunity given in this human form of life to hear about Krsna? Everyone can do that. But don't misinterpret according to your own, I mean to say, fertile brain. No. Just hear Krsna, what Krsna says, as it is. Krsna... Don't try to interpret, mal-interpretation. That will not make you profit? Try to hear Krsna.

Krsna says that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He says, mattah parataram nanyat [Bg. 7.7]. There is nothing superior than Krsna. That is, if you accept that, then you immediately advance fifty percent in spiritual knowledge, immediately, if you simply accept this, that Krsna said that mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. And that is the verdict of the sastra.

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

This is statement of Brahma-samhita. And in the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Ete camsa-kalah pumsah krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. Again it is said, ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu, krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yah [Bs. 5.39]. We have got description of many avataras, incarnation. So they are Krsna's expansion, by Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha, Matsya. There are so many incarnation. But krsnah svayam paramah puman: "Krsna is the Supreme Person." In this way accept Krsna, the origin of everything. Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. Krsna also explains,

aham sarvasya prabhavo
mattah sarvam pravartate
iti matva bhajante mam
budha bhava-samanvitah
[Bg. 10.8]

Those who are actually budhah, intelligent, and bhava, with ecstatic love, they worship Krsna. Bhajante mam. Catur-vidha... Aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. Sarvam means... Because in the beginning of creation, there were three Deities: Brahma, Visnu and Mahesvara. So they are also emanation from Krsna. Mattah sarvam. Sarvam includes Brahma, Visnu and Siva. Mattah sarvam pravartate. Iti matva: "One who knows it very well." Iti matva bhajante mam: "Those who know, in the knowledge, they worship Me," budhah, "because they are expert, they are actually in knowledge." Budha bhava-samanvitah: "with ecstasy of love."

This is wanted. This is perfection of life. If we take to Krsna consciousness with love and faith, full understanding of Krsna, that is the perfection of life. That you can get, everyone of us can get it if we study Bhagavad-gita very carefully, without any malinterpretation. So success is there. We have to take.

And another facility is that because sometimes we cannot understand what is actually Bhagavad-gita's purpose. It is very plain. Still, as we are very much unfortunate, we cannot understand. That misfortune can be avoided by chanting this Hare Krsna mantra. It will cleanse the heart. Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. We are suffering for misunderstanding -- misunderstanding that "I am this body, I belong to this nation, I belong to this family, I belong to this, that, so many things." All misunderstanding, all misunderstanding. My real identity is aham brahmasmi: "I am spirit soul. Fortunately or unfortunately, by my own work, I have been put into the encagement of this body, temporary body, and I am creating another body. In this way I am traveling from one body to another, from one planet to another, from one place to another. This is going on." Bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19]. "I am taking my birth and again I am becoming annihilated, although I am eternal." Nityah sasvato 'yam na hanyate...

This is understand... People should be little intelligent that "If I am eternal," na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20], "I do not die even after the destruction of this body..." Just like if this shirt and coat is torn out, we throw it away, that does not mean I am also torn and finished, similarly, this body... This body means I am spirit soul. I am covered with this gross body and the subtle body. This gross body is made of earth, water, air, fire, sky, and the subtle body is made of mind, intelligence and ego. So I am covered by these two shirts and coat. So I am different from this. That is knowledge. That is knowledge.

That knowledge is being explained. And when you come to that real knowledge then you become brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. When you actually understand that "I am Brahman," aham brahmasmi, "I am spirit soul. This is my shirt and coat. Oh, so long I was busy with this shirt and coat only? I have no business with it." Yes, you have got business, but that is not your main business. Your main business is to take care of yourself as soul. That is your main business. This is called knowledge. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54].

Then one who comes into this knowledge, he becomes another prasannatma, "Oh, I was so much ignorant of knowledge." Now, just like you committed some mistake, and when you come to the knowledge that you committed, you become prasannatma, "Oh, I was mistaking like this, and simply I was anxious, I was taking so much care, anxiety. This is mistaken." Similarly, as soon as you come to this understanding that "I am spirit soul," then immediately you become prasannatma, jolly. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. So this is perfection, liberation. This is called liberation. When you come to the platform of jolliness, anandamayo 'bhyasat. (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.12) You are anandamaya. Sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], part and parcel of sac-cid-ananda-vig... Sac, cit, ananda.

So when we come to our spiritual consciousness or Krsna consciousness, then we immediately become anandamaya. That is real knowledge. brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanks..., samah sarvesu bhutesu [Bg. 18.54]. Then you can understand that "All the living entities, they are also soul, equally..., equally important like me. As I am important, so all the living entities, they are also my brothers." That is called universal brotherhood, on the spiritual platform. In the material platform it is not possible, because material platform means ignorance. He does not know what he is. Then when you come to the spiritual platform, then you can understand that "This dog is also a spirit soul; this learned brahmana is also a spirit soul; this elephant is also a spirit soul." Panditah sama-darsinah.

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

That is real sama-darsinah. And so long we are on the material platform we may preach sama-darsinah, so many ism, philanthropism, nationalism, this ism, that... These are all false. You cannot come into the equal level. Only spiritual level, through spiritual understanding that "Now, we are all soul," brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54].

Then, when you come to that understanding, then actual bhakti begins. Samah sarvesu bhutesu mad-bhaktim labhate param [Bg. 18.54]. Therefore in the bhakti platform, Krsna consciousness, there is no such distinction, "Here is American, here is an Indian, here is an African, here is this and that." No. Everyone is Krsna conscious. So actually if we want equality, fraternity, then we must come to Krsna consciousness. This is the purpose of Krsna consciousness movement.

