So these things are described very vividly in Upaniṣad, how guṇa-sanga acts. Just like a fire. There are sparks. The sometimes the sparks fall down from the fire. Now there are three conditions of the fire spark falling down. If the spark falls down on dry grass, then it can immediately ignite the grass, the dry grass. If the spark falls down on ordinary grass, then it burns for some time, then again it becomes extinguished. But if the spark falls down on the water, immediately extinguished, the fiery quality. So those who are captured by the sattva-guṇa, sattva-guṇa, they are intelligent. They have got knowledge. Just like brāhmaṇa. And those who are captured by the rajo-guṇa, they are busy in material activities. And those who have captured tamo-guṇa, they are lazy and sleepy. That's all. These are the symptoms.
Vivid (Lectures)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
"You are soul, I am the supreme soul, or all these kings and soldiers who has assembled, they are also souls. They existed in the past. Now they have changed their body. Again they will change their body, but they will exist." This is the instruction. The body is changing, and the vivid example? That in this life you are changing body. So what is the difficulty of understanding this simple truth that the soul is different from the body? And so far eternity of the soul, that is also, there is proof. Because in childhood I was present, in boyhood I was present, in youthhood I was present, and in this old age I am still present. (baby fussing) So naturally it is concluded that when I change this body, I exist. When I change this body... This body will be changed. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13).
Don't think that only God has favored this planet full with living entities and others are simply empty showbottle. That is not the fact. They do not know it. They have no perfect knowledge. They say that only this earthly planet is full of living entities. No. Everywhere. That description you'll get from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Fifth Canto. There is vivid description of all the planets and what kind of living entities are there. So some of them are described in this Bhagavad-gītā.
So Bhagavad-gītā is the perfect knowledge. We are now materially contaminated. So you can say, "What is the wrong? If you are materially contaminated, what is the wrong?" That is our lack of knowledge. We cannot understand what is the wrong. The wrong thing we take as pleasing. This is the disease. First of all we must know whether we are happy in this material world. But we have no intelligence. Mūḍha. We have been described as mūḍha.
The very vivid example is Arjuna. Arjuna acted as a kṣatriya, but he was not entangled in the result of activities by a kṣatriya, because he was doing everything under the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. This is called akarma. If you act... The same thing. You may be a brāhmaṇa, you may be a kṣatriya, you may be a śūdra. It doesn't matter. If you act according to the order of Kṛṣṇa, by the order of Kṛṣṇa, then your karma will not entangle you. Because or you are doing according to the order of Kṛṣṇa, therefore you are performing yajña. By your occupational duties, you are performing yajña. Because yajña means to satisfy the Supreme Lord. Varṇāśrama... This varṇāśrama program is there to satisfy the Supreme according to one's quality and karma.
Therefore the program is, as it is stated, karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyed akarmaṇi ca karma yaḥ. This is intelligence, how we have to work, but without reaping any good or bad result. That means working for Kṛṣṇa. That is called akarma. I have already explained. In this way sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu (BG 4.18), if you work for Kṛṣṇa... The vivid example is Arjuna. He is working for Kṛṣṇa. So you can do also. Simply by fighting... Arjuna was not chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. So you can do also. Because... Nowadays in the Kali-yuga because people are... (break) ...because they knew the duty, but at the present moment... (break) ...kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. In the Kali-yuga, because there is no such division, so everyone is śūdra or less than śūdra. This is their yajña. This is also yajña. That is stated in the Śrīmad-B... Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32).
Simply to know there is God, this is theoretical knowledge. But when actually you become connected with God, you practice the activ..., godly activities, that is called vijñānam. So, Kṛṣṇa will explain in this chapter the knowledge of God, both theoretically and practically. Jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam vakṣyāmi, "I shall speak to you," aśeṣataḥ. Aśeṣataḥ means vividly. Aśeṣataḥ. "And briefly," samanvitāḥ. And when it is said aśeṣataḥ, that means elaborate. But yaj jñātvā, "if somehow or other you understand this knowledge" yaj jñātvā, na iha, "in this material world," iha, iha means this material world; bhūyaḥ, "again"; anyat, "anything more"; jñātavyam avaśiṣyate, "no more," "you require no more further knowledge to understand." That is the statement in the Vedas, yasmin vijñāte sarvam evaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati (Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.3). If you simply understand Kṛṣṇa, because Kṛṣṇa is everything, so if you understand Kṛṣṇa, automatically you understand what is this world, what is this earth, what is this water, what is this fire. This is material things.
