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Jnanavan means

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Jñānavān means intelligent, wise.
Lecture on BG 2.2 -- London, August 3, 1973:

So how many people do understand this intelligence? And where is the teaching? Therefore one who is not devotee, he has no good qualifications. If he's still under the distresses of this material world, that is not very intelligent question. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnām janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). Jñānavān means intelligent, wise. What does he do? Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān maṁ prapadyate. He surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. This is intelligence. This is wisdom. So here also, the same thing. Kṛṣṇa has already expressed that "You must fight." But he is showing himself as very good man, nonviolent: "I shall not kill. I shall not do this. I shall not do this." So immediately Kṛṣṇa very strongly criticizing him that "You are talking just like anārya, not civilized man." Kṛṣṇa, still He has not used very strong words. He has simply mildly rebuked his doing to Arjuna that "You are not talking just like a intelligent man or advanced in civilization. You are talking like uncivilized man." Anārya-juṣṭam.

Jñānavān means the first-class intelligent wise. Māṁ prapadyate. He understands what is Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on BG 2.30 -- London, August 31, 1973:

So one who does not know Kṛṣṇa, rascals, they accuse Kṛṣṇa as immoral of woman-hunter, like that. And they take pleasure in this. Therefore, they paint pictures of Kṛṣṇa, His affairs with the gopīs. But they do not paint picture how He is killing Kaṁsa, how He is killing the demons. They do not like this. This is sahajiyā. They, for their debauchery, for their business of debauchery, they like to be supported by Kṛṣṇa. "Kṛṣṇa has done this." "Kṛṣṇa has become immoral. So therefore we are also immoral. We are great devotee of Kṛṣṇa, because we are immoral." This is going on. Therefore, to understand Kṛṣṇa, it requires a little better intelligence. Better intelligence. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). Jñānavān means the first-class intelligent wise. Māṁ prapadyate. He understands what is Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. Such kind of intelligent mahātmā... You can find out rascal mahātmā, simply by changing dress, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, declaring himself as God or Kṛṣṇa. Kick on their face. Kṛṣṇa is different from all these rascals. But if you understand Kṛṣṇa, if you are so fortunate—ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). Only the most fortunate persons can understand Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa. Ei rūpe.

Jñānavān means those who are in knowledge—not fools—those who are in actually in knowledge, jñānavān.
Lecture on BG 7.18 -- New York, October 12, 1966:

So out of those inquisitive and philosophers, if they continue this research work, what God is, then there will be a time, after many, many births, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19), not immediately, but after many, many births. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān. Jñānavān means those who are in knowledge—not fools—those who are in actually in knowledge, jñānavān. Jñāna means knowledge, and vān means one has got knowledge. So he's called jñānavān. Jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. He, by..., by the end of his research work, he finds that Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the destination. He is the root of everything. And when he understands fully by his philosophical research, then what does he do?

Jñānavān means wise. Not fools and rascals.
Lecture on BG 13.13 -- Bombay, October 6, 1973:

So Kṛṣṇa said that dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge. Then what is that dharma? He did not come here to reestablish Hinduism or Muslimism or Christianism. No. He came to give you real dharma. What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That is dharma, to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa: "Kṛṣṇa, I am eternally Your servant. I forgot You. Now I come to my senses. I surrender unto You." This is dharma. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). This sense, real sense, comes when after struggling, struggling for many, many births, one becomes wise. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān. Jñānavān means wise. Not fools and rascals. Jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: "He surrenders unto Me." So anyone who is surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, taking to Kṛṣṇa or devotional service fully, he is the most intelligent man. He's not cats and dogs or rascals. Because Kṛṣṇa says, jñānavān. This is real knowledge. That will be explained.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Jñānavān means one who has actually knowledge.
Lecture on SB 1.10.20 -- London, May 24, 1973:

Anyway, human life is meant for knowledge. That's a fact. Therefore athāto brahma jijñāsā. And what knowledge? Knowledge does not mean how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex life, and how to defend. That is not knowledge. These things are there in the animals. The animals also know very well how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex life and how to defend. No. That is not... Human life is meant for different business, and that is brahma-jijñāsā. So brahma-jijñāsā, if one begins the life of brahma-jijñāsā, brahma-jñāna, and when it ends in understanding Kṛṣṇa, that is perfection of life. That is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). The, the one who is actually jñānavān, in knowledge, such person... Not so-called. There are two classes of men. One class of men is called jñānavān, and another class of men is called māyayā apahṛta-jñāna. All these words you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā. This is not my manufacture. So māyayā apahṛta-jñāna means he's rascal number one, but he's thinking that he's vastly learned. He has advanced his knowledge so much. Simply he is puffed up falsely. That is called māyayā apahṛta-jñāna. Or jñānavān means one who has actually knowledge. So what is the difference between the two, one how has got actually the knowledge, and one who's simply falsely puffed up that he has got knowledge? What is the...? How you'll find difference, that here is a man who has got real knowledge, and here is a man, rascal, but he's very much puffed up?

