So you can violate the laws on the order of Kṛṣṇa. You cannot do. This is surrender. When Kṛṣṇa says that "You do this," although it is wrong, you have to do it. There is no consideration. Just like in fight, the commander says to the soldiers, "Do this." His duty is to do that. He should not think at that time what is right or wrong. Just like Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, he was advised by Kṛṣṇa that "Yudhiṣṭhira, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, you go to Droṇācārya and inform him that 'Your son is dead.' " It was a false information. Because Droṇācārya would not die if he is not affected with some lamentation. So Kṛṣṇa asked Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira that "You go because you are recognized truthful, Dharmarāja. So when you will say, this is also false, he will believe." But Yudhiṣṭhira hesitated, "How can I tell lie?" He disobeyed the order of Kṛṣṇa, and he wanted to become very truthful. For this reason he had to see hell. So in the mundane consideration there are so many things, right and wrong. So long you are on the mundane platform, you have to obey all these right and wrong. But in the spiritual platform, when it is ordered by Kṛṣṇa... He is above all this duality.
Unaffected (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
They, they, practically, those who are pure devotees, they do not want any kind of mukti. They do not, even they are offered. They are simply after the service of the Lord. They are prepared to suffer any kind of suffering. They are not affected by all those sufferings. What they want? Pure devotees? They want that "I must serve the Supreme Lord." That is their mission.
Just like the summer season comes. You should know, "It has come; it will go away. The winter season has come. It has come; it will go away." So just to try to protect yourself as far as possible, but you are not affected by such summer season or winter season. You should not be affected. Just like in India the temperature is sometimes 120, during... (break) ...season. Does it mean people will stop all their work? Or in your country, in the Western country, the winter is so strong that sometimes below zero, 30 degree. Does it mean that all of his work, everything, will be stopped? No, you have to do your duty. Similarly, although Arjuna is advised, "Although you are killing—little pains that you have to kill your own men—so that is coming and going. You have to do your duty because it is real fight. This fight is under My guidance. You must fight. That is your duty. Don't be bothered of this mātrā-sparśāḥ."
So manute anartham. That is Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva, before writing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam by the, under the instruction of Nārada, he meditated what is the position. Bhakti-yogena manasi samyak praṇihite amale apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇaṁ māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam (SB 1.7.4). He saw, realized, there are two things: the māyā and Kṛṣṇa. Māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam. Taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa. This māyā cannot stand without Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa is not affected by māyā. Because Kṛṣṇa is not affected, absorbed. But the living entities, yayā sammohito jīva, the living entities, they become affected by the presence of māyā. Kṛṣṇa is not affected. Just like the sun and the sunshine. Sunshine means combination of illuminating particles. That is sunshine. It is scientifically proven. Sparks, little atomic sparks, shining sparks. So similarly, we are also just like the shining sparks of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is compared with the sun. Kṛṣṇa—sūrya-sama, māyā haya andhakāra. Now when there is cloud, māyā, the sun is not affected. But the small particles, sunshine, they are affected. Just try to understand. Here is sun, and below, many millions of miles below, the cloud. And the cloud is covering part of the sunshine which is combination of illuminating particles. So the māyā or the cloud cannot cover the sun, but it can cover the minute shining particles. So we are affected. Kṛṣṇa is not affected.
Therefore, Vyāsadeva saw, apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇam. He saw... Just like in airplane, you go above the cloud. The sun is not affected at all by the cloud. Although below the airplane you'll see vast mass of cloud. Similarly, māyā cannot affect Kṛṣṇa.
Defeat. Because it is the world of duality. There must be something dual, black-white, darkness-light, sukha, happiness-distress, father-son. There must be. This is called relative world. One thing, if you understand one thing, you must know the other thing, opposite. Otherwise, it has no meaning. In the absolute world, there is no such thing, opposite elements. So here, Kṛṣṇa is suggesting about the absolute duty, lābhālābhau. When there is loss or gain, you are the same. Generally, when there is gain, we are very jubilant. And when there is loss, we become morose. But here, Kṛṣṇa is teaching that "You remain in one position, either it is loss or gain. Either it is victory or defeat. Either it is happiness or distress." This is brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20). Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). A devotee is always prasannātmā, because his happiness is to serve Kṛṣṇa. His only business is to see Kṛṣṇa happy, that's all. This is devotion. There may be loss or gain, there may be victory or defeat, there may be distress or happiness, it doesn't matter. He's not affected with this duality. That is being taught now.
So vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhaḥ (BG 2.56). Because the function of the body... So far we have body, our body's concerned, there are four things, demands of the body... Āhāra, āhāra, nidrā, bhaya, maithuna. Āhāra means eating, and nidrā means sleeping, and bhaya means fearing, and maithuna means mating. So these are the demands of the body. So one who is free from the conception of body, his demands, his āhāra, his nidrā, or his eating, his sleeping, his fear, and his sex desire, will automatically decrease. That is the situation. That is the situation of, of pure consciousness. Vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhaḥ sthita-dhīr munir ucyate (BG 2.56). Sthita dhīr munir ucyate. Even he is not affected by the greatest allurement. Greatest allurement.
Now, this, this body is not eternal. Antavanta ime dehāḥ. As we have already discussed, that this body is perishable, whereas the person who is occupying this body, he's imperishable, imperishable. So this body's perishable. Therefore it is not sat. And it is, it is full of ignorance. Therefore it is not cit. And because full of ignorance and because it is temporary, therefore we have got miseries. Just like we are feeling too hot. Today the temperature is very high. Why we are feeling? Because due to this body. Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ (BG 2.14). Similarly, in the month of December we shall feel severe cold. Why? Due to this body. Due to this... And as soon as we get spiritual body, we don't feel. We are unaffected by any material actions.
Devotee: Twenty-one: "Such a man of understanding acts with mind and intelligent perfectly controlled, gives up all sense of proprietorship over his possessions and acts only for the bare necessities of life. Thus working, he is not affected by sinful reaction."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Suppose a man is a manager, a cashier in the bank. He is receiving millions of dollars daily but he does not claim the proprietorship. He is simply handling millions of dollars but he knows that "I am not the proprietor."
