BG 07.01 mayy asakta-manah partha... cited (Lec)

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 17, 1968:

Mayy āsakta. Mayy means "unto Me." Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, says "unto Me, Kṛṣṇa." You cannot interpret in a different way. When I say that "Give me a glass of water," it means that I am the person who is in want of a glass of water. And if you supply me, not to others, then it is right. So when Kṛṣṇa says "unto Me," that means Kṛṣṇa. But sometimes rascal interpreters, they say something else. Why? Even grammatically this is wrong. Kṛṣṇa says "unto Me"; therefore the action should be unto Kṛṣṇa, not of any other else.

That is called samādhi. So if you are fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, that is samādhi. Twenty-four hours samādhi. Not that a periodical samādhi. The ordinary yogis, they... Of course, samādhi is not, I mean to say, ordinary term. Suppose if he can remain in samādhi, say, for a little period, say, one hour, two hours, but Kṛṣṇa conscious person is in samādhi twenty-four hours, cent percent, because he is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. That is being explained. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. If one performs yoga, taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa and always thinks of Kṛṣṇa, then he is in samādhi.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, March 26, 1968:

Prabhupāda:

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Francisco, September 10, 1968:

So Kṛṣṇa is describing personally. Kṛṣṇa's name is Yogeśvara, and Lord Śiva's name is Yogīśvara. Yogeśvara means... Yoga, the connecting link between the soul and the Supersoul, or the Supreme and the minute living creatures—that is called yoga. Connecting. So the... Who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Yogeśvara. The ultimate object of yoga is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is Yogeśvara.

Prabhupāda:

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

So this yoga system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness yoga system, is to begin with developing attachment for Kṛṣṇa. And the process of developing attachment I have already explained to you for the several last meetings. So for the beginners, attachment for God, everyone, people in the lowest stage, he has to admit the greatness of the Supreme Lord. God is great; there is no doubt about it. Everyone, even in the lowest status of life, he can admit.

I shall read the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, which is spoken by Govinda Himself. Bhagavad-gītā, Seventh Chapter. Lord Kṛṣṇa says,

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

Now, here the word yogam is also explained. What sort of yoga Kṛṣṇa is recommending? Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Keeping the mind always attached to Kṛṣṇa, this yoga system. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness is yoga system.

So in reply to that mode of yoga, Kṛṣṇa is directly speaking here: mayy āsakta-manāḥ. If you try to concentrate your mind on the form of Kṛṣṇa, so beautiful... He's enjoying with Rādhārāṇī and His associates. Then, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam, if you practice this yoga, mad-āśrayaḥ, yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ... You have to practice this yoga, at the same time, you have to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Āśrayaḥ means "under My protection." This is called surrender.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

So we are dying from the date of our birth. That is a fact. So Bhagavad-gītā gives you the solution of these four problems. And Kṛṣṇa here is suggesting, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. If you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa and if you think of Kṛṣṇa always, your consciousness becomes always overwhelmed with Kṛṣṇa thoughts, then Kṛṣṇa says the result will be asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). "Then you will understand Me perfectly, without any doubt."

Everyone is hankering after what is God, what is the nature of God. Somebody says there is no God, somebody says God is dead. These are all doubts. But here Kṛṣṇa says, asaṁśaya. You'll be doubtless. You'll feel, you'll know perfectly well that God is there, Kṛṣṇa is there. And He is the source of all energies. He is the primeval Lord.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

You have to make your mind attached to something. But if you make your mind attached to something nonsense, then the same thing, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), birth, death, old age, disease. You have to suffer. You have to suffer. Your science, your material science, or nothing... No. Nobody can make any solution of these sufferings. But if you want real solution, permanent solution, permanent life, then you become attached to Kṛṣṇa. Simple method. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan. That is the perfect form of yoga. All other yogas, they may help you to come to this platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but if you fail to come to this platform of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then all those troubles will be useless labor.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

My policy is following the footstep of Rūpa Gosvāmī. He says that somehow or other, let them become first of all attached to Kṛṣṇa. So this is the yoga. Kṛṣṇa is explaining, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. So try to be attached to Kṛṣṇa. And why you shall not be attached to Kṛṣṇa? So many nice things in Kṛṣṇa consciousness? We have got arts, we have painting, we have got dancing, we have got music, we have got first-class food, we have got first-class dress, first-class health, everything first class. It is only the foolish rascal that he'll not be attached to these first-class things. Everything. And it is easy at the same time.

Devotee: "Now hear, O son of Pṛthā (Arjuna), how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt." Purport.

Prabhupāda: Arjuna's mother was known as Pṛthā. Pṛthā. Her father's name was Mahārāja Pṛthu. Therefore Arjuna is known as Pārtha. Sometimes Arjuna is addressed as Pārtha. It comes from the meaning, root meaning of Arjuna's mother's father, grandfather.

The instruction is that "How by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me"—this is Kṛṣṇa consciousness—"with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full." And if you know Kṛṣṇa in full, you know everything. And you can know Kṛṣṇa simply by our concentrating mind upon Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you know Kṛṣṇa, you know everything. Therefore your knowledge is perfect. Is that argument fallacious? You can understand Kṛṣṇa simply by concentrating upon Him. That you can do. Everyone can do that. And as soon as you understand Kṛṣṇa you know everything. So why not take this path? Simple. That is full knowledge. That means eternity.

Here it is said, the exact word in Sanskrit is mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mayy āsakta: "If you simply become attached to Me," mayy āsakta-manāḥ... "Your mind should be so trained that you become attached to Me." This is yoga, because yoga means training the mind. To concentrate the mental focus on Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, that is the yoga practice. The pressing of nose or making your head down and legs up, these are means to come to the point of samādhi, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But they are not yoga itself or end. They are means to the end. But here is the end. If you can concentrate your mind on Kṛṣṇa, then you come to the ultimate point.

To become Kṛṣṇa conscious means we have to adopt the Kṛṣṇa means, no other means. The Kṛṣṇa means is being instructed in this chapter, that "How by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me..." That is Kṛṣṇa con... The means and the end, the same. If you want to come to the end of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you have to become Kṛṣṇa conscious.

The first stage is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and the last stage is also Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The difference is one stage is immature, and the other stage is mature. When it is mature, then you taste it nicely. Just like mango. In the unripe stage it is mango, and the ripe stage, it is mango. But in the ripe stage you taste nicely. In the unripe stage the taste is different. But if you give time for ripening, then you will taste. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the means of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. No other means can be adopted for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We should know. Therefore it is being taught here that "How by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me..." You have to think of Kṛṣṇa always.

Devotee: "The Lord therefore says to Arjuna, tac chṛṇu, or 'Hear from Me.' "

Prabhupāda: Yes. "Hear from Me." And hearing from whom? From a loafer? No. From Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's representative. That will effect. Hearing, there must be hearing process also from the authorized person. Just like if you take electricity. You should take electricity where the electric point is there. Electric is everywhere; that's nice. Everyone accepts there is electricity. But you have to take electricity from the plug where the electricity current is going on. Then you get electricity. Therefore śravaṇam, hearing, from whom? From Kṛṣṇa or His representative. Then it is perfect.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Gainesville, July 29, 1971 University of Florida:

Asaṁśayaṁ samagram. By bhakti-yoga you can understand the Absolute Truth as He is and samagram, in full. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. These words are used in... Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu: (BG 7.1) "You will understand Me in full and without any doubt." So one who is in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he knows God in full and without any doubt. Then the... "Therefore only by hearing from Kṛṣṇa or from His devotees in Kṛṣṇa consciousness can one understand the science of Kṛṣṇa."

Prabhupāda:

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Madras, February 14, 1972:

Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, speaking about the topmost form of yoga system. In the Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā He has explained the general haṭha-yoga system. Please remember that we are preaching this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement on the authority of Bhagavad-gītā. It is nothing manufactured.

Prabhupāda:

mayy āsakta-manaḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Madras, February 14, 1972:

Mr. (indistinct) Swami, Ladies and Gentlemen, first of all, I thank you very much for kindly coming here and participating in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. As I have already explained last night, that originally we are all Kṛṣṇa conscious. Just like each of, each of every one of us is conscious somehow or other. Everyone knows, "I am the son of such and such gentleman." Similarly, originally we were all Kṛṣṇa conscious, because Kṛṣṇa said that mamaivāṁso jīva bhūta: (BG 15.7) "All the living entities, they are My part and parcel."

In other religion, just like Christian religion, they accept the supreme father: "O father, give us our daily bread," they pray in the church. But they do not know the name of the father. That is the difficulty. But one who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he knows what is the name of his original father, what does He do, where He lives, what is His personal feature, what is His pastime—everything. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says here, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ mām yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Everyone is anxious to know, at least (indistinct) men, what is God, what is our relationship with Him, how He looks, where He lives. These are naturally inquisitiveness of any sane man.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Auckland, April 15, 1972:

Prabhupāda:

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Diego, July 1, 1972:

Ladies and gentlemen, I beg to thank you for giving us the opportunity to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this meeting. So this is the essence of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, this verse spoken by Kṛṣṇa Himself. Bhagavad-gītā is spoken by Kṛṣṇa Himself, and we are preaching kṛṣṇa-kathā, the words, the message of Kṛṣṇa, as it is, without any wrong interpretation.

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)

śrī bhagavān uvāca

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Diego, July 1, 1972:

Translation: (not on tape) "Now hear, O son of Pṛthā (Arjuna) how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt."

Prabhupāda: Purport.

Pradyumna: "In the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, the nature of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is fully described. Kṛṣṇa is full in all opulences, and how He manifests such opulences is described herein. Also, four kinds of fortunate people who become attached to Kṛṣṇa and four kinds of unfortunate people who never take to Kṛṣṇa are described in this chapter. In the first six chapters of Bhagavad-gītā, the living entity has been described as nonmaterial spirit soul, which is capable of elevating himself to self-realization by different types of yogas. At the end of the Sixth Chapter, it has been clearly stated that the steady concentration of the mind upon Kṛṣṇa, or in other words, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the highest form of all yoga.

Here is positive proposition, that you concentrate on the form of Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā śraddhāvān... Antar-ātmanā (BG 6.47). One has to fix up the form... Actual yoga system is to concentrate on the form of Viṣṇu. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā. By... Meditation means to concentrate the mind without being diverted to any other subject. Simply thinking of Lord Viṣṇu. That is the yoga meditation recommended in Vedic literature.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Diego, July 1, 1972:

Pradyumna: "The Lord therefore says to Arjuna, tac chṛṇu, or 'Hear from Me.' No one can be a greater authority than Kṛṣṇa, and therefore, by hearing from Him..."

Prabhupāda: There... Here is another point. We have to learn by listening from somebody. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). We approach guru for hearing from him the truth. Just like child listens from the parents and he learns to speak, he learns to know what is what. The father says, "This is dish"; the child also says, "This is dish." The father says, "This is spoon"; the child also says, "This is spoon." So he learns by hearing. "Mother language" means if the child is handed over to some other person whose mother, whose language is different from the mother, he'll learn, from the very beginning he'll learn that language.

Prabhupāda:

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayam samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

So by the end of the Sixth Chapter, Kṛṣṇa has explained the aṣṭa, aṣṭāṅga-yoga-siddhi. Aṣṭāṅga-yoga-siddhi, that yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā (BG 6.47). Always who is thinking of Kṛṣṇa within himself, śraddhāvān, with faith and knowledge, he is first-class yogi. So how this first-class yoga system helps me? Because the other yoga systems, they will disagree, that "Simply by thinking of Kṛṣṇa within one's heart, how one becomes perfect?" That is explained from the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, how simply by understanding Kṛṣṇa, you become well aware of everything, this yoga system.

This is the meaning of Bhagavān. I have already explained. So that Bhagavān is speaking. So mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha: "Those who have developed attachment for Me, mayy āsakta, only attached to Kṛṣṇa..." That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This is yoga. It is already explained by the end of the Sixth Chapter. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā (BG 6.47). One who has developed attachment for Kṛṣṇa, he has come to perfection, simply by developing. And this development of attachment is possible by this arcana-vidhi. Just like our, rising early in the morning, offering maṅgalārātrika, then changing the dress, garlanding, dressing, so many things. From morning, four, to, up to night at ten o'clock, there is program. That is real temple worship.

This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement wants to see that every house has become a temple of Kṛṣṇa. That is our program. Mayy āsakta... Just to increase the attachment for Kṛṣṇa.

That is needed, especially for the gṛhasthas, for the householders... Still in India, there are many respectable families. They are maintaining a small temple. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). Yoga-bhraṣṭa, this yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ, this bhakti-yoga, one who could not finish the cent percent bhakti-yoga in one life, at least he's guaranteed to have next life as a human being. Because Kṛṣṇa says, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate. Śucīnām. Śucīnām means first-class brāhmaṇa, Vaiṣṇava. They are called śuci.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam. To... This is yoga system. It is called bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga system. So a neophyte devotee should be engaged in temple worship, but if he does not make further improvement, if he sticks to the simply temple worship, then he remains a kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, lower-standard devotee. Lower-standard devotee. But one has to become first-standard devotee; at least, one must... A first-standard devotee is very high position, spiritual position.