And actually, it is becoming fact, factual. These boys and these girls, they are no more thinking that they are American or European or Canadian or Australian and Indian also. They are equal. So if you want equality, fraternity, friendship, love and perfection, solution of problems, all problems, economic, political, social, religious, then come to Krsna consciousness. Come to this platform. Then all your ambitions will be fulfilled and you will be perfect. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 13.4 -- Hyderabad, April 20, 1974

"The Witness And The Wanderer" 73/09/27 Bombay, Bhagavad-gita 13.4

Prabhupada:

tat ksetram yac ca yadrk ca
yad vikari yatas ca yat
sa ca yo yat prabhavas ca
tat samasena me srnu


Yesterday we have discussed that two souls, the individual soul and the Supersoul, both of them are living within this body. This body is compared... In the Upanisads, the body is compared with a tree, and two birds are there. One bird is the individual soul, we, and the other bird is the Supersoul, Krsna. Krsna is so kind that He is always flying with the other bird, the living entity. We are trying to enjoy this material world. Just like you have seen a bird sitting in this branch, going another branch, another tree. This is all seeking some pleasure.

Similarly, we are also... Tatha dehantara-praptih. We are enjoying a standard of comfort in this life, and I am preparing another standard of living condition next life. So I shall fly over to another body. Tatha-dehantara praptih. But Krsna is so kind...

Because we are all sons of Krsna... We are wandering in this material world as mad chap. Just like a rich man's son has become mad. He leaves his home and loitering in the street and eating in the garbage. That is our position. We are the sons of the richest person. Aisvaryasya samagrasya. Bhagavan means who is the proprietor of all riches. So we are sons of such a rich man. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetana... But we have become mad. We have become mad. We want to enjoy... Just like there are many sons. Although the father is... In America we find many. Although father is rich, millionaire, he has become a hippie, out of frustration, confusion, or some other reason. So our condition, like that. We are the sons of the richest person. Not only richest, the wisest. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya. The most powerful, Krsna. The most powerful, the richest, the wisest, the most beautiful. Everything, supreme degree. We are sons of such a father, but we have become mad after this material enjoyment. This is our madness.

So as father is always kind to the son, similarly, the supreme father is so kind that we are flying from this tree to that tree, this body to that body. So Krsna is also flying, but He's not affected. That is explained in the Upanisad, that the one individual soul bird, he is eating the forbidden fruit of the tree and enjoying or suffering the result. But the other bird, he's simply witnessing. Witnessing. Upadrasta anumanta. That is described. Upadrasta means witness. Upa means... You cannot avoid the vigilence of Krsna. You cannot do anything concealed. Everything is known to Krsna. Therefore He is called upadrasta.

And He knows that he'll suffer. Therefore sometimes conscience beats. We sometimes inquire from our conscience. Conscience says, "No, don't do this." But still we do it. Still we do... That is our avidya. Because we do not know, in ignorance, in spite of the Supreme Soul, Supersoul is forbidding, "Don't do this," still, we shall do it. That is called anumanta. We cannot do anything without the sanction of the Supersoul, but when we insist that "I must do it," then He says, "All right, you do it, but you'll suffer your sequence. My word is, Supersoul order is, that ‘You give up all this nonsense. Simply surrender unto Me. I will give you all protection.' " But no, that he'll not do.

Therefore Krsna says, tat ksetram yac ca yadrk. Yadrk means "as it is." We have got different ksetram. I have got this body; you have got another body. No two bodies you'll find equal in every respect. You'll find two bodies... We have got two hands, two legs, two eyes. These are all right, but your eyes are different from my eyes, your arms are different from my arms. This is human society. Then there are other bodies, animal society, bird society, beast society, aquatic society, insect society. There are so many, eight million four hundred thousand species forms of life. They're all living entities. But why they have got different types of bodies? That is explained here. Tat ksetram yac ca yadrk ca.

Why we have got different bodies? And yadrk ca, how it is working? Yadrk ca. Tat ksetram yac ca yadrk ca yad vikari. How it has transformed in different forms? Yad vikari yatas ca yat, and wherefrom it has come to be so? Sa ca yo yat prabhavah. How, under certain influence, we get this body? There are three kinds of influences, you must always know, material influences.

Just like the example is given that there is fire and the sparks are dancing, but some of the sparks fall down, from the fire falls down on the ground. So one spark falls on the water, one spark falls on the dry grass, and one spark falls on the wet grass. These are three conditions. So when we fall down from the spiritual world... As part and parcel we are in the spiritual, our position in the spiritual world. But when we fall down within this material world, we fall down in such way; some is fallen down on the water, some is fallen down on the dry grass, some is fallen on the wet grass.

So dry grass means although he has fallen, he has no material desire. That is sattva-guna. There are men, who... Just like devotees. The devotees are also wandering, moving in Bombay, but they have no such desire to enjoy Bombay. That desire is dried up. They're not walking in the Bombay street for going to the cinema or to the restaurant or to the meathouse or that or that, no. Don't consider they are on the same position like others. There are many persons loitering in the street, but they are different person. They are not in touch with anything of Bombay, material facilities.

Similarly, there are persons who are via media -- half this side, half that side. And there are persons who are fully in Bombay life. Or Bombay... Any city life. We don't speak only Bombay. Suppose we are in London. We are wandering, traveling in many, many nice cities better than Bombay. What is Bombay? Bombay is nothing in comparison to New York or Chicago or Tokyo. Very, very big, big cities.

So as we find there are different classes of men, although all of them are in Bombay or any city, similarly, all the living entities, they are not of the same quality. Some of them are in touch with the material modes of goodness, some of them are in touch with the material modes of passion, and some of them are in touch with the material modes of ignorance. So those who are in ignorance, they are just like fallen in the water. As the fire falls on the water, it extinguishes completely. And the dry grass, if a spark of fire falls, taking advantage of the dry grass, the fire ignites. It becomes again fire.

