Now the purport is that Bhagavad-gītā is a treatise which is specially meant for the devotee of the Lord. There are three classes of transcendentalists, namely the jñānī, the yogī and the bhakta. Or the impersonalist or the meditator or the devotees. So here it is clearly mentioned, the Lord says to Arjuna that "I am speaking or I am making you the first man of the paramparā. Because the old paramparā or disciplic succession is now broken, therefore I wish to establish again another paramparā in the same line of thought as it was coming down from the sun-god to others. So you, you take it and you distribute it. Or the system, the yoga system of Bhagavad-gītā may now be distributed through you. You become the authority of understanding Bhagavad-gītā." Now here is a direction that Bhagavad-gītā is especially instructed to Arjuna, the devotee of the Lord, the direct student of Kṛṣṇa.
Transcendentalists (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
The false consciousness is exhibited under the impression that "I am one of the product of this material nature." That is called false ego. The whole material activities, yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke, one who is absorbed in the thought of bodily conception. Now, the whole Bhagavad-gītā was explained by the Lord because Arjuna represented himself with bodily conception. So one has to get free from the bodily conception of life. That is the preliminary activity for a transcendentalist who wants to get free, who wants to be liberated. And he has to learn first of all that he is not this material body. So this consciousness, or material consciousness, when we are freed from this material consciousness, that is called mukti. Mukti or liberation means to become free from material consciousness. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata also the definition of liberation is said, muktir hitvānyathā rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6).
Acts of this life, the activities of this life are preparation ground for the next life. We are preparing for our next life by our activities of this life. So if we can prepare our this life for getting promotion to the kingdom of God, then surely, after leaving, after quitting this material body... The Lord says yaḥ prayāti, one who goes, sa mad-bhāvaṁ yāti (BG 8.5), mad-bhāvam, he gets the same spiritual body as the Lord has or the same spiritual nature. Now, there are different kinds of transcendentalists as we have already explained above. The brahmavādī, paramātmavādī and the devotees. In spiritual sky or in the brahma-jyotir there are spiritual planets, innumerable spiritual planets, we have already discussed. And the number of those planets are far, far greater than all the universes of this material world. This material world is ekāṁśena sthito jagat (BG 10.42).
There are innumerable Vaikuṇṭha planets, and the Lord, Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, by His plenary expansion as Nārāyaṇa with four hands with different names, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, and Mādhava, Govinda... There are many innumerable names of this four-handed Nārāyaṇa. So one of the planets, that is also mad-bhāvam, that is also within the spiritual nature. So any transcendentalist who at the end of life, either he thinks of the brahma-jyotir or meditates upon the Paramātmā or thinks of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa, in either case, they enter into the spiritual sky. But only the devotees, those who have practiced personal touch with the Supreme Lord, they enter into the Vaikuṇṭha planets or in the Goloka Vṛndāvana planet. The Lord says, yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ yāti nāsty atra saṁśayaḥ (BG 8.5).
Devotee: "There are three kinds of transcendentalists: the yogi, the impersonalist and the bhakta, or devotee. Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, 'I am making you the first man of disciplic succession. The old succession is broken. I wish to reestablish the line of teaching which was passed down from the sun-god. So you become the authority of the Bhagavad-gītā.' The Bhagavad-gītā is directed to the devotee of the Lord who is directly in touch with the Lord as a friend. To learn the Bhagavad-gītā one should be like Arjuna, a devotee having a direct relationship with the Lord. This is more helpful than yoga or impersonal philosophical speculation. A devotee can be in relationship with the Lord in five different ways. He may have passive..., have a passive relationship..."
Prabhupāda: Now here is explained who is a devotee. That is explained. Yes.
Devotee: "He may have a passive relationship, he may have an active relationship. Three, he may be in friendship. Four, he may have the relationship of a parent. And five, he may have the relationship of conjugal lover of the Lord. Arjuna was a devotee in relationship..."
Prabhupāda: The passive relationship is simply realizing, "Oh, how God is great". God is great. One is thunderstruck with the greatness of God. That is passive relationship: "God, God is great." When that relationship is enhanced a little, more the next stage is that "If God is great why not give Him some service?" just like we are accustomed to give some service to some person who is greater than me. That is the laws of nature. Just like the animals. The animals are giving service to the man, because the man is supposed to be greater than the animal. Similarly, one man is greater than the other, so the smaller man is giving service to the greater man. That is the law of nature.
So Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa says that buddhi-yukto jahāti. If you work from the transcendental plane, or spiritual platform, then you get rid of all the results of good work and bad work. Don't be attached by, either by good work or bad work. That is the technique. A transcendentalist who wants to work from spiritual platform, he has no botheration, "Whether I am doing good or bad?" He has only to see, "Whether I am doing, acting on the platform of spiritual consciousness or material consciousness?" That's all. Even a apparently bad work by such person on the spiritual consciousness, is also good, supreme good. Not only good, but supreme good. Just like you see the example of Arjuna. From material point of view, he was right that "It is not good to fight with my brothers." That is right from material point of view. But when he learned Bhagavad-gītā, he fought with the same brothers. With the same brothers. That means that after learning Bhagavad-gītā, after taking lessons of Bhagavad-gītā, he did not become a bad man. No. He become a transcendental man.
Without knowledge, there cannot be detachment. Without knowledge, one cannot be detached. And what is that knowledge? The knowledge is that "I am not this matter; I am spirit soul." So... But this knowledge is... Although it is very easy thing to say, that "I am not this body, but I am spirit soul," but actually to have perfect knowledge, that is a great job. It is not very easy. For getting that supreme knowledge so many, I mean to say, transcendentalists, they were trying life after life, just to get detached. But the easiest process is that if one is engaged in the devotional service. That is the formula given in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Vāsudeve bhagavati. Vāsudeve bhagavati, "in the Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa." Vāsudeva is Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ (SB 1.2.7). Bhakti-yoga means devotional service. If it is applied, if we apply our devotional service unto the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, then the result will be that janayaty āśu vairāgyam, very soon you'll be detached from this material attraction. Very soon. And jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam. And you'll gain also knowledge. You do not know how you have received knowledge. That is the magic. That is the magic. Because how you'll get knowledge? That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā.
So here it is said, rasa-varjaṁ raso 'py asya paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59). One who is forcibly refrained from material enjoyment, oh, that sort of forcibly material enjoyment cannot last. Cannot last. There are many examples. There was a great muni, great sage, whose name was Viśvāmitra Muni, Viśvāmitra. He was formerly a very powerful king. Now, in his later life he gave up everything and he wanted to be a transcendentalist and great meditator, great meditator in the yoga principle of life. He was a yogi, great yogi. Now, this Viśvāmitra was performing meditation in the forest very supremely. So the... Now, Indra, the King of heaven, he became frightened: "So, this man is performing so much penance. So he might come. He might ask from God and claim my seat.
The purpose is that those who are uncontrolled of their senses and those whose mind is fixed up only for this material enjoyment, they cannot enter into the sphere of spiritual life. Matir na kṛṣṇe. This Kṛṣṇa philosophy, Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Matiḥ means attention. So attention to Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā. Even by hearing instruction from learned, I mean to say, transcendentalists or by self-study. Parataḥ. Parataḥ means taking lessons or taking instruction from others. And svataḥ means by self-culture. Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho vā. Mitho vā: "by assembly." By assembly. Na: "It will never be." Matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām. Gṛha-vratānām means... Gṛha means "house," and vrata means "vow." One who has made his vow that "This worldly live, eat, drink, be merry and enjoy, this is all in all," for them, there is no question of spiritual life.
Sudāmā: Verse number seven: "On the other hand, he who controls the senses by the mind and engages his active organs in works of devotion without attachment is by far superior (BG 3.7)."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Instead of artificially trying to meditate and control the senses, just engage your senses in the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and gradually you will be happy. Your senses will be controlled. Go on.
Sudāmā: Purport: "Instead of becoming a pseudo-transcendentalist for the sake of wanton living and sense enjoyment, it is far better to remain in one's own business and execute the purpose of life which is to get free from material bondage and enter into the kingdom of God. The svārtha-gati or goal of self-interest..."
Prabhupāda: Svārtha-gati, svārtha-gati. Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "The Mammonist philosophy of work very hard and enjoy sense gratification is condemned herewith by the Lord. For those who want to enjoy this material world, the above-mentioned cycle of sacrifices is absolutely necessary. One who does not follow such regulations is living a very risky life, being condemned more and more. By nature's law this human form of life is specifically meant for self-realization in either of the three ways—namely karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga or bhakti-yoga. There is no necessity of rigidly following the performances of the prescribed yajñas. Such transcendentalists are above vice and virtue, but those who are engaged in sense gratification require purification by the above-mentioned cycle of yajña performances. There are different kinds of activities. Those who are not Kṛṣṇa conscious are certainly engaged in sensory consciousness and therefore they need to execute pious work. The yajña system is planned in such a way that the sensory conscious persons may satisfy their desires without becoming entangled in the reactions to such sense gratifying work. The prosperity of the world depends not on our own efforts but on the background arrangement of the Supreme Lord, directly carried out by the demigods. Therefore these sacrifices are directly aimed at the particular demigod mentioned in the Vedas. Indirectly, it is the practice of Kṛṣṇa consciousness because when one masters the performance of yajñas one is sure to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. If having performed yajñas one does not become Kṛṣṇa conscious such principles are counted as only moral codes. One should not, of course, limit his progress to the point of moral codes, but should transcend them to attain Kṛṣṇa consciousness."
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa consciousness is transcendental. Moral codes, they are up to material perfection. Of course, one who has not attained material perfection, he cannot attain to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like one who has not passed his graduation in the university, he cannot take up law course. That is law in India. But one who has taken to the law course, it is to be understood that he has passed his graduation in the college. Similarly, one who has taken Kṛṣṇa consciousness in seriousness, then it is to be understood that he has performed all kinds of sacrifices. That is the result.
And the next stage is bhaya. Bhaya. And what is that bhaya? Fear. Now, that... (aside:) Please don't talk. Bhaya means that... There are persons, transcendentalists, who are culturing transcendental knowledge, but they are very much afraid of conceiving that there is another world which is spiritual world, and that is also similar like this world, and the Personality of Godhead is there, and we have to go there, and we have to live as His servitor. So we carry the ideas of this world to that world. Therefore we are afraid. There are many transcendentalists who like the impersonal conception of the Supreme Truth. 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.
Now Kṛṣṇa says... There are three kinds of transcendentalists. What are they? The impersonalist and the localized yogi and the devotees. There are three kinds of transcendentalists. What are the impersonalists? Impersonalists means this jñānī, those who are trying to understand what is Brahman and try to negativating this material world, neti neti: "This is not Brahman. Brahman is separate from this matter." They are called jñānīs. And there are yogis. Yogi means those who are trying to focus all attention to the Supersoul which is within our heart. That is called yoga system. And yogi, jñānī, and bhakta, devotees. Those who are focusing all their concentration on the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa. So these three are classes of... They are all transcendentalists.
They are not materialists. Materialists, they are concerned with this matter only. They are very much attached to lord it over this material nature and enjoy life. That's all. That is the short description of the materialist. But the transcendentalists, they are above these attached people. They are detached, but they have got three conception of transcendental idea. That is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,
- vadanti tat tattva-vidas
- tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam
- brahmeti paramātmeti
- bhagavān iti śabdyate
- (SB 1.2.11)
Tattva, tattva, the Absolute Truth. Absolute Truth is nondual. And that Absolute Truth is experienced in three ways. What are they? Now, Brahman, the all-pervading, impersonal feature, Brahman. And brahmeti paramātmeti. Paramātmeti means the Supersoul. Brahmeti paramātmeti and bhagavān iti. Bhagavān iti means the Personality of Godhead. Now these three conception of life have been analyzed in various places, and I will give you a short description.
Now, Kṛṣṇa says, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante: "According to the degree of surrender, one comes nearer and nearer." Kṛṣṇa is manifested in three features, namely, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11), means He is revealed as impersonal Brahman, as localized Paramātmā, or the Supersoul, or as the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa. There are three different types of transcendentalists. They are called the jñānīs, the yogis and the bhaktas. Jñānīs means those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth in impersonal feature, brahma-jyotir. The jñānīs means those who are mental speculators, philosophers, neti neti. They are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by dint of their limited knowledge. They are called jñānīs. And the yogis, the mystics, they are trying to find out the Supreme Personality of Godhead within the heart. Because the Lord is situated in everyone's heart as Supersoul.
Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ: (SB 10.2.32) "Unless you become elevated to the position of serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face, simply by impersonal Brahman realization you cannot become happy. Therefore for enjoyment..." Enjoyment means variety, the varieties of enjoyment. "You come down again to the material world." We have seen it practically. Many big, big sannyāsīs and transcendentalists, they give up this world as mithyā or false and take to sannyāsa, but after some time, again they come back to this material world for executing philanthropic activities like opening hospitals or opening schools and other philanthropic activities. It so happens because they cannot fully realize the Absolute Truth as the Supreme Person, they again come to these material persons.
But practically, Kṛṣṇa, so far those who are transcendentalists, they want to be controlled by three phases of Kṛṣṇa: Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. Those who are impersonalists, they want to be merged into the Brahman effulgence. That is also acceptance of being controlled.
Just like if you merge into the ocean... They give this example, generally. So they think that by merging, by dipping into the ocean, they become also ocean. That is not possible. You become controlled by the ocean. Suppose you dip, you dive into the ocean. Does it mean that you become ocean? You become controlled by the ocean. They are under the impression that "I am now a small drop. So if I merge into the ocean, the Brahman, then I'll become Brahman." Is that a very reasonable proposal? You are a drop of water. Scientifically, what is said? Suppose a drop of water is mixed in with the sea water, does it mean the drop becomes sea? What is your scientific explanation? It is also... Eh?
