Now the conscious īśvara, the supreme conscious īśvara, and difference between the supreme conscious īśvara, or the Lord, and the living being is, in the present circumstances, is like this. Consciousness, consciousness of, both of the Lord and the living entities, they are, this consciousness is transcendental. It is not that this consciousness is generated by the association of this matter. That is a mistaken idea. The theory that consciousness develops under certain circumstances of material combination is not accepted in the Bhagavad-gītā. They cannot. Consciousness may be pervertedly reflected by the cover of material circumstances, just like light reflected through a colored glass may seem according to the color. Similarly, the consciousness of Lord, it is not materially affected. The Supreme Lord, just like Kṛṣṇa, He says that mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ (BG 9.10). When He descends in this material world, His consciousness is not materially affected. Had His consciousness been materially affected, He was unfit to speak about the transcendental subject matter in the Bhagavad-gītā. One cannot say anything about the transcendental world without being free from the materially contaminated consciousness. So the Lord was not materially contaminated.
Reflection (Lectures, BG)
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Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
That is a mistaken idea. The theory that consciousness develops under certain circumstances of material combination is not accepted in the Bhagavad-gītā. They cannot. Consciousness may be pervertedly reflected by the cover of material circumstances, just like light reflected through a colored glass may seem according to the color. Similarly, the consciousness of Lord, it is not materially affected. The Supreme Lord, just like Kṛṣṇa, He says that mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ (BG 9.10). When He descends in this material world, His consciousness is not materially affected. Had His consciousness been materially affected, He was unfit to speak about the transcendental subject matter in the Bhagavad-gītā. One cannot say anything about the transcendental world without being free from the materially contaminated consciousness.
Now, this material world is described in the Fifteenth chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā as a tree which has got its root upwards, ūrdhva-mūlam. Have you experience of any tree which has its root upwards? We have got this experience of a tree, root upwards by reflection. If we stand on the bank of a river or any reservoir of water, we can see that the tree on the bank of the reservoir of water is reflected in the water as trunk downwards and the root upwards. So this material world is practically a reflection of the spiritual world. Just like the reflection of the tree on the bank of a reservoir of water is seen downwards, similarly, this material world, it is called shadow. Shadow. As in the shadow there cannot be any reality, but at the same time, from the shadow we can understand that there is reality.
The example of shadow in the, shadow of water in the desert, suggests that in the desert there is no water, but there is water. Similarly, in the reflection of the spiritual world, or in this material world, there is undoubtedly, there is no happiness, there is no water. But the real water, or the actual happiness, is in the spiritual world. The Lord suggests that one has to reach that spiritual world in the following manner, nirmāna-mohā.
- nirmāna-mohā jita-saṅga-doṣā
- adhyātma-nityā vinivṛtta-kāmāḥ
- dvandvair vimuktāḥ sukha-duḥkha-saṁjñair
- gacchanty amūḍhāḥ padam avyayaṁ tat
- (BG 15.5)
That padam avyayam, that eternal kingdom, can be reached by one who is nirmāna-mohā. Nirmāna-mohā. Nirmāna means we are after designations. Artificially we want some designations.
When one is under the thought that "I am this," this is illusion. Illusion means you accept something, something is presented as reality, and you accept it. Just like the example is given water in the desert. Mirage. There is no water, but a, an animal is hankering, is running after water in the desert. That is practical, that due to sunshine there is a reflection, it appears in the desert. Sometimes you might have seen—not here, in India we have seen several times—that exactly there is a vast water, and it is reflecting, the reflection. That is called mirage. There is not a drop of water, but the animal, when he is thirsty he..., it thinks that "There is water." He jumps into the desert and the water is going ahead, going ahead, and he is running after it and then dying. So this illusion, that "I am this body." So we are after this sense gratification. Body means the senses. So that is mirage, illusion. Just like the animal is running after water in the desert.
He is the origin. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: (BG 10.8) "I am the origin of everything."
So whatever we are seeing in this material world, the origin is in Kṛṣṇa. But here it is perverted. That is the only difference. Just like a tree. The original tree is standing erect. But when you see the perverted reflection of the tree, everything is topsy-turvied. The upside has gone downside. You have seen the reflection of the tree. So the upside, downside. When the upside of the tree becomes downside, that is called perverted reflection. So this material world is perverted reflection of the spiritual world. It is false in this sense because it is reflection. Otherwise, exactly the same things are there in the spiritual world.
There is. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find in the Fifteenth Chapter. Ūrdhva-mūlam. Here, this material world, the origin—mūlam means root—is upside, upside. Because it is reflection. This tree is erect, and this is reflection. So the root has gone upside. So here is the problem. Because we are attached to our this so-called family, society, friendship and love... When Arjuna was faced, then he became kṛpayā parayāviṣṭo viṣīdann idam abravīt (BG 1.27). "How it is possible, Kṛṣṇa, that I have to kill the other side, my fathers, my father-in-law, my grandfather, my sons, my grandsons, my brother, my so many friends?" So it is natural. Kṛpayā parayā āviṣṭaḥ. He becomes overwhelmed with compassion. Kṛpayā parayāviṣṭo viṣīdan. Very morosely. "Oh, Kṛṣṇa, I will have to fight with them. I will have to kill them." Why this consciousness came?