Similarly, those who are in the modes of goodness, they can easily awaken their Krsna consciousness. Because in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, yesam tv anta-gatam papam. Why people are not coming to this temple? Because the difficulty is some of them are in gross ignorance. Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah [Bg. 7.15]. They cannot come. Those who are simply engaged in sinful activities, they cannot appreciate this Krsna consciousness movement. That is not possible. But it is a chance given to everyone. We are flattering, "Please come here. Please..." This is our business on behalf of Krsna. As Krsna comes personally to teach Bhagavad-gita and ask everyone, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], our business is that.

Therefore Krsna very much appreciates, "Oh, these people are doing on My behalf. I haven't got to go there. They have taken up My business." What we are taking business. We are simply asking people, "Please surrender to Krsna." That's all. Therefore we are very dear. Krsna says, na ca tasman manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah [Bg. 18.69]. Our business is how to become recognized by Krsna.

We don't bother whether one is converted or not in Krsna consciousness. Our duty is to flatter, That's all. "My dear sir, please come here, see Krsna's Deity, offer namaskara, take prasada, and go home." But people are not agreeing. Because why? Now, this business cannot be taken up by persons who are full of sinful activities.

Therefore Krsna says, yesam tv anta-gatam papam. One who has completely finished his sinful activities, yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam. Who can become free from sinful activities? One who is engaged always in pious activities. If you are engaged in pious activities always, where is the chance of committing sinful activities? Therefore the most pious activity is to chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra. If you are engaged always, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, if your mind is always engaged in Krsna consciousness, then there is no accommodation for other things to come to your mind. This is the process of Krsna consciousness. As soon as we forget Krsna, maya is there, immediately captured.

So therefore Krsna says, sa ca yo yat prabhavas ca. That prabhava means according to the modes of material nature. Karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-janma-yonisu. Why one is born in the family of demigod? Why one is born in the family of a hog? Why one is born in the family of a tree or a serpent? There are so many species of life. The only reason is karanam guna-sango 'sya. The living entity, as he associates with the gunas, there are three gunas. Multiply three by three, it becomes nine, and multiply nine by nine, it becomes eighty-one. Therefore there are eighty-four. Eight million four hundred thousand. This is guna.

Just like color painter. There are three colors only: blue, red and yellow. But an artist can multiply the colors into many types of colors simply by mixing, simply by mixing. Similarly, these three qualities -- sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna -- these are the main qualities. Now they are mixed together. Sometimes this portion is greater than the other portion. In this way material nature is the greatest artist. You can see how she has manufactured so many bodies, nice bodies, eight million four hundred thousand.

So this is due to our association with the particular quality. Now, so long you are in the material world you have to associate with some kind of material qualities but if you engage youself in the devotional service of the Lord then immediately you become transcendental to all these qualities. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita.

mam ca (yo) 'vyabhicarena
bhakti-yogena sevate
sa gunan samatityaitan
brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
[Bg. 14.26]

Brahma-bhuyaya. Immediately you are situated on the Brahman platform. How? Mam ca vyabhicarena-bhakti-yogena sevate. One who is fully engaged in devotional service, he's no more under these material qualities. Sa gunan samatityaitan. Bahu-vacana. These three qualities, sama, samyak atitya, samatitya. Sama means transmigrating or transcending. Samatityaita etan gunan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate. Because every living entity is by nature Brahman. Brahman means spirit soul. Krsna is the supreme spirit soul, and we are part and parcel of Krsna. Krsna is Parabrahman, we are Brahman. It is very easy to understand. You don't require to become Brahman, you are already Brahman. Simply you have to be purified from non-Brahman. That is material qualities. Then you become Brahman. Therefore it is said, brahma-bhutah prasannatma. Brahma-bhuta [Bg. 18.54] means...

At the present moment we are now jiva-bhuta. Because we are in this material world, because we have got this material body, our present position is jiva-bhuta. But when we surpass, when we transcend this material concept of life, the bodily concept of life... And that can be done very easily if you engage in the service of Krsna.

Is it very difficult to be engaged in the service of the Lord? Not at all. Not at all. Why? Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto-mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. You are seeing Krsna here, and you can think of this Krsna always. There is no tax and there is no loss. Suppose if you come to the temple and you get the impression of Radha-Krsna so nice and if you keep within you heart... But that can be kept when you love. Just like if you love somebody, you always keep within your heart the form of your lover. Similarly, if you develop love of Krsna, premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38]. If you have actually developed love of Krsna then you'll be able to keep Krsna always within your heart. That Krsna wants. Man-mana: "Always think of Me." Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65].

So to become devotee is not at all difficult. Without doing anything, if you simply follow this instruction of Krsna, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto... Simply you think of Krsna. Here is Krsna. If you come in the temple, you get impression of Krsna. Krsna is not nirakara. Here is Krsna's akara, dvi-bhuja-murali-dhara. Avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritah [Bg. 9.11].

The rascals, they think that "They are worshiping a man. Krsna was historical man." No. That is avajananti mam mudhah. They are rascals. Krsna comes to become visible to you so that you can understand what is Krsna. So five thousand years Krsna advented Himself, and He remained just like a human being. He took part in the battle of Kuruksetra. So... He was dancing, He was playing in Vrndavana so that you may be attracted, you can understand what is Krsna. Therefore Krsna came. But we are so unfortunate. Although Krsna comes Himself to show Himself, show His activities, His power, His opulence, His beauty, His message, still, we miss Krsna. This is our misfortune. Why? Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah, mayayapahrta-jnanah [Bg. 7.15]. Although Krsna is present, Krsna is manifesting Himself, but mayayapahrta jnana, maya is so strong that it is taking away our knowledge of Krsna.

Therefore if you want to get out of these clutches of maya... That is also given by Krsna. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etan taranti te: "Anyone who surrenders unto Me fully, he can get out of the clutches of maya." Then he can be engaged fully in Krsna's service. Then his life becomes successful. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 13.4 -- Bombay, September 27, 1973

"Krishna's Definition of Knowledge" 73/08/11 Paris, Bhagavad-gita 13.3

Devotee: "O scion of Bharata, you should also understand that I am also the knower in all bodies and to understand this body and its owner is called knowledge. That is my opinion."