So anyway, either the Brahmavādī or Paramātmavādī or the bhakta, they are all tattva-vit. They are all transcendentalists. There is no difference. But as there are three classes in every sphere, so there are three classes in the transcendental field also. So here Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord recommends that jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ (BG 4.34). You have to find out a person who is tattva-darśī, who has realized the Absolute Truth, either in Brahman conception or in Paramātmā conception or in Personality of Godhead conception because we have got different tastes. So the Paramātmā or the Supreme Absolute Truth is also manifested in three phases: Brahman, Paramātmā, Bhagavān. So anyway, either you select the impersonal Brahman conception of the Absolute Truth, either you select the localized supreme soul, Supersoul conception of the Absolute Truth, or you accept the highest, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). The Lord says that "This is the last phase of Absolute Truth, what I am, Kṛṣṇa."
In Kaṭha Upaniṣad it is said tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Abhigacchet. This is a Sanskrit grammatical injunction. Where there is the question if imperative, "you must," there vidhilin, this form of verb, is used, gacchet, gacchet. Gacchet means "You must go." You don't think that without going to a qualified, bona fide spiritual master you can have. No. That is not possible. Here also, Lord Kṛṣṇa also recommends, tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā: (BG 4.34) "If you want to learn that transcendental science, then you have to find out a transcendentalist first of all." That is also recommended in Kaṭhopaniṣad.
He is also seeker. You did not hear. The Absolute Truth is being manifested in three phases—as Paramātmā, as Bhagavān and as Brahman. Those who are after Brahman, they are called jñānīs; those who are after Paramātmā, they are called yogi; and those who are after the Personality of Godhead, they are called bhaktas. And all of them are seeking the Absolute Truth but in different phases. You understand? They are not differentiated. They are not in the material field. Either the seeker of the Brahman, either the seeker of the supreme soul, Supersoul, or the seeker of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are all transcendentalists. They are not in the material world. They are tattva-vit. Tattva-vit means they are in the field of transcendental transaction. But there are degrees.
Prabhupāda: Read the purport.
Pradyumna: "The four division of human life, namely the brahmacārī, the gṛhastha, the vānaprastha and sannyāsī, are all meant to help men become perfect yogis, or transcendentalists. Since human life is not meant for our enjoying sense gratification like the animals, the four orders of human life are so arranged that one may become perfect in spiritual life. The brahmacārīs, or students under the care of a bona fide spiritual master, control the mind by abstaining from sense gratification. They are referred to in this verse as sacrificing the hearing the process and the senses in the fire of the controlled mind. A brahmacārī hears only words concerning Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Hearing is the basic principle for understanding, and therefore the pure brahmacārī engages fully in harer nāmānukīrtanam—chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord. He restrains himself from the vibrations of material sounds and his hearing is engaged in the transcendental sound vibration of Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, the householders, who have some license for sense gratification, perform such acts with great restraint. Sex life, intoxication and meat-eating are general tendencies of human society, but a regulated householder does not indulge in unrestricted sex life and other sense gratification. Marriage on principles of religious life is therefore current in all civilized human society because that is the way for restricted sex life. This restricted unattached sex life is also a kind of yajña because the restricted householder sacrifices his general tendency towards sense gratification for higher transcendental life."
Prabhupāda:
- śrotrādīnīndriyāṇy anye
- saṁyamāgniṣu juhvati
- śabdādīn viṣayān anya
- indriyāgniṣu juhvati
So indriya-saṁyama, yoga. Yoga means indriya-saṁyama. Yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. The yogic practice is recommended for persons who are too much in the bodily concept of life. Anyone.... Why anyone? Practically any person. Therefore this yogic practice was recommended for general population so that they can control the senses. Gradually, one has to take to this platform of indriya-saṁyama or sattva-guṇa. Rajo-guṇa, sattva-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. So one has to promote himself to the platform of sattva-guṇa.
Yoginaḥ means those who are advancing in spiritual science and advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are called yogi. So ramante yoginaḥ. The yoginaḥ, they take pleasure, satyānande. Satyānande means "in actual happiness." Because the living entity, he is, I mean, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1), happiness—his prerogative. He cannot... Why shall he be put into miseries? That is not his position. He should be always in happiness. So their happiness they do not know here. In the material conception of life we do not what is happiness. So those who are yogi, those who are transcendentalists, advanced in spiritual life, they know what is happiness. So ramante yoginaḥ anante (CC Madhya 9.29). Anante... Happiness mean which has no end. That is happiness. According to Vedic literature, happiness has no end. Unlimited happiness. Here in the material world whatever we consider happiness, that is limited. That has its end. But spiritual happiness is calculated... Just like spirit is unlimited, similarly spiritual happiness is also unlimited.
Devotee: Verses 27 and 28. "Shutting out all external sense objects, keeping the eyes and vision concentrated between the two eyebrows, suspending the inward and outward breaths within the nostrils—thus controlling the mind, senses and intelligence, the transcendentalist becomes free from desire, fear and anger. One who is always in this state is certainly liberated (Bg. 5.27-28)."
Prabhupāda: Now here is a hint of the yoga practice, shutting out the external sense objects. This is another process. But the bhakti-yoga process is automatically yoga process. Here it is said, "shutting out all external sense objects." Sense object, what is that sense object? Just like I want to see some beautiful woman or beautiful man. I want to smell some nice flower or scent. The flower is the sense object, woman is the sense object. There are so many sense objects. We have got five senses and there are five objects also. Otherwise what is the use of sense? Now this yoga practice is to withdraw the senses from the sense object. But the bhakti-yoga process is that if I do not like to see artificially the beauty of woman or man, if I try to see the beauty of Kṛṣṇa, naturally my, this propensity of seeing beautiful man or woman becomes extinguished. You do not require to shut your eyes. There are so many beautiful girls sitting. I do not require to shut my eyes. If my mind is concentrated on the beauty of Kṛṣṇa I can see these beautiful girls as Kṛṣṇa's gopīs. That is another vision. So artificially if I close my eyes and if some beautiful girl is in my imagination even after closing my eyes here, what is the use of closing your eyes?
Devotee: "A transcendentalist should always try to concentrate his mind on the supreme self. He should live alone in a secluded place and should always carefully control his mind. He should be free from desires and possessiveness."
Prabhupāda: Yes. This is the beginning of transcendental life. This chapter, Lord Kṛṣṇa will try to teach the principles of yoga system. So here he begins. That a transcendentalist should always try to concentrate his mind on the supreme self. Supreme self means Kṛṣṇa or Lord. He is the supreme self, as I just explained, nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He is the supreme eternal. He is the supreme living entity. So the whole yoga system is to concentrate mind on the supreme self. We are not supreme self. That you can understand. Supreme self is God. This is dvaita-vāda. Duality. Duality means God is different from me. He is supreme. I am subordinate. He is great, I am small. He is infinite, I am infinitesimal. This is the relationship.
Devotee: "Purport: Sacred place refers to places of pilgrimage. In India the yogis, the transcendentalists or the devotees all leave home and reside in sacred places such as Prayāga, Mathurā, Vṛndāvana, Hṛṣīkeśa, Hardwar, and practice yoga there."
Prabhupāda: Now, suppose you have to find out a sacred place. In this age, how many people is prepared to find out a sacred place. For his livelihood he has to live in a congested city. Where is the question of sacred place? so if you don't find a sacred place, then how you can practice yoga? That is the first prescription. 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.
Just like a lamp, when it is not agitated by the wind, the flame is straight, similarly, the mind should not be agitated. That flame is very nice, when it is stand straight without being moved by the wind. That flame is very nice. So that example is given here. The flame is so susceptible to wind that a little agitation it moves. So similarly, our mind is also so susceptible to material desires that a little movement can change the whole thing. Change it. Balavān indriya-grāmo vidvāṁsam api karṣati. Little change. In the Vedic language it is forbidden for a yogi, or those who are transcendentalist... Because he has to remain brahmacāri-vrate sthitaḥ.
Devotee: Verse fifteen: "By meditating in this manner, always controlling the body, mind and activities, the mystic transcendentalists attains to peace (the supreme nirvāṇa) which abides in Me (BG 6.15)."
Prabhupāda: Nirvāṇa means, the actual word nirvāṇa in Sanskrit, nirvāṇa means finished. Finished. That is called nirvāṇa. That means materialistic activities finished. No more. That is called nirvāṇa. And unless you finish this nonsense activities, there is no question of peace. So long you'll be engaged in materialistic activities, there is no question of peace. Prahlāda Mahārāja said to his father, tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām. "My dear father, this is the best thing." For whom? Best thing for whom? He said, tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehināṁ sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). These people, these materialistic people who have accepted something nonpermanent. Just try to understand each word. These materialistic people, they are hankering after capturing something nonpermanent, that's all. You have seen, by experience. Now that President, Mr. Kennedy, he was very rich man. He wanted to be President and he spent money like anything. He became President. He had his nice family, wife, children, presidentship—finished within a second. Similarly everyone is trying in the material world to capture something which is nonpermanent. But I am spirit soul, permanent.
Therefore here it is said, "By meditating in this manner, meditating upon Me, Kṛṣṇa, always controlling the body." The first control is tongue. And the next control is the genital. Then you control everything. You give your tongue engagement for chanting and eating Kṛṣṇa prasāda, it is controlled, finished. And as soon as your tongue is controlled, immediately your stomach is controlled, immediately next your genital is controlled. Simple thing. Controlling the body, mind. Mind being fixed on Kṛṣṇa, no other engagement, controlled. Activities always doing Kṛṣṇa's work. Gardening, typing, cooking, working, everything for Kṛṣṇa—activities. "The mystic transcendentalist then—immediately they become mystic transcendentalist—attains to peace, the supreme nirvāṇa, which abides in Me." It is all in Kṛṣṇa. You cannot find out peace outside Kṛṣṇa activities. Outside Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is not possible.
Devotee: Verse number nineteen: "As a lamp in a windless place does not waver... (BG 6.19)."
Prabhupāda: Here is the example, just see.
Devotee: "...so the transcendentalist, whose mind is controlled, remains always steady in his meditation on the transcendent Self."
Prabhupāda: In this room, because there is no air waving, just see the flame is steady. Similarly, if the flame of your mind will remain as steady as this flame if you absorb the mind in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then as the flame is not agitating, your mind will not be agitated. And what is perfection of yoga?
Devotee: Verse 20 through 23: "The stage of perfection is called trance or samādhi, when one's mind is completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga (Bg. 6.20-23)."
Prabhupāda: 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.
Just like the other day I explained the happiness of the yogis. Ramante yoginaḥ anante satyānande cid-ātmani (CC Madhya 9.29). Ramante yoginaḥ anante. The yogis, those who are transcendentalists aspiring after spiritual life, they are called yogis: bhakti-yogī, jñāna-yogī, dhyāna-yogī. There are so many departments of yogis. Now, they also enjoy. The whole process is to concentrate upon the viṣṇu-mūrti, Viṣṇu form, within the heart. And unless there is pleasure, there is no enjoyment, what is the use of controlling the senses and focusing the mind on the Supreme Supersoul within the heart? There is pleasure. What sort of pleasure that is? That pleasure is ananta. Ananta means endless. Endless. Yoginaḥ. Yoginaḥ. Ramante yoginaḥ anante. Anante means that pleasure is not endless. That pleasure, why it is not ended? Because spirit is eternal and the Supreme Lord is eternal, therefore reciprocation of their loving exchanges, they are eternal.
Devotee: (6.44) "By virtue of the divine consciousness of his previous life, he automatically becomes attached to the yogic principles—even without seeking them. Such an inquisitive transcendentalist, striving for yoga, stands always above the ritualistic principles of the scriptures. But when the yogi..."
Prabhupāda: No, let me explain this. "By virtue of divine consciousness." We are preparing this consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, divine consciousness. And the consciousness we go. Just like the flavor, the aroma of a rose flower is carried by the air and if the air passes through us we also experience the rose flavor. Similarly, when we die, this material body is finished. "Dust thou art, dust thou beist." This is made of five elements: earth, water, air, fire, ether. So the, so far earthy materials are concerned, that is mixed up. Somebody burns this body, somebody buries or somebody throws it for being eaten by the animals. The three system in the human society. Just like in India, Hindus, they burn the body. So the body is transformed into ashes—means earth. Ash means earth. Those who are burying the bodies of their forefathers, the body turns into dust, as the Christian Bible says, "dust thou art." This body is dust and again turns into dust. And those who are throwing for being eaten by the animals and birds, vultures, just like in India you have got the community, Parsee community. They do not burn, neither they bury. They throw and the vultures immediately comes and eat. Then the body turns into stool.
The next śloka says. Now, again Lord says that "Either in a brāhmaṇa family, very pious family, or in a rich family, athavā, or, yoginām eva kule bhavati dhīmatām (BG 6.42), yoginām, in a family where persons have practiced the yoga system..." Yogināṁ dhīmatām. Yoginām. Yoginām means either devotee or meditators or great philosophers—in their families. Yoginām eva kule bhavati dhīmatām (BG 6.42). Dhīmatām means very intelligent. These transcendentalists, either philosopher, or meditators, or great devotees of the Lord, they are considered the, I mean to say, highest top of the human society, dhīmatām. Etad dhi durlabhataraṁ loke janma yad īdṛśam.