Similarly, in our this material activities we may have the chance of handling millions of dollars practically nobody comes here with millions of dollars, neither one goes with millions of dollars. Everyone comes here empty-hand. The child comes empty-hand and the dead body goes empty-hand. So between the birth and death this small duration of life we are supposed to possess so many things. That is our false possession. Actually you don't possess.
Just like so long I am cashier in the bank I am supposed to deal with millions of dollars but that is not my money. In this consciousness, this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. To understand everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. If one acts in that way that everything... Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). The Īśopaniṣad says everything belongs to God but God has given me chance to handle these things. Therefore my knowledge and intelligence will be there if I utilize for serving God. That is my intelligence. As soon as I utilize them for my sense gratification then I am entrapped. The same example can be given. If the bank cashier thinks, "Oh, so many millions of dollars at my disposal. Let me something and put in my pocket," then he is entrapped. Otherwise you enjoy. You get good salary.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting) Translation: "Such a man of understanding acts with mind and intelligence perfectly controlled, gives up all sense of proprietorship over his possessions and acts only for the bare necessities of life. Thus working, he is not affected by sinful reactions."
Prabhupāda:
- nirāśīr yata-cittātmā
- tyakta-sarva-parigrahaḥ
- śārīraṁ kevalaṁ karma
- kurvan nāpnoti kilbiṣam
This is required in human life. 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.
Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the antiseptic measure. Suppose there is some epidemic in the city, and one has taken the antiseptic vaccine of measure. He's not affected. Similarly this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the antiseptic method to become free from the contamination of this material world. So lipyate na sa pāpena. He's not affected by the counteraction or contamination of this material world.
We have nothing to do with these seasonal changes of Kali-yuga. That is recommended. Kalau. Kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. If we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then we are not affected by the bad effects of Kali-yuga. That is recommended. (break) Kali-yuga is disagreement and fight. This is called Kali-yuga. Here, at the present moment, in this age, everyone disagrees with other, and they fight. Therefore it is called Kali-yuga.
So we have got everything perfectly in the Vedic literature, and if we follow... The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to educate people on this principle. We are not manufacturing anything. That is not our business. Because we know we are imperfect. Even if we manufacture something, that is imperfect. We have got four faults in our conditional life: we commit mistake, we become illusioned, we cheat others, and our senses are imperfect. So how we can get perfect knowledge from a person who is, I mean to say, possessing all these faults? Therefore we must get knowledge from the Supreme Person, who is not affected with these faults, mukta-puruṣa. That is perfect knowledge.
Sāttvikā bhāvāḥ means the consciousness of goodness, material goodness, sāttvikā bhāvāḥ. There are many persons who are very moral and following the rules and regulation of the śāstra or an ideal brāhmaṇa. That is sāttvika-bhāva. Ye caiva sāttvikā bhāvā rājasāḥ. Rājasāḥ means the kṣatriya spirit consciousness, and tāmasāś ca ye matta eveti. They are all emanations from Kṛṣṇa. Because everything is emanation. Kṛṣṇa, or Absolute Truth, means the original source of all emanations. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Athāto brahma jijñāsā. What is Brahman? Brahman means the original source of all emanations, wherefrom everything is coming. So all these varieties, they are coming from Brahman. So Brahman cannot be impersonal. If Brahman is impersonal, how the varieties are coming from Him? That is not possible. Every... He is the source of everything. There is sāttvika-bhāva, there is rājasika-bhāva, there is tāmasika-bhāva in Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, when we see Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, līlā, just like Kṛṣṇa killing a demon, that is rājasika-bhāva. There are many instances. If you read Kṛṣṇa's life from Kṛṣṇa book, you will find exactly it is similar to human activities. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, matta eveti tān viddhi: "But I am not affected by those qualities." That is Kṛṣṇa's special prerogative. When we are under the spell of sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, or tamo-guṇa, we become affected. But Kṛṣṇa, when you find that rajo-guṇa is exhibited in His pastimes, but He is not under the influence of that rajo-guṇa. Even sometimes Kṛṣṇa is found under the influence of tamo-guṇa, but He is not there.
So as father is always kind to the son, similarly, the supreme father is so kind that we are flying from this tree to that tree, this body to that body. So Kṛṣṇa is also flying, but He's not affected. That is explained in the Upaniṣad, that the one individual soul bird, he is eating the forbidden fruit of the tree and enjoying or suffering the result. But the other bird, he's simply witnessing. Witnessing. Upadraṣṭā anumantā. That is described. Upadraṣṭā means witness. Upa means... You cannot avoid the vigilence of Kṛṣṇa. You cannot do anything concealed. Everything is known to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore He is called upadraṣṭā.
He wants sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). That is His demand. But your demand is different, that "I shall not surrender, Sir. I want to do this." "All right, you do it at your own risk." But if you follow the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, then He takes charge of you. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. So you do pāpa or puṇya, you enjoy the effect, but when you follow the instruction of Kṛṣṇa, there is no such pāpa or puṇya. It is transcendental. Brahman. That is called Brahman. And above the guṇas. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. Māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate (BG 14.26). Kṛṣṇa says, "Anyone who is engaged in rendering service unto Me," bhakti-yogena, sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate, he is not affected by the activities. He is immune from the result of all activities." Many places it is said. Yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9).
First of all abhayam. Abhayam means we are always afraid. We are always agitated, anxiety, because I am thinking, "I am this body." But if you are completely realized that you are not this body, you are something else, spirit soul, then I am immediately free from anxieties. That is called abhayam, no more fear, no more anxiety. Because everyone is ultimately afraid of being killed. But if he understands fully that he is not this body, then killed or not killed, he is not any attached to this body. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, therefore, deha smṛti nāhi jār, saṁsāra bandhan kaha tār:(?) "If one becomes free from the bodily concept of life, then where is material miseries?" Material miseries does not affect him. He know that... Just like I am putting on this shirt. If it is torn, so am I affected? I am not affected. I am within this shirt. Similarly, if I am fully convinced that I am not this body, then if there is some injury or some disease or some mishap in the body, I am not concerned because I know that I am not this body. That is self-realization.
