This relationship is already established, because I am eternal, God is eternal, therefore my relationship with God is also eternal. That relationship is there. Now, due to my covering of this material body or influence of material energy, I have forgotten. This is my position. In the conditioned state, in this material condition of life, our position is that I..., we have forgotten our relationship with God. But therefore you are trying to establish so many relationships with this material world. I am trying to find some relationship with particular type of society, particular type of community, particular type of nation, particular type of family or individuals. So many ways, I am searching where is my relationship, because I have lost my relationship with God. Therefore I have to reestablish, I have to revive my old relationship with Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Material condition (Lectures, BG)
Expressions researched:
"material condition"
|"material conditional"
|"material conditioned"
|"material conditioning"
|"material conditions"
|"materially conditioned"
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Prabhupāda: Rādhārāṇī is daivī-māyā. Just like we are, in our material conditional life, we are under the material energy. Similarly, in our liberated state we have to become under the spiritual energy. That spiritual energy is Rādhārāṇī. We are acting at the present moment under material energy, because our body is made of material energy. So when you are liberated you will develop your body of spiritual energy. That spiritual energy is Rādhārāṇī. So you have to become under some..., under the control of some energy. You are also energy; you are marginal energy. Marginal energy means you may be under the control of the spiritual energy or you may be under the control of material energy—your marginal position. But when you are under the control of the material energy, that is your precarious condition, struggle for existence. And when you are under spiritual energy, that is your life of freedom. Rādhārāṇī is spiritual energy, and Durgā, or Kālī, is material energy. So those who are materialist, they worship Drgā, Kālī, the material, different forms of material energy. And, so in both the cases... There is a word in Sanskrit, it is called śakta, śakta. Śakta, the word comes from śakti. Śakti means energy.
Suppose you are American. If somebody says, "Would you like to become a dog next life?", would you like? Anybody would like? What do you think? (laughter) But according to his work, he will be forced to accept. There is no saying, "No, no. I don't like this sort of life." No. He will be forced. That is material energy. Forced, just like criminal law. "Oh, you have to go to the prison." "I don't want." You will be forced. "I don't want." He will be arrested, immediately. There is sufficient power. There is police, thre is military, there is so many things. You cannot say no.
So this is intelligence, that I have to serve. Now in my material condition I am serving so many things, especially my senses. So neither my senses are satisfied nor I am satisfied. So this intelligence is not coming to us. They are going on, carvita-carvaṇānām, chewing the chewed. The senses, same sense gratification in different way. In theatre, in stage, in, at home, at club—everywhere. Simply changing the platform and trying to be happy. How you can be happy? They already distasted. Does it mean that sense satisfaction in an apartment and sense satisfaction in the club is different? It is simply imagination. "Let me go to the club, let me go to the stage, let me go to this Florida beach, and let me go there, let me see the naked dance, let me see that, let me..." That's all.
We are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa.
So when we engage ourself in the service of Kṛṣṇa... The whole Bhagavad-gītā is spoken on this basis. Arjuna was artificially declining to serve Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wanted him to fight, and Arjuna was putting so many reasons, "How he could fight and kill the other side who are his kinsmen, who are nephews, who are brothers, grandfather?" This argument were being put. So that means he refused to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is material condition. He was thinking in his own terms. He wanted to enjoy the family members, the so-called nephews, brothers, that "If they are killed, then what is the use of my, this kingdom?" (break) ...but people thinks that I get kingdom I enjoy myself. That is condition. But a liberated soul will take the kingdom, but it will be used for Kṛṣṇa's service. That is liberated, soul.
In this way we should try to understand, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's name, Kṛṣṇa's fame, Kṛṣṇa's associates, Kṛṣṇa's activities, all divyam, transcendental. They are not material. Therefore it is mentioned here, divyau śaṅkhau pradadhmatuḥ (BG 1.14). Divyau śaṅkhau. The śaṅkha used by Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna, they are not ordinary śaṅkha. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
"I cannot stand here. Let me go back. Take my chariot back. I'll not stay here." Na ca śaknomy avasthātuṁ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ (BG 1.30). "I am becoming bewildered. I am puzzled now."
So this is the position, material world. We are always in problem, puzzle, and when something better is proposed to the materialistic person, that "You take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you'll be happy," he sees nimittāni viparītāni, just opposite. "What this Kṛṣṇa consciousness I shall happy? My family is in trouble or I have got so many problems. What this Kṛṣṇa consciousness will help me?" Nimittāni ca viparītāni. This is material condition of life. Therefore it requires time, little time to understand. That is Bhagavad-gītā. The same Arjuna, he is now finding, nimittāni ca viparītāni. When he will understand Bhagavad-gītā, he will say, "Yes, Kṛṣṇa, what You are saying, it is right. It is right." Because after instructing Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa will ask him, "Now what you want to do?" Because Kṛṣṇa does not force. Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender unto Me." He does not force, that "You must surrender. I am God. You are My part and parcel." No, He'll never say that. Because He has given you little independence, He will not touch it. Otherwise what is the difference between a stone and a living entity? A living entity must have independence, although it is very little, minute. That Kṛṣṇa does not touch. He'll never touch. You'll have to agree, "Yes, Kṛṣṇa, I shall surrender unto You.
One is very expert in jāti-dharma, but if he's not a Vaiṣṇava, if he's not a devotee of Lord Viṣṇu... Vaiṣṇava means visnur yasya devatā one who has accepted... There are many demigods, devatās. So sometimes they are advised that: "If you want this result, then you worship this demigod." Just like it is said that if you want a beautiful wife, so you worship Umā. Umā, the wife of Lord Śiva, she is very beautiful. So similarly, if you want learning then you worship such and such demigod. If you want money, then you worship such and such demigod. These are there, I mean to say orders in the Vedic literature. But if you want to get relief from this material condition of life, then you have to take the shelter of Viṣṇu, Vaiṣṇava. Or the śāstra says even if you have got other desires to fulfill, still you become Vaiṣṇava. That is the last instruction. You don't require to worship other demigods. In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is said kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajanty anya-devatā (BG 7.20). If one is bewildered on account of lusty desires, they go to different demigods for begging some benefit. So they are hṛta-jñāna. Hṛta-jñāna means lost of intelligence. If Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme, so suppose if you want some material happiness, can He not give you? He can give you also. So why should you bother about other demigods? Therefore, it is said kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñāna. If Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, so if I have got some desires, material desires... Actual bhakti means minus all material... Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11). One must be freed from all material desires. But even if you have got some material desire, still you can take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. You don't require to take shelter of other demigods. So that is the last instruction in the Vedic literature.
That is the difference. Therefore he was crying: "So I am put in such a position that I have to fight and I have to kill my brothers, my nephews, my grandfather." He was too much affected. Although it is weakness, but it is not actually weakness. It is compassion. Arjuna was not a coward, neither he was less heroic than the other side. But out of compassion, because he was devotee... Devotees, they are para-duḥkha-duḥkhī. The, the symptom of a devotee is they are unhappy by seeing others unhappy. That is the symptom of devotee. Generally, a person, if he sees somebody happy, he becomes happy. Mātsaratā. That is the world situation. If I see my brother is very happy, he has improved in his material condition, then I become unhappy: "He has advanced so much, and I could not do so." This is material civilization. Envious, gṛhamedhī. Everyone is envious. Either you take person to person or neighbor to neighbor, their sympathy is lip sympathy. Actually, everyone is envious. Businessman to businessman, nation to nation. This is material world. Therefore spiritual advancement means for person who is not envious. Not envious. Paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ vastavya-vastu vedyam (SB 1.1.2). In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said that if you want to know the real truth, vastavya-vastu, the one must become paramo nirmatsaram. Nirmatsara. Matsara, matsara means envious, and nirmatsara, not envious. And parama, first-class nirmatsara.
So cheating type of religious system are kicked out from this book, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, but it is meant for persons who are not envious, paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satām. Vastavya-vastu. One who wants to learn reality, not false reality. This, here, in this material world, everything is false reality. Just like we are trying to find out water in the desert. That is the example, mirage, false... There is no water. But the animal, he sees that there is water, vast water, and he runs after it and dies. So here in this material world also, every one of us, running after the false mirage, that "There is happiness, there is happiness, there is happiness." This is called material condition, and we are envious. This is the position, and therefore Kṛṣṇa begins the Bhagavad-gītā to get out of this ignorance and enviousness, and this is the basic principle of Bhagavad-gītā.
So we shall discuss tomorrow again. Thank you very much.
And the outward compound, there are many flower trees. Not only that, He also expanded Himself into sixteen thousand expansion, personal expansion. And He was living in that way with each and every wife. So it is not very difficult task for God. (devotees offer obeisances) God is said to be situated everywhere. So within our vision, if He is situated in sixteen thousand homes, what is the difficulty for Him?
So here it is said, śrī-bhagavān uvāca. The most powerful authority is speaking. Therefore, whatever He says, it is to be taken as truth. In our this conditional life, just like we are living under material condition, we have got four defects: we commit mistake, we are illusioned, and we want to cheat also, and our senses are imperfect. So knowledge received from a person who is infected with four kinds of deficiencies is not perfect. So when you receive knowledge from a person who is transcendental to all these four kinds of defects, that is perfect knowledge. Modern scientists, they theorize that "It may be like this. It may be like that," but that is not perfect knowledge. So if you speculate with your imperfect senses, what is the value of that knowledge? It may be, I mean to say, partial knowledge, but that is not perfect knowledge. Therefore our process of receiving knowledge is to receive it from the perfect person. And therefore we are receiving knowledge from Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān, the most perfect, and therefore our knowledge is perfect.
Everything is annihilated, destroyed, anything material. So actually we have no experience what is sat. So... But Vedic instruction is sad gama asato mā: "Don't remain in asat, noneternal. Come to the platform of eternity." Sad gama asato mā. So that is our mission of life. The human form of life is distinct from the cats and dogs because if you instruct to the cats and dogs what is sat and what is asat, it is impossible for them to understand. It is not possible. Therefore Vedic instruction is asato mā: "Don't remain cats and dogs in the human form only. You come to the platform of eternity." Asato mā sad gama. So we must try what is eternal. So far in the present condition, as this material condition, we do not know what is actually eternal because our body is not eternal. Therefore the first instruction is that "You are lamenting on the body which is not eternal, but you are eternal. Your business is to understand the eternal." That is called sat. And cit. Cit means knowledge. At the present moment we are all in ignorance. We do not know what is the next step, "Whether I am going to live or to die."
Where is ānanda? Ānanda means blissfulness, joyfulness. There cannot be any joyfulness in this body. There are three kinds of miserable condition of material life: adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. So either these three or one or two is always there. Adhyātmika means miserable condition on account of the body and mind. So wherever we go, the body is there. So even if I am very opulent materially with wealth, we are getting experience that even the most rich, richest man in the society, he is committing suicide. Why? He has got every resources to enjoy. Why he is committing suicide? That means there is also no ānanda, even you possess the material things. So there is no question of sac-cid-ānanda in this material condition of life. If you understand what is spiritual life and if you practice how to come to the spiritual life, spiritual platform, as Kṛṣṇa is, then we can become equal with Kṛṣṇa, sac-cid-ānanda (Bs. 5.1). Otherwise we are in ignorance. This body is not sac-cid-ānanda.
Because conditioned soul cannot give you the truth. I am conditioned soul. I cannot say something which is absolute. So Kṛṣṇa is accepted as the Absolute. So if the Māyāvādī theory is accepted, then Kṛṣṇa's theory has to be rejected. If Kṛṣṇa is rejected, then there is no need of reading Kṛṣṇa's book, Bhagavad-gītā. It is useless, waste of time. If He's a conditioned soul like us... Because we cannot take any instruction from a conditioned soul. So the spiritual master, even if you take that he is conditioned soul, but he does not speak anything from his own side. He speaks from Kṛṣṇa's side. So unless... The Vedic principle is that unless one is not liberated from the material conditions, he cannot give us any perfect knowledge. The conditioned soul, however he may be academically advanced, educated, he cannot give us any perfect knowledge. Only one who is above the condition of these material laws, he can give us the perfect knowledge. Similarly Śaṅkarācārya, he's also impersonalist, but he accepts Kṛṣṇa the supreme authority. Sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇa. "Kṛṣṇa is that Supreme Personality of Godhead." The modern Māyāvādī philosophers, they do not disclose this statement of Śaṅkarācārya. To cheat people.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is very easy to understand. Suppose you are sleeping, and if I vibrate some sound, you can hear and can wake up. No other method will act. Suppose you are sleeping. Then I have to call "Mr. or Mrs. Such-and-such, please get up, get up, get up." You get up. Similarly, at the present moment it is our sleeping stage. Therefore this transcendental vibration will awaken to spiritual consciousness. Just try to understand. When one is asleep, the sound vibration can help him. Similarly, at the present moment, in our material condition of life we are sleeping. This transcendental, spiritual vibration will help you. That is the process.