Prabhupada: So Arjuna inquired from Krsna six things: ksetra, ksetrajna, prakrti, purusa, jnanam, jneyam. What is knowledge and what is the object of knowledge. Jnanam jneyam. Ksetra, field of activities, ksetrajna, the worker on that field, ksetra, ksetrajna, and prakrti, nature, and the purusa. Material nature and purusa means the enjoyer. Six question. Of course Bhagavad-gita is each and every word and letter is full of knowledge. But these six inquiries, if actually can understand the six items, he becomes the perfect knower. That is said by Krsna: yat taj jnanam matam mama. Jnanam means knowledge. So if anyone can understand the six items, then he is in full knowledge.

Yat taj jnanam matam mama. "You have asked me, Arjuna..." And bhagavan uvaca, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead speaking. Not only speaking, He says, just like a gentleman... Whatever He says is perfect but still He says, "This is My opinion." "This is My opinion." Now my opinion you can take or not take, that is up to you. But who can give better opinion than Krsna? That is another knowledge. Why Krsna? Arjuna is asking Krsna. Because in the beginning he has said that "Nobody can make solution of my problem. You are the best." So following the footsteps of Arjuna, if we accept Krsna's words, not blindly but with good logic, good scientific research, if we actually try to understand what Krsna speaks, then all our problems are solved.

Now in the previous verse, sri bhagavan uvaca. Vyasadeva could have said "krsna uvaca," Krsna said. No. He has purposefully said "bhagavan." Krsna, you may not like, but He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan, with six opulences. One of the opulence is full knowledge. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah sriyah jnanam. Krsna is complete in knowledge. Sarvajnam. Janmady asya yatah anvayad itaratas carthesv abhijnah [SB 1.1.1]. God means abhijnah. He knows everything. You cannot hide anything from God. That is abhijnah. Vasudeva. Vasudeva sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah. One who can understand Vasudeva. Sa mahatma sudurlabhah. Such great saintly person is very rare who can understand Krsna.

Now preliminary understanding. Krsna said in the previous verse that, idam sariram kaunteya ksetram ity abhidhiyate [Bg. 13.2]. Idam sariram, this body is called ksetra, field of activities. Idam sariram kaunteya ksetram ity abhidhiyate etad yo vetti: anyone who understands. [Tam] sa prahuh ksetrajnah iti tad-vidah. He is ksetrajnah or the knower of the... Just like we are sitting in this room. It is very easy. Still the rascals, they cannot understand. We are sitting in this room. So the room, the floor is called ksetra, field. It is also field, a small field. And everyone of us, we know that we are sitting on this floor. Nobody will says that "I am the floor." Will any sane man say that "I am the floor"? Nobody will say. It is common sense. So if you try to understand from this simple example, that I am one identity and this field, that is another identity. So I know that I am sitting on this floor.

Similarly this body is one identity and I am another identity. So knowledge means when we can understand that it is "my body," not "I body." Not this nonsense. Nobody says, "I body." Everyone says "my body." This is knowledge. But these rascals, these rascals of modern age, they are saying "I body." "I am this body." What you are? "I am this body." What is your interest? "Now anything which is interested with my body." He's not "I body," still he's interested with everything with this bodily relation. There are thousands of girls, women, but a particular woman with whom I have got my bodily relation, that is my wife. That is mine. And combination, the child comes out, "my child." In this way, "my house," "my property," "my body," "my relative," "my friend," "my brother," "my nation," my, my, my, my. But the rascal does not understand that the beginning of "my" philosophy has begun from this body, which I am not.

This is knowledge. This is called brahma-jnana. If anyone understands the simple thing, that "I am not this body..." But education is given, "No, I am this body." This nationalism, this nationalism also the same mistake, but they are fighting so much. Great, great, big, big men. In this country, Napoleon fought. In Germany, Hitler fought. And so many others, in our country Gandhi fought. But he is in ignorance. All these big big leaders, they are ignorance, andha, blind. Blind. They do not know that he is not this body and neither this land belongs to him. But they fight. The whole history of the world means this mistaken idea. "I" and "mine."

Therefore Krsna says, yat taj jnanam. Ksetra-ksetrajnayor yat taj-jnanam matam mama. Krsna is giving, that one should know what he is and one should know what is his body, then he is in knowledge. The matter cannot understand this. The dogs, cats, cannot understand this. But a human being can understand this. Bhagavad-gita is meant for the human being, not for the cats and dogs. Therefore, the human society should take care of this knowledge. Then his life will be successful.

So it is very simple thing, that ksetra... As I have given the example, that I am sitting on this floor. The floor is different identity from me. No sane man will say that "I am this floor." Or "I am this room." Nobody will say. It is my room, my floor. Similarly this body, we say "my." My finger, my head, my leg. Nobody says that "I leg, I finger, I head." No. This is knowledge. Don't identify yourself with this body. This is knowledge.

This is beginning of spiritual life. The cats and dogs, they cannot understand. The cat cannot understand that he's not body. The dog cannot understand that he is not body. It is the human being who can understand. So if in the human life one does not try to understand this simple knowledge, then he remains like cats or dogs. He's no better than cats and dogs.

This is one point: that I am not this body, I am not this material world. I am a spiritual identity, part and parcel of God. Qualitatively we are one. As God is spirit, so I am also spirit. But His body is very big, gigantic, the universal body, which Krsna showed to Arjuna, the virata-rupa. But my body is not gigantic. It is small. Maybe we call the elephant's body gigantic or similar other animal's body, but still God's body is still more gigantic. You cannot compare. Eleventh chapter of the Bhagavad-gita you'll know how gigantic body has Krsna. So as I have got this body but my spiritual identity is very small, if we study in this way, it is very easy to understand what is God, what I am, what is this world. Just like I am not this body, I am within the body. Dehino 'smin yatha dehe [Bg. 2.13]. I am the proprietor of the body.

