Budha, this word, the very word, again is used, budha. So budha, one who is learned, one who is actually in sense—he's not nonsense—he's called budha. So budha, what are the symptoms? The symptoms of budha is that ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: he knows that Kṛṣṇa is the fountainhead of all emanations, everything, whatever we find—everything. Anything, whatever you see.
Now, take for example, take for example the material world. The most prominent thing is, I mean to say, unity between man and woman. Now, one can enquire, "Wherefrom this attraction comes between male and female?" Not only the human society, but also in animal society, in the bird society, in any society, any living . . . this is a fact.
So somebody criticizes, but those who do not know Kṛṣṇa, that Kṛṣṇa had so many girlfriends, so they are . . . some people are criticize. But one does not know that where we get this idea of having girlfriend unless the tendency is in Kṛṣṇa? Because you can have nothing here unless that is in Kṛṣṇa. But here it is perverted; it is polluted. And Kṛṣṇa, it is pure consciousness, pure spiritual. That is the difference.
So one who does not know, they want to avoid something. Nothing is, I mean to, can be, can exist in this material world unless it is in Kṛṣṇa. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1).
So these things have to be studied very scientifically and from books like Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and when he is perfectly learned, then his symptom is that he becomes a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8): "I am the source, fountainhead," Kṛṣṇa says. "I am the source and fountainhead-like, of everything. One who understands this science, then he takes to Kṛṣṇa." How? Now, budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ: with full knowledge, he becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa.
Similarly, so far mahatma . . . mahātmā is a Sanskrit word which is used for great soul. That is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā.
- mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha
- daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ
- bhajanty ananya-manaso
- jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam
- (BG 9.13)
Mahātmā. Who is a mahātmā? He is a great soul. Great soul is he who is under the influence of the superior nature.
There are two kinds of nature: superior nature and inferior nature. Now we are under the influence of this inferior, material nature. And that . . . by Kṛṣṇa consciousness we shall be transferred into the superior nature. Just try to understand: a person in the prison, a person outside the prison. The government's influence is in both the places, outside the prison and inside the prison. But outside the prison, the government's rules and regulation is superior. And inside, that is inferior. Influence is there.
Similarly, either in the material world or in the spiritual world, wherever you, you are, your position is marginal. You can transfer yourself either in this, under the influence of this inferior nature, or you can transfer yourself under the influence of superior nature. Your position is marginal.
Now, you are given . . . because Kṛṣṇa is full independent, and because you are also part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, therefore you have got the quality of independence, to make your choice whether to be under the influence of this inferior nature or to become under the influence of superior nature. But because we do not know what is that superior nature, therefore we have no other alternative than to remain in this inferior nature. This is the whole position.
Because in the world there are many philosophies. They are informing that "There is no other nature. This nature, which we have experienced, it is troublesome. Make an end of it and become void." Oh, you cannot be void, because you are living entity and eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20).
Your change of body does not mean that you are finished. No. You are continuing. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni. Because I change my dress, that does not mean that I am finished. So I am eternal. If I have to finish the . . . if I have to get rid, out of the influence of material nature, then I have to seek, "Where is my place?" If we know or do not know, then we prefer, "All right, whatever it may be, inferior or superior, let us remain here and rot."
So Bhagavad-gītā gives you information of the superior nature: yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6): na tad bhāsayate sūryo na candro na pāvakaḥ.
So we have to become Kṛṣṇa conscious by scrutinizing, studying, this authoritative book, Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, without having fashionable interpretation. As it is. What Kṛṣṇa says, He says for all the time. It does not change.