Prabhupāda:
- jñānaṁ yadā pratinivṛtta-guṇormi-cakram
- ātma-prasāda uta yatra guṇeṣv asaṅgaḥ
- kaivalya-sammata-pathas tv atha bhakti-yogaḥ
- ko nirvṛto hari-kathāsu ratiṁ na kuryāt
- (SB 2.3.12)
Word meaning? (synonyms read) Jñānaṁ yadā pratinivṛtta-guṇormi-cakram. Knowledge, progressive knowledge, so, when it comes to the real standard, yadā, jñānaṁ yadā, when the knowledge or speculative empiric knowledge, pratinivṛtta-guṇormi-cakram, no more affected by the waves of these modes of nature ... Our present conditioned stage is due to our being carried away by the waves of material nature. We are being carried away. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has translated in his song, keno māyār bośe, jāccho bhese', Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi. "Why you are being carried away by the waves of māyā, and sometimes drowned and sometimes on the surface? Why you are taking so much trouble?" Jīv kṛṣṇa-dās, e biśwās, korle to' ār duḥkho nāi. As soon as you take it... It is a fact, but you are misled. It is a fact that you are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, but artificially you are thinking that you are master. You are master, you are God, you are enjoyer, you are this, you are that.
That is artificial. So real knowledge means when one is not any more disturbed by the influence of the modes of material nature. The modes of material nature is working. Somebody is influenced by passion, somebody is influenced by ignorance, and somebody is influenced by goodness also. That is also one nature. If, on the platform of goodness, if one stops, then he's also bound, he's also conditioned. "I am very learned man; I know what is Brahman," or "I am living very nice peaceful life." These are the products of jñāna. But if we remain compact within the boundary of such knowledge and do not make further progress, then that is also bondage. That is also bondage. Therefore one must come to the sense where these waves of material nature cannot act. That is real knowledge. Therefore it is said, jñānaṁ yadā pratinivṛtta-guṇormi. Urmi means waves. Cakram, in the whirlpool of the waves of the ocean of nescience... Just like they are taking pleasure in swimming with the waves.
It is voluntarily taking shelter of the ocean, and they like being tossed by the waves. And sometimes they are drowned also. That is our position. We have come to enjoy this ocean of material nescience, and there is tossing, and we are thinking we are enjoying. So when one comes to the knowledge that "This is not my platform of enjoyment. Let me go to the land," then he's safe. Then he's safe. Otherwise, he may think that he's enjoying, but he's actually being tossed by the waves of this ocean. And this is knowledge. Jñānaṁ yadā pratinivṛtta. Ātma-prasāda uta yatra guṇeṣv asaṅgaḥ. Ātma-prasāda. I am eternal part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. I may be very minute part, but because I am now attached to the complete machine, now I am safe. This example I have given so many times. A big machine and a small screw, part of it. When it is detached from the machine, it has no value. But when it is again attached to the machine, even it is very insignificant, small, it has got value.
Similarly, ātma-prasāda uta yatra guṇeṣv asaṅgaḥ. Asaṅgaḥ, no more connection with this material nature. But I have my connection with Kṛṣṇa. It may be little, very. I may be very minute, but that, I mean to say, connection is very valuable. I have given many times this example that a car running at a speed of 60 miles, and a cycle is running at the rate of 10 miles, but as soon as the cyclist catches the car, the cyclist also runs in the 60 miles. So similarly, instead of trying to satisfy our senses independently, if we join with Kṛṣṇa in His rāsa dance, as cowherd boys, gopīs, we join with Kṛṣṇa, then you get the same pleasure as Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Don't try to enjoy independently. Just like here, in this temple. Every one of us trying to enjoy life in connection with Kṛṣṇa. As soon as we are disconnected with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this kind of foodstuff or this kind of living, simple living, will not satisfy you. You'll be tossed by the waves of material nature.
As others are being... They are also eating; we are also eating. But in our eating, we have got full satisfaction. And they have no satisfaction. They are eating sometimes here, sometimes there, this restaurant, that restaurant, this place... So many advertisements. So as soon as we dovetail our activities with Kṛṣṇa, or Kṛṣṇa's activities, that is perfection. Jñānaṁ yadā apratihatā ahaituky apratihatā. That is real activity. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). The activities which... yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, which is meant for rendering service to the Lord, apratihatā, without being checked. Here (it) is said yadā... Apratihatā. Or apratihatā. Both ways, you can take. That is kaivalyam. Kaivalya means oneness. When I forget myself... The same example: the screw is no longer a screw; it is the whole machine. It is the whole machine. So similarly, kaivalya means oneness. There is no other anything. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma, everything Brahman.
This stage can be achieved when one is engaged, dovetailed in the service of the Lord. Therefore the last line says, ko nirvṛto hari-kathāsu ratiṁ na kuryāt. This is the highest perfectional stage of life. So anyone, one who, anyone who wants blissful life... What is nirvṛtaḥ? Hm? What is the meaning of nirvṛtaḥ?
Śrutaśravā: "Absorbed in."
Prabhupāda: Absorbed in. So anyone who wants to be in transcendental pleasure, absorbed in transcendental pleasure, how he will decline to hear the hari-kathā, transcendental messages of Hari, Supreme Personality of Godhead? Hari-kathā. Hari-kathāsu. This is hari-kathā. In our temple, whatever we discuss, that is hari-kathā or kṛṣṇa-kathā. Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Hari-kathā. Now read...no. Time is up.
Pradyumna: Translation?
Prabhupāda: No, we can read tomorrow. Have kīrtana.