But what is my magnitude? Kesagra-sata-bhagasya satadha kalpitasya ca [Cc. Madya 19.140]. You just take the top of the hair and divide it into ten thousand parts. That one part is your identity. So in these material ideas, we cannot understand that such a small particle, smaller than the atom, has got so power. Therefore, because it is so small, these so-called rascal scientists, they cannot find it, where it is; therefore say, "There is no soul." The rascals will not admit their inefficiency to know and still they will say, "no soul." And if there is no soul, then how it is working? They have no even common sense.

Similarly, as I am very small, smaller than the atom, and I am living within this body and my body is working so nicely. My brain is working so nicely. Similarly, Krsna is also, according to our conception, Krsna is person, individual, but He has got a very gigantic body. This is the material world, material expression. That is expressed in the next verse: ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi. I am also ksetrajnam. As you are knower of your body, the bodily pains and pleasure you know, I know. I do not know your bodily pains and pleasures. Neither you know my bodily pains and pleasure. But Krsna says that ksetrajna, ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi: "I am also ksetrajnam," means "I also know the field."

So how He knows? Sarva-ksetresu bharata. Sarva-ksetresu. He is within every body. He knows what is the ant is doing. He knows what Brahma is doing. He knows what you are doing. He knows what I am doing. Vedaham samatitani. Krsna says in another place, "I know everything." Just like, it is very easy to understand. Just like, you know everything -- not everything -- at least eighty percent you know what is going on in your body. You do not know everything.

If I know everything then why should I go to a physician when there is something wrong in my body. I do not know. I am eating, but I do not know how the eatables are being digested within the stomach, and they are being divided into different secretion. The rejected part is becoming stool and urine, and the other parts, they're becoming blood, and the blood is distributed all over the body, through the veins. How the veins are, what do we know? Although I am claiming my body. But I do not know everything, what is going on in my body, in my brain. The brains are made of so fine tissues. What do you know?

But Krsna is not like that. Krsna knows everything in detail. Anvayad itaratas ca arthesv abhijnah. Throughout the whole universe, throughout the whole creation, in any corner, in any place, whatever is going on, Krsna knows. That is the difference between Krsna and myself. I do not know even what is going on within my body. And still I am claiming I am God. How rascal. Just see, imagine. God's one opulence is that is full knowledge. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah sriyah jnanam. This rascal god, so-called god, you ask him, "Can you say what I am feeling now or what are my pains and pleasures?" Can he say? And still he's claiming God. But Krsna says, ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata. "I am in every, every body." I am also within this body and Krsna is also within this body. Krsna... As you are within your body, similarly Krsna is also within your body.

So myself, I am called atma. And Krsna is called Paramatma. Therefore there are two words: Paramatma and atma. Atma is also individual. Paramatma is also individual. But because both of us, we are knower, ksetrajnam [vibha(?)], the living entity is ksetrajnam, he has got knowledge. And Krsna says ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi. "I am also knower." Both of them, we are knower. We have got knowledge. My knowledge may be limited. Krsna's knowledge unlimited, complete. But both of us, we are knower. We can understand. We can know. Therefore, we are called ksetrajna. But the difference is Krsna knows everything all over the creation, I even do not know what is going on in my body. That is the difference.

So how one can become God? Rascal. How one can become God. That is not possible. God knows everything. If one knows everything, then you can accept him as God. Otherwise, don't accept. As soon as somebody says, "I am God," kick him on his face. "Yes, you are God, I am God. I am the kicking God." (laughter) That should be the answer. "I am the shoe-beater God. Now you protect yourself if you are God." Don't accept this false God.

Krsna, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. That is the verdict all... Just like Vyasadeva, the giver of the Vedic knowledge, he says, bhagavan uvaca: God says. So we have to follow that. So ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata. (aside:) Don't do that.

And this perception, ksetra-ksetrajnayor jnanam. If we can understand what is ksetra and what is ksetrajnam. Ksetra means field of activities. There are field of activities in so many ways. Not only of this body; body, mind, intelligence. They are all ksetra. I am living entity, I am working with them. Similarly, I am working outside also. Not within, not outside.

I am running my ca... That is also ksetra. The world is ksetra. The car is ksetra. But the doer, the driver, is ksetrajnam. That knowledge is lacking. A child may think that the airplane, big airplane, 747 is running. No, it is not running automatically. There is a pilot -- ksetrajnam. He knows the machine, how to work on it. Everywhere. You study. There is ksetra and ksetrajnam. So Krsna says ksetra-ksetrajnayor jnanam. One who knows how this ksetra and ksetrajnam is working... Not only in individual body, in gigantic body, in everything.

There are two things: ksetra and ksetrajnam. If one knows this secret of knowledge, that means he is in perfect knowledge. Taj-jnanam. That is jnanam. Not that a big professor says that after the finishing of this body, everything is finished. He's a rascal. He's identifying... Everyone is identifying, just like cats and dogs, with this body. The body is ksetra. Body is not the person. A child in ignorance may say that this fine, nice motor car is running automatically. But it is not running automatically. There is a driver. He does not know it. Similarly, the whole universal activities is going on. Don't think it is going on automatically. No, that is foolish knowledge, that nature is working automatically. No. There is ksetrajnam, Krsna. Sarva-ksetresu bharata. Everywhere Krsna is working.

In another place it is said: mayadhyaksena [Bg. 9.10]. He is not working like foolish man. He is working as the superintendent. Every detail he's taking account, how you are doing. That is said in the Bhagavad-gita: maya-adhyaksena. Krsna says "You do this." Immediately, nature will do that. Krsna says, "You do this." Immediately... Not only nature, we are also doing under Krsna's direction. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, fifteenth chapter: sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto [Bg. 15.15]. "I am sitting in everyone's heart." Here also, the same thing. Sarva ksetresu. Not only I am sitting, but Krsna is also sitting. So Krsna is sanctioning. Krsna is giving permission. Then I am doing. I cannot alone do it.

