So those who are devotees of Kṛṣṇa, they should be trained up both ways, they should be prepared. But generally, there is no question of becoming violent, unnecessarily. As the modern politicians, unnecessarily they declare war, a Vaiṣṇava does not do so. No, unnecessarily, there is no need of war. When it was completely impossible to settle up the things between the Pāṇḍavas and the Kauravas, then Kṛṣṇa said, "All right, then there must be fight." When Duryodhana declined to spare even a portion of land holding the sūcyagra, the point of a needle... he refused that "I cannot spare even so much land which can hold the point of a needle." Then the war was declared. There is no question of settlement. Otherwise, Kṛṣṇa requested that "These five Pāṇḍavas, they are kṣatriyas. They cannot become merchant or brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa's profession is paṭhana pāṭhana yajana yājana dāna pratigrahaḥ. Brāhmaṇa can take charity from others. A sannyāsī can take charity from others. Not a kṣatriya or a gṛhastha. No. That is not allowed. "So they are kṣatriyas; they cannot take the professions of a brāhmaṇa, neither they can take the profession of a mercantile man, business man. They must have some land so that rule over, take taxation. And that is their living means.
Impossible (Lectures, BG)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Therefore, according to Vedic system, there are ten kinds of saṁskāra, reformatory method. This upanayana-saṁskāra, this is also one of the saṁskāra, sacred thread. Upanayana. Upa means near, and nayana means bringing. When the spiritual master brings nearer to spiritual consciousness, a person is given the upanayana, or the sacred thread. The sacred thread is the indication that "This man is now under the control of the spiritual master for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness." This thread ceremony. This is called upanayana. Similarly, there is reformatory method, marriage, ten kinds of reformatory... The first beginning is garbhādhāna. So these things are impossible to introduce now in this Kali-yuga. Therefore the only reformatory method is: harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā (CC Adi 17.21). In this age of Kali, people are so fallen, so degraded, that it is not possible to introduce systematically the whole Vedic principle; it is not possible. That is not possible. It is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's grace, mercy, that He has given us mercifully, vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti (CC Madhya 6.254), just to teach very short-cut method. What is that? Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Simple. Simple.
This body is antavat; it will perish. Therefore it is not sat. Sat means eternal, and the body is not eternal. Therefore it is very difficult to understand what is sat because we have no education, no experience. Everything is annihilated, destroyed, anything material. So actually we have no experience what is sat. So... But Vedic instruction is sad gama asato mā: "Don't remain in asat, noneternal. Come to the platform of eternity." Sad gama asato mā. So that is our mission of life. The human form of life is distinct from the cats and dogs because if you instruct to the cats and dogs what is sat and what is asat, it is impossible for them to understand. It is not possible. Therefore Vedic instruction is asato mā: "Don't remain cats and dogs in the human form only. You come to the platform of eternity." Asato mā sad gama. So we must try what is eternal. So far in the present condition, as this material condition, we do not know what is actually eternal because our body is not eternal. Therefore the first instruction is that "You are lamenting on the body which is not eternal, but you are eternal.
The whole world is your kingdom. So kindly give me some place where I can stay." So Mahārāja Parīkṣit gave him these four places, that "You can stay where illicit sex life is going on." That mean prostitution. "And unnecessary animals are killed, slaughterhouse." Striya-sūnā-pāna-dyūta (SB 1.17.38). "Where intoxicants are indulged in or gambling. In these four places you can stay." So at that time, Kali could not find out such place, throughout the whole world. So he was disturbed. So there was conspiracy to kill Mahārāja Parīkṣit because the Kali could understand that so long Mahārāja Parīkṣit would live, it is impossible to find out a slaughterhouse or a brothel or a drinking house or gambling place. No.
So the kingdom was so nice. We have got description from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Mahārāja Parīkṣit, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, many. The monarchy was so nice that because they were trained up, rājarṣi... They were not ordinary kings. They were as good as great sages and great saintly person. Imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Kṛṣṇa said, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). Kṛṣṇa said to the sun-god Vivasvān.
In the last fighting between India and Pakistan, as soon as President Nixon sent their Seventh Fleet on the India Ocean, Bay of Bengal, almost in front of India... This was illegal. But very puffed-up, America. So sent the Seventh Fleet, maybe to show sympathy to the Pakistan. But immediately our Russian friend also appeared there. And therefore, America had to come back. Otherwise, I think, America would have attacked on behalf of Pakistan.
So this is going on. Fighting you cannot stop. Many people, they are thinking how to stop war. That is impossible. It is nonsense proposal. It cannot be. Because the fighting spirit is there in everyone. That is a symptom of living entity. Even children, who has no politics, no enmity, they fight for five minutes; again they are friends. So the fighting spirit is there. Now, how it should be utilized? Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is there. We say, consciousness. We don't say, "Stop fight" or "Do this, do that, do that," no.
That is the etiquette everywhere. Even the father is sometimes violent, the child or the son tolerates. A typical example is Prahlāda Mahārāja. Innocent child, Kṛṣṇa consciousness child, but father torturing. He never says anything. "All right." Similarly Kṛṣṇa, just after taking the position of the spiritual master, is designating Arjuna as a grand fool. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu also said that "My spiritual master found Me a great fool (CC Adi 7.71)." Was Caitanya Mahāprabhu a fool? And can it be possible that anyone can become the spiritual master of Caitanya Mahāprabhu? Both things are impossible. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, even not accepting Him as incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, if simply you accept Him as ordinary scholar or man, there was no comparison of His scholarship. But He said that "My spiritual master found Me a great fool." What is that meaning? That "A person, even in My position, always remains a fool before his spiritual master. That is good for him." Nobody should impose that "What do you know? I know better than you." This position is not, denied. And other point is, from the disciple's point of view, why he should remain always a fool before a person? Unless he's actually authorized, actually so great that he can teach me as a fool. One should select a spiritual master in that way and as soon as the spiritual master is selected, one should remain always a fool, although he may not be a fool, but the better position is like that.
Now, at the same time, the children has also some troubles of life. Now, if one of the children requests the mother, "Mother, you have given birth to me, and... But I find my life very troublesome. Better you again put me in your belly." (laughs) Is it a good proposal? It is not at all a good proposal. This is a disappointment. "Oh," the mother says, "oḥ, my dear son, you are in trouble. Therefore you want to come again into my belly? You want to merge into my existence again?" Well, the mother is unable. He cannot, she cannot do that. But if, if such kind of request is made to the Supreme Lord, He can accept that. For Him it is not possible, impossible. "All right, you want to merge into My existence? Come on. Come on. I, I, I take you." But the thing is whether the son who requests the mother or the father like that, he is sane person. The sane son, the intelligent son, will think, "Well, my father and my mother, they have brought up me. They have begotten me. They have given us our life. All right, let us serve our parents. Let them be happy. Our activities so that..." That is the natural way. That is the natural... Because God has created us in so many individual living entities, we are all parts and parcel. Just like father and son or mother and son. Sons are the parts of the body of the mother.
The, we get this body from mother's body. That's a fact. Similarly, it is, it... You'll find in Bhagavad-gītā also that this material nature is the mother, and the Lord is the father, and the father is giving seed into the womb of the mother, and we have all come out from the... We have got this material body. Similarly, you see?
Now, this point, that to merge into the existence of the Supreme Lord is, if it is proposed by some individual soul or individual living entity, that can be accepted by the Lord, sāyujya-mukti... That is not very difficult. But the thing is whether we should think like that, whether it is good for us. That is my choice. If want to merge into... You follow me, what I say? If I want to merge into the existence of God... Just like if your son wants again to merge into your existence, because you are human being, it is not possible for you, but it is not impossible for God. God can accept: "All right, you want to merge into Me. All right, come on. I accept it." So that not impossible. So that merging into the existence of God. There is a liberation like that. But that is not the ultimate. You want to speak something?
Yes. How it is possible? They are also living entities. If I, if I take a drop of opium, I die. But they are living and they are eating and they are living there. So because it is impossible for me to eat opium and live, you cannot say that there are other livi..., that there cannot be no living entities there. Similarly you have experience that you cannot live in the fire. That does not mean that in the sun planet there is no living entities. There are living entities. Because in Bhagavad-gītā you'll find that living soul, as it is, it is not burnt by fire. It is not burned by fire. Because it is spiritual. The material elements has no power to destroy it. It is not burnt by fire. So in every planet it is concluded that every planet there are living entities. There are intelligent beings. And because in the higher planets there are more intelligent persons, beings, they are called demigods. The demigods means they have got, practically, qualification almost equal to the Supreme Lord. They have got such qualification.
And anumāna. Anumāna means you can conjecture, make an..., "It may be like this. It may be like this. Perhaps it is like this." This is called anumāna. And the other evidence is aitihya. Aitihya means to take evidences from the authority. So according... Out of these three evidences, this aitihya evidence, just like we are taking instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, sound, sound vibrated by the greatest personality, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, that sort of pramāṇa is acceptable. That is the best. This is the best way of acquiring knowledge. Because so far direct evidence is concerned, it is impossible. Because our senses are so imperfect, we cannot have anything. We can, we can have some direct experience of certain things, but not for all, especially for these spiritual things which is beyond our experience.