Jñānavān means one who is siddha, one who has understood himself. That siddhi means to understand oneself that "I am not this body." That is siddhi.
Lecture on SB 3.25.29 -- Bombay, November 29, 1974:

So in this Kali-yuga nobody is interested even. We are spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, very few people are interested to know about Kṛṣṇa or the Supreme Being. So that is not human life. Human life means when we inquire about the Absolute Truth. That is human life. So there are so many societies, so many religious institutions. But nobody is interested to know Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Being. Kṛṣṇa means the Supreme Being, all-attractive. No educational system, no university. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3), that is siddhi of... Siddhi means perfection of life, to understand God. Because in the human life if one tries he can understand God, he can understand himself, he can understand what is his relationship with God, he can understand how to act in that relationship and thus make his life perfect. That is human life. So manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye. Siddhi. Siddhi means self-realization. And yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). And even though one is siddha, or self-realized, he also does not understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Even one is siddha. That siddha has still to be progressed. Then he will come to jñānavān. Jñānavān means one who is siddha, one who has understood himself. That siddhi means to understand oneself that "I am not this body." That is siddhi.

Jñānavān means perfect knowledge.
Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Boston, April 28, 1969:

So mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha (BG 9.13), those who have become great, the great souls, they are not under this material nature. They are in the spiritual nature. To become mahātmā means one should be under spiritual nature. After many, many births, when he has attained perfect knowledge, that is the sign of mahātmā. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). And what is the test that he has attained purified knowledge and purified body? The test is bhajanti, uh, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). No. Bahūnāṁ janmanām a..., after many, many births, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). Who? One who has attained perfect knowledge. Jñānavān means perfect knowledge. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: "He surrenders unto Me." That is the ultimate standard of knowledge, when one has fully surrendered unto Kṛṣṇa, or God. That means he has attained perfection. You have got very good instance like Lord Jesus Christ. He was fully surrendered unto God. Therefore he is so much worshiped. He is great. God is great. He is also great because he has fully surrendered.

Jñānavān means "I am not this body; I am not matter; I am spirit soul." That is jñāna.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Madras, January 2, 1976:

Therefore Bhagavān says that bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). He is a jñānavān that... Jñānavān means "I am not this body; I am not matter; I am spirit soul." That is jñāna. Jñāna means there must be vairāgya, detestfulness, that "I have nothing to do with this material world." Jñāna-vairāgya. If there is real jñāna, then there will be vairāgya. Because we are suffering on account of an attachment to this material world, so jñāna means that "I have nothing to do with this material world because I am not this material body." Everyone is engaged in this bodily engagement, so-called, so many isms, all the activities of the world, because on account of this bodily conception of life. So when one becomes freed from the bodily conception of life he comes to the understanding of Brahman identification, and that is the beginning of mukti. That is not mukti.

Festival Lectures

Jnanavān means who has attained, who has possessed, who is in possession of highest wisdom. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Six Gosvamis Lecture, Sri Sri Sad-govamy-astaka -- Los Angeles, November 18, 1968:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest goal of life. We should always remember. And Bhagavad-gītā says bahūnāṁ janmanaṁ ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). After many, many births of evolution, one after another, one after another, one after another—that evolution is going, every moment—so when one is perfectly wise, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān. Jñānavān means perfectly wise. Jñāna means knowledge, and vān means one who has. The Sanskrit word vān... Just like bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence, and vān means one who has. So Bhagavān means one who has got six kinds of opulences in full. Every Sanskrit word has got its root meaning. It is not... Just like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has got His root meaning. Kṛṣṇa, "the greatest." Kṛṣ, and ṇa means negation. There are different meanings, but this is one of the meanings. Another Kṛṣṇa meaning is "all-attractive." So God is great. That very idea is perfectly expressed in the word Kṛṣṇa. So bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). Jnanavān means who has attained, who has possessed, who is in possession of highest wisdom. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate.

General Lectures

Jñānavān means wise man.
Lecture -- Los Angeles, November 13, 1968:

When he has come to the senses, that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa," then he surrenders. This process, the chanting process, will purify our heart, our burning heart, and one will come to the understanding that "I am eternal servitor of the Supreme, Kṛṣṇa." Then, as soon as he comes to this understanding, as it is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19), "After many, many births when one person becomes actually wise, a man of wisdom, jñānavān'—jñānavān means wise man—then what does he do? "He surrenders unto Me," Kṛṣṇa says. Why? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). "Because Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is everything." Sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ: "That kind of great soul is very rare." That is stated in... But Caitanya Mahāprabhu has made easy to become such kind of great soul simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, at the end he says, hā hā prabhu nanda-suta, vṛṣabhānu-sutā-juta. Again the sutā, the son, son of Nanda, and Rādhārāṇī, the daughter of Vṛṣabhānu, They are standing. Kṛṣṇa... Vaiṣṇava, they do not worship Kṛṣṇa alone without Rādhārāṇī. They do not worship Rāma without Sītā. They do not worship Nārāyaṇa without Lakṣmī, because the Lord and the energy must be there. We don't say..., we don't believe that God is without any energy. No. "Hare Kṛṣṇa." First the energy is addressed, Harā, Hare, then Kṛṣṇa. So here also, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura prays, "My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, You are now present before me with Your internal potency, Your pleasure potency, Rādhārāṇī. So I am surrendering unto You." Hā hā prabhu nanda-sutā. "Don't neglect me because I am so sinful, my past life is so black. Don't neglect me. Please accept me. Don't kick me away. I surrender unto You." This is the purport of this song.

Jñānavān means very intelligent, wise man.
Conway Hall Lecture -- London, September 15, 1969:

Dhīra, those who are sober, intelligent, they are not bewildered when a living entity changes his body. So change of body is going on in every moment, in every second, imperceptibly. Medical science also accepts that in every second we are changing our blood corpuscles. That is a fact. We are changing body every moment. And the final change is called death. But actually, there is no death. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). You accept another body. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19), "After many, many births," bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān, "when a man or a living entity becomes actually wise and intelligent..." Not fools. Fools cannot understand. One has to become very intelligent. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān. Jñānavān means very intelligent, wise man. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate. Kṛṣṇa says that "After many, many births of struggle, or attempt for acquiring knowledge, when one comes to the summit point of understanding, he understands that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19), the origin of everything is Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa." Vāsudeva. Origin of everything is Kṛṣṇa.

Jñānavan means who has actually acquired knowledge. Jñānavān. Jñāna means knowledge, and vān means one who possesses.
Lecture to International Student Society -- Boston, December 28, 1969:

In the Bhāgavata there is a verse. It is said there, labdhvā su-durlabham idam. Idam. Idam means "this." This body, labdhvā, you have got it. Labdhvā su-durlabham idam. Su-durlabham means it is very rare. This is not very cheap. The body of cats and dogs or animals, they are cheap, but this is not very cheap. Su-durlabhaḥ. Bahūnāṁ janman... Labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambha-vānte. After many, many births, at least, 8,000,000 births of different species of life, we get this human form of life. It is stated in the Bhāgavata, and similarly, all Vedic literatures, they corroborate one another. It is... The person who can understand, he doesn't find any contradiction. The same statement is there in the Bhagavad-gītā: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). So this human form of life is obtained after many, many births of lower animal or other than human form of life. But even in this human form of life also, if one is cultivating that knowledge to find out the central point, what is the central point, then that also requires he gets many, many births in human form of life also. But he has to find out that central point. That central point is there, Kṛṣṇa is saying, that bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). Jñānavan means who has actually acquired knowledge. Jñānavān. Jñāna means knowledge, and vān means one who possesses. One who possesses actual knowledge, after... We are cultivating knowledge. If we are actually cultivating knowledge, spiritual knowledge, not in one life but many many lives, then when we actually become on the highest platform of knowledge, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān, then Kṛṣṇa says, mam prapadyate: "He comes and surrenders unto Me, Kṛṣṇa," or God. When I speak "Kṛṣṇa," "Kṛṣṇa" means the Supreme Lord, the all-attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead. So bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Surrenders. Why? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. This word mahātmā is there, because after cultivating knowledge many, many births, he has expanded himself to be very great. God is great, and His devotee who expands up to the point of God, he is also called great. His ātmā is also great. Mahātmā. But He says, sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. That sort of mahātmā, or great soul, is very rare to be seen. Su-durlabhaḥ.