The demands of the body, eating, sleeping, sex life and defense, this is the demands of the body. But if I am situated in self-realization, then these demands will not bother me. There are many persons who are not agitated by hunger, who are not agitated, not having opportunity of sleeping. They don't sleep. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **. About the Gosvāmīs it is said that these things, material demands of the body, sleeping, eating, sex and defense... They are the demands of the body. But how they became gosvāmī or svāmī? Because they were not affected by these demands. That is gosvāmī; that is svāmī. Svāmī means master. Gosvāmī means master of the senses. So if I am servant of the senses, how I can become gosvāmī, how I can become svāmī? That is false, hypocrisy. If you are servant of the senses, then you are go-dāsa. Dāsa means servant, and go means senses. And if you are master of the senses, then you are gosvāmī. Every word has meaning. So without being fit, we should not use this word as personal designation. That is not good.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
The nature of this world is called darkness, tamasi, tama. Tamasi mā jyotir gama. So sad-asad-rūpayā cāsau guṇa, guṇamaya aguṇaḥ. Kṛṣṇa, when He's called aguṇa, or nirguṇa, that means He's not affected by these material modes of nature. Above material nature. We are affected. We living entities, we are affected by the material modes of nature, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. But Kṛṣṇa is not affected. That is Kṛṣṇa..., difference between Kṛṣṇa and ourself.
So real goodness means without being attacked by the other modes, passion and ignorance. That goodness is in God. Hareḥ sattva-nidheḥ. When you go to the spiritual platform, sattvaṁ viśuddham... That spiritual platform is called goodness unaffected by other qualities. Sattvaṁ viśuddham. Viśuddham means complete pure. No adulteration. So long we are in the material platform, the goodness is liable to be adulterated. Just like we purchase milk from the market or anything. There is adulteration. Although there are so many laws by the government, "You cannot adulterate, you cannot do this, you cannot...," but people, propensity is to adulterate. So you cannot get pure thing. The whole atmosphere is so polluted. Therefore here the so-called goodness also is the cause of bondage. "Now I have become a Vaiṣṇava. I have become now learned." And God is so clever that "Now you fight with this passion and ignorance, if you are so good." And he fails, falls a victim. You see? So by pure devotional service only, you can remain in pure goodness. Otherwise it will be adulterated. Pure devotional service.
So Vyāsadeva, he is also living entity, although he is empowered, so apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇam, he saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam, and the back side is māyā. Māyā means the external energy. Just like if you stand facing the sun, the back side of your, there is a big shadow, that is māyā. So both things are there, the puruṣam, the Kṛṣṇa, and the māyā also. Both things he saw. But He is not affected by māyā. This is the special significance of Kṛṣṇa. Although māyā is there, he says, māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam. Māyā is there, but Kṛṣṇa is not influenced by māyā, but He is controller of māyā. Therefore He is described, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Īśvara means controller. We are controlled by māyā, but Kṛṣṇa is the controller of māyā.
So apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇam, Kṛṣṇa is pūrṇa-puruṣa. There is no lack of everything. Ṣaḍ-aiśvaryaṁ pūrṇam, six kinds of opulences: riches, fame, strength, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation. He is full. That is called pūrṇam, apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇam. And māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam. This māyā also there, but Kṛṣṇa is not affected by māyā. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). It is duratyayā for the living entities, not for Kṛṣṇa, because Kṛṣṇa is the controller and we are controlled. Therefore in the next verse it is said, yayā sammohito jīva (SB 1.7.5). Jīva, we living entities, we are being controlled by this māyā, sammohita. Sammohita means illusion. Mohita means captivated, and sammohita, sam means sam, fully, fully.
Kṛṣṇa said, sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā: (BG 4.6) "I am not external energy. I come in My own energy." And the Māyāvādī philosophers, they do not understand. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ. Therefore they have been described as mūḍhāḥ, asses, fools, rascals. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam: (BG 9.11) "Because I have come here in the form of a human being, they take it for acceptance that 'Kṛṣṇa is another human being.' " But that is not fact. Here, if one sees Kṛṣṇa through bhakti-yoga as Vyāsadeva saw, bhakti-yogena manasi... (SB 1.7.4). Mind must be saturated with bhakti-yoga. Then you can see the Supreme Person pūrṇam, not affected by māyā. Apaśyat puruṣaṁ pūrṇam. And so far māyā is concerned, although māyā is very influential, that's all right... Apāśrayam: standing at the background, cannot come in front. Just like the same example: the darkness cannot come in front of... You stand before, facing your mouth towards the sun. The darkness will be the background, not in front. Similarly, the darkness, māyā, cannot stand before Kṛṣṇa. She is always behind. Māyāṁ ca tad-apāśrayam.
So when Kṛṣṇa comes, big fire comes, He is not degraded. He's acyuta. He is... Don't think that because Kṛṣṇa has come in this material world, so He is also affected by the material qualities. No. In Bhāgavata it is said, etad īśanam īśasya. This is controlling power. Although He comes in this material world, He's not affected by the material qualities. He's not fallible; He's Acyuta. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is described as acyuta. When Arjuna was asking Kṛṣṇa to move his chariot, so he addressed Him as Acyuta. Senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me acyuta (BG 1.21). Why Acyuta? Because Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord and Arjuna is living being, entity. Arjuna is servant and Kṛṣṇa is the master. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). How the servant can order the master? It is not the etiquette, neither it is possible. Therefore Arjuna reminded Kṛṣṇa, "Acyuta, my dear friend, You are Acyuta, never fallible. You promised that You shall drive my chariot. So now because You are my driver, I'm asking You to follow my orders. Don't be sorry. Acyuta." This is the purpose. Therefore senayor ubhayor madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me acyuta (BG 1.21). In this way we find Kṛṣṇa never failed in His promise. He remained always... When He was pierced with the arrows... Sometimes the chariot driver is killed. the horses are killed to make the enemy inactive. Because without horses, without chariot driver, how he can drive?
So we are forced to come here and suffer or enjoy the fruits of our last karma. That is one thing. But Kṛṣṇa is not like that. Kṛṣṇa does not come, being forced by nature or for His karma. Na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti na me karma-phale spṛhā (BG 4.14). Kṛṣṇa says that He also works, karma, to show example, but He is not affected by the result of the karma. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti na me karma... Neither He has got any desire to work for something to gain something. He is full. Why He should try for gaining...? We work something. We work to gain something, to make some profit. But Kṛṣṇa hasn't got to do any profit. He is self-sufficient. Whatever He wants, immediately present. Omnipotent, omniscient. Kṛṣṇa has nothing to do like that. Therefore why does He come? He has got a different mission. What is that? Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām. He says, "I come for this purpose, to rescue the sādhus, the devotees, and to cut down the demons." Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8).