Prabhupāda: Gītā is just to understand what is God. And then, when you are actually engaged in God's service, these things come. That is higher stage. Gītā is the ABCD of understanding God.
Indian: So it will give you some more reflection... You see...
Prabhupāda: Yes. But if we accept the ABCD, then we come to literature. Then we pass M.A. examination. Yes. So Gītā is the preliminary step, first step of understanding God.
Indian: I am reading Gītā from my childhood. I like it.
Prabhupāda: Very good.
Indian: Yes. So I think your Gītā will give me some more reflection.
Prabhupāda: Yes. I am explaining as it is. I am not interpreting. So it is being accepted.
Indian: So I should read it.
Prabhupāda: Thank you.
Indian: That's the inclination, that I should read the books.
Prabhupāda: (laughing) Very good.
Indian: Very good.
Devotee: Hare Kṛṣṇa!
Prabhupāda: Jaya. (pause) Yes, let us discuss. (break)
So Sañjaya, the private secretary of Mahārāja Dhṛtarāṣṭra, he was relaying the message which was going on in the battle of Kurukṣetra by higher process. Nowadays we have got experience of the television, but the another process, antar-dṛṣṭi, that is also television. You can see the reflection of external activities within your heart, and you can explain. So Sañjaya, the private secretary of Mahārāja Dhṛtarāṣṭra, he explained that Arjuna was denying to fight.
Water in the desert. Now, in the desert, due to sun's reflection... You might have experienced in the street also, during blazing sun. It appears like water. Now, that animal, because it has no knowledge, it is, I mean to say, flying towards water in the desert. Although there is no water. But a sane man like you and me, or a human being, he knows that there is no water. There is no water. So this direction, that there is water, this mistake is committed by the animal because he, it has no sufficient knowledge. But one, a human being who has got sufficient knowledge, he does not commit that mistake. Yes.
Yes. I mean to say, any sane man who has got the knowledge that "This is only reflection of the sun; it is not water," he will never go there. He knows that it is useless to search water in the desert. Similarly, if Śrī Kṛṣṇa is in full knowledge, He cannot say that in future also we shall all remain individuals. He says that in the future also we shall continue to be individuals. Now, He cannot give us misdirection. Suppose we, in the future we shall not remain. After liberation, we shall not become, remain, individuals. Then that sort of misguidance cannot be given by Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Just like a sane man cannot direct you that "Just go there. There is water in the desert." A man with perfect knowledge cannot give you that direction. A animal may go there. That is a different thing.
He can manifest Himself in various... Just now we have quoted a verse from Brahma-saṁhitā, advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33). Ananta-rūpam means unlimited forms. Unlimited forms. Ad... Still, they are one. In spite of becoming unlimited, they're one. Just like the sun. If you put here millions of pots, waterpots, in every pot you'll find the sun's reflection. But that millions of reflections, sun, does not mean that sun has lost his oneness. Sun is one. That is also a Vedic system, that we are all reflection like that. So anyway, these many, many forms of God, is from the desire of God. Now, out of these... Because God has got some desire, transcendental desire, to enjoy with many. He enjoys with His own energy because He is all-perfect. Just like if I want to enjoy life, I want family, I want a wife, I want children, I want friends, I want servants. So I have to think before having a wife. You see? Because I am limited, so I think twice, whether I am able to keep a wife, then whether I am able to maintain my children.
As a human being, he is prone to commit mistake, everyone accepts: (indistinct) errors and omission excepted. Similarly, a man is in illusion. Illusion means, just like the example of illusion is the mirage. In the desert or in very scorching heat, summer season, you can find before your car there is water, reflection. So this is called illusion. There is no water, but it appears there is vast mass of water. The animals are bewildered. They are thirsty, they go to the desert to take water. Where is water in the desert? This is called illusion. So mistake, to commit mistake, to become illusioned, and to the propensity of cheating. Every man is imperfect, but he is talking just like perfect. That is called cheating. The so-called scientists, philosophers, they are theorizing, "It may be," "Perhaps." So what is this knowledge, "Perhaps," "It may be"? That is not knowledge. Say definitely. But nobody can say. They are blind. The doctor is giving medicine, but he is not definitely sure whether his patient will die or live.
Similarly, in dream I was seeing that tiger has attacked me. I was actually crying "Here is tiger! Here is tiger! Save me." And the person who is lying behind me or beside me, he says, "Oh, why you are crying? Where is tiger?" So when he's awakened, he sees there is no tiger. So everything is like that. But this dream, these gross and subtle dreams, are simply reflections. Just like what is dream? The whole day, what I think, the dreaming is a reflection, reflection. My father was doing cloth business. So sometimes he, in dreaming he was quoting price: "This is the price." So similarly it is all dreaming. This material existence, made of these five gross elements and three subtle elements, they're exactly like dream. Smara nityam aniyatām.(?) Therefore Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, smara nityam aniyatām. This anitya, temporary... Dreaming is always temporary.
He was stealing, which we consider not very good business. That stealing is also in Kṛṣṇa. He's, He's famous as Mākhana-cora, the stealer of butter. So this is Kṛṣṇa. So everything is there. Whatever our dealings in this material world we find, that is only perverted reflection of our dealing with Kṛṣṇa in the spiritual world. But those who are unaware of the spiritual world, impersonalists, they have no information that Kṛṣṇa is always busy. Jaya rādhā-mādhava kuñja-bihārī. He's always busy. He's person. But He is simply dear to the gopījana. Gopījana-vallabha. He wants to please the gopījanas. The gopīs, the cowherd boys and the gopīs, constant companion of Kṛṣṇa.