So Kṛṣṇa says that mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha: "My dear Arjuna..." Arjuna is addressed here as "Pārtha," very familial. Because Pārtha, Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna's mother's name was Pṛthā, Kuntī's name. And Pṛthā, Kuntī, happened to be the aunt of Kṛṣṇa. So He's very feelingly, in a familial way, He's addressing, "Pārtha, My dear Arjuna, Pārtha, mayy āsakta-manāḥ, simply by increasing attachment for Me," mayy āsakta, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam... This is yoga. This is perfect yoga. Yoginām api sarve... Mad-āśrayaḥ. "This yoga system should be executed directly under My direction, or under the direction of a representative of Mine." The spiritual master is the representative of Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda:

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

So today's subject matter is Kṛṣṇa-yoga. Yesterday we discussed some portion of it.

Now, Kṛṣṇa is all-attractive.

aiśvaryasya samagrasya

vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ

jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva

ṣaṇṇāṁ bhaga itīṅganā

(Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)

Bhagavān. There is definition of Bhagavān. Not that any rascal advertises himself Bhagavān and he becomes Bhagavān. No. Parāśara Muni, father of Vyāsadeva, gave us what we mean by Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence, and vān means one who possesses opulence.

So Kṛṣṇa says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. We have to increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa. So how we can increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa unless we know Kṛṣṇa, at least something about Him? Just like a girl becomes attached to a young boy when she knows about something about that boy. The more she knows, she becomes attracted.

So how to increase your attachment? We have got attachment in so many other things. We have got attachment for the body, we have got attachment for the family, we have got attachment for the society, country. Or... So many things. But Kṛṣṇa says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ. That is yoga. That is perfect yoga. And to perform that yoga, Kṛṣṇa says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. One has to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. You cannot practice kṛṣṇa-yoga by taking shelter of anything else. You have to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa.

You may write very, so-called scholarly comment, but you have simply wasted your time. If you have not come to the conclusion that "Now I shall engage myself in the service of Kṛṣṇa..." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If you do that, that is the beginning of śraddhā. Then other things. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ.

This, this has been explained by Kavirāja Kṛṣṇadāsa Gosvāmī:

śraddhā-śabde viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya

kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya

(Cc. Madhya 22.62)

This is śraddhā. Śraddhā means śraddhā-śabde... (break) ...word means śraddhā-śabde viśvāsa, full faith; sudṛḍha, very firm; niścaya, with conviction. That is śraddhā. Śraddha-śabde viśvāsa kahe sudṛḍha niścaya. What is that viśvāsa? What is that faith? Kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya. "If I devote myself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in the service of Kṛṣṇa, all my work will be perfect." This is called śraddhā.

...yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). We are reciting from Bhagavad-gītā, Seventh Chapter. The yoga system is called attachment for Kṛṣṇa, or kṛṣṇa-yoga. Yoga means connecting, link, and if we always keep ourself connecting link with Kṛṣṇa, then we become the topmost yogi. There are many kinds of yogis. Generally the yogis, they think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead always within the heart. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti 'yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). This is the yogis' business.

So here, this process is explained by Kṛṣṇa Himself. The śāstra says this is the process. But still Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself the process. The process is mayy āsakta-manāḥ. One has to increase his attachment for Kṛṣṇa. We have got attachment for so many things. We have to divert the attachment towards Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam. This is the yogaṁ yuñjan. One has to perform, execute, mad-āśrayaḥ. This yoga can be executed when we take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ means either you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa or one who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Mad-āśrayaḥ. In two ways you can take it, the meaning. Mad-āśrayaḥ. One who does not know except Kṛṣṇa, he's also mad-āśrayaḥ. And one who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, that is also mad-āśrayaḥ. So one has to become a devotee, or to take shelter of a pure devotee to practice the yoga system. Ādau gurvāśrayam. That is our system. That is our system. That is the Vedic system.

The Vedic system is

tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet

samit-pāṇiḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham

(MU 1.2.12)

So to practice this yoga, any yoga, you have to take shelter of somebody who knows how to practice this yoga. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Then the result will be asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Then, without any doubt and in complete awareness, you'll understand the process. And in complete awareness of Kṛṣṇa, your life is successful. Simply if you know Kṛṣṇa, if you try to understand Kṛṣṇa, and fortunately if you know Kṛṣṇa, then your life is successful.

So mad-āśraya means, kṛṣṇa-yoga means bhakti-yoga. If you want to learn Kṛṣṇa, if you want to know Kṛṣṇa, then you have to take this process. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam. And if you practice this yoga, kṛṣṇa-yoga, or bhakti-yoga, then you become the topmost of all yogis.

At last, we increase our attachment for dogs and cats. So attachment is there. Now this attachment has to be employed on Kṛṣṇa. That yoga system, kṛṣṇa-yoga system, is described in this Bhagavad-gītā, Seventh Chapter: mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ mām (BG 7.1). Asaṁśayam, "without any doubt." In any other process, you cannot understand what is God in full sense. That is not possible.

Prabhupāda:

(mayy āsakta-manaḥ pārtha)

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

This is a verse from Bhagavad-gītā, how to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness. The Bhagavad-gītā, most of you have heard about the name of this book. It is very widely read book of knowledge throughout the whole world. Practically in every country there are many editions of Bhagavad-gītā. So the Bhagavad-gītā is the basic principle of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. What we are spreading as Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is only Bhagavad-gītā. It is not that we have manufactured anything.

Speculative knowledge is never perfect, especially when you imagine something about somebody. That is all humbug; it has no meaning. So God cannot be realized by speculation. But here is a chance wherein God is speaking about Himself, so you can understand what is God. Now in this verse, Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says,

mayy āsakta-manaḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

"My dear Arjuna, if you develop your attachment for Me," mayy āsakta... Mayy āsakta, "attachment to Me," God is saying. We have got attachment. Every one us has got some attachment, either for this or that. Especially our living condition means to love somebody. That love propensity, that loving propensity is there within me, within you. I want to love you or you want to love me or I want to love somebody, but I want to love; that is my hankering. But because the love is misplaced, therefore we are frustrated. Love is misplaced.

The Vedānta-sūtra says that this life is especially meant for developing or inquiring about our love with Kṛṣṇa, or God. This is the only business. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. So that love for Kṛṣṇa, or God, how you can develop or how you can awaken, that is explained by Kṛṣṇa in this verse. Mayy āsakta-manaḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. You have to increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa, or God.

He's attractive; therefore His name is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. So if any suitable name can be assigned to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, it is Kṛṣṇa. That is the verdict of the Vedic literature. Now Kṛṣṇa says, "If you develop your attachment for Me," mayy āsakta-manaḥ pārtha, "My dear Arjuna..." Mayy āsakta-manaḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. It is a yoga, yoga system. You have heard the name of yoga system. There are different kinds of yoga systems, but the foremost and the topmost yoga system is to develop your attachment or constantly being in touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is first-class yoga. Yoga actually means to make your connection with the Supreme Lord. That is yoga. Yoga means addition, connect.

Viyoga means when we are detached from God, and yoga means when we are attached to God. This the two different words. So here it is recommended, yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. It is another practice of yoga, the topmost yoga. In previous to this verse there is another verse,

yoginām api sarveṣām

mad-gatenāntarātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

(BG 6.47)

That is Sixth Chapter. I am speaking from the Seventh Chapter. This Sixth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā concludes with this verse, that yoginām api sarveṣām. There are different types of yogis, but the most important yogi, or the topmost yogi, is he. Who? "Who is always thinking of Me," Kṛṣṇa says. Who is always thinking of God. He's first-class yogi.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Upsala University Stockholm, September 8, 1973:

So as we act under the leadership of a supreme person, similarly, if we act, if we live under the leadership of God, that is our perfection of life. This is called yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ means "under My direction." What is the direction of God? Just become His devotee, just think of Himself, always about Him, just offer Him obeisances. This is the process. It is not very difficult. And if you cannot do anything, simply if you chant the holy name of God. We do not say that you chant the name of Kṛṣṇa. If you have got any name, holy name of God, you can chant that also. But chant. This is the process recommended in this age.

Prabhupāda:

...yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Upsala University Stockholm, September 8, 1973:

Śrī bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān means the Supreme Being. That is also dictionary word. In the... I consulted the Oxford Dictionary, "God." God means "the Supreme Being." And the Supreme means... That is also stated in the dictionary, "The greatest authority." So God means the greatest authority, supreme, Supreme Being.

It is very difficult to understand Bhagavān, but there is process, you can understand God, or Bhagavān. That process is being described by the Supreme Lord Himself, Bhagavān. Bhagavān uvāca. What is that process?

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Upsala University Stockholm, September 8, 1973:

"My dear Arjuna, now I shall explain to you. You hear with attention." Tac chṛṇu. What is that? Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. "You have to increase your attachment for Me." Mayy āsakta. Mayi āsakta. Mayi means "unto Me," and āsakti means "attachment." Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Mind has to be trained up in such a way that you increase your attachment for God, or Kṛṣṇa.

So here Kṛṣṇa is teaching, Himself, how you can become Kṛṣṇa conscious. The first item, He says: mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. "My dear Arjuna, if you increase your attachment for Me, that is the beginning." And that is the end. That is beginning, and that is end. It is not that beginning is something... Spiritual means it is nothing beginning, nothing end. The beginning and the end, the same thing. If you increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa... Because, at the present moment, in our material conditional life, we have no attachment for Kṛṣṇa. We have got attachment for non-Kṛṣṇa. So you have to transfer that attachment to Kṛṣṇa. Attachment is there; simply you have to transfer the object of attachment. So here it is said: mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This is yoga. This is meditation. If you are fond of meditation, then you meditate upon Kṛṣṇa, on the form of Kṛṣṇa, playing flute, bluish color, having a peacock on His head.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Upsala University Stockholm, September 8, 1973:

We are not business man, that we give you something and charge something. Of course, when we give you book, we take, because we have to pay to the printers, to the press man. That is another thing. So far our words are concerned, our service is concerned, we don't charge anything. That is not our movement. That is free. So Kṛṣṇa says mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. In this way, you can begin your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam... This is yoga. To increase attachment for Kṛṣṇa is the first-class yoga system. But how it can be done? Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. You have to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa or His representative. Āśraya. Āśraya means to take shelter. You cannot practice this yoga separately. You have to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa or His devotee. That is called mad-āśraya. Or mad-āśraya means "one who has taken shelter of Me." One may say that "How can I take shelter of Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is not here present." He's present everywhere. It is a question of realization. Then you can take shelter of His representative. Mad-āśraya. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac... (BG 7.1). Asaṁśayam, "without any doubt," samagram, "in complete," yathā, "as," jñāsyasi, "you can understand," tac chṛṇu, "you hear from Me." Kṛṣṇa is describing Himself, how you can increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa.

Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "Now hear, O son of Pṛthā, Arjuna, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt."

Prabhupāda:

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

In the human society, it is a prerogative to know God. In the animal society, there is no such question. The human society is meant for understanding what is God. That is the privilege of human being. We come to this form of human being after many, many births. There are 8,400,000 species of life, beginning from water. Then on the land... In the water there are nine lakhs species of life, different aquatics.

So how one can take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is being described by Kṛṣṇa in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā. The first verse is,

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Because we have to see God. Just like I told you, if you see the sun, then automatically you see everything. You see yourself, you see your neighbor, you see the city, you see the house, you see... Everything you can see when there is sunlight. Similarly, if you can see God, then you can see everything. Kasmin tu bhagavo vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. If you can understand what is God, then you understand everything.

So we have to come to the point of not desirelessness, but to the point of purified desires. That is wanted. Therefore here it is said, mayy āsakta-manāḥ: "You can not make your mind desireless, but you fix up your mind upon Me." That is required. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. This is the yoga system. This is called bhakti-yoga, and this is called first-class yoga. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, that yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā (BG 6.47). The yogi, the first-class yogi, yoginām api sarveṣām... "There are different kinds of yoga systems, but the person who has accepted this bhakti-yoga, he is thinking of Me always."

Just like these boys and girls they are being taught always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare." So if you read Bhagavad-gītā and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, immediately you learn the whole science, how to become attached to Kṛṣṇa. This is called mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan, to practice yoga... This is bhakti-yoga. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ means "under My direction," or "under My protection." Āśraya.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says you have to develop your love and attraction for Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. "This yoga practice can be performed," mad-āśrayaḥ, "under My protection or My devotee's protection." You cannot take protection of another rascal who interprets Bhagavad-gītā in a different way. You have to take shelter directly. Of course, Bhagavad-gītā instruction is there. Everyone can take shelter of Kṛṣṇa directly. Where is the difficulty? Just like here is is said, mayy āsakta. You have to develop your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. You can do that. How these Americans and European boys, they have developed their attraction for Kṛṣṇa? There is a process. If you adopt this process... They are with me for the last two, three or four years. Now they are... You detach them from Kṛṣṇa consciousness if you have got any power. You cannot do that. Even you bribe them or, no, what you can do? Their father, mother, their countrymen can give you enough. They are all rich men's sons. But they cannot give up Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Even the Christian priests, they regret that "These are our boys, and they never came to church. They never liked to understand what is the idea of God. Now these same boys, they are after, mad after God. What is this movement?" They are surprised.

So there is a process. If we adopt that process, then everyone can become mayy āsakta-manāḥ, Kṛṣṇa āsakta-manāḥ. We have to accept the process. That process is called yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. You have to accept the yoga system under the protection of Kṛṣṇa personally or His bona fide devotees, representative. Then you will be... Then what will be the result? The result will be asaṁśayam, without any doubt. Now people are educated in all other institution about God, but they are all full of doubts, full of doubts: "What kind of God? What is the nature of God? Whether there is God? Whether there is no God?" So many doubts. But if you accept this Kṛṣṇa consciousness yoga system, then you can understand Kṛṣṇa asaṁśayam, without any doubt. And samagram, in fullness, not that partial. Partially understanding of God, that is also understanding, but it will again take time, because unless you fully understand what is God, you cannot go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the formula.