So pratyakṣa means direct evidence you cannot have. And anumāna means speculation, simply, "It may be like this. It may be like that." Oh, that is also imperfect because our thinking is also limited, because our senses are limited. So our thinking power, mind, is one of the senses. Out of the ten, mind is considered to be the eleventh sense. There are five karmendriya and five sensory organs and working organs, ten, and the mind is the chief. So mind is also considered as one of the senses, the chief senses. You see?
Such emanations are experienced by superior and inferior natural sequences. The living entity belongs to the superior nature, as will be revealed in the Seventh Chapter. Although there is no difference between the energy and the energetic, the energetic is accepted as supreme and the energy, or nature, is accepted as the subordinate. The relationship of the living entities therefore is always to be subordinate to the Supreme Lord, as with master and the servant or the teacher and the taught. Such clear knowledge is impossible to grasp under the spell of ignorance. To drive away such ignorance, the Lord teaches the Bhagavad-gītā for enlightenment of all beings for all time." Seventeen: "That which pervades the body is indestructible. No one is able to destroy the imperishable soul."
If a person is actually executing devotional service, then he must be happy. If he's not happy, then he's not doing properly. So first thing is this. He might be doing something in the name of devotional service. If he's actually rendering devotional service, then he must be feeling. Just like if you are eating actually, then you must feel strength and satisfaction of your hunger. You cannot say, "I'm eating, but I'm not satisfied of my hunger." That is impossible. This is not possible. Then you are not eating. Or you are eating, but it is being devoured by the worms within your intestines. Sometimes it happens. If there are many worms within the intestines, you go on voraciously eating, but you don't get strength because the eating substance, the essence, is taken by the worms. Therefore the worm treatment is there to kill the worms. Otherwise they will eat everything. You'll feel hungry, but will not get any strength. This is the worm disease. So if I am actually rendering devotional service and I'm not getting any happiness, that means there is some māyā's play. Otherwise there is no such reasoning. He must feel happy. Then he has to rectify the process of his service. Not to change but rectify the process. (aside) What is that? (laughs) It cannot be. If you are actually executing devotional service, you must feel happy. If you don't feel happy, then you are not executing. There is some flaw. Yes.
Try to understand. Just like you take a paper, you cut into pieces. That is cut. But here it is said that the spirit cannot be cut. Then how we have become fragment pieces, different individuals? That means we are eternally so. We are eternally individual. It is not that by the influence of māyā you have been cut into pieces. No. Here it is said you cannot be cut. Another, it cannot be burned. If you study one verse of Bhagavad-gītā, you understand so many things. It cannot be burned. Now if it cannot be burned, then in fire also there is soul. The materialists say that in the sun globe, it is impossible to have living entities there. No. Because it cannot be burned. So impossible, possible. So this Vedic knowledge that sun planet is a planet just like other planets, and it is fiery, and the residents are also fiery body. So why one should be astonished that there is living entity? Then why they should deny that there is no living entity? They are denying that in the moon planet also there is no living entity. Why? Why? Living entity can be everywhere. Sarva-ga. This very word has been used in Bhagavad-gītā. Sarva-ga. You'll find it. Sarva-ga means he can go everywhere. He can live in the fire also. And actually we see that in the air there is living entity, in the water there is living entity, in the land there is living entity.
So definition by negation. Directly we cannot appreciate what is that spiritual fragment, particle, which is within this body. Because the length and breadth of that spirit soul is impossible to be measured by our material instruments, although the scientists say that we can measure it. Anyway, even it is possible, first of all, you have to see where the soul is situated. Then you can attempt to measure it. First of all, you cannot see even. Because it is very, very small, one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair. Now, because we cannot see, by our experimental knowledge we cannot appreciate; therefore Kṛṣṇa is describing the existence of the self soul in a negative way: "It is not this." Sometimes when we cannot understand, the explanation is given: "It is not this." If I cannot express what it is, then we can express in a negative way that "It is not this." So what is that "not this"? The "not this" is that "It is not material." The spirit soul is not material. But we have got experience of material things. Then how to understand that it is the negative? That is explained in the next verse, that nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi. You cannot cut, the spirit soul by any weapon, knife, sword, or thistle. (pistol?) It is not possible. Nainaṁ chindanti śastrāṇi. The Māyāvāda philosophy says that "I am Brahman. Due to my illusion, I feel I am separated. Otherwise I am one."
His indication He's coming is that people are becoming degraded, forgetting God. That is their degradation. So at the end of this Kali-yuga they will be so much degraded that it will be impossible for them to understand God. At the present moment, although it is Kali-yuga, there are some persons who are trying to understand God. At least, there is attempt. But, at the end of Kali-yuga, say, about 400,000's of years, then people... Because they're becoming animals, more and more. The more we become animals, we cannot understand God. So our modern civilization is to make the people animal. That is advancement of civilization. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca sāmānyam etat paśubhiḥ narāṇām. The modern civilization is how we can eat very nicely, how we can sleep nicely, how we can have sexual intercourse nicely, how we can defend nicely. Only these four principles are being taught. They have no idea what is soul, what is God, what is the relationship with the soul. So this is, this type of civilization is increasing. So just imagine how much it will be increased after four hundred thousands of years. The Kali-yuga has begun only five thousand years. Within this five thousand years, we have so much degraded, illusioned by the māyā as advancement of civilization. This is māyā. So the more days go, we shall be more illusioned. So there will be no capacity to understand about God. At that time, God will come to destroy all this population by cutting their throat.
And where there is gambling, you can remain there." So he could not find out a place where to remain. That means in those days these things were so much conspicuous by absence that is was difficult for the Kali to find out a place like that. But with the advancement of Kali, now Kali can find out his place anywhere, at any home, anyplace. These things are going on. This is the position.
So this system of human civilization as conceived by the Vedic process is completely different from the rascal civilization at the present moment. Therefore, people cannot be happy. It is not possible. If we... At the same time, it is impossible to go back to that type of civilization, because people are so polluted. It is not possible. Therefore the only means is, as enunciated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu from Bṛhad Nāradīya Purāṇa,
- harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam
- kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
- (CC Adi 17.21)
You take this process. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. At least, you will be purified, you'll understand the situation. And if you follow the rules and regulation... It is very simple to avoid these four principle of sinful life and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then you are sure, back to home, back to Godhead, and be happy eternally.
So, so far our, these senses are concerned, senses are concerned, that should be under my control. I should not be servant of my senses. And that is possible when I am situated in the spiritual platform of consciousness. Otherwise it is not possible. I cannot control my senses if I am on the material plane. It is impossible. But I can control my senses... But this is possible. This is possible. It is not impossible fact. This "swami"... We are known as swami. What is the meaning of "swami"? Swami means who is the master of the senses. That is the swami. Swami means master. One who has attained the perfectional stage of controlling the senses, he is called swami or goswami, master of the senses. So this can be done by practice, by knowledge. This is not impossible. I was also young man. I also, I was also married, and I have got my wife still living, and my family is still living, but some way or other, by practicing or by some knowledge, I have come out of the clutches.
If I determine that "I shall eat only foodstuff which is offered to Kṛṣṇa," then naturally my eating problem becomes restricted and as I go on eating the foodstuff which is offered first to Kṛṣṇa and then I take, then, now, the natural effect will be that my tongue will be controlled. And if I want to control my other senses, then the tongue control is the first business, because if we cannot control the tongue, then other senses is impossible to be controlled. Therefore we, when we take our foodstuff, we sing this nice song, śarīra abidyā-jāl, joḍendriya tāhe kāl: "This body is a network of nescience." Śarīra abidyā-jāl, joḍendriya tāhe kāl: "And the material senses, they are just like kāla." Kāla means venomous serpents. So śarīra abidyā-jāl, joḍendriya tāhe kāl, tā'ra madhye jihwā ati, lobhamoy sudurmati: "Amongst all the senses, the tongue is very avaricious." You see? It is, it is, it wants so many palatable dishes now and then. Tā'ra madhye jihwā ati, lobhamoy sudurmati: "And it is very difficult to control." Now, kṛṣṇa baḍo doyāmoy: "So Kṛṣṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa, is so kind that in order to control my senses, tongue, first, He has given me so many nice foodstuff so that if I eat them, then my tongue will be controlled."
I have seen that two brothers quarreling, and it, it, I mean to say, rose to such an extent, the quarreling, that one brother killed his another brother. We have seen. Two brother quarreling—one brother was killed by one brother, and he was arrested, and he was ordered to be hanged. Then his father appealed to the court that "My two sons... One is already lost. So this may... He may be spared of his life." This I have actually seen. So by the request of the father, he was sentenced to life, and his hanging was excused by the court. That I have seen. So just see. Krodha. One after another, it becomes so intensified that nothing is impossible. Nothing is impossible. Then smṛti-vibhramaḥ. Smṛti-bhraṁśād buddhi-nāśaḥ. Buddhi-nāśaḥ. Buddhi-nāśaḥ means he lost his intelligence. He forgot that "Whom I am going to kill." Buddhi-nāśaḥ. Buddhi-nāśaḥ. Buddhi-nāśāt praṇaśyati: "And as soon as one loses his intelligence, then he's going to hell."