So this is sanātana. Kṛṣṇa is sanātana, and His dealing with His devotees, that is also sanātana. And these are possible not here, but in the sanātana-dhāma. We cannot have sanātana dealings with Kṛṣṇa within this material world.
And those who are devotees, they attain the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
So according to Bhāgavata, Supreme Personality of Godhead is the ultimate goal. Paramātmā feature is partial representation. How it is? Just like the sun. Sun is the chief planet, and his reflection is in every water reservoir. If you put here thousands and millions of waterpots, in each pot you'll find the reflection of the sun. So Paramātmā, Supersoul, is the reflection or partial representation of the sun. So this is Paramātmā experience. And Brahman experience is just like the sunshine. Sunshine. Sunshine is all-pervading. Everywhere sunshine is there, but still, sunshine is not important. Important is the sun globe. Similarly, Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, when one realizes His effulgent bodily rays, that is Brahman conception.
When one realizes His reflection in everybody, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna (BG 18.61). God is every, in everyone's heart. Just like the reflection of the sun in a pot. So we are just like pots, and God's reflection is in our heart. This is material example. But God's reflection and God, there is no difference. God's bodily rays and God, there is no difference, advaya-jñāna, that they are not in the duality or relative world. They are in the absolute world. So there is no difference between God, Brahman, and Paramātmā. Any feature of realization will lead the person to spiritual life. But comparatively, the first realization is Brahman and the higher realization is Paramātmā, and the ultimate realization is Bhagavān.
And that is attracting our senses. This is the cause of our bondage. We are being bound up by some false illusory beauty of this world. Mirage. The exact example is the mirage. What is mirage? Reflection of the sunlight on the desert appears like water. Where is water there? There is no water. The animal, thirsty animal, is after the mirage. "Oh, here is water. I'll be satisfied." Similarly we are hankering after, running after the mirage. There is no peace, there is no happiness. Therefore we have to divert our attention back to Godhead. Don't run after this mirage. Just turn back to Godhead, back to Kṛṣṇa. That is our propaganda. Don't divert your... Don't engage your senses in the illusory material beauty. Just apply your senses to Kṛṣṇa, the real beautiful. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Go on.
This, I mean to say, Battlefield of Kurukṣetra was television in the heart of Sañjaya. Dhṛtarāṣṭra, the father of one party, Duryodhana, and his secretary, Sañjaya, were sitting in the room, and they were discussing what happened after this. Just like you get television or radio message in the football ground what is going on by sound and picture, so the same thing was being reflected in his heart and he was in the room. He was explaining the activities of the battlefield. This is the story, like that. Sañjaya uvāca. Dhṛtarāṣṭra uvāca.
These senses will give you opportunity to hear His transcendental name, to see His transcendental form, to understand His transcendental quality, and so many things. He has got His name, He has got His qualities, He has got His form. Then He has got His associates. Everything. Whatever we see in this material world, they are simply perverted reflection of the reality. Real form is there. Real name is there in the spiritual world. Just like my name, "such and such," your name, "Mr. John." This "John" is not actually your name, because you are spirit soul, eternal. But this "John" name is in relationship with this temporary body. As soon as this body is finished, the "John" name is finished. Then again, you take another body, you have got another name. Therefore this is not your name. But Kṛṣṇa, His name in the spiritual world and in this world, the same. His name does not change. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (CC Madhya 17.136). By service attitude.
So bhakta means when we revive our relationship, how I am connected with Kṛṣṇa. Then he is bhakta. Then he is bhakta. That relationship is pervertedly reflected in this material world. That relationship. Somebody is related with Kṛṣṇa as master and servant. That is reflected here also. There is master and servant, but both of them are cheating one another. The master is trying to exploit the servant, and the servant is trying to exploit the master. They are also forming unions, how to exact money from the capitalists, and the capitalists trying to exploit this labor from the laborers. So here, that master and servant is there, but both of them are cheaters and cheated. That's all. But if we really want to be master and servant, the supreme master is Kṛṣṇa and you engage yourself in His service. You'll never be cheated. You'll never be cheated. You want to love.
You want to love. You love Kṛṣṇa as your husband or lover, you'll never be cheated. You love children. You love Kṛṣṇa as your child—just like Yaśodāmāyi accepted Kṛṣṇa as his child—you'll never be cheated. So the same relationship is there, but it is perverted reflection, and there is no happiness. But when we become bhakta or establish one's relationship with Kṛṣṇa... Just like Arjuna. Arjuna is bhakta. What kind of bhakta? Bhakto 'si me sakhā, sakhā ceti. "You are bhakta, at the same time My friend." So to become bhakta means either you become a friend of Kṛṣṇa or a servant of Kṛṣṇa or a lover of Kṛṣṇa or father of Kṛṣṇa or mother of Kṛṣṇa. In this way, there are so many. Or you become enemy of Kṛṣṇa. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu.
