721208 - Lecture - Ahmedabad: Difference between revisions
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Prabhupāda: . . . yesterday the definition of Bhagavān, ''ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa-bhagavān'' ([[CC Madhya 25.33]]): all riches, all strength, all reputation, all beauty, all knowledge and all renunciation. Complete. Because I have got mill . . . (break) Whether one has got . . . (break) That is not million, trillion, billion; it is unlimited. ''Asamordhva''. That is the version. | '''Prabhupāda:''' . . . yesterday the definition of Bhagavān, ''ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa-bhagavān'' ([[CC Madhya 25.33]]): all riches, all strength, all reputation, all beauty, all knowledge and all renunciation. Complete. Because I have got mill . . . (break) Whether one has got . . . (break) That is not million, trillion, billion; it is unlimited. ''Asamordhva''. That is the version. | ||
God must be ''asama ūrdhva. Asamor'' . . . nobody's greater than God; nobody's equal to God. That is God. If you find somebody equal to you, then you are not God. You may be demigod, but the God means supreme. ''Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ'' (Bs. 5.1). That Supreme God is Kṛṣṇa. ''Parama'', supreme. Nobody is equal to Kṛṣṇa, nobody's greater than Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is God. | God must be ''asama ūrdhva. Asamor'' . . . nobody's greater than God; nobody's equal to God. That is God. If you find somebody equal to you, then you are not God. You may be demigod, but the God means supreme. ''Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ'' (Bs. 5.1). That Supreme God is Kṛṣṇa. ''Parama'', supreme. Nobody is equal to Kṛṣṇa, nobody's greater than Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is God. | ||
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Therefore we present ourself belonging to the Madhva-Gauḍīya-sampradāya. Similarly . . . from Brahmā, there is one ''sampradāya''. Similarly, there is another ''sampradāya'' from Lord Śiva, Rudra-sampradāya. And there is another ''sampradāya'', Kumāra-sampradāya. ''Kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ.'' That is Nimbārka-sampradāya. Similarly, there is another ''sampradāya'' from Lakṣmī, Śrī-sampradāya, Rāmānuja-sampradāya. | Therefore we present ourself belonging to the Madhva-Gauḍīya-sampradāya. Similarly . . . from Brahmā, there is one ''sampradāya''. Similarly, there is another ''sampradāya'' from Lord Śiva, Rudra-sampradāya. And there is another ''sampradāya'', Kumāra-sampradāya. ''Kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ.'' That is Nimbārka-sampradāya. Similarly, there is another ''sampradāya'' from Lakṣmī, Śrī-sampradāya, Rāmānuja-sampradāya. | ||
So we have to understand the philosophy through the ''sampradāya. Sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ'' ( | So we have to understand the philosophy through the ''sampradāya. Sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ'' (Padma Purāṇa). If you don't accept . . . in ordinary life also, in political field, to develop, one has to accept a party, this party or that Congress Party, or Jana Sanga Party or this party. So the aim is the same. Aim is the same, to serve the country, to develop your country but still, there are parties. Similarly, the aim is the same: to understand what is our relationship with God. But the development is made by different parties. | ||
So the parties are . . . must be bona fide. As Kṛṣṇa says, His party: | So the parties are . . . must be bona fide. As Kṛṣṇa says, His party: | ||
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'''Guest (1):''' . . . part of ''puruṣa''. Also you say: ''ahaṁ brahmāsmi''. You and all people are part of God . . . | '''Guest (1):''' . . . part of ''puruṣa''. Also you say: ''ahaṁ brahmāsmi''. You and all people are part of God . . . | ||
Prabhupāda: Yes. | '''Prabhupāda:''' Yes. | ||
'''Guest (1):''' . . . and this is ''jīva'' and ''puruṣa''. There's a living entity within us. | '''Guest (1):''' . . . and this is ''jīva'' and ''puruṣa''. There's a living entity within us. | ||
Prabhupāda: Yes, ''nitya''. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. | '''Prabhupāda:''' Yes, ''nitya''. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. | ||
'''Guest (1):''' . . . is the material nature, and material, this is not the gross body. | '''Guest (1):''' . . . is the material nature, and material, this is not the gross body. | ||
Prabhupāda: Eh? Eh? | '''Prabhupāda:''' Eh? Eh? | ||
'''Guest (1):''' This is not the gross body. When we go to bed and sleep, we feel that there is some divine spark in us, which puts us by our existence . . . | '''Guest (1):''' This is not the gross body. When we go to bed and sleep, we feel that there is some divine spark in us, which puts us by our existence . . . | ||
Prabhupāda: Yes. | '''Prabhupāda:''' Yes. | ||
'''Guest (1):''' We are just . . . this body is gross body. But it is a part and parcel of God. That's what the Śaṅkara . . . | '''Guest (1):''' We are just . . . this body is gross body. But it is a part and parcel of God. That's what the Śaṅkara . . . | ||
Prabhupāda: No. Part and parcel of God in this way: it is the energy of God. | '''Prabhupāda:''' No. Part and parcel of God in this way: it is the energy of God. | ||
'''Guest (1):''' It is not ''prakṛti''; it is ''puruṣa''. It is ''puruṣa'' inside. | '''Guest (1):''' It is not ''prakṛti''; it is ''puruṣa''. It is ''puruṣa'' inside. | ||
Prabhupāda: ''Puruṣa'' inside? That is Paramātmā. | '''Prabhupāda:''' ''Puruṣa'' inside? That is Paramātmā. | ||
'''Guest (1):''' Śaṅkarācārya says, Śaṅkarācārya says that . . . | '''Guest (1):''' Śaṅkarācārya says, Śaṅkarācārya says that . . . | ||