Now here is the difference. Lord Śiva, he is the greatest of the demigods. He was also allured by Pārvatī, and as a result of that attraction, this boy Kārttikeya was born. That was the, what is called, conspiracy of the demigods, that unless one son is born out of the semina of Lord Śiva, it is impossible to conquer the demons. So Kārttikeya is considered the commander in chief of the demigods. But here, another example. Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Haridāsa Ṭhākura was young boy, about twenty, twenty-four years old, and he was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and the landlord in that village, he was very much envious of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. He conspired and engaged one prostitute to defy him. So the prostitute agreed and at dead of night, with very beautiful dress and she was young, and tried to captivate Haridāsa Ṭhākura. But he was not captivated. That is the difference. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person, even an ordinary person, not in the level of Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā, he's never conquered by māyā. But one who is not fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, either he may be Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā, he'll be conquered by māyā, what to speak of others. This is the position. Go on. "When Haridāsa Ṭhākura was a young devotee of the Lord..."
So anyway... Or that fried chicken. Yes. So tongue is dictating me. But if you can control your tongue, "No. I'll give you sweetballs. Don't go there." (laughter) Then you'll become master of the senses. You see? The others are trying that "Don't go there," only. That is impossible. The tongue must have something beautiful. Otherwise it is not possible. That is artificial. If the tongue, you give him something more beautiful than this fried chick or stick or this or that, it will stop. That is the policy. Our policy is that. We can give that, what is called, casein fried with rice. How nice it is. He'll forget meat-eating. So this is the policy, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. All the senses should be supplied something. Not artificially stop it. That is not possible. That is not possible. Others, they are simply trying artificially to stop the function of the senses. No. That is not possible. Our policy is tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). You can purify the activities of the senses, being engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then senses will not disturb you. If you want to control the senses, you have to control the tongue first of all. Then you will be able to control other senses very easily. So you give tongue the engagement of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and for tasting Kṛṣṇa prasādam you'll find that your other senses are already controlled. This is the key of controlling our senses, the tongue. And if you give privilege and indulgence to the tongue, you'll never be able to control other senses. This is the secret of controlling senses. Go on.
Yes. Just like this example that personalities like Brahmā and Śiva, they also sometimes become victims of māyā. So our, I mean to say, potency of falling down is always there, potency. And because we are part and parcel of God and because we are now in the material world, it is to be understood that we have fallen down. But you cannot trace out the history when you have fallen down. That is impossible. But our position is marginal. At any moment, we can fall down. That tendency is there. Therefore we are called marginal. But one... Just like it is very simple to understand. Everyone is prone to fall diseased. Is it not? Now when you are diseased, there is no necessity of finding out the history when you became diseased. You are diseased, make your treatment, that's all. Similarly, we are in the material condition of life. Just go on treating it, and as soon as you are cured, be careful not to fall down again. But there is chance of falling down, again becoming diseased. Not that because you once become cured, there is no chance of becoming diseased again. There is chance. Therefore we shall be very much careful. Yes.
This is the gift of Lord Caitanya. Namo mahā-vadānyāya. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī says, "You are the greatest of all charitable persons because You are offering the greatest boon." Kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). "You are offering love of Kṛṣṇa, which will get me to the kingdom of Kṛṣṇa." This is the greatest gift to the human society. But the foolish persons they do not understand it. What can I do? Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī (BG 7.14). The māyā is very strong. If we say that "Here is a small booklet, Easy Journey to Other Planets," they'll not take it. They will make plan of how to go in other planet by sputniks, which is impossible. You cannot go anywhere. That is our conditioned life. Conditioned means you must stay here. You must stay here. Who is allowing to go other planet? For coming to, to take the permanent visa of your country, I had to fight so much, and you are going to moon planet? There is no visa? They will allow you only to enter? It is so easy thing? But they foolishly think that simply "I am the monarch of all I survey." That's all. This planet is the monarch, and all other planets they're all subservient. They will satisfy our senses. This is foolishness. All right. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)
Tomorrow means next birth. Next birth another, next birth another, next birth another—it is going on. Going on. There is no stoppage, this transmigration of the soul.
But so long you do not stop it, there is no question of being freed from sufferings. They do not know it. They are thinking they are advancing. What advancement you have made? These sufferings are there—birth, death, old age and disease. You cannot stop it. Ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ, and even you go to this moon planet or to the highest planet, these four things will follow. So therefore sense gratification must be stopped. But if you want to stop it artificially it is impossible. Neither by this yoga process, neither by this jñāna process. Simply for the time being you can check.
Just like a naughty boy. By force, you can stop him acting mischievously. But as soon as he gets opportunity, again he will act so. Similarly, senses are very strong. You cannot stop them artificially. Therefore the only remedy is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. These boys in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this is also sense gratification, eating nice prasāda, dancing, chanting, reading philosophy—but it is in connection with Kṛṣṇa. That is the significance. Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe. It is the sense gratification of Kṛṣṇa. Not directly, but because I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, my senses are automatically satisfied. This process should be adopted.
So if one surrenders fully unto Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa is Mukunda—then he is no longer any more indebted to all these obligations. He is immune. At one stroke he becomes liquidated from all obligation. And in the Bhagavad-gītā you will find this statement confirmed in the last portion of Bhagavad-gītā. The Lord says that ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: "If you surrender unto Me..." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). The Lord says that "You have not do. You have to do nothing. You simply surrender unto Me." Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). "You have got so many obligations; it is right. But it is impossible for you." Of course, there are systems how to liquidate your obligation. But especially in this age, oh, who is going to satisfy the demigods? Who is going to satisfy the forefathers? Who is going to satisfy the so many obligation with ordinary living being? Nobody is going. But if you don't satisfy your indebtedness, then there will be reaction. But if you surrender unto the Supreme Lord, you will be protected from all reaction. Therefore it is very easy. By one installment we become free from all obligation. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyaḥ (BG 18.66).
So Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa proved. When Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa was present amongst ourselves, from the history we can see that... If we have to believe the history, then He was in full in everything. He was full in everything. So far as a householder also, when Lord Kṛṣṇa displayed His capacity as a householder... You will be surprised. Perhaps most of you know that He married 16,108 wives. Sixteen thousand... So somebody may be surprised that "How a person can marry 16,108 wives?" Yes. A ordinary person like us or a little more strong person, that is not possible. But when the word omnipotency is applied... God is called omnipotency, so for Him nothing is impossible. So if we have to believe the history, then Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa married 16,108 wives, and He built 16,108 palaces also, well-decorated, fully equipped, all-marble palaces. And there was no need of light. The palaces were so nicely decorated with jewels that the light focused by the jewels, that will illuminate the house. And another thing—He was present in every house simultaneously. Sixteen thousand wives and sixteen thousand houses—He was present in sixteen thousand expansions by Himself. So that is called opulence. These are the opulences. So Lord Kṛṣṇa was full.
That we have already discussed.
And the last, and the last śloka in the third chapter, that He said, "By intelligence we have to conquer over the formidable enemy which has captured three strategic positions." That means the senses and the mind and intelligence. "In three strategic positions, the formidable enemy..." That means ignorance that I am trying to lord it over the material nature, this ignorance. This is ignorance because I cannot lord it over the material nature. It is impossible. I am not so powerful that I can become the master of the material nature.
The whole world's activity is going on under this impression that "We shall be able to conquer over the material nature." This modern scientific advancement of knowledge is aiming in that way. But it is not possible. Because we are not actually the master of the material nature. That is an ignorance. That is an ignorance. We are trying to enjoy the material resources to our best, but that is not possible. That is called illusion.
That is not possible in this age. Now suppose if you have to perform haṭha-yoga in a secluded place, in a sanctified place and alone. Who is fulfilling these three conditions? Ekākī yata-cittātmā. Ekākī. Ekākī means alone. Śucau deśe. Śucau deśe means very sanctified place. Samaṁ grīvam. This body and the, I mean to say, neck, and the śiraḥ, śiraḥ means this head—they should be in a straight line. And you cannot close your eyes fully. You have to half-close and see the top of your nose. In this way, you sit down always. Never go to sleep. I have seen in my childhood yogi in Calcutta, Kālīghāṭa. He was twenty-four hours sitting. When he was feeling uncomfortable, he had a wooden cot,(?) like that. But he was never sleeping. That is yoga practice. Who is going to do that? It is very difficult. Therefore Arjuna said, "Kṛṣṇa, You are recommending this yoga practice, but it is impossible for me to do." Five thousand years ago, a person like Arjuna declined, "Oh, it is not possible for me." And so many rascals they are trying that yoga system. That is not possible.
He can go anywhere. It is not that because the fiery planet... Sun planet is fiery planet. The body there, the body is made of fire there. Just like here the body's made of earth. Similarly, there are planets where the body's made of water, the body's made of fire, because these are the material elements. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). Either earth, water, fire, air... They are all material things. So I may have got a suitable body to live in this material, or this earthly planet. The fish has got a certain body to live in the water. You cannot live in the water. The fish cannot live on the land. That does not mean that it is impossible to live in the water. Similarly, because you cannot live in the fire, that does not mean for others it is impossible. This is foolishness. This is foolishness. The sun planet is there. It is made of fire. The bodies are so suitably made that those who have got this body, they can live there. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣu vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). Vibhūti. The atmosphere is different in every planet. Just like the atmosphere in the water is different from the land, but we know there are living entities within the water, on the land, on the air, within the earth, within the ether. Everywhere there is. Sarva-ga. Therefore living entity is called sarva-ga. The body is differently made. The spirit soul is the same. Your spirit soul, my spirit soul, is the same.
Prabhupāda: There are six opulences, transcendental qualification of God. One is that He is full of knowledge. So if God is full of knowledge, how He can be in forgetfulness? That is impossible. Go on.