So Krsna is always ready to give you direction. He's there for direction. But unfortunately we do not obey Him. That is our material disease. If we obey Krsna, if we act according to Krsna, then there is no problem. Because Krsna cannot be mistaken. I am imperfect, I can be mistaken. But Krsna cannot be mistaken. Therefore, if we act according to the direction of Krsna, then our life is successful. And to give you direction, Krsna is sitting within your heart, side by side. As I am sitting, you are sitting within this heart, the soul is within the heart.

Therefore when the soul goes away, these rascals says, "heart failure." Not heart failure, the soul has gone from the heart. Heart is also mechanical thing, but the sitting place of the soul is there. So heart failure means the soul has gone from the heart. Sarvasya caham hrdi -- hrdi means heart. The location also being specified -- here is soul and Supersoul. Find out, if you have got such scientific method. But they cannot find it out. Therefore, the rascals say there is no God, there is no soul, simply this lump of matter, that's all.

So anyone who thinks like that, he's described as go-khara. Go-khara means, go means cows and khara means asses. Those who are identifying with this body as the self... Yasyatma buddhi-kunape tri-dhatuke. Kunape. This body is a bag of bones and flesh with urine and stool and blood and so many other things. But if you are scientist, advanced, then I can supply you immense bones, immense blood, immense urine, immense stool, manufacture one body if you are scientist. I give you ingredients. Immense, any quantity. But you just manufacture one ant. And still you are thinking that "science, science." You cannot do anything.

Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. Everything is done by prakrti under the direction of Krsna. This is the position. So there are so many thing. If you have got little brain, try to understand. Then knowledge is perfect. Even by studying, simply by studying these two or three lines in this thirteenth chapter, you can become a perfect knower. And if you follow Krsna's instruction... He is giving you instruction. He's ready to give you instruction. From inside and outside also. Inside He's sitting. He's ready to give you instructions. Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto [Bg. 15.15]. "I am sitting in everyone's heart."

Mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca: "From Me, one remembers, one forgets." When you forget something, that is also Krsna's trick. Because... Just like there are some persons who are devotees and some persons who are demons. So if anyone wants to become a demons, Krsna is within. He'll give him intelligence in such a way that he becomes a first-class demon. What is the duty of the first-class demon? That he'll never understand Krsna. (laughter) That is first-class demon. And if you want to hear Krsna, then he will give you such instruction as you will be relieved from this miserable condition of material life and go back to home, back to Godhead. He's ready. But He does not speak generally, to the nondevotee. If you become a devotee, pure devotee, without any motive, then Krsna is sitting within your heart. He says: tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam [Bg. 10.10]. "Persons who are twenty-four hours engaged in My service with love and faith," buddhi-yogam dadami tam: "I give him such intelligence by which he can come back to home, back to Godhead." He'll give you. Because He knows. But if you don't like to take His instruction, then He gives instruction to the material nature to get you all right.

And what is the main business of material nature? Just to beat you with shoes. That is nature. Therefore we are suffering in this material world. Because we have taken shelter of the material nature. Sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat. We have taken shelter of this material nature; therefore, we are full of anxieties and full of miserable condition of life. This is the position. So long you'll be under the control of the -- you are under the control. You cannot be independent. You rascal, don't think that ever you shall be independent. Your position is to remain dependent. If you don't depend on Krsna, then you have to depend on the material nature, that's all. You cannot become independent. That is not possible.

So these people, these rascals, they are trying to become independent. They are therefore thinking... One of our student has written, "theomania", "theomania." Therefore, one... Because he cannot become independent artificially he thinks, "Now let me become God, then I'll become..." But artificial thinking God will help you -- no. If you artificially think that, "This bank, this big bank belongs to me." So you can think like that, but does the bank belong to you? So these Mayavadi philosophers are like, They meditate, "I am God, I am God, I am moving the world, I am moving the universe." They say like that. But actually does he do so? No. This is false thinking.

Real thinking is that I am also individual soul. Krsna is also individual, but He is Supersoul, Supreme. I am also person, He is also person, but the Supreme Person. What is the difference between me and Him? I am also person, that's all right, but He is Supreme Person. That is explained in the Vedas, that eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. For providing myself, my body and soul together, I have to, work so much. But Krsna, He is providing millions and trillions of living entities without any endeavor. He is...

In Africa, there are millions of elephants. Krsna is supplying food, yes. There are gorillas, Krsna is supplying food. Why you are anxious for a morsel of bread? Will not supply Krsna? He's perfect, He can supply huge quantity of food to the elephant and a particular type of food to the gorillas. You know? We have read in a book that in Africa where the gorillas live, there are trees. The fruits of that tree, harder than the bullet, It is so hard. And the gorillas take those fruits and chews like peanuts. (laughter) Yes, Krsna has given them. Krsna's living entity. He's also living entity. He has got this body like a gorilla. So Krsna: Eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. He supplies food for everyone. All the, not only food, all the necessities. Every life, the necessity.

What is that necessities? We require food, we require shelter, we require sex, we require defense. Krsna provides. Krsna provides. Even birds and beasts life. In every birds and beast there are so many children, both male and female. With the birth, they are supplied. Because there is no marriage, there is no seeking out but with the birth of a bird and beast there is another male and female. And so far food is concerned, everyone is getting. Shelter is concerned, everyone is getting. So food, shelter, sex, and defense. The defense. The birds and beasts they have got their defensing means. Even a small bird, even a small ant, he has got his defensing measures, six legs. And the birds, they have got their nails. And the tiger has got jaws, or the cats and -- everyone has got defensive. You may have atom bomb, but it is defense. It is not intelligence.