Just like we individual souls, we want to enjoy our senses. Similarly, God has also senses, He also wants to enjoy. Just like here, we see a young boy, a young girl is united. Similarly, you have seen our pictures, Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, They are also united. There is also love, but that love is real. Here, the same thing, a reflection, is shadow. It is not real. The real love is there. There is no separation of that love. Here in this material world, because it is shadow, it is false, therefore there is separation. Love without separation is in God. Relationship between friend and friend, here it is breakable. As soon as there is some dissatisfaction, the friends separate. But if you make friendship with God, that is never separated. If you love Kṛṣṇa, that is never separated. If you accept Kṛṣṇa as your Son, that Son will never die. So these are the conception of God.
Just like Arjuna is in relationship with Kṛṣṇa as a friend, similarly, you can be in relationship with God as a lover. You can be in relationship with God as master and servant. You can be in relationship with God as father and son. There are so many relationships. As we have got relationship within this material world, this is only perverted reflection of that five relationship with God. But we have forgotten that. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to revive that consciousness. It is nothing new. To forget God means that is abnormal condition, and to have relationship with God is normal condition. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to be reestablished in our normal condition of life. Go on. "Arjuna is..."
Arjuna is practically, in his constitutional position, he is the servant of Kṛṣṇa, but in behavior we see, sometimes the Lord becomes the servant of the servant (CC Madhya 13.80). So we should not carry the materialistic idea in the spiritual... Although anything that we materially experience is a perverted reflection only of the spiritual life...
So that constitutional position, which cannot be changed, which is called dharma, in order to pre..., when that is deteriorated by contamination of matter, at that time, the Lord Himself comes as incarnation or He sends some of His confidential servitors. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he said that "I am son of God." So he's representative of the Supreme. And similarly, Hajrat Muhammad, he also identified himself as a servant. Padat hi bandhaḥ., a servant of the Lord.
As soon as personal conception of the Supreme Truth is presented there, they are afraid of: "Oh, it is something material. It is not real." This is called bhaya. But actually it is not that.
Actually this material world is described in the Bhagavad-gītā as the perverted reflection of the actual spiritual world. You will find in the Fifteenth Chapter that this material world is described as the obverted tree whose root is upwards and the branches are downwards. Have you have experience of this obverted tree whose root is upward and the branches and the leaves are downwards? Have you seen any tree like that? You have seen it, but you have forgotten. You have seen... When you see a tree on the bank of a river or bank of a reservoir of water, you find the reflection of the tree, just the opposite number. So similarly, this world, in the Fifteenth Chapter it is described there, the obverted tree. That means the real tree is there. The real tree is there.
So similarly, whatever we see, paternal affection, conjugal love, friendship, or master and servant... There are so many things we are related in this material world. We must always know that all these sentiments, they are coming from the Supreme. So here the paternal affection which we see here or the conjugal love which we see here, that is simply a perverted reflection of the Supreme. So you just... If we can study this material relationship between one living being to another living being, then if, a sober student, a philosophical-minded student, can understand what is our relation with God. It is not very difficult to understand.
That is called dāsya, or friendship. So the silent relationship, the servitude relationship, the friendly relationship, then paternal relationship, then conjugal relationship.
So these relationships which we find here in this material world, they are reflections of the original relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Because in the Vedānta-sūtra you find, janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "Everything, whichever you find in this material world, that is born from the Absolute Truth." So in the Absolute Truth, there is the relationships, these relationships, which we are experiencing here. But they are perverted. Perverted. Because suppose I accept somebody as master, and I am serving, and as soon as the salary stops, my service is also stopped. Therefore it is perverted. Or I am... There is a girl I love, or there is a man I love. Oh, as soon as there is some misunderstanding, we break. So that relationship, that conjugal relationship, that paternal relationship, that friendly relationship.
"Both you and Myself, we were born many times, but you have forgotten. I remember." That is the distinction.
Now, here we see that the friendship of Kṛṣṇa is going on not in this birth, but perpetually that friendship is there. But in the material world, the friendship, it will exist for few years and then break. Therefore it is reflection. It is not real. If you make your friendship with Kṛṣṇa, that will never break. If you make your master Kṛṣṇa, you'll never be cheated. If you love Kṛṣṇa as your son, He'll never die. Similarly, if you love Kṛṣṇa as your lover or husband, He will be the best husband, the best lover. There will be no divorce. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So similarly, there are many... Because Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, He has unlimited... He is unlimited, and He has unlimited number of devotees. Now, some of them are trying to love Him as lover or husband.
Kṛṣṇa... Yes. He is in the (indistinct) You are very intelligent. This Supersoul is also partial representation of Kṛṣṇa. Just like the sun, the real sun, and the reflection of sun. If you have got thousands of pots in your presence, you will find the reflection of the sun in thousands of the pots, but the real sun is one. Similarly, this Supersoul is the reflection of the reality, partial reflection of the Supreme. Is it clear? Just like you are standing here, and at noon the sun is on your head, and five thousand miles away you inquire from somebody, "Where is sun?" He will say, "Oh, it is on my head." Five thousand miles this way or that way, any way you inquire, many, many people, many thousands of people you inquire, they will say, everyone will say that "The sun is on my head."
They are all false? No. They are not false. They are not false, but temporary. Therefore hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ. Everything has got connection with Kṛṣṇa. That realization is required. Everything. Whatever we see here, they are only perverted reflection of the reality. That's all.