Madhudviṣa: "Kṛṣṇa remembered acts which were performed by Him millions of years before, but Arjuna could not, despite the fact that both Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna are eternal in nature. We may note herein that a living entity forgets everything due to his change of body."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Another thing to be noted here, that why we forget? We living entities, why we forget? It is a fact that from my past life I have transmigrated to this body. Now I cannot say in my my past life what was my body. This is my nature because I change my body. Just like you can remember some years, say, twenty years, twenty-five years. Or suppose I am now seventy-three years old. I can remember some accident when I was only three years old, that, because it is in this life. But I cannot remember what I was in my past life.
Kṛṣṇa says that "I am speaking to you..." Sa evāyaṁ mayā te 'dya: (BG 4.3) "What I am speaking to you now, today, it is not new. It was spoken long, long before. It is that oldest system of yoga I'm speaking to you." Bhakto 'si. Bhakto 'si: "And why I am speaking to you?" This is the point to be noted, that bhakto 'si. This Bhagavad-gītā yoga is to be understood by a person who is a bhakta, who is a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Nobody can understand it. Bhakto 'si me sakhā ceti rahasyam... Because there is a mystery, mystery of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which is impossible to be adopted by a person who is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is the qualification. To understand, to become Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is rather a difficult job because unless one is a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa, it will be a difficult problem. This, this very word, it suggests, bhakto 'si, that one's qualification must be that he's a devotee of Kṛṣṇa so that he can understand Bhagavad-gītā.
Therefore we are all servants, but here, in the material designation, we are trying to be master. Everyone is trying to be master. Therefore so much trouble of existence. If everyone becomes servant, there is no struggle. There is no struggle. Everyone becomes happy because he comes to his natural position. But here, artificially, we are trying to be the master, which I am not. That is my artificial life. Everyone is trying to predominate, to be the... He's trying to dominate over the material resources to his best. But he cannot have any domination of the material nature. Material nature is so strong that you cannot dominate it. That is impossible. So he's being crushed by the laws of material nature. Instead of becoming master, he's being crushed. So this is struggle for existence.
Viṣṇu means the Supreme Lord, all-pervading. Why? Durāśayā. Durāśayā means ill-conceived plan. They are thinking that they will be happy by planning in this material world. This is called durāśā. It will never be fulfilled. It will never be fulfilled. Durāśā. Dur means it is impossible. But they will not accept this. They will not accept. They are being knocked so many times—failure, failure, failure, failure. Still, they will not accept. Dur. Bahir-artha-māninaḥ: "They are captivated by the glamour of this external energy." Bahir-artha-māninaḥ.
Adānta-gobhiḥ: "And the main disease is uncontrolled senses." Adānta. Adānta means uncontrolled, unbridled senses. Because the senses, being unbridled, they will not allow you to understand in cool head what is the problem. Adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisram. Just like if you are sitting on a car where the horses are unbridled and it is running on in great speed without your control, you do not know where, when you will be in danger. You will be in danger. You are already in danger because the horses are unbridled. It is pulling you anywhere it likes. Similarly, our horses—the senses are called horses—it is being controlled. Viśatāṁ tamisram. It is going to the darkest region of hellish condition.
The idea is that we should not be disturbed by these material miseries, which come and go like this change of season. It is not permanent. At the present moment, the whole human civilization is simply disturbed by the change of this cold and heat. Our all activities are there—how to stop this miserable condition of the body, which is impossible to stop. So if we simply become affected by the miserable condition... The miserable condition in the material world must be there. You cannot stop this miserable condition of material existence. It will come and go away. It will simply disturb you. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhāḥ (BG 2.56). One has to be detached from this coming and going, miserable condition of material existence. And how it is possible? That is also said, man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ. "One has to be absorbed in My thought and has to take My shelter." The jñāna means knowledge. Knowledge means one must know that "I am spirit soul, part and parcel of God. Somehow or other, I have been entangled in this material body."
And Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the, mean, the symbol of internal energy. Therefore we take shelter of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī in Vṛndāvana, and that is our perfection of life. Then it will be easier to associate with Kṛṣṇa very easily. That should be our motto.
Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). Here it is said, "People who are attached to the bodily conception of life are so absorbed in materialism that it is almost impossible for them to understand that there is a transcendental body which is imperishable, full of knowledge and eternally blissful." So we have now surrendered to the bodily concept of life. We have to understand, therefore, what is our spiritual life. The Bhagavad-gītā teaches in the beginning that "You, you have surrendered to the bodily con..., but it is wrong. You'll never be happy. You try to understand your spiritual identification." And surrender to the spiritual energy. That is required. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Otherwise, you cannot avoid Kṛṣṇa.
So Lord Rolandcey and that, my Godbrother, is talking. So Lord Rolandcey asked him, "Well, Swamiji, can you make me a brāhmaṇa?" "Yes, why not? Yes, why not? You can become a brāhmaṇa." "So what are the conditions?" My Godbrother said, "The preliminary four conditions." "What are these conditions?" "Now, striya-sūnā-pāna-dyūta yatra pāpaś catur-vidhāḥ: (SB 1.17.38) You cannot have any illicit connection with woman, you cannot have any intoxication habit, you cannot indulge in gambling or unnecessary sporting, and you cannot live on animal food." Lord Rolandcey replied, "It is impossible. It is impossible." (laughs)
So these things, these four principles, preliminary, if we actually want to be a brāhmaṇa, then we have to take care of these four principles of life just to become a brāhmaṇa. Yes. Then everyone can become a brāhmaṇa. There is no bar. And whoever becomes a brāhmaṇa, he knows what is Brahman. And Kṛṣṇa is Parambrahman. Parambrahman. You'll find in the Tenth Chapter. He is addressed by Arjuna, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān: (BG 10.12) "By studying Bhagavad-gītā I now understand that Kṛṣṇa, You are Parambrahman." Paraṁ dhāma: "You are the shelter of everyone." So He is Parambrahman. So anyone who becomes a brāhmaṇa, he first of all knows what is Brahman—brahma-jijñāsā—the Supreme, the Absolute Truth. And the Absolute... One who knows Absolute Truth and enters into further, postgraduate study, he understands Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as he understands Kṛṣṇa, then his next life in the spiritual world is guaranteed.
There is no misinterpretation. Try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Your life will be successful. So try to follow Arjuna. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. (aside:) Take this.
So the śāstra says, tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ: "If you simply want to know what is self-realization, what is religion, simply by argument, logic, it is not possible." Tarko 'pratiṣṭhaḥ śrutayo vibhinnāḥ: "If you want to learn by studying scriptures, Vedic literature, you will find different scriptures." Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg, Atharva, then different Purāṇas. There are eighteen Purāṇas, Mahābhārata. That is also impossible, means you cannot understand.
Śrutayo vibhinnā nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. But if you philosophize, following some philosopher... There are six kinds of philosophers in India. So philosopher means he must decry another philosopher. He must give a new theory. So nāsāv ṛṣir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam. That will also not help. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyām. It is very confidential subject matter.
So ultimate goal is to satisfy the Supreme. That they do not know. This is stated by Prahlāda Mahārāja. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not... Everyone is self-interested, but they do not know what is self-interest. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatim. Everyone must be self-interested. That is natural. But they do not know what is self-interest. The self-interest is to approach Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa and satisfy Him. That is self-interest. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā (SB 7.5.31). Durāśayā means by hoping something which is impossible to fulfill. Durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ. The modern civilization, they are trying to adjust things by material activities.
Just like I am an Indian sannyāsī. I have come to your country, at your country. Oh, there are many rules and regulations in India which is different from your rules and regulations. But if I follow, if I stick to rules and regulations of Indian conception, then it is impossible to remain here. So I have to propagate this mission, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so I am not so much attached to the rules and regulations, but I am attached to the preaching work. So therefore niyamāgraha. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ (NOI 2). This four, this niyamāgraha, is also against Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And niyamāgraha. And when you are in a quite convenient position, if you do not observe the rules and regulations, that is also against Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Atyāhāraḥ prayāsaś ca prajalpo niyamāgrahaḥ.
And laulyam. Laulyam means greediness. That is against Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Laulyam, and jana-saṅgaś ca. Jana-saṅga means to associate with persons who are not interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We should avoid. We should avoid association of persons who are not interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If we make more association with persons who are not interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it will go against me.
So these are six "against" rules. Similarly, there are six favorable rules. What are they?
So He said, "Because at the present moment there are no qualified brāhmaṇas, therefore such kind of sacrifice is stopped. Stopped." That was His explanation.
So these sacrifices means unless they are performed very nicely, according to the rules and regulations as they are mentioned in scripture, they will not produce the desired result. That is the way of sacrifice. Now, here it is said, brahmārpaṇaṁ brahma haviḥ. Now, where is the butter, where is the grain, and where is the qualified brāhmaṇa who can chant the mantras, hymns, very nicely, so that we can get the result? So any kind of sacrifice at the present age is impossible. It is not possible. The only sacrifice—that kīrtana, saṅkīrtana-yajña. That is possible, which you have just now tried. This was introduced, and this is recommended in Bhāgavata. This is authoritative. And when Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. That is confirmed in Mahābhārata, Bhāgavata, Purāṇa, Upaniṣad.
