Object of knowledge

Expressions researched:
"object of knowledge"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

BG 9.17, Translation:

I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable oṁ. I am also the Ṛg, the Sāma and the Yajur Vedas.

BG 11.38, Purport:

Everything is resting on the Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore He is the ultimate rest. Nidhānam means that everything, even the Brahman effulgence, rests on the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. He is the knower of everything that is happening in this world, and if knowledge has any end, He is the end of all knowledge; therefore He is the known and the knowable. He is the object of knowledge because He is all-pervading. Because He is the cause in the spiritual world, He is transcendental. He is also the chief personality in the transcendental world.

BG Chapters 13 - 18

BG 13.1-2, Translation:

Arjuna said: O my dear Kṛṣṇa, I wish to know about prakṛti (nature), puruṣa (the enjoyer), and the field and the knower of the field, and of knowledge and the object of knowledge. The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: This body, O son of Kuntī, is called the field, and one who knows this body is called the knower of the field.

BG 13.1-2, Purport:

Arjuna was inquisitive about prakṛti (nature), puruṣa (the enjoyer), kṣetra (the field), kṣetra-jña (its knower), and knowledge and the object of knowledge. When he inquired about all these, Kṛṣṇa said that this body is called the field and that one who knows this body is called the knower of the field. This body is the field of activity for the conditioned soul. The conditioned soul is entrapped in material existence, and he attempts to lord it over material nature. And so, according to his capacity to dominate material nature, he gets a field of activity. That field of activity is the body. And what is the body? The body is made of senses. The conditioned soul wants to enjoy sense gratification, and, according to his capacity to enjoy sense gratification, he is offered a body, or field of activity. Therefore the body is called kṣetra, or the field of activity for the conditioned soul. Now, the person, who should not identify himself with the body, is called kṣetra-jña, the knower of the field. It is not very difficult to understand the difference between the field and its knower, the body and the knower of the body. Any person can consider that from childhood to old age he undergoes so many changes of body and yet is still one person, remaining. Thus there is a difference between the knower of the field of activities and the actual field of activities. A living conditioned soul can thus understand that he is different from the body. It is described in the beginning—dehino 'smin—that the living entity is within the body and that the body is changing from childhood to boyhood and from boyhood to youth and from youth to old age, and the person who owns the body knows that the body is changing. The owner is distinctly kṣetra-jña. Sometimes we think, "I am happy," "I am a man," "I am a woman," "I am a dog," "I am a cat."

BG 13.18, Translation:

He is the source of light in all luminous objects. He is beyond the darkness of matter and is unmanifested. He is knowledge, He is the object of knowledge, and He is the goal of knowledge. He is situated in everyone's heart.

BG 18.18, Translation:

Knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower are the three factors that motivate action; the senses, the work and the doer are the three constituents of action.

BG 18.18, Purport:

There are three kinds of impetus for daily work: knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower. The instruments of work, the work itself and the worker are called the constituents of work. Any work done by any human being has these elements. Before one acts, there is some impetus, which is called inspiration. Any solution arrived at before work is actualized as a subtle form of work. Then work takes the form of action. First one has to undergo the psychological processes of thinking, feeling and willing, and that is called impetus. The inspiration to work is the same if it comes from the scripture or from the instruction of the spiritual master. When the inspiration is there and the worker is there, then actual activity takes place by the help of the senses, including the mind, which is the center of all the senses. The sum total of all the constituents of an activity are called the accumulation of work.

BG 18.29, Purport:

Now after explaining knowledge, the object of knowledge, and the knower, in three different divisions according to the modes of material nature, the Lord is explaining the intelligence and determination of the worker in the same way.

SB Canto 1

SB 1.2.28-29, Translation:

In the revealed scriptures, the ultimate object of knowledge is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead. The purpose of performing sacrifice is to please Him. Yoga is for realizing Him. All fruitive activities are ultimately rewarded by Him only. He is supreme knowledge, and all severe austerities are performed to know Him. Religion (dharma) is rendering loving service unto Him. He is the supreme goal of life.