Man (1): If you follow any one movement, then you automatically close your mind to other things.
Prabhupāda: Your business is how to get success of life. So any method you can accept, but your aim should be one—how to get out of this material entanglement. So here we are presenting one authorized movement, how to get out of this material entanglement. If you have got any other movement or any other idea to get out of this material, that is also accepted. It is not that... But so far we know, this movement is the only movement which can get you out of this entanglement. But if you have got any other alternative movement, we do not grudge. Just like our system is sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). We want to teach people to understand himself and to understand God. That is our method.
Madhudviṣa: He wants to know something about psychic phenomena.
Prabhupāda: Psychic phenomena is the subtle materialism. There are two material conditions: one gross condition, one subtle condition. Gross condition is created by the five elements—earth, water, fire, air, and ether. And the subtle elements are mind, intelligence and ego, false ego. So all these eight elements, they are material. One section is gross, and another section is subtle. So the psychology means the subtle material elements. It is material; it is not spiritual. It is subtle.
Man (6): At rebirth do we all return as a male if the previous existence was a male, or do we change. (laughter)
Madhudviṣa: He is asking when you take birth again do you take birth as the same sex or do you change your sex?
Prabhupāda: No, no. Just like you change your body, you change your shirts, it is not necessary that you will get the same type of shirt. No. That you... Just like if your present shirt, you want to change, and you go to the store and you purchase another shirt and coat, that will depend on your choice and the price you can pay. It is not necessarily that you will get the same type of shirt and coat. Therefore, when we change our body, there is no guarantee that we get the same type of body. A male can get a female body.
Now I am in the station. Actually, it so happened when I came to New York first from India. I was to be dispatched to Butler by the bus station, but I was a new man. I did not know the rules and regulation. Of course, somebody was guiding me. Still, I was very much in disturbed condition, how to get on the bus, how to get the ticket, how... All these. So disturbance of mind is due to our ignorance. (someone enters) Yes. Come in. Yes. So disturbance of mind is due to our ignorance. So here, a very nice word. (aside:) You can come here. All right. Here a very nice word is used: dhīra. Dhīra. Dhīra means undisturbed. Undisturbed. So this we should, we should carefully note, that our mind in the material condition is always disturbed, always disturbed. And this is due to our unfavorable condition. Because we are actually spirit in identity and we have been put into material conditions. We can very well experience. And we have, I got experience, and here is Captain Pandia. He has also experienced. He may be more than experienced than me. When we passed through the sea on the ship, although we are on the sea, quite safe, still, when there is some storm, when there is some disturbance on the ocean, we also become very much disturbed, because that situation is foreign to us. We are not so much disturbed in the land as we are disturbed in the ocean because we know that our position in the ocean is not our natural condition. So we should know that disturbance is due to our unnatural condition. Otherwise, there is no question of disturbance.
Animal is going to the slaughterhouse; trees are being cut out. There is no protest. So this is the condition of material life. Sometimes we are getting better condition of life, sometimes we are getting lower condition of life. There is no guarantee. That will depend on my work. That is practical. In this life also, if you become educated, then your future is very nice. If you are not educated, then your future is not so bright. Similarly, this human form of life, we can make a solution of this repeated birth and death. And that is the only business of human form of life, how to get out of these material conditions of life: birth, death, old age, and disease. We can make solution. And that solution is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As soon as we become Kṛṣṇa conscious... Kṛṣṇa conscious means Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme, He, Lord, God. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Simply to understand that... Just like you understand your father, and your brothers and yourself. You are all sons of the father. So it is not difficult to understand. As father maintains the whole family, similarly, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, or God, He has many innumerable sons, living entities, and He is maintaining the whole body, whole family. What is the difficulty?
So our proposition is that you are servant in any case. Why not become servant of God? That is our proposition. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
So kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśāḥ. We are servant of our senses, kāma-krodha-moha-mātsarya, all these. By, dictated by our lusty desires, we do anything which is abominable. Teṣāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśāḥ. So we are servant, everyone. Therefore, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Our real constitutional position is that we are eternal servant of God, Kṛṣṇa. That is our position. But in this material condition of life, every one of us is trying to become the master. That is the struggle for existence. Everyone is trying: "I shall become the master. I shall become the Supreme." But our position is servant. So this is called illusion. I am not master. I am servant. But I am trying to become master artificially. That is struggle for existence. And mukti means, liberation means, when you give up this wrong idea that "I am master," and try to become the servant of the Supreme. That is called liberation. Liberation does not mean that after liberation we'll have a big, gigantic form or so many hands, so many legs. Liberation means to become liberated from the wrong consciousness. That is liberation.
So Kṛṣṇa wanted to point out that "Your brothers, your grandfather, they'll not die. They'll simply transfer the body. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22). As we change our dress, similarly we change our bodies also like that. There is nothing to be lamented." In another place, Bhagavad-gītā, therefore, it is said, brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20). "One who has understood Brahman," prasannātmā, "he's always joyful. He's not disturbed by these material conditions." That is here stated: yaṁ hi na vyathayanty ete. These different transformation, different changes of nature, body, and everything, one should not be disturbed by all these things. These are external. We are spirit soul. It is external body, or external dress. That is changing. So if we understand nicely, na vyathayanti, and you are not disturbed by these changes, then saḥ amṛtatvāya kalpate, then he's making progress, spiritual progress. That means, spiritual progress means, he's making progress towards eternal life. Spiritual life means eternal, blissful life of knowledge. That is spiritual life.
So here is the recommendation. Try to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. And then you'll not be disturbed with all these external, ephemeral changes of the material world. Not only of this body, practically..., practically one who is advanced in spiritual life, he's not agitated by the so-called political upheavals or social disturbances. No. He knows these are simply external, ephe... Just like in the dream. It is also a dream.
Dvaite, in this dual, the world of duality, here, in this material world, the, "This thing is very good, this thing is very bad," it is simply mental concoction. Everything here is bad. Nothing good. So this is our mental creation only. "This is good, this is bad." We are doing that. Just like in political field. "This party is nice. This party's bad." But any party goes in the power, your condition is the same. The commodities price are increasing. It has no decreasing, either you change this party or that party. So these are all concoctions. If you want really happy, happiness, if you want real goodness, then you try to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That will make you real happy. Otherwise, if you are simply disturbed by this material condition, that is not a very good position.
- nāsato vidyate bhāvo
- nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ
- ubhayor api dṛṣṭo 'ntas
- tv anayos tattva-darśibhiḥ
Tattva-darśibhiḥ, those who are, who have seen the Absolute Truth, or those who have realized the Absolute Truth, they have concluded that the matter has no permanent existence and spirit soul has no annihilation. These two things would be understood.
So Kṛṣṇa is addressing Arjuna, puruṣarṣabha, the best of the men. "O the best of the men." Certainly, Arjuna is the best of the mankind. Because he is directly friend of Kṛṣṇa, who can be better man than him? The best of the men. So the best of the men, why he's distressed in executing his duty? Therefore, this very word is used, that "You are the best of the men." Actually, the best of the men should not be disturbed by any material condition. He should discharge his duties. And what is the duty? Duty is to become immortal. This is the duty. The lowest of the men does not know how to become immortal, amṛta. Mṛta means death and amṛta means no death. The modern rascal civilization cannot understand that there is possibility of becoming immortal. They have taken it, accepted it; "Well, who can stop?" They are simply scientifically calculating that "Some day will come, by science, we shall be immortal, there will be no death." The formula is given here by Kṛṣṇa how to become immortal. That means you should be callous of this so-called happiness and distress of this material world. That is the first qualification. One who doesn't care what is the distress and happiness of this body, he must execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the qualification. "Oh, I cannot execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness because there are so many inconveniences," he's not fit for becoming immortal.
"Bring electric heater, immediately." Or if there is too much hot, "Bring fan, bring cooler." So they are busy how to adjust these material disturbances. But they do not think that "Why these material disturbances are disturbing me? I do not want them." That question do not come... They simply struggle how to counteract it. Struggling like fool. But here is the solution. Here is the solution. The solution is that don't be disturbed with this cooling and heating machine. Be pleased in whatever condition Kṛṣṇa has placed you. Of course, there is no harm if you can put yourself in a comfortable... But simply for putting yourself in comfortable situation, don't forget Kṛṣṇa. That is our aim. Simply for making adjustment of this material condition of life, if you forget Kṛṣṇa, then you'll lose everything. That in the Bible also, what is, there is a... (devotee speaks) Yes. Repeat it.
So dhīra means that although there is cause of disturbance, one is not disturbed. Although there is cigarette, but I should promise, "I shall not smoke." Although there is facility for illicit sex, I'll not do it. That is called dhīra. Dhīra means the cause of agitation or disturbance is present there, but one is not disturbed. So in order to advance in spiritual life we have to become dhīra. And that is said here, sama-duḥkha-sukhaṁ dhīram. As soon as one become dhīra, sober, these so-called material pains and pleasure does not disturb me (him). Then he is fit for becoming immortal. Everyone is immortal, but he is fallen in such material condition that he thinks himself as mortal. Because I am spirit soul, therefore the Vedic injunction that feel:(?) ahaṁ brahmāsmi, so 'ham, means "I am as good as the Supreme Being," means "He is eternal; I am also eternal. He is also living being; I am also living being." That means qualitatively we are one, God and me. But quantitatively, He is great; we are small.
That I have already explained, that although you have got the God's qualities, but you are very small. Just like a big fire and the sparks of the fire, similarly, God is big fire, and we are like sparks of the fire. When the sparks come down from the fire, it becomes extinguished. So because we are very small, very... I have already given you the dimension. As soon as we become out of the big fire, in touch with God, then we become extinguished. So somehow or other, if you are, again go to the fire, you have your original, brightened, I mean, illuminating quality, the spark. So at the present moment, somehow or other, being fallen in this material condition, we have lost our godly qualities. We can cure that, just like a diseased man lost his appetite, but by treatment he can again awaken his appetite and eat properly. So we, being very small—we may say "a small god"—therefore we fall under the clutches of māyā, illusion, but it can be cured. We can again revive our original position.
Prabhupāda: No, that is no argument. If you are diseased, you can be cured if you take the proper medicine, treatment. That's all. Disease is not hopelessness. Otherwise why the people go for treatment to a physician? Similarly, out of ignorance you are now in this miserable condition, but if you become treated by bona fide spiritual master, then you'll be cured. Originally every one of us—pure. Now, by material condition we are now contaminated. That... But there is process to get out of this material contamination. Then again we become pure. And as soon as we become pure, there is no more birth, death, old age, and disease. Finished.
Hanumān: How do we free ourself from māyā?
Prabhupāda: Just become Kṛṣṇa conscious and māyā will not touch you, just like you take injection, vaccine, and the infection will not touch you. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. Find out this verse. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14).
And the method is very simple: chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. The more you chant this mahā-mantra, or the transcendental vibration Hare Kṛṣṇa, you become purified. Then you can understand what you are. Then every one of us, we can understand that "I am not this body. I am not American. I am not Indian. I am not Mexican. I am spirit soul." This stage is called brahma-bhūtaḥ, means self-realization. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54), means as soon as you are self-realized, you become jubilant. In the bodily concept of life we are always full of anxiety and morose. Yes, that is the material condition. But as soon as you realize yourself that you are not this body, you are different from this body, you become jubilant. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). This means as soon as one is self-realized, immediately he becomes happy, jubilant. And what is the symptom of becoming jubilant? That is also stated, na śocati na kāṅkṣati: "He does not hanker after anything; neither he laments for any loss." In the material condition we are in the platform of lamentation and hankering. Everyone is trying to possess something which he does not possess, and everyone is lamenting after losing his possession. These are the condition of the materialistic person.