This perverted reflection I have tried to explain many times. Just like if there is a tree on the bank of a lake you'll find that tree is perverted, reflected, pervertedly reflected within the water. That means the top has gone to the down and the root has come up. And in the Fifteenth Chapter it is described in that way. So this world is a perverted reflection. And because it is reflection of the reality, therefore it appears so nicely that we take it as actual fact. That is called illusion. But if we understand that, "It is temporary, I should not be attached. It is temporary.
Now, the whole process of spiritual realization is to come to this stage, transcendental stage. This relationship with the Supreme Lord is pervertedly reflected in this material world. And therefore we have got this relationship here, master and servant. But because it is perverted, therefore that relationship is not master and servant. That relationship is with the money and the benefit. There is no love. There is no love. Here in this material world, the master and the servant, that relationship continues so long the master is able to pay the servant. As soon as the payment is stopped, the relationship of master and servant also stops. Therefore that is not eternal. (to someone:) Come on. Sit down here. That is not eternal.
The friend becomes enemy. Therefore it is perverted reflection. Similarly, the relationship between... (aside:) Come on here. Relationship between mother and son. A slight difference of opinion breaks the relationship, and the son becomes out of the relationship of mother, mother becomes out of... Every way. Husband and wife, a slight difference of opinion, there is divorce, separation.
So no relationship here in this material world is actual. Always remember that all relationship in this material world is perverted reflection of that relationship which we have got eternally with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is simply reflected. Just like the sunshine. The sunshine is reflected in the glass, and that reflection comes to your, in my apartment. At six o'clock the sunshine comes from the western side... eastern side. So in the evening the sunshine cannot come from the eastern side.
The sunshine comes from the western side, but it is coming because it is reflected through a glass in the opposite house. This is the idea of reflected. That reflection of the sunshine is not real, but it appears just like sunshine. Similarly, all our relationship here, either as master and servant or as friend and friend or as parents and child or as husband and wife or as lover and the beloved, any relationship, whatever we see here, that is the perverted reflection of our eternal relationship with God.
The example, just like there is one sun in the sky. But if you keep on the earth millions of waterpot, you'll find in each waterpot the reflection of the sun. Or another example, at noontime you just inquire from your friend, ten thousand miles away, "Where is the sun?" He'll say, "On my head." So millions and trillions of people will see sun on his head. But the sun is one. And another example, the waterpot. The sun is one, but if there are millions of waterpots you'll find in each pot the sun is reflected. Similarly there may be innumerable living entities. There is no count. Jīvasya asaṅkhya. In the Vedic language it is said that living entities, there is no count. Innumerable. So similarly Viṣṇu is, if a material thing like sun can be reflected in each and every waterpot, so why not the Supreme Personality of Godhead Viṣṇu live in each and everyone's heart. It is not difficult to understand. He's living. That is stated. And the yogi has to concentrate his mind on that Viṣṇu form. So this Viṣṇu form is plenary portion of Kṛṣṇa.
Then your desire for seeing beautiful thing will be satisfied. You no more will be attracted by the so-called beauties of the world. You keep Kṛṣṇa in comfortable state, You offer Kṛṣṇa nice foodstuff, you'll eat it. So just like if I decorate my face, I cannot see how it is beautiful, but if I bring one mirror before me, the reflection of my face is beautiful. Similarly, you are reflection of Kṛṣṇa. Man is made after God. So if you make happy Kṛṣṇa, then you'll see that your reflection, you are happy. Kṛṣṇa does not require your service to become happy. He is complete in Himself. But if you try to supply, make happy Kṛṣṇa, then you'll be happy. This is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. So try to decorate nicely Kṛṣṇa, try to give all foodstuff to Kṛṣṇa, try to keep Kṛṣṇa in all comfortable position. In this way you will reciprocate all the things that you offer to Him. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Real life is in the society of Kṛṣṇa.
Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura therefore says, kṛṣṇera saṁsāra kara chāḍi' anācāra. If you enter into the society, friendship and love of Kṛṣṇa, that is perfection of life. Not in this false, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). They are separated energy. This is also made by the Kṛṣṇa's energies, but it is separate, reflection, false representa... Chāyeva. Chāyeva means just like shadow. Just like you see your face in the mirror, but it is not actually the face. It is simply... The face is here, and the shadow is there. Similarly, this material world, made of bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhiḥ, they are just like reflection of the real life in the spiritual world. Therefore it is called separated energy. Why Kṛṣṇa says? Kṛṣṇa says here that bhinnā. Bhinnā means separated. The example I have already... Sometimes I give. Just like I speak in the tape recorder. When you play, replay the tape recorder, the same voice will come. But that is not myself. That is my separated energy.
It is not at all difficult to see Kṛṣṇa. Why do you say, "Can you show me God?" Why you are not seeing God? Here is God. So Kṛṣṇa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). So who has not seen the sunshine? Who has not seen the moonshine? Simply to understand, one has to understand that what is this sunshine? The sunshine is the reflection of Kṛṣṇa's bodily effulgence. Just like what is this moonshine? This is reflection of the sunshine. Similarly, the sun is also reflection of the brahma-jyotir. And what is the brahma-jyotir? Brahmajyoti is Kṛṣṇa's bodily effulgence. Then why do you say that you have not seen Kṛṣṇa? There are many other instances. Kṛṣṇa is giving some of them. If you study, if you meditate upon them, then you will see Kṛṣṇa gradually. He will be revealed. He'll be present immediately. It is all revelation. Not that by your eyes you can see. But if you follow the prescription, the direction, you will see Kṛṣṇa daily, always, twenty-four hours.