SB Canto 7

SB 7.15.57, Translation:

He who exists internally and externally, at the beginning and end of everything and of all living beings, as that which is enjoyable and as the enjoyer of everything, superior and inferior, is the Supreme Truth. He always exists as knowledge and the object of knowledge, as expression and the object of understanding, as darkness and as light. Thus He, the Supreme Lord, is everything.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 7.128, Purport:

The transcendental vibration of oṁkāra is further explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, Chapter Nine, verse seventeen:

pitāham asya jagato mātā dhātā pitāmahaḥ

vedyaṁ pavitram oṁkāra ṛk sāma yajur eva ca

"I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support and the grandsire. I am the object of knowledge, the purifier and the syllable oṁ. I am also the Ṛg, the Sāma and the Yajur Vedas."

Similarly, the transcendental sound oṁ is further explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, Chapter Seventeen, verse twenty-three:

oṁ tat sad iti nirdeśo brahmaṇas tri-vidhaḥ smṛtaḥ

brāhmaṇās tena vedāś ca yajñāś ca vihitāḥ purā

"From the beginning of creation, the three syllables oṁ tat sat have been used to indicate the Supreme Absolute Truth (Brahman). They were uttered by brāhmaṇas while chanting Vedic hymns and during sacrifices for the satisfaction of the Supreme."

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 6.168, Purport:

"The Absolute Truth is called Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān." (SB 1.2.11) The Māyāvādīs try to understand Brahman only, or, at the most, Paramātmā. However, they are unable to understand Bhagavān. Therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, says, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ (BG 7.15). Because of the temperament of the Māyāvādī philosophers, real knowledge is taken from them. Because they cannot receive the mercy of the Lord, they will always be bewildered by His transcendental form. Impersonal philosophy destroys the three phases of knowledge—jñāna, jñeya and jñātā. As soon as one speaks of knowledge, there must be a person who is the knower, the knowledge itself and the object of knowledge. Māyāvāda philosophy combines these three categories; therefore the Māyāvādīs cannot understand how the spiritual potencies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead act. Because of their poor fund of knowledge, they cannot understand the distinction in the spiritual world between knowledge, the knower and the object of knowledge. Because of this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu considers the Māyāvādī philosophers more dangerous than the Buddhists.

Renunciation Through Wisdom

Renunciation Through Wisdom 3.1:

Argumentative impersonalists fail to grasp that without first properly understanding the science of the Absolute Truth, one cannot possibly develop firm devotion to the Supreme Lord. Hence when a person is seen to be situated on the platform of pure devotional service, it is to be understood that his ignorance has been destroyed. We have discussed this point in some detail in the previous essay, "The Science of Devotion." The empirical philosophers generally put forward the idea that human life is meant for achieving perfect knowledge. To them, knowledge means the ability to discern reality from illusion. By eradicating illusion and establishing that truth and reality are nondifferent from Brahman, they want to merge into the existence of Brahman. This, then, is their definition of perfect knowledge, which they aspire to attain birth after birth. They declare that the highest stage of knowledge is reached when the knower, the knowledge, and the object of knowledge become one entity, which then finally merges into Brahman, attaining liberation. Lord Caitanya has described this state of liberation as bhava-mahādāvāgni-nirvāpanam, "extinguishing the flames of material existence." He cited many verses from the revealed scriptures proving that a pure devotee easily attains this state of liberation by chanting the holy names of God.