So, if we study Bhagavad-gītā, if we understand what is the nature of Bhagavān, then our life is successful. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). So Kṛṣṇa is describing Himself. You try to understand from the statement of Kṛṣṇa with your logic, argument, science and everything. You will find complete answer.

Nitāi: "Now hear, O son of Pṛthā (Arjuna), how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt."

Prabhupāda:

śrī bhagavān uvāca

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Arjuna is hearing from Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is speaking to Arjuna directly. How fortunate is Arjuna, that he is directly hearing from Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here, therefore, it is said, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān. Not ordinary teacher, a human being, or a living being, but Bhagavān.

Now, if you want to know Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān... Here it is said, bhagavān uvāca, Bhagavān says, mayy āsakta, mayi āsakta. Therefore if you become attached... We have got attachment for so many things. But if we transfer that attachment to Kṛṣṇa, then, Kṛṣṇa says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. You have to adopt this yogic process, meditation. Meditation... Unless you have got love for somebody, attachment for somebody, how you can think of him always? That is not possible. By force I cannot say that "You think of this thing or this man." That is not possible. If I have got attachment for a certain thing or a certain person, then we can think of that person or that thing. That is called yoga, connecting always, keeping linked always. That is called yoga. So if you want to know perfectly or as far as you can understand through your senses, mayy āsakta-manāḥ, then you transfer your attachment to Kṛṣṇa. This is the advice. If we want to know Kṛṣṇa, then we have to transfer our attachment to Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. The mind should be attached to Kṛṣṇa.

So if you practice this yoga... This is yoga. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan. This is yoga. Yes, I was speaking that when Kṛṣṇa explained yoga system, He concluded,

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

(BG 6.47)

Anyone... There are hundreds and thousands varieties of yogi. The first-class yogi is he who is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. He is first-class yogi. Mayy āsakta... Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā. Antar-ātmanā is in the core of heart. He is keeping the picture of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is there, but because we cannot see now in the present condition, so we are seeing the formation of Kṛṣṇa, either from picture or from the Deity in the temple. And keep it within your heart always and think of Him—you become first-class yogi. Yoginām api sarveṣām. And if you continue this yoga system, yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ...

So how you can practice this yoga? This yoga system is that yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ, and in the previous verse it is said that mad-gatena antar-ātmanā. If you keep Kṛṣṇa always within your heart in this way, mayy āsakta-manāḥ, the mind being, thus being attached, mayy āsakta, this is yoga. This yoga has to be practiced, how to keep Kṛṣṇa always within your heart. That is first-class yoga. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. Yogam, this yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. And this yoga practice can be possible by the process: mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ means "one who has taken shelter of Me." Mat means "Me," and āśrayaḥ means to take shelter. That means devotee. Or mad-āśrayaḥ means one who has taken the shelter of a devotee. A devotee is also mad-āśrayaḥ. A devotee means who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa completely.

So mad-āśrayaḥ means directly we cannot take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, one who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, one who knows the science of Kṛṣṇa, one who knows what is Kṛṣṇa—you take shelter of that person. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Taking shelter, ādau gurv-āśrayam, that is the process of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Ādau, in the beginning, you have to take shelter of guru. Ādau gurv-āśrayaṁ sad-dharma-pṛcchā: "Then you inquire from him about Kṛṣṇa." Sad-dharma-pṛcchā, sādhu-mārgānugamanam: "Then follow the footstep of big, big devotees." Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja, a great devotee; Kapiladeva, a great devotee; and similarly, Brahmā, a great devotee. Lord Śiva is great devotee; Nārada Muni, a great devotee. There are... Especially twelve names are given in the śāstras, that we have to follow them. That is called sampradāya. Sampradāya means coming in disciplic succession from the original guru.

Nitāi: "Now hear, O son of Pṛthā (Arjuna), how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt."

Prabhupāda:

śrī bhagavān uvāca

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

The Lord, Bhagavān... Bhagavān means the most powerful, almighty, with six opulences. That is Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence, and vān, this word, is used in the sense of possession. Just like generally we say bhāgyavān. We Indians, we know. Bhāgyavān means fortunate. This word bhāgya comes from bhaga. Bhaga, and in relationship with bhaga the word comes: bhāgya. And vān means "one who possesses." Asty arthe vatup. The Sanskrit word, when the meaning is to possess, then one affix is added which is called vat, bhaga-vat. And the first word of the bhagavat-śabda is bhagavān.

That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, Fourth Chapter. He says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). Just like here Bhagavān says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam. This is a yoga. Similarly, this yoga system was spoken to the sun-god. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ..., yogam, what is that?

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: Imaṁ vivasvate...

Prabhupāda: Imaṁ vivasvate yogam (BG 4.1). Imaṁ yogam, the same thing as Kṛṣṇa is speaking to Arjuna, the same thing was spoken to sun-god. Imaṁ vivasvate. Vivasvate: "unto Vivasvān." Vivasvān. The president of the sun planet is known as Vivasvān. His name is given. Just like we know who is the president of United States or India, similarly, those who are advanced in knowledge, they know who is the predominating deity or president of that planet. That requires knowledge.

Tattva means the Absolute Truth. "You are Absolute Truth. Who can understand the Absolute Truth without Your mercy?" Therefore Kṛṣṇa is merciful to Arjuna, and therefore He said... Śrī bhagavān uvāca, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha: "My dear Arjuna, if you simply concentrate or meditate upon Me, Kṛṣṇa..." Mayy āsakta. Mayi āsakta. Mayi means "unto Me, Kṛṣṇa." Mayy āsakta-manāḥ, "Those who are attached to Me, that is perfect yoga." That is yoga. The yogis... You have heard the names of so many yogis, meditation. The meditation is good, but most of them do not know what is meditation. Most of them.

Meditation means to fix up one's mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. First of all they do not know who is the Personality of Godhead. But the yoga practice, according to śāstra, is that. Here it is: mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam. This is yoga. In other Vedic literature that is also stated, the same thing. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yogi means who meditates. It is the business of the yogis to meditate. But if you do not know upon whom to meditate, then what is the meaning of your yoga?

It is the conclusion of the Sixth Chapter, and in Seventh Chapter Kṛṣṇa explains how you can think of Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours. This is being explained. Therefore He says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. How you can think of somebody else unless you are very much attached to him? Just like a boy is attached to some girl or a girl is attached to some... That is natural. So when he becomes too much attached, he always or she thinks always. Otherwise it is not possible. To come to this attachment platform you have to learn how to love Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise how it is possible? Unless you love somebody, how can you think of him twenty-four hours? That is not possible.

So this mayy āsakta, Kṛṣṇa is summarily... But the ācāryas, they have defined how we can... We have got attachment. Every one of us got this propensity or the quality of attachment to others. The wife is attached to husband; husband is attached to wife. The son is attached to the father; father is attached to the son. Everyone. That attached you increase, then to your family, to your community, to your society, to your country, to your nation. The attachment is there. You cannot say that "I have no attachment for anything." That is not possible.

We have got so many attachments for this material world. You have to transfer that attachment for Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. He doesn't say that "You give up your attachment." How you can give up your attachment? That is not possible. He says, "Just transfer the attachment to Me." So all of a sudden to transfer the attachment to Kṛṣṇa and give up our all attachment for this material world, that is called renounced order of life. But Kṛṣṇa says, "You do this," but it is not so easy. It is not so easy.

I have got to do for my family, I have got to do this, I have to got...," so many. This is due to attachment, and this is all false attachment. Therefore we have to transfer the attachment to Kṛṣṇa. That is called mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. This is yoga system, how to transfer this attachment to attachment to Kṛṣṇa. This is called bhakti-yoga. And this is the first-class yoga. (aside:) You sit down there or stand there. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. This is to be practiced. This yoga should be practiced, how to increase attachment for Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan. You have to practice this yoga. How? Mad-āśrayaḥ: "Under Me. Or under My representative." Mad-āśrayaḥ. Mat means "Me," and āśrayaḥ means "taking shelter of." So either... But if you say, "Where is Kṛṣṇa?" No. Mad-āśrayaḥ means another thing: "One who has taken of My shelter." That is devotee, mad-āśrayaḥ.

So these are the processes. So Kṛṣṇa is saying, summarized. They are explained by the mad-āśrayaḥ, those who are devotees. So in this way we have to increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa. And when we increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa says, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Now everyone has got some doubt, whether there is God or not, whether God is person or imperson, whether He is something... He has no idea. In any religion you take, ask him, "What do you know about God?" That he cannot explain.

So He was speaking to Arjuna. So He says the process, how to understand God. The process is, means:

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, says that "If you want to know Me, then you have to increase your attachment for Me." This is the first condition. Mayy āsakta. Mayi āsakta-manāḥ. Our mind is attracted by so many things, especially in the material world. When yoga system was advised to Arjuna that "You concentrate your mind upon Me," Arjuna flatly declined, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, I cannot concentrate my mind in any particular thing." But he said that "I have got my mind on You." That is different thing. "But if you ask me to concentrate, it is very difficult for me."

Yoga means to concentrate your mind to the Absolute Truth by controlling the senses. Because the senses are very restless, it will not allow you to concentrate your mind. Therefore yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. That is yoga.

So here the same yoga is advised: yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This yoga has to be practiced under Kṛṣṇa. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Mat means "Me," and āśrayaḥ means taking shelter. Or mad-āśrayaḥ means to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa's devotee, one who has completely taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, to take shelter of him. The same thing: one who is electrified, if you touch that man, you also become electrified. This is the process. Therefore this is stressed here that "You practice this yoga..." Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha, "My dear Pārtha..." Pārtha means the son of Pṛthā. Arjuna's mother's name was Kuntī, Pṛthā; therefore he is sometimes addressed by the Lord as Pārtha. Kṛṣṇa's another name is Pārtha-sārathi. Pārtha-sārathi because He accepted the post of chariot driver of Pārtha, therefore His name is Pārtha-sārathi. There is a very big temple in Madras of Pārtha-sārathi.

This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And this is the basic principle of bhakti-yoga. Kṛṣṇa says here, yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Yogam. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. The business is that we have to increase our attachment for God. This is our main business. We are attached to so many things. That is material life. Everyone has got. Therefore we have got different types of body. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu. Why we have got different types of body? The kāraṇam, the reason, is that we are associating with particular type of infection in this material world, and we are getting particular type of body. I have explained it several times that there are three guṇas: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa.

So if you want to know Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa gives the formula. Or if you want to know God, then you follow God's formula. What is that? Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. First of all, first business is that you have to increase your attachment for God, or Kṛṣṇa. We are increasing our attachment for the dog, and where is the attachment for God? People are becoming... Now it has become a fashion to keep dogs and increase attachment for dog. They are ready to kill cows but give protection to the dog. So our advancement of civilization is going in that way. Anyway, this attachment or that attachment, every particular man has got attachment for something, phobia. But that attachment should be turned for Kṛṣṇa. This yoga has to be practiced. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Then what will be the result? Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Asaṁśayam. We have got vague idea of God. We do not know actually what is God. There is saṁśaya, doubts. Somebody is impersonalist. Somebody is localized. Somebody is personalist.

But actually, if we ask every man, "What is your conception of God?" I think hardly anyone will be able to explain what is the meaning of God. They have no clear idea. Is it not a fact? Can any one of you give me a clear idea what do you mean by God? No. Therefore if you want clear idea of God without any doubt, asaṁśayam, and samagram... Samagram means full, not partially. The spiritual understanding is partial in this way, brahmeti paramātmā iti bhagavān iti śabdyate. The Absolute Truth is realized in three features, Brahman, beginning from Brahman, then Paramātmā, Supersoul. I think in Christian world they call holy ghost. Anyway, Paramātmā, the Supersoul. And ultimately the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. That is the statement of the śāstra. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). If you want to know, here is Bhagavān.

If by indirect attachment they became so exalted, when you become directly attached with Kṛṣṇa by love, just see what is your position. So that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. So this has to be done under the direction of mad-āśrayaḥ, a person, a devotee or the spiritual master, who has absolutely taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa. He is also mad-āśrayaḥ. He has no other business. So either take the shelter of the person or directly the Supreme Person, the same thing. Better to take the shelter of a person who is under the protection of Kṛṣṇa.

So here it is said that asaṁśayam. Asaṁśayam means without doubt. Without doubt. And samagram, samagram means in complete. Those who are philosophers, speculating what is God, what is the Absolute Truth, they cannot know. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,

athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-

prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi

jānāti tattvaṁ (bhagavan-mahimno)

na cānya eko 'pi ciraṁ vicinvan

(SB 10.14.29)

One who is, I mean to say, has gotten, who has gotten a little favor of Kṛṣṇa, God, he can understand. Athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-prasāda, one who has got little mercy of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-prasāda-leśa, little mercy, jānāti tattvam, he can understand what is God. Little favor; not all favor, a little.

So, samagram, one has to understand actually what is Kṛṣṇa in complete. If you want to that, know that, then this is the process, mayi, mayi āsakta-manaḥ, mayy āsakta-manaḥ (BG 7.1), the mind has to be engaged in Kṛṣṇa, first thing is. Mind. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa manifests Himself in this Deity form. The Deity is Kṛṣṇa Himself. But we cannot concentrate Kṛṣṇa which is not visible. Kṛṣṇa is not visible to the ordinary eyes. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). God is not perceptible with our, this material eyes, our material senses.