So here in this material world, every one of us, we come here ignorant, like animals, no knowledge. There are so many varieties of living entities. Gradually, by evolution, we come to the human form of life, when our consciousness is developed. We can understand higher knowledge. And that is called Veda. So Veda does not mean it is meant for the cats and dogs. Vedas means knowledge, this knowledge, is meant for the human beings. Vedic... Therefore Indian civilization, based on Vedic knowledge, is estimated so high, perfect. Perfect scheme system for human society, based on Vedic civilization. Everything is correctly visioned, and the ideas are given by persons who are above material contamination. Mukta-puruṣa. Mukta-puruṣa means one who is not affected by the material incompetency. There are material incompetencies. We commit mistakes. We are illusioned. Our senses are imperfect. And sometimes... Sometimes not. Always. We want to cheat. These are the defects of material knowledge. And one who is above these material incompetencies, he's called mukta-puruṣa. So one has to become mukta-puruṣa. That is called Vedic knowledge. That is called Vedānta. Vedānta-sūtra. Athāto brahma jijñāsā.
Kṛṣṇa said that "This philosophy, this Bhagavad-gītā yoga system, I first of all explained to the sun-god, whose name is Vivasvān." He spoke the same principle to his son Manu, and Manu also spoke the same principle to his son, Ikṣvāku. So Ikṣvāku came from the sun planet. He happens to be the grandson of Vivasvān. So how you can say that in the sun planet there is no possibility of life? We get the history. And if you say that "In fire how one can live?" No. As we see that in water some other living entities can live, similarly, I may not be able to live in the fire, but there are other living entities who can live there. That should be the right conclusion. Because fire is as good another material element as the water is. As water is also one of the material elements, fire is also one of the eight material elements. So if we can see by our practical experience, there are living entities in the water, so why not living entities in the fire? And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that living entity, this spiritual spark, is not affected by material influence.
There are so many societies, vegetarian societies, nondrinking societies. That is nice, but they cannot stay. By forming ordinary society or imposing some law by the state, you cannot stop. You have many laws to stop stealing, still there are thieves. That is not possible. You have so many laws not to do something. But because everyone is under the grip of prakṛti, material nature, how he can change? It is not possible. So that is the mistake of the modern civilization. They do not know that by passing laws or giving some moral instruction, we cannot change the habits. Prakṛti is very strong, material nature. The only solution is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Unless one comes to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness platform, he cannot give up his habits. It is not possible. So if you want to Therefore it is purificatory process. The more you advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you become purified from all this influence of māyā, because it is acting by māyayā bahu-rūpayā. And as soon as you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even if you have got a different form, a different bodily form, because you are aloof from that, your, you are not affected by the influence of māyā.
But we are not in touch with that quality. Prakṛteḥ... There is a verse, etad īśanam īśasya. Just like Kṛṣṇa comes as a human being in this material world, but He is not affected with any of the qualities of the material world. That is therefore called nirguṇa. Nirguṇa means the material qualities cannot touch you. Similarly, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa also, when he is in service of Kṛṣṇa, he is also nirguṇa. The material qualities cannot touch him. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). He immediately becomes transcendental to all the material qualities. But that does not mean I cannot act in the material quality. Kṛṣṇa is working just like ordinary prince. He was born of a king, in the royal family. But He has nothing to do. Na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti (BG 4.14). Kṛṣṇa is not affected. Dhari māccha nāce pāni. There is a Bengali proverb that "You go to catch fish, but don't touch the water." You see? If you are clever, if you have that rod to catch fish, take out the fish, but don't touch the water. Similarly, for our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we have to go in so many places. They are all materialistic, but we cannot become materialistic. We will take some service from a person for Kṛṣṇa's service. So we'll do some good to him, but we don't accept his quality. That should be our position. So in this way we should know that bahu-rūpa ivābhāti. Ivābhāti. Iva means "just like." Ābhāti, "appears." Actually these are temporary. Bahu-rūpa iva Māyayā bahu-rūpayā ramamāṇo guṇeṣv asyā. Guṇeṣu, in the quality, asyā, of māyā. Eh?
Bali-mardana: Mamāham iti.
Prabhupāda: Mamāham iti manyate. Now, because we are identified with this body, therefore we are so much attached to this material world, "my" and "I." "I am this body, and I have got some bodily relation with somebody, so he is mine, she is mine."
So long you will have this material body, you will have to suffer. You cannot avoid it. Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ (BG 2.14). That is stated in the Bha... Mātrā-sparśāḥ. What is the suffering? Suffering means on account of this body. The same water, it is very pleasing during summer, and the same water, it is very distressing in winter. So water is the same, but it is distressing and pleasing on account of this body. Very simple thing, one can understand. Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ. The water is neither pleasing nor distressing. It is due to my this body and bodily concepts of life, we are suffering or enjoying, so-called enjoying, so-called suffering. Actually, I am the spirit soul. I am different from this body, gross body and subtle body. I have no suffering, no, I mean to say, enjoying. It is simply my imagination. Therefore a mukta-puruṣa, a liberated person, he is not affected by this so-called suffering or enjoying. That is called liberation.
We should not accept Kṛṣṇa's coming within this material world and our coming in this material world as the same process. Kṛṣṇa comes as He is. He does not change. And because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, almighty, even if He comes within this material world, the material qualities do not affect Him. That is īśanam, īśanam.
Just like a physician, a doctor, medical man. He goes to the hospital to treat the infected patients. So he is not affected by the infection. He has got such precautionary measures, or he is so equipped with, that he is not infected with the disease. Those who are weak... That is stated in the Bhāgavatam: etad īśanam īśasya. That is īśa. Īśa means the controller. Rather, if something infectious come in touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it becomes purified. Tejīyasāṁ na doṣāya (SB 10.33.29), it is said. Another example can be given: just like the sun. The sunshine absorbs water even from urine or any infectious place. Any filthy place, the sun absorbs the water. But the sun is not infected, because it is very powerful. Similarly, if you try to absorb water from the urine, then you will be infected. That is called etad īśasya īśanam.