Unfortunately, the stubborn impersonalists cannot comprehend that the final spiritual destination, beyond even the four Vedic goals (religiosity, economic development, sense gratification, and liberation) is absolutely pure and transcendental love of Godhead. They mistake the devotees of the Lord for sentimentalists and consider them their philosophical opponents. Besides these out-and-out impersonalists, there is a certain group of devotees that has deviated from the path of pure devotion and fallen prey to pretension. These cheaters actually end up following the impersonalists' path of trying to merge with the Supreme Lord. Such materialistic sentimentalists are not counted among the devotees of the Lord. Like their impersonalist counterparts, they cannot understand the true position of the Supreme Lord's name, form, qualities, pastimes, associates, or paraphernalia, for they wrongly consider these transcendental subjects illusory. They act capriciously and confuse the mass of people.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Paris, August 10, 1973:

This is the special prerogative of human being, that he can understand the nature, this cosmic manifestation, and the enjoyer of the nature, and he can be fully conversant about what is the object of knowledge, jñeyam.

There are three things, jñeyam, jñāta, and jñāna. The object of knowledge, the knower is called jñāta, and the object of knowledge is called jñeyam. And the process by which one can understand, that is called jñāna, knowledge. As soon as we speak of knowledge, there must be three things: the object of knowledge, the person who is trying to know and the process by which the object of knowledge is achieved.

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.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Paris, August 10, 1973:

Therefore kṣetra-jña. And the platform on which you are dancing, that is kṣetra. So we are all dancing... In the material world, we are all dancing. How we are dancing? Getting a particular type of body. That is kṣetra. There must be some platform.

For... Just like a kṛṣaka, a agriculturist, he is plowing the land. The land is called kṣetra, and the man who is plowing, he's called kṣetra-jña. He knows that; "I am plowing over this ground." So this is also another knowledge, kṣetra and kṣetra-jña. Then... (Sound is garbled, with words and phrases blipped out) ...etad veditum icchāmi. I wish to know this subject matter. Jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ ca keśava. As well as jñānam, knowledge, what is actually knowledge, and what is the object of knowledge.

So six things he's questioning. First of all, prakṛti, one, puruṣa, two, kṣetra, three, kṣetra-jña, four, knowledge, five, and the knowable object of knowledge, six. These are the subject matter, Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna is asking from Kṛṣṇa. Because he has accepted Kṛṣṇa guru. So for bona fide inquiries, transcendental inquiries, one must approach a guru. That is the Vedic injunction. That Arjuna has already done. When he was he was to fight or not to fight, But he could not make solution. So to make a solution we must approach Kṛṣṇa as guru, or Kṛṣṇa's representative. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's representative... In, they are the same.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Bombay, September 25, 1973:

So four questions Arjuna wanted to know from Kṛṣṇa, the answers of four questions. First, prakṛti, this material nature, puruṣam, the enjoyer of the material nature, kṣetram, the field of enjoying, or field of activities, and kṣetrajñam, one who is enjoying or one who is acting on the field. Etad veditum icchāmi jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ ca keśava. Another two things: jñānam, what is knowledge, and jneyam, what is the object of knowledge, the aim of knowledge.

So Kṛṣṇa replied, idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate: (BG 13.2) "This body is kṣetra." Etad yo vetti taṁ prāhuḥ kṣetrajñaḥ iti tad-vidaḥ: "And one who knows this body, he's kṣetrajña." The whole subject matter of Bhagavad-gītā is to know who is the proprietor of this body. Generally everyone, ninety-nine-point-nine percent, everyone knows that "I am this body," but that is not the fact. The owner of the body: one who knows that "I am not this body, but I am the proprietor of the body."

Just like I am sitting on this throne. I am not this throne, but I am a different person who is sitting on the throne. Similarly, when somebody asks me, "What you are?" if I give my identification... (aside:) These children must be removed. ...with this body, that is my foolishness.

Lecture on BG 13.1-2 -- Bombay, September 25, 1973:

Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, this is a civilization of the cows and the asses. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). So in other words, it is an animal civilization. So you cannot be happy in animal civilization, in the societies of animals. Just like in the jungle there are animals. There is no peace. There is always struggle for existence, fight between one animal. Still, they are peaceful. But at the present moment, throughout the whole world, we have become less than the animals because we do not know what is the basic principle of civilization, what is the ultimate goal of life, what is our perfection. These things we are lacking in knowledge.