We think that this is different from Kṛṣṇa. That will be explained. Therefore it is said, tac chṛṇu. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu. "You just hear from Me, as you can understand Me in complete, without any doubt." So Kṛṣṇa is instructing Himself, about Himself. Why there should be any doubt? There cannot be any doubt. God is explaining Himself about Him, then why there should be doubt? This is the, this is called bhakti-yoga. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. So how you can engage your mind in the Supreme Personality of Godhead if you do not know the form? Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes in His original form.

So therefore Kṛṣṇa said, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha, that simply you have to increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. This is bhakti-yoga. We have got attachment for so many things. Our attachment is now disbursed in so many ways. You have to concentrate that attachment to Kṛṣṇa, then your business will be successful, bhakti-yoga, mayy āsakta-manāḥ, "Mine." Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-pādāravindayor. Somehow or other you have to engage your mind at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore so many paraphernalia how to engage your mind. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ: hearing about Kṛṣṇa, chanting about Kṛṣṇa, thinking of Kṛṣṇa, worshiping Kṛṣṇa, talking about Kṛṣṇa, writing about Kṛṣṇa, selling the books about Kṛṣṇa, eating Kṛṣṇa prasādam. In this way you become Kṛṣṇaized. All-around Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is called bhakti-yoga. This is called bhakti. Somehow or other, you become surrounded by Kṛṣṇa atmosphere. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan, this is yoga, mad-āśrayaḥ, not... Mad-āśrayaḥ means "taking shelter of Me." So, "taking shelter of Me" through beginning teaching. Understanding of Kṛṣṇa, taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa's representative.

So, mayy āsakta, mad, mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ means, mat-āśrayaḥ, one...., guru means...., who has taken full shelter of Kṛṣṇa, he is guru. A, a guru does not mean that he has taken shelter of somebody else and he has become guru. That is not. Guru means one who has taken full shelter, complete surrender to Kṛṣṇa, he is guru. Or he speaks only what is spoken by Kṛṣṇa. Just like we have, speaking in this Bhagavad-gītā, as it is. There is no malinterpretation. Kṛṣṇa says sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja.

Yuñjan..., mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. You have to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa, because you have no direct touch of Kṛṣṇa, therefore you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa's representative. Then this yuñjan begins. He will teach you how to practice the bhakti-yoga, how to worship Him, how to think of Him, how to offer obeisances, how to observe the ceremonies. Just like yesterday we perfomed the ceremonies, Ratha-yātrā, so this dress, Jagannātha dress, and function, everything you have to learn. This is called bhakti-yoga, mad-āśrayaḥ. And this, the beginning is mayy āsakta-manāḥ, āsakta. Āsakti, we have to develop attachment. If you do not develop attachment for Kṛṣṇa, then other thing does not come.

You are hungry, you have been given some food, but you cannot say that "I am eating, also I am not satisfied in my hunger." That cannot be. If you are actually serving Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will reveal to you. You will know what is Kṛṣṇa, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ mām, without any doubt, and fullness. Here is the test. If somebody comes, "What is Kṛṣṇa," you say, "Yes, I am serving Kṛṣṇa, but I do not know what is Kṛṣṇa". What is his service? He must know, because here it is said, asaṁśayaṁ samagram, without any doubt...

So here in this chapter, therefore, it is said, śrī bhagavān uvāca, Absolute Person... Bhagavān means the Absolute Person who does not depend on anyone else. So Kṛṣṇa says,

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Throughout the whole world... Of course, in the human society, advanced human society, Aryan society, there is search after God, the Absolute. And the human life is meant for that purpose. Human life is not meant for wasting like dogs and hogs. The dogs and hogs, they are busy whole day and night to find out, "Where is food? Where is food?" But the human life is not meant for that purpose. The dogs and hogs, they do not know that food is supplied by God, everyone's. That is the Vedic information. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. God is supplying food to everyone. Therefore in the Christian method it is prayed, "O God, give us our... O Father, give us our daily bread." That is very good idea. But even if you do not ask, the food is there.

So Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān, the Personality of Godhead—who can be more liberated than Himself? Therefore He says—we should accept it. If you are fortunate enough, then whatever He says, you should accept it. He says that mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Everyone, at least human being, advanced human... The advanced human being is called Aryan, means advanced. Anyone who is advanced in spiritual knowledge, he is to be called Aryan. So the Aryan civilization, Vedic civilization... When Arjuna, I mean to say, denied to fight, Kṛṣṇa accused him that "You are talking like non-Aryans. You are not Aryan."

Paśyanti means he sees, actually sees Kṛṣṇa. So this kind of yoga can be attained if we increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam. This is yoga, real yoga. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. The... One should take shelter of Kṛṣṇa or shelter of a person who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Mad-āśrayaḥ: "One who has taken shelter of Me," or directly. So directly it is not possible. Because Arjuna was fortunate enough that he contacted Kṛṣṇa directly—Kṛṣṇa instructed him directly... So it is not possible for everyone. But if we take the shelter of a person who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, that is also perfect. That is called mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is teaching people how to become first-class yogi. Sa me yuktatamo mataḥ. Yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This is real yogi. To practice yoga... Yoga means connection. Yoga... In India, yoga means "addition," and viyoga means "subtraction," viyoga. So we are now viyoga, without any contact with the Supreme Lord, Personality of Godhead, material conditioned life; therefore we have to make connection with Him. That is called yoga. Yoga system means to connect ourself again with God, or Kṛṣṇa. So this practice of yoga, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, so this process is very easily accomplished by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare twenty-four hours. It can be practiced.

In the Kali-yuga it is not possible to practice any other system of yoga. Mind is so agitated, you cannot concentrate. But if you chant loudly, "Hare Kṛṣṇa!" your mind will be forced to be drawn and hear Kṛṣṇa. Then mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. If you practice this, then asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu: (BG 7.1) "If you try to hear Me attentively..." Bhagavān uvāca. Who is speaking? Bhagavān, the Supreme Person, the Absolute Person. There is no mistake, there is no cheating, there is no imperfection, and there is no illusion. It is perfect.

So attachment there is. One, everyone, can understand what is attachment. But this attachment should be turned over for Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is successful. This is explained here. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. And if you simply turn your attachment to Kṛṣṇa... You know what is attachment. "So then I shall have to give up attachment for my family, for my business?" No. Keep the center attachment in Kṛṣṇa and do whatever you are doing. That's all right. Just like family. So it does not mean because you have turned your attachment, therefore your family attachment should be withdrawn. No. It will be polished. The family attachment will be polished.

So it is very easy thing. Simply we have to take to this yoga system, yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ, under the shelter of Kṛṣṇa or His devotee. Then we shall understand what is God in full, samagram. Samagram means full, without any doubt. Other, mental speculators, they are in doubt. They do not know whether there is God or what kind of God He is, what does He do or what is His business, so many things. But these Kṛṣṇa conscious people, they know exactly what is God and where is His address, where is His family. Everything they know, samagram, samagram and asaṁśaya, without any doubt. Not that, "Yes, I have now come to know God, where He lives, His address and His activity, but it may not be," saṁśaya. No. Asaṁśayaṁ samagram. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). So it is not difficult. If we are actually serious to understand what is God, God is explaining here Himself. You cannot speculate upon God. God is explaining Himself, "This is... I am like this." Just like a very big man. If you speculate upon him, "He may be possessing so much wealth, he may be like this. He may be..." No. That "may be" may be or may not be. But if that person explains himself, "My dear Mr. such and such, my position is like this. I am like this," then it is very easy.

Prabhupāda:

śrī bhagavān uvāca

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān, the Supreme... Bhagavān means... Bhaga means opulence. Just like we use the word bhāgyavān. From this bhāgya, "fortune," comes the word bhaga. So personally the Supreme Bhagavān or Bhagavān... Bhagavān is never unfortunate. If somebody claims that he is Bhagavān, but Bhagavān is never unfortunate. He is always fortunate.

So here also Kṛṣṇa says,

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

"My dear Arjuna, I have already explained in the Sixth Chapter that to become first-class yogi..." When Arjuna was advised by Kṛṣṇa to become yogi, haṭha-yogī... Haṭha-yogī means to train the mind how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. The mind is disturbed always. This way, that way, mind is going, cañcala, restless. So the haṭha-yoga system is meant for persons who are too much under the bodily conception of life, that "I am this body." For them the haṭha-yoga is there so that by practicing several sitting posture, controlling the mind, controlling the senses, they can concentrate on Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, the Supreme Lord. This is yoga system. This is real yoga system.

So we are trying to make our students the first-class yogi. Always think of Kṛṣṇa. This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And Kṛṣṇa is also saying the same thing, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam. How you can think of Kṛṣṇa always? That is not possible unless you become too much addicted. Just like if you love somebody, then you can think of him always. Artificially, if I say, "You think of Mr. John always," how you'll be possible? Artificially it is not possible. If you have got some love for Mr. John as a friend, as a lover or as somebody, or son or master or something, then you can think of Mr. John always. Otherwise it is not possible.

Kṛṣṇa says that "If you want to know Me," asaṁśayaṁ samagram, "if you want to know Me in full, completely, without any doubt, then you have to follow this yoga system," mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Otherwise it is not possible. So all these nonsense speculators... We use purposefully "nonsense," because they have no sense, simply speculating. God is unlimited. How you...? Your mind is limited. What you can speculate? "May be like this, may be like that," that's all. "Perhaps it is like this." All simply theoretical. It is never possible to know Kṛṣṇa, God, perfectly and completely by the speculating method. It is not possible. If you want to know Kṛṣṇa, or God—when we speak of Kṛṣṇa, God—so then Kṛṣṇa's formula must be followed, as it is said here, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. The principal factor is to become attached to Kṛṣṇa. Attached means become a lover of Kṛṣṇa. Then you can understand asaṁśayam, without any doubt. Without any doubt. Otherwise you will find there are so many hundreds of religious system all over the world. Ask anyone who are their follower, "Do you know what is God?" They'll never be able to answer clearly, because they do not know God. And if you do not know God, then what is the meaning of your religion? Religion means to know God.

That is no knowledge. So therefore Kṛṣṇa personally says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan. This is a yogi. This is the first-class yogi. Kṛṣṇa has explained that yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yukta... (BG 6.47). So śraddhāvān bhajate yo mām, one who is worshiping Kṛṣṇa with śraddhā, with faith, complete faith, bhajate, and serving Him, so who is that person? A devotee. Without being a devotee, how with faith and adherence and reverence and obedience you can serve Kṛṣṇa unless you love Kṛṣṇa?

So mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. We have got attraction for so many things in this material world. Somebody has got attraction for his family, somebody has got attraction for his wife, children, or somebody has got attraction for some sporting, or somebody has attraction for his country, so on, so on. We have got attraction. That is not a new thing. We have got attraction, but we have got attraction in different subject matter, material. So this yoga system, bhakti-yoga system, means you should be only attracted by Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Attraction is there. Nobody can say that "I have no attraction for anything." That is false. Everyone has got attraction. If you have nothing to be attracted, then you keep a cat and a dog to be attracted. That is the nature.

So you have to learn this bhakti-yoga directly under Kṛṣṇa or under the direction of Kṛṣṇa's representative. So if you do this, then asaṁśaya, without any doubt, and samagram, in completeness, mayy āsakta, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). So Kṛṣṇa will explain, item by item, how you can increase your attraction for Kṛṣṇa. Then you will be able to execute the bhakti-yoga system under the guidance of Kṛṣṇa directly or directed by His representative. Then it will be successful.

So tapasya means tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena damena vā (SB 6.1.13). You have to control. The more one controls, he becomes advanced in spiritual culture. The yoga system means yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. "Yoga means how to control the senses." This is yoga system, and therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. So sex indulgence is against spiritual advancement of life. Therefore you have seen that the brahmacārīs, they go there. It becomes very easy to enter into the spiritual kingdom. So that you can do here also. If you increase your attraction for Kṛṣṇa, then naturally you lose attraction for sex. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's name is Madana-mohana. Madana means sex life. He can enchant even madana. So these are things which the devotee will learn by studying the literature. But even without studying, if you sincerely chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra under regulation, everything, all good qualification will come.

Indian man (4): Just now you said we are all part and parcel of God. What would you say is God?

Prabhupāda: That we have explained, what is God. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). You have to become God conscious. Then you will understand what is God. It is not a so trifle thing you ask me and, one minute, you understand God. That is foolishness. You have to study the science of God. God is not so cheap.

Out of many thousands of men, one wants to become perfect, and out of many millions of perfect men, one can understand God. So God is not so cheap thing. Therefore Kṛṣṇa recommends,

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bombay, December 20, 1975:

If you want to know God without any doubt, completely, then you have to adopt this yoga. So first of all come to the yoga. Then speak of God understanding. It is not so cheap thing.

Indian man (5): Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the oldest teaching of God, or Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is mayy āsakta-manāḥ. That is explained.

Indian man (5): But the Gītā was written about five thousand years ago.

Prabhupāda: No. You have not read Bhagavad-gītā. Did you read? Did you read Bhagavad-gītā?

Indian man (5): Yes, I read some portion.

Prabhupāda: Then why do you say like that, five thousand years?

Prabhupāda:

śrī bhagavān uvāca

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

The yoga system which is known as bhakti-yoga... Everyone is trying, not everyone, at the present moment, practically nobody wants to understand what is God. Everyone is busy to fulfill the desires and necessities of the body.