Now, in the Bhāgavata in the Eleventh Canto you'll find the symptoms of Caitanya Mahāprabhu in which it is stated that yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ: (SB 11.5.32)
Now, everyone can understand what is the duty of the fragment to the whole, fragment to the whole, that the Kṛṣṇa is the whole, whole machine. Suppose... In this mechanical world we can understand that the whole machine is there, but there is a small screw which is fragment of that machine. So that screw should be properly adjusted in the machine and it will help machine working nicely. Similarly, we are all different fragments of the Supreme, Kṛṣṇa, and if we dovetail ourself in the work of Kṛṣṇa that is the highest yajña. That is the performance of yajña.
We haven't got to search out for large quantities of butter, clarified butter or grains. That is impossible factor now. It is very difficult to secure butter for eating purposes, and who is going to sacrifice? That is not possible. Although that is mentioned in the different scriptures, that sacrifice should be performed in that way, but it is impractical. It is not possible. So such sacrifices as recommended in the scriptures by offering clarified butter and grains, or sacrificing some animal... There are so many.
The result was that Menakā, a society girl of the heaven, she appeared, and she was traveling there. There have been many instances like that. And tinkling of bangles, oh, immediately his yoga practice was broken. And he become attached by Menakā and there was birth of Śakuntalā. There is a drama written by Kālidāsa Kavi, "Śakuntalā." This is the subject matter, how a yogi failed to control his senses and was attached by a beautiful woman girl, and how Śakuntalā, the beautiful girl was born. That is the subject matter.
So this is sometime impossible. There are many, many instances. So this is artificial way of yoga system. But when actually, as it is recommended, śabdādīn indriyāṇy anya indriyāgniṣu juhvati. That indriyāgniṣu means the indriya of Kṛṣṇa. When we satisfy the indriya, the senses of Kṛṣṇa, then automatically our indriyas become satisfied, engaged.
That helps controlling the senses. But there is another process that is called this bhakti-yoga system, that not only controlling the senses but to give engagement to the senses.
Simply by artificial controlling... Just like a child. The mind is just like child, sometimes accepting something, sometimes rejecting something. Saṅkalpa-vikalpa. That is the business. So it is very difficult to control the mind. Arjuna, when he was asked to control the mind by yoga practice, he said cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham: "My dear Kṛṣṇa, You are asking me to control the mind, but I think it is impossible. Especially we are in the political field, royal order. We have to deal with so many political subject matter." So he said that
- cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa
- pramāthi balavad dṛḍham
- tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye
- vāyor iva su-duṣkaram
- (BG 6.34)
"I do not think mind can be controlled. It is very, very difficult, as difficult as to control the breeze or wind, strong wind blowing. It is not possible to control them." That was the verdict of Śrī Arjuna. It will be explained in the sixth chapter.
"Just understand," sa. Sa means he. Who? Nitya-sannyāsī: "That person is always in renounced order, not by dress, but by action, always in renounced order..." Yo na dveṣṭi na kāṅkṣati: "That person who does not hate, neither desires." Nitya-sannyāsī. The renounced order means that I renounce my material propensities. That is called renunciation. A living entity is living. He has got his different propensities. That is his natural position. If I say that "You don't desire," no, that is not possible. I cannot desire, I don't desire... If I am desireless, then I am dead. What is my life? Desire... Somebody says that "You become desireless." That is an impossible, sir. Desireless means don't desire materially. That is desireless.
So a person who has renounced everything for service of the Lord. Sannyāsī. Sannyāsī means sat-nyāsī. Sat means the supreme eternal, and nyāsī means renounced. So sannyāsī... He is a sannyāsī who has renounced everything for the sake of the Lord. He's called sannyāsī. And he has no hatred for anything because in his vision everything is meant for the service of the Lord. So therefore he cannot hate anything. Sometimes it (is) advertised that "Such and such saint, he does not touch money. He does not touch money. When money is offered to him, his hand becomes turned." But a Bhagavad-gītā does not say that. Bhagavad-gītā does not say that "Because money is offered to you, therefore you shall turn your hand." Yes. Because a devotee's life is dedicated to the Supreme, so he also thinks that "This money can be utilized for the service of the Lord." Just like there are many instances in India.
And that is a fact. I am not proprietor, I am not enjoyer. I am allowed to enjoy whatever is allotted to me.
Just like take, for example, foodstuff. You can take foodstuff as much as you require for your maintenance of the body. Now if you take more, then you'll be in trouble, and if you take less, then you'll be in trouble. You have to take exactly what is prescribed for you. Just like the elephant. Elephant is taking hundred pounds daily, twice. Once at a time he takes hundred pounds or more than that. And the ant takes only one grain. Now if the ant thinks that "I shall also take hundred pounds," oh, it is impossible for him. It is impossible. (chuckling) And if the elephant thinks, "All right, the ant is taking one grain. I shall take." No. That is not. The system is that in God's kingdom, in God's creation, for everybody, there is sufficient food. You take as much as you require. That is the natural way. In the nature's way you'll find, beginning from the ant to the elephant, they will not take more, they will not take less. If to the elephant you give two hundred pounds foodstuff, he'll take only a hundred pounds as he requires. Neither he'll take the foodstuff to his place to stock it for next day. No. You see these pigeons. You see. Whenever you give some foodstuff they take whatever they require, but they don't take anything for the next day. Next day.
Arjuna refused. And you'll find in this chapter when Arjuna was recommended, "My dear Arjuna, you meditate." He immediately refused. "My dear Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible for me. It is not possible for me." That is actual fact. How it is possible for him? He was a householder man, he wanted kingdom, he wanted to rule over the country. Where is the time for his meditation? He flatly refused. "My dear Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible for me." He said that controlling the mind: vāyor iva suduṣkaram. "It is as difficult as to control the air." That is a fact. You have to engage the mind in Kṛṣṇa. Then it is controlled. Otherwise, artificially you cannot control. It is impossible. Arjuna said, what to speak of others. Who is Arjuna? Personally talking with Kṛṣṇa. Do you think he is ordinary man? He said that it is impossible. Vāyor iva suduṣkaram.
Who is Arjuna? Personally talking with Kṛṣṇa. Do you think he is ordinary man? He said that it is impossible. Vāyor iva suduṣkaram.
This very example he has given. Cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham (BG 6.34). "My dear Kṛṣṇa, you are asking me to control the mind. It is so powerful, and restless," I think he is ordinary man? He said that it is impossible. Vāyor iva suduṣkaram. This very example he has given. Cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham. "My dear Kṛṣṇa, you are asking me to control the mind. It is so powerful, and restless, I think to control the mind is as good as to control the air." If there is high wind, can you control it? He gives this example. You can control the mind when you fix up the mind in Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, that's all. No nonsense can come within your mind, simply Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection of meditation. Activities?
In Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You have to fight for Kṛṣṇa. That's all. That is the secret. That is the secret. If you fight for Kṛṣṇa, if you fight for work...work for Kṛṣṇa, if you eat for Kṛṣṇa, if you sleep for Kṛṣṇa, if you do everything for Kṛṣṇa, then you are the yogi, you are the sannyāsī, and you are everything. That is the secret of Bhagavad-gītā. It is practical example. We see that Arjuna is asked, tasmād yogī bhavārjuna. "My dear..." Now you'll find in this chapter, Kṛṣṇa will instruct Arjuna how to become a dhyāna-yogī. That is meditation, yogi in meditation. He will ask Arjuna in this chapter, and you'll find, Arjuna will say, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, it is impossible for me. It is impossible for me. This system which You recommend for meditation is not possible for me." And actually also, although the instruction of yoga system is offered to Kṛṣṇa in very full details, you'll never find in the history of Arjuna's life that ever he became a meditator. Ever. Then how he became the most perfect yogi? Oh, that is, that we'll find at the end of this chapter, that "One who is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa..."
Therefore this bhakti-yoga system, the sacred place is this temple. You live here, it is nirguṇa, it is transcendental. The Vedic injunction is that the city is the place of passion. And the forest is the place of goodness. And the temple is transcendental. If you live in a city or a town, that is a passionate place. And if you don't want to live in a passionate place, you go to a forest. That is place of goodness. But a temple, a God's temple, is above this passion and goodness. Therefore temple is the only secluded place for this age. You cannot go in a secluded place in a forest. It is impossible. And if you make a show of yoga practice in a so-called class and indulge in all kinds of nonsense things, that is not yoga practice. Here is the prescription how to practice yoga. Go on.
Samādhi means, samādhi means not to make void. That is impossible. Kleśo 'dhikaratas teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām. Some yogi says that you stop yourself, make yourself motionless. How it is possible to make me motionless? I am moving spirit. This is not possible. Motionless means when you are fixed up in Kṛṣṇa, there is no more material motion. That is motionless. This material propensities will not anymore disturb you. That is called motionless. But your motion for Kṛṣṇa activities will increase. The more you increase your motion or activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness you become automatically motionless in material activities. That is the process. But if you want to make motionless, the same example—a child, a child is restless. You cannot make the child motionless. You give him something, plaything, some nice picture. He will see, engaged, and motionless. That is the way. So people are motionless. Not motionless, what is called? Moving. But if you want to make him motionless then give him Kṛṣṇa engagement. Then he'll be motionless. And that is realization. Why he should be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness unless he realizes that "I am Kṛṣṇa's. I am not this matter's, I am not this nation's, I am not this society's, I am not this rascal's, I am simply Kṛṣṇa's." Motionless. His full knowledge.