Here it is said that manuṣyas teṣāṁ śāstra 'dhikara yajñānāṁ sahasra-madhye. Now, what I am, what is God, what is this material world, how it is working, these things are business of an educated man. A foolish man cannot take. Therefore śāstra adhikāra. Śāstra means one has got some knowledge in the śāstras, in the books of knowledge. As soon as we find out one who has got books of knowledge, knowledge in books, or śāstra, the quantity will be at once reduced. In this quarter if you find out how many noneducated people are there, oh, you'll find many. And as soon as you want to find out how many M.A.'s are there, at once the number will be reduced. Similarly, there are many men, but if you want to search out some man who is trying to make perfection of his life, at once the number will be reduced. And out of them Just like so many transcendentalists, swamis, yogis there are. If you count amongst them who wants to understand God, who has got the knowledge of God, at once the number will be reduced. Again.
Therefore in Vedic literature we find that ramante yoginaḥ anante: (CC Madhya 9.29) "Those who are yogis, those who are transcendentalists..." They also... Every one of us are seeking after pleasure, ānanda, but the yogis, either these jñāna-yogi, dhyāna-yogi, or karma-yogi, or bhakta-yogi... There are different kinds of yogis, but the yogi means the person who wants to connect himself with the eternal happiness. That is called yogi, one who is not satisfied with this temporary, material happiness. Just like Śaṅkarācārya. He also says that brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: "You are trying to derive pleasure from this material world, but it is false." He also says. If you want real pleasure, then brahma-saukhyam—you have to seek pleasure in the Brahman. Similarly, we find in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the instruction of Ṛṣabhadeva. He says... He's instructing His sons, tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvaṁ yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam (SB 5.5.1). He's advising His sons. "His sons" means everyone, He's advising. What is that? Na ayaṁ dehaḥ deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhati yad viḍ-bhujām ye: "My dear sons, this human form of body is not meant for continuously hard labor simply for sex enjoyment, simply for sex enjoyment."
Because in the material world there is no ānanda except this. But in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriya-grāhyam (BG 6.21). What is real ānanda, that you have to taste by your transcendental senses, not these senses, blunt senses. This is blunt senses, covered senses. There is no question of tasting ānanda with these senses. There is no possibility. Ānanda is described. Just like it is said, ramante yoginaḥ anante. (CC Madhya 9.29) Yoginaḥ, those who are transcendentalists, above this material world, they also seeking after ānanda or tasting ānanda. Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa. That is satyānanda. That is real ānanda. Ramante yoginaḥ anante. And there is no end of that ānanda. Nityaṁ nava-navāyamānam.
Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). There are different kinds of transcendentalists. They are called tattva-vit. Tattva-vit means one who knows the Absolute Truth. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata it is said, vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). Tattva-vit, the transcendentalists, call it Absolute Truth which is yaj jñānam advayam, where there is no duality. In the transcendental knowledge there is no duality. There is no..., nothing different from nothing. Everything is on the same level. That is called... One who knows that knowledge, he is called tattva-vit. Now, the tattva-vit says that the Supreme Absolute Truth is recognized in three aspects: brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate-brahmeti, impersonal Brahman; and Paramātmā, the localized Supersoul; and Bhagavān. Bhagavān means the Personality of Godhead.
So now here in the Bhagavad-gītā the Lord Kṛṣṇa says that bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). There are so many transcendentalists. That means those who are trying to realize the Supreme Absolute Truth. There are many different kinds of spiritual process. So they have been analyzed into three groups. Although they are many, still, they have been put into three groups. What are they? The first are the impersonalists, brahmavādīs. Impersonal Brahman. Just like the same example: In the sunshine your eyes are dazzled. You do not see. If you go little over this planet, earth planet, by aeroplane, and if there is full sunshine, you don't see anything except sunshine. But that does not mean there is nothing beyond sunshine. But my eyes are dazzled by the sunshine. Just like in during daytime you do not find the stars due to the dazzling sunshine, but you don't think that because you do not see the planets or stars during daytime, they are vanquished, there is nothing. No. Similarly, those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth, they first of all realize that brahma-jyotir. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, about that brahma-jyotir, brahmaṇaḥ ahaṁ pratiṣṭhā. Just like the sunshine.
Now, there are two classes of transcendentalists. One class of transcendentalists, just like the impersonalists, they want to stop activities. They think like that, that when one becomes one with the Transcendence, then their activities stop. But actually, from the Bhagavad-gītā we find that te kṛtsnam adhyātmaṁ karma cākhilam. Their activities are not stopped, but the quality of the activity is changed. Brahman. The quality of activities becomes transcendental. Karma cākhilam. Akhila. Whatever he does in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, whatever he does, that becomes Brahman, or transcendental. That means free from the contamination of the three modes of material nature. Therefore, as he becomes free from the contamination of the three modes of material nature, therefore he's not going to have next body of this material nature. Next body he's not going to have material... The same example: just the, if you put iron rod into the fire, it becomes gradually the fire. The nature of fire the iron rod attains. So when it is red-hot, there is no possibility of its being the iron, but it is fire.
We have been discussing about the transmigration of the soul. The... There are different kinds of transcendentalists who are called yogi: jñāna-yogī, dhyāna-yogī and bhakti-yogī. All the yogis, they are eligible to be transferred to the spiritual world. The yoga system is meant for linking our connection. We are eternally connected with the Supreme Lord. Somehow or other, we are now in material contamination. The..., the process is that we have to go back again. So that linking process is called yoga. Yoga, the actual translation of the word yoga means plus, plus, just the opposite of minus. Now, at the present moment, we are minus God, or minus Supreme. So when we make ourself plus, connected, then our human form of life is perfect. So at the time of death we have to finish that perfection. So long we are alive, we have to practice how to approach that point of perfection, and at the time of death, when we give up this material body, that perfection has to be realized.
Ah, the yogi, the transcendentalist, his chief aim of life is how to get into the spiritual kingdom. That is the highest ambition of the yogi, of the transcendentalist.
Now we begin the Ninth Chapter. We have finished the Eighth Chapter. We are beginning the Ninth Chapter of the Bhagavad-gītā. Śrī bhagavān uvāca. The Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, is speaking. Śrī Bhagavān. I have several times described what this word bhagavān means. Bhaga means "opulence," and vān means "who possesses." So bhagavān. There is... Everything has definition. So in the Vedic scripture we'll find the definition of God. We have got some conception of God, but in the Vedic literature you'll find definite description, what do we mean by "God." That what do we mean by "God" is described in one word: Śrī bhagavān. Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence, and vān means "one who possesses."
So God is realized in three features by the transcendentalists. The first is impersonal Brahman, impersonal Brahman without any particular form. That is called Brahman realization. Above that, there is Paramātmā realization, localized. As Kṛṣṇa said in the previous verse, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvam, everywhere there is God. In the heart of everyone, even within the atom, there is God. This is called Paramātmā feature. Localized everywhere, God is there. And then Bhagavān. Bhagavān, personal. The Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So in the Supreme Personality, Kṛṣṇa said in the previous verse, mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni na ca ahaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ (BG 9.4). That is explained in this verse that "Everything is resting upon Me. But at the same time," na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni, "they are not also in Me." This particular portion has to be understood. When Kṛṣṇa says, God says, that everything is resting upon Him, that means everything is resting upon His expanded energy, not personally on Him. Personally He is aloof. Therefore it is said, na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni.
Now, sages, saints, philosophers, and transcendentalists, yogis, jñānīs—they are all searching, "What is the ultimate source?" So they have found out. What is that? They have found out. In the Brahma-saṁhitā, we see, there is a very nice verse. They say that
- īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
- sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
- anādir ādir govindaḥ
- sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
- (Bs. 5.1)
Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam. Kāraṇa means cause. Sarva-kāraṇa, the cause of all causes. There are different causes. Just like take for this cotton cloth. What is the cause? The cotton cloth is made of thread. Thread is the cause of this cloth. Now, what is the cause of the thread? (incomplete) (end)
So those who are impersonalists, they prefer these three processes. And those who are personalists, they prefer directly to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. So they're all transcendentalists. They're on the line. But here in the Bhagavad-gītā, those who are directly worshiping the Supreme Lord, they have been described as mahātmā. And those who are worshiping in other processes, they have been described, anye. Anye means others. So they have not been given so much importance, although they have been accepted. They have been... Because they have come to the line. Because... Suppose you are accepting the universal form of God. That is a fact also. Because the universe, the manifestation of the universe, is also manifestation of the energy of God. And the energy of God and God is not different. So therefore one who takes the manifestation of the energy as God, he's not mistaken. That is also true. Because there is nothing beyond God. If you think, "I am God," yes, you are also God. Because there is nothing beyond God. Ahaṅgrahopāsanam. If you think everything is God, that is also true. Because in the higher conception, there is nothing beyond God. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. Sarvam, everything.
Now, Lord Kṛṣṇa has described different types of transcendentalists. First He has described about the mahātmā, mahātmā, the great soul. And their symptoms have been described, that satataṁ kīrtayanto mām (BG 9.14). They are engaged twenty-four hours, cent percent, in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ, and trying to serve the Lord very carefully with vow. So they are first-class transcendentalists or the great soul. And then? Second-class? Those who are trying to understand the Supreme, the Absolute Truth, by identifying himself with the Supreme, that "I am, I am the Supreme." This I have already explained. This "I am Supreme" means "I am part and parcel of the Supreme, of the same quality." So these people, these devotees, not exactly devotees, transcendentalists, they, doing that, when they are little more advanced and if by chance they get association of another pure devotee, then he can understand that "I am not Supreme, but I am the part and parcel of the Supreme." Then he makes further advance and the ultimate goal, as I have several times explained before you, ultimate goal is to know Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord. That is the ultimate goal.
Just like in military art there is a word, "direct action," this is the spiritual direct action, this Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. But because it is very simple, sometimes those who think themselves as very intelligent and advanced, they think, "Oh, what they are doing, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa? We are meditating, we are philosophizing, and we are doing penance and austerities and following the rituals, so many things." So practically, they are, according to Bhagavad-gītā they are not directly in touch with the Supreme Lord, but they have taken different paths as ahaṅgrahopāsanam, thinking himself as one with the Lord, pantheism, thinking everything the symbol of God, and thinking the universal form as the Supreme, in different ways.
So anyway, all of them, the first-class mahātmā and all these people, they are transcendentalists. They are trying to realize the Absolute Truth. May be in a different grades, but they are trying. And besides that, besides them, there is another class who are, more or less can be called, not transcendentalists but materialists. And who are they? That is described here.
Anyway, the process is mentioned, described in the Vedic literature, trai-vidyā. Trai-vidyā means Vedas. There are three kinds of knowledge in the Vedas, trai-vidyā: karma-kāṇḍa, upāsanā-kāṇḍa, and jñāna-kāṇḍa. Karma-kāṇḍa means this, how we can adjust material happiness or material living very nice. That is called karma-kāṇḍa. And then upāsanā-kāṇḍa. Upāsanā-kāṇḍa means how to worship the Supreme Lord or the demigod or different types of... There are demigods. The demigods are living beings like us, but they are very powerful. So that upāsanā-kāṇḍa, worship of different demigods is also mentioned there in the Vedas. That is called upāsanā-kāṇḍa. And jñāna-kāṇḍa. Jñāna-kāṇḍa means knowledge, philosophical. So therefore Veda is known as trai-vidyā, trayī. Trayī means three kinds of knowledge there are. So the persons who are more or less materialists—they are not transcendentalists—they take shelter of this Vedic trai-vidyā, three kinds of knowledge. And to prepare themselves to be transferred in other planets they become freed from all sinful reaction.
Gatāgatam kāma-kāmā labhante. Kāma-kāmāḥ means sense gratification. Sense gratification. But transcendentalists, they have understood that "This sense gratification process will not help me." This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One must understand perfectly well that this process of sense gratification, variyagasan, that will not help me. He is very intelligent. I will have to search out something else, not this sense gratification. So long I have got a pinch of desire for sense gratification, I will have to take this material body. And as soon as I have got this material body, then all of the material miseries are along with it. So those who are serious about, that "I do not want any more..." But we have become callous. We don't think that "What is miseries of...?" But those who are actually in knowledge, those who want to live, those who want to have perfect knowledge, those who want to have blissful life, they understand that "This material existence, either this Svargaloka or the heavenly planet or this planet or that, will never give me happiness. I will have to... As Kṛṣṇa informs herein, that yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6), 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."
So Kṛṣṇa is the best and foremost ācārya, and He is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In India all schools of, I mean to say, transcendentalists, the impersonalists and the personalists, all of them, they have accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no doubt about it. So here the Lord says Himself that "I eat." So we cannot say that He does not eat. "He does not eat"—in favor of my conclusion, there is no evidence. But here is the evidence, accepted evidence, that God eats. If God eats, then why don't you offer Him to eat? Where is the harm? What is the harm? If your little fruits and flowers offered to God, He accepts it, why don't you offer it? You want to please so many. You flatter so many bosses by supplying good dishes and so many things, and why don't you try to please God? What is the harm? Is there any loss? You are eating every day, and before eating, if you offer to God, what is the harm there? Why people do not take this formula and see the result? If actually God eats from your hand, oh, how much advanced you become in spiritual life you do not know. He accepts your things from your hand. How much fortunate you are.
Therefore yogis they try to find out God within the heart. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). Yogi, those who are yogis, transcendentalists, they are trying to observe the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Dhyānāvasthita, by meditation. That is real meditation, to focus the mind to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead within the heart. But who can see? That is also described in the śāstra. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu (Bs. 5.38), again hṛdayeṣu, hṛdayeṣu. Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ, santaḥ, saintly person, being developed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in love of Kṛṣṇa...