Prabhupāda:

śrī bhagavān uvāca

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Śrī bhagavān uvāca. Vyāsadeva could have written śrī kṛṣṇa uvāca, but purposefully he's writing śrī bhagavān uvāca. Because avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). The Supreme Personality of Godhead, because He descends as human being, mūḍhas, those who are rascals, they consider Him just like one of us human beings. Avajānanti. Therefore to avoid the offense on the part of the mūḍhas, he writes bhagavān uvāca. Directly.

So here we have to take advantage, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān personally speaking. Why speaking? Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Without any doubts, asaṁśayam. If you speculate on God there are so many doubts. But asaṁśayam, without any doubt, if you want to understand... Asaṁśayaṁ samagram. And in totality, not partially. Bhagavān is Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is understood from three angles of vision, Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān.

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam

brahmeti paramātmeti

bhagavān iti śabdyate

(SB 1.2.11)

So Brahman understanding is not samagra, not asaṁśayam. Here it is said asaṁśayaṁ samagram. Brahman understanding of the Absolute Truth is partial. It is not samagra, means not the complete. Complete knowledge of Absolute is not brahma-jñāna.

Bhagavān says patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. Toya, bhaktyā, what is that verse? Aśnāmi bhakty-upahṛtam. Because one is giving out of devotion, love—aśnāmi, "I eat." If Bhagavān eats from your hand, then you become perfect. That is wanted, bhakti. Bhaktyā. Tad aham aśnāmi bhakty-upahṛtam. If you bring... That attachment should be increased. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan... This is the yoga. This is real yoga, how to become attached to the service of the Lord. That is first-class yogi. You'll find in the last paragraph of Sixth Chapter, yoginām api sarveṣām. There are many yogis, different kinds of yogis.

So in this way if you increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan. This is the yoga, the first-class yoga. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gaten..., sa me yuktatamo mataḥ (BG 6.47). That is first class. If you practice this yoga—very easy. Simply you come daily. If you can, offer patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam (BG 9.26), and offer obeisances. You'll increase your attachment. And that attachment, mayy āsakta-manāḥ—this yoga, if you practice, then what will... Asaṁśayaṁ samagram. Gradually, God, Kṛṣṇa, will reveal. You cannot understand God without revelation.

You cannot remain at home without coming at least once in the temple. That is called ruci. Ruci, taste. Then āsakti. That āsakti required.

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Bhuvanesvara, January 22, 1977:

So Kṛṣṇa is personally explaining, read Bhagavad-gītā, see the Deity, come here daily, take caraṇāmṛtam. If possible, bring patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam (BG 9.26). In this way you become the topmost yogi and attached to Kṛṣṇa. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). In this way, he'll be attached to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa and he'll try to understand and explain, just like these devotees are doing. They're going outside for preaching. Vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane. What is their business? Simply describing Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's activities.

Prabhupāda:

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

(translated throughout) Last night some gentleman questioned, "What is God?" Bhagavān, especially in our country, Bhāratavarṣa, Bhagavān personally comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). So Bhāratavarṣa is not an ordinary country. It is puṇya-bhūmi where Bhagavān comes. So in this land at the present moment our young men are inquiring what is God. Here Bhagavān comes personally, He leaves His instruction, He's accepted by the ācāryas, and our young men have become so much advanced in education that they're asking what is God.

So we are talking about Bhagavad-gītā. Last night we talked from the Seventh Chapter, the first verse. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ.

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

So in order to understand asaṁśayam... Asaṁśayam means "without any doubt." At the present moment we have got many doubts whether actually there is God or not. In Europe and America, when I first went there in 1965, I was informed even by some clergymen that "God is dead." Then again, when I was chanting in the Tompkinson Square in New York, they admitted, and they published a very big article in one of the important papers of New York. They admitted that "We thought God was dead, but actually now we see God is there in the saṅkīrtana movement started by Swamiji." They admitted.

So these are saṁśayam, or doubts: whether there is actually God or not, whether God is dead or alive. But here Kṛṣṇa says that if we develop our attachment for Kṛṣṇa... Take Kṛṣṇa as a historical personality. Still, if you develop your attachment for Kṛṣṇa by the prescribed methods, then you will understand God without any doubt. Asaṁśayam. And samagram. Samagram, "in fullness." Not partially. The Absolute Truth, samagram Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam

brahmeti paramātmeti

bhagavān iti śabdyate

(SB 1.2.11)

The Absolute Truth is understood in three features, although all of Them are one. The first feature appreciated by the philosophers as Brahman, impersonal Brahman. The nest feature is appreciated by the yogis as Paramātmā.

We have got to increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa. There is process, recommended process. If we adopt that process, then naturally we'll become Kṛṣṇa conscious and gradually we shall understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ, I explained yesterday, taking shelter unto Him under different rasas or mellows, transcendental mellows. Accept Him as your master. Accept Him as the Supreme. Accept Him as your friend. Accept Him as your son. Accept Him as your lover. In whatever way. Of course, this eternal relationship is already there. With every living entity there is an eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa. But we have forgotten that. That is our position.

Those who are under the influence of material energy, they thought Kṛṣṇa as ordinary person, nara-dārakeṇa. Kṛṣṇa also says, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). So we want to see Kṛṣṇa, but we have to make our eyes prepared to see Kṛṣṇa. Aprākṛta, transcendental platform. And that transcendental platform is recommended by Kṛṣṇa here in this first verse of Seventh Chapter: mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha.

Now, how to become āsakta, attached to Kṛṣṇa? The first beginning is śravaṇam, to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Just like you are kindly present here and trying to hear about Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. This is the process. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also reco... (break) ...process was first stated by Prahlāda Mahārāja. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, we get information:

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ

smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam

arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ

sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

(SB 7.5.23)

This śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, especially, is very essential for understanding Kṛṣṇa. Our this śravaṇa-kīrtana process, hearing and chanting, is helping us, recruiting members in Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. It is practical.

The śravaṇa-kīrtana is the beginning of Kṛṣṇa conscious life. One who is very fortunate, he's in meeting, he meets somebody who is a pure devotee and accepts him as his spiritual master. Therefore here it is stated, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. One has to take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master... A spiritual master is always bona fide. And if he cultivates this Kṛṣṇa consciousness under the direction of a spiritual master, āśraye lañā bhaje, kṛṣṇa tāre nāhi tyaje.(?) Kṛṣṇa does not reject him. Kṛṣṇa accepts him. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi **. That, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says, that "If you can please your spiritual master, then Kṛṣṇa is automatically pleased. And if you cannot please your spiritual master, then there is no way to understand Kṛṣṇa."

So therefore Kṛṣṇa says particularly here, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan... We have to execute the Kṛṣṇa consciousness yoga system under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Then asaṁśaya, without any doubt. Samagram, in fullness. In fullness means brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti (SB 1.2.11). Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). Brahman is sad-aṁśa, the part which is eternal, and Paramātmā is cid-aṁśa, and Bhagavān is ānanda-aṁśa. And Bhagavān is full, sac-cid-ānanda. And we are all seeking after ānanda. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12).

So every one of us are seeking after ānanda, transcendental bliss. So when we join together, the living entities and the Supreme Lord, that becomes ānanda, rāsa-līlā. That is wanted. That we are seeking. But we are seeking in a different way, in the material world. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa therefore says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī also, in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, he says, ādau gurvāśrayam. "If one is interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, he must approach a spiritual master." Kṛṣṇa also says, mad-āśrayaḥ. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). These are all Vedic injunctions. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12).

When there is attachment of Kṛṣṇa, that is the almost final stage of your perfectional life.

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

"You will understand Me. If you follow this principle, then," Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, or anyone follows this principle, then "without any doubt one should understand Kṛṣṇa in fullness." Samagram.

Prabhupāda:

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

Kṛṣṇa is speaking to Arjuna that mayy āsakta-manāḥ, "You have to train your mind to become attached to Me, Kṛṣṇa." Actually, that is yoga system. Our mind... Mind has got two business: something accepting and rejecting. That's all. So we have to train our mind in such a way that we become simply attached to Kṛṣṇa. That is called mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Mayi, "unto Me," āsakta, "attachment"; manāḥ, "mind." Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha, "My dear Arjuna, you just become one of the persons who are attached to Me." Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam... This is the yoga. Yuñjan. "If you execute this yoga..." Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. "This yoga can be practiced by taking shelter of Me or My representative." Not alone. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Āśrayaḥ means shelter. Kṛṣṇa says mat. Mat means "Me."

So even though you cannot see eye to eye Kṛṣṇa, you can execute this yoga system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, through the agency of His bona fide representative. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. And how it is? Asaṁśayam. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ mām (BG 7.1). "By practicing that yoga, you will understand Me, or God," asaṁśayam, "without any doubt." Asaṁśayaṁ samagram, "and in full." Not that partially. Yathā jñāsyasi, "as you can understand"; tac chṛṇu, "now hear attentively." Kṛṣṇa is beginning to speak to Arjuna about this bhakti-yoga system, and He's drawing attention, śṛṇu, "Please hear attentively."

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- London, August 4, 1971:

Our, these senses are so imperfect that we cannot perceive even what is spirit soul. We cannot see. That's a fact. And we cannot... It is very difficult to perceive also. But you can see also, you can perceive also, by accepting a certain method. That method is called yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. "You have to practice this yoga system under My shelter or My representative's shelter. Then you can understand samagram, fully, completely; asaṁśayam, without any doubt." That you have to practice. And that is, that practice is also not very difficult. Simply one should be serious that "I want to see God." Everyone is seeing God, but he does not know that he's seeing God. That is māyā. There are so many examples. Just like you can... Although you are in this room, you can know that sun is not yet set because you can see your watch and you can understand the sunset time is not yet there. So you can understand perfectly that there is sun in the sky. It is a method. Similarly, you can understand God is there. You have to accept the method. If you accept... That method is recommended here: yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. "You have to practice this yoga system under the shelter of Me." "Me" means...

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Ahmedabad, December 14, 1972:

Prabhupāda:

...pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Ahmedabad, December 14, 1972:

So Kṛṣṇa is advising simply by increasing your attachment for Kṛṣṇa, we can be eligible to understand the whole knowledge, complete knowledge, without any doubt. By our mental speculation we acquire knowledge, but there are so many doubts. So many doubts. In the Ninth Chapter also, in the Bhagavad-gītā, it is said, pratyakṣa avagamaṁ dharmyam. Pratyakṣa. Kṛṣṇa consciousness knowledge is so perfect that pratyakṣa avagamam, you can directly perceive how far you are making progress. You don't require to take certificate from others, whether you are progressing or not. You'll understand, yourself.

How this material world is created, how this earth, five elements of gross elements come into existence, and everything will be explained. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ mām (BG 7.1). To understand Kṛṣṇa means to understand everything. Therefore tattvam.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

We have to understand Kṛṣṇa in truth. Simply superficially, if we understand Kṛṣṇa, that "Kṛṣṇa was born of the father and mother, Devakī and Vasudeva, and He was born in Mathurā, and then played with the gopīs. And then the..., He taught something on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra," that is not sufficient knowledge.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

Prabhupāda:

śrī bhagavān uvāca

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

This is a verse from the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā which we have published: Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. There are many editions of Bhagavad-gītā, but most of them, they have been edited to push forward the editor's own personal philosophical views. But we do not accept Bhagavad-gītā in that light. Bhagavad-gītā is supposed to be spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore it is stated here, bhagavān uvāca.

So far our Vedic culture is concerned, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here it is also said, śrī bhagavān uvāca. So He is teaching how to become first-class yogi in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is His teaching. He is saying, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mayi, "unto Me," āsakta, "attachment." The Kṛṣṇa consciousness yoga means to increase the attachment for Kṛṣṇa. That's all. We have got attachment for something, every one of us. So everyone has got attachment, either for His family, either for some friend or for some house or some hobby or for some cats, some dogs. There is attachment. That is not to be learned. We cannot... There is no need of explaining what is attachment. Attachment is there, existing in everyone's heart. He wants to be attached to somebody else or he... Everyone wants to love somebody else. Love does not mean oneness. Love must be two, the lover and the beloved. So attachment is there. That is natural. Everyone knows.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

Now, this yoga system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness yoga system, means to increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Therefore it is said here, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha, "Increasing gradually the attachment for Me." Kṛṣṇa says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan, "practicing this yoga system," mad-āśrayaḥ, "taking shelter of Me." The mad-āśrayaḥ means two things. You can take directly shelter of Kṛṣṇa or you can take shelter of a person who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa. That is meaning of mad-āśrayaḥ. That is the system of paramparā.

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. The words given by Kṛṣṇa. If you carry as it is carried by other disciplic succession, then you are in touch with Kṛṣṇa. That is called yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ, always being linked up with Kṛṣṇa.

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ mām...

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

Asaṁśayam means "without doubt," and samagram means "in completeness." Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ mām. Kṛṣṇa says... Mām means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi: "As you can understand, please try to hear from Me." Kṛṣṇa is speaking personally. So if we accept Bhagavad-gītā as it is, as instructed by Kṛṣṇa Himself, then we understand what is God without any doubt. Asaṁśayam and samagram, in completeness. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu.

Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to understand the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa, as He is, without any interpretation. That is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness yoga. That can be achieved, as Kṛṣṇa says, always keeping center Kṛṣṇa.

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:

You can understand. If you practice this yoga, keeping Kṛṣṇa in the center, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, the form of the Kṛṣṇa, then it will be revealed. Yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau (ŚU 6.23). This is the yoga system of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Devotee: (leads chanting, etc.) "Now hear, O son of Pṛthā, Arjuna, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt."