Four things are already supplied you require to keep your body fit. That is supplied by God, by Krsna. He has given everyone. So why you are bothering? You are human being, you have got so much nice brain, civilized. Why you are so much busy for these four things? If God has supplied these four things to the animals, beasts, birds, is He very miserly that He'll not supply to the human being? No. There is food, You have got your particular type of teeth for eating fruits, flowers, grains. You haven't got canine teeth. Why you should eat meat? This is not your food.

So in this way we have to acquire knowledge. Not like blind men. But unfortunately we prefer to become a servant of a blind leader instead of Krsna. This is our disease. We shall serve. I asked this question to Professor Kotovsky, that "Your communist philosophy and our Krsna consciousness, where is the difference? You have selected your leader and you have sold yourself to the orders of Lenin. And we have also bowed down to Krsna and we have sold ourselves to Krsna. So on principle, where is the difference?" There is no difference. You have to select one leader. We have also selected one. Now if the leader is perfect, then my life is perfect. If the leader is wrong, then your life is wrong. So he could not answer this.

The principle is there. You have to select one leader and you have to act by his order. That is, that is our nature. Because Caitanya Mahaprabhu says: jivera svarupa haya nitya-krsna-dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. Every living entity is eternal servant of Krsna. When he forgets Krsna he becomes servant of maya. That is our position. We have to serve. Therefore self-realization means to understand oneself that "I am dependent on Krsna. I am eternal servant of Krsna, let me engage myself to the service of the Lord." That is perfection of knowledge. Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 13.3 -- Paris, August 11, 1973

"Controllers Junior And Senior" 76/07/25 London, Bhagavad-gita 13.3

Prabhupada:
ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi
sarva-ksetresu bharata
ksetra-ksetrajnayor jnanam
yat taj jnanam matam mama

Krsna has spoken about the ksetrajna. Ksetrajna means the knower of the body, as He has already explained, that "I know that this is my finger." I never say, "I finger." So this body is ksetrajna, the field of activities, and the soul is the proprietor or worker within the body. That is called ksetrajna. This is already explained. He tried to explain... Because there are many ladies, so he tried to explain in Hindi. So here in the next verse Krsna says, ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi: "I am also ksetrajna. I am also one of the knower of the body." So what is the difference between the one ksetrajna already explained, the soul, and this ksetrajna, Krsna? What is the difference between the two? That is explained here. Krsna says that "I am also ksetrajna."Ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata: "But the distinction is that the individual soul is situated in that particular body, but I am situated in every body, all-pervading." Sometimes they commit mistake that atma and Paramatma, they are the same, but that is not the fact. Here Krsna explains very distinctly that "I am also atma, but I am Paramatma." That is the distinction between God and ourselves. When Arjuna understood Bhagavad-gita, he addressed Krsna, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. Param brahma. They are anxious to realize Brahman, that I... aham brahmasmi. Aham brahmasmi does not mean that "I am Param Brahman." "I am individual part and parcel of Brahman." Similarly, atma, Paramatma; isvara, Paramesvara. We should understand this distinction between atma, Paramatma: Brahman, Parabrahman; isvara, Paramesvara. So in the Vedic literature it is said, isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1]. Isvara. Isvara means controller. Every one of us, we are controller, either I control over my family or in my office or in my country. In this way everyone is a controller. I may be a controller. Not may be. In my limited jurisdiction I am also controller. You are also controller. So I may be a little greater controller, you may be a smaller controller and somebody may be greater than me. So in this way, if you study controllers, different types of controllers, you'll find there is junior and senior. The same person is senior controller in the family, but in the office he's a junior controller. The same person is junior and senior at the same time. Somewhere he is junior, somewhere he is senior. In this way, if you study all different types of controller, you'll see there is duality of controls, but when you approach somebody that He's simply controller -- He's not controlled by others -- that is Krsna. This is analytical study of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So they have studied all these Vedic scholars, especially Lord Brahma. This is the statement of Lord Brahma. Not only Lord Brahma, Vyasadeva, Narada and recently big, big acaryas, Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Nimbarka, Visnusvami, even Sankaracarya and latest, five hundred years ago, Lord Caitanya -- everyone has accepted Krsna as the supreme controller. And in the dictionary you'll find... What is religion? Religion means to accept a supreme controller. That is religion. So in the Srimad-Bhagavatam also it is said, dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19]. Dharma means the controlling laws given by God. That is called dharma. So real dharma... From all Vedic scriptures, from the version of all authorities, it is confirmed that isvarah paramah krsnah [Bs. 5.1]: "Krsna is the supreme controller. Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." So this Krsna consciousness movement means that we are presenting Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Every religion has conception of God, but no religious system in this world has got any clear conception of God. But in this Krsna consciousness movement it is not actually a so-called religious movement, but it is an educational movement to give information to the human society about God, that "Here is God." You are searching after God, and somebody, in disappointment saying that "God is dead." God is neither dead, nor it is fictitious, but it is factual, and here is this God, Krsna. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. This is the verdict of the Vedic literature. There may be many other gods. They are expansions of the original Personality of Godhead. If anyone is interested to study the science of God, you'll find it in the Vedic literature, how Krsna expands by His plenary portion in different names of God. It is confirmed in the Brahma-samhita, advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs 5.33]. That Absolute Truth is advaita, without any duality; acyuta, infallible. Advaita, acyuta, anadi. Everything has got it's beginning, anything you... That is our material conception because we have got the experience -- anything we take, it has got a beginning. But Krsna, He is described, advaita, acyuta, anadi: "He has no beginning." And in another place it is also said,

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

Karanam is the beginning. So just like my father is the cause of my personality; father, his father is the cause of his personality. In this way you try to find out the cause of the cause. You'll find Krsna as the cause of all causes. Sarva-karana-karanam [Bs. 5.1]. Everything must be caused by something. Cause and effect. So the sastra gives the verdict that Krsna is the cause of all causes.