Prabhupāda: Just see, a sparrow is trying to dry up the ocean. (laughs) This is called determination. Just like our Gandhi. He declared war against the Britishers. War is that non-violent, noncooperation. You see? But the determination was there. That "I must drive away the Britishers." And he did it. And what is the weapon? Nonviolence. "All right, you fight, you kill me, I shall not attack you." You see? He became, what is that? Determination. People laughed. "Gandhi is declaring war with the Britishers, so powerful, British Empire." And actually after the Britishers lost India, they lost all Empire. Because that was the jewel of British Empire. They lost all possession in the Far East, they lost possession in Egypt, they lost possession on Suez Canal, everything lost. So determination is so nice thing. Go on.
Devotee: "She began to pick out the water in her small beak, and everyone laughed at her for her impossible determination. The news of her activity spread, and at last Garuḍa, the gigantic bird carrier of Lord Viṣṇu, heard it." (end)
What is that real happiness? Happiness we feel through our senses. Because material, dead stone, has no sense, therefore dead stone cannot feel happiness or distress. Now, this consciousness, the developed consciousness, feels happiness and distress more than undeveloped consciousness.
Just like the trees. The trees, they have got also consciousness, but it is not developed consciousness. Therefore the trees are standing on the road or anywhere, but they have no sense of feeling the miseries. Now, suppose a human being is asked to stand like the tree, at least for three days. Oh, it will be impossible for him because he cannot tolerate such kind of miseries. So therefore conclusion is that every living entity feels the pleasure and happiness according to the developed consciousness of his being. Similarly, the happiness which we are feeling now in the material mixture, that is not real happiness. That is not real happiness. If you ask the tree, "Are you feeling happy?" the tree will say, "Yes. I am feeling happy standing here the whole year, and the wind and snowfall I am enjoying very much." Oh. You see? So that sort of happiness the tree may enjoy, but you are human being. You will say, "Oh, this is the standard of his enjoyment."
Viṣṇujana: "People are not serious about self-realization even by simple practical means, what to speak of this difficult yoga system which regulates the mode of living, the manner of sitting, selection of place and detachment of the mind from material engagements. As a practical man, Arjuna thought it was impossible to follow this system of yoga."
Prabhupāda: Yes. He was not prepared to become a pseudoyogi, false, simply by practicing some gymnastic. He was not a pretender. He said that, "I am a family man, I am a soldier, so it is not possible for me." He frankly admits. He does not ... something which is impossible. That is simply a useless waste of time. Why should one do that? Go on.
Viṣṇujana: "Even though he was favorably endowed in many ways, He belonged to the royal family and was highly elevated in terms of numerous qualities: he was a great warrior, he had great longevity."
Prabhupāda: This system of yoga, this aṣṭāṅga-yoga. Yes.
Viṣṇujana: "In fact, we do not find any record in history of his practicing it at any time. Therefore this system must be considered impossible, especially in this age of Kali. Of course it may be possible for some very few, rare men, but for the people in general it is an impossible proposal. If this was so five thousand years ago, then what to speak of the present day? Those who are imitating this yoga system in different so-called schools and societies, although complacent, are certainly wasting their time. They are completely in ignorance of the desired goal."
"No, mind, don't go there." Oh, no, mind says, "No. I must go. I must go." And sometimes we agree. "All right, let me go." So it is very strong. So Arjuna is saying, tasyāhaṁ nigraham. Now, you have... The whole process of your yoga system is, the sum and substance of yoga system is, to control the mind. The agitated mind should be controlled, and the mind has to be focused on the Supersoul. That is the whole purpose of yoga. Now, Arjuna says that tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye. The mind is so agitated that to cut down the mind is as impossible as you want to stop a hurricane. Suppose there is hurricane. It is blowing so strongly, and if one stands before the hurricane and spreading his han..., "No, I will stop it," is it possible? No. Just see.
Now, you can just imagine Arjuna, five thousand years before, and he was understanding Bhagavad-gītā from Kṛṣṇa his friend. Just imagine what is his qualification. He is direct friend of Kṛṣṇa, and he is a great warrior. He has got administrative capacity, and at the same time his knowledge... Comparing his knowledge, this Bhagavad-gītā he understood within one hour. This Bhagavad-gītā, which is not understood in one life at the present moment, he understood this Bhagavad-gītā in one hour. So how much intelligent he was. And he belong to the royal family. All facilities were there. And he... He is accepting that "It is not possible for me." But do you think what was impossible for Arjuna five thousand years before in such favorable circumstances, is it possible for you to discharge? Do you belong to the Arjuna category? No. We are thousand times lower than Arjuna's category. And what was impossible for Arjuna, do you think it is possible for you? Any sane man will do that thing, that, what was... In a Bengal, Bengali payar(?) (proverb?)
The animals, they can swim over the river. So there was a big, overflowing river. So at that time there was no such carrying boats and ships, so everyone had to cross river either by small boats or by swimming. So generally the animals were allowed to swim over, to cross over the other part, other bank, and men, they took small boats and they would... Now, there was very good current, so many horses, they swept away by the current. And one lean and thin horse came. He is asking, "Let me know how much water this is?" You see? So similarly, if what was impossible for Arjuna, such a stalwart, such an advanced and, I mean to say, in every respect, and directly a friend of Kṛṣṇa, he is admitting that "Kṛṣṇa, this process is not possible for me. Oh, I am a military man. I have to look after the administrative affairs. So how can I concentrate my mind in that way which you have prescribed? So it is not possible for me." He flatly denied. He flatly denied.
"Just it is impossible to control the hurricane wind, similarly, it is impossible for me to control my mind. It is not possible." Then? How to control the mind? That, the same thing, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You can control the mind if you fix up your mind always in Kṛṣṇa. That is the only remedy. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane (SB 9.4.18). That is the only perfect yoga. Our subject matter for today's lecture is perfect yoga. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the perfect form of yoga system. That is admitted five thousand years before. At that time there was all circumstances, very good. And in the śāstra also, it is said that
- kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ
- tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ
- dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ
- kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt
- (SB 12.3.52)
You'll find in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Twelfth Canto, Śukadeva Gosvāmī is recommending to Mahārāja Parīkṣit that kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum. In the Satya-yuga when people used to live for ten millions of years, at that time this yoga system was nice, for that time. Kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum. What was achieved, the success which was achieved in the Satya-yuga by this yoga process of meditation was achieved in the next yuga, Tretā-yuga, yajato makhaiḥ, by offering great sacrifices, and the same success was achieved in the next yuga, Dvāpara-yuga, by worshiping, temple worship.
Always glorifying, they are mahātmās. They are great souls. If you want to be great soul in terms of the Vedic literature, in terms of Bhagavad-gītā, in terms of great saints and sages, then you have to adopt this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa. No other process will be possible. It is not impossible. Just imagine. A personality like Arjuna, with all facilities of life and five thousand years before the circumstances were different, and still, he denied. So yoga system... Actually, if you simply making a show, showbottle of meditation, if you are satisfied, oh, that is a different thing. Make yourself a showbottle. But showbottle demonstration will not make you successful. It is clearly according to Bhagavad-gītā. Showbottle demonstration will not make you successful. You have to be really bottle of medicine. Then it will cure. You know... Of course I... Here is not...
You are right." Vaśyātmanā tu yatatā śakyo 'vāptum upāyataḥ: "But one who is determined, he can find out the ways and means how he can control the mind, if he is serious." So this is the way. If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious and try to follow the principles, then this is the nicest possible way of controlling the mind. Vaśyātmanā tu yatatā śakyo 'vāptum upāyataḥ. Upāyataḥ means you can find out means, ways and means. You can control. Arjuna uvāca. Now, so far the descriptions...
Now, Arjuna did not further say. Arjuna said that "It is impossible for me," and Kṛṣṇa also said, "Yes, it is difficult process. But if you try, you can do it." No further discussion because both of them were not very serious about... It is a process, recognized process, but it is very difficult for the human being at the present moment. The process is not rejected. Bhagavad-gītā accepts the yoga process. That means the process is recognized. It is a science. But at the present moment, even five thousand years before, it was impossible to be practiced. Now how we can imagine that five thousand years after, it has improved, the condition, so that you can practice this system? No. Therefore they did not, either Arjuna or Kṛṣṇa, both of them, indulge in discussing further on this point. So next point Arjuna is discussing.
One who is the greatest rich man. Every one of us... There are so many rich men, we are present here. But nobody can say, "I am the richest in the world." That is not possible. So one who can say and prove that he is the richest in the world, he can be accepted as Bhagavān, not these rascals, cheap Bhagavān. Cheap Bhagavān we don't accept. We accept Bhagavān Rāmacandra, Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, because They did something which is impossible to be done by any human being. We are not going to accept cheap Bhagavān.
So Bhagavān means who is the richest, who is the most famous, who is the most..., who is the strongest, who is the most beautiful, who is the most wise, and who is most renounced. Just like Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says that bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He is the proprietor of all the lokas. Lokas means where the people or living entities live. So there are so many planets. Everywhere there are living entities. Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyam. There are Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka, Svarloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Satyaloka, Brahmaloka. Seven, fourteen planetary system. Then down: Tala, Atala, Vitala, Talātala, Pātāla, Rasātala. There are so many. This is only one universe. There are millions of universes.
