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The real position of the living entity is a servant of God, but in Bhagavad-gita we see that the master, Krsna, has become the servant of Arjuna

Expressions researched:
"The real position of the living entity is a servant of God, but in Bhagavad-gita we see that the master, Krsna, has become the servant of Arjuna"

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Sometimes servant of God becomes the master of God. The real position of the living entity is a servant of God, but in Bhagavad-gītā we see that the master, Kṛṣṇa, has become the servant of Arjuna. Arjuna is sitting on the chariot, and Kṛṣṇa has accepted his drivership. Is not the servant of the owner of the chariot? So in spiritual relation we should not carry out the conception of this material relationship.
Lecture on SB 1.2.17 -- San Francisco, March 25, 1967:

In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find... That is our brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20) situation. The Vedas teaches us that "You are not this matter. You are Brahman." Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Lord Śaṅkarācārya, he preached this gospel to the world that we are not this matter. We are Brahman, spirit soul. So that, when that spiritual realization will be actually done, then your symptoms will change. What are those symptoms? Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati: (BG 18.54) "When one is situated in his own spiritual consciousness, then he will have no hankering and no lamentation, lamentation for loss or hankering for gain." Two things are going on in this material world. The things which we do not possess, we hanker after it: "If I get these things, I'll be happy. If I get these things... Oh, I have no money. If I get one hundred thousand millions dollars, then I'll be happy." This is hankering. And when one hundred thousand million dollars you have got... Some way or other, it is lost, oh, you cry, "Oh, I am gone." So either for earning or we hanker, that is also a kind of distress, and when we suffer loss there is distress. But if you are situated in brahma-bhūtaḥ avasthāna, you'll be neither, neither distressed, nor hankering. You'll be in equilibrium. Yasmin sthite guruṇāpi duhkhena na vicālyate (Bg. 6.20-23). Even if you are situated in the midst of fiery tribulation, you'll not be disturbed. That is the position.

evaṁ prasanna-manaso
bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ
bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ
mukta-saṅgasya jāyate
(SB 1.2.20)

Bhagavat-tattva-vijñāna... Bhagavat-tattva-vijñāna means the science of God. The science of God becomes perceivable by such person who is situated in the brahma-bhūta, I mean to say, status. So from that brahma-bhūta status, we have to work, and that work is recommended here,

buddhi-yukto jahātīha
ubhe sukṛta-duṣkṛte
tasmād yogāya yujyasva
yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam
(BG 2.50)

Now, so, so long we have got this material body, we have to work. We cannot stop working. That is not possible. But we have to adopt the tactics of yoga so that even by doing ordinary work in which by destiny or by circumstances I am put into, there is no harm. You'll find in Bhagavad-gītā that even if you find in your own occupation there is... Suppose I am occupied in some business in which I have to speak lie. Without speaking lie, my business cannot go on. Now, suppose if that is the position. Now, speaking lie is not very good thing, and if you think that your business is not very, based on very moral principle, "So I should give up," then Bhagavad-gītā you'll find that "Don't give up." Even if you are put into such circumstances that your livelihood cannot go on without that unfair means, still, you should not give it up, but you should try to make it purified. You should try to make it purified. How it is purified? Now, you should not take the fruitive result of your work. That is meant for God.

So here it is stated that, that buddhi-yukto jahātīha ubhe sukṛta-duṣkṛte. Sukṛta means pious activities, and duṣkṛta means impious activities. In the material platform we are two things, pious or impious. Pious or impious. Either we are doing some pious activities or we are doing some impious activities or we are doing mixed, pious or impious. So Lord Kṛṣṇa advises that if you act with intelligence or devotion of the Supreme... Intelligence means... What is that intelligence? That "I am the part and parcel of the supreme consciousness, pure soul. I am not this body." This is called intelligence. If you identify yourself, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am this or that," then you are material placed.(?) If you identify yourself that "I am neither American, nor Indian, but I am pure consciousness, I am subordinate consciousness of the supreme consciousness, or, in other words, I am servant of God... God is supreme consciousness, and I am subordinate." That... So for our present understanding, subordinate means a servant. But don't carry out the idea of servant in relation to God. Here nobody wants to be servant. Everyone wants to be master. Because to become servant is very, not very, mean, a palatable thing. So but to become a servant of God is not exactly like this. Sometimes servant of God becomes the master of God. The real position of the living entity is a servant of God, but in Bhagavad-gītā we see that the master, Kṛṣṇa, has become the servant of Arjuna. Arjuna is sitting on the chariot, and Kṛṣṇa has accepted his drivership. Is not the servant of the owner of the chariot? So in spiritual relation we should not carry out the conception of this material relationship. Although the relationship are there. The whole relationship, as we have got experience in this world, the same relationship are there in the spiritual world. But that relationship is not contaminated with matter. Therefore they are pure and transcendental. Therefore they are of a different nature. As we become advanced in spiritual conception of life, then we can understand what is the actual position in spiritual, transcendental life.

So here the Lord instructs that buddhi-yukta. Buddhi-yukta means with the full consciousness that you are not this body. If we act in that way... Now, if I am, I am not body, then I am consciousness. That is a fact. Now, if we act on the consciousness platform, then we can overcome the fruitive result of good work or bad work. It is transcendental stage. It is transcendental stage. It is especially mentioned, buddhi-yukto jahātīha sukṛta-duṣkṛte. That means you are acting on other's account, on the supreme account. You are not liable for loss or gain. When there is gain, don't be puffed up. You should think that this gain is for the Lord. And when there is loss, you, you should know that "This is not my responsibility. It is God's work. He'll see." Then you'll be happy. That practice you have to do, everything on account of the Supreme. That transcendental nature we have to develop. Tasmād yogāya yujyasva yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam (BG 2.50). This is the trick of doing work in these present circumstances. As soon as we work on the platform of bodily consciousness, we become bound up by the reaction of my works. And as soon as I work on spiritual consciousness, I am not bound up either by sukṛti or duṣkṛti, either by pious activities or by, I mean to say, vicious activities. That is the technique.

Page Title:The real position of the living entity is a servant of God, but in Bhagavad-gita we see that the master, Krsna, has become the servant of Arjuna
Compiler:Bhaktavasagovinda
Created:20 of Nov, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1