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

So this institution, Krsna consciousness movement, we have started. Now we have opened this center. I am very glad that you are coming here, but study the science of Krsna. Don't remain blind. The science of Krsna means science of God. The human life is meant for understanding the science of God. Athato brahma jijnasa. This is the Vedanta-sutra. "This human form of life is meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth -- Brahman." That Brahman, Parabrahman, is Krsna. Therefore, when Arjuna studied Bhagavad-gita, his conclusion was... He addressed immediately, "Krsna," param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. Bhavan. "Yourself..." So don't waste your time even by a minute. Try to understand the science of Krsna. That is the only business. Other business, they are subsidiary. They are not very important business. Why Krsna understanding is important business? Because it will give you liberation from this material condition life. We are foolishly thinking we are very independent, we can do whatever we like, but that is not the fact. The fact is we are completely dependent on the laws of material nature. Even if you defy a little bit, immediately you'll be punished. That is the strict laws of nature. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya [Bg. 7.14]. So we do not understand. There is no education throughout the whole world how we are being controlled by the material nature and why we are being controlled. Why we are put into this position of being controlled? These questions should be raised. That is human life. Otherwise it is animal life. The cats and dogs, they cannot inquire, "Why I am being controlled?" But they agree to be controlled. But human life there is struggle. They are called struggle for existence. They are trying to overcome the control of material nature by so-called scientific method, but that is not the way. You cannot do that. Daivi hy esa gunamayi mama maya duratyaya. Just like their so-called scientific way. They are trying to go to the moon planet or Mars planet. Why they are trying to go? Because they are controlled. They have got their flying machine. They can to go any planet, but they cannot because they are being controlled. So we should come to our senses that we cannot bring the laws of material nature under our control. We are already under the control of the laws of material nature, and that is our conditional life. Actually, we require freedom from conditional life, but that freedom can be achieved when we surrender to Krsna.

daivi hy esa gunamayi
mama maya duratyaya
mam eva ye prapadyante
mayam etam taranti te
[Bg. 7.14]

If you actually want to be not to be controlled by the laws of material nature, that you can do. That is possible. And that is possible simply by understanding Krsna. So we are presenting this philosophy of Krsna consciousness. It is not a manufactured thing. We are quoting from Bhagavad-gita the same thing. We are not presenting something manufactured. There is no need, because things in perfection is already there in the Bhagavad-gita. There is no need of manufacturing by fools and rascals. There is no need. Everything is there in perfection. Simply we have to accept it and apply it in practical life. Then our life will be successful. Simply we have to understand it. Krsna says that janma karma ca me divyam yo janati tattvatah [Bg. 4.9]. Simply to understand Krsna as He is... Then janati tattvatah, anyone who is able to understand Krsna in truth, then what is the result? The result is tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti kaunteya: [Bg. 4.9] "Such person, after giving up this body, he does not accept another material body." At the present moment we are giving up one material body and accepting another material body. Tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati [Bg. 2.13]. This is our conditional life, but we are kept in such dense darkness of knowledge that we are thinking that "We are free. We can do whatever we like." This is very dangerous civilization -- no knowledge of the spiritual life, no knowledge how the soul is transmigrating from one body to another, no knowledge what is the future, no knowledge what is the goal of life. Simply like cats and dogs, you dance, eat, drink, be merry and die, that's all. This is not good life. You must be very serious, especially those who are Indians. They should take it very seriously. Because this Krsna culture, Bhagavad-gita, was spoken in the Battlefield of Kuruksetra in India, and we Indians, we do not take full advantage of this great transcendental knowledge, then you are committing suicide. So my request is, all the Indians who are here in this foreign country, keep your own original culture. Don't forget. Don't be bewildered. Be in your position. Try to under... It is very easy. Bhagavad-gita is not at all difficult to understand, and we have tried to explain as easy as possible, not that we have deviated from the original verse, just like others do it. We do not do that; there is no need. That is another blunder. We keep Bhagavad-gita as it is, and we still try to explain it. So I am very glad that you are all coming regularly, but take it. At least one day, this Sunday, you devote, seriously studying Bhagavad-gita, and discuss amongst you whenever there is any doubt. There cannot be any doubt. The Bhagavad-gita verses are so plainly explained, and... Just like here is one verse. We are trying to read. Ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata: "My dear Arjuna..." Arjuna is addressed as Bharata. Because he belongs to the dynasty of Bharata, sometimes he's addressed as Bharata. So, very easy, that "I am also one of the souls. There are two souls. One, you are, and another, I am. So what is the difference between you and me?" That you know simply everything, not everything, but to some extent, about your body, but I know everything of everyone's body. That is the difference. I know the pleasure and pains of my body, you know the pleasure and pains of your body, but Krsna knows the pleasure and pains of your body and pleasure and pains of my body. That is the difference between Krsna and ourself. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. Krsna is situated... Krsna is not stereotyped in one place. Krsna, He is in Goloka Vrndavana. Goloka eva nivasaty akhilatma-bhutah [Bs. 5.37]. That is Krsna. I am sitting here; you are sitting here. I am not in my apartment, but Krsna, although He is sitting in this temple, He is present everywhere. Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham. In this way we have to study Krsna very scientifically, and the books are there, and we have tried to explain as far as possible. Take advantage of this institution. Don't waste a moment of your life. Take it very seriously. Ayusah ksana eko 'pi na labhyah svarna-kotibhih. Take seriousness... Especially those who are educated, they should take serious consideration of this Krsna consciousness movement. Try to understand each and every verse of Bhagavad-gita, especially, and, if possible, Bhagavatam. There are so many books. We have got program to publish at least eighty-four books like this, four hundred pages each. So we have already published fifty-four books. So if you want to understand Krsna through science and philosophy, read these books. Otherwise -- very easy method -- come here; chant Hare Krsna. That's all. There is no difficulty. Thank you very much. (end)

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Conversation at House of Ksirodakasayi dasa July 25, 1976,London