The solution is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, annād bhavanti bhūtāni: (BG 3.14) "Bhūtāni, all living entities, both animal and man, they can live very nicely without any anxiety provided they have got sufficient food grains." Now what is your objection to this? This is the solution. Kṛṣṇa says, annād bhavanti bhūtāni. So it is not utopian; it is practical. You must have sufficient food grain to feed the human being and the animal, and everything will be peaceful immediately. Because people, if one become hungry, he is disturbed. So give him food first of all. That is Kṛṣṇa's injunction. Is that very impossible, impractical? No. You grow food more and distribute. So much land is there, but we are not growing food. We are growing or busy in manufacturing tools and motor tires. Then now eat motor tires. But Kṛṣṇa says that "You grow anna." Then there is no question of scarcity. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. But anna is produced when there is sufficient rain. Parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. And yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ (BG 3.14). And if you perform yajña, then there will be regular rainfall. This is the, way. But nobody is interested with yajña, nobody is interested with food grain, and if you create your own scarcity, then it is not God's fault; it is your fault.
Here in this material world, the trouble is that we have to accept one type of body and again give it up and again another type of body, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Yāvaj jananaṁ tāvan maraṇam. This business is very troublesome. We do not understand. We forget. Under the influence of māyā, we forget what is the trouble of taking birth, what is the trouble of death, what is the trouble of old age, and what is the trouble of disease. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "Anyone who can understand Me, about Me." Not "about Me," but "about Me." We can understand Kṛṣṇa by His activities, something about Him. Otherwise, He has immense potencies. It is impossible for us to understand. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). There is unlimited energies of Kṛṣṇa; therefore He is called acintya-śakti. Acintya-guṇa. Acintya-śakti, "which is inconceivable." But anyone, if he somehow or other according to his capacity tries to understand in truth, then he becomes immediately liberated so that after quitting this body, he doesn't have to come again in this material world. Then where does he go? Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). "He comes to Me."
Others, who are simply speculating, they cannot understand You. Therefore, people are bewildered how God is person. But they cannot understand, because they have not taken shelter of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, or His representative. It is impossible for him. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samā... (BG 7.25). Kṛṣṇa cannot be exposed to the nondevotees. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya. Not anyone, ordinary common man, can understand. Therefore, we have to understand Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, from Kṛṣṇa, not from anyone who is simply speculating or wrongly interpreting Bhagavad-gītā. They cannot understand. That is the way.
- jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam
- idaṁ vakṣyāmy aśeṣataḥ
- yaj jñātvā na iha bhūyaḥ anyat
- jñātavyam avaśiṣyate
- (BG 7.2)
Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is just to try to understand what is Kṛṣṇa. That's all. What is Kṛṣṇa. Because if you perfectly understand Kṛṣṇa, then immediately you become liberated, and you become eligible to be transferred to the spiritual world.
And still, they are disturbed, so many. Especially with the increase of Kali-yuga, people will be disturbed by two things especially. What is that? Scarcity of food and taxation. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ (SB 12.2.9). Kara means taxation. The people will be embarrassed for want of food, at the same time, every year, increase of taxation. That is stated in the Bhāgavata. Durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ. So much disturbed that they will give up their hearth and home and go away in the forest. Durbhikṣa-kara-pīḍitāḥ. Ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā yāsyanti giri-kānanam. Dāra-draviṇā, money, wife, children, everything—they will be disgusted: "Now it is impossible to maintain. Let me go away." Yāsyanti giri-kānanam.
So this is the Kali-yuga position. So five thousand years ago, when Kṛṣṇa spoke about Bhagavad-gītā, at that time the position was manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). So sahasra. Now, on account of Kali-yuga, manuṣyāṇām "millions," because it has increased. The Kali-yuga has increased. Not sahasreṣu, and the percentage has increased millions and millions. Therefore nobody is interested in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are trying to give the highest perfection of life, but they are not interested. They want to remain like cats and dogs and suffer the consequence. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ, ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā (BG 3.27). This is going on.
There are many low-grade people, but actually, a caṇḍāla is not a low-grade man. The man who does not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is supposed to be narādhama because he has got the chance. An animal hasn't got the chance to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. I cannot call animal, cats and dogs, in this meeting. That is impossible, because they have no chance. But we can call, we can hold a meeting amongst the human beings for discussing Kṛṣṇa because they have got the special power to understand. This special power to understand Kṛṣṇa, if it is misused for other purposes, he is narādhama. He got the chance of human being, but he has become degraded on account of his unwillingness to take Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So such persons, duṣkṛtina, always engaged in mischievous activities, always engaged to work hard like an ass and does not take the advantage of human being, they are called duṣkṛtina, mūḍha, narādhama. Then one may say, "All right, these people are lowest of the mankind or like an ass or miscreant, but there are many, many educated persons, highly elevated in discussing philosophy.
One who is devotee of the Supreme Lord, he is called demigod. He also becomes god. And one who defies the authority of the Supreme Lord, he is called demon. So the demon and the gods are always there. Some are... But number of gods are very small, but there are. So here, āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritaḥ, one who has acquired that demoniac quality, challenging the authority of the Supreme Lord, they are asura, asura. Asura means demons. So the demons and the fools and the lowest of the mankind and whose knowledge has been plundered by the illusory energy and who is impious, oh, they cannot go to God. It is impossible. They are not allowed. But they can be, provided they agree. God is always kind to accept anybody, but these people, they cannot have due to their... They will have to suffer these threefold miseries for many more days. Then when they come to the senses, then they can come.
So against these four classes of men, there are another four classes of men who take to the shelter of God, beginning, beginning. And what they are?
Now, when God came before him, God offered him: "My dear Dhruva, what do you want? Take whatever you like." Then Dhruva said, "My dear Sir," sthānābhilāṣī tapasi sthito 'ham, "oḥ, I was situated in this severe type of penance simply for the matter of my father's kingdom, a land." Sthānābhilāṣī tapasi sthito 'haṁ tvāṁ prāptavān deva-munīndra-guhyam: "But I have now seen You, and You who is impossible to be seen even by the great sages and great saints. So I have seen You. So what is my profit?"
Now, kācaṁ vicinvann api divya-ratnam: "As if I came out of my home to find out some particles of glass, but I have found out a very valuable diamond." Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce: (CC Madhya 22.42) "Oh, I am satisfied. I have no necessity of asking from You."
Just like modern scientists. They are calculating that the moon is full of dust, but according to Vedic literature moon is not full of dust. There are also higher living entities. And from..., from your practical reason also, you can just understand that a lump of dust cannot be so brilliant so that it is illuminating the whole earth. It is not possible. Anyway, let the scientists go on with their own research work. So far we have got information from Vedic literature, all the planets—sun planet, moon planet, Venus—they are all full of living entities, and they have got different types of body.
So as it is not impossible with certain type of qualification to enter into different types of planets, similarly, you can enter into the planet where the Supreme Lord also there. That is also possible. You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā:
- yānti deva-vratā devān
- pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ
- bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā
- yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām
- (BG 9.25)
Those who are worshiping, qualifying themself to enter into the higher planets, they can enter into the higher planets. Those who are trying to qualify themselves to enter into the pitṛ planets, oh, they can enter there. Similarly, those who are trying to qualify themselves to enter into the planet of the Supreme Lord, oh, they can also enter there. So our, this process, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is to qualify ourself to enter into the planet of Kṛṣṇa, which is known as Goloka Vṛndāvana.
He's beyond the expression of words. He is beyond the conception of mind. He is greatest of the great, and the smallest of the small. How He's the smallest of the... We are also, because we are spirit spark. Now, do we know what is our measurement? That we can find in the śāstra. I have several times mentioned that one ten-thousandth part of the tip of your hair is the measurement of the soul. Now you have no instrument. You cannot measure even the tip of your hair, and what to speak of ten-thousandth part of it. Impossible. Therefore because you cannot find out by dissecting this body where is that spirit spark... There is, but your present eyes cannot find it out. Therefore you say nirākāra, or no form. But actually, it has form.
We get information from the śāstras. Just like we get complete information of the sun globe from geography or from authoritative sources, scientist, astrologer, astronomer, mathematician, so similarly, you can get information what is the form of individual soul, what is the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are there. But His form is not like your form or my form. The Brahma-saṁhitā says, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). His form is full of bliss, and full of knowledge, and eternal. But this body, this body, our body, is neither eternal, neither full of knowledge, neither blissful. So we can distinguish what is the form of God. Sac-cid-ānanda. Sat. Sat means eternal, cit means full of knowledge, and ānanda means full of blissfulness.
This is the position.
Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Unfortunate. And upadrutāḥ: "In spite of all this, he's always disturbed with diseases and so many other things." This is disturb. This is the position. Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa, He thought that if these people are allowed, if they have to come to the point of liberation under the regulative process, it is impossible. So out of His causeless mercy, He came as Lord Caitanya, Lord Caitanya, and distributed this highest perfection of life, ecstasy, spiritual ecstasy, by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. This is practical. This is practical. It does not depend whether you are now liberated or non-liberated, what is your position, what is your condition. Doesn't matter. Just come and take part in it, and you'll feel spiritual ecstasy. Therefore it is called rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ pavitram. Pavitram: "It is very pure." Anyone who takes to this process, he becomes immediately purified. Or the purification process begins immediately. Immediately. Pavitram.