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Pradyumna: "Churches, mosques or temples are now practically vacant. Men are more interested in factories, shops, and cinemas than in religious places which were erected by their forefathers. This practically proves that religion is performed for some economic gain. Economic gains are needed for sense gratification. Often when one is baffled in the pursuit of sense gratification he takes to salvation and tries to become one with the Supreme Lord. Consequently, all these states are simply different types of sense gratification. In the Vedas, the above-mentioned four activities are prescribed in the regulative way so that there will not be any undue competition for sense gratification. But Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is transcendental to all these sense gratificatory activities. It is purely transcendental literature which can be understood only by the pure devotees of the Lord who are transcendental to competitive sense gratification. In the material world there is keen competition between animal and animal, man and man, community and community, nation and nation. But the devotees of the Lord rise above such competition. They do not compete with the materialists because they are on the path back to Godhead, where life is eternal and blissful. Such transcendentalists are nonenvious and pure in heart. In the material world everyone is envious of everyone else, and therefore there is competition. But the transcendental devotees of the Lord are not only free from material envy..."
Prabhupāda: Therefore this bhāgavata-dharma or Kṛṣṇa consciousness is meant for persons who are not envious. Paramo nirmatsarāṇām (SB 1.1.2). Nirmatsara. Matsaratā. Matsaratā means to become intolerant when his neighbor is prosperous. That is called matsara. Everyone is envious. If his neighbor, if his brother, if his friend becomes more prosperous than himself, he becomes envious. This is material nature. Similarly, in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, if we become envious, "Oh, my Godbrother, oh, he has become so popular. He is making so much progress.
Rāma, this word, comes from ramaṇa, ram, ram-dhātu, "enjoyment." Just like here in this material world they are also engaged in ram, ramaṇa, but that is sex life. That's all. That is sex life. That is also ramaṇa. But there is another ramaṇa, that is Rāma. If you take the shelter of Rāma, that is real happiness. Ramante yoginaḥ anante. Those who are yogis... Yogis means transcendentalists. Those who are aspiring after spiritual perfection, they are called yogis. So the preliminary yoga system that is practiced generally, haṭha-yoga, aṣṭāṅga-yoga, that is preliminary. Nobody gets perfection even in the preliminary yoga system. And what to speak of further progress. So the bhakti-yogī, those who are engaged in this bhakti-yoga system... Māṁ ca yo 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena sevate. That is yogi.
Prabhupāda: Raso vai saḥ.
Pradyumna: "When one associates with the Supreme Lord and exchanges one's constitutional rasa with the Lord, then the living being is actually happy. These śruti-mantras indicate that every living being has its constitutional position, which is endowed with a particular type of rasa which is to be exchanged with the Personality of Godhead. In the liberated condition only, this primary rasa is experienced in full. In the material existence, the rasa is experienced in the perverted form, which is temporary. And thus the rasas of the material world are exhibited in the material form of raudra (anger) and so on. Therefore, one who attains full knowledge of these different rasas, which are the basic principles of activities, can understand the false representations of the original rasas which are reflected in the material world. The learned scholar seeks to relish the real rasa in the spiritual form. In the beginning he desires to become one with the Supreme. Thus, less intelligent transcendentalists cannot go beyond this conception of becoming one with the spirit whole, without knowing of the different rasas. In this śloka, it is definitely stated that spiritual rasa, which is relished even in the liberated stage, can be experienced in the literature of the..."
Prabhupāda: Rasāmalayam.
We go, we take bath in the river, like the Christians, they take bath in the Jordan River, or Hindus, they go to Hardwar, take bath in the Ganges, or Vṛndāvana, they take bath. But they think by taking bath in that water, his job is finished. No. Actually the job is to go to such pilgrimages, holy places, to find out experience spiritual advancement. Because many spiritually advanced men, they live there. Therefore one should go such places and find out the experienced transcendentalist, and take lessons from him. That is really going to pilgrimage. Not that simply going and take bath and business finished. No. So
- yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke
- sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ
- yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij
- janeṣv abhijñeṣu...
- (SB 10.84.13)
Abhijñe, one who knows. (indistinct) we should approach person who knows things very well, abhijñaḥ. Kṛṣṇa is abhijñaḥ, svarat. So similarly Kṛṣṇa's representative is also abhijñaḥ, naturally. If one associates with Kṛṣṇa, if one talks with Kṛṣṇa, he must be very abhijñaḥ, very learned, because he takes lessons from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's knowledge is perfect, therefore, because he takes knowledge from Kṛṣṇa, his knowledge is also perfect. Abhijñaḥ. And Kṛṣṇa talks. It is not that it is fictitious, no. Kṛṣṇa—I have already said—that Kṛṣṇa is sitting in everyone's heart and He talks with the bona fide person. Just like a big man, he talks with some bona fide person, he doesn't waste his time talking with nonsense. He talks, that's a fact, but he does not talk with nonsense, he talks with the bona fide representative.
Ādau śraddhā, first of all śraddhā. Śraddhā means a faith or some respect. Actually it means respect. Just like you have come here out of faith and respect. So here they're talking about God. There is temple of God, let us go there. This is faith and respect. Ādau śraddhā. This is the beginning. Now, after coming here, when you hear about God, because we, our only business is, we don't talk here politics or sociology or anything. That comes automatically as subordinate things, but our business is to talk about God. So those who talks about God, they are called saintly person. There are two kinds of men within this world. Materialistic person and transcendentalist, or man interested in spiritualism. So those who are interested in spiritual life, they talk of self-realization. And those who are materialistic person, they also talk. They talk about this body, how to keep this body nicely. There are politics, sociology, welfare activities, so many things, all concerning to the body. So there are many talks, just like in the newspaper. In your country especially, bunch of newspaper. So many talks, advertisement, fashion, this news, that news, full up. So the materialistic person, they read the newspaper, but we read Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That is the difference. We are also reading. They are also reading.
So tattva, the Absolute Truth, is one. Absolute Truth is not two. Ekaṁ brahma dvitīyaṁ nāsti. Absolute Truth is one, but it is realized from different angles of vision. There are transcendentalists, just like... Karmīs are not transcendentalists. Fruitive worker. Those who are simply working for betterment of life or standard of life or economic development-dharma, artha, kāma. Kāma means sense gratification. That is already explained. Kāmasya nendriya-prītiḥ. But they are thinking that indriya-prīti, sense gratification, is the highest perfection of life. But Bhāgavata says, or our Vedic authority says, kāmasya nendriya-prītiḥ. So karmīs, they are rejected. They are not fit for spiritual life, at least, so long they remain karmīs. Muḍḥa. That I have explained last night. Then, out of many thousands of karmīs, one becomes jñānī, jñānī, in true knowledge. They are called jñānī. When one is fed up with this karmī, he comes to the stage of jñānī, knowledge, that "I am not this body. Why I am working so hard for this body like cats and dogs?" He comes to the platform of jñānī. Then above the jñānī, the yogi. Those who are trying to connect, link with the Supreme, they are called yogi. Yoga indriya-saṁyamaḥ. In the yoga stage, there is control of the senses. So yogis, and then bhaktas. Karmī, jñānī, yogi, and bhakta. Bhakta means devotee.
Pradyumna: "Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān."
Prabhupāda:
- vadanti tat tattva-vidas
- tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam
- brahmeti paramātmeti
- bhagavān iti śabdyate
- (SB 1.2.11)
So the Absolute Truth is realized in three different features, according to the capacity of realization of the Person. Those who are trying to approach the Absolute Truth by exercise of the senses, they can reach up to the point of impersonal Brahman. Those who are searching out the Absolute Truth by meditation, by mystic yogic practices, they can realize the Paramātmā feature of the Absolute Truth. And those who are engaged in devotional service, they realize the Absolute Truth as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)
- vadanti tat tattva-vidas
- tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam
- brahmeti paramātmeti
- bhagavān iti śabdyate
- (SB 1.2.11)
Translation: "Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān."
Prabhupāda: I will speak, then you translate.
- vadanti tat tattva-vidas
- tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam
- brahmeti paramātmeti
- bhagavān iti śabdyate
- (SB 1.2.11)
Yesterday we have been discussing the aim of life. That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that kāmasya nendriya-prītiḥ. Kāma... Lābho jīveta yāvatā. The purpose of life is not sense gratification. Kāmasya na indriya-prītiḥ. We have got this body and we have got some bodily demands, āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna, the bodily demands. We want to eat something, we want some resting place, we want to satisfy our senses, and we want to defend from dangers. These are bodily demands. But we should not be simply concerned with the bodily demands. Then we shall become on the level of animals. Our real demand is self-realization.
So by serving these sacred places... To serve these sacred places means to... There are many good souls, great souls. So if you can find out such great souls, they are making their performances there. So if you find out some good, I mean to say, transcendentalist, and if you hear from him, then your process of life may be changed. So puṇya-tīrtha-niṣe... Or sometimes such persons, they travel all over the world also. So if you come in contact with such person and if you hear, then the vāsudeva-kathā-ruciḥ is developed. Then your tendency for hearing about Kṛṣṇa and Vāsudeva will develop. This is the true thing, that you must be very much eager. And when you are eager, Kṛṣṇa will send you. Kṛṣṇa is within you. As soon as He understands that "Here is a person who actually wants transcendental elevation," He makes you contact with such person. Such persons are all over. They are in the world. It is not rare. Of course, in this age it is very rare.
So those who are materialists, they take shelter of the material energy, and those who are transcendentalists, they take shelter of the transcendental nature. So those who are mahātmā, they take shelter of the transcendental prakṛti. So we have to render service to such person who is under the protection of the transcendental nature. That is called mahātmā. A mahātmā, this word you have heard. A mahātmā's description is mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). Mahātmā has nothing to do with this material world; he is simply under the care of the transcendental prakṛti.
Pradyumna: "...and empiric philosophers believe in the impersonal feature of the whole spirit without individuality of the living beings. But the transcendentalists affirm that the soul and the Supersoul are two different identities qualitatively one..."
Prabhupāda: This is also another doubt. Because the impersonalists, they think, ghaṭākāśa-poṭākāśa. Just like the sky. The sky is within the pot, and the sky is outside the pot. So when the pot is broken, the inside sky becomes one with the outside sky. That is their theory. So these doubts are also dissipated when one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That this poṭākāśa means the sky within the pot, no, ghaṭākāśa, the sky within the pot, it cannot be made analogy with the sky in the pot and outside. Because they are individual souls. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that they are part and parcel of God sanātana, eternally, not that they have been cut off. Just like the sky within the pot is walled by the wall of the pot, but actually we are not walled. We are individual. Every, every one of us are individual. We are not surrounded by some material wall. This material wall is supposed to be this body. Actually, we are individual, and therefore, because we are individual, according to our individual karma, we have got different types of body. So these are the doubts. When one become completely, I mean to say, cognizant with the Kṛṣṇa consciousness science, his all doubts are removed.
Prabhupāda: (interrupts devotees chanting verse) The word, not "vay", it is vai. (chanting resumes)
Pradyumna: Translation: "Therefore all transcendentalists have been rendering loving service with great delight to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, from time immemorial because such devotional service is enlivening to the self."
Prabhupāda: So "therefore." The word is "therefore." "Therefore" means after concluding something, then we say "therefore." When we talk, when we argue, when we come to the conclusion, then we say "therefore." Or when our argument is strong, then we say "therefore." So this "therefore" means that one is firmly convinced. As it is described in the previous verse, bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiś chidyante sarva-saṁśayāḥ. Sarva-saṁśayāḥ. Saṁśaya means doubtfulness.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.:)
- ato vai kavayo nityaṁ
- bhaktiṁ paramayā mudā
- vāsudeve bhagavati
- kurvanty ātma-prasādanīm
- (SB 1.2.22)
Translation: "Therefore all transcendentalists have been rendering loving service with great delight to Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead, from time immemorial because such devotional service is enlivening to the self."
Prabhupāda:
- ato vai kavayo nityaṁ
- bhaktiṁ paramayā mudā
- vāsudeve bhagavati
- kurvanty ātma-prasādanīm
Bhaktim ātma-prasādanīm. Devotional service is ātmā, means self, or mind also, even body... Ātmā means the body, the mind and the self also. So ātma-prasādanīm means if you want to satisfy your mind, if you want to satisfy your self, or even you want to satisfy your body... We are living in three stages: bodily concept of life, mental concept of life and spiritual concept of life.
So ultimately one has to reach to the platform of Bhagavān, Vāsudeva. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). One who reaches to the point of understanding Vāsudeva, he is the perfect mahātmā. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). According to Vedic description, mahātmā means one who has reached to the point of Vāsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One who has reached... All of them are transcendentalists, kovidāḥ, men of knowledge, but one who has reached to the point of understanding Vāsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he's called mahātmā. Mahātmā is a very common word in India. Any saintly person is called a mahātmā. But according to Vedic description, a mahātmā is he who has reached to the point of understanding Vāsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Pradyumna: "Why Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa with his plenary parts shall be rendered devotional service as it is explained above is confirmed by this statement. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and all His plenary parts are viṣṇu-tattva, or the Lordship of Godhead. From Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the next manifestation is Baladeva. From Baladeva is Saṅkarṣaṇa; from Saṅkarṣaṇa is Nārāyaṇa; again from Nārāyaṇa there is the second Saṅkarṣaṇa; and from this Saṅkarṣaṇa the Viṣṇu puruṣa-avatāras. The Viṣṇu or the Deity of the quality of goodness in the material world is the puruṣa-avatāra known as Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, or Paramātmā. Brahmā is the deity of rajas, or passion, and Śiva for ignorance. They are three departmental heads of the three qualities of this material world. Creation is made possible by the quality of passion and endeavor; it is maintained by the goodness of Viṣṇu; and when it is required to be destroyed, Lord Śiva does it by tāṇḍava-nṛtya. The materialists and the foolish human beings do worship Brahmā and Śiva respectively, but the pure transcendentalists do worship the form of goodness, Viṣṇu, in His various forms. Viṣṇu is manifested by His millions and billions of integrated forms and separated forms. The integrated forms are called Godhead, and the separated forms are called the living entities, or the jīvas. But either the jīvas or Godhead, both of them have their original, spiritual forms. The jīvas are sometimes subjected under the control of the material energy, but the Viṣṇu forms are always controller of the material energy. When..."