This is aśubha. The aśubha means it is not śubha. If his body would have been auspicious, then this body would continue to exist because we are eternal. These things have been described very vividly in the second chapter. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Because we are dull brain... There is no education actually. The modern education means simply a craftsmanship. If you can prepare a nice motor car, oh, that is advancement of the... And what is this? This is craftsmanship. It is the blacksmith's work. It is not knowledge. Knowledge is different. Therefore it is called jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitam. This is knowledge,"What I am? I am this body or something else? Why I am suffering? If there is any remedy? I do not wish to die, neither I am subjected to death." Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate han... This is knowledge, that "If I am eternal, if I do not die after annihilation of this body, then why I am subjected to this body?"
I have several times spoken to you that in my, when I was about six months old, I remember, I remember I was lying down on my eldest sister's lap, and she was knitting. I still remember it very vividly. And so many things I remember. But where is that body, lying down on the lap of mother or sister? You cannot say... Either you say it has grown, grown or not grown... According to medical science, it is not grown; it is changed. The body is changing. Just like in a film spool, you will find so many bodies. One hand is like this, one hand is like this, one hand is like this, and when they are taken together, it moves like this. This is the film. Film means there are different bodies in different position and when they are taken at once, it, likes that it moves. The picture is not moving. Similarly, we are changing of the different body, but it is taking place so quickly and so imperceptibly by Kṛṣṇa's energy.
"I have very vividly described what are the godly characteristics. Now I shall explain to you what are the demonic characteristics." Pravṛttiṁ ca nivṛttiṁ ca janā na vidur āsurāḥ (BG 16.7). Who is a demon? A demon's first qualification is he does not know what is, I mean to say, real duty, or what one should do and what one should not do. (break) ...pravṛtti. Pravṛtti and nivṛtti. There are two kinds of activities, pravṛtti. So if one does not know what kind of activities one can accept and what kind of activities one should reject, if he does not know, then he is a asura, demon.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
That is not pure devotion. Pure devotion means it should be without any motive and it cannot be checked. It cannot be checked. There may be so many hindrances. But one who is pure devotee, his business cannot be stopped. Therefore it is called ahaituky apratihatā. And when one comes to that stage, then ātmā suprasīdati. The example is vivid. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja was insulted by his stepmother, and therefore he wanted, according to the instruction of his mother, to pray to God to retaliate the insult of stepmother. And he went to the forest and meditated and practiced how to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Within six months he saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But when he saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he was fully satisfied. He said that kācaṁ vicinvann api divya-ratnam: "Sir, I came to search out some particles of glass. Now I have got divya-ratna, a valuable jewel or gem." Kācaṁ vicinvann api divya-ratnaṁ svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42).
Those who are, those who are reading Bhagavad-gītā and Bhāgavata for some worldly material gain, they are not sat. They are asat. Those who are actually reading Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for the satisfaction of Bhagavān, bhāgavata, they are sat. So once associating with these sat people, he cannot make anymore association asat. Here is a vivid examples: Hṛṣīkeśa. He left our company. He associated with some asat. Asat means nondevotees. Asat, generally, we understand rogues and thieves. But those who are devotees, they're less than rogues and thieves. Those who are not devotees, they're less than rogues and thieves. So he could not associate. It was struggle. At last, he had to leave.
The bhāva stage is manifested by eight transcendental symptoms, namely inertness, perspiration, standing of hairs on end, failing in the voice, trembling, paleness of the body, tears in the eyes and finally trance. The Nectar of Devotion, a summary study of Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī's Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, explains those symptoms and vividly describes other transcendental developments, both in steady and accelerating manifestations.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has very critically discussed all these bhāva displays in connection with some unscrupulous neophyte's imitating the above symptoms for cheap appreciation. Not only Viśvanātha Cakravartī but also Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī treated them very critically.
As animals they do not know anything except bodily comforts. If human society becomes like that, then it is animal society. And because it is animal society, there is no peace in spite of advancement of material comforts.
So we can take instruction from the vivid, living examples of this Kardama Muni and Devahūti. Kardama Muni is an ascetic, very simple living, and Devahūti is the daughter of emperor. And she agreed to marry Kardama Muni, so, engage in the service of her husband. So just imagine a person, ascetic. What assets he has got? No home, no good food, nothing. Still she agreed gladly. Here it is said, dadau tulyāṁ praharṣitaḥ. So 'nu jñātvā vyavasitaṁ mahiṣyā duhituḥ sphuṭam. Duhituḥ, consent of the daughter. It was, the daughter's consent was taken, "Whether you like," but she selected her husband. She told that "There is Kardama Muni. I want to marry him, that Kardama Muni."