Therefore Arjuna inquires, "What is jñānam, what is knowledge, and what is the object of knowledge?" So Kṛṣṇa replied that "This body, śarīram, idaṁ śarīraṁ kṣetram, this is our field of activities." We have got different types of body. Yesterday I have explained. There are eight million four hundred thousand forms of body, and according to our desire, nature is supplying a type of body for our activity.

That is explained in another place in the Bhagavad-gītā: īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). The Lord is situated in everyone's heart. Kṛṣṇa is situated outside and inside also. Kṛṣṇa, antar bahiḥ, He is situated outside and inside. Simply we have to make our eyes and senses perfect to see Him. Kṛṣṇa is not invisible. He is visible. But one who has got the eyes to see Him, one can see; otherwise not. Therefore in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated, premāñjana-cchurita bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ hṛdayeṣu sadaiva vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). Those who have developed Kṛṣṇa consciousness, love of Godhead, they can see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, śyāma-sundaraṁ acintya-guṇa svarūpam, the reservoir of all transcendental qualities. Acintya-guṇa... Acintya means inconceivable. The qualities which Kṛṣṇa has got, that is inconceivable by us. He has got qualities.

Lecture on BG 13.3 -- Paris, August 11, 1973:

So Arjuna inquired from Kṛṣṇa six things: kṣetra, kṣetrajña, prakṛti, puruṣa, jñānam, jñeyam. What is knowledge and what is the object of knowledge. Jñānam jñeyam. Kṣetra, field of activities, kṣetrajña, the worker on that field, kṣetra, kṣetrajña, and prakṛti, nature, and the puruṣa. Material nature and puruṣa means the enjoyer. Six question. Of course Bhagavad-gītā is each and every word and letter is full of knowledge. But these six inquiries, if actually can understand the six items, he becomes the perfect knower. That is said by Kṛṣṇa: yat taj jñānaṁ mataṁ mama. Jñānam means knowledge. So if anyone can understand the six items, then he is in full knowledge.

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

Lecture on BG 13.13 -- Bombay, October 6, 1973:

That is dharma, to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa: "Kṛṣṇa, I am eternally Your servant. I forgot You. Now I come to my senses. I surrender unto You." This is dharma. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). This sense, real sense, comes when after struggling, struggling for many, many births, one becomes wise. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān. Jñānavān means wise. Not fools and rascals. Jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: "He surrenders unto Me." So anyone who is surrendering to Kṛṣṇa, taking to Kṛṣṇa or devotional service fully, he is the most intelligent man. He's not cats and dogs or rascals. Because Kṛṣṇa says, jñānavān. This is real knowledge. That will be explained.

Kṛṣṇa says, jñeyaṁ yat tat pravakṣyāmi "I shall speak to you what is the object of knowledge, ultimate objective of knowledge." Yaj jñātvā 'mṛtam aśnute. If one can understand Kṛṣṇa he gets eternal life. That is our aim of life. Not to remain within this material world, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19), take birth once and again die. This is done by the cats and dogs. Any animal, they do not know anything. They take birth and again die. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You have to accept. So if in ignorance I take birth and again die, what is this life? Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). That is no knowledge. Spoiling. This human form of life is the boon where you can make a solution simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). This is knowledge, how to become immortal, how to understand Kṛṣṇa, how to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the mission of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Lecture on BG 13.14 -- Bombay, October 7, 1973:

So we are now discussing jñeyam, the object of knowledge. Previously we discussed the process of knowledge, amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam, ācāryopāsanam... (BG 13.8). Twenty items we have discussed. The chief is: mayi cānanya-yogena bhaktir avyabhicāriṇī. The chief of them is bhakti, mayi ca ananya-yogena, without any diversion. Ananya-yogena bhakti-yoga. That is the chief point. Then other qualities of knowledge will develop automatically. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12).