Prabhupāda: (translated throughout)

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:

We are speaking from Bhagavad-gītā. I think most of you know this book, Bhagavad-gītā. The Bhagavad-gītā is sometimes translated in foreign languages: "The Song of God." In other words, God Himself speaking. So far we are concerned, we cannot understand God by mental speculation. Even in this material world, we cannot understand what is there in the planetary systems. So our knowledge is very, very limited. Besides that, we have got four deficiencies.

So this is the topmost system of yoga, bhakti-yoga, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. So that system, bhakti-yoga system, is being described in the Seventh Chapter as

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on BG 7.1-3 -- Paris, June 13, 1974:

"My dear Arjuna, the..." Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. "Just try to divert your attachment to Me." Attachment, we have got attachment. Everyone has got attachment to something. So this yoga system, bhakti-yoga system, means simply divert the attachment to Kṛṣṇa. That's all. When the mind is fully diverted for increasing attachment of Kṛṣṇa, that is called bhakti-yoga.

So yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This yoga system should be practiced, the mad-āśraya... Mad-āśraya means "under My direct supervision." This yoga system means it is not impersonal—personal. And therefore the word is used, bhagavān uvāca: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead said." Bhagavān, the Absolute Truth, He's a person. Sometimes we think... There are many, they think the Absolute Truth is impersonal. But the Absolute Truth is person. Impersonal realization of the Absolute Truth is partial. It is not complete realization. Therefore it is mentioned here, asaṁśayam, "without any doubt" and samagram, "in full." After all, yoga system means an endeavor to understand the Absolute Truth. Yoga means linking, connecting.

You can enter there and mix with the Supreme Lord just like we are here, mixing one another. I can see you, you can see me, similarly, you can go directly, see God and live with Him, dance with Him, play with Him, eat with Him. That is the perfection of life. This perfection of yoga can be achieved by practicing bhakti-yoga as it is recommended here: mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ, under the guidance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead or His representative, bona fide. If you practice this yoga, then you can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead in complete, without any doubt. And if you practice this yoga in this life, and try to understand Kṛṣṇa, what He is, then, after giving up this body—you have to give up this body, today or tomorrow—then you go directly to Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- Hyderabad, April 28, 1974 :

How you can understand? We are defective in so many ways. First of all we commit mistakes, and we are illusioned, we try to cheat others, and our senses are imperfect. So, how you can understand with your limited senses, with so many defects? That is not possible. Therefore you have to understand God from God Himself, or from His representative. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said that, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ: "directly under My direction, or under the direction of My representative." You cannot understand Kṛṣṇa if you remain under your personal intelligence. Everyone says that "I shall understand this by my own dint of knowledge, by speculation." That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa says that you have to understand. Here also it is the same thing said, jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam vakṣyāmy aham, "I shall speak to you." So this is the secret of success, if you want to understand God, what is God. Everyone, there are many philosophers, scientists, they are trying to understand God by research, but that research will not help you. You have to understand directly from God, or from God's representative. That is the way.

Lecture on BG 7.2 -- London, March 10, 1975:

So Kṛṣṇa is personally speaking about Himself as we understood in the previous verse, that asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Asaṁśayam, without any doubt. If we speculate about God, that will never be sufficient. Not even we can touch the precincts of the knowledge. If we want knowledge without any doubt, asaṁśayam, samagram, and complete, then we must hear from God Himself. This is very easy to understand. By hypothesis, by speculation, you cannot understand anything. It must be known scientifically, and this science can be understood if a person knows the science. So who can know God better than God Himself?

Therefore our process is—we have repeatedly explained this—that we do not speculate about God. Just like there are so many others, theosophists and theologists, they're speculating what is God. They don't accept... God personally explaining, they would not accept. They would simply speculate. This is their disease. When God is explaining Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā... Rather, they will mislead the readings of the Bhagavad-gītā in different interpretation, but they will not accept what is being taught by God Himself. This is their misfortune. "Why shall I accept Kṛṣṇa as God?" Although He has proved Himself when He was present by the qualification which God needs...

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Bombay, February 18, 1974:

Prabhupāda: That is the saying, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). Simply for a time endeavoring like cats and dogs, that will not help us. We have to approach such a person... That is stated in the beginning of Seventh Chapter, mad-āśrayaḥ. What is that first version?

Pradyumna: Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ.

Prabhupāda: Ah. Yes. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. That is the beginning. Mad-āśrayaḥ. One has to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa, directly you cannot take shelter. But Kṛṣṇa is not present. Kṛṣṇa is present, but we do not know how to capture Kṛṣṇa. That is another thing. Kṛṣṇa is... Just like electricity is everywhere, but one who knows the science, he can capture electricity. Telephone wire is everywhere, but still, you have to bring some expert to connect your telephone. The telephone wire is everywhere. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is everywhere.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Vrndavana, August 9, 1974:

To understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, not superficially, but in fact, that we can understand, as Kṛṣṇa says in the beginning of this chapter,

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- London, March 11, 1975:

How Kṛṣṇa is truth, the Absolute Truth, although the Absolute Truth is described in three phases in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... Just like vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). This tattva. Here it is said, tattvataḥ. The truth, Absolute Truth, is called tattva.

We must know our position, what is the perfection of life, what is Kṛṣṇa, and what is my relationship with Kṛṣṇa. In this way, if we understand, that is our perfect life. Kṛṣṇa is describing that. Because in this chapter He says, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Kṛṣṇa is ready to give us instruction, asaṁśayam, without any doubt. Anyone who is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, ask him any question like this. He will give full answer, without any doubt. That is the perfection of life. We must know kṛṣṇa-tattva. The same thing I was explaining yesterday. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128). You try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Simply try to understand and study Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa is giving about Himself.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Vrndavana, August 10, 1974:

So everything is explained in the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā. If we accept, then we get full knowledge. The beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā... In this chapter, Kṛṣṇa says, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu: (BG 7.1) "Without any doubt and in full, as you can understand Me, I am going to explain."

So these five elements, gross elements, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ kham..., kham. And finer than..., manaḥ, buddhiḥ, ahaṅkāraḥ, mind, intelligence and false ego. False ego means I am identifying with this matter, which I am not. Therefore ahaṅkāra. This ahaṅkāra is false ahaṅkāra, which I am not. I am accepting that I am this body, but actually I am not. Therefore I am saying, it is false ego. Real ahaṅkāra is ahaṁ brahmāsmi. There is also ahaṅkāra. Ahaṅkāra cannot be abolished. Ahaṅkāra will be there, but ahaṅkāra has to be cleansed. Therefore bhakti-mārga, the path of bhakti-yoga, is the cleansing process, clearing process.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Nairobi, October 31, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself. God is explaining what is God. That is real knowledge. If you speculate on God, it is not possible. You cannot understand. The God, Kṛṣṇa, in the beginning said, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Samagram. Samagra means whatever... Or samagra means complete. So whatever subject for study and knowledge there is, God is the sum total of everything, one. God is the sum total of everything. Therefore He begins to explain Himself that... First of all, because we have no information of God but practically we see the vast land, the vast water, ocean, the vast sky, then fire, so many things, material things, material things also mind...

Lecture on BG 7.7 -- Vrndavana, August 13, 1974:

Arjuna has said that "I heard from the śāstras about Yourself, and You are personally speaking that You are the Supreme. And not only that, the great sages like Vyāsadeva, Asita, Devala, great authorities, they also admit that You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Therefore there is no doubt. The conclusion is the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Kṛṣṇa. As it was in the beginning said by Kṛṣṇa, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Asaṁśayam, "without any doubt."

So that... The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means... You can understand who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are so many societies all over the world, so many religious systems, but they cannot give exact idea of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Some has got some idea, others have got other idea, but so far we are concerned, we are fixed up in Kṛṣṇa. And that is rightly. Because Kṛṣṇa is supported not only by the Vedas and by the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā, and authorities like Vyāsadeva, Asita, Devala. And Arjuna, who heard Bhagavad-gītā personally from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he also admits. All the ācāryas.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, September 30, 1973:

So sarva dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66), mām, aham, "Me." So in every verse, every chapter, Kṛṣṇa... Mayy āsakta-manaḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mayy āsakta, "One who is attached to Me," āsakta-manaḥ, "mind attached to Me, that is yoga." Yogīnām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntarātmanā. Mad-gata, again mat (BG 6.47). Mad-gatenāntarātmanā, śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ. So everything is given stress, Kṛṣṇa. But the rascal commentators, they want to make minus Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 18.45 -- Durban, October 11, 1975:

You can see God, or Kṛṣṇa, when you have developed love for Him. Otherwise you cannot see. This is the formula. You have to develop your... That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. In the Seventh Chapter I was speaking yesterday.

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:

So this is practice how to see God. But in this Kali-yuga, as you have mentioned Kali-yuga, it is very simple thing. What is that? That simple thing is kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann hy asti eko mahān guṇaḥ. In the śāstra it is said this Kali-yuga is full of faults, so many faults. It is the ocean of faults. But there is a very nice thing, asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ, a very great quality. What is that? Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). If you simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then you become perfect. Is it very difficult? Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and you become perfect.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Bhakti-yoga can be applied only to vāsudeve bhagavati. Bhakti-yoga is not applied anywhere. The śāstra does not say. Bhakti means "to serve," and yoga, "the process." That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā also. Bhagavad-gītā is bhakti-yoga. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ. After taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa or representative of Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa, or representative of Kṛṣṇa, you have to take shelter. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura said, āśraya lañā bhaje, kṛṣṇa tāre na hi tyaje(?). Anyone who takes āśraya and begins his bhajana, kṛṣṇa tāre na hi tyaje, Kṛṣṇa cannot give him up. Kṛṣṇa will accept him.

Lecture on SB 1.2.9-10 -- Delhi, November 14, 1973:

That is the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, bhakti-yoga. This is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. When you increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa... That is required. Increase... You have got attachment for your family, for your body, for your society, for your country, everything. That's all right. But you have to convert them. You have to increase attachment for Kṛṣṇa. That is called bhakti-yoga.

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on SB 1.7.51-52 -- Vrndavana, October 8, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa says in the Seventh Chapter, in the beginning.

Simply, somehow or other, you become attached to Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ... (break) ...yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu. Simply you have to... This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Somehow or other, you increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. Some way or other. Yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet. This is Rūpa Gosvāmī's instruction. Somehow or other, you become attached to Kṛṣṇa. Then your life is successful.

Lecture on SB 1.7.51-52 -- Vrndavana, October 8, 1976:

Kṛṣṇa also teaches that "I am here." If you cannot conceive that Kṛṣṇa is everywhere present, Kṛṣṇa personally gives you instruction, "Here I am." Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8). Everyone is drinking water at least four times, five times. So at the time of drinking water, or drinking anything, if you remember Kṛṣṇa then you become purified. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. That is yoga, bhakti-yoga. If you practice only this. Whatever you drink, you drink something for some taste. So either you drink soda water, or water, or milk, or even wine. Because the Europeans, Americans, they are accustomed to drink wine. But if they follow this instruction of Kṛṣṇa, that "This taste is Kṛṣṇa," then he remembers Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. As soon as he brings Kṛṣṇa in his mind, he becomes a bhakta. So easy. Anyone can become kṛṣṇa-bhakta if he follows the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. There is no difficulty. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- Mayapura, September 30, 1974:

Sādhavaḥ means those who are saintly persons. Such kind of literature, although it is written in broken language, they hear it. Hear it. Because there is glorification of the Lord.

So this is the system. Some way or other, we should be attached to Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. That is our only business, how we can be... It doesn't matter, in broken language. Sometimes... There are many Sanskrit..., I mean to say, not properly pronounced. Just like we do. We are not very expert. There are many expert Sanskrit pronouncers, the veda-mantra. And we are not so expert. But we try. We try. But the Kṛṣṇa name is there. Therefore it is sufficient. Therefore it is sufficient.

Lecture on SB 1.8.20 -- Mayapura, September 30, 1974:

So bhakti-yoga means that no more interested in the material affairs. Bhakti, that is the bhakti-yoga. But he is only interested in Kṛṣṇa. That is bhakti-yoga. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āś... Nothing except Kṛṣṇa.

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ

jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-

śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā

(Brs. 1.1.11)

So here Kṛṣṇa comes to teach bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam... (BG 18.66). That is bhakti-yoga. When we do not want anything except Kṛṣṇa, that is bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga-vidhānārthaṁ kathaṁ paśyema hi striyaḥ. Kuntī appeared to be as woman. So woman generally, they are not interested in spiritual matter. That is the fact. Therefore, if they are somehow or other interested... That is also accepted.

Lecture on SB 5.5.4 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1976:

If one is intelligent, he can take advantage of this science, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and mold his life accordingly so that he can stop this process of accepting a body which is kleśada. Kleśada. That is the perfection of life. And that can be simply done very easily if you simply study Kṛṣṇa, if you come in this temple and see Kṛṣṇa. Very simple method. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. These are not our manufacture; Kṛṣṇa says. You come here. The temple is meant for this purpose: that you come, see Kṛṣṇa, and be attached to Kṛṣṇa. The more you become attached to Kṛṣṇa, that is called bhakti-yoga.

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi...