Originally, in the spiritual sky, just like the sun has the shining force which we call sunshine, similarly in the, from the kingdom of God, there is a shining which is called brahma-jyotir. The brahma-jyotir is reflected by the sun; the moon is reflected by the sun. I mean to say, sun is reflection of brahma-jyotir, and moon is reflection of the sun. Everyone, you know, the stars, glittering stars, they are also reflection of the sun. Similarly, this electricity is also reflection of sun. The diamond, the jewels, everything, that is reflection of sun. (some outside radio noise) That's all right. So Kṛṣṇa says, prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. Śaśi. Śaśi means the moon, and sūrya... Sūrya means the sun. And in the spiritual world there is no need of sun and moon. Na tad bhāsayate sūryo na śaśāṅko na pāvakaḥ (BG 15.6). In the spiritual world there is no need of sun, there is no need of moon, there is no need of electricity.
So this oṁkāra is Kṛṣṇa, is God. Praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu. And śabda means sound. Whenever you hear some sound, you should know, "This is vibration of the transcendental sound." The sound which we are vibrating, that is pure spiritual sound. But any sound in the material world, that is reflection of that spiritual sound. So when you hear sound, you can remember God. When you drink water, you can remember God. When you see some illumination, you can remember God. And when you chant some mantra, some hymn, that also you can remember God. So where you cannot remember God? Everywhere. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, God consciousness. Always, twenty-four hours we can remember Kṛṣṇa. That remembrance means that Kṛṣṇa is with me. Kṛṣṇa is already with me, but as soon as you remember, that is factual.
The superintendence is there of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We fools, we say, we cannot explain. We say "Nature." What is this nature? There must be brain behind the nature. Otherwise, how a rose, so nicely it is coming? Even from artistic point of view, if you want to paint one flower, you have to take so much labor, so many colors, reflection, and so many instruments, then hardly you can paint one nice rose flower. Still, it is not as good. And not at all good in comparison to the original flower. So if this third-class flower, you have to apply so much brain, and this first-class flower has no brain behind it? Is that very good logic? What is this logic? There must be brain. And that is stated here: puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau, aham. "It is My, under My superintendence."
Tejaś cāsmi. So wherefrom this brilliance comes? The brilliance is imitation, reflection of the bodily brilliance of Kṛṣṇa. That is stated in the Brahma-sūtra, Brahma-saṁhitā: yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Then why we should disbelieve? We can see eye-to-eye that the sun is so brilliant. It is a material product only. But wherefrom the sun has come, so brilliant? Yac cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ rājā samasta-mūrti, samasta-sura-mūrtir aśeṣa-tejāḥ. The brilliance and the temperature is unlimited. So wherefrom the brilliance comes? You can calculate yourself, that "The sun is composition of these chemicals, this material...," but why don't you produce? Why don't you produce an imitation sun so that you'll save so much money for electricity? At night you can get one sun in Bombay city. (laughs) (laughter)
So the rascals will give all description, but they'll never be prepared to prepare it, to manufacture it. Recently... It is a practical... In California one learned chemical scholar,... He has got Nobel Prize. So he was describing that "From matter, life has come." So there was one student, he's my disciple, Svarūpa Dāmodara.
Why? Now, kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ: "They have lost their sense out of lust, material lust." That's all. Because our life, this material life, is simply based on lust. We want to enjoy this world. We love this material world because I want to satisfy my senses. So this lust is the perverted reflection of my love of God. In my original constitution, I am made to love God, but because I have forgotten God, therefore I love matter. Love is there. Love is there. Either you love this matter or you love God, but you cannot get out of this loving propensity. Just like sometimes we see: one who hasn't got children, he loves a cat, loves a dog. You see? Why? Because he wants to love something. But in the absence of reality, he puts his faith and love into cats and dogs. So love is there, but that love is now represented in the form of lust. And this lust, when we are baffled in the lust, we become angry. We get wrath. And when we are in wrath, then next stage is illusion.
Not the same pleasure. Just like here the highest pleasure of this world is sex life. That is also perverted, so diseased. So even in the spiritual world there is sex pleasure in Kṛṣṇa, but that's not... We should not think that this is something like this. No. But janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Unless that sex life is there, it cannot be reflected here. It is simply perverted reflection. The actual life is there, in Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is full of pleasure. So best thing is to train ourself, train ourself in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and then it will be possible in this life at the time of death to transfer ourself into the spiritual world and enter into the Kṛṣṇaloka, or the Kṛṣṇa planet, and enjoy with the association of Kṛṣṇa.
They cannot understand, because they are in the tamaḥ, in this darkness of material world. They are disgusted with this material world. They want to make it zero, nirvāṇa. They want to make it zero. No. Why zero? The Bhāgavata said, nirasta-kuhakam. Nirasta-ku... Satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi, janmādy asya. Actually, this material world is born out of the reflection of the spiritual world.
When you have got your developed love of God... This is quite natural. Just like you somebody, loves somebody. You love some person or... You always think of him. That is quite natural. Anyone. That is the objective of love. But because we are..., our love in this material world is a perverted reflection of the love of God, love can be applied only to God. In this material world there is no love. It is all lust. There cannot be any love. The word love can be applied only to God. So these are only perverted reflection, what is going on in the name of love. There is no love. So the nature of love is this, that the lover wants every moment to see without any remuneration, without any return. That is real love.