As soon as you become a pure devotee of the Lord, all the good qualities of the demigods, surāḥ. There are two classes of men: sura and asura. Sura means devotees, and asura means nondevotees. So good qualities can be found in the suras. Ahiṁsā amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam (BG 13.8). There are many instances that the devotees are all qualified.

Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, he was only five years old boy and his father was always chastising him because his only fault was he was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So the world is so made, full of demons, that simply for your fault of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra you'll have so many enemies, even your father. This is the position. Simply for this fault, that because we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, we have got so many enemies. This is the world. Sura and asura. Because the more asuras... They'll never tolerate. The glorifying the Lord, they cannot tolerate. It is very difficult for them.

Lecture on BG 13.18 -- Bombay, October 12, 1973:

Pradyumna: "He is the source of light in all luminous objects. He is beyond the darkness of matter and is unmanifested. He is knowledge, He is the object of knowledge, and He is the goal of knowledge. He is situated in everyone's heart."

Prabhupāda: You have recited the word meaning?

Pradyumna: Yes Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda:

jyotiṣām api taj jyotis

tamasaḥ param ucyate

jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ jñāna-gamyaṁ

hṛdi sarvasya viṣṭhitam

Jyoti. Jyoti means light. There are different types of light. There is lamp. There is candle. There is electric bulb. The power also, they are different powers: one hundred powers, fifty powers, twenty-five... There are different grades of jyoti. But there is supreme jyoti.

Lecture on BG 13.18 -- Bombay, October 12, 1973:

Viṣṭhitam. Kṛṣṇa is situated in everyone's heart. Actually He is knowledge, and He is the object of knowledge, jñeyam, and one should try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ jñāna-gamyam. And He is in everyone's heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). Simply we have to know the process how to know Him. That is explained already, We have discussed. Amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam (BG 13.8), ācāryopāsanam, indriya, vinigrahaḥ, bhakti-yoga... Māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena... (BG 14.26). These things are already discussed. So human life is meant for understanding this. Athāto brahma-jijñā... These are all Brahman subject. They are not material subject matter. Tattva-vastu. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11).

So this Vedic civilization is meant for Brahman realization. Therefore we have got so many Vedic literatures. Bhagavad-gītā is only a part, ABCD, the first book of spiritual knowledge. Still, people are so degraded that they cannot understand even Bhagavad-gītā, the ABCD. What they will understand, other things? Their education is so poor and they are so unfortunate that even Bhagavad-gītā which Kṛṣṇa left behind Him...

Lecture on BG 13.19 -- Bombay, October 13, 1973:

We are not in touch with God when we forget Him. And as soon as we understand that everything is the energy of the Supreme Lord, then we immediately become in touch. That can be done, premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38).

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, iti kṣetraṁ tathā jñānaṁ jñeyaṁ coktuṁ samāsataḥ. "My dear Arjuna, now I have explained to you in summary, not in detail, what is this body, who is the knower of the body, proprietor of the body, kṣetra-jña, and what is knowledge, and what is the object of knowledge. These things I have explained to you." So Kṛṣṇa is explaining, everything. Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. You can become fully in knowledge if you read Bhagavad-gītā carefully. But you must have the qualification. If you are a rascal, nonsense you cannot understand. This is plain thing. Rascals and nonsense cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. That is the first condition.

When Bhagavad-gītā was taught to Arjuna, he said, bhakto 'si me sakhā ceti rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam. "My dear Arjuna, I am speaking to you this mystery of Bhagavad-gītā which was spoken long long ago to the sun-god, but now it is lost because the paramparā is lost. Disciplic succession is lost. Therefore I am again speaking to you the same truth so that from you people will understand what is Bhagavad-gītā."