Lecture on SB 5.5.26 -- Vrndavana, November 13, 1976:

Then what will be the benefit? Suppose I understand you very perfectly. Then what will be the result? The result is,

janma karma ca divyam

me yo janati tattvataḥ

tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma

naiti mām eti

(BG 4.9)

Simply. If you simply know Kṛṣṇa, then this business, repetition of birth and death, will stop. It is so simple thing. So we should take advantage of it and utilize our human form of life perfectly.

You will understand He is Kṛṣṇa present when you have got enough love for Him. So as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, that,

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on SB 5.5.33 -- Vrndavana, November 20, 1976:

This is the way. You increase your attachment, see Kṛṣṇa in the temple, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto (BG 18.65), think of Kṛṣṇa, and chant Kṛṣṇa's name and offer obeisances Kṛṣṇa. These things you can teach even to the small children. They can be practiced to see Kṛṣṇa and increase attachment for Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. But this bhakti-yoga should be practiced not from the nondevotees. Then it will be not possible. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogam..., mad-āśrayaḥ. Not jñānīs' āśraya or yogis' āśraya, no. Then you'll never be able to see. Mad-āśraya. Either you take shelter of Kṛṣṇa... You cannot take shelter of Kṛṣṇa directly, that is not possible, but one who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, you can take shelter of him. That is mad-āśrayaḥ, one, mat-āśrayaḥ: "a person who has taken shelter of Me." That means His devotee, a pure Vaiṣṇava, a Vaiṣṇava guru. You have to take shelter of. Then you can practice bhakti-yoga. Then never mind what you are. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ, ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ (SB 2.4.18). If you take shelter of a devotee of Kṛṣṇa or Viṣṇu, then śuddhyanti—you'll be purified. Śuddhyanti.

If you make it a promise that "I shall not talk anything except Kṛṣṇa's message," and if you promise that "I shall not take anything which is not offered to Kṛṣṇa," these two things, this prasādam and chanting, will make you perfect to understand Kṛṣṇa. In another place Kṛṣṇa says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This is yoga, bhakti-yoga. How easy it is. There are so many yogas, but if you practice bhakti-yoga you become first-class yogi.

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntarātmanā

śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

(BG 6.47)

So it is very easy, bhakti-yoga. It is not at all difficult. You haven't got to strain your body as in other haṭha-yoga practice you have to very undergo hardship, to sit in a particular posture, in a particular place. These things are stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Not that you become yogi in a fashionable city as you'll find nowadays, yoga-āśrama signboard in a fashionable house, and you show some gymnastic, you become a yogi and get some money. Not that. This is bhakti-yoga, begins from jihva. Exercise your jihva, tongue; then you become a perfect yogi.

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayam samagram...

Samagram. Kṛṣṇa you understand fully, not partially. Not partially means not simply understanding impersonal Brahman. That is partial understanding. And then localized Paramātmā, that is also partial understanding. But when you understand Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Person, that is full understanding. So you simply concentrate your mind unto the person of Kṛṣṇa, mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Here is Kṛṣṇa. We can see Kṛṣṇa. So if we simply concentrate our mind, meditation Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). This was the practice done by Ambarīṣa Mahārāja.

Lecture on SB 5.6.1 -- Vrndavana, November 23, 1976:

That is Vasudeva feature of Kṛṣṇa. He is, as Garbhodakaśayī Viṣṇu, aṇḍāntara-stham, within this universe. And paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). So this Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, if we engage ourself in devotional service, that is yoga. Yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ, Kṛṣṇa says. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. That is real yoga, mad-āśrayaḥ. "Under Me, or a person who has taken shelter in Me, mad-āśrayaḥ." Mad-āśrayaḥ means either...It is not possible to take shelter of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa directly. That is not possible. You have to take shelter of a person who has already taken shelter of the lotus feet of... That is mad-āśrayaḥ.

Lecture on SB 5.6.7 -- Vrndavana, November 29, 1976:

Understanding means when we are uncontaminated, we can understand. So long we are contaminated—daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14)—then you cannot. But you can get out of the clutches of this māyā. Then you can understand. How? Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te (BG 7.14). Just surrender. Surrender means to surrender... Mayy āsakta manaḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This is surrender. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Take shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, we cannot take shelter directly, mad-āśrayaḥ. But you can take shelter of a person who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa. If one is surcharged with electricity, if you touch him, then you will be also electrified.

Lecture on SB 6.1.14 -- Bombay, November 10, 1970:

So both paths, karma-mārga, jñāna-mārga, they are not very safe. So in Bhagavad-gītā you will find in the Seventh Chapter, asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Asaṁśaya, without any doubt. Just like our path, devotional service, we are fully convinced that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no doubt. So others, they are finding who is God, what is God, they have got doubt. And they do not know also completely what is God. But we know what is God: Supreme Personality, Kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Because we have taken the path of devotional service that with firm conviction, and we are making progress in that way. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Mayā mano buddhiḥ. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Anyone who, yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ, by accepting a devotee, by taking shelter of a devotee, one who practices this yoga, Kṛṣṇa says in the Seventh Chapter, then "He can understand Me," asaṁśayam, "without any doubt," and samagram, "completely." Yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu. In other part.... Actually, there are so many parties, especially the impersonalist party, they are also searching after the Absolute Truth, but they have got only vague idea, not complete, perfect idea. It is saṁśayam, with doubts, and asamagram, not complete. That's a fact. They cannot give you any clear idea of the concept of God. That is not possible.

Lecture on SB 6.1.19 -- Honolulu, May 19, 1976:

This practice, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, means to practice this, how to fix up the mind always at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa also advised the same thing: man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Mayy āsakta-manaḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This is yoga, meditation. If you simply sit down in a place and you... It is recommended that in a solitary place and sitting straight, right angle, and not closing the eyes but half open—this is yoga practice—and looking over this point of nose, and observing celibacy, brahmacarya, following the rules and regulations, in this way you can practice yoga. Not that you can do whatever nonsense you like and you have become a yogi. This bluff is going on.

Lecture on SB 6.1.39 -- Los Angeles, June 5, 1976:

And Kṛṣṇa is explaining in the Bhagavad-gītā about Himself. In the Seventh Chapter Kṛṣṇa says,

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on SB 6.1.62 -- Vrndavana, August 29, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa is offering that samagram, sama, "In fullness, completely, as you can understand Me, I am speaking to you." Asaṁśayam—without any doubt. Doubt there may be. Because God is great, we are very small; how we can understand God? There is always some doubt, whether He's personal, impersonal, all-pervading. There are so many different conception of God. But therefore God Himself says asaṁśayam, "without any doubt." And samagram, "completely." Asaṁśayam samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Just like to study a subject matter, it takes some time, takes little endeavor to associate with person who knows the thing rightly. In this way we can understand God also.

So unless we can control the mind, we cannot become yogi. Yoga means indriya-saṁyamaḥ. Yoga means not reducing fat or this or... No. Yoga means controlling the mind, controlling the senses, and concentrate it upon Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa. Mat para. Yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. That is yoga. When we take shelter of Kṛṣṇa and practice yoga, then it will be successful, not that transcendental meditation, this, all foolish things. No. So we have to control the mind. If you want liberation from this material world, you have to control your mind.

Lecture on SB 6.1.62 -- Vrndavana, August 29, 1975:

Yoga means not reducing fat or this or... No. Yoga means controlling the mind, controlling the senses, and concentrate it upon Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa. Mat para. Yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. That is yoga. When we take shelter of Kṛṣṇa and practice yoga, then it will be successful, not that transcendental meditation, this, all foolish things. No. So we have to control the mind. If you want liberation from this material world, you have to control your mind. Therefore Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, he showed us example that sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). Simply engage your mind thinking of Kṛṣṇa and talk of Kṛṣṇa. Then this agitation will not disturb you.

Lecture on SB 6.2.7 -- Vrndavana, September 10, 1975:

Because we are doubting Kṛṣṇa, that is the defect, that Kṛṣṇa says; "It may be or may not be," doubt. That is called doubt. Kṛṣṇa says in many places, asaṁśaya: "Don't doubt what I say. Accept it." Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru mam evaiṣyasi asaṁśayaḥ: (BG 18.65) "You do this, and without any doubt, rest assured, you will come to Me." In another place Kṛṣṇa said, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ, asaṁśayam. Again asaṁśayam. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1).

Lecture on SB 7.6.8 -- Vrndavana, December 10, 1975:

Attachment... "Then I shall finish all my attachment?" No, you cannot give up your attachment, because that is the symptom of life. You cannot be free from attachment. But the attachment has to be turned to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa advises in the Bhagavad-gītā,

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture on SB 7.6.8 -- Vrndavana, December 10, 1975:

In the Sixth..., the Seventh Chapter, Kṛṣṇa is giving lesson how to become unattached to this material world. Mayy āsakta manāḥ pārtha. If you increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa—if you become perfectly Kṛṣṇa consciousness—then it is possible to be detached. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59). Your attachment gets better engagement.

He has got attachment, but this attachment, the same four o' clock, rising early in the morning, for Kṛṣṇa's maṅgala-ārati. This is diversion, a better. But he'll not agree. When he has got to go to office for earning his livelihood, he will automatically rise up and go to the office, because the attachment is strong. But in the temple, the rule is that you must get up before four and prepare yourself, and we have to ring the bells three hundred times, and still you are sleeping. Just see.

So this has to be practiced. This has to be practiced if you want to divert your attention. The same process. But because we have no attachment for Kṛṣṇa, we have to be forced. Never mind. Still we have to continue this, mayy āsakta..., to increase attachment for Kṛṣṇa, mayy āsakta manāḥ pārtha. We have to train our mind how to become attached to Kṛṣṇa. This is bhakti process. The business is the same, but we have to be trained up for increasing our attachment for Kṛṣṇa. Not that we have to bring a separate attachment. It has to be cleansed.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

This attraction for Kṛṣṇa can be developed in the association of devotees, satāṁ prasaṅgāt. Automatically, nobody's attracted for Kṛṣṇa. The whole world is like that. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to give these people a chance to associate with devotees and thus become attracted to Kṛṣṇa. That is required. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mayy āsakta, to become attracted by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means attractive, Kṛṣṇa. Akasatira-śakti. Kṛṣṇa means attractive. Just like magnetic stone, attractive, naturally the iron... But the iron, if it is rusty, it cannot attract. It cannot attract.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 5, 1973:

To be elevated to the transcendental platform of loving service of the Supreme Lord there is a process. The process is that as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This is the process. You have to increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. This yoga system you have to adopt, how to increase your love for Kṛṣṇa. That is not very difficult. Just like this arcana, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23). So these are the different processes, how to increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. The attachment of Kṛṣṇa is there, but by śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya.

nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya

śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya

Everyone has got love for Kṛṣṇa. It is not artificial thing. Everyone has got. Otherwise how these Europeans and American boys and girls (are) taking to this principle? Why they are mad after Kṛṣṇa? Because it was there. It is not... Artificially, you cannot make such thing. It is not possible. Artificially you cannot make a staunch devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Artificially, one day, two days, three days—then goes away.

Festival Lectures

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day -- Bhagavad-gita 7.5 Lecture -- Vrndavana, August 11, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa has proposed in the beginning of this chapter that asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu: (BG 7.1) "Without any doubt, as you can understand Me completely, I am describing." Now, here is the description. Kṛṣṇa says that the material energy and the spiritual energy, both of them are different energies of Kṛṣṇa.

Initiation Lectures

Prabhupāda: Where is book? Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. Where is Pradyumna? He's not here?

Śyāmasundara: No.

Prabhupāda: So you read.

Śyāmasundara: We're a little early today. He stayed behind to watch the house. It's five to seven. (everyone starts chanting japa)

Nanda-kumāra: We didn't read the purport. Should we read the verse first or finish the purport?

Prabhupāda: No. Read the śloka first.

Nanda-kumāra: Same śloka, read again? (leads chanting, etc.)

śrī bhagavān uvāca

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Translation: "Now hear, O son of Pṛthā (Arjuna), how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt."

Prabhupāda: So this yoga system is very simple and the sublime. You have to simply engage your mind only on Kṛṣṇa, on the form of Kṛṣṇa, meditation. Simply you think of Kṛṣṇa. And how? Āsakta, āsakti, with attachment.

My love for God cannot be checked by any material condition. Nobody can say that "Because I am poor man, I have to work so hard, I cannot love God now." People say like that. "We shall wait. When I get millions of dollars in my bank balance, then I shall take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now let me earn money." You see? This is not bhakti or attachment. Mayy āsakta. Mayy āsakta manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ means "under My protection." Kṛṣṇa says. So taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa or His representative... Mat means "My man" also. Mad-āśrayaḥ, take shelter of Kṛṣṇa or His representative, and try to practice the yoga by which you will have spontaneous love for Kṛṣṇa.

Therefore in the beginning, to increase attachment for Kṛṣṇa... Because my business is to increase my spontaneous attachment for God. That is the business of human life. This is a chance. Because in the human form of life you can do that. And as soon as you increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa, then your life is successful. Successful means that you haven't got to accept any more this material body. You will get a spiritual body and go to Kṛṣṇa, or go to home, go back to Godhead. So if you increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa, the benefit is that you make a solution for all the problems of life. It is scientific. Mayy āsakta manāḥ pārtha. So in the beginning, in order to increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa, you have to follow the regulative principles, "Don't do this." Just like a doctor gives you prescription, "Don't eat this. Don't do this," similarly, there are so many "don't"s and so many "do"s. So we have to accept the "do"s, not the "don't"s.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

So in this way we have to increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa, and if we increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa, mayy āsakta manāḥ pārtha yogam... This yoga system... This yoga system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the topmost yoga system. Why it is topmost? Because it teaches how to increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa; therefore it is topmost.