Real love is described by Lord Caitanya.
Therefore here it is said, avibhaktaṁ ca bhūteṣu. Avibhaktaṁ ca bhūteṣu vibhaktam iva ca sthitam. The Supersoul appears like an individual soul. He is staying as friend. So He has been divided. Vibhaktam iva, "as if divided." It is not divided.
The example you can understand Just like there is sun in the sky, and if you keep millions of pots with water, you will find the sun is reflected there. That does not mean that the sun has divided into millions. This is the best example. Just like there are millions of people standing at twelve o'clock. And you ask every one of them even five thousand miles away, that "Were is the sun?" Everyone will say, "It is on my head." Does it mean that the sun has divided into millions of personal..., on each head sun is standing. No, sun is one. But it appears like that.
Just like this moon. The moon. This night is full moon. This moon has got its illumination, but wherefrom this illumination comes? It comes from the sunshine. The sunshine is reflected on the moon, and the moon has become illuminating source. Just like in a mirror when there is reflection of the sunshine, the mirror can also reflect another dark place, not independently. Everyone... In childhood everyone has played with a mirror. Just put a mirror in front of the sunshine, and the reflection is there, and you can pass on the reflection in the darkest place and it will be illuminated. Have you got experience? Yes. Similarly, neither the mirror has got reflection, neither the dark place can be illuminated by the mirror. But when the sunshine is there on the mirror, the mirror acts as illuminating agent, and it dissipates the darkness of a corner. So sunshine is the source of all light.
Yes. Similarly, neither the mirror has got reflection, neither the dark place can be illuminated by the mirror. But when the sunshine is there on the mirror, the mirror acts as illuminating agent, and it dissipates the darkness of a corner. So sunshine is the source of all light.
In the material world we have got experience that sunshine, jyoti, prakāśa... But wherefrom the sunshine comes? Sunshine is also a reflection of another jyoti, or illumination. That illumination is called brahma-jyotir. And wherefrom that brahma-jyotir emanates? That emanates from Kṛṣṇa. Just like the sunshine is emanation from the sun globe, and the sun globe is fiery, illuminated, on account of the persons within the sun globe. They have got some bodily rays. That rays is emanating from their body. Therefore the whole sun planet looks like fiery planet. And from there the illumination comes, and it is reflecting on the moon, and the moon is illuminating the whole dark night. This is called pūrṇimā.
So sunshine is... But there are many suns, not only one sun. As there are many universes, yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). Koṭi means innumerable. Numberless universes. And in each and every universe there is sunshine.
So this sunshine is reflection of the brahma-jyotir. Yasya prabhā prabhavataḥ (Bs. 5.40). When the bodily rays, shining rays, of Kṛṣṇa is there, then all these universes are generated. The universes are also generated. In another place, yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). Jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ means... Jagad-aṇḍa means universe. Each universe has a principle living being. That is Lord Brahmā. So there are many innumerable Brahmās also, innumerable Śivas, innumerable suns, innumerable moons, because there are innumerable universes. And each and every universe, there are innumerable planets.
"Among the stars and planets," Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the moon."
So jyotiṣām api jyotis tamasaḥ param. So this jyoti, this illumination, is beyond this material world. And because there is illumination, that illumination is reflected in the material world. You will find the reflection, bluish reflection, in the sky. It means that brahma-jyotir is bluish because it is coming out from the blue body of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is bluish. We see the sky bluish, and in darkness we see, although it is darkness, there is some brightness in the sky. Always the sky is... The sky is everywhere, but the covering is seven times covered by different types of material elements, and that brahma-jyotir is penetrating through the covers, and little reflection we can see in the sky.
Wherefrom the beauty worship has come in this material world unless there is beauty in the original form, Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī? So God cannot be nirākāra. Otherwise, why this beauty worship has come? What you'll say? Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). The Vedānta-sūtra says. Whatever you see within this world, there is origin. It is only reflection. It is only reflection. Just like in the mirror, there is reflection of your beautiful face, and it looks beautiful because the face is beautiful. If the face is ugly, the reflection will be ugly.
So everything is there in God. Aham ādir hi devānām (BG 10.2). Another place, Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). So Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything. Mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. "Everything emanates from Me." That is the answer to the Vedānta-sūtra, Brahma-sūtra, Brahma-sūtra. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). So the origin is there.
These are pañca, five kinds of rasas, śānta, dāsya, sākhya, vātsalya, mādhurya. So you can select any one of them, because there must be varieties. Because we are living entities, everyone, we want to enjoy. Therefore variety is the mother of enjoyment. You cannot make everything impersonal, no. There is varieties. Even in the spiritual world there is varieties. That varieties are reflected in this material world. Therefore here also, we love somebody as friend; we love somebody as wife; we love somebody as father; we love somebody as mother, like that. The same thing is pervertedly reflected. And because it is illusion, therefore you are not satisfied.
If you want real love, real position, then you have to transfer your, these loving propensities in five different kinds of mellows to Kṛṣṇa. Then it will be permanent, and you'll be happy.