Prabhupāda: There is a difference between ordinary form and Viṣṇu form. Ordinary forms, they are controlled by Viṣṇu. Go on... nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). That is the Vedic injunction.
So Bali Mahārāja rejected his spiritual master. That's a great sin. But he rejected on shastric ground, because he objected for Viṣṇu worship. Therefore such spiritual master should be rejected. Should be rejected. Therefore he became mahājana, authority. Anyone who is obstruction to worship the Supreme Lord, he should be rejected immediately. That is bhakti. Ānukūlyasya grahaṇaṁ prātikūlyasya varjanam. Anything favorable for advancement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be accepted; anything unfavorable, that should be rejected. This is śaraṇāgati. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). We have to worship Kṛṣṇa, whatever is favorable. It is not that because the microphone is material, therefore I cannot use it. There are some so-called transcendentalists... Why not? If I speak through the microphone, I can serve better Kṛṣṇa. Why shall I not accept it? So ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam. Anything which is favorable for serving Kṛṣṇa, we shall accept. After all, everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Nothing belongs to you. Simply we are thieves. We are using Kṛṣṇa's property for our own sense gratification. Stena eva sa ucyate (BG 3.12). All thieves.
So there are three million serious sādhus in India. None of them ever attended such Mahatma Gandhi's meeting, neither they invited Mahatma Gandhi. No. They never never recognized, recognized. Because what they have got to do with these political affairs? Just like... They know, this is the business of the crows. The crows will take interest in such meeting. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). What these politicians will do? They'll simply make plan. That's all. Hitler will make one plan, Mussolini will make one plan, Churchill will make another plan. Your Roosevelt will make another plan, Gandhi will make another. Simply planmaking business. They will never be able to bring any peace and prosperity in the world. That is not possible. Because it is under the grip of māyā. They do not know. The peace and prosperity means surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Then you become out of the clutches of māyā. That secret they do not know. They're simply making plans. That's all. So planmaking, will always be frustrated. So simply agitation; it has no meaning. Therefore those who are transcendentalists, they know, this is crow's meeting. Sometimes, you have not seen, crows meeting. Kaw kaw kaw kaw kaw kaw kaw. They are passing resolution. You see? (laughter) You have seen crow's meeting?
That doesn't matter. Bhāvagrāhi janārdana. He, Kṛṣṇa, knows that what you are actually... Just like I know that although you are speaking guru as goru, I, I, I, don't take offense because I know that your desire is something else. I do not protest. (laughter) That "You are addressing me goru. I am not goru." (laughter) So that is not a fault. Similarly, it is said that yasmin prati-ślokam abaddhavati. If somebody does not know how to spell, how to say, but his idea is there, abaddhavaty api, because he wants to chant the holy name of the Supreme Lord, nāmāny anantasya, ananta... Ananta means the unlimited. His name is being chanted. Nāmāny anantasya yaśo 'ṅkitāni. And His glorification is being done. The effect is śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādha... Those who are actually advanced transcendentalists, they'll appreciate: "Oh, how nicely they are doing. How nicely." Although there is broken language of goru instead of guru, that will be appreciated.
Just like there are so many poets; they'll give you nice ideas, hallucination. You'll be in the poetic idea. As soon as... Just like our Ginsberg. Ginsberg gives so many poetic ideas. People throng: "Oh, Ginsberg is speaking." But there is... Now he's chanting, of course, Hare Kṛṣṇa. But in his poetry there is very rarely we can find about here. So anyway these things are not appealing to the persons who are really transcendentalists. But a, a composition which is even in broken language, if it is meant for glorifying the Supreme Lord, that is appreciated... Śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti. Śṛṇvanti means they very attentively hear. Śṛṇvanti. Śṛṇvanti means hearing. Śṛṇvanti gāyanti. Also repeats the chanting. Repeats. Gāyanti and gṛṇanti. Gṛṇanti means they take also. "It is very nice. It is very nice composition." Śṛṇvanti gāyanti. This is the distinction. One side, however nice it may be, poetically, rhetorically, but if there is no glorification of the unlimited Supreme Lord, it is rejected by the haṁsas. The... Just like the play, pleasure hunting place for the crows is never accepted by the swans, similarly these kinds of literature...
Yasmin, yaśasaṁ gṛṇanti atre tu yad yāni nāmāni sādhavo mahanto vaktari sati śṛṇvanti śrotari sati gṛṇanti, anyathā tu svayam eva gāyanti kīrtayanti.(?) So indirectly he hinted that: "You should compile one first-class literature which the swan class men will hear, will chant and enjoy. So far, what you have done, that will be enjoyed by the crow class men. But you do something which will be enjoyed by the... Then you will be satisfied. Otherwise, you'll not be satisfied." That was his indirect hint. "You are not satisfied by, even after compiling Vedānta-sūtra. That means, that indicates that these literatures will not be satisfactory for the swan class of men, or paramahaṁsa." Paramahaṁsa means the topmost transcendentalists.
So Nārada Muni is advising that "You do something which will be accepted." Śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ. "Do something for the saintly persons, transcendentalists. What you have done this, literature for the crowlike persons. Do something for the swanlike persons." Na śobhate jñānam alaṁ nirañjanam.
- naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ
- na śobhate jñānam alaṁ nirañjanam
- kutaḥ punaḥ śaśvad abhadram īśvare
- na cārpitaṁ karma yad apy akāraṇam
So our problem is that we may not make any more cause for our next material birth. That is called akāraṇam. Akāraṇam. Just like I have got this body. The cause is my previous activities, in my past life's activities. Similarly, if I continue my materialistic way of life, then I am causing another material body. This is called kāraṇam. If I have got a doggish mentality, then I am causing myself to get a dog's body. Akāraṇam.
So Nārada Muni is inducing his disciple, Vyāsadeva, to write Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, will be, which will be heard and, śṛṇvanti, will be accepted, and gṛṇanti, and śṛṇvanti gāyanti, and chanted. So those who are actually in the transcen..., they accept Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... Śrīmad-bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam, yasmin pāramahaṁsyaṁ gīyate. Paramahaṁsa-saṁhitā. This is paramahaṁsa-saṁhitā. This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is meant for the topmost transcendentalists. It is not for ordinary... Not for the impersonalists, or for the yogis. The topmost transcendentalist means devotees. Because Kṛṣṇa says... Who is transcendentalist? Who wants to know God, he is transcendentalist. Not ordinary person. No, no, who is topmost transcendentalist? The devotees. Why? Why not the yogis, and the jñānīs, impersonalists, and the, the meditators about...? Why they are not? Because Kṛṣṇa says that bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55), "Only through devotional service one can understand Me."
In the, in the Padma Purāṇa also there is a verse, ramante yogino 'nante: "Those who are yogis..." Yogi means transcendentalist, not the so-called yogi. Those who have contacted the Absolute Truth, they are called yogis. So yoginaḥ, actually a yogi, ramante, they enjoy. They also enjoy. Why they are, I mean to say, undergoing so much austerities and penances and regulative principles? Because they are trying for being elevated to the real platform of happiness. So ramante yogino 'nante. Everyone is hankering after happiness, either materialistic or spiritualistic, but the difference is that materialistic, materialistic persons, they are satisfied with temporary happiness, and those who are transcendentalists, they are also seeking happiness. That is real happiness, spiritual happiness, eternal happiness. So therefore it is stated in the Padma Purāṇa that ramante yogino 'nante. Anante means unlimited happiness. They enjoy unlimited happiness. Ramante yogino 'nante. And satyānande. And that is real happiness. Happiness does not mean it is for few minutes. No. Happiness should continue, eternally. One should be situated in that happiness so that other, temporary happiness will not attract him.
Enjoyment is the goal of everyone's life. But the difference is that the materialist is trying to hanker after flickering enjoyment, and the transcendentalists, they are hankering after the spiritual enjoyment, or eternal enjoyment. Enjoyment... Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Because enjoyment is our life. We cannot be void. That is not possible. Therefore the impersonalists, about impersonalists, this Bhāgavata version is that although they rise up almost to the spiritual platform, but because they cannot enjoy... Impersonalists means there is no enjoyment. There is simply light, a life of knowledge. But simply knowledge will not make me happy. I must enjoyment. I must have enjoyment. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12), because my nature is to enjoy. That enjoyment cannot be done in the impersonal or void philosophy. That is not possible. Therefore Bhāgavata says, ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ: "If somebody thinks that he has become liberated after undergoing the process of impersonal philosophy and austerities and penances..." The impersonalists, they also practice severe penances to attain to that Brahman stage. That is also nice thing. But they cannot stay there, because there is no enjoyment.
You can travel for many years in that void, but if you don't take shelter in a planet, then you'll come back again to this planet. Similarly, the impersonalists, they cannot stay in their impersonal understanding. Simply they suffer some trouble. Kleśa... Bhagavad-gītā says, kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām (BG 12.5). Those who are attached, those who are attached to that impersonal feature of the Absolute Truth, they undergo greater trouble. We transcendentalists, we personalists, we also, from the materialistic point of view, we are... Our standard of living is not very opulent. We lie down anywhere. We are... Our dresses are not so clean. Our rooms are not clean. From the materialistic point of view, somebody comes. He says, "Oh. How wretched these people are living!" That is also another kind of austerity. They have adopted. But that is pleasing. Even they are in so-called wretched condition, they are happy. They are happy. So they're in both ways. But those who are simply attached to the impersonal feature, their trouble is more painful. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā.
Embrace? Yes. So as soon as one, kṛṣṇa-bhuliyā, forgets Kṛṣṇa... Forgetting Kṛṣṇa means sense enjoyment. Two things are there. One, the materialistic persons, they are engaged in the activities of sense enjoyment, forgetting Kṛṣṇa; and the transcendentalists, the devotees, they are, even though they are not forgotten, but they are not interested in sense enjoyment. They are interested in Kṛṣṇa. That is the difference. This is māyā and Kṛṣṇa.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: But the difference between the transcendentalists and the scientists is that they do not know the standard of research.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore we say they are fools. Why do we say mūḍhāḥ? Because they do not know. And our business is easy. We take Vedic version, Kṛṣṇa's version, Brahmā's version, Vyāsadeva's version, and accept. That's all. Which one is easiest? Our business is very simple. You ask your father... A child asks his father, "Father, what is this?" The father says, "This is microphone, my dear child." And he will, "Mother, this is microphone." So when he says this "Mother, this is microphone," is he correct or not?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, he is.
Nitāi: Translation: "Once only, by their permission, I took the remnants of their food, and by so doing, all my sins were at once eradicated. Thus being engaged, I became purified in heart, and at that time the very nature of the transcendentalist became attractive to me."
Prabhupāda:
- ucchiṣṭa-lepān anumodito dvijaiḥ
- sakṛt sma bhuñje tad-apāsta-kilbiṣaḥ
- evaṁ pravṛttasya viśuddha-cetasas
- tad-dharma evātma-ruciḥ prajāyate
- (SB 1.5.25)
Very simple process of awakening Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This ātma-ruciḥ... Ātma-ruciḥ means attraction for the self, or soul. There are ātmā. Ātmā means sometimes this body. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Gross materialists, they think that "I am this body." That is also ātma-ruciḥ. They are busy to maintain this body, to decorate this body, to feed this body, to satisfy the senses of the body. This is also ātma-ruciḥ, because the body is also called ātmā. So this is another ātma-ruciḥ, materialist. Then ātmā means mind also, mental speculation, very much busy in mental speculation. That is also ātma-ruciḥ. And the, the topmost ātma-ruciḥ, topmost means that is real ātma-ruciḥ, to be attracted by the self or Superself. That is ātma-ruciḥ.
So in order to educate people to this understanding... That is the basic principle of all Vedic knowledge, that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul, and I must find out the ultimate goal of the spiritual body or the spirit soul." So some of the transcendentalists, they think that if the spirit soul is merged into the Supreme Soul—that is called brahma-lina(?), to become one with Brahman—that is the solution of this anartha. Anartha means this body. And some of them, they think that with our spiritual body, spiritual vision, if we can observe continuously the Supreme Spirit, Paramātmā, then that is the solution of anartha. That is the yogi. Jñānī, yogi. And the karmīs, those who have no knowledge, ajānataḥ, fools, rascals... Ajānataḥ means one who does not know. That is the karmīs. Karmīs, they think that "If I can satisfy the senses of this body, that is perfection of life." So there are three kinds of philosophers to make the solution of this unwanted material body, anartha. But actual solution is to remain in your spiritual body and meet the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face and live with Him in eternal, blissful life of knowledge. That is Vaiṣṇava philosophy.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)
- tathā paramahaṁsānāṁ
- munīnām amalātmanām
- bhakti-yoga-vidhānārthaṁ
- kathaṁ paśyema hi striyaḥ
- (SB 1.8.20)
"You Yourself descend to propagate the transcendental science of devotional service unto the hearts of the advanced transcendentalists and material speculators who are purified by being able to discriminate between matter and spirit. How then can we women know You perfectly?"
