When one is in his original position that "I am not bhoktā. Kṛṣṇa is bhoktā. We are helping-beings for enjoyment of Kṛṣṇa. This is our actual position," this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore īśa-saṅgāt, "by association with Bhagavān." So in this condition when I am so much fallen, how I can associate with Kṛṣṇa? So that is īśa-saṅgāt. Īśa is absolute. Everything has emanated from Isa, God. So in that way everything is Īśa. There is nothing but Īśa, but we haven't got the eyes to see. Antar-bahir-avasthitaḥ. Kunti said, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are situated outside and inside. Still, we are so rascal, we cannot see You." We cannot see You. How we can see? Īśa-saṅgāt, association. Saṅgāt sanjāyate kāmaḥ.
So with whom associate? Now, Īśa. These are... Īśa means His name, His form, His attributes, His, so many things. You see? Nāma, rūpa, rasa—everything is Īśa. So this temple means to give chance to people for associating with Īśa, with Kṛṣṇa. So therefore, according to Vedic civilization, everyone is advised to go to the temple. Still people are going to the church, to the temple, to the mosque, to the synagogue. Why? Īśa-saṅgāt, īśa-saṅgāt, just to associate with God. That is the purpose. So if you actually search after Īśa, Kṛṣṇa, or God, you can get it. There is arrangement. Just like this temple. This temple, if you come, if you make association with this temple, immediately you will be benefited by hearing the glories of the Lord this, every subject matter pertaining to God. We are reading Bhāgavatam or Bhagavad-gītā. That is also Īśa. Because these are the words of Īśa, therefore, Īśa being absolute, there is no difference between His words and Him. Kṛṣṇa, five thousand years ago He spoke Bhagavad-gītā. That Bhagavad-gītā is the same Bhagavad-gītā which He spoke five thousand years ago, and it is not different from Kṛṣṇa because Kṛṣṇa is absolute. Whatever, His words, His form, His name, His quality, everything, His temple, His activities, His books—everything Īśa.
So if we associate with all these things, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23), hearing and chanting about Viṣṇu, then this misconception of life, that "I am puruṣa," will vanquish. Then you become liberated. Īśa-saṅgād vilīyate. So take chance of this īśa-saṅga very vigorously. Tivreṇa bhakti-yogena. That is recommended. Anyone who is... There are two classes of men. One class of men, they are trying to enjoy this material world. Another class of men, they are rejecting—brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā—Māyāvādī. They say, "We have no use for this material world." And the karmīs... Those who are rejecting, they are jñānis. And those who are karmīs, they want more material enjoyment, more money, more money, more assets. The two classes of men. But a devotee is neither this class or that class. A devotee is neither karmī nor jñāni. Therefore bhakti means jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167). If one is involved in jñāna and karma he cannot become bhakta.
Bhakta means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (Brs. 1.1.11). The bhakta has nothing to do with this jñāna and karma. Jñāna means to understand. So you understand simply that "I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Then your jñāna is full. Your knowledge is full. These two words, that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and I am Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel," if we realize these things only, then our jñāna, our knowledge, is perfect. And then, as soon as knowledge is perfect, then next is vairāgya. Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā (SB 1.2.12). Two things required. But if you remain in the jñāna platform, do not come to the actual spiritual platform, then śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). It is simply waste of... Jñāna means to have knowledge. What knowledge? This knowledge, that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person, bhoktā, puruṣa, and we are just part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa to fulfill the desire of Kṛṣṇa." This is jñāna. Just like the hand is part and parcel of my body, so what is the duty of this hand? The duty is to fulfill the desire of the person. Similarly, we are part and parcel of God, or Kṛṣṇa. Or only business is to fulfill the desire of Kṛṣṇa, not to fulfill our desire. That is... That is not bhakti. That is jñāna or karma. But fulfill the desire of Kṛṣṇa, that is bhakti. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttama (CC Madhya 19.167). This is first-class bhakti.
So this philosophy is spoken by the Yamadūta that one has become conditioned on this false conception of life, that "I am puruṣa," but this misconception can be vanquished. It is not very easy to vanquish, but it can be. How? Īśa-saṅga. Associate with Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and you will be able to give up this false misconception of life. The whole world, material world, is going on. You can see any city, any big town you go, or even in the village in these countries. Everyone, from the morning to night, they are simply trying how to enjoy the material world: "How to enjoy? How to enjoy?" This is called karma-jñāna. When they are fed up, then "the grapes are sour." They give up: brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. But that will not stay. If you... Even if you give up for the time being, that jagat mithyā—"We have no business with the jagat"—it may be sentimentally enduring for some time, but because you are not purified, therefore Bhāgavata says, ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Simply to understand that "I am not this material body, so I have nothing to do with this body, and I am spirit soul," simply this much knowledge is not perfect.