Just like if you are in a rented apartment, you are occupier. You are given the license to occupy the room. You are not owner. But if you think that you are owner, that is, stena eva sa ucyate (BG 3.12), immediately he becomes wrongly guided.
So take it, this body or the country or the nation or the world or the universe, nothing belongs to you. The owner is Kṛṣṇa. The owner is sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the owner." So mistake is that we do not know the owner, and we are, although we have occupied, improperly using our occupation. That is material condition. Improper. Otherwise, the direction is there, the director is sitting there. He's always helping you. But the disease is that we are claiming to be owner and want to act according to my whims, and that is material condition. My business is to work for the owner, not for me. Therefore, that is my position. Kṛṣṇa has created me, not creation, but along with Kṛṣṇa we are all there. But we are eternal servants. Just like along with this body, the finger is also born. The finger is not differently born. When I was born, my fingers were born. Similarly, when Kṛṣṇa was there, Kṛṣṇa was never born.
The soul does not burn; neither it can be cut into pieces. Then: na cainaṁ kledayanty āpaḥ. Neither it is moistened. It cannot be wet in touch with water. Now in the material world we find that anything, however hard it is... Just like stone or iron, it can be cut into pieces. There is separated machine or instrument. It can be cut... Anything can be cut into pieces. And anything can be melted also. It requires a different type of temperature only, but everything can be burned and melted. Then anything can be moistened, can be wet. But here it is said, na cainaṁ kledayanty āpo na śoṣayati mārutaḥ: neither it can be evaporated. That is eternity. That means any material condition cannot affect the soul. Asaṅgo 'yaṁ puruṣaḥ.
In the Vedas it is said this living entity is always without any touch with this material world. It is simply a covering. It is not in touch. Just like my body, the present, this body, although it is covered by the shirt and the coat, it is not attached. It is not mixed up. The body keeps always separate. Similarly, the soul always keeps separate from this material covering. It is simply on account of various plans and desires that he's making for lording over this material nature. Everyone can see. The, every living being is trying to lord it over the material nature. That is his disease. He wants to lord it. He's servant, but artificially, he wants to become Lord. That is the disease. Everyone... Ultimately, when he fails to lord it over the material world, he says, "Oh, this material world is false. Now I shall become one with the Supreme." Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. But because the spirit soul is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, so by nature, he is joyful. He is seeking after joy. Every one of us, we are working so hard to find out some pleasure of life.
It is everyone's experience. Similarly, when you come again, awakening stage in the morning after getting up from the bed, I forget all the bodies I created in my dream. So which one is correct? This is correct? This body's correct, or that body's correct? Because at night I forget this body, and in daytime I forget the other dreaming body. So both of them not correct. It is simply hallucination. But I am correct because I see at night, I see in daytime. So I am eternal, the body is not eternal. This is the fact. Antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ (BG 2.18). Śarīriṇaḥ, the owner of the body, is eternal, but not the body. In so many ways, Kṛṣṇa is explaining about the material condition of this body. But those who are not very intelligent, with poor fund of knowledge, it is very difficult for them to understand. Otherwise, things are very clear. This point is very clear. That at night I forget this body, and in daytime I forget the body at night. This is a fact. Similarly, I may forget the body of my last appearance, last duration of life, or I may not know the future body. But I will exist, and the body may change, but I'll have to accept another body which is temporary. But I, as I exist, it means I have got a body. That is spiritual body.
Therefore the miserable condition of life is this body. Because I get... In dream also. When I get another body, sometimes we find that on top of the very tall bamboo or tall mountain I am just now, I'm falling down . And I'm afraid, I sometimes cry, "Now, I am now falling down." So this body, this material body, which body I belong to, which I am... Actually, I do not belong to any of these bodies. I have got a separate spiritual body.
So this human life is meant for that realization, that "I am not this material body, I have a spiritual body." Then next question will be, "Then what is my function?" In the present body under some material condition I am thinking, "This is my body," and the body is produced under certain condition of this country or this family; therefore, "This is my family, this is my country, this is my nation." Everything in bodily concept of life. And if I am not this body, then in relationship with this body, either my family or my country or my society, or my other relationships, they are also false because the body is false. Therefore Śaṅkarācārya theorized this: brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Brahman means the soul is actually the fact, not the material manifestation. Material manifestation, of course, he says false. We don't say false. We say temporary.
So because we have got body and soul, two different things, we are combination, body and soul. That is already explained very nicely in so many ways. So actually sva-dharma means the occupation of the soul. Because in the material condition we do not understand what I am—whether I am this body or I am soul. Mostly people they do not know that one is soul, not this body. Body is the dress or outward covering, external covering. Subtle covering and gross covering. But so long one is in the bodily concept of life, so one has got different occupational duty according to the conception of the body. So the nature is being conducted by three modes of nature. Therefore, according to one's nature there is occupational duty. That is scientific division. At the present moment there is no such division. Therefore gradually people are degrading to the lowest quality—ignorance, śūdra. They are taking to the śūdra principles. Yesterday I was presented with a paper, Indian government scheme to help people starting small-scale industries, and government is ready to help. (aside:) You sit cross-legged, not like that. All of you. So a small industry, there are so many motor parts, so many other parts. About 200, 300 items, government is ready to help a small industry. But the government does not know or the leaders do not know that to engage people in such industrial affair means to bring them to the śūdra platform. Śūdra platform.
Just like you'll find in another verse Kṛṣṇa says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). Yo me bhaktyā prayacchati: "Anyone who offers Me in love and faith a little flower, a little water, a little fruit," patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam... Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. This is the real point. Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Person who is giving all the necessities of all the living entities... He is actually the provider, maintainer of everyone. So why He is asking a little fruit, flower and water from you? Is He hungry? No. Yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. Just to induce you again to love Kṛṣṇa. That is the point. Because your, this material condition is bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19), subjected to birth, death, old age, disease, and so many other material conditions. You have fallen in this condition because you have forgotten Kṛṣṇa. Just like last night so many people came to discuss with us, but they are not interested in talking of Kṛṣṇa. They are interested how their sense gratification will be disturbed by starting this temple. That is their concern. Here we have come to preach about Kṛṣṇa. They did not ask anything about Kṛṣṇa, "What is this philosophy? What is this Kṛṣṇa's philosophy?" No. They are simply interested in their own sense gratification. That's all. How their sense gratification will be disturbed—they are concerned in that way. This is the position of the material world. Everyone is simply interested in sense gratification.
Similarly, we have to... Our, the present life is diseased condition, so if we want to cure this disease of repeated birth and death, then we have to restrict, restrict our bodily enjoyment, because we cannot enjoy. It is simply so-called enjoyment. Actually, we cannot enjoy this diseased condition of this body. Enjoyment, real enjoyment means that is nonstopping, nonstop. There is a verse in Mahābhārata. Ramante yoginaḥ anante (CC Madhya 9.29). Yoginaḥ, those who are yogis or spiritualists. Yogis means spiritualists. The general meaning of yogi is spiritualist, those who are endeavoring to emancipate from this material condition of life and try to elevate to the spiritual platform, he is called yogi. Now, those yogis are different types, but the method or process of spiritual realization may be different. Your process or my process may be a little different, but that does not hamper. The thing is that your aim is also spiritual realization. Just like generally there are three classes of spiritualists. The jñānīs, the yogis and the bhaktas. Jñānī means those who are trying to realize spiritual self through speculation of metaphysics and philosophy. They are called jñānīs. And yogis—those who are trying to realize spiritual self by meditation and controlling the senses. Yoga indriya-saṁyama. This haṭha-yoga meditation means that our senses are engaged in varieties of work, so by that haṭha-yoga gymnastic, the process, the mind is concentrated into the Paramātmā, Supersoul.
All-pervading. So the sound is all-pervading. You'll find sound... Beginning from the sky to the earth, you'll find sound, all-pervading. In the sky, there is sound. You have got experience. In the fire there is sound, in the air there is sound, in the earth there is sound, every metal, wood. You take everything, there is sound. So Brahman means all-pervading. But this transcendental sound... Just like your radio message, television sound, they cannot go beyond this earthly planet, at most. But there is sound which can penetrate the whole universe and go to the spiritual world. Sound is all-pervading, that is a fact, scientific fact. If that sound is potent, then it can penetrate even this material sky and go to the spiritual sky and go to Kṛṣṇa directly. That sound is Hare Kṛṣṇa. Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, rati nā janmilo kene tāya. I've given that. He has translated very nice, Hayagrīva. Golokera prema-dhana. This is descended from the spiritual platform, Goloka Vṛndāvana, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, this Hare Kṛṣṇa. Rati nā janmilo kene tāya. "I have no attachment for these things." I have got attachment for radio sound, or television sound, so many sound, but I have no attachment for the supreme sound which is coming down from the Goloka Vṛndāvana. Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, rati nā janmilo kene... saṁsāra-biṣānale, dibā-niśi hiyā jwale. "In this material world, I am, my heart is always burning on account of so many miseries." Juṛāite nā koinu upāya. "But I could not find out the way how to get out of it. This sound vibration will get you out from the blazing fire of this material condition. This sound, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). Chant always, everything will be perfectly done."
Yes. Just as a person is in family, he is father, in office, he is boss, and in some other place, he's something else. But the same man. But because we are materially conditioned, when I am in the office, I'm not in my home. While I am acting as boss in my office, I cannot act as father with children at home. I am absent. This is due to my material condition. But Kṛṣṇa, being full spiritual, He can remain in His abode, Goloka Vṛndāvana, at the same time, He can remain everywhere. That is expansion. Just like Kṛṣṇa is living within your heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). The Supreme Lord is staying in everyone's heart. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated, goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37). This is spiritual position, that even though He is in His abode permanently, He can remain in everyone's heart, all over the creation. Not only in the heart, but within every atom also. This is His expansion, plenary expansion. He expands... We are also His expansion. We living entities, we are also His expansion. Nothing exists without being Kṛṣṇa. That is explained in the Ninth Chapter. Mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam. "I have expanded in all different atmosphere." Sarvam. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). "Everything existing in Me." Nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ. "But I am not there. I am not there." You are existing in Kṛṣṇa, but unless you have Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa is not in you. But you are existing in Kṛṣṇa. You cannot exist without Kṛṣṇa. So therefore Kṛṣṇa is everywhere, Kṛṣṇa is in everything. We have to develop that consciousness.
That is a calculation by the great sages. They have calculated that a living entity can attain to the perfection of seventy-eight percent. Now, in our present material condition we have no spiritual power at all. We are always encumbered and conditioned by material forces. You see? So therefore one who does not utilize this body for perfection, for liberation, he is called kṛpaṇa. Kṛpaṇa. This is stated here. Kṛpaṇāḥ phala-hetavaḥ. Kṛpaṇāḥ phala-hetavaḥ. That kṛpaṇa, that means miserly person who does not utilize this human form of life for better profit. Then he wants that "Oh, I have done so much. I must get the profit. I must get it." What profit you get? For the bodily enjoyment? For sense enjoyment? Oh, sacrifice it. Sacrifice it. You know that there is a word, yajña, sacrifice. Sacrifice means—it is a common word—that you dedicate, you dedicate your life for the service of the Lord, this life. You'll not be sufferer. What is there, suffering? Now just the prescription or the formula I have just cited before you that your householder life... Now, you are doing everything. You are earning money; you are getting from the store; you are cooking. Everything... Nothing is stopped. Simply change your mentality, that everything is being done for God. It is not at all difficult. Simply we have to adopt it. We have to adopt it. So kṛpaṇāḥ phala-hetavaḥ. Now, if you think, "Oh, why...? I am earning for my palatable dishes. Why shall I offer it to God? This is there are so many, I mean to say, encumbrances. I am not going to do," then you become kṛpaṇa, miser.
Now, we have been discussing for the last few days about consciousness being dovetailed with the supreme consciousness. That is the perfectional stage of life. We are, at the present moment, in our material conditions, we are manufacturing ideas, and being baffled also because it is the business of the mind to create something and again reject it. Mind will think something, "Yes, let me do this." Again it will decide, "Oh, better not to do this." Yes. This is called saṅkalpa-vikalpa, deciding and rejecting. And this is due to our unsteady condition in the material platform. But when we decide to act according to the supreme consciousness, at that stage, there is no such duality that "Let me do it" or "Let me not do it." No. There is only one thing, "Let me do it. Let me do it because it is sanctioned by the superior consciousness." The whole Bhagavad-gītā is based on this principle of life.