"All right, never mind. Whatever you do, that's all right." Yat karoṣi. He does not say that "Do this." Yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi yad aśnāsi. "Try to give it to Me."
That is the beginning of bhakti-yoga. If you do business and you earn money and spend it for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is also bhakti. That is also bhakti. Just like vivid example is Arjuna. Arjuna is a fighter, and by fighting, he became a devotee; not by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, but by fighting. Kṛṣṇa advised him to fight. He was, rather, because he was a Vaiṣṇava, he was not willing to fight, to kill. Vaiṣṇava does not like to kill. But if there is necessity... Just like Arjuna had to kill. That is by the order of Kṛṣṇa, not by his own will. By his own will, Kṛṣṇa did..., Arjuna did not like to kill, to fight. That is Vaiṣṇava's natural instinct. He does not wish to do harm or to kill anybody. But when a Vaiṣṇava knows that Kṛṣṇa wants it, he doesn't care for his own consideration. "Never mind." That is practical example, Kṛṣṇa.
What is called, magnetic stone? Magnetic stone naturally attracts the iron, and iron is naturally attracted by the magnetic stone. Similarly, kṛṣṇa-bhakti is not something which is unnaturally taught or unnaturally gained, artificial. This...
Another vivid example is this: These foreigners, Western boys and girls, how they became attracted with Kṛṣṇa consciousness unless it is natural? Their forefathers or they also, even four, five, six years ago, they did not know what is Kṛṣṇa, neither they cared to know. But now they are almost mad after Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, why they are coming here? They have not come here in India to see your skyscraper building or industry. They are not at all interested. They have seen all these things in their own country. They have enough. So why they have come here? They are after Vṛndāvana. They are after Māyāpur. They are after me. What is the attraction?
Therefore Śaṅkarācārya said, jagan mithyā. He says little bluntly, but actually it has no meaning, because this social condition of life is existent so long this body is there. As soon as I change my body, even in this country... We are very much fond of our country, janani janma-bhūmiś ca svargād api gariyasi, but the country is so ungrateful. Suppose there are many vivid examples. Mahatma Gandhi, he worked so much for his country. The result was that he was killed by his countrymen. So, just see the example. So, in this material life, you will never be able to make anyone happy by your activities. That is not possible. Neither you will be happy.
Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśās teṣāṁ mayi na karuṇā jātā na trapā nopaśāntiḥ. That is the intelligent, that I have served the so-called society, friendship and love just to serve my own lusty desires, that's all. Kāmādīnāṁ kati na katidhā pālitā durnideśās. Everyone is serving the so-called societies, and for his own satisfaction, sense gratification. Nobody wants to serve anyone.
This is our latest publication, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Therefore I am taking advantage of this publication to present before you. So in the Fifth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Śukadeva Gosvāmī has given a vivid description of the naraka planets or the hellish condition of life. Fifth Canto, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Śukadeva Gosvāmī has given a vivid description of the naraka planets, or the hellish planets. So this verse I am quoting from the First Chapter, Sixth Canto, that Parīkṣit Mahārāja is asking Śukadeva Gosvāmī "How the people suffering in hellish condition of life can be delivered?" (break) Let him... (break) This is the beginning of the Sixth Chapter of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
At the end of the Fifth Chapter, Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī has given description of the hellish planets. You have seen in the sky. There are millions and millions of stars or planets, and they are divided into three groups.
This is special power. Manasaiva pure devaḥ pūrva-rūpam. Because after death, one is brought before Yamarāja, so before his death, what he was doing sinfully, that is all recorded in the mind of Yamarāja. Manasaiva pure devaḥ pūrva-rūpaṁ vipaśyati. Because they are so recorded, he can see vividly what this man was doing. Anumīmāṁsate apūrvam. Apūrvam means the next body. Pūrvam means the past body, and apūrvam the next body. So he immediately decides what kind of body this criminal, this sinful man, should be offered. Anumīmāṁsati apūrvaṁ manasā. That is also by his mind. He is so powerful. Therefore he has been addressed as Bhagavān. Anumīmāṁsati. Just like the judge. He is hearing the case. That is everyone. Anyone who is hearing something, so he makes a conclusion, "This should be done like that." The judgment...