So the aṇu, vibhinnāṁśa jīva, when he comes within this material world, he becomes entrapped or his that jyoti... In the previous verse you have studied jyoti. Vibhinnāṁśa living entity, we are also jyoti. Just like spark. The original fire is also fire, and the spark fire, that is also fire. Quality, the same, but a spark, when falls down on your cloth, it can burn a little portion. Similarly, if the whole fire comes, then you become burned into pieces. The same example again: the sun and the sunshine. Sunshine is combination small particle of shining molecules. Similarly, we are also the same spark. Dīpārcir eva hi daśāntaram abhyupetya dīpāyate (Bs. 5.46). So Kṛṣṇa and His expansion, They are all the same. And we, vibhinnāṁśa jīva, we are very small. Therefore our condition is different from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is not infected by the material qualities but, we become infected. Na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti na me karma-phale spṛhā (BG 4.14), it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā. The activities in this material world, Kṛṣṇa remains unaffected, but we, being a small particle, we become infected by the qualities: tribhir guṇamayair bhāvaiḥ.
So brūhi kāraṇayor asya sad-asac ca yad-ātmakam. So the uttama-puruṣa, Puruṣottama, just like Kṛṣṇa or Kapiladeva, They come within this material world, but they are not affected. But we are affected. We are, according to our desire, conditioned. We are affected by the different modes of material nature. It is described in the Vedic literature just like the fire and the spark. The fire is always blazing, but the sparks coming out of the fire, they sometime fall down. And this falling down is described that if the spark falls on some dry grass, then immediately the grass is also ignited into fire. That is sattva-guṇa. And rajo-guṇa means on the ground. It gradually, the ignition, the fire of the spark, becomes finished. And if the spark falls down on some water, then immediately it is extinguished. Similarly, when we come down from the spiritual world on account of desire, icchā-dveṣa samutthena sarge yānti parantapa (BG 7.27), by our icchā, Kṛṣṇa gives us to fulfill our desires. So as we contact with the different modes of material nature, we are situated either in sattva-guṇa or rajo-guṇa or tamo-guṇa, and our different characteristics are visible.
So we should always remember, when we speak of saguṇa, saguṇa means saguṇa Brahman. Saguṇa Brahman means we, the living entities, not Kṛṣṇa or Bhagavān. He is not saguṇa. He is always nirguṇa. Etat īśasya īśanam. This is the supremacy of the Supreme Person, that although He comes within this material world, incarnates as incarnation, He is not affected by the material qualities. That is īśanam. Otherwise how He is īśvara? Īśvara means controller. If, when He comes in the material world, if He becomes controlled by the material nature, then how He is controller? He is not controller. Then He becomes controlled. We are controlled. Kṛṣṇa is never controlled. He is always the controller. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Īśvara means controller. So He is the supreme controller. He is the controller of these energies also, māyā. So how He can be under māyā? This is mistaken theory. Kṛṣṇa is always supreme, Adhokṣaja. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Adhokṣaja.
In this material world we are suffering so many varieties of tāpa. Tāpan vindanti maithunyam agaram ajhaḥ.(?) It is simply full of tāpa. Tāpa means heat, and tāpa means unbearable, miserable condition. Therefore from tāpa... It comes from tāpa, tapasya. Tapasya means voluntarily accepting some unfavorable condition. Of course, the soul is not affected by any favorable or unfavorable condition. Asaṅgo 'yaṁ puruṣaḥ. Actually, it has no connection with the favorable, unfavorable condition. It is simply abhiniveśa. The mind being affected by the material contamination, we are suffering so-called miserable condition of life. It is due to the mind. Otherwise, as it is said, one man is satisfied in a very poor condition of life, and another man is not satisfied even in the best opulent condition of life. Why? It is due to the mind. It is due to the mind.
That is being presented by Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā, that "This is your sickness, real sickness." What is that? Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). You are trying to be unaffected by all kinds of sickness, but your real sickness is this material disease: you take birth, you die, you become old, and you suffer from diseases. This is your real sickness. But who is caring for this? Where is the scientist who are investigating how to stop death, how to stop birth. They are, of course, investigating how to stop birth, but still, birth is going on. This sort of stopping births, by killing the body, is not stopping because the body is not the person. The real person is within the body, within the body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). We have explained. That they do not know. They are taking... No. By killing the body or by protecting the body, that is not the solution. The solution is that the living entity has infected itself with the material disease. It has to be cured. That is the whole purpose of Vedic civilization, how to cure your material disease.
So we must know what is our constitutional position. That we do not know. We are sat, eternal; therefore we shall act in such a way that will benefit my eternal life. That is sat. Therefore the Vedas instruct, asato mā sad gamaḥ: "Don't be engaged in temporary activities, bodily..." Bodily necessities means temporary. If I am child, my body is of a child's body, then my necessities are different from my father's necessities. So everyone is engaged in bodily necessities. Therefore it is said, dehavān na hy akarma-kṛt. And kāriṇāṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sti. Infection. We have got this practical understanding. If your body infects some disease, then you have to suffer. And if your body remains uninfected, unaffected by any poisonous..., then you remain healthy.
Unless you surrender to Kṛṣṇa That is your business. Therefore Kṛṣṇa openly says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). The Ajamila, he was brāhmaṇa, undoubtedly, but he fell a victim to māyā. But you know the story of Haridāsa. He was young man at that time, and one man instigated a prostitute, young prostitute, to deviate him, but she was unable. On the other hand, the prostitute became a Vaiṣṇavī. This is the difference between a devotee and a nondevotee. A nondevotee cannot surpass the stringent laws of material nature. But a devotee can do that because a devotee is not affected by the influence of material nature.
The individual soul and the Supersoul is sitting in the heart and this body is considered as tree, and He is seeing your, my activities. He is trying to get me back to Godhead. So in whichever form of life I am transmigrating He is also going with me.
Just like two birds. So he is acting as my friend. That is described in the Upaniṣad, that two birds are sitting in one tree in friendly terms. One bird is eating the fruit of the tree, and the other bird is simply witnessing. So the bird which is eating the fruit of the tree, that means we are enjoying happiness or distress out of my own activities or this bodily activities... But the other bird, or Supersoul, He is not affected with the activities of the body. He is simply looking when this bird will turn to Him. That is His friendship.