Then Nārada could understand, "Oh, this man has no faith. He simply reads book. That's all." And when he went to the cobbler, he also asked, "Oh, you have seen? What Nārāyaṇa was doing?" He also said that "He was doing like this..." Oh, he began to cry, "Oh, my Lord is wonderful. He can do anything." So Nārada inquired, "So do you believe that Lord can push one elephant through the holes of a needle?" "Oh, why not? I must believe." "Then what is your reason?" "Oh, my reason? I am sitting under this banyan tree, and so many fruits are falling daily, and in each fruit there are thousands of seeds, and each seed there is a tree. If in a small seed there can be big tree like that, is it very impossible to accept that Kṛṣṇa is putting one elephant through the, I mean, the holes of a needle? He has kept such a nice tree in the seed." So this is called belief. So unbelievers and believer means the believers, they are not blind believers. They have reason. If by Kṛṣṇa's process, by God's process, or nature's process, such a big tree can be put within the small seed, is it very impossible for Kṛṣṇa to keep all these planets floating in His energy? So we have to believe. We have no other explanation. But we have to understand in this way. Our reasoning, our argument, our logic should go in this way.
I will have to enter the kingdom of God, spiritual planet, where going I will have not to return back again to accept this material body."
That seriousness, one who has taken that serious attitude, they can actually perform this Kṛṣṇa consciousness very nicely. But those who are still under the impression that "Material advancement will make me happy," they are still under the spell of illusion. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This planet, that planet, that planet, that planet, that planet. But in no planet nowhere you can have perfect peace of life. That is impossible. Therefore those who are intelligent, those who are by God's grace, Kṛṣṇa's grace, or by good association one who can understand that "This sort of life is not desirable. I must perform dṛḍha-vrata, with great determination and vow, in this life so that yad gatvā na nivartante (BG 15.6), I may be transferred into the Kṛṣṇaloka planet where going I shall not have to return back..." Now, the materialist says, "All right, you do not know whether you are going or not. You are giving up this material enjoyment. You are simply living on cāpāṭis. Oh, we have got so many palatable dishes, and you are not enjoying this. You are fool." So to these poor devotees who are taking cāpāṭis, the Lord says a very nice thing. What is that?
So it is our interest to know God. We are always full of anxieties. Nobody is free from anxieties. Nobody's free from miseries of this material world. And here is the process. And Bhāgavata confirms it: na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). We are making progress, but we do not know what is the ultimate goal of progress. That we do not know. Na te viduḥ.
So similarly, Bhāgavata also confirms: na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā (SB 7.5.31). Durāśayā means some impossible hope. They are being conducted under the guidance of this illusory energy with some hope which is impossible to be fulfilled. Durāśayā. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). Why they are thinking of that impossibility? Impossible hope? Because they have taken, they are captivated by this material energy.
The business of club that a young woman should be there, and there should be wine and cards for playing gambling. And whenever they get holiday, they, you won't find him at home. He has immediately gone to the club. You see? So these things... Not only in Germany. About, say, thirty years ago, one of my Godbrothers went to England, and Lord Zetland, he said that "Whether, Swamiji, you can make us brāhmaṇa?" So he proposed these four things: "Yes. We can make you brāhmaṇa, provided you give up these bad habits." "What is that?" "No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling, no intoxication." He said, "It is impossible. This is our life!" You see.
So it is very difficult. Therefore the pravṛtti-nirvṛtti, the Vedic rules have been formulated in such a way that if a man has got pravṛtti for meat-eating or drinking or for sex-life or gambling... So we know that gambling is allowed on the kālī-pūjā day. We know. Especially northern Indian people, mercantile people, they take it, advantage, gambling. And sex life is allowed married life. That is gradually nivṛtti, married life; otherwise they will become upstarts. The society will be lost. And meat-eating allowed also: "All right. Just offer a goat before Kali and take that." Not purchase from the market or slaughterhouse.
That, that is Vedic way of life. Pravṛttiṁ-nivṛtti. So long pravṛtti, attraction for household life, and next nivṛtti, "Now I shall be detached." But the asuras, as it is said, pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttiṁ ca na vidur āsurāḥ janāḥ (BG 16.7). And if you continue simply pravṛtti-mārga, then you'll remain asura; you don't become deva. The whole process Vedic system is, even if you are asuras, gradually by practice, by good association, by following the principles of śāstra, we can become deva. So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, actually we're doing that. These boys, they are so..., according to our śāstras they are born in asura families, but they are coming deva. And they have become devas. So that is not impossible. It doesn't matter, janmana jāyate śūdraḥ saṅskarād bhaved dvijaḥ. Anyone can be born of lowborn, śūdra-born, or lower than śūdra born, but by this process, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpā (SB 2.4.18)—more than, still lower born—śudhyanti prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. That is the wonderful, I mean to say, power of the Supreme Lord. So we are trying to bring everyone—Hindus, Muslims, or mlecchas, Yavanas, Kirāta, Āndhras—anyone come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there is no limitation. We don't say, "No. Because you are born in this family, you can not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Everyone can. Just like in Africa, they are also taking. They are becoming Vaiṣṇava.
We don't want to stop the tendency of material enjoyment. No nivṛtti. The human life is meant for nivṛtti. The cats' and dogs' life is for pravṛtti. The sex desire, they cannot stop it. It is not possible. If you teach some dogs that "You forget the sex life," it is impossible. That is not possible. So they cannot stop this desire of sex life. But if a human being can be induced... Therefore there is brahmacarya system, there is Vedic education, there is Bhagavad-gītā, so many other things. If people take advantage of these books they can stop this pravṛtti, this intense desire for enjoying this material world. But the asuras, they do not know that what we should accept and what we should not accept. Pravṛtti means to accept something, and nivṛtti means to deny something. So they do not know. This is the first symptom of the asuras. Pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttiṁ ca na viduḥ. Pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttiṁ ca janā na vidur āsurāḥ, āsurāḥ janāḥ (BG 16.7), those who are demons, asuras, they do not know it.
So without becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, everyone's life is baffled; he's demon. So demons, they are trying only to adjust things materially, which is impossible. So they are busy, prabhavanti, flourishing, prabhavanti. Prabhavanti means flourishing. Ugra-karmāṇaḥ. Karma... We have to do some work. That's a fact. Kṛṣṇa says that "Without doing something, you cannot maintain your body and soul together." Karmaṇo jyāyo... What is that? No. That... Karma is better then vikarma. The... Kṛṣṇa says that "You must be engaged in some work. You cannot sit idle. That is not good." "Idle brain is a devil's workshop." Kṛṣṇa never said that "My dear Arjuna, you are My first-class devotee. Now you sit down and I'll do everything for you." No. Kṛṣṇa never said. Rather, Arjuna was not willing to fight, and Kṛṣṇa was inducing him, "You must fight. You must fight." Kṛṣṇa never said that "You become idle kṛṣṇa-bhakta," never said. So those who are trying to be idle kṛṣṇa-bhakta, they are not devotees. One must be engaged with Kṛṣṇa's work. That is devotion. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). Always chanting the glory of Kṛṣṇa and trying everything for benefit of Kṛṣṇa, that is mahātmā. Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim... (BG 9.13), bhajanty an... Bhajanti means "He's always engaged in My service." That is mahātmā. Laziness is not bhakti. There must be something. But if somebody says, "Now I'll chant sitting down. Who is going to see me? I'll doze and people will know I am chanting." You see? This kind of cheating will not do.
So therefore this śamo damaḥ can be practiced provided you agree to execute tapasya, tapasya.
Therefore in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we are training these boys, anyone—it doesn't matter what he is—no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling. This is tapasya. Those who are practiced to these bad habits, for them it will be very difficult, very difficult. Yes. One of our godbrother went to preach in London and Lord Zetland, he was talking with him, and he said, "Goswamiji, can you make me a brāhmaṇa?" So he said, "Yes, why not? You give up these four bad habits," and he said, "It is impossible for us." He said clearly, "It is impossible. This is our life." But at the present moment these boys, hundreds and thousands of boys, they are giving up this practice. This is called tapasya. Hundreds and thousands, they have agreed. I have not bribed them. I am poor Indian. But they have agreed. "Yes." They are actually practicing no illicit sex, no gambling, no meat-eating, and no intoxication. They do not smoke even, don't take tea even. This is called tapasya.
Oh, it is very difficult. People find it very difficult. Even a person like Lord Zetland. He was proposed that... He, he inquired... One of my Godbrothers went to London, and he was talking with Lord Zetland, Marquis of Zetland. So Marquis of Zetland inquired, "Well, Swamiji, can you make me a brāhmaṇa?" "Yes, we can make you brāhmaṇa." "How?" "Now, you just give up illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling." "Ohhh, it is impossible. This is our life. This is our life, to have boyfriend and girlfriend and drinking and meat-eating and gambling. If we give up all this, then where is our life?"
Therefore we require tapasya. This is tapasya. Here is only four simple things. And if you ask anybody give up drinking tea, oh, you will find a thunderbolt. Thunderbolt. "Oh, what you are speaking? I shall give up tea-drinking?" "At least, you are a sannyāsī." "No, I have to drink tea in the morning, at least, so big cup. (laughter) And then smoking gāñjā. And I become God." This is going on. This is going on. Therefore it is warned: "Don't talk this, the philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā, to the rascals who has no austerities, who has no devotion, who is not prepared to hear." But the servant of Kṛṣṇa, they take all risk for Kṛṣṇa's sake.
| Page Title: | Impossible (Lectures, BG) |
| Compiler: | Mayapur, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 03 of Oct, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=80, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 80 |