So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for achieving jñānam and vairāgyam. If we become too much attached to this material world... And how we become attached? The vivid description is given by Prahlāda Mahārāja. The wife, the children, the house, the animals and servants, the furniture, the dress, and so on, so on, so on, so many things. People are working so hard, day and night, only for these things. Is there not (indistinct) nice bungalow, nice animal, nice, so many things we see? What for? To increase attachment. If we increase attachment, there is no question of being freed from this material bondage. So we have to practice this detachment. So this practicing, there are many recommendations, vairāgya.
So things have to be organized. People are actually hankering after this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement because it is the natural function of the living entity. It is not artificial. The very, I mean to, vivid example are yourselves. Your contact with me is, utmost, for the last two years, but still, you are taking very serious interest in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Why? Because it is the fundamental necessity. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Every living entity is by nature joyful, spiritually, and because he is materially covered, his joyfulness is hampered. That is the real position. Feverish condition, one becomes sick, attacked by fever—his joyfulness goes away. He becomes sick. Similarly, our natural position is joy. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt. Kṛṣṇa is joyful. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa; therefore I must be also joyful. That is natural. If my father is black, then I am also black. If my mother is black, I am also black.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Pradyumna: "The material comforts of life are not sufficient to make us happy. The vivid example is America."
Prabhupāda: Yes, this is vivid example. In America there is no scarcity of food, there is no scarcity of anything. Here we cannot imagine that how there cannot be any scarcity of food because here everything is scarcity, controlled. So similarly, I have seen Russia. Russia is advertising, "So much comfortable," but the poorest country, in my opinion. They stand in line as here, controlled everything. If you have to purchase your necessities, you have to waste two hours at least. Where is Śyāmasundara?
Pradyumna: "The material comforts of life alone are not sufficient to make us happy. The vivid example is America."
Prabhupāda: Yes. And America, just the contrary. You can purchase any amount of milk, any amount of wheat, any amount of rice—whatever you want. Everything, everything is complete. So many stores, so many stock. And still, their production is so great that government restricts, "Don't produce crops. Don't produce crops." They bribe the farmer that "Don't produce." And I think the land, America, not even one fourth of the land is utilized. If they utilized the whole land, I do not know how much they can produce. I think they can feed the whole world if they utilize. Similarly, I have seen in Australia.
Pradyumna: "The vivid example is America: the richest nation of the world, having all facilities for material comfort, is producing a class of men completely confused and frustrated in life. I am appealing herewith to such confused men..." Oh. "The root cause of our dissatisfaction is that our dormant loving propensity has not been fulfilled despite our great advancement in the materialistic way of life. The Nectar of Devotion will give us practical hints how we can live in this material world perfectly engaged in devotional service and thus fulfill all our desires in this life and the next. The Nectar of Devotion is not presented to condemn..."
Prabhupāda: If you become devotee of Kṛṣṇa, all your desires will be fulfilled. That is also fact.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
We were discussing this verse last Sunday night. So the example is given: just like fire is localized in a place but the heat and light is expanded. The vivid example we can see, the sun. The sun globe is situated in one place—every one of us, we can see—and the heat and light is distributed throughout the whole universe. According to our Vedic conception, the sun is moving round, not the sun is the center. It is in the center of the universe, but it is going round. Kala-cakra. It is called kala-cakra. In Brahma-saṁhitā it is said,
- yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā sakala-grahāṇāṁ
- rājā samasta-sura-mūrtir aśeṣa-tejāḥ
- yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kāla-cakro
- govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
From Bhāgavatam we understand sun is not fixed up in one place but it is going round. And the whole universal planetary system, they are also moving, making the polestar, making the polestar as the pivot.
They are doubting also in the Mars planet. But we get information from the śāstra that every planet is full of living entities. Every planet. Janakīrṇa. This very word is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, janakīrṇa, and there is vivid description of different planets and different types of oceans, just like milk ocean. We have got here examples, sweet water and salted water. So there is sweet ocean also. That is mentioned in the śāstra. Not that in this planet there is salted ocean and... There are other planets where there is sweet water ocean and milk ocean and liquor ocean and oil ocean, ghee ocean, butter ocean, milk, butter ocean, and so many different types.
Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures
This prayer for Govinda is from Brahma-saṁhitā. It is very old literature, and nobody can say when it was spoken, but it is understood that these verses were written by Brahmā, and when Lord Caitanya was traveling in South India He picked up this book from a temple, hand-written, and He delivered to His devotees. So, it is very authorized book. In this book the description of Kṛṣṇa is very vivid, vividly given. There His place, His activities, His form, everything is there nicely given. So, this, this verse, it is, it is not first verse. This is the 34th verse of the Fifth Chapter. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam. That, that place, cintāmaṇi ... Cintāmaṇi, a stone. In the transcendental world the, as we have got experience here, the houses are made of bricks, there the houses are made of cintāmaṇi stone. The cintāmaṇi stone is..., of course there is no exact translation, but it is understood it is something like touchstone. Touchstone means the stone which if it touches a iron, it transforms into gold.
Festival Lectures
So the whole process is to rectify, to purify your senses. And the purified sense means instead of using the senses for this so-called material happiness, one has to utilize the senses for happiness of Kṛṣṇa. That is purified sense. The example, the vivid example, is Arjuna. Arjuna was not willing to fight to satisfy his senses. He thought, "If I do not kill my brother or nephews or my grandfather or my teacher, the other side, that will make me happy. If they are killed, then where is my happiness?" This is material calculation, because he was giving more importance to the material body, what is his brother, what is his grandfather or teacher? He was seeing the material. Just like what is our calculation? I am thinking somebody my friend and another body as my enemy. Why? Because I make distinction on the bodily platform. I say, "American? Oh, they are my friends. Russians? They are my enemies."
So you are there. So as you are passing through different types of bodies, similarly, when you give up this body you accept another body. What is the difficulty? Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). There is no question of becoming astonished, how transmigration of the self, soul, takes place. The vivid example is there. Simply you require little intelligence. That intelligence is developed through the instruction of ācārya. Therefore, Vedic injunction is not to acquire knowledge by speculation. That is useless. Athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvayaṁ jānāti tattvaṁ prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi, na cānya eko 'pi ciraṁ vicinvan (SB 10.14.29). Ciraṁ vicinvan. Ciram means for thousands of years you can speculate; you cannot understand what is God. That is not possible. But if you receive knowledge from the devotee, he can deliver you. Therefore Vedic injunction is that tad-vijñāna... (break) ...in order to understand tad-vijñāna... Vijñāna means science. If you want to know the transcendental science, then you must approach a guru.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
"Although we have changed so many bodies, I, the person, the soul, am existing." Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Similarly, when I shall give up this body, I shall accept another body. This is the beginning of understanding, that "I am not this body. I am living in this body just like I am not this coat, but I am living within the coat." There is very vivid example in the Bhagavad-gītā. If we read, we can understand that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul." When this realization is there, that "I am spirit soul," ahaṁ brahmāsmi... The exact word used in the Vedic literature, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That stage has to be attained in human form of life. In the animal forms of life, this understanding, that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul," in the animal stage of life it is not possible to understand. But in the human form of life it is possible because human being is advanced in consciousness and knowledge, and if he is educated, he can understand.
General Lectures
Then you will be deceived. In a submissive way, of course, you have got right to place questions, and with service mood. So Sanātana Gosvāmī is the vivid example of this disciplic succession. Tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). In the Vedas also the same injunction is there. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). If you want to learn that transcendental science, then you must approach to a person who is heavier than you. Guru. Guru means heavier. You don't go to a person who is lighter than you. Heavier. Heavier means heavier in knowledge. So the same thing is explained everywhere. And Sanātana Gosvāmī is ideal disciple and Lord Caitanya is the ideal teacher, and we should learn how to approach a teacher and what is the qualification of a teacher. Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was talking with Kṛṣṇa in the beginning on friendly terms, just like a friend talks with his friend.
So that is the highest perfection of love. Ramyā kācid upāsanā vrajavadhū.
I'm just describing the mission of Lord Caitanya. He is giving us instruction, His mission, that the only lovable object is Kṛṣṇa and His land Vṛndāvana. And the process of loving Him is the vivid example, the gopīs. Nobody can reach. There are different stages of devotees, and gopīs are supposed to be on the highest platform. And amongst the gopīs, the supreme is Rādhārāṇī. Therefore nobody can surpass the love of Rādhārāṇī. Ramyā kācid upāsanā vrajavadhū-vargeṇa yā kalpitā, śrīmad-bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam. Now to learn this, all this science of loving God, there must be some book, some authoritative literature. Yes. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, śrīmad-bhāgavatam amalaṁ purāṇam. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is spotless description of understanding how to love God. There is no other description.