Lecture on BG 13.19 -- Bombay, October 13, 1973:

Therefore, this knowledge means that to understand the Absolute Truth. That process is described. Jñānam. Amānitvam adambhitvaṁ kṣāntir ārjavam, ācāryopāsanam, bhakti. Māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate (BG 14.26). Adhyātma-jñānārtha-darśanam. Everything is described. Kṛṣṇa said therefore that iti kṣetraṁ tathā jñānam. "I have described about this body and I have described about the knowledge and the object of knowledge. Everything I have described." But who will understand? That is also described here: mad-bhakta etad vijñāya (BG 13.19). So that is the qualification. Unless one is devotee, one cannot.

That is so the politicians they cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. They will simply misuse. The politicians, the scholars, the so-called scholars, they cannot understand. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). They cannot understand. You have to become a devotee. Mad-bhakta. Devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Not that... deśa-bhakta. "That I am deśa-bhakta. I am a bhakta of my wife, I am bhakta of my country." No no, you cannot understand. You get out. Mad-bhakta, kṛṣṇa-bhakta. It is clearly said. How these rascals try to explain Bhagavad-gītā without becoming kṛṣṇa-bhakta?

It is clearly stated here. You have to become kṛṣṇa-bhakta. If you actually understand, if you want to understand Kṛṣṇa,"God, then you have to become. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for this purpose. We are making propaganda to teach people how to become kṛṣṇa-bhakta and then he can understand Kṛṣṇa, and as soon as he understands Kṛṣṇa, he's liberated. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Kṛṣṇa has already explained. If you simply understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). He, after giving up this body, he does not come to this material world to accept another miserable body.

Lecture on BG 13.19 -- Bombay, October 13, 1973:

Nobody wants to die. That is also described previously. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). Actually we are making struggle. hard struggle, just to conquer over this miserable condition of life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. But that is not possible. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi, you can conquer when you get the same nature as that of Kṛṣṇa. Mad-bhāvāyopapadyate.

If you are able to acquire that nature, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1), then how is, how it is possible? That is mad-bhakta, mad-bhakta etad vijñāya (BG 13.19). These three things. What is this body, who is the owner of this body, what is knowledge, what is the object of knowledge. If we understand these three things, then we can get, revive our original position. We are also sac-cid-ānanda, but at the present moment our vigrahaḥ, our body is different. This is, subjected to birth, death, old age, and disease. This we have to conquer; this is the problem. I don't want to die, why death is enforced upon me? That these rascals they have no brain. That I don't want to die. How I can escape death? Just like we are trying to escape disease. We don't want to be diseased. As soon as we become diseased, we go to a doctor, we take medical help. "Sir, cure my disease, cure my disease." Then why don't you go to a doctor who can give you relief from death? But they have no brain. The educational system is so rascaldom that there is no brain. All over the world. There is no institution where people are being taught how to conquer over death. There is no such institution.

Lecture on BG 13.19 -- Bombay, October 13, 1973:

First of all, discover that no more death. Then scientific advancement. No more disease. "No, we have got very good medicine for disease." That's all right. Stop disease. No, that we cannot do. Then what is the improvement? What is the improvement, nonsense? This is not improvement. Improvement means stop death, stop disease, stop old age, stop birth, also. There are so many contraceptive methods, birth control. Still, the population increasing. Increasing. So these are not solution. Real solution is here in the Bhagavad-gītā. You get real knowledge, jñānam, jñeyam, the object of knowledge. As it is stated by Bhagavad-gītā, by Kṛṣṇa Himself, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Become His devotee, etad vijñāya, then, what is that? Mad-bhāvāyopapadyate.

Then, originally we, are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa just like a part and parcel of gold is gold. It is not earth or dirt, it is gold. But when it is covered by something else then it becomes something else. No. Similarly we are also as good as Kṛṣṇa because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Acintya-bhedābheda. That is the philosophy of simultaneously one and different. We are one with Kṛṣṇa in the sense by quality. As Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda, eternal life, blissful life, knowledge, full of knowledge, we are also like that in minute quantity, not like Kṛṣṇa. But there is the same quality. But now we are covered by this material energy. That Kṛṣṇa is never covered. That is the difference between Kṛṣṇa and ourselves although the quality is the same.