Prabhupāda: So Kuntīdevī, she is submissively... This is the symptom of Vaiṣṇava. The Lord, Kṛṣṇa, has come to Kuntīdevī to take the dust of her feet. Because Kṛṣṇa considers Kuntīdevī as her aunt, Kṛṣṇa used to touch the feet of Kuntīdevī. But Kuntīdevī, although she is in such exalted position, practically on the level of Yaśodāmāyi, such a great devotee... So she is so submissive that "Kṛṣṇa, You are meant for the paramahaṁsas, and what we can see You? We are women."
Nitāi: (leads chanting, etc.)
- tathā paramahaṁsānāṁ
- munīnām amalātmanām
- bhakti-yoga-vidhānārthaṁ
- kathaṁ paśyema hi striyaḥ
- (SB 1.8.20)
"You Yourself descend to propagate the transcendental science of devotional service unto the hearts of the advanced transcendentalists and mental speculators who are purified by being able to discriminate between matter and spirit. How, then, can we women know You perfectly?"
Prabhupāda: Tathā paramahaṁsānām (SB 1.8.20). Kṛṣṇa is realized by qualification, and the qualifications are described here. The first qualification is paramahaṁsa. Paramahaṁsa. Parama means the best, and haṁsa means the swans. So there are different types of swans. We have seen. Out of them, the white big swan is accepted the best of them. So this haṁsa, or this swan, has got a qualification special, that you offer them milk mixed with water. So the haṁsa, it will take the milk portion and leave aside the water portion. Every animal has got a special qualification. Just like you'll find the lizard, a very plain wall, polished wall, but they'll go very swiftly. You have no science to do that. You cannot do it. The vulture, it goes very high. They have got very small eyes, but they can see from miles away where is some dead body. That is their business.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.)
- śrī-śuka uvāca
- varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ
- kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa
- ātmavit-sammataḥ puṁsāṁ
- śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ
- (SB 2.1.1)
Translation: "Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King, your question is glorious because it is very beneficial to all kinds of people. To hear the answer to this question is the prime subject matter for hearing, and it is approved by all transcendentalists."
Prabhupāda: So Śukadeva Gosvāmī arrived at the point of death of Mahārāja Parīkṣit. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was cursed by a brāhmaṇa boy that he would die within seven days, bitten by a snake. Just imagine how the brahminical culture was so powerful that even a boy born in a brāhmaṇa family... He was only ten or twelve years old... When he heard that his father was insulted by Mahārāja Parīkṣit by garlanding him with a dead snake... His playmates informed him that "Your father has been insulted in this way." So he retaliated that "Within seven days this snake will bite the king and he will die."
Ātmavit, self-realized person, transcendentalist, they are not interested with these material affairs. Ātmavit.
So there are three kinds of ātmavit or tattvavit. Some of them are brahmavit, some of them are paramātmavit, and some of them are bhagavadvit. Those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth through knowledge, by dint of their own knowledge, that is called brahmavit. They can approach up to the impersonal Brahman. And those who are yogis, trying to understand the Absolute Truth by meditation-dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1)—they are paramātmavit. And those who are devotees, they are bhagavadvit, or bhāgavata. They are called bhāgavata. So there are three classes of transcen..., vit, but everyone accepts this. ātmavit-sammataḥ. We should accept something which is agreed by the ātmavit, not ordinary person. Now it has become a fashion that you manufacture any way of thinking of self-realization, that is accepted. No. Whether it is accepted by ātmavit? Whether it is accepted by the Vedic culture? Then it is true.
Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) Translation: "Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King, your question is glorious because it is very beneficial to all kinds of people. To hear the answer to this question is the prime subject matter of hearing, and it is approved by all transcendentalists."
Prabhupāda:
- varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ
- kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa
- ātmavit-sammataḥ puṁsāṁ
- śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ
- (SB 2.1.1)
Śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ. The... Here in this material world we are busy in questioning and answering, or hearing. Question, hearing, and answering. This is the whole world. Even in the material field. You go to the market, you inquire, "What is the price of this thing?" and you hear the description of the thing and the price of the thing. So the praśnaḥ, the question was made by Mahārāja Parīkṣit just at the point of his death, "What I have to do now?" This is very intelligent. Only intelligent man can understand what is the value of this question, "What I have to do now?" Because intelligent person knows that "I am going to leave this body."
Nitāi: "Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King, your question is glorious because it is very beneficial to all kinds of people. To hear the answer to this question is the prime subject matter of hearing, and it is approved by all transcendentalists."
Prabhupāda:
- varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ
- kṛto loka-hitaṁ nṛpa
- ātmavit-sammataḥ puṁsāṁ
- śrotavyādiṣu yaḥ paraḥ
- (SB 2.1.1)
So this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is a question and answer. The beginning, the... This Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, first of all it was narrated by Vyāsadeva, and it was heard by his son, Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Then Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrated this Bhāgavatam to Parīkṣit Mahārāja at the time of his death. And from Śukadeva Gosvāmī, the Sūta Gosvāmī heard. This is the paramparā. (aside:) Not yet. This is the paramparā. Kṛṣṇa says in the Fourth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Bhagavad-gītā was spoken by Kṛṣṇa millions of years ago to the sun-god. Imaṁ vivasvate, proktavān avyayam. Imaṁ vivasvate proktam, vivasvān manave prāha manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt. This is the paramparā system.
So we can give you a minute edition of the transcendental news of the spiritual world. But unfortunately, there is no customer. There is no customer. The same thing, the śrotavyādīni... If you put magazines about this material world, you will get many customers. But as soon as we put forward Back to Godhead, we have no customer. The unfortunate thing is that nobody is interested about ātma-tattvam. So actually we should be interested to understand. We should be interested to understand ātma-tattva if we actually want to be free from fearfulness. Icchatā abhayam. Abhayam means fearless. If we are actually... Now, icchatābhayam, who are those? Transcendentalists.
So this Bengali proverb... So bhajana kara sādhana kara murte janla haya.(?) You are very good transcendentalist. You are practicing so many nice things. That's all right. But do you know how to die? That is the point. If you die with God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then your life is successful. (reads:) So "Nārāyaṇa is the transcendental Personality of Godhead beyond the material creation." Nārāyaṇa is not a person. The Māyāvādīs say, "Nārāyaṇa is also person like us. So I can remember anyone. I can remember my wife, I can remember my husband or my child. Still, I am going to the same goal." No, no, no. That is not possible. Therefore it is particularly said, ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6). Not your other friend or other demigod or other, no. Nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ. So "Everything that is created, sustained and at the end annihilated is within the compass of mahat-tattva and material principle." Anything.
Nitāi: "O King Parīkṣit, mainly the topmost transcendentalists who are above the regulative principles and restrictions take pleasure in describing the glories of the Lord."
Prabhupāda:
- prāyeṇa munayo rājan
- nivṛttā vidhi-ṣedhataḥ
- nairguṇya-sthā ramante sma
- guṇānukathane hareḥ
- (SB 2.1.7)
So there is a stage which is called paramahaṁsa stage. At that time, one is not very strictly following the regulative principles. Not that they're not following, but they're above all regulative principles. But we should not imitate that, that "Now we have become paramahaṁsa and we can neglect all regulative principles." No. The paramahaṁsa stage is described here. If you simply imitate, that "Now I have become paramahaṁsa, I do not require to follow rules and regulations"... But you must prove that you are paramahaṁsa.
Pradyumna: As we have already quoted above from the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu of Rūpa Gosvāmī, even mundane things, if dovetailed in the service of the Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, are accepted as transcendental. For example, the epics or the histories of Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata, which are specifically recommended for the less intelligent classes (women, śūdras and unworthy sons of the higher castes), are also accepted as Vedic literature because they are compiled in connection with the activities of the Lord. Mahābhārata is accepted as the fifth division of the Vedas after its first four divisions, namely Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg and Atharva. The less intelligent do not accept Mahābhārata as part of the Vedas, but great sages and authorities accept it as the fifth division of the Vedas. Bhagavad-gītā is also part of the Mahābhārata, and it is full of the Lord's instruction for the less intelligent class of men. Some less intelligent men say that Bhagavad-gītā is not meant for householders, but such foolish men forget that Bhagavad-gītā was explained to Arjuna, a gṛhastha (family man), and spoken by the Lord in His role as a gṛhastha. So Bhagavad-gītā, although containing the high philosophy of the Vedic wisdom, is for the beginners in the transcendental science, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is for graduates and postgraduates in the transcendental science. Therefore literatures like Mahābhārata, the, purāṇas and similar other literatures which are full of the pastimes of the Lord, are all transcendental literatures, and they should be discussed with full confidence in the society of great devotees.
The difficulty is that such literatures, when discussed by professional men, appear to be mundane literature like histories or epics because there are so many historical facts and figures. It is said here, therefore, that such literatures should be discussed in the assembly of devotees. Unless they are discussed by devotees, such literatures cannot be relished by the higher class of men. So the conclusion is that the Lord is not impersonal in the ultimate issue. He is the Supreme Person, and He has His different activities. He is the leader of all living entities, and He descends at His will and by His personal energy to reclaim the fallen souls. Thus He plays exactly like the social, political or religious leaders. Because such roles ultimately culminate in the discussion of topics of the Lord, all such preliminary topics are also transcendental. That is the way of spiritualizing the civic activities of human society. Men have inclinations for studying history and many other mundane literatures—stories, fiction, dramas, magazines, newspapers, etc.—so let them be dovetailed with the transcendental service of the Lord, and all of them will turn to the topics relished by all devotees. The propaganda that the Lord is impersonal, that He has no activity and that He is a dumb stone without any name and form has encouraged people to become godless, faithless demons, and the more they deviate from the transcendental activities of the Lord, the more they become accustomed to mundane activities that only clear their path to hell instead of return them home, back to Godhead.* Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam begins from the history of the Pāṇḍavas (with necessary politics and social activities), and yet Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is said to be the Pāramahaṁsa-saṁhitā, or the Vedic literature meant for the topmost transcendentalist, and it describes paraṁ jñānam, the highest transcendental knowledge. Pure devotees of the Lord are all paramahaṁsas, and they are like the swans, who know the art of sucking milk out of a mixture of milk and water.
Prabhupāda: Yes. In our childhood, we saw every village, every town, the transcendental knowledge. Any common man could speak about Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, Lord Kṛṣṇa. And system was—still there are, but practically closed now—that in the evening, in the village, everyone should assemble in a place to hear messages from Mahābhārata, Rāmāyaṇa, especially, because these two books can be understood by common man. Not... Vedānta philosophy was discussed. So my maternal uncles was in the suburb of Calcutta, about ten miles from our house. So sometimes when we used to go there, so in the evening after taking their meals, by eight o'clock, they would go to a place, assemble, and hear about Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, Bhāgavata. And they should discuss while coming home, and they should go, they would go to bed thinking that memory. So they'll sleep also Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata. Yes, and dream also Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata. You see? This was the system. Sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6).
So we should note it by this verse that some sort of tapasya must be done if we are serious about God realization. That is wanted. And then the first realization is jyoti, brahma-jyotir. Generally, the Māyāvādī transcendentalists, they think that this realization of brahma-jyotir is all in all. The yogis, they think that realization of sarva-guhāvāsam, sarva-bhūta-guhāvāsam... Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). God is there in everyone's heart. This is accepted in all śāstra. In the Bhagavad-gītā says, here also it is said, sarva-bhūta-guhāvāsam. Guhā means the heart, core of heart. So He is there. So one feature is brahma-jyotir; another feature is sarva-bhūta-guhāvāsam. The Lord is everywhere, not only your heart, my heart or any animal's heart, beast's heart, bird's heart, but He is also within the atom. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-stham (Bs. 5.35). Paramāṇu means atom. Within the atom there is also. Sarva-bhūta-guhā, within, āvāsa, He is living there. So this is one feature.
Nitāi: "Devahūti continued: I have taken shelter of Your lotus feet because You are the only person of whom to take shelter. You are the ax which can cut the tree of material existence. I therefore offer my obeisances unto You, who are the greatest of all transcendentalists, and I inquire from You as to the relationship between man and woman and between spirit and matter."
Prabhupāda:
- taṁ tvā gatāhaṁ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ
- sva-bhṛtya-saṁsāra-taroḥ kuṭhāram
- jijñāsayāhaṁ prakṛteḥ pūruṣasya
- namāmi sad-dharma-vidāṁ variṣṭham
- (SB 3.25.11)
So Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the real shelter, śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyam. We are seeking shelter, everyone, because we are servant constitutionally. Originally, we are servant of God. So that is our nature, to take shelter. Everyone is seeking a nice shelter. Somebody's seeking some occupation, service of some big man. Somebody's seeking oc..., servitorship of the government, government servant. But the ultimate shelter is Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Nitāi: "After hearing of His mother's uncontaminated desire for transcendental realization, the Lord thanked her within Himself for her questions, and thus, His face smiling, He explained the path of the transcendentalists who are interested in self-realization."
Prabhupāda:
- iti sva-mātur niravadyam īpsitaṁ
- niśamya puṁsām apavarga-vardhanam
- dhiyābhinandyātmavatāṁ satāṁ gatir
- babhāṣa īṣat-smita-śobhitānanaḥ
- (SB 3.25.12)
So transcendentalists, those who are advanced in spiritual life, when they hear some questions from persons to understand about spiritual life, they become very happy. Those who are transcendentalists, they are not interested in these worldly talks. That is very disgusting to them. They avoid such company who talks nonsense about these worldly affairs. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised His disciples, grāmya-kathā nā kahibe. Grāmya-kathā. Grāmya means pertaining to the village, society, neighborhood. People are interested in talking this grāmya-kathā. Grāma, from grāma, grāmya. Just like the newspaper. This newspaper is full of grāmya-kathā. There is no spiritual understanding. The whole newspaper... Here we have got four, five, ten pages newspaper, and in USA they have got bunch, one load of newspaper-full of grāmya-kathā. There was an estimation that the New York Times required, to publish one day's publication, to kill so many trees. Because the paper is now in scarcity. Why? Because they're killing the trees and making this grāmya-kathā newspaper, bunch of. Useless. They are making profit.