So if one is serious about spiritual advancement, then he should not... First of all he must know "What is my position? How I am packed up with all these twenty-four elements?" Of course, due to our habit we are sometimes subjected to these pains and pleasure. Still, Kṛṣṇa says, "You do not become disturbed by these so-called artificial pains and pleasures. Don't be disturbed." Śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ. Āgamāpāyino 'nityas tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya, śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ (BG 2.14). Just like we are covering because it is cold, but actually as spirit soul, I am not affected. Asaṅgayaṁ puruṣa. In the Vedas it is said that the soul is unaffected with this material condition.
The thing is, difference between Māyāvādī and Vaiṣṇava, they do not know the proprietorship. We know the proprietorship. We don't accept anything as "I am the proprietor." This is mistake. This is māyā. Actually... If I take, "It is Kṛṣṇa's," then I am liberated. Just try to understand. You are sitting here. You know that this apartment or this loft belongs to somebody. So there is no harm sitting here, hearing here. But if you think that "This is mine," and if you want you take something out of this, then there is trouble. Similarly, this world belongs to Kṛṣṇa. If you have always that consciousness that it belongs to Kṛṣṇa... Just like a bank cashier. He knows that millions of dollars is coming to him, but he knows that "This is belonging to the bank. I am simply cashier." Similarly, you can deal with all the worldly things, but if your consciousness is Kṛṣṇa then you are free. Nikhileṣv apy avasthāsu jīvan muktaḥ sa ucyate. In any condition of life if one is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he's always liberated. He's not affected. So that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not teach you to become a false renouncer. What is the use of becoming a renouncer? After all, you have got this body. How can you renounce it? Either you cover it with underwear or either you cover it with costly dress, you have to cover it. So that covering also belongs to Kṛṣṇa. So we have to be situated under the consciousness that "Everything is Kṛṣṇa's. Nothing belongs to me." That is the actual fact. But by illusion we are accepting, "This is mine, this is mine, this is mine." We have to give up this consciousness and accept the Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is our preaching. Is that clear?
Creation, maintenance and destruction, three things are going on on account of presence of the Supreme Soul. Therefore the three principal deities—Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara—are there, guṇa-avatāra. He is not within the guṇa; therefore He expands Himself as guṇāvatāra: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. But He's turya of the guṇas. Just like if we enter into the fire, we'll be burned, but sometimes the fire brigade men, they enter into the fire... They have got suit and contradictory dress that they can enter into the fire. Similarly, māyā... Māyā is very strong, but Kṛṣṇa, the Lord, when He comes within this material world—yuge yuge sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā (BG 4.6)—He comes in His own original turya status. He does not become affected. Guṇāṁś ca yuṅkṣe. He's not affected. This is the position of Kṛṣṇa. He's always transcendental.
Because we are part and parcel of God, so you study yourself. You'll find the same quality. Just like a small drop of sea water. You analyze it, what chemicals are there—the same chemicals are in the ocean. The difference is quantity. Quality, the same. That is called acintya-bhedābheda tattva. We are qualitatively one with God, not quantitatively. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they think we are also quantitatively the same. That is mistake. That is not possible. Otherwise why it is said, sthito na tu tamo na guṇāṁś ca yuṅkṣe? This... He is so big that He is above these qualities. Just like we become infected in a filthy place, but the sun does not become infected. It, rather, sterilizes that infected place. So we should not compare with God, that "I am equal to Him." No. That is not possible. Tejīyasāṁ na doṣāya (SB 10.33.29). The sun, when it absorbs water from the urinal, he is not infected. He makes that urinal sterilized. Similarly, if sometimes we see some behavior of the Supreme Lord which appears from social, our social point of view as not permitted... But He can do anything. That is the meaning of all-powerful. But He's not affected. He's not affected. Apāpa-viddham. Apāpa-viddham, in the Upaniṣad, Īśopaniṣad, that sinful activities... He cannot do anything which is sinful. God is always good. But to our calculation, limited calculation, if we see that He is committing something sinful, it is not sinful. It is sterilizing. The same example. Tejīyasāṁ na doṣāya. If by chanting His holy name we become sinless, how God can become sinful? It is not possible. This is common sense. If by chanting His holy name, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa...
Devotees: Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.
Prabhupāda: ...so we become purified, how Kṛṣṇa can be impure? It is not possible. Pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān. Try to understand Kṛṣṇa.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Pradyumna: (reading:) "The process of devotional service as it is recommended in The Nectar of Devotion will gradually elevate one from the material condition of life to the spiritual status, wherein the devotee becomes purified of all designations. The senses can then become uncontaminated, being constantly in touch with bhakti-rasa. When the purified senses are employed in the service of the Lord, one becomes situated in bhakti-rasa life, and any action performed for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa in this transcendental bhakti-rasa stage of life can be relished perpetually."
Prabhupāda: So Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī is giving us the process how to elevate one's self from this material platform to the spiritual platform. That is devotional service. Devotional life means purifying the present conditional life, contaminated life, life under the influence of the three modes of material nature: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So if we become unaffected by these three guṇas... Just like it is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā, trai-guṇya-viṣayā vedā nistrai-guṇya bhavārjuna. One has to become above the three guṇas, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Now we, being part and parcel of Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa says personally, mamaivāṁśaḥ. So if Kṛṣṇa is not affected by this creation and annihilation, then we, being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, why we should be affected by this creation and annihilation? We are very much afraid of being annihilated, and we are trying to discover many scientific, so-called scientific methods how we may not be destroyed. Why this inclination that we may not be destroyed? Because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa; therefore eternity of life is our aspiration. That is the proof that we are..., Kṛṣṇa is eternal, similarly, we are also eternal. But circumstantially we are now put into this material world. Therefore our main business is how to revive our original position, not to be annihilated, never annihilated. It is clearly said in the Bhagavad-gītā. Actually we are not annihilated. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20), nityo śāśvato 'yam.
So when one understands that "I am not this body," he is not very much affected. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, deha-smṛti nāhi yāra, saṁsāra-bandhana kāhāṅ tāra. Deha-smṛti: it is simply to understand. Just like I have given several times this example: you are in a very nice car, Cadillac, and you are very proud of it, and if by chance the car is by accident broken then your heart breaks. Why? You are not the car. But because your thoughts are absorbed in the car, that "This is my car," therefore your heart becomes broken. Actually you have nothing to do with the car. Even the car is broken into pieces, you are not affected. But because I have got affection for the car, therefore I am... So this affection can be withdrawn by cultivation of knowledge. That I am not this car, it is a fact, but on account of my ignorance and attachment I am thinking, "Now I am finished because my car is broken." It is simple truth. Similarly those who are too much absorbed in the thought that "I am this body," their sufferings are more on account of this misconception that "I am this body."