But we are prone to be covered. But Kṛṣṇa is not prone to be covered. Otherwise, why should we take lessons from Kṛṣṇa? If He's also like one of us, then what is the use of taking knowledge from Him? There is no use. But these rascals, they think that Kṛṣṇa is like us. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Because Kṛṣṇa, by His causeless mercy comes down to teach you how to take you back to home, back to Godhead, rascals think that "Kṛṣṇa is like us." Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). Therefore Kṛṣṇa says "All these lessons, instructions, can be assimilated, understood, by My devotee," mad-bhakta etad vijñāya (BG 13.19). "And therefore they are eligible to get back his original consciousness."

Lecture on BG 13.20 -- Bombay, October 14, 1973:

Pradyumna: Translation: "Material nature and the living entities should be understood to be beginningless. Their transformations and the modes of matter are products of material nature."

Prabhupāda: So there were six questions by Arjuna: kṣetra, kṣetra-jña, jñānam, jñeyam, prakṛti, puruṣa. Six questions. So Kṛṣṇa has already replied what is kṣetra, kṣetra-jña, and what is the process of knowledge and what is the object of knowledge. Now He is beginning to explain what is this material nature and what is these living entities.

Material nature, prakṛti, is enjoyable. Prakṛti means enjoyable. And puruṣa. Puruṣa means enjoyer. Just like in our present condition we accept the female as the fair sex, enjoyable. And we, male, we think we are enjoyer. By nature the females, they are by nature apt to dress attractively, and the puruṣa is attracted. So this prakṛti and puruṣa. Actually none of us are puruṣa. This conception of puruṣa, enjoyer, that is there in so-called woman and so-called man. The man also wants to enjoy. Not only man, every living entity, cats, dogs, trees, aquatics, everyone, because this material world means all the living entities, beginning from Lord Brahmā, down to the smallest ant, they are seeking after enjoyment. Puruṣa. That is puruṣa spirit. One who is seeking for enjoyment is called puruṣa. But actual puruṣa is Kṛṣṇa.

We are all prakṛtis. And because, being prakṛti, we are trying to become puruṣa, that is called māyā, or illusion. Just like if a woman dresses like a man and wants to act as man, as that is illusion, similarly, we are differently dressed in the material ingredient, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). Everyone's body is made of these five elements and mind, intelligence, they are also subtle material elements, and with this combination we have got this body, and I am the spirit soul. I am trying to enjoy. This is material world. We have forgotten that we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Our business is not to enjoy but to help Kṛṣṇa to enjoy. That is our business, part and parcel.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.28-29 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1972:

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

vāsudeva-parā vedā

vāsudeva-parā makhāḥ

vāsudeva-parā yogā

vāsudeva-parāḥ kriyāḥ

vāsudeva-paraṁ jñānaṁ

vāsudeva-paraṁ tapaḥ

vāsudeva-paro dharmo

vāsudeva-parā gatiḥ

(SB 1.2.28-29)

Translation: "In the revealed scriptures, the ultimate object of knowledge is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead. The purpose of performing sacrifice is to please Him. Yoga is for realizing Him. All fruitive activities are ultimately rewarded by Him only. He is supreme knowledge, and all severe austerities are performed to know Him. Religion (dharma) is rendering loving service unto Him. He is the supreme goal of life."

Prabhupāda: Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). The same verse, in the Bhagavad-gītā, is explained here in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. As it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā:

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante

jñānavān māṁ prapadyate

vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti

sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ

(BG 7.19)

There are many mahātmās, many yogis, jñānīs, karmīs. They're all good. But if they do not approach the ultimate goal of life—means approaching Vāsudeva—then śrama eva hi kevalam.