General Lectures

There is no alternative. You cannot speculate that "God may be like this, God may be like that," "There is no God," "God is dead," "God is not dead." This is simply speculation. Here Kṛṣṇa says,

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

If you believe that Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is speaking personally, as Arjuna believed, then you can understand what is God. Otherwise it is not possible. Asaṁśayam. So the process is, the first process is, mayy āsakta-manāḥ. You have to constantly engage your mind in Kṛṣṇa. That is the yoga process, which is, which we are presenting as Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Just like if you constantly join yourself with the electric powerhouse, there is incessant supply of electric energy. Similarly, if you constantly engage your mind in Kṛṣṇa, that is also not very difficult. Kṛṣṇa is all-attractive. Kṛṣṇa is beautiful. Kṛṣṇa has so many activities. The whole Vedic literature is full of Kṛṣṇa's activities.

So if you think of Kṛṣṇa, that is the process, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ, if you practice this yoga system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how? Mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ means "taking shelter of somebody who is in touch with Me." Mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ means directly in touch with Him. Directly you are in touch with Him as soon as you think of Him, His form. But unless you take shelter of a spiritual master who knows about Him, you cannot concentrate for a long time. It may be temporary.

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

How you can think of Kṛṣṇa unless you develop love for Kṛṣṇa? Just like Rādhārāṇī. Rādhārāṇī, She has come. She was married, and household life, but She has come to Kṛṣṇa to worship Him. Similarly, we have to place Kṛṣṇa always in our mind, think of Him. Then this very process, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ, "Under the protection of Myself, of My representative, when you understand samagram, perfectly well, then your life is successful." Asaṁśayam: "without any doubt." Not that because your spiritual master says that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." No. If you have got any doubt, just question, just try to understand. It is a fact that He's the Supreme Personality of Godhead, undoubtedly. But if you have got some doubt, you can clear it. Asaṁśayam. In this way, if you practice this yoga system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the topmost of all the yoga systems, asaṁśayam samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi (BG 7.1), then you'll understand Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, perfectly well, without any doubt, and your life will be successful.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, January 15, 1969:

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness means we have to increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa to the perfectional stage, when there is no more order, but automatically. Automatic. That is required. Mayy asakta-manaḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. That yoga system... At that time there is no yoga. It is already... Yoga system means a process which helps uniting with the Supreme. That is called yoga system. But when there is spontaneous love, that is not a yoga system. It is yoga already. United. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they say that united means the individual soul has no more any separate existence, monism. They become one. But Vaiṣṇava philosophy, they say they become one, but at the same time they remain separate. So these things are to be realized.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 6, 1971:

Therefore Kṛṣṇa, in the Seventh Chapter, He is teaching how to understand Kṛṣṇa, how to realize Him. That realization, He says,

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture Excerpt -- Los Angeles, July 5, 1971:

"My dear Arjuna, now I shall speak to you how you can understand Me thoroughly." Of course, it is not possible to understand Kṛṣṇa thoroughly. That is not possible. But still, as far as our knowledge is concerned, we can get an idea of Kṛṣṇa if we follow these instructions.

And if we can develop our love for Kṛṣṇa just like this brāhmaṇa, even without reading any book, that is wanted. That is wanted. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Therefore Kṛṣṇa also confirms, mayy āsakta-manāḥ, "Simply by increasing attachment for Me." Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ means "under the direction of Me or My representative." Mat.

Pandal Lecture -- Delhi, November 13, 1971:

As I have explained several times, this attachment stage can be achieved under certain process. As Bhagavad-gītā, Bhagavān, says,

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Kṛṣṇa is teaching how you can develop your attachment for Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā. We have to take it. We have to understand it. So as soon as we develop this attachment, teṣāṁ satata-yuk... Attachment means just like you have got a lover or something lovable object; you cannot live without it. You are always searching, "Where is my lovable object? Where is my..." That is called attachment. That attachment as taught by Lord Caitanya, He says, śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa me. This is the final stage of attachment.

Prabhupāda:

mayy āsakta-manaḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

The duty of human life is to understand God, Kṛṣṇa. In the Vedānta-sūtra, the first aphorism is athāto brahma jijñāsā. Athaḥ, "therefore." Because we have got this human form of body, so this is the time for inquiring about the Absolute Truth. In the other life, animal life, beast life, tree life, plant life...

If you utilize your time for inquiring about the Absolute Truth, that is perfection of human life. Not to waste your time in the animal propensities of life. That is not education, that is not human form of life.

So that education will be complete if you become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is being taught in the Seventh Chapter by Kṛṣṇa Himself. What is that? Mayy āsakta-manaḥ pārtha: "You have to become always absorbed or attached on Me," on Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta. Āsakta means attachment. We have got attachment for so many things. We have got attachment for our family, for our country, for our society, for our business, for our cats, for our dogs, so many things.

So how you can understand whether Kṛṣṇa or God is satisfied by discharging your particular type of duty? That is Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself: mayy āsakta-manaḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. You have to increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta. Āsakta means attachment. You should be attached to your business not for the business' sake but for the attachment of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is to be satisfied. Generally we do business for my satisfaction, for my family satisfaction, for government satisfaction, for income tax satisfaction and so many satisfaction. But when you try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa or increase your attachment for His satisfaction, then your business is perfect. Mayy āsakta-manaḥ pārtha, svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhi.. Everyone wants perfection; otherwise what is the use of jumping like cats and dogs? That is not meant for human being, unnecessarily jumping and dancing. You must dance for satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa.

Life Member House Lecture -- Hyderabad, April 14, 1975:

You take prasādam, you chant, you dance and enjoy life, but in connection with Kṛṣṇa. Then it is successful. Your life is successful. That is Kṛṣṇa also saying, mayy āsakta-manaḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This is the yoga, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement—the topmost yoga.

So we are trying, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for this purpose, that stop sinful activities and hear Kṛṣṇa and accept Him as He is saying. Then your life is successful. That's all. Very simple thing. And those who are adopting this ways, this process of life, is becoming successful practically. There is no doubt about it. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu. Asaṁśayam, without any doubt. Samagram, in full, not partial.

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi...

Lecture Engagement at Birla House -- Bombay, December 17, 1975:

So Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself that yathā jñāsyasi, without any doubt, asaṁśayam, and samagram. Samagram means in fullness, the Absolute Truth in full. The Absolute Truth is realized as Brahman, as Paramātmā, as Bhagavān. So Kṛṣṇa says, "I'm giving you full knowledge, both of Paramātmā and Brahman and My personal knowledge." Yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu, "Just hear, hear from Me."

So there is no harm to become very big businessman, earning money. That is all right—but you give it to Kṛṣṇa. Then in any position you can remain Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And if you remain Kṛṣṇa conscious, then you will understand Kṛṣṇa. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā:

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjaṁ mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture Engagement at Birla House -- Bombay, December 17, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa is explaining that everyone is trying to understand God, but by speculation you cannot understand. By service only you can understand. By attachment. You cannot serve Kṛṣṇa without being attached. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Seventh Chapter, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ: "Taking shelter of Me, or My devotee, if you practice this yoga system, bhakti-yoga system, increasing your attachment for Me, this is wanted." Kṛṣṇa consciousness means we have got attachment so many things, but that attachment has to be transferred to Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ asaṁśayam. Then asaṁśayam, without any doubt.

So Kṛṣṇa, God, is explaining Himself, "I am like..." Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). So there is not very difficult to understand Kṛṣṇa if we simply... But if we interpret foolishly, and try to understand Kṛṣṇa by misinterpretation, then the business is finished. Don't do that. Simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa as He is explaining Himself, then your life is successful. How it is successful?

janma karma ca me divyaṁ

yo jānāti tattvataḥ

tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma

naiti mām eti...

(BG 4.9)

That is successful. If one can understand Kṛṣṇa, about His activities, why He comes, He explains, yadā yadā hi dharmasya (BG 4.7), (break) ...change this body. But we do not know what kind of body I am going to get. These information are there.

Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 25, 1975:

So under the circumstances, whatever Kṛṣṇa says, Bhagavān says... Śrī-bhagavān uvāca, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. The real business is to increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. This is your real business. How we can increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa, that is explained by Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. The āsakti, attachment, it has to be done according to the system, ādau śraddhā. First thing is śraddhā, little faith, that "Let us go to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and let us hear what they say." This is called śraddhā. Then, if you become interested, then sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). Those who are actually devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa, you have to associate with them.

Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 27, 1975:

So here the bhagavān uvāca, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is speaking. So we shall take it without any interpretation. The Bhagavān says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ.

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ (māṁ)

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture with Translator -- Sanand, December 27, 1975:

So Bhagavān says, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme authority, says that "You require to transfer your āsakti, attachment, to Me." Everyone has got āsakti. Aśakti means attachment, this material attachment. Someone has got attachment for his family, some to society, some to nation, some in business and so many things. Aśakti is there. But to make your life perfect, you have to transfer the āsakti to Kṛṣṇa.

So therefore the central point is, Kṛṣṇa is advising here, "Just increase your āsakti, attachment, for Me. Then everything will come." So He recommends, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. This word mad-āśrayaḥ is very important, because you cannot increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa without being mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ means to be directly under the direction of Kṛṣṇa or to be directly under the direction of somebody who has taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa.

Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976:

Just to mitigate all our doubts, God is present here. And Kṛṣṇa says in the beginning of the Seventh Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā how you can understand God without any doubt and in complete. That is spoken by God Himself.

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976:

"My dear Pārtha, Arjuna, in order to know Me, God, asaṁśayam, without any doubt, and samagram," means in completeness, "as you can know Me, I am personally speaking to you." That means if you want to know God, you can know Him when He explains Himself. Otherwise, you cannot speculate. God is unlimited, and your speculative power is limited. So you cannot understand God without the mercy of God. That is the verdict of the Vedic literature. It is very easy to understand.

So Vyāsadeva, you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā, he says everywhere, bhagavān uvāca. He never says that "I am writing." He says, bhagavān uvāca. That you'll mark, those who have read Bhagavad-gītā. (break) ...tac chṛṇu. Then you'll understand Bhagavān without any doubt and in completeness. Asaṁśayam samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). It is very easy. If you simply concentrate your mind on Kṛṣṇa, sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18), as Mahārāja Ambarīṣa did, and many other great personalities did it... Arjuna did. Now we are concerned with Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is speaking, and Arjuna is hearing. So what is the situation? The situation is that the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas assembled together on the great battlefield.

Address to Rotary Club -- Chandigarh, October 17, 1976:

So that is our propaganda, and we are trying to bring people to that stage of parā-bhakti. That parā-bhakti is achievable by the simple method, as Kṛṣṇa said,

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā...

Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 29, 1977, (with Oriyan translator):

Unless you understand Kṛṣṇa, why should you surrender unto Him? Parā-bhakti begins when you surrender. So that takes place (break) ...the darkness of bodily conception of life. That is condemned in the Vedic literature.

Prabhupāda:

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayam samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 29, 1977, (with Oriyan translator):

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān, personally speaking how you understand Him perfectly. (break) ... previous chapter... (break) ...already said that,

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

It is not so easy to understand what is Kṛṣṇa or what is Godhead. Therefore He is personally speaking about Himself. There are many persons within this world, they are trying to understand what is God. (aside:) What is...? (break) When you want to study me by speculation, it is not perfect. But if I speak myself about my career, my position, they you can understand very easily. So the speculators, they are thinking that "God has no form. You can imagine any form of the Lord and try to worship Him." That is speculator. (break) ... Another type of atheism.

So it is our duty to understand, and some of them are trying to understand what is God. Now, here Kṛṣṇa, bhagavān uvāca, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, said that "You can understand Me perfectly." Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Bhagavān is the last word of the Absolute Truth. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). So to understand Bhagavān is the last word, vedānta. Vedānta means... Veda means knowledge, and anta means the last word. Everything has some end. So you can have so many knowledges, but unless you understand what is Bhagavān, your knowledge is imperfect.

Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 29, 1977, (with Oriyan translator):

That process is being described by Bhagavān Himself, that mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. You have to increase your attachment for Bhagavān. Āsakta. Āsakta means attachment. You have to increase your attachment for Bhagavān. (break) ...recommended process, you can understand Bhagavān. This process of increasing our attachment about God, or Kṛṣṇa, is called bhakti-yoga. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ: "taking shelter of Me or taking shelter of My devotee." Mad-āśrayaḥ. That yoga is called bhakti-yoga. Mad-āśrayaḥ means "taking shelter of Me" or "taking shelter of the person who has taken shelter of Me."

So in this way if we execute bhakti-yoga, then asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi: (BG 7.1) you'll be able to understand God as He is without any doubt and in fullness. To understand Bhagavān fully means not only understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead but also understand what is Brahman, what is Paramātmā.

Lecture -- Bhuvanesvara, January 29, 1977, (with Oriyan translator):

So simply by realization of Brahman, impersonal Brahman, is not perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth. Similarly, Paramātmā-jñāna is also not perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth. When you understand fully the Personality of Godhead, then the knowledge is perfect. There will be no more doubt. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1).

So let us take this opportunity of the statement by Kṛṣṇa how to understand God, and we may make our life perfect in that way. Because life's mission is to understand God. (break) ...that the process is bhakti-yogam. Bhagavān also says in another place distinctly, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti... (BG 18.55).

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Prabhupāda: One must study what is God with perfect knowledge. That is advancement of knowledge. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā:

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu