Kṛṣṇa says, na hi jñānena sadṛśaṁ pavitram iha (BG 4.38). So as soon as we become, I mean to say, revived to our position, brahma-bhūtaḥ, then our first symptom will be prasannātmā. Prasannātmā—we shall be joyful. Prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati. (BG 18.54)
There will be no lamentation and no hankering. But the difficulty is that even if we rise up to the brahma-bhūtaḥ stage and if we do not take to the service of Kṛṣṇa, then there is possibility of falling down again. That information we have got. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32).
Just like you may rise very high in the sky, but if you have no shelter there, if your aeroplane or Sputnik fails, then you again you fall down. Again you fall down. So if you rise up to that stage that you can attain some planet and take your rest there, so then there is no possibility of falling down. But so long you are in the sky, oh, there is every chance of falling down, every chance.
Similarly, simple understanding of brahma-bhūtaḥ stage will not help me unless I take shelter unto Kṛṣṇa. As soon as I get shelter unto Kṛṣṇa, as soon as I engage myself in the service of Kṛṣṇa, then there is no chance of falling down again into this material world. Because there is engagement. Our nature is such that we want some engagement. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59).
Just like a child. Child is playing all day and doing mischief in the house, and . . . so he cannot be stopped mischief-doing. He must be given some engagement. If he's given some engagement, some playthings, and if his attention is diverted there, then he'll stop mischief-making in the house. Otherwise, idle brain, devil's workshop. He will go on, go on.
So therefore we must have spiritual engagement. Simple understanding that, "I am spirit soul" will not help me. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). The brahma-bhūtaḥ stage, situation, is that, "I am not matter, I am spirit." That's all right. But we have to sustain the spirit. How you can sustain? You can sustain when there is spiritual engagement. Otherwise, it is not possible. Otherwise, I may continue for some time, but there is chance of falling down. Because we have got this information and a practical experience also great, great, I mean to say, yogīs and jñānīs, they again come.
We have some practical experience. Sometimes we find a person leaves all worldly engagements, leaves his family, gives up his family connection, becomes a renounced order, sannyāsī, and highest order, and then, after some time, he becomes engaged in opening hospitals and philanthropic work and in politics. We have seen it. Oh, why? You have renounced the world. Why you are hospital-making business? Hospital-making business is there, going on by the government, by the state. You are not meant for making hospitals. You have to make hospitals how people can get rid of this material body. That is spiritual activity.
We also require to open hospital. And what is that hospital? To cure this material disease, not this temporary disease. Again we may be attacked. The complete cure of material disea . . . that sort of hospital will be required. That hospital is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness Society. If we take treatment under this Kṛṣṇa consciousness Society, then we shall be cured of this material disease. Otherwise, we shall be again attacked with some kind of body. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22).
Just like we change our dresses from one dress to another, similarly, this body to another body, transmigration of the soul. But we are meant for now completely ceasing to have any material body in the next life. That should be our aim of life. That is called . . . that knowledge is called the purest knowledge. Na hi jñānena sadṛśaṁ pavitram iha . . . that knowledge is the purest knowledge.
Tat svayaṁ yoga-saṁsiddhaḥ kālena ātmani vindati (BG 4.38). Now, by becoming Kṛṣṇa consciousness, by this yoga, bhakti-yoga, you can be successful. Yoga-saṁsiddhaḥ. And, in due course of time, you'll understand that, "Yes, I am in right path. Oh." In due course of . . . immediately you may be very doubtful, "Whether I have accepted the right path or not?" But in kālena, in due course, in due course of time, if you continue the process . . .
Therefore in the next verse it is stated, śraddhāvān labhate jñānam (BG 4.39). Śraddhāvān, one who is faithful, he can take up this knowledge. Faithful. Those who are hesitating, those who have no faith, oh, it is very difficult for them. We have to accept. Because the method is standard, and it is given by the highest authority, Kṛṣṇa, so we must have such faith, "Oh, here is a thing, authoritative." Just like faith in any transaction we have. We must have some faith.
Now, suppose if I go to California from here, from New York, now, I have purchased the ticket by, going by air. Now, I have got this faith that, "This company, this aeroplane company, will take me to there." Maybe there may be some accident, but on faith I accept it, "Yes, it will take me there." When we go to the barber shop, on faith we stretch our neck and the razor is going on. He may at once put into the neck. But you keep the faith, "Yes, we have got the faith he will not do that."
So without faith, we cannot make progress. If in ordinary dealings we have to accept faithfully something . . . who knows that this aeroplane will take me to California? It may go down to hell, in the oil. The, in the bus there may be some accident. In the railway there may be some accident. There is possibility. But on faith we accept. So if we want to make progress we must have faith.