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BG 09.18 gatir bharta prabhuh saksi... cited

Expressions researched:
"gatir bharta prabhuh saksi" |"nidhanam bijam avyayam" |"nivasah saranam suhrt" |"prabhavah pralayah sthanam"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 7 - 12

BG 9.18, Translation and Purport:

I am the goal, the sustainer, the master, the witness, the abode, the refuge, and the most dear friend. I am the creation and the annihilation, the basis of everything, the resting place and the eternal seed.

Gati means the destination where we want to go. But the ultimate goal is Kṛṣṇa, although people do not know it. One who does not know Kṛṣṇa is misled, and his so-called progressive march is either partial or hallucinatory. There are many who make as their destination different demigods, and by rigid performance of the strict respective methods they reach different planets known as Candraloka, Sūryaloka, Indraloka, Maharloka, etc. But all such lokas, or planets, being creations of Kṛṣṇa, are simultaneously Kṛṣṇa and not Kṛṣṇa. Such planets, being manifestations of Kṛṣṇa's energy, are also Kṛṣṇa, but actually they serve only as a step forward for realization of Kṛṣṇa. To approach the different energies of Kṛṣṇa is to approach Kṛṣṇa indirectly. One should directly approach Kṛṣṇa, for that will save time and energy. For example, if there is a possibility of going to the top of a building by the help of an elevator, why should one go by the staircase, step by step? Everything is resting on Kṛṣṇa's energy; therefore without Kṛṣṇa's shelter nothing can exist. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme ruler because everything belongs to Him and everything exists on His energy. Kṛṣṇa, being situated in everyone's heart, is the supreme witness. The residences, countries or planets on which we live are also Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate goal of shelter, and therefore one should take shelter of Kṛṣṇa either for protection or for annihilation of his distress. And whenever we have to take protection, we should know that our protection must be a living force. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme living entity. And since Kṛṣṇa is the source of our generation, or the supreme father, no one can be a better friend than Kṛṣṇa, nor can anyone be a better well-wisher. Kṛṣṇa is the original source of creation and the ultimate rest after annihilation. Kṛṣṇa is therefore the eternal cause of all causes.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 9.15-18 -- New York, December 2, 1966:

Just like in the ordinary life. You are working in office as a clerk. You cannot expect the salary of the high-court judge. How can you expect? As you are working, you'll get a salary. Similarly, everything is God. That's all right. Everything is government service. But a foolish constable is not equal to the magistrate. He can say, a constable also can say, that "I am in government service." That's all right. But you are not equal to the magistrate. You are not equal to the high-court judge. You may be government servant. That's all right. So similarly, everything is worship of God. That's all right. But you cannot be equal to the supreme worshiper. Na ca mām. "There is nobody dearer than me, than he..." In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find. So our ultimate aim is how to become in confidence of the Supreme Lord. So if you want to be in confidence of the Supreme Lord, then you have to take this devotional service. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti, yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). The Lord says, "One can confidentially understand Me by bhakti, by devotional service, not by any other means, not by any other means." Bhaktyā. It is clearly stated. So if you want to be directly in touch, directly in touch with the president, then you have to work differently. And if you are satisfied to become a constable in the government service, that is a different thing. You cannot contact.

So there, although everything is God worship, still, there are degrees, there are differences. We must remember. Then He says,

gatir bhartā prabhuḥ sākṣī
nivāsaḥ śaraṇaṁ suhṛt
prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ sthānaṁ
nidhānaṁ bījam avyayam

The Lord says that gatir bhartā. Gati means "Everyone is coming to Me gradually," gati. Gati means destination. "They're all coming to Me." And bhartā. Bhartā means maintainer. God is maintaining us. God is maintaining us, and He's giving us chance, "All right. You come this way, or that way, that way. That's all right. Come gradually, gradually. That's all right." Gatir bhartā prabhuḥ. Prabhu means He is the Lord. Nobody can be equal... Otherwise there is no question of worship. If you think that "I am God," so there is process of worship also: the, I mean to say, ahaṅgrahopāsanam. Just like we, devotees, we offer flowers to the Lord, they take the flower and offer to themselves. We offer the garland to the Supreme Lord in the, on the statue or the form of Lord. They take the garland and put on his own neck. You see? So the question is that if you are God, then why you are worshiping, why others not worshiping you? You are worshiping yourself. So what kind of God you are? Everyone worships, "Oh, I am the Lord. I am everything."

Lecture on BG 9.18-19 -- New York, December 4, 1966:

Prabhupāda:

gatir bhartā prabhuḥ sākṣī
nivāsaḥ śaraṇaṁ suhṛt
prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ sthānaṁ
nidhānaṁ bījam avyayam

The Lord is gati. Gati means the destination. We do not know what is our destination. Due to our ignorance, due to our becoming overwhelmed by the illusory energy, we do not know what is our destination of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). People do not know what is their destination of life. The destination of life is to reestablish his lost relationship with the Supreme Lord. That is his destination. Unfortunately, people do not know what is the destination. They are simply thinking, destination of life, to have the greatest amounts of sense gratification. This is illusion. Because we are materially absorbed and materially concept of life means these senses—we have no other information—so we are trying to squeeze out all kinds of pleasure from sense. This is called illusion. They have no other information. They are earning, working very hard, and the ultimate goal is sense gratification. This is illusion.

Lecture on BG 9.18-19 -- New York, December 4, 1966:

Just like you consult some book, doing something. Just like we do every day. What is the postal rate? I do not know. This is a parcel I have to send. So at once I consult book. The direction is there, postal guide is there, and I do the right thing. Similarly, when we forget our acti..., what is the destination of life, then we have to consult. This is the direction. The Lord says, gatir bhartā prabhuḥ sākṣī: "I am the destination. I am your maintainer. I am your Lord. I am witnessing what you are doing." Nivāsa: "And you are living in Me. You are not independent." You are living. Where you are living? I am living on the earth, underneath the sky. And what is the sky, and what is this earth? This is energy, energy of the Supreme Lord. So nivāsaḥ śaraṇam. "You are trying to live. Every moment you are flattering somebody who is greater than you, but why don't you come to Me? You cannot live without flattering your boss. That is your position."

Conversations and Morning Walks

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 2, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. "Everything, these Vedas, that I am." Vedaiś cāham, aham eva vedyaḥ. So these... There are rascals. They claim that "We are Vedic student. We don't believe in Kṛṣṇa. We don't believe in Bhagavad-gītā." You know this rascal society?

Dr. Patel:

gatir bhartā prabhuḥ sākṣī
nivāsaḥ śaraṇaṁ suhṛt
prabhavaḥ pralayaḥ sthānaṁ
nidhānaṁ bījam avyayam
(BG 9.18)

"Everything is I. I am death as well as I am life."

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Dr. Patel:

tapāmy aham ahaṁ varṣaṁ
nigṛhṇāmy utsṛjāmi ca
amṛtaṁ caiva mṛtyuś ca
sad asac cāham arjuna
(BG 9.19)

He is sat and asat both.

Prabhupāda: Cause and effect.

Page Title:BG 09.18 gatir bharta prabhuh saksi... cited
Compiler:Visnu Murti
Created:06 of Apr, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=1, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=3, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:5