So anyway, if somebody's interested, it is his fortune because such kind of instruction as they are available in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhagavad-gītā, they are apavarga-vardhanam, apavarga-vardhanam. Niśamya puṁsām avaparga-vardhanam. Puṁsām, for the people in general. Apavarga-vardhanam, dhiyām, dhiyā abhinandya. When actually a person advanced in spiritual knowledge, somebody comes to him to enquire... Because it is the system. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). This is the instruction. So when a person comes to a transcendentalist to inquire about śreya uttamam—uttamam means transcendental subject matter—he becomes very happy. He becomes very happy. One who hears very attentively about the spiritual subject matter, the spiritual master becomes very happy. So Kapiladeva became very happy by seeing His mother so eager to understand about the spiritual subject matter. Therefore, dhiyā abhinandya, thanked her, "Oh, My dear mother, thank you very much. You are so interested in the subject matter." Because people are not interested. But when He saw that the family, head of the family, His mother, was interested, He became very happy, and therefore abhinandya, thanked her, "Yes, thank you, mother." Why? Now, ātmavatāṁ satāṁ gatiḥ: "You are asking the subject matter to know from Me which is approved by the ātmavatām."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Śreyaḥ means ultimate benefit, and preyaḥ means immediate sense gratification. That is called... That is the difference between śreyaḥ and preyaḥ. That's all right.
Revatīnandana: So the transcendentalists are śreyaḥ? And the karmīs and others are...
Prabhupāda: Yes, they are after preyaḥ. Those who are after śreyaḥ, they should follow the catur-āśrama, varṇāśrama. The varṇāśrama, according to Vedic system, the four kinds of varṇas or social caste, and four kinds of spiritual order, āśramas. That is the beginning of preyaḥ. Without this acceptance of these principles, according to Vedic principles, one is not considered as human being or civilized man. Because that is a system, if we follow that system, gradually we rise to the platform of śreyaḥ. If anyone does not follow regulative principles, it is very hard for him to come to the standard of śreyaḥ. But in this age, in Kali-yuga, every man is so fallen that he cannot follow any regulative principles according to the Vedic scriptures. As such, they have been accepted as śūdras. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ: "In this age everyone should be accepted as śūdra." But then how to elevate them? For elevating them, this..., not the Vedic system is to be followed but Pañcarātriki. Pañcarātriki... Just like we are trying to elevate these Europeans and Americans according to Pañcarātriki-vidhi. Everyone should be followed.
So this is to be understood, that God—His form, His quality, His pastimes, His entourage—everything of God is God. Even sometimes... Why sometimes? Always, the devotee of God is also God. Just like we chanted this mantra, sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ, that "In every scripture the spiritual master is identified as directly God." Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. Viśvanātha Cakravartī said, not that any section śāstra, but all śāstra, all scriptures, they admit that the spiritual master is God directly. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktaḥ: ** "It is said. It is mentioned. Authoritative śāstra, actually bona fide śāstra, it is said." Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktaḥ: ** "It is said." And sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ: ** "And that is accepted by all strict followers of transcendental science." Not that somebody admits or somebody does not admit. No. Everyone, sadbhiḥ. Sadbhiḥ means "by the transcendentalists, those who are actually making progress in transcendental science and those who are..., objective is to reach the Supreme." They are doing.
To understand Kṛṣṇa is not so easy thing. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu After many, many millions of persons, one tries to become siddha. Siddha means to understand what he is, jñāna. That is brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). And yatatām api siddhānām... (BG 7.3). Just like there are two classes of transcendentalists: the Māyāvādī and the Vaiṣṇava. That is all over the world. So Māyāvādī, they are supposed to be siddhas. They are not siddha, but they are trying to become siddha, to understand the spiritual position. Neti neti: "I am not this; I am not this; I am not this." But they are not siddhas. Siddhas, when they will understand that vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19), when they will understand Kṛṣṇa, that "Kṛṣṇa is everything," sa mahātmā, that mahātmā, not this ordinary mahātmā, "Nārāyaṇa, namo nārāyaṇa..." He is ordinary. Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. Very rare mahātmā. Who is? Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā: (BG 7.19) "Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa, is everything." That is siddha. Siddha. And again, yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścid vetti māṁ tattvataḥ (BG 7.3).
So more we become implicated in this material world, the more we suffer from the threefold miseries, adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. But by the grace of māyā we forget them on account of our pleasing atmosphere in the family—kuṭumbha-rāmaḥ. Therefore it is said ramante yoginaḥ anante (CC Madhya 9.29). Those who are yogis... There are many different types of yogis. Of all of them, bhakta-yogis, ramante yoginaḥ anante. The difference between yogi and bhogī—there are two classes. Bhogī means those who are trying to enjoy this material world, they are called bhogī. And there is another word, rogī. Rogī means diseased. Neither yogi nor a bhogī. Yogi means transcendentalist, trying to go back to home, back to Godhead, they are called yogi. And those who are only interested with this material happiness, they are called bhogī. And those who are neither of them, they are called rogi. So those who are yogis, they are first class.
So simply by becoming proud that "I have got so much material acquisition," nobody can compete with Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Anor anīyaṁ mahato mahīyan. Kṛṣṇa, if you compare Him, then you'll find He's greater than the greatest. Just like generally, transcendentalists, they have got idea of Brahman. What is that Brahman? Bṛhatvāt bṛhaṇatvāt iti brahma. Bṛhat means the great. God is great. Brahman, the great. Nobody can be greater. Bṛhatvāt bṛhaṇatvāt. And Brahman can expand to unlimited extent. Just like sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma. You see the expansion of Brahma. Parasya brahmaṇaḥ śaktir. Whatever we are seeing, the manifestation, expansion, this is Brahman. You can have little idea of the sky, but the sky which you are seeing, it is very little fraction, fragment, of the whole sky, Brahman sky. So Brahman is so great, and Brahman can expand. Bṛhatvāt. That which is greater than the greatest, and that which can expand unlimited, that is called Brahman.
Therefore you'll find, all transcendentalists, they are practicing tapasya very, very severely. That is required. The human life is meant for tapasya. That is human life. Human life is not meant for living like cats and dogs. That is not human life. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). To live like cats and dog is not meant for the human life. Human life is meant for tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattva (SB 5.5.1). We have to execute tapasya, austerity. Why? Now, to purify our existence. This present existence is not purified; therefore we have to meet death. Otherwise we are eternal. "Why should we meet death?" This question does not arise at all. The modern civilization, they do not care for death. This is another daring. Death... They never question that "We are eternal." Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). "Why I shall meet death?" But this question does not arise for... They think, "Death? We can finish everything." This is called mūḍha. They do not know things are there, what it should be. They do not know that.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
But they are accepting ajñāna as jñāna. To accept ajñāna as jñāna is the most unfortunate position. That is not jñāna. Real jñāna is how to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. So this is jñāna. For yogi, this instruction also is there. Karmī, jñānī, yogi, and bhakta. There are four classes of men, transcendentalists. They're all transcendentalists, culturing spiritual... That's, that's all right. But even in the spiritual cultivation, there is superior, inferior. Not exactly superior or inferior, because that is the material. But still there are classification. This classification is ended when one comes to know Kṛṣṇa. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam evam vijñātaṁ bhavanti. If one understands Kṛṣṇa, then Paramātmā and Brahman becomes automatically known. Sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavanti. Just like if you have got 100,000 dollars, ten dollar is within it, fifty dollar is within it, five hundred dollars is within it. So in the Bhagavad-gītā everything is discussed there, jñāna-yoga, karma-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, buddhi-yoga, so many yogas. But Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), ultimately. That means, "If you surrender unto Me, all these yogas are included." All these yogas, karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, all yogas are included. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ (BG 6.47). That we have to understand. We have to become fortunate to understand this philosophy. Kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya. This, this philosophy... If, if one surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, if one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, then his karma-yogi, jñāna-yogi, dhyāna-yogi, haṭha-yogi, everything..., everything is included there. He hasn't got to practice separately karma-yoga, dhyāna-yoga, jñāna-yoga, haṭha-yoga. Everything is there.
He wanted that human beings, those who have taken birth as a human being in India, they should take the cause, the mission of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and spread all over the world. Janma sārthaka kari' karo paropakāra. The India is made for doing good to others. India is not meant for exploiting others. That is not India's mission. From the very beginning, from long, long distant place, people used to come here to learn spiritual advancement of life. It is said that Lord Jesus Christ also came here, and he lived here for twelve years. Similarly, many Chinese scholars and transcendentalists used to come. So India is a land of knowledge and culture, especially spiritual knowledge, since very, very long time. So especially those who are born in India, they should take advantage of the privilege. Unfortunately, they are criticizing the foreigners, those who have taken it. They're suspecting. It is very, very regrettable fact. But anyway, that is the way, that is the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that those who are intelligent persons, intelligent Indians, they should take advantage of the gifts of the great sages and saintly persons, make their life successful and preach the cult all over the world. That is the mission of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for that purpose.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, "Here is the Paraṁ Brahman." When he is describing Kṛṣṇa's pastimes with the cowherd boys, so Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, "These cowherd boys are playing with the Supreme Person who is the source of brahma-sukha." Itthaṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā. And for the devotees... There are two kinds of transcendentalist: one Brahmavādi and other, Vaiṣṇava. A Vaiṣṇava takes this philosophy, that we are servant. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). And the Māyāvādī philosophers, they imperfectly think that they have become one with the Supreme, they have become Nārāyaṇa. That is a misleading philosophy. We should not accept that.
All the Vṛndāvana inhabitants, they took... Even their household quarrels, they used to represent, "Swamijī, this is our position. Please settle up." So whatever decision he would give to the villagers, they will accept. Their court was Swamijī, Rūpa Gosvāmī. So he was so lovable. So one day Rūpa Gosvāmī was thinking that "If I could get some, I mean to say, commodities for cooking, then I would have invited Sanātana Gosvāmī to take some prasādam." He thought like that. And, and after, say, one hour, one young girl came with sufficient quantity of rice, flour, ghee, and vegetables, so many things: "Bābājī..." They were called... They call in the India, especially in Vṛndāvana quarters, they call all these transcendentalist swamis "Bābājī." "Bābājī, please accept these commodities. There is some ceremony at our house. So My mother has sent you all these things." "Oh, very good." He was thinking that "If I could get some commodity and I could prepare something and invite Sanātana Gosvāmī." So the things were there. So Rūpa Gosvāmī inquired, "Where do You live? Oh, You are very nice girl.
Of course, God cannot be known in complete, but the highest point a human being or a living entity can reach... That, the only process, through bhakti... Bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ śraddhayātmā priyaḥ satām. Śraddhā ātmā priyaḥ satām. That bhakti, that process of devotional service, is very dear to the actual transcendentalist, very dear. Bhaktiḥ punāti man-niṣṭhā. Man-niṣṭhā. To know simply "I believe in God," that is not sufficient. The ultimate goal is to attain very intimate relationship or love of Godhead. That is required. Of course, to know, to believe in God, to accept God, that is all right. It is better than the atheist. But that is not end. You must develop yourself. You must... You should not simply make God as your order-supplier, but you should be order-supplier. When I become order-supplier to God, that is my perfection. And so long I keep God as my order-supplier, that is not bhakti. Generally, people keep God as his order-supplier: "O God, give us our daily bread," "O God, I am in distress, "O God, I am in difficulty, "O God, I am..." God supplies them. God is supplying. Eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. But that is not ultimate goal. The ultimate goal is that you should supply God. God will be dependent on you. That is bhakti.
So Lord Caitanya making an analytical study of the Vedic literature, and He is giving His conclusion. This is called mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). We have to follow the footprints of great ācāryas. Lord Caitanya is playing the part of an ācārya; so His conclusion should be taken. Lord Kṛṣṇa said also that kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajanti anya-devatāḥ: (BG 7.20) "Those who are worshipers of other demigods, they are mad after sense gratification." Oh, that means they are third-class men. Those who are mad after sense gratification, they are not considered first-class men because they are not transcendentalists; they are materialists, just like animals. They do not know anything. Simply sense gratification—āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna: eating, sleeping, mating and defending—that is their business. So those who are engrossed in the matter of sense gratification only, they are not in higher position. Therefore hṛta-jñānāḥ. Hṛta-jñānāḥ means those who have lost their sense. For sense gratification they have lost their sense. Hṛta-jñānāḥ. So Lord Caitanya wants to say that "Don't be hṛta-jñānāḥ. Don't be hṛta-jñānāḥ, or senseless. Be," I mean to say, "senseful."
It is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... There is a chapter. Nava-yogendra, nine great mystics, met one very powerful king, and they explained, each and every one of them. They explained about spiritual things. And there was a transcendentalist amongst them. Amongst the nine personalities, there was one whose name was Camasa Muni. The Camasa Muni said... That is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. When he was asked by Viveha Mahārāja, the King Viveha, "What is the avatāra of this Kali-yuga, especial?" then he mentioned,
- kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ
- sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam
- yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair
- yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ
- (SB 11.5.32)
"Now, in this age of Kali-yuga, there will be avatāra, incarnation, who is Kṛṣṇa, but His color of the body is not black." That is Lord Caitanya. Lord Caitanya was very fair complexion, nice looking. So kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣā. Tviṣā, by complexion, He is not Kṛṣṇa, but He is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa-varṇam tviṣākṛṣṇam and sāṅgo 'pāṅgāstra-pārṣadam. And He is associated by His confidential, I mean to say, devotees. You'll find Lord Caitanya always crowded by His devotees, always. His dancing mood—you have seen the picture. Special associates, that Advaita, Gadādhara, Nityānanda. So that incarnation, who is Kṛṣṇa, but His color, His complexion, is not black, but He is associated with devotees... And the process of worshiping that incarnation is to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare.