Real Vedāntist is here: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante. Jñānavān means one who has actually knowledge. Jñānavān. So real knowledge is to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). This is knowledge.
Lecture -- Vrndavana, March 14, 1974:

So why this love is not invoked or awakened in us? Because we are covered by this material energy, and we have become conditioned by the material energy. Therefore, to purify ourself we require certain process. That process is called varṇāśrama. Varṇāśrama. Varṇa means four divisions of the society: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. And this varṇāśrama is created by Kṛṣṇa so that one day one may become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. The whole project is, Vedic project is, Vedic civilization... Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). Vedic civilization means that to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is Vedic civilization. Vedānta-vid vedānta-kṛd cāham. So the Vedantist means to understand Kṛṣṇa. Veda means knowledge, and anta means the last. That Kṛṣṇa explains, Vedānta explains. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). This is Vedānta. One who understands Kṛṣṇa, he is Vedāntist. Not the Pukkar(?). No. The so-called Vedāntists, they want to get out of Kṛṣṇa. They'll never accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme. That is not Vedāntist. Real Vedāntist is here: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante. Jñānavān means one who has actually knowledge. Jñānavān. So real knowledge is to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). This is knowledge.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Jñānavān means Vedāntist.
Room Conversation -- April 11, 1969, New York:

What is the purpose of Vedas? To understand Kṛṣṇa. One who does not understand Kṛṣṇa, his Vedānta philosophy is nonsense. However you may advertise that "I am Vedāntist," is a pakka nonsense. Because he has not attained the perfection of Vedic knowledge. The perfection of Vedic knowledge is to know Kṛṣṇa, and that is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). After many, many births. Jñānavān. Jñānavān means Vedāntist. Not... They have made it, that Vedāntist... Vedāntist, Vaiṣṇavas, they are also Vedāntist, but it has become a common sense, a common affair that the impersonalists, they are called Vedāntists. Because, due to Śaṅkarācārya's propaganda, they have made their position as Vedāntists. But common men, they do not know that the Vaiṣṇavas are the best Vedāntists. We shall discuss Vedānta here also.

Jñānavān means has attained wisdom.
Room Conversation With John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and George Harrison -- September 11, 1969, London, At Tittenhurst:

Prabhupāda: So first of all we have to seriously study. Therefore I'm asking that to become serious student, what is the difference between Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān? Paramātmā is localized aspect of the Absolute Personality of Godhead. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). And Brahman is the effulgence of the Absolute. And Parambrahma, or Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is Kṛṣṇa. So if you have full Kṛṣṇa knowledge, then you have got Brahman knowledge and Paramātmā knowledge. But if you have got simply Brahman knowledge or Paramātmā knowledge, you have no Kṛṣṇa knowledge. The same example can be... If you are in the sunshine, then you do not know what is sun globe and the predominating deity in the sun. But if you are by the side of the sun deity, you know what is sun globe and what is sunshine. Therefore impartially it is recommended that one should know the science of the Absolute Truth, or Kṛṣṇa. That will include all other knowledge. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). This is also a verse from Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, "After many, many births' cultivation of knowledge, when one is actually wise, jñānavān..." Jñānavān means has attained wisdom. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: (BG 7.19) "He surrenders unto Me." Why? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti: (BG 7.19) "He understands, 'Oh, Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa is everything.' " Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ: "Such great soul is very rare."

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

So jñānavān means the first-class intelligent class.
Room Conversation with Dr. Karan Singh, -- November 25, 1971, Delhi:

Dr. Singh: Everybody has a brain, all classes.

Prabhupāda: Therefore, the intelligent class means the brain of the society. They must work. Otherwise, how others will work? Working is compulsory for everyone.

Dr. Singh: They can fight also.

Prabhupāda: But just like the brain says that "Here is an enemy," so hand immediately strikes. Brain gives direction that "Here is an enemy coming," and he strikes with his hand. This is kṣatriya. And the belly supplies food, vaiśya. And the legs, śūdra, carries. So there must be systematic division of the work. Everyone should work. The brain will work, the hand will work, the belly will work, the leg will work, but the direction should be from the brain. Therefore, first of all duty is there must be an intelligent class of men directing. Then the other direction will follow. If the duty of the intelligent class of men is taken by the foolish rascals, then how this work will go on? That is first reformation, that we should pick up the intelligent class of men of the world and they will direct. And next the administrator class. And next the productive class. So intelligent class means one who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is intelligent, actual. Just like in Bhagavad-gītā it is said, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Is it not? So jñānavān means the first-class intelligent class. So after many, many births, when one becomes actually wise, what is the symptom? Māṁ prapadyate, he immediately surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. Vasudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). That is the highest perfection of intelligence, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Then he will give direction to the administration. The basic principle is that without being Kṛṣṇa conscious, you cannot work properly. (Sanskrit) Because we neglected Kṛṣṇa, therefore brāhmaṇa, kṣatriyas, they have fallen down. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, everyone. (Sanskrit)

Page Title:Jnanavan means
Compiler:Rishab
Created:10 of Feb, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=13, Con=3, Let=0
No. of Quotes:16