If we give more stress to the material life, material way of life, then it is not possible to have any spiritual realization or spiritual emancipation. Those things... Because the whole idea is, as we are discussing for several weeks, that I am spirit, pure consciousness. I have been put to this material contact somehow or other. Without tracing the history and how I have put into it... (break) But the fact is that I am put into these material circumstances, and therefore, due to my material condition of life, I am undergoing miseries, so many miseries. So the whole idea is that I have to get out of this material contact and reinstate myself in the pure spiritual life so that I shall not, I shall be free from all miseries. Because spirit soul, as it is, in its pure form, it is sac-cid-ānanda. It is eternal, it is blissful, and it is full of knowledge.
So the whole program is there. So viṣayā vinivartante. Still, even the yoga system... The yoga system, by mechanical process, concentrating the mind and dragging the mind from other engagement, that is also forceful. That is also forceful. Because by some artificial means... Because first thing is that "I am not this body." Still, I am trying to control my senses by some bodily activities.
So our, I mean to say, potency of falling down is always there, potency. And because we are part and parcel of God and because we are now in the material world, it is to be understood that we have fallen down. But you cannot trace out the history when you have fallen down. That is impossible. But our position is marginal. At any moment, we can fall down. That tendency is there. Therefore we are called marginal. But one... Just like it is very simple to understand. Everyone is prone to fall diseased. Is it not? Now when you are diseased, there is no necessity of finding out the history when you became diseased. You are diseased, make your treatment, that's all. Similarly, we are in the material condition of life. Just go on treating it, and as soon as you are cured, be careful not to fall down again. But there is chance of falling down, again becoming diseased. Not that because you once become cured, there is no chance of becoming diseased again. There is chance. Therefore we shall be very much careful. Yes.
Prabhupāda: Yes. We live forever. By change of body we do not die. You live forever, I live forever. Death means we change this body, that's all. Just like you change your dress. When you change your dress, it does not mean that you die. Similarly change of this body does not mean actually death. Or to appear in a different body does not mean actually birth. There is no birth and death of the living entity, but the change of body is taking place in our material condition. That is taken as birth and death. Actually there is no birth and death. Yes?
Madhudviṣa: Prabhupāda, for one who worships Lord Buddha, is there a planet for him to go to? For one who worships Lord Buddha in the bhakta-gaṇa(?), they say, or some way, some kind of devotional service rendered towards Lord Buddha, is there a planet for him to go to which Lord Buddha presides over or...
Prabhupāda: Yes. There is a neutral stage. That is not planet. That is the marginal position between the spiritual world and the material world. But one has to come down again. Unless one enters into the spiritual sky and takes his situation in some of the spiritual planet... Just like you fly in the sky. Unless you get some planet, you'll have to come down again. You cannot fly all the days in the sky. That is not possible. That is neutral stage. Neither in other planet, nor in this planet, flying. How long you shall fly? You have to take some shelter. But if you have no shelter in the higher planets or higher situation, then you shall have to come down. So... The same example can be repeated.
He knows that he is part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa and that his position should not be in the material creation. He knows his real identity as part and parcel of the Supreme who is eternal bliss and knowledge and he realizes that somehow or other he is now entrapped in the material conception of life. In his pure state of existence, he is meant to dovetail his activities in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. He therefore engages himself in the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and becomes naturally unattached to the activities of the material senses which are all circumstantial and temporary. He knows that his material condition of life is under the supreme control of the Lord, consequently he is not disturbed by any kind of material reaction which he considers to be the mercy of the Lord. According to the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam one who knows the Absolute Truth in three different features—namely Brahman, Paramātmā, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is called tattva-vit, for he knows also his own factual position in relationship with the Supreme."
Therefore bhagavān uvāca. You take lessons from Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, perfect, all-perfect. What he will do by hearing this rascal or that rascal? Try to hear from the Supreme Personality without any fault, without any deviation. There are four kinds of defects in conditional life: to commit mistake, to be illusioned... Bhrama, pramāda, vipra-lipsā. To cheat, propensity for cheating. And imperfection of senses. So we are all infected with these four deficiencies of life, material condition of life. Therefore mukta means one who is liberated from these defects. Those who are infected with these defects, they cannot give you perfect knowledge. That is not possible. Imperfectness of senses—how he can gather perfect knowledge? They can simply say, "Perhaps," "It may be," "Most probably." That's all. Theories. Nobody can say, "It is like this." Just like in the Vedas it is said how many different varieties of lives are there. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati, kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ. Exact number, that so many varieties of lives are there. Nine hundred thousand species life in the water. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Two million varieties of trees, plants, like that. Kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ. Eleven lakhs varieties of insects. Pakṣiṇāṁ daśa-lakṣaṇam. There are ten, one million types of birds. Similarly, three million types of animals, and four hundred thousand different types of humankind.
The aim of life is to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the aim of life. We are fallen in this material conditional life. We are suffering. But we do not know. We are so fool. Just like animals. We do not know what is the aim of life. Aim of life, that is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). When we can understand that "This process of repetition of birth, death, old age and disease, this is not wanted by me..." Nobody wants to die, but death is forced upon him. He does not think that "This is my problem. I do not want to die, but death is as sure as anything." So this is the problem. Nobody is careful how to solve this problem. They are simply engaged in the, I mean to say, temporary problems. The temporary problems are not problems. Real problem is how to stop death, how to stop birth, how to stop old age, and how to stop disease. That is real problem. That can be done when you are liberated from this material world. This is our problem.
So Kṛṣṇa comes here again... Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). Dharmasya glāniḥ. Glāniḥ means when it is distorted. So people are manufacturing, in the name of so-called religion, "This is our religion. This is..." "This is Hindu religion." "This is Muslim religion." "This is Christian religion." Or "This is Buddha religion." And "This is Sikh religion." "This is that religion, that religion..."
Now we should not consider that because the difference between God and the living entities, that our different appearance and disappearance is different. Just like in this life I may be an Indian, you may be an American. But next life, we do not know what body we are going to get next life. Because in the material existence the body and the soul is different. But in the spiritual existence... Just like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa's body and Kṛṣṇa is nondifferent because it is completely spiritual. Our body, in the present condition... When we are free from this material condition, we also get. That is explained in the Bhagavad... mad-bhāva upaja(?). Mad-bhāva means "exactly like My body." When one is liberated from material conditions, then he also gets exactly the same sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1).
In the Bhāgavata you'll find that when Ajāmila was claimed by the Viṣṇudūtas, when they came from Vaikuṇṭha, they were exactly like Viṣṇu. They had four hands, the same features, same color, and same ornaments, and same dress. So those who are promoted to Vaikuṇṭha, they get four hands like Nārāyaṇa. But in the Kṛṣṇaloka, Kṛṣṇa is two-handed. So even in this material world there is one personality, Brahmā, he has got four hands. So we can get also the same body, the same features, the same opulence. Sālokya, sārṣṭi, sāmīpya, sālokya, there are different kinds of liberation. Or sāyujya. (break)
Otherwise, so many people there are, they inquire "What is God?" And if you say, "Here is God," they won't believe you. It is their appreciation. But God is there in His name, Kṛṣṇa. So one has to prepare the receptive process. Otherwise, God is here. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena. Tat-paratvena nirmalam (Bs. 5.38). Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11). Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). Now I want to see Kṛṣṇa, but I want to keep my identity as member of this family or member of this nation or father of this child or husband of this wife. So I keep myself in this material condition, and I want to see God. That is offense. So we have to first of all become clear of all designation.
- sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ
- tat-paratvena nirmalam
- hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-
- sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate
- (CC Madhya 19.170)
So Kṛṣṇa is there, His potency is there, everything is there, always available, easily available, provided we are prepared to receive Him. That's all. Kṛṣṇa is already there by His name. Nāma-rūpe kali-kāle kṛṣṇa-avatāra. Kṛṣṇa has descended by His name. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu preached the chanting, that you can become... But the profit is that if you are in offense, even if you do not have the power of appreciation, because Kṛṣṇa is all-potential, simply by chanting in any condition of life you become purified.
The top portion of the hair, if you divide it into one hundred parts, and again, that one hundredth part, if you divide again hundred parts, that is the magnitude of the spirit soul. Keśāgra-śata-bhāgasya śatāṁśaḥ kalpitasya, bhāgo jīvaḥ sa vijñeyaḥ sa cānantyāya kalpate (CC Madhya 19.140). So we living entities, a small particle, very atomic small particle, one ten thousandth part of the top of the hair. It can simply be imagined. We are acintya. But we understand from Vedic literature what is the magnitude. It is not nirākāra. That is not a fact. It has got ākāra. But at our present position, material condition, we cannot measure it.
And because we cannot measure it... Just like in geometry, I have studied that point has no breadth and length. But actually there is breadth and length, but we cannot measure it. Similarly, the magnitude of the spirit soul is smaller than the point. We cannot measure it with our material measuring instruments. Anyway, even if you can, that is the magnitude.
So that small particle is described in the Bhagavad-gītā that na jāyate na mriyate. That small particle has also no birth and death. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). It is so powerful that that, because that small particle is within this body, dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13), it is so healthy, so bright, moving so swiftly, acting so nicely, it has got so nice brain. And as soon as that small particle, atomic particle, is gone from this body, it is useless, a lump of matter.
Similarly, that change of body... So our body is like that. We are changing. In the material condition. In the material condition we are simply changing our body. That is our disease. This conditional life of changing the bodies, one after another, one after... Not only human body. We may have to change to animal's body, or to another demigod's body. There are different species of life. I have several times spoken before you, that there are 8,400,000's of species of life. So our body's being changed in this circle of these 8,400,000's of different species of life. This is called our material bondage.
Now, here Kṛṣṇa says that one who knows the Kṛṣṇa's transcendental birth and activities in truth, he gets free from this entanglement. He at once gets free from this entanglement. Now, here the word tattvataḥ is very important. This tattvataḥ is the science of Kṛṣṇa. Tattvataḥ, "in truth." Simply by knowing by historical facts that Kṛṣṇa is born in such and such date in such and such place in such and such family... He did such and such activities. No. One has to learn them in tattvataḥ, in truth. Then he becomes free from this bodily entanglement. (door slams) How it is closed?
"That type of religion is perfect by which one can surrender or can incline, can be inclined, or develop love of God." That's all.
It does not mention which religion you shall accept. You accept any religion. But test is, perfection of that religious procedure, whether you have developed ecstatic love for God. If you have achieved that, then that religious principle is first-class. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. Para means transcendental, first-class. Yato bhaktiḥ "By executing which, you can have, develop, Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness." And that process is called ahaituki, without any reason, apratihatā, and it cannot be checked by any material condition. If somebody thinks that "Well, I have been sinful for so many years, and even if I surrender to the God, it will take so many years," no, it is not like that. The surrendering process, if it is perfect, the result is immediately perfect. Ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati.
And by such Kṛṣṇa consciousness, development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one's mind becomes fully satisfied. Yayātmā suprasīdati. Prasīdati means satisfaction, fully satisfied. Every one of us are trying to satisfy, to become satisfied. That is possible by attaining full Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Actually, at the present moment, there is no education of the understanding of spiritual life. Everyone is interested with this material body only. Nobody is educated, neither interested in the spiritual life. But unless you take interest in spiritual life, our this material condition of miserable life will continue. The miserable conditions of material life have been pointed out by Śrī Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says that the problem of life is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), meaning that birth, death, old age and disease, these are our problems. So long we are materially attached, we have to accept a type of body according to our resultant action of activities. There are 8,400,000 species of bodies. And after death, we have to accept one of the bodies. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). We have to accept another body. We do not know what kind of body we are going to accept again. But you can accept a..., one of the bodies as you select. That selection must be made in this life.
What is that? Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. That will keep your Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. He does not forget to worship Kṛṣṇa by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. If you do that, that... But don't be attached to all these eating, sleeping, mating and defending. But be detached, that "These things I do not require as spirit soul, but because I am in material condition, because I have got this body, to keep this body fit, I require these things. So minimize it. Minimize, it.
Just like I am sannyāsī. Somebody is sannyāsī. So sannyāsī, what is that sannyāsī? We are also eating, we are also sleeping. But there is no mating. No sex life. So one item dropped, at least. The very important item. So that is called vīta-rāga. And there is no fear. Vita-raga. Everything can be practiced. Abhyāsa-yoga-yuktena cetasā nānya-gāminā (BG 8.8). If we practice, then things will be all right.
Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that bahavaḥ, not one. Bahavaḥ. Kṛṣṇa says, many. Many persons. We have got many instances in the śāstras. By tapasya, brahmacaryeṇa, tapasā, jñānena, yamena, niyamena, tyāgena. These are the different items. But either you practice the different items or simply take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all these practices will be automatically done. Kecit kevalayā bhaktyā vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ (SB 6.1.15). If you become vāsudeva-parāyaṇa, then these things will be practiced.
There is no end of desiring. Such persons, akāma. And akāma means one who has no desire. Just like those who are devotees, Kṛṣṇa conscious, they have no desire. They don't like any material comforts, any material improvements. They want simply Kṛṣṇa. Akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā and mokṣa-kāma (SB 2.3.10). Mokṣa-kāma means one who is disgusted with these material desires and aspires after something void, impersonal, or freedom from all these desires, mokṣa-kāma.
So Bhāgavata says that either you are a person desiring unlimitedly or you have become free from all desires, or you are desiring liberation from this material conditional life, you please try to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Your desires, whatever desires you may have, that will be fulfilled. That will be fulfilled. So this is referred. Akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā (SB 2.3.10). So whatever desires you may have, if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious then you, that desire will be fulfilled.
He has to advance his cultural life in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is his responsibility. That is his responsibility. Of course, father, mother, state, teacher, friend, they can help us, but ultimately, the responsibility lies with me.
If I want to enter into the kingdom of God, or Kṛṣṇa, if we want to be Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no impediment. There is no impediment. Ahaituky apratihatā. In the Bhāgavata says that if one wants to cultivate the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is without any cause and without any impediment. Because it is transcendental subject matter, it does not depend on any material condition, on any material condition. There is no consideration of material impediment. So it is open for everyone. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). That is a chance given, that you can become a brāhmaṇa, you can become a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and you can become the spiritual master of the world. That is the... And I think you should take seriously.
I am old man. If you, some of you at least understand this science and take up this science, you become future hope of the, this country or the world. That is my request to you, that you should take this chance and become a spiritual master for all the people.
We don't want to discuss that. But the effect of sense enjoyment is suffering. Tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ. Illicit sex or legal sex, it is followed by so many miserable conditions. That, everyone, we can understand. Simply we have to become sober. Then we'll understand this material existence is not at all good, not at all.
Then, as human being, as we are trying to solve our problems... The real problem we have to solve. And why we are in material condition and miserable condition? Because we have got this material body. This is the problem, real problem. Asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4). This body is temporary. It will not exist forever. But so long it will exist, it will give trouble. This is a fact. So long we'll continue in this material body, you'll have to suffer.
But we have no intelligence. We think that "We are like cats and dogs. The cats and dogs, they also eat; we also eat. They sleep; we also sleep. And they have sex; we have also sex. And they defend, we also defend. Their business finished." No. Your business is not finished. Because you are human being, you have got advanced intelligence than the cats and dog. You should know analytically what are the miserable condition of life and try to solve. That is intelligence. That is intelligence. And if we remain satisfied like cats and dogs—"So I have got something to eat, I have got some nice place to sleep and I have also got some other sex for enjoying sex life, and I defend with so many weapons, latest nuclear weapon"—no, śāstra says, "These things are manufactured... These things are maintained by the cats and dogs."
Kṛṣṇa came, He left behind Him this instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). We can consult Bhagavad-gītā at any time and we can associate with Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's instruction—nondifferent. When you read Bhagavad-gītā, you'll, if you read very seriously, you will feel Kṛṣṇa is present before you and He is instructing.
But unfortunately, although Kṛṣṇa personally appeared and He left behind Him this Bhagavad-gītā to be read by the human society and make his life progressive and be liberated from this material condition of life, we did not care for it. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu five hundred years ago, again He appeared as a devotee, not as Kṛṣṇa. He is Kṛṣṇa, but He appeared as a devotee of Kṛṣṇa to teach us how to become devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Again this movement is started to enlighten the human society how to come to his original position of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So our request is that this movement at least it has come to your country in South Africa and you are welcome. So try to understand this movement, how much it is important. It is not a sentimental movement, neither a so-called... It is actually religious movement, but not so-called religious movement, simply some sentiments and formalities, no. It is practical application in life. And you see practically how by this movement all over the world different section of people from different nationality, different religious group, they are feeling one, oneness in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just try to see the potency of the movement. So take it very seriously. Take it very seriously and...
The, in the English constitutional law it is said that "The King can no, king can do no wrong." King can order punishment for the criminal, but the king is never criminal. King cannot be punished. Your President Nixon is fighting on this point. Although people wants to impeach him, he's fighting on this point, that "I am not wrong." Actually, that much facilities must be given to the head executive. If he becomes under the laws, then his position is not exalted. The... That is the principle of accepting in the highest order of life.
So in the material condition, that is not applicable perfectly, but so far spiritual condition is concerned, God must be given full freedom. Otherwise there is no meaning of God. If God is also under the, under your laws... Sometimes: "Why God has done like this?" They inquire like that. This question sometimes put. "Why God has put us into this condition?" These are foolish questions. But the real conception of God is that He is free to do anything, whatever He likes. You cannot say, "Why God can... Will... God will do this, will do not that." No. That is not the conception of God.
So here Kṛṣṇa says that na me karma-phale spṛhā. He is ātmārāma. Ātmārāma. Ātmārāma means He is fully satisfied in Himself. And He can create so many things. He is creator. So there is no question of desiring something. He can do anything, whatever He likes. But... That will be explained.
I can remain a beautiful man, say, for fifty or sixty or hundred years, but your life is not for hundred years or sixty years or thousands years or millions of years. You are eternal. You have to attain your eternal life. That is the whole problem. So that problem you have to solve. That problem can be solved when you are Kṛṣṇa conscious so that by Kṛṣṇa conscious, when you leave this body, you will no more have to come to this material world and accept this material body or suffer and enjoy thereof. That is the point. The point is very difficult for common man, but this is the point. This is the point. I have to avoid this material existence altogether. That is the point. It is... It is not the question of improving my material condition. That is not the solution. If I...
Just like in a prison house, if you want to improve your condition, you become a very good prisoner, and the government gives you A-class status. There are three classes of status in prison life. Some are suffering the prison life in the A-class status. Some of them are suffering in the B-class status. There are also classes. Just like when some political leader is put into prison, they are given A-class status. But a sane man, a sane man should not be satisfied by becoming an A-class prisoner, A-class prisoner. So we are, in this material world, some of us are in the A-class prisoner, some of us are B-class prisoner, some of us are C-class prisoner. So to become an A-class prisoner from C-class prisoner is not the solution of our problem. The problem should be solved that "Let me become completely free, completely free from the prison life." That is the whole problem.
It is not forbidden, that "You starve," no. That is not stated in the śāstra: Yāvad artha-vinirṇayam. To keep your health and body, and the body and the soul together, you must live very nicely so that you may not be diseased. Because this human form of life is meant for making progress so that all the problems of life may be solved. It is required. Yukta. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya. In another place, yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhi-da.
When one becomes yogi.... Our real purpose of life is to become yogi. Yogi means to reestablish our connection, our lost connection, with God. At the present moment, in our material condition, we have forgotten our relationship, our eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God.
- nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya
- śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya
The kṛṣṇa-bhakti, our love for Kṛṣṇa, is there eternally. But on account of our contamination with this material world, we have forgotten our relationship.
Why? Pūrva-janmarjitaṁ vidyā pūrva-janma.(?) One boy is passing examination, standing first-class. Another man, boy, is failing. Everyone is trying. Everyone should try his best, but he should be satisfied with the result which comes without any very much strain, yadṛcchā-lābha. Yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭaḥ. That is lacking in the present civilization. Not only at the present moment, because Kṛṣṇa was speaking five thousand years ago. And before that, He spoke Bhagavad-gītā millions and trillions of years ago to the sun-god. This is the way of material civilization or material conditioned life, competition.
The real competition began by being jealous to Kṛṣṇa. Real competition began. Kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare (Prema-vivarta). Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme enjoyer. Kṛṣṇa says, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). So our fall down this I have explained the other day is there when we wanted to compete with Kṛṣṇa or become Kṛṣṇa. The jealous, icchā.... Icchā-dveṣa-samutthena sarge yānti parantapa (BG 7.27). Sarge. Sarge means this creation, this material creation. We have come to this material creation. We do not belong to this material creation, but we have come here.
This is called saṅkīrtana-yajña. Bahubhir militvā gāyantīti saṅkīrtanam.
Saṅkīrtana means when we combine together, many persons, and chant and dance. that is called saṅkīrtana-yajña. So those who are engaged in the saṅkīrtana-yajña, they are also performing yajña. That is better than dravyamaya-yajña, dravya-yajña. Dravya-yajña, charity. Suppose one man has no money. Then his life is spoiled? No. In any condition we can execute this yajña, saṅkīrtana-yajña. There is no need of money. Ahaituky apratihatā. This saṅkīrtana-yajña is so nice that it cannot be checked by any material condition. If one is interested, he can perform saṅkīrtana-yajña or the bhakti-yoga system, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23), in any condition of life.
In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, there is a story... Not story. Fact. It is described there that one brāhmaṇa—he was a great devotee—he wanted to offer very brilliant service, arcanā, in the temple worship. But he had no money. But some day he was sitting in a Bhāgavata class and he heard that Kṛṣṇa can be worshiped even within the mind. So he took this opportunity because he was thinking since a long time how to worship Kṛṣṇa very gorgeously, but he had no money.
Now, this verse we are discussing in our last meeting. Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, has concluded that all kinds of sacrifices that we can expected, we are expected to do, the best sacrifice is to acquire knowledge, acquire knowledge. Because whole, our this material conditioned life is due to ignorance. Therefore the purpose of sacrifice, penance, yoga, and philosophical discussion, everything—the ultimate aim is to acquire knowledge.
And even in that knowledge field also... Of course, transcendental knowledge, as we have discussed already, they are viewed in different, three different angles of vision: the knowledge of Brahmavāda, or impersonal, impersonal Absolute Truth, and the knowledge of Paramātmā, the localized Supersoul, and the knowledge of Bhagavān, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are different stages of development of knowledge. But the first beginning knowledge is that we must understand that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul, and my aim of life should be how to get out of this material entanglement." That is knowledge. That is the beginning of knowledge.
Well, impersonalists, they have no spiritual activities practically. They have got some ritualistic performances to come to the platform of negativing this material condition. Just like to find out...
Just like you take milk. So you have to find out where the butter is there. So if you know the process, then you can find out the butter. But if you do not know the process, you can say, "Oh, this is simply milk. Where is butter?" You must know the process.
Similarly, the impersonalists, they think that "I am Brahman, but I am not this matter." That is a fact. I am spirit. I am not this matter. But that understanding is not sufficient. What is my position as spirit? Then, when we come to the supreme spirit, the all-spirit, that is perfection of knowledge. So impersonal conception is simply a negation of these material varieties. But above that, there is spiritual variety. And that is real knowledge. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Negation... Just like there is no fever. In diseased condition one is trying to get out of the feverish condition. So by medicinal treatment one gets out of fever. But that is not healthy condition. That is not final. There is negation of fever. That's admitted. That's all right. But that is convulsion (convalescent) stage. You may relapse again. When you actually come to the healthy state, that is your life.
So if I remain as molecule in the brahma-jyotir, that is also possible. The impersonalist wants that. Or if I enter into some spiritual planet and associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead that is also another spiritual existence. Although both of them are spiritual existence, this spiritual existence is impersonal. To remain as molecular part of the Brahman rays or spiritual rays, that is impersonal. And to have a spiritual form just like Kṛṣṇa and Viṣṇu, that is another spiritual perfection. That is Vaiṣṇava philosophy.
And nirvāṇa, nirvāṇa, the Buddha philosophy is just above the material conditional life but on the margin of spiritual existence. That is... Nirvāṇa means void of material existence. Nirvāṇa, this impersonal conception is also nirvāṇa. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that this impersonal philosophy is another phase of the void philosophy. Veda... Covered void philosophy. Impersonalism is covered void philosophy. They are all the same. Śaṅkara's philosophy of impersonalism and Lord Buddha's philosophy void is almost the same. Real life, real spiritual life is this Vaiṣṇava philosophy. Vaiṣṇava philosophy, to associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face. Just like we are sitting here face to face. We are talking, you are hearing. You can have this perfection. That is personal conception of spiritual perfection.