"Now, this Viṣṇu has nothing to do. He is not affected by this material contamination." That is the power of Viṣṇu. Just we are living entities. When we come into this material world, we become contaminated, we become affected by the influence of this material nature. But Viṣṇu, although He is looking after the management of creation of this brahmāṇḍa, He is not affected. He is not affected.
These three guṇāvatāras. Brahmā, viṣṇu, siva-tāṅra guṇa-avatāra. They are incarnations of Kṛṣṇa's guṇa. So in other words, it is to be understood that these three guṇas, they are also coming from Kṛṣṇa, three guṇas. So therefore, for Kṛṣṇa, there is no such distinction.
Several times just I have explained this thing, but this material, spiritual, or the qualitative differences, that is for us, not for Kṛṣṇa. How it is? Just like government has got different departments. There is criminal department, civil department, and this department, that department, so many departments. Now, for us the criminal department may not be so pleasing or civil department may be very much pleasing, but for the government both the departments are equal because they have to maintain equally, either criminal department or the civil department. The government has no distinction that "This is criminal department; therefore this department should be neglected," or "It is inferior." No. Rather, in criminal department the government may spend more than civil department. Similarly, these distinctions, these qualitative distinctions, matter, spirit, and the different kinds of modes, they are distinction for us, not for Kṛṣṇa. He is Absolute. He is Absolute. To the Absolute, there is no such distinction. Therefore when Kṛṣṇa comes, when Kṛṣṇa comes in this material, He is not affected by this. Suppose the minister, the secretary of the president, goes to the criminal department to see the prison house. He is not affected by the prison rules. It is simple to understand.
Now, these Viṣṇu, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, although He is in this material world... There is a planet—I have already explained to you—it is called Kṣīrodaka planet, or where the oceans are of milk ocean. So in that planet Lord Viṣṇu is there, within. But He is not within this material world. Just like even a devotee who is always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is not in this material world, how Viṣṇu, the Supreme, He can be in the material world? He is not in the material world. Just like outside there may be snow falling, but inside, if you are protected by heating system and other things, you are not affected. The whole city may be overwhelmed by snow falling, but if you are protected by certain means and adjustment, then you are not affected. Similarly, Viṣṇu and Viṣṇu-bhakta, they are not affected by this material nature.
Initiation Lectures
So this initiation process means beginning of this life of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And we shall try to be situated in our original consciousness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Real consciousness, as it is recommended by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that He identifies Himself as eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and this is liberation, and this is mukti. If you simply stick to this principle, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80), that "I am nothing except the eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa," then you are in the liberated platform. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. You keep yourself. And for keeping yourself in that consciousness, the simple method is this chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa. You keep yourself chanting as many hours, twenty-four hours. Why as many hours? Twenty-four hours. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Lord Caitanya says, "This is to be practiced twenty-four hours." And that you can do. It requires simply practice. Even in sleeping you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Even in sleeping. And there is no bar. In sleeping, in eating, in going to the toilet room, there is no restriction. You can go on, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." You see. That will keep you in your svarūpa, in your real identification, and you'll never be attacked by māyā. Just like if you keep yourself vaccinated and if the period... What is called? Active. Then there is no fear of being infected. That is practical. If you get yourself vaccinated of certain type of infection and you keep yourself active... Just like doctors, they go, treat patients suffering from infectious disease, but they keep themselves always unaffected. They know the remedial measures, antiseptic, prophylactic processes. So this prophylactic antiseptic process is Kṛṣṇa-kīrtanam. Paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-kīrtanam. That is Lord Caitanya's blessing. Paraṁ vijayate. All glories to the saṅkīrtana, śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana. Kīrtana means Kṛṣṇa-kīrtana. Not any other kīrtana. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they introduce so many other kīrtanas. No. Kīrtana means Kṛṣṇa-kīrtana: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma... Or any name glorifying the name of the Lord. That is kīrtana. But this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is especially recommended in this age, and Lord Caitanya personally chanted, so we should follow. Although every name of Kṛṣṇa is as potent as the name Kṛṣṇa... Viṣṇu name, or there are thousands and thousands of names... Nāmnām akāri bahudhā. Bahudhā means there is no counting. Innumerable names. And each name has the same potency like Kṛṣṇa. But this is recommended, especially, those who take advantage. This is one thing.
When Kṛṣṇa kathā, Kṛṣṇa topics, is discussed by a person who is not a vaiṣṇava, dedicated life to Kṛṣṇa, that is not to be heard. Avaiṣṇava mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam śravaṇaṁ na kartavyam. One fashionable speaker is teaching Bhagavad-gītā. Just like the other day a rascal came. He, he's announcing that he's the authority of Bhagavad-gītā. You know that rascal? Very well. Yes. He wanted to study from Sanskrit from the rascal. You could not understand that I see. So śāstra says, śravaṇaṁ na kartavyam. One should not hear from. Why? Kṛṣṇa kathā is nice. Why should not be heard from a person who is not a devotee, but he may be scholar? But Sanātana Goswami says, śravaṇaṁ na kartavyam. Never. So the reason the example here is given, sarpocchiṣṭaṁ payo yathā. Milk, everyone knows milk is very nourishing food, but as soon as it is touched by a serpent it is poison. You can say "Milk is very nice. What is the wrong if it is touched by the serpent?" But Sanātana Goswami warns that it is not to be touched, because it has become now poison. Instead of milk it has become poison. So you should be very careful not to discuss. It is meant for the kaniṣṭha adhikārī, those who are neophytes. They may be affected, but those who are strong enough, advanced, they are not affected. But that is different thing, generally.
General Lectures
Indian man: Bhagavad-gītā explains that every devotee is protected by the Lord, and Prahlāda Mahārāja, in this life as Prahlāda Mahārāja, his father becomes a demon, demon, and he has to fight Nṛsiṁha. That means it is the karma of a previous life, and he's praying, he has to pray to the Lord to protect him. Or is it understood that he'll get the protection? So why this prayer?
Prabhupāda: He was protected. Devotees are not under the karma. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54). Prahlāda Mahārāja was tortured by his father in so many ways, but he was not affected. He was not affected. Superficially... Just like in the Christian Bible also, that Lord Jesus Christ was tortured, but he was not affected. This is the difference between ordinary man and the devotees or transcendentalists. Apparently it is seen that a devotee is being tortured, but he is not tortured. There is one example, nice example. Just like the cat. The cat carries the kitties in the mouth, and it carries a mouse also in the mouth. So apparently it is seen that a cat is carrying its kitties in the mouth means it is in pain. But it is not in pain. That is a fact. Rather, she feels very comfortable. You see? But when the cat, the same cat, catches one mouse, his life is gone. But you see that she is carrying in the mouth both of them. Similarly, whenever you'll find that a great devotee is placed into torturing condition, he does not feel. But the demon thinks that "I am torturing him."
Paṇḍitāḥ means those who are learned, they are not affected by this body, either dead or alive. So that means one should be inquisitive to learn about the soul which is sitting in the body. That is real knowledge.
It is a fact that we are in a conditioned life. It is not absolute. And the, Kṛṣṇa, He is absolute. He is never conditioned, as we have explained that the three qualities of this material nature are emanation from Kṛṣṇa, but He is not affected by the qualities. Therefore He is called nirguṇa. Nirguṇa, nirākāra, does not mean that He has no form or He has no quality. He has no material qualities, nor He is affected by the material qualities. And ākāra... He is not nirākāra as we understand. We understand nirākāra means formless. But Kṛṣṇa is not formless. Kṛṣṇa has form. That is transcendental form, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). His body is eternal and full of bliss, transcendental bliss, and full of knowledge. That is Kṛṣṇa's feature.
So these unauthorized commentators, they bring some lamp to show the sunlight of Bhagavad-gītā. That is their business.
Therefore people have been misled. There is no question. Just like in the beginning Bhagavad-gītā says,
- dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre
- samavetā yuyutsavaḥ
- māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva
- kim akurvata sañjaya
- (BG 1.1)
This is very clear. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre. Kurukṣetra is a place which is still a place of pilgrimage. The Hindus, those who are followers of Vedic rites, they go there. They perform religious rituals. And there is Vedic injunction, kuru-kṣetre dharmam ācaret, dharma yajet, like that, that "If you want to perform some religious rituals, better go to Kurukṣetra." So Kurukṣetra is from the Vedic age. Millions of years, from time immemorial, it is a dharma-kṣetra. And still it is there. There is a station, railway station, called Kurukṣetra near Delhi, about hundred miles away from Delhi. So these are facts. Why there should be interpretation? These are facts. Why there should be... It is clear. Dharma-kṣetra is... Kurukṣetra is dharma-kṣetra, and historical fact is māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). Two groups of cousin brothers, they wanted to fight to settle up. Formerly the war was declared—the leader of the war, if he is killed, then the other party is victorious. Not that unnecessarily killing the civil citizens, no. This was nonsense. If there was fight between two kings, the citizens, they were unaffected, not that there is fight now between two parties, there is immediately siren, (imitates siren:) gaw, gaw, gaw, gaw, now bomb and the civil..., the most uncivilized way of war. In those days—those days means at least five thousand years ago—they selected a place, and "Let us fight and decide our fate," kṣatriyas. Why the public should suffer? So in this way Kurukṣetra was selected to fight between the two parties. And still it is existing. It is a great field. And dharma-kṣetre... Just try to understand that there is no need of our imperfect comments on the Bhagavad-gītā. That is my point.
Philosophy Discussions
Śyāmasundara: Then is the body really affecting the soul? Does the body really have a causal influence on the soul?
Prabhupāda: No. The soul is unaffected by the body, but the body is helping the soul to fulfill its desires. Just as I am taking the help of this microphone to serve my purpose, but microphone is not influencing me. It is not that microphone is willing that I shall dictate. It is not like that.
Śyāmasundara: He uses the example of a house, that if I become conscious of a house, the house itself is a real entity, unaffected by my consciousness of it. It exists, objectively, real, whether I see it or not. He says that the...
Prabhupāda: But in that proposition... And if we accept that we are eternal, so it is very natural to assume that we have got eternal home. That is back to Godhead, back to home. Is it not?
Hayagrīva: He writes, "God is free from passions, nor is He affected with any emotion of joy or sorrow. Properly speaking, God loves no one and hates no one, for God is not affected with any emotion of joy or sorrow, and consequently he neither loves nor hates anyone."
Prabhupāda: Yes. He is called ātmā-pama (?). He doesn't require anything from anyone. He is complete. But if anyone offers Him something out of love, it is his benefit who is offering something to God. God doesn't require anything. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā God says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati: (BG 9.26) "A devotee, out of his love, even he offers Me a little leaf, little water, little flower," tad aham aśnāmi, "I eat that." So God is fully satisfied in Himself. Why He desires a patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam from a devotee? It is not for His benefit. But if he begins to offer something out of love, then his love begins with God. He gives him the chance. So offering to God does not mean God is benefited. It is benefit of the devotee that he begins to offer, and if he gradually develops that love, then his life is successful. So it is a chance. God does not require anything, but the giver, whatever he, he gives to God, it is for his own benefit. Just like the example is given, the..., if your face is decorated, then the reflection of the face in the mirror is automatically decorated. So we are reflection of God. If God is decorated then we become decorated. That is the idea.
Hari-śauri: "Śrīmatī Kuntī said: O Kṛṣṇa, I offer my obeisances unto You because You are the original personality and are unaffected by the qualities of the material world. You are existing both within and without everything, yet You are invisible to all. Being beyond the range of limited sense perception, the eternally irreproachable factor covered by the curtain of deluding energy, You are invisible to the foolish observer, exactly as an actor dressed as a player is not recognized. You Yourself descend to propagate the transcen..."
Prabhupāda: That is very good example. His father is playing on the stage, and the son is seeing, and another, another friend is seeing, saying, "Do you see your father?" Then "Where is my father?" He, he, he does not recognize his father. Very good example.
| Page Title: | Unaffected (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Labangalatika, MadhuGopaldas |
| Created: | 12 of Dec, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=58, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 58 |