Nirguṇo bhavet. The liberation from material bondage is called nirguṇa. Nirguṇa means the three qualities, three modes of material nature, is nullified. As soon as we are transcendental to the three modes of material nature, that is called liberation. So just like there is injunction in the Vedic literature: to live in the city is rājasika; to live in the forest is sattvika, goodness. Sattvika quality means to live in goodness is to live in a forest. Therefore formerly, all the sages and saints, they used to live in a forest. Still there are many transcendentalists, they live in the forest, because forest is considered to be situation in goodness. Similarly, those who live in cities and villages, in society, human society, that is rājasika. And those who live in the liquor shop and similar, gambling shop and other, they are called tamasika.
So māyā, yad-apāśrayam. Māyā cannot come before Kṛṣṇa. Because... Just like the sun. Sunshine, there ignorance or darkness cannot come, cannot approach. So he saw. Vilajjamānayā yasya sthātum īkṣā-pathe amuyā. The māyā is ashamed to come before Kṛṣṇa because she is entrusted with very thankless task. Māyā is entrusted by Kṛṣṇa to take the conditioned souls and take charge of them. And māyā has taken charge of all us conditioned souls, and her task is to punish, simply beating. So that is a very thankless task. She is discharging the duty entrusted to her by Kṛṣṇa, but everyone, especially the transcendentalists, oh, they are hating, "Oh, māyā, māyā, māyā." Nobody will like, transcendentalists, māyā. Either personalist or impersonalist. But she's engaged. Just like police. Police is engaged by the state, but nobody likes police. Everyone will criticize police. Thankless task. Because they, unless they become strict, unless they become red-hot iron (?) they cannot execute their duty. That is their way of punishing. But people do not like them. Nobody likes police. You see. Even a police comes all of a sudden here to sit down here to hear us, we'll suspect, "Oh, he has come with some purpose." (laughs) It is such a thankless task. Similarly, māyā is entrusted with thankless task. She cannot approach Kṛṣṇa, neither she is liked by the conditioned souls.
Initiation Lectures
'Vyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ. Paras tasmād tu bhāva anya. As you get information from the Bhagavad-gītā, there is another nature which is called spiritual nature and the devotees are trying, all the transcendentalists... Some are trying to merge into the spiritual existence only, and we devotees, we want to keep individuality and want to become associate with the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa. So gradually you can learn it from the lectures and the books and with association with your Godbrothers and sisters. So this is your initiation. Take it very seriously. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa very faithfully and your life will be successful.
General Lectures
He was protected. Devotees are not under the karma. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated, karmāṇi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhājām (Bs. 5.54). Prahlāda Mahārāja was tortured by his father in so many ways, but he was not affected. He was not affected. Superficially... Just like in the Christian Bible also, that Lord Jesus Christ was tortured, but he was not affected. This is the difference between ordinary man and the devotees or transcendentalists. Apparently it is seen that a devotee is being tortured, but he is not tortured. There is one example, nice example. Just like the cat. The cat carries the kitties in the mouth, and it carries a mouse also in the mouth. So apparently it is seen that a cat is carrying its kitties in the mouth means it is in pain. But it is not in pain. That is a fact. Rather, she feels very comfortable. You see? But when the cat, the same cat, catches one mouse, his life is gone. But you see that she is carrying in the mouth both of them. Similarly, whenever you'll find that a great devotee is placed into torturing condition, he does not feel. But the demon thinks that "I am torturing him." Yes?
So loka-hitam. Varīyān eṣa te praśnaḥ (SB 2.1.1). Varīyān means glorify; eṣa, this; praśnaḥ, question; kṛtaḥ, what you have done; loka-hitam, the best welfare activities. This kind of question and answer. And not only that. One may say that "In your society, you are talking something of Kṛṣṇa. That is your hobby. You may take pleasure." Because everyone has got some, his hobby. But it is not like hobby. Not only loka-hitam, it is said ātmavit-sammataḥ. It is approved by the transcendentalists. Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā Arjuna says that "You are accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Not that because I am Your friend, out of my whims or affection I am talking of You as the Supreme Personality. You are accepted by such great sages like Nārada, Vyāsa, Asita." Great stalwarts, Vedic scholars.
Buddhiḥ means intelligence. And, when you transcend the intellectual platform also, then you come to the spiritual platform. That realization first of all required. Before you practice transcendental realization, you have to reach to the transcendental platform. That transcendental platform is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. Perhaps you have heard this word, Brahman, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is transcendentalist, that "I am not this body, I am not this mind, I am not this intelligence, but I am spirit soul." That platform. Then what is the symptoms of a person who has reached that platform? Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). When you reach to the platform of Brahman realization... Brahman realization means transcending. We are talking on the transcendental meditation. So transcending the bodily concept of life, transcending the mental concept of life, transcending the intellectual concept of life, when you come to the real spiritual platform, that is called brahma-bhūtaḥ stage.
Therefore it is said, śrutayo vibhinnā. There are innumerable Vedic scriptures. So we cannot come to the conclusion what is right or wrong, because sometimes you will find contradiction from one... Of course, there is no contradiction, but because we are not advanced in knowledge, sometimes we will find contradiction. Just like in India there are two classes of transcendentalists: the impersonalist and the personalist. That is not contradiction. The Absolute Truth is both impersonal and personal, but somebody is stressing on the impersonal point of view and somebody is stressing on the personal point of view. But we Vaiṣṇava, we know what is the meaning of impersonalism and what is the meaning of personalism. We take it for understanding, as it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The Absolute Truth is simultaneously Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. It is simply different stages of understanding. In the first stage, it is Brahman realization. In the second stage, it is Paramātmā realization. And at the last stage, it is Bhagavān realization.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: Purport.
Hari-śauri: The group of transcendentalists who follow the path of the inconceivable, unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Supreme Lord are called jñāna-yogīs, and persons who are in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, engaged in devotional service to the Lord, are called bhakti-yogīs. Now, here the difference between jñāna-yoga and bhakti-yoga is definitely expressed. The process of jñāna-yoga, although ultimately bringing one to the same goal, is very troublesome, whereas the path of bhakti-yoga, the process of being in direct service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is easier and is natural for the embodied soul. The individual soul is embodied since time immemorial. It is very difficult for him to simply theoretically understand that he is not the body. Therefore, the bhakti-yogī accepts the Deity of Kṛṣṇa as worshipable because there is some bodily conception fixed in the mind, which can thus be applied. Of course, worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His form within the temple is not idol worship. There is evidence in the Vedic literature that worship may be saguṇa and nirguṇa—of the Supreme possessing or not possessing attributes. Worship of the Deity in the temple is saguṇa worship, for the Lord is represented by material qualities. But the form of the Lord, though represented by material qualities such as stone, wood, or oil paint, is not actually material. That is the absolute nature of the Supreme Lord.
A crude example may be given here. We may find some mailboxes on the street, and if we post our letters in those boxes, they will naturally go to their destination without difficulty. But any old box, or an imitation, which we may find somewhere, which is not authorized by the post office, will not do the work. Similarly, God has an authorized representation in the Deity form, which is called arca-vigraha. This arca-vigraha is an incarnation of the Supreme Lord. God will accept service through that form. The Lord is omnipotent and all-powerful; therefore, by His incarnation as arca-vigraha, He can accept the services of the devotee, just to make it convenient for the man in conditioned life.
So, for a devotee, there is no difficulty in approaching the Supreme immediately and directly, but for those who are following the impersonal way to spiritual realization, the path is difficult. They have to understand the unmanifested representation of the Supreme through such Vedic literatures as the Upaniṣads, and they have to learn the language, understand the nonperceptual feelings, and they have to realize all these processes. This is not very easy for a common man. A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, engaged in devotional service, simply by the guidance of the bona fide spiritual master, simply by offering regulative obeisances unto the Deity, simply by hearing the glories of the Lord, and simply by eating the remnants of foodstuffs offered to the Lord, realizes the Supreme Personality of Godhead very easily. There is no doubt that the impersonalists are unnecessarily taking a troublesome path with the risk of not realizing the Absolute Truth at the ultimate end. But the personalist, without any risk, trouble, or difficulty, approaches the Supreme Personality directly. A similar passage appears in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It is stated there that if one has to ultimately surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead (This surrendering process is called bhakti.), but instead takes the trouble to understand what is Brahman and what is not Brahman and spends his whole life in that way, the result is simply troublesome. Therefore it is advised here that one should not take up this troublesome path of self-realization because there is uncertainty in the ultimate result.
A living entity is eternally an individual soul, and if he wants to merge into the spiritual whole, he may accomplish the realization of the eternal and knowledgeable aspects of his original nature, but the blissful portion is not realized. By the grace of some devotee, such a transcendentalist, highly learned in the process of jñāna-yoga, may come to the point of bhakti-yoga, or devotional service. At that time, long practice in impersonalism also becomes a source of trouble, because he cannot give up the idea. Therefore an embodied soul is always in difficulty with the unmanifest, both at the time of practice and at the time of realization. Every living soul is partially independant, and one should know for certain that this unmanifested realization is against the nature of his spiritual blissful self. One should not take up this process. For every individual living entity the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which entails full engagement in devotional service, is the best way. If one wants to ignore this devotional service, there is the danger of turning to atheism. Thus this process of centering attention on the unmanifested, the inconceivable, which is beyond the approach of the senses, as already expressed in this verse, should never be encouraged at any time, especially in this age. It is not advised by Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Hayagrīva: He says, "If you throw away His grace, He punishes you by behaving objectively toward you, and in that sense one may say that the world has not got a personal God in spite of all the proofs. But while dons and parsons," that is priests, "drivel on," talk on, "about the millions of truths about God's personality, the truth is that there are no longer the men living who could bear the pressure and weight of having a personal God." Because he feels that a personal God would make demands on man, and so therefore men reject the idea of a personal God.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Personal God means He is demanding, as Kṛṣṇa is demanding, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: (BG 18.65) "Always think of Me, or offer Me worship, offer Me obeisances, and become My devotee. And give up all other engagement. Simply be engaged in My service." This is the demand of God, and if we carry out His demand, then we are perfect. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). If you simply carry out the orders of God then you become qualified, fit for going back to home, back to Godhead. This is clearly stated. Tyaktvā deham. We have to give up this body, but a devotee, a pure devotee, after giving up this body, he doesn't accept another material body, but in his original, spiritual body he goes back to home, back to Godhead.
Hari-śauri: "The unsuccessful yogi, after many, many years of enjoyment on the planets of the pious living entities, is born into a family of righteous people or into a family of rich aristocracy."
Prabhupāda: Hm. Then?
Hari-śauri:
- atha vā yoginām eva
- kule bhavati dhīmatām
- etaddhi durlabhataraṁ
- loke janma yad īdṛśam
- (BG 6.42)
"Or he takes his birth in a family of transcendentalists who are surely great in wisdom. Verily, such a birth is rare in this world."
Prabhupāda: Hm.
Hari-śauri:
- tatra taṁ buddhi-saṁyogaṁ
- labhate paurva-dehikam
- (BG 6.43)
Prabhupāda: Dehikam.
Hari-śauri:
- yatate ca tato bhūyaḥ
- saṁsiddhau kuru-nandana
"On taking such a birth, he again revives the divine consciousness of his previous life, and he tries to make further progress in order to achieve complete success, O son of Kuru."
Prabhupāda: That is... When the, the incompleteness of his yoga practice, if he dies prematurely, or he could not finish and die, so the consciousness goes with him. So, in the next life again he begins from that point, paurva-dehikam. What is the exact word? Tatra? Buddhi...?
Hari-śauri: Buddhi-saṁyogam, revival.
Prabhupāda: Ah, buddhi-saṁyogam.
Hari-śauri: Revival of such consciousness.
Prabhupāda: The intelligence becomes revived, buddhi-saṁyogam. Then?
Hari-śauri: Labhate paurva-dehikam.
Prabhupāda: Ah, labhate paurva-dehikam. That is everything, spiritual and material. Materially also we find sometime when one person is very extraordinary individual. In the class some student picks up very quickly, some student cannot understand. So this is continuation. One is intelligent means he has got some previous revival of his consciousness. So in this way it is going on. That is the proof, immortality of the soul. Otherwise why? Paurva-dehikam, previous birth. This is the proof.
Prabhupāda: That is very good example. His father is playing on the stage, and the son is seeing, and another, another friend is seeing, saying, "Do you see your father?" Then "Where is my father?" He, he, he does not recognize his father. Very good example.
Hari-śauri: Then, uh, third verse, "You Yourself descend to propagate the transcendental science of devotional service unto the hearts of the advanced transcendentalists and mental speculators, who are purified by being able to discriminate between matter and spirit."
Prabhupāda: Advanced transcendentalists, they can understand. Not these speculators with limited sense perception. Finished?
Hari-śauri: Hm.
Prabhupāda: The speculators have no knowledge. (laughs)
Hayagrīva: Yes. He says, "It is not so much that God is in everything but rather that everything is in God."
Prabhupāda: That's another foolishness.
| Page Title: | Transcendentalists (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 24 of Mar, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=116, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 116 |