Yes. Even one is illiterate. Even he does not know what is ABCD, he can realize God provided he engages himself in this submissive transcendental loving service. And one may be very learned, high scholar, but he cannot realize God. God is not subjected to any material condition. He is supreme spirit. Similarly, the process of realizing God is also not subjected to any material condition. It is not that because you are poor man you cannot realize God. Or because you are very rich man, therefore you shall realize God. No. Because you are uneducated, therefore you cannot realize God, no, that is not. Because you are highly educated, therefore you can realize God. No, that is not. He's unconditional. Apratihatā. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. In the Bhāgavata it is said, that is first-class religious principle.
Bhāgavata does not mention that this Hindu religion is first-class or Christian religion is first-class or Mohammedan religion is first-class or any other religion. We have created so much, so many religions. But Bhāgavata says that religious principle is first-class. Which one? Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That religion which helps you to advance your devotional service and love of God. That's all. That is the definition of first-class religion.
Suppose a doctor, a doctor goes to a patient. He is under convulsion, he's talking nonsense. That does not mean he will refuse to treat him. He's treats him as friend. Although the patient calls him by ill names, bad names, still he gives him medicine. Just like Lord Jesus Christ said that "You hate the sin, not the sinner." Not the sinner. This is very nice. Because sinner is illusioned. He's mad. If you hate him, then how you can deliver him? Therefore those who are devotees, those who are really servant of God, they have no hate for anyone.
Just like Lord Jesus Christ, when he was being crucified, he was requesting God: "My Lord, please excuse them. They do not know what they are doing." This is the position of the devotee. Yes. Because they are mad after materialistic way of thinking, so they cannot be hated. Anyone. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice that there is no question of hating. Everyone is welcome. Please come here. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Take Kṛṣṇa prasāda and hear some nice philosophy from Bhagavad-gītā and try to rectify your material conditional life. This is the program—Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Lord Caitanya introduced this movement. Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). "Whoever you meet, wherever you meet, simply try to teach him this Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Kṛṣṇa-kathā. Words from Lord Kṛṣṇa. You'll be happy and they will be happy.
That is yoga system. To connect again with the Supreme. Because I am part and parcel. The same example. Somehow or other the finger is cut off and it is falling on the ground, it has no value. My finger, when it is cut off and it is lying on the ground, it has no value. My finger, when it is cut off and it is lying on the ground, it has no value. But as soon as the finger is joined with this body, it has got millions and trillions of dollars value. Invaluable. Similarly we are now disconnected with God or Kṛṣṇa, by this material condition. Forget, not disconnected. Connection is there. God is supplying our all necessities just like a state prisoner is disconnected from the civil department. He has come to the criminal department. Actually not disconnected. The government is still take care. But legally disconnected. Similarly we are not disconnected. We cannot be disconnected, because there is no existence of anything without Kṛṣṇa. So how can I be disconnected? Disconnection is that by forgetting Kṛṣṇa, instead of engaging myself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, I am engaged in so many nonsense consciousness. That is disconnection. Instead of thinking myself that I am eternal servant of God or Kṛṣṇa, I am thinking I am servant of my society, I am servant of my country, I am servant of my husband, I am servant of my wife, I am servant of my dog or so many. This is forgetfulness.
Prabhupāda: Yogi, that is the highest perfectional material condition of life. There are different grades of life within this material world, but if one establishes himself in the yoga principle, especially in this bhakti-yoga principle, that means he's living in the most perfectional stage of life. So Kṛṣṇa is recommending Arjuna, "My dear friend Arjuna, in all circumstances, you be a yogi, remain a yogi." Yes, go on.
Devotee: "And of all yogis, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all."
Prabhupāda: Now, here it is clearly stated that of all yogis, there are different kinds of yogis. Aṣṭāṅga-yogī, haṭha-yogī, jñāna-yogī, karma-yogī, bhakti-yogī. So bhakti-yoga is the highest platform of yoga principles. So Kṛṣṇa says here, "And of all yogis." There are different kinds of yogis. "Of all yogis he who always abides in Me," in Kṛṣṇa. Me means Kṛṣṇa says "in Me." That means one who is keeping always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, "abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service is most intimately united with Me in yoga, and is the highest of all." This is the prime instruction of this chapter, Sāṅkhya-yoga, that if you want to become perfect yogi of the highest platform, then keep yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and you become the first-class yogi.
Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, or God. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvaṁ yat kiñcid (ISO 1). Everything is God's property. We have got right to use the God's property because we are sons, but tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā: whatever He allows you, you can take that. Mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam. Don't think encroach on another's property. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy, that you should always understand that Kṛṣṇa is the real bhoktā, or enjoyer. Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of all the lokas. Kṛṣṇa is the real friend of everyone. We are seeking friendship from so many persons to improve our material condition, but you do not know the real friend is within you, everyone. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). The real friend is within everyone's heart—Kṛṣṇa—and if you take shelter of Him... "Shelter of Him" means simply hear about Him.
- śṛṇvataṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
- puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
- hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṇi
- vidhunoti suhṛt satām
- (SB 1.2.17)
If you simply hear about Kṛṣṇa, just like you are kindly hearing now, then gradually the dirty things within your heart will be cleansed.
Description of God. He's nitya. Nitya means eternal. And we living entities, we are also eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). We, at the present moment, in the material condition, we are changing body. That change of body is called death. Actually, the living entity within the body, he has no death. Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit. This description we have got in the Vedic literature. So God is also nitya, eternal. We are also eternal. God is also cognizant, and we are also cognizant. We have got knowledge, and God has got knowledge. The difference is that I have got knowledge limited within this limit of this body. I have no knowledge what is going on in your body; neither you know what is going on in my body. Therefore, we are individuals. But God is, although individual, He's spread everywhere. That is God.
Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). God is within this universe, within yourself, within myself, within the atom. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu... Paramāṇu means atom. He's within the atom also. But I, you, we are limited within this body. We are limited. I cannot say that I understand what is going in your body, pains and pleasure. That I cannot say. But I can understand pains and pleasure of my body. So the quality is the same. God has knowledge. You, you, me, we have got knowledge. But our knowledge is limited. God's knowledge is unlimited. But knowledge is there, cognizant.
That you can, if you properly utilize, if you train yourself, you can be transferred to the platform of eternal, spiritual bliss. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
So here Kṛṣṇa is teaching, Himself, how you can become Kṛṣṇa conscious. The first item, He says: mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. "My dear Arjuna, if you increase your attachment for Me, that is the beginning." And that is the end. That is beginning, and that is end. It is not that beginning is something... Spiritual means it is nothing beginning, nothing end. The beginning and the end, the same thing. If you increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa... Because, at the present moment, in our material conditional life, we have no attachment for Kṛṣṇa. We have got attachment for non-Kṛṣṇa. So you have to transfer that attachment to Kṛṣṇa. Attachment is there; simply you have to transfer the object of attachment. So here it is said: mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This is yoga. This is meditation. If you are fond of meditation, then you meditate upon Kṛṣṇa, on the form of Kṛṣṇa, playing flute, bluish color, having a peacock on His head. The description is there. Barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam.
He is different from the gṛha. Similarly, dehī and deha. Deha means this body, and dehī means who lives within the body. That is first of all explained. Dehinaḥ asmin dehe: "In this body there is the resident of the body." That is soul. That is the beginning of spiritual knowledge. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13).
So dehī... Just like we change from one place to another, from one apartment to another. That you have got experience. Similarly, in the material condition of life we, the proprietor of the body, we are changing, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ, from one body to another. This is the first knowledge, preliminary knowledge. People have no preliminary knowledge even. Everyone is thinking, "I am this body." "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya." It is not this body I am. I am put into this body under certain circumstances. Otherwise I am not this body.
So this realization can be possible by yoga practice, mystic yoga. So there are many yogis. Generally, the haṭha-yogīs or aṣṭāṅga-yogīs who try to understand himself by mystic yoga process... But this has been summarized in the Bhagavad-gītā at the end of the Sixth Chapter. I am just trying to read from the Seventh Chapter. So at the end of the Sixth Chapter, Bhagavān says, yoginām api sarveṣām: "There are many yogis. So out of all the yogis..." Yoginām api sarveṣām (BG 6.47). Sarveṣām means "of all." There are different yogis. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gata, mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā. The yogic practice is to meditate upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead Viṣṇu within the heart. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Those who are yogis, they see the Paramātmā. The Paramātmā is in everyone's heart. So they want to find out where is Paramātmā within the heart. This is sum and substance of yoga system.
This is real yogi. To practice yoga... Yoga means connection. Yoga... In India, yoga means "addition," and viyoga means "subtraction," viyoga. So we are now viyoga, without any contact with the Supreme Lord, Personality of Godhead, material conditioned life; therefore we have to make connection with Him. That is called yoga. Yoga system means to connect ourself again with God, or Kṛṣṇa. So this practice of yoga, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, so this process is very easily accomplished by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare twenty-four hours. It can be practiced. There is no expenditure, there is no loss, but the gain is very great. We are teaching that. We are known as Hare Kṛṣṇa people all over the world. It is inexpensive, without any loss. If there is a very great gain, why don't you take it? It is... You are not paying any price. We are soliciting everyone, "Please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." So it is open. There is no secrecy. You can take it and see by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa what gain you are gaining. It is practical. It is not to be asked, anyone, "What I am gaining?" It is said bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42). Bhakti, this is devotional service. Chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra means the beginning of devotional life, the beginning of liberation, simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi: "As you can understand, please try to hear from Me." Kṛṣṇa is speaking personally. So if we accept Bhagavad-gītā as it is, as instructed by Kṛṣṇa Himself, then we understand what is God without any doubt. Asaṁśayam and samagram, in completeness. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu.
In our present position, with blunt material senses, with four defects, it is not possible to understand what is God. We have got four defects in this material condition. We commit mistake, every one of us; we are illusioned; we accept something for something for something. So to commit mistake, illusioned, and our senses are imperfect. The knowledge we gather through our senses, that is imperfect because our senses are imperfect. Just like we see every day the sun with our eyes, but because our senses are imperfect, we see the sun like a disc, although it is fourteen hundred thousand times bigger than this earth. In this way, if we analyze our senses, it will be found that our senses are imperfect. By the imperfect senses speculating, that is not perfect. Therefore all the speculators, they, so-called scientists, philosophers, they put forward theories: "Perhaps," "It may be," like that. That means it is not perfect knowledge. But if we receive knowledge from the supreme perfect God, that it is actually perfect. Our process is like that.
Some of them are thinking these are fictitious. No, it is fact. It is scientific. It is scientific. But people have no interest in these things. They are simply interested in sense gratification. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). This is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. They have become mad, simply mad, to gratify senses. But they are forgetting that this human life is meant for making a solution for all the problems of life. They are not interested in that. They are thinking, "By increasing the volumes of sense gratification, that is perfection." That is not perfection. You may improve the material condition of life, but you cannot live here. Just like you have constructed very nice city, Stockholm, or any European city. That is very good. But you'll not be allowed to stay here. You'll be kicked out at any moment. What is the solution for that? You construct a nice place. That's all right, very good. But you stay here. But you cannot stay. That is your problem. If you can solve that problem... "Yes, I have constructed nice place, nice city, nice country, and everything is nice, but I will stay and enjoy," but that is not allowed. Then where is your perfection? This is the problem.
They are also laboring. They are undergoing, I mean, severe austerity. That's nice. But here it is said, tapaḥ divyam: "You have undergo austerities and penance for God realization." Divyam. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā (SB 5.5.1). Why? Why not this material world? Why God realization?