It takes its root and it is created. So the seed of the creation is in the spiritual world. Sa īkṣata, sa asṛjata. The creation is coming from the spiritual world. Spiritual world means the kingdom of God, Nārāyaṇa, or Kṛṣṇa. So here the material world is described as ūrdhva-mūlam. In other words, it is reflection of the spiritual world. Just like if you stand on the shore of a lake, you will find all the trees reflected in the water downwards. Real tree is on the shore of the lake, and the reflection is downwards. The upper part of the tree has gone down. So this material world is compared with that reflection. It is chāya. In Brahma-saṁhitā also, it is said, sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). The superintending deity of this material world is Goddess Durgā, durgā-śakti. So she creates this material world.
Now, there is no ready experience in this world of a tree situated with its branches down and its roots upward, but there is such a thing. That tree can be found beside a reservoir of water. We can see that the trees on the bank reflect upon the water with their branches down and roots up. In other words, the tree of this material world is only a reflection of the real tree of the spiritual world. This reflection of the spiritual world is situated on desire, just as the tree's reflection is situated on water. Desire is the cause of things' being situated in this reflected material light. One who wants to get out of this material existence must know this tree thoroughly through analytical study. Then he can cut off his relationship with it.
This tree, being the reflection of the real tree, is an exact replica. Everything is there in the spiritual world. The impersonalists take Brahmā to be the root of this material tree, and from the root, according to sāṅkhya philosophy, come prakṛti, puruṣa, then the three guṇas, then the five gross elements (pañca-mahābhūta), then the ten senses (daśendriya), mind, etc. In this way they divide up the whole material world. If Brahmā is the center of all manifestations, then this material world is a manifestation of the center by 180 degrees, and the other 180 degrees constitute the spiritual world. The material world is the perverted reflection, so the spiritual world must have the same variegatedness, but in reality. The prakṛti is the external energy of the Supreme Lord, and the puruṣa is the Supreme Lord Himself, and that is explained in Bhagavad-gītā. Since this manifestation is material, it is temporary.
A reflection is temporary, for it is sometimes seen and sometimes not seen. But the origin from whence the reflection is reflected is eternal. The material reflection of the real tree has to be cut off. When it is said that a person knows the Vedas, it is assumed that he knows how to cut off attachment to this material world. If one knows that process, he actually knows the Vedas. One who is attracted by the ritualistic formulas of the Vedas is attracted by the beautiful green leaves of the tree. He does not exactly know the purpose of the Vedas. The purpose of the Vedas, as disclosed by the Personality of Godhead Himself, is to cut down this reflected tree and attain the real tree of the spiritual world.
Prabhupāda: Now explain.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So this material world is a perverted reflection of the transcendental spiritual world. Everything that we find here can somehow..., we can trace its origins to the spiritual world. Just like we have...
Prabhupāda: Therefore it is said, ūrdhva-mūlam. Mūlam means root. Just like from the root the tree grows and becomes expanded. So now, this experience, the mūla is upside and the tree is expanding in this way... Ūrdhva-mūlam. Adhah-śākham (BG 15.1). The branches are down. Here we have got experience, all these trees, the root is down and the branches are spread up. But here is, experience is... That means this material is created not from this matter. From spiritual world. Go on.
If you, somebody takes your legs and catches you and your head down, then it is not very comfortable. So this whole material world is like that, ūrdhva-mūlam. The mūlam should have been down, but it is up. Therefore it is discomfortable. And another explanation is the, it is perverted reflection. We have got experience of the ūrdhva-mūlam. I think I have explained that, that a tree... On the bank of a river or the bank of a pond, tree is standing, but the reflection, we find that the same tree has become ūrdhva-mūlam and adhah-śākham. So by this statement, Kṛṣṇa says that this is not real. That reflection in the water, of the tree, is not real. Real tree is up. Similarly, real enjoyment, real varieties—everything is in the spiritual world. It is simply reflection. It is not fact. Therefore our enjoyment here is called māyā, or illusion. So in later ślokas Kṛṣṇa has described how to get out of this mayic reflection and go to the real tree. That has been described later on.
The mūlam should have been down, but it is up. Therefore it is discomfortable. And another explanation is the, it is perverted reflection. We have got experience of the ūrdhva-mūlam. I think I have explained that, that a tree... On the bank of a river or the bank of a pond, tree is standing, but the reflection, we find that the same tree has become ūrdhva-mūlam and adhah-śākham. So by this statement, Kṛṣṇa says that this is not real. That reflection in the water, of the tree, is not real. Real tree is up. Similarly, real enjoyment, real varieties—everything is in the spiritual world. It is simply reflection. It is not fact. Therefore our enjoyment here is called māyā, or illusion. So in later ślokas Kṛṣṇa has described how to get out of this mayic reflection and go to the real tree. That has been described later on. Go on.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So in this material world everything is actually a perverted reflection... (break)
Prabhupāda: Even, what is that? Macmillan Company. Their trades manager, statistics, he has said that our Bhagavad-gītā sale is increasing, other Bhagavad-gītā decreasing. In America also, they are seriously studying how this movement is being spread so quickly. People ask me also how it is wonderfully increasing. Because there is no adulteration. That's all. (speaks to someone in Hindi) (break) ...before the public. And that's a fact, if you don't accept this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, you will never be happy. This is fact. Everything is there, social, political, economical, philosophical, religious—all perfect knowledge. So what goes on next?
Devotee: Prasādam.
| Page Title: | Reflection (Lectures, BG) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 26 of Feb, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=62, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 62 |