Lecture on SB 1.16.12 -- Los Angeles, January 9, 1974:

Therefore knowledge must be taken from the Vedic literature. Veda means full knowledge. And that full knowledge, when it is properly utilized, then you can understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). First of all you have to take to take to the Vedic literature for real knowledge. And when you come to the platform of real knowledge, then you can understand Kṛṣṇa. Before knowing Kṛṣṇa, you are in darkness. You are in darkness. Because it is said, vedaiś ca sarvaiḥ. Veda means knowledge. The ultimate goal of knowledge is to understand Kṛṣṇa. And therefore it is called Vedānta. Vedānta. Veda means knowledge, and anta means the ultimate. Vedānta. Vedānta philosophy. So Vedānta philosophy gives you direction that what is the object of knowledge. Athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now object of knowledge is to understand the Supreme, the origin of everything." That is object of knowledge, philosophy. Philosophy means science, anything. Science also trying, "What is the original cause of this creation? What is the original cause of life?" But because andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31), the so-called philosophers, scientists, they have been taught by another unscientist, not scientist, so he is also not scientist, not philosopher, because he has been taught by another andha. Just like one blind man leads other blind man. So what he will get, knowledge? So therefore, according to Vedic civilization, it is enjoined, it is ordered, that "If you want to take knowledge," tad-vijñānārtham, "to understand the complete science," tad-vijñānārtham, "the spirit," sa gurum eva abhigacchet, "oḥ, you must approach a bona fide guru." Otherwise there is no knowledge. That is not knowledge.

So Vedic knowledge is so perfect that this Bhārata-varṣa, seven islands. Now the seven islands still there. You cannot make eight or nine, or six. The seven islands are still there. So seven islands means, within seven islands, the two Americas, North and South America, are there. So why it is called Columbus, Columbus discovered? No. It was already in the Vedic literature. You will find in Śaṅkarācārya's... When Columbus discovered America, how many years ago? Two hundred years?

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Socrates:

Hayagrīva: The good that Socrates speaks of is not the same as sattva-guṇa. This is a quotation from The Republic. Socrates says, "This, then, which gives to the objects of knowledge their truth and to him who knows them his power of knowing is the form or essential nature of goodness."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hayagrīva: "It is the cause of knowledge and truth, and so while he may think of it as an object of knowledge, he would do well to regard it as something beyond truth and knowledge, and precious as these both are, of still higher worth. And just as in our analogy light and vision were to be thought of like the sun, but not identical with it, so here both knowledge and truth are to be regarded as like the good, but to identify either with the good is wrong. The good must hold a yet higher place of honor. The objects of knowledge derive from the good not only their power of being known, but their very being and reality, and goodness is not the same thing as being, but even beyond being, surpassing it in dignity and power."

Prabhupāda: Yes. So goodness is the position where you can get knowledge. And passion and ignorance is not the platform of knowledge. Therefore the endeavor should be how to bring persons in the basic or base platform, ignorance and passion. So this is very easily done by our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. If one hears about Kṛṣṇa, or God, then gradually he becomes freed from the clutches of darkness and passion, and actually he then comes to the platform of goodness. And when he is perfectly in goodness, then this passion and ignorance and their by-products cannot touch him. Tadā rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ kāma-lobhādayaś ca ye (SB 1.2.19).

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Krsnadasa -- Vrindaban 7 November, 1972:

Regarding Hitler, so Hitler may be good man or bad man, so what does he help to our Krishna Consciousness movement? But it is a fact that much propaganda was made against him, that much I know, and the Britishers are first-class propagandists. And I have heard that his officers did everything without informing him, just like in our ISKCON there are so many false things: "Prabhupada said this, Prabhupada said that." But we have nothing to do with Hitler in our Krishna Consciousness. Do not be deviated by such ideas "Jnanam jneyam jnana-gamyam," (ibid), Krishna is knowledge, He is the object of knowledge, He is the goal of knowledge, and

you mam evam asammudho

janati purusottamam

sa sarva-vid bhajati mam

(Bg. XV, 19)

"Whoever knows Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without doubting, is to be understood as the knower of everything, and he engages himself therefore in devotional service"—this is the understanding of advanced devotee, so my best advice to you is to agree to come to this understanding.