The... It is very nicely stated that tapo divyaṁ yena sattva śuddhyet: (SB 5.5.1) "If you accept this tapasya, or austerity, for God realization, then your existential position will be purified." At the present moment, due to my material conditional life, because I have got this material body, therefore my pleasure... I am hankering after pleasure, but whatever pleasure I am acquiring, that is not permanent, or flickering, or simply illusion. But that hankering after pleasure is your constitutional position. Because you are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, who is ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12), who is by nature blissful, and you are part and parcel of that blissful Supreme Personality of Godhead, therefore your nature is also blissful. That is a fact. But you are seeking pleasure or blissfulness in a place where it is not possible. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattva (SB 5.5.1). And by purification of your existential position, the result will be yasmād brahma-saukhyam. Brahman means the greatest. Greatest. Bṛhatvād bṛhannatvād iti... Brahman means the greatest and who comes in contact with Brahman, he also becomes greatest. That is called Brahman. So if you accept austerity in this life and don't behave like cats and dogs and hogs simply for sex pleasure, then the result will be that your existence will be purified, by which you'll realize eternal happiness, anantam, which has no end, no beginning, no end. Actually it is so.
We have to die. We have to take birth again, and again we have to become old, and there will be disease. Between birth and death... Birth is very miserable, To remain in the womb of the mother in a packed-up stage within a bag, and... That is miserable. Biting, the worms biting tender skin. We have forgotten, but these were the miseries for birth. In suffocated condition...But we have forgotten. So forgetfulness is not solution. Closing the eyes before the enemies is no solution. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). So long you are in material condition, you have to suffer all these miseries, either you become rich man or poor man. You may become American or Indian. The miseries of birth, death, old age and disease, they are all the same everywhere, not only within this planet, but also in other planets also. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ. This is the intelligence. They are trying to go to the moon planet, or somebody, by karma-kāṇḍīya consideration, they are trying to go to the heavenly planet. But wherever you go, you must know that these four conditions of material life, they are present. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9).
Out of many millions and millions of persons, actually they are serious to understand, "What is the aim of life? What is God? What is my relation..." Nobody is interested. Just like... Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). Everyone is interested with this bodily conception of life like cats and dogs. This is the position. Not only now, always, this is the material condition. But somebody, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu, out of millions, one tries to understand, to make his life perfect. And out of such perfection...
Perfection means to understand his real constitutional position, that he is not this material body; he is spirit soul, Brahman. That is perfection, perfection of knowledge, brahma-jñāna.
- brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
- na śocati na kāṅkṣati
- samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
- mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
- (BG 18.54)
After brahma-jñāna... Sometimes the Māyāvādī philosophers they say, "By bhakti one gains brahma-jñāna, and one becomes liberated, merged into Brahman," and so on, so on, because they say, "Bhakti is meant for the less intelligent class of men." Their accusation is like that. No.
I mean to say, opulence, His paraphernalia—everything is spiritual. But at the present moment, due to our material bondage or condition, we cannot understand what is spiritual. But this ignorance can be moved by this process, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. How it is? I'll give you example. Just like a man is sleeping. A man is sleeping. How you can awake him? By vibration of sound. "Mr. such-and-such, just get up. Get up! The time is up." Although he is now practically unconscious, he cannot see, he cannot, er, still, that hearing process is so prominent that a sleeping man can be awakened by vibration of sound. Similarly, the spirit soul, although it is now overpowered by this material bondage or material conditions, that spiritual consciousness can be revived by this transcendental vibration, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. And for practical example, we are experiencing, and some of you...
Now, this is Sanskrit word. Some of you do not know what is the meaning of this Hare Kṛṣṇa. This meaning of Hare Kṛṣṇa is... It is just addressing the Supreme Lord and His energy, Harā. Harā is the energy, and Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord. So we are addressing, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa: "O the energy of the Lord, O the Lord, please accept me." That's all. "Please accept me." We have no other prayer. "Please accept me." Lord Caitanya taught that we should simply cry, and we shall simply pray for accepting us. That's all. So this vibration is simply a cry for addressing the Supreme Lord, requesting Him, "Please accept me. Please accept me."
That is possible. That is not story. There are many instances, and the more you become advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, spiritual life, these necessities of life, necessities of body... Because body is different from the spirit soul. The necessities of the body is material, and the necessities of the soul is spiritual. But unfortunately, although the spirit is there, we are so much absorbed in material consciousness, we do not understand what is spirit soul. We are simply busy in taking care of the body. So this is not very good condition. This is material condition. And it is very risky if we simply... Simply to take care of the body means creating different desires. "I shall be happy in this way. I shall be happy in this way." So nature's mercy is that as soon as you think that you will enjoy life like this, she will give you good opportunity. That means changing a body wherein you can enjoy the material facilities very easily.
I have several times given example. There are different types of bodies: animals, birds, beasts, demigods, human being, many varieties of life, 8,400,000, higher life, lower life. So those who are associating with the base qualities of material nature, they get lower life. That is natural. Just like you contaminate a kind of disease. It will become manifest in due course of time. So this is going on. But if we understand this knowledge as Kṛṣṇa is speaking, rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ pavitram idam uttamam, then pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. Dharma.
We are living entities. We may be in different forms; it doesn't matter, 8,400,000's of forms. But what is the actual business? The actual business is that every one of us giving service to others. This is our dharma. That is enunciated by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). This is the characteristic of living entity. Living entity is meant for giving service to Kṛṣṇa. This is the characteristic. When this characteristic is not found or lacking, that means it is diseased condition or that is material condition. Just like this finger. What is the characteristic of finger? The finger characteristic, it is the part and parcel of my body. As soon as I say, "My dear servant finger, please capture this," immediately I capture, immediately. "Oh, my dear servant finger, come on the head and give me some itching." "Yes." So this is characteristic. If the finger... I order, "Please pick up this rasagullā." "Yes." "Give it here." "Yes." The finger cannot eat. Just try to understand. The finger, if he gets one rasagullā, nice, tasteful sweetmeat, the finger will never try to smash it and spoil it. (laughter) The fingers immediately will take. You'll find. It is psychology, even for a child. The child captures with the finger some nice sweetmeats and immediately puts in... Why? The child could smash it and taste this rasagullā. That is not possible. Study nature. You take the very nice sweet, but you cannot. The fingers cannot spoil it. The process is that by nature the child knows that "If I put into the mouth, it goes to the stomach, and if it is digested, these fingers will be healthy, the eyes will be healthy, the leg will be healthy, hands will be healthy, every—all parts of the body will be healthy." This is natural.
This way you can go to the Brahmaloka. Brahmaloka mean where the topmost planet. They have calculated, the modern astronomers and the planet-goers, that it takes about forty thousands of years to go to the topmost planet of this universe. So these things are there.
Anyway, in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that even if you go to the topmost planet, there is also birth, death, old age and disease. You cannot avoid this. So long you shall remain within this material world, you have to accept these four principles of material condition, that you'll have to die. Either you live for ten thousands of years or ten millions of years, it doesn't matter; you have to die. Even Brahmā dies, who has got many millions of years. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Brahmā's one day, daytime duration, which is calculated, our twelve hours. There are twelve hours, day, twelve hours, night. That is twenty-four hours. So Brahmā's one daytime duration, twelve hours ours, is calculated to be forty three hundred thousands of years multiplied by one thousand. Now calculate what is the... That is forty three hundred thousands of years.
You see? But you have to serve because you are meant for that.
Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy is that. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). That is our permanent situation, we are servant of God. I have explained yesterday that we are part and parcel of God. Now, as part and parcel of God, what is our duty? The example I have given. Just like the finger is the part and parcel of my body. So what is the duty? As soon as I say, "Finger, please come here," it comes. "Finger, come here. Do this, do that, pick up." This is finger's business. A finger cannot remain independent. Or if the finger cannot give the service properly, then it is diseased. Similarly, our material condition means we are in diseased condition. We are not giving service to God; we are giving service to the dog. This is our diseased condition.
So God is Himself explaining how you should live. That is Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore it is said, aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharmasyāsya parantapa: (BG 9.3) "My dear Arjuna, if somebody has no faith in My words..." Then what will be the result? The result will be, aprāpya mām: "He'll not get me." Aprāpya means "not getting Myself." Then what he will get? Aprāpya māṁ nivartante: "Again he goes back." Instead of going back to home, back to Godhead, he goes back to where?
Anyway, in these three conditions... So when we fall down in this material world... The material world is of three modes of material nature, goodness, passion and ignorance. So if we acquire the quality of goodness, there is chance of enlightenment, knowledge, so that again fire can be generated. But if we fall down on the water, practically it is finished. Ignorance. So sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So in our fallen condition, mostly the rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa is very prominent, in our fallen condition, in this material condition. So symptoms of rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa means material desires and greediness. And sattva-guṇa means enlightenment. If we cultivate the sattva-guṇa quality, just means, if we cultivate the brahminical qualification, that is the platform of sattva-guṇa. So that is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). If we cultivate this kind of life, to be truthful, to be peaceful, to be tolerant, to be men of wisdom, knowledge, faith in God and the śāstras, in this way there are nine to twelve qualities. If we acquire that qualities, then we become brāhmaṇa.
He simply administers the, I mean to say, intricacies of law, of the state. Similarly, there are agents of Lord in the material nature and so many, there are agents we do not know. But there, in the śāstras, we have the Yamarāja, or there is justice department. Everything is there. So he is neutral. It is not that God is kind to somebody and unkind to some other, no. His position is always neutral.
Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti. Dveṣya means anyone whom I, upon whom I am envious. Of course, our nature is to become envious, even to enemy or friend. Even a friend, I mean to say, develops his material condition, economic development, then we become envious. That is one of the nature of the conditioned souls. Even my son becomes something greater than me, I become envious. So this is nature. So, but God has no such, I mean to say, crude qualities. He is not envious of anyone. Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ (BG 9.29). Nobody is very dear to Him, and nobody is an enemy. "But," He says especially, ye bhajanti tu māṁ bhaktyā, "anyone who is engaged in devotional service and Kṛṣṇa consciousness," mayi te, "he always remains with Me," mayi te teṣu ca api aham, "and I am also with him." Just see. Just a devotee cannot be separated. An unalloyed devotee, he cannot be separated from God.
The simple knowledge, that "I am not this body. I am..." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. The Vedic language. So 'ham. So 'ham means I am the same spirit soul as the Supersoul, as Kṛṣṇa. I am qualitatively one. As Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha, similarly I am also sac-cid-ānanda, part and parcel. The difference is that I am very minute. As we have several times explained, the minute particle of gold is also gold. That is not different. Minute, a drop of the sea water is also the same, qualitatively. The same chemicals. Similarly, we, being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, we are not subjected to the material conditions. But we have put ourself in this material condition. That is called māyā. We wanted to enjoy separately, de, separated from Kṛṣṇa, and therefore we are put into a condition which is illusion.
That I have already explained several times. At night, we forget all this body. Although in daytime I identify myself that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am brāhmaṇa," at night, when I sleep, I forget whether I am American, Indian, or brāhmaṇa, and kṣatriya. This is our daily experience. I am in different atmosphere. I am dreaming something. But again at daytime I forget what I dreamt at night. So sometimes we go very unknown place, very nice place, nice building, nice atmosphere. And at, as soon as the dream is over, then again I am on my bed. You see. And when I dream, I forget. I'm not in my bed, but I'm in the surrounding of palaces, of gardens. So this is our daily experience.
Hṛṣīkeśa. Tvayā hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣṭitena.(?) So Hṛṣīkeśa. So bhakti means hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). Now hṛṣīka means indriya. At the present moment, we are satisfying the senses. For the sense only. We have no other higher objective. Sense wants to eat something palatable. Although it is not good for me, either from health point of view, or spiritual point of view...
Just like eating meat or drinking intoxication. This is not good, either for health or for my spiritual advancement. But because my tongue wants it, I have become my servant of my tongue. I want should be satisfied. This is the material condition. Because I, I don't want to serve Kṛṣṇa, I want to serve my tongue. Tā'ra madhye jihwā ati, lobhamoy sudurmati tā'ke jetā kaṭhina saṁsāre. We have got different senses. Out of all the senses, this tongue is very strong. Tongue is very strong. Therefore śāstra says: ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). By these blunt senses, we cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. We cannot understand what is Kṛṣṇa. What is Kṛṣṇa's name, what is Kṛṣṇa's fame, what is Kṛṣṇa's form, what is Kṛṣṇa's quality... We cannot understand. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says:
- manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
- kaścid yatati siddhaye
- yatatām api siddhānāṁ
- kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ
- (BG 7.3)
- To understand Kṛṣṇa is not so easy.