Then your life will be successful. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not something manufactured to mislead and bluff the people. It is a most authorized movement. Vedic literature, the Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Vedānta-sūtra, Purāṇas, and many, many great saintly persons adopted this means. And the vivid example is Lord Caitanya. You see His picture, He is in the dancing mood. So you have to learn this art, then our life will be successful. You haven't got to practice anything artificial and speculating and bother your brain and... You have the instinct for loving others. That is instinctive, natural. Simply we are misplacing love and therefore we are frustrated. Frustrated. Confused. So if you don't want to be confused, if you don't want to be frustrated, then try to love Kṛṣṇa, and you'll feel yourself how you are making progress in peacefulness, in happiness, in everything that you want.
Take for example the moon planet. What do they know about moon? They are trying to reach there by some mechanical means. That is not possible. Anyway, even if it is possible, one should know what is the standard of life there. That you can get from Vedic literature. There is very vivid description. They are not ordinary human being like us. The scientist says that the temperature is 200 degree less than zero. Even here, in your Western countries, although sometimes the temperature goes down below zero, if it is below ten degree or twenty degrees, you become suffocated. So how you can go there and live in a place where the temperature is below zero degree, 200 degree below the zero? So it is not possible. Even if you go, it is not possible to live there. If you have to live, then you have to dress yourself nicely. Just like when men like us from tropical countries come to your country, we dress... In India, practically there is no dress.
And altogether, there are 8,400,000 species of life, and they are divided into...(break)
...man's body. So... But I am the same. I can remember some of the incidences of my childhood, of my boyhood, of my youthhood. Therefore I am permanent. That is the real understanding of the living entity. These things have been explained very vividly. And in the Sixth Chapter Lord Kṛṣṇa recommended how to practice yoga. Yoga is the beginning of linking up our lost relationship with the Lord, yoga. Yoga means adding, addition or linking. Because we are now forgotten... The yoga system, any yoga system, means... Bhakti-yoga, karma-yoga, jñāna-yoga—there are different names of yogas—but actual fact is how to link up our lost relationship with the Supreme Lord. That is called yoga. Yoga indriya-samyamaḥ. Indriya. Because we are being deviated from our eternal relationship with God, Kṛṣṇa, on account of our too much being engaged in sense gratification. Bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ tayāpahṛta-cetasām (BG 2.44).
People are trying to bring in peace and prosperity in the world by so many activities—philanthropism, altruism, nationalism, socialism. And so-called religion also, they are trying to bring in. The whole idea is the human society should remain in peace and prosperity. And the vivid example is the United Nations in your country. America invited all nations that "Let us form a community of United Nations," but the America herself is fighting. You see? Because the idea was there to unite, but they do not know the basic principle, how to unite. That is the defect. There is a church in the United Nations, and we tried to get a room there for making our propaganda. The church unity denied to give us. So their crippled mind is not expanded. Sa mahātmā... Mahātmā means broad-minded. Su-durlabhaḥ. So mahātmā, unless one becomes nonenvious, mahātmā, there is no question of so-called unity or fraternity. These are all false propaganda. It is not possible.
We are traveling all over the world. There is no institution, no school, no college, no university where this education is given, that "What I am? Am I this body, or I am something else? No. I am something else."
So this education can be given through this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. On the basis of Śrī Bhagavad-gītā, everything is explained very vividly. The soul is eternal. The soul is transferred from one gross body to another gross body, just like we change our apartment from one apartment to another. But I exist. If I vacate one apartment and I go to another apartment, it does not mean I am finished. I may leave the apartment. Similarly, if we are leaving this body and we are going to another body, that means I am not finished. I am existing. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Na hanyate: "The soul is never annihilated even after the destruction of this body."
This is māyā." But we Vaiṣṇava, we don't say that. That sunshine is sunshine, sun globe is sun globe, and Sun-god is Sun-god. But taken together, they are all one. Diversity in unity. That is viśiṣṭa-advaitavāda. So actually, all the Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, Madhvācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Nimbārka, and Viṣṇu Svāmī, there is no difference of opinion, but they have explained the Absolute Truth more vividly in their own angle of vision. Otherwise there is no difference. They never say that God and the living being are one. They will never say that. That is not Vaiṣṇava philosophy. That is Māyāvāda philosophy. So the propounder of Māyāvāda philosophy is Śaṅkarācārya and other Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, Madhvācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Nimbārka, Viṣṇu Svāmī, practically they are all one opinion. There is no, they differ from Śaṅkarācārya.
| Page Title: | Vivid (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Rishab, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 07 of Nov, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=37, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 37 |