So some of them... Just like the materialist scientists, they are simply trying to know the prakṛti. But they do not know the puruṣa. Prakṛti means the enjoyed, and puruṣa means the enjoyer. Actually enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa. He's the original puruṣa. That will be admitted by Arjuna: puruṣaṁ śāśvatam. "You are the original enjoyer, puruṣam." Kṛṣṇa is the enjoyer, and every one of us, the living entities, and the prakṛti, nature, everything, is to be enjoyed by Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's... Another puruṣa, we living entities. We are not puruṣa. We are also prakṛti. We are to be enjoyed. But in this material condition, we are trying to be puruṣa, enjoyer. That means when the prakṛti, or the living entities, wants to become puruṣa, that is material condition. If a woman tries to becomes a man, as that is unnatural, similarly when the living entities, who is by nature to be enjoyed...
The example, as we have given several times, that this finger captures some nice foodstuff, but actually the fingers are not enjoyer. The fingers can help the real enjoyer, namely the stomach. It can pick up some nice foodstuff and put into the mouth, and when it goes to the stomach, the real enjoyer, then all the prakṛtis, all the parts of the body, all the limbs of the body, they feel satisfaction. So the enjoyer is the stomach, not any part of the body.
Kṛṣṇa doesn't make your body. You desire. Kṛṣṇa orders māyā, the prakṛti, material nature: "You give him such kind of body." Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Prakṛti's not working. Prakṛti has given me this body not out of her own accord. Kṛṣṇa has ordered: "Give this person, this living entity, such a body." Maybe it is Brahmā's body. Maybe it is ant's body. Maybe it is demigod's body. Maybe it is the body of the worm in the stool. Different kinds. Eight million, four hundred thousand species of body. These bodies, we are getting according to our desire. Because except Kṛṣṇa consciousness desire, all desires are subjected to the material conditions.
And as soon as we get Kṛṣṇa consciousness desire, we get immediately free from this transmigration of the soul from one body to another. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). If you become simply Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then no more botheration of changing this body. You get your spiritual body, go back to home, back to Godhead. Thank you very much.
Disciple means who voluntarily accepts the spiritual master to be..., regulate. Disciple means one who is regulated by higher authority. He is disciple. The higher authority is called the spiritual master, and the person who voluntarily submits to him for being regulated, he is called disciple. Everyone is very much puffed up. This is material condition. Even the most insignificant person, he thinks of himself as very important. Nobody wants to submit to anyone. This propensity is very prominent in this age, Kali-yuga.
Therefore it is called Kali-yuga, means disagreement. "Why shall I accept your proposition? I am also independent, I can think independently." This is the general propensity. But to understand the transcendental subject matter, one has to become submissive. That is the first qualification because the disease is that nobody is submissive. Nobody wants to be lower than anybody else. Although he is insignificant, he has no value, but still—this is called māyā—he thinks himself to be very elevated, learned.
So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching people to become submissive to the authority. That is the beginning of knowledge. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). If you want to learn the transcendental subject matter which is beyond the scope of your thinking, feeling and willing... Mental speculation means thinking, feeling and willing, psychology.
We must know what is the constitution of this body, who is the occupier of the body, who is the supreme occupier of this body, how they are acting, how the bodily changes are taking place and how we are suffering in this... I say purposefully, "suffering," because in the material world there is no enjoyment. It is illusion. It is only suffering. Only suffering. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). This place is duḥkhālayam, simply for suffering. And if you say, "Never mind it is. I shall stay here and continue like this," then it is aśāśvatam. That also will not be allowed. You cannot stay. You have to change the position. This is material condition of life.
So Kṛṣṇa... Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). He comes down to instruct us that "This sort of life, materialistic way of life, will never make you happy. You take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You surrender unto Me. Act according to My advice. Then you will be happy." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)
Forever, that is no question. Even you do not know how many years you will be allowed. Any moment you can be driven out, any moment. So this is intelligence. This is intelligence. When a man comes to inquire this point, that "Why I am forced to leave my comfortable position?" I may be now American or Australian, very nice living, very nice motor car, roads, everything, but why I am forced to leave immediately?
This is the problem of life. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). Bhagavad-gītā says that "You may think of yourself as very happy within this material condition. You may think. That is called māyā. Actually, it is not happiness. "I am working very hard day and night to decorate my country, my society, my family, my house. Everything. That is not very happiness, working very day and night. But it is māyā.
I am working day and night very hard, and I am still thinking I am very happy. Natural tendency is that not to work. Therefore as soon as one man gets some money, he wants to live peacefully in a country place, a nice bungalow, without any working, without any turmoil. That is our natural tendency, peaceful. But we are forced to work, especially in this modern world. So many factories, so many work, so many. Unless we work, we cannot get the so-called comforts of life. So for the comforts of life, the so-called comforts of life I shall be able to enjoy, I am forced to work day and night. And I am thinking I am happy. This is called māyā. He is not happy, but he is distressed, but he is thinking, "I am happy." This is called māyā.
Unfortunately, people are so foolish at the present moment that they do not believe even in the next life. Mūḍha. What to speak of understanding God and Kṛṣṇa, they have no even the basic principle of spiritual knowledge.
Basic principle of spiritual knowledge is to understand that "I am not this body, I am spirit soul. I am now fallen in this material condition, and therefore, according to my different desires, I am accepting different types of bodies and wandering throughout the whole universe, sometimes this body, sometimes that body, sometimes in this planet, sometimes in other planet. This has become my unfortunate condition of life."
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore says, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kono bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). We are wandering in this cycle of birth and death and wandering in the universe. In this way, in the process of our wandering, some way or other, if we become fortunate by association of devotees, by understanding the Vedic knowledge... Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktāya (SB 1.2.12). Human life is meant for achieving knowledge and vairāgya, not that to increase the animal propensities even up to the point of death. That is not human life. Human life is meant for tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1).
No. Human life is meant for tāpo divyaṁ yena śuddhyed sattvam (SB 5.5.1). You have to purify your existence. My existence is now impure. In the Bhagavad-gītā we learn, na jāyate na mriyate. The living entity, the soul, never takes birth, never dies, but I am subject to birth and death. So this problem does not come. They are simply making adjustment, a temporary problem. That is not human civilization. Vedic civilization means to solve the major problems of life. That is Vedic civilization. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). They don't care for these troubles.
Formerly people were very happy so far material conditions were concerned. They had no complaint. Everyone was happy, everyone was getting ample food. And why they shall not get? If the birds, beasts—they are getting their ample food, even up to death. There is no complaint amongst the birds and beast unless one is in the human society. Otherwise in the jungle there are major portion of the animals and birds. They have no complaint. They do not come in the city, that we have this complaint. They are happy, they are getting ample food, life is very happy. They have got their eating, they have got their sleeping, they have got their mates for sex life and they know how to defend. Everything is there. There is no problem. Only in the human society they have created problem because they have no knowledge. The so-called knowledge is useless not unless you can solve the problems (?) what is the meaning of this knowledge? Therefore Kṛṣṇa says knowledge means one must know this is my real acute miserable condition of life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). This is knowledge.
There is no surrender. Nobody is prepared to surrender. "Oh, why shall I surrender? I know everything." Puffed-up unnecessarily. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says the material disease is that rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ. Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś (ca ye) (SB 1.2.19). Rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ means, rajo-guṇa, kāma and lobha. Ignorance.
Everyone is thinking if I become greedy, I shall get more. That is not possible. You cannot get a farthing more than what you are destined. But it is ignorance. He's thinking by simply struggling hard I'll get more. The śāstra says, "No, don't do it. So far your material condition is concerned, it is already destined with your body. You have got a certain type of body and according to that body you'll get certain amount of pleasure and pains, that is already destined." This is called adṛṣṭa, daiva. Your main business is if you want to make success, your life, then save time for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is proper utilization of life. That does not depend on destiny. That you can do. That you can do. So far other things are.
Therefore śāstra says tasyaiva hetoḥ prayeteta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ (1.5.18). You have traveled, sometimes up, sometimes down. Up means upper planetary system, down means lower planetary system. Urdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). If you develop sattva-guṇa then you are promoted to the higher planetary system. Madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ. If you remain in the passion modes of nature then you may remain within this world or few others. And jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. If you habituate jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti.
Because the body is made for that. Similarly, another man, born with silver spoon in the mouth. He hasn't got to try very much, but he gets his money quickly, very quickly. Therefore the Bhāgavata says, that "Don't waste your time for so-called happiness and distress. Don't waste your time. Because you are already destined to receive a standard of happiness and distress." You cannot change it. But you can change your consciousness. That is possible. But you cannot change your material position.
The modern people, they do not know. They do not know it that material condition cannot be changed. Take, for example, the pig. His body is meant for eating stool. So you cannot induce him to eat halavā. They cannot. He'll not accept it. Because the body is made like that. But in the human form, if we change our consciousness, then we become, we can revive our original status. Original status means eternal life of blissfulness and knowledge. That is the original life. Sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). So that Supersoul is always helping us as friend. Therefore here it is said, avibhaktaṁ ca bhūteṣu. Avibhaktaṁ ca bhūteṣu vibhaktam iva ca sthitam. The Supersoul appears like an individual soul. He is staying as friend. So He has been divided. Vibhaktam iva, "as if divided." It is not divided.
This is my position, under, fully under the control of the prakṛti." It cannot be changed. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Not possible. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā. You cannot change.
But you can change by one process. What is that? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). If you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then you can get out of this control of māyā. Otherwise it is not pos... Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Then what should be our decision? That better not to try for improving our material condition of life. That cannot be changed. It is not possible. According to destiny we have to enjoy or suffer. This is called adṛṣṭa. Therefore the śāstra gives you advice,
- tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido
- na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ
- tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṁ
- kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā
- (SB 1.5.18)
Śāstra says, "Don't uselessly try to improve your position." The modern economists, they'll say, "No, we are not going to accept this." But it is a fact. People are trying to improve the condition of the poor man, but... It is going on, but there are thousands and millions of poor men.
These things I have several times explained, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, what is mukti. Mukti means to be situated in his original position. That is mukti. Just like a man is diseased, and if you say that "Now he is relieved from the diseased condition," that is mukti. Now he's healthy condition. That is mukti. Mukti means change of the condition. That is mukti. Not that something extraordinary happens. The change of condition. The baddha condition, this... The material conditional life means that we are embarrassed with so many plans and concoctions for sense gratification. That is not mukti. That is the stage of nonliberated position. And mukti means to be situated in his original position. That is mukti. Muktir hitvā anyathā rūpam. Hitvā anyathā rūpam. What that anyathā rūpam? Anyathā means otherwise. Everyone one of us acting otherwise. Somebody is acting that "I am Pakistani." "I am East Pakistani." "I am West Pakistani. Let us fight." Anyathā rūpam. A few days before they were all Pakistanis. When there was fighting between India and Pakistan, they were all united. Now they have changed their, another anyathā rūpam, that "I am Eastern Pakistani," "I am Western Pakistani." In this way, so long you are contaminated, you change your mind, you will change your position. But it's not that real position. Unless you come to the real position.
If you develop your divine qualities, as they're described, ahiṁsā, sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ... Sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ, sattva-saṁśuddhiḥ means existentional purification. Our..., we, as spirit soul, we are pure, original, because Kṛṣṇa is pure. Arjuna accepts Kṛṣṇa, after understanding Bhagavad-gītā, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitram-paramaṁ bhavān: (BG 10.12) "You are paraṁ pavitra." And God is paraṁ pavitra is admitted in the Īśopaniṣad. Apāpa-viddham, asnāviram. Asnāviram means in the body of God there are no veins, and therefore apāpa-viddham. Veins, as soon as you have got this veins, that is material body. The body is maintained under certain material condition. You eat, and this eating substance transformed into secretion, then through the veins this comes to the heart, and heart it becomes red, corpuscle, the blood, the blood is diffused. Therefore there are so many channels, veins. And these things are pushed on with the air, and if there is shortage of air circulation, the man becomes paralyzed. This is scientific. So these things are required for the material body, not for the spiritual body. In spiritual body, asnāviram, there is no vein. Therefore one who misunderstands Kṛṣṇa as having a material body, he has been described in the Bhagavad-gītā as mūḍhā. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). He has no veins. There is no difference between His body and His soul. We have got difference with our body and soul; therefore this existence with this material body is not śuddha, is not pure. Therefore, sattva-saṁśuddhir, abhayaṁ sattva-saṁśuddhir.
| Page Title: | Material condition (Lectures, BG) |
| Compiler: | Mayapur, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 05 of Oct, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=96, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 96 |