Prabhupāda: No, we differ from Śaṅkarācārya. We follow Kṛṣṇa. We do not follow Śaṅkarācārya. So if you think Śaṅkarācārya is better than Kṛṣṇa, that is your opinion. We follow Kṛṣṇa. Śaṅkarācārya is not original person. Kṛṣṇa is original person. That is accepted by Vyāsadeva and all . . . Nārada, Devala. So our proposition is "Follow Kṛṣṇa." ''Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām'' (''Kaṭha Upaniṣad'' 2.2.13). | '''Prabhupāda:''' No, we differ from Śaṅkarācārya. We follow Kṛṣṇa. We do not follow Śaṅkarācārya. So if you think Śaṅkarācārya is better than Kṛṣṇa, that is your opinion. We follow Kṛṣṇa. Śaṅkarācārya is not original person. Kṛṣṇa is original person. That is accepted by Vyāsadeva and all . . . Nārada, Devala. So our proposition is "Follow Kṛṣṇa." ''Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām'' (''Kaṭha Upaniṣad'' 2.2.13). | ||
The original person, ''ādi-puruṣam. Govindam ādi-puruṣam.'' Śaṅkarācārya is, say, 1,500 years, but Kṛṣṇa, He's the original ''puruṣa'', before the creation. The creation was made . . . Śaṅkarācārya also admits in his commentary on the ''Bhagavad-gītā'': ''nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt''. And he accepts Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead: ''sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ. | The original person, ''ādi-puruṣam. Govindam ādi-puruṣam.'' Śaṅkarācārya is, say, 1,500 years, but Kṛṣṇa, He's the original ''puruṣa'', before the creation. The creation was made . . . Śaṅkarācārya also admits in his commentary on the ''Bhagavad-gītā'': ''nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt''. And he accepts Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead: ''sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ. | ||
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So you cannot supersede Kṛṣṇa by accepting Śaṅkarācārya. Śaṅkarācārya admits, ''sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ.'' So Śaṅkarācārya admits Kṛṣṇa is the authority, but Kṛṣṇa says that this material body is ''prakṛti''. How you can say it is ''puruṣa''? Kṛṣṇa says that ''bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ, bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā'' ([[BG 7.4 (1972)|BG 7.4]]): "These eight kinds of ''prakṛti'', they are My separated energy." How you can say it is ''puruṣa''? | So you cannot supersede Kṛṣṇa by accepting Śaṅkarācārya. Śaṅkarācārya admits, ''sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ.'' So Śaṅkarācārya admits Kṛṣṇa is the authority, but Kṛṣṇa says that this material body is ''prakṛti''. How you can say it is ''puruṣa''? Kṛṣṇa says that ''bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ, bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā'' ([[BG 7.4 (1972)|BG 7.4]]): "These eight kinds of ''prakṛti'', they are My separated energy." How you can say it is ''puruṣa''? | ||
Guest (2): Sir, may I . . . some reference were written by Lord Kṛṣṇa in ''Gītā''. He told us that ''api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk'' ([[BG 9.30 (1972)|BG 9.30]]). And He, ''kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā'', and He also promised ''pratijāne priyo 'si'' . . . (indistinct) | '''Guest (2):''' Sir, may I . . . some reference were written by Lord Kṛṣṇa in ''Gītā''. He told us that ''api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk'' ([[BG 9.30 (1972)|BG 9.30]]). And He, ''kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā'', and He also promised ''pratijāne priyo 'si'' . . . (indistinct) | ||
But it is difficult to understand that the same Lord Kṛṣṇa told that ''bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyante'' ([[BG 7.19 (1972)|BG 7.19]]), ''manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye, teṣām api sahasreṣu'' ([[BG 7.3 (1972)|BG 7.3]]), "Can understand Me?" | But it is difficult to understand that the same Lord Kṛṣṇa told that ''bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyante'' ([[BG 7.19 (1972)|BG 7.19]]), ''manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye, teṣām api sahasreṣu'' ([[BG 7.3 (1972)|BG 7.3]]), "Can understand Me?" | ||
Prabhupāda: Hmm? | '''Prabhupāda:''' Hmm? | ||
Guest (2): Can understand Lord Kṛṣṇa? It is . . . this knowledge of Him, perfect knowledge, is very difficult because . . . | '''Guest (2):''' Can understand Lord Kṛṣṇa? It is . . . this knowledge of Him, perfect knowledge, is very difficult because . . . | ||
Prabhupāda: Yes. But that is the standard of perfect knowledge, to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. | '''Prabhupāda:''' Yes. But that is the standard of perfect knowledge, to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. | ||
Guest (2): Yes, but He is so easy that ''api cet su-durācāraḥ'', it means we must surrender in what way? But . . . | '''Guest (2):''' Yes, but He is so easy that ''api cet su-durācāraḥ'', it means we must surrender in what way? But . . . | ||
Prabhupāda: ''Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. Ananya-bhāk'', without deviating to any other thing, if one is simply sticking to worship Kṛṣṇa, that is called ''ananya-bhāk.'' Not that, "I am worshiping Kṛṣṇa sometimes, sometimes worshiping this, sometimes that." | '''Prabhupāda:''' ''Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. Ananya-bhāk'', without deviating to any other thing, if one is simply sticking to worship Kṛṣṇa, that is called ''ananya-bhāk.'' Not that, "I am worshiping Kṛṣṇa sometimes, sometimes worshiping this, sometimes that." | ||
No, not like that. ''Ananya-bhāk.'' One, concentrated. Such a person, even if he's found ''su-durācāraḥ'', due to his past habits . . . just like these European boys and American boys. They have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness very seriously. But sometimes we find that they are not so clean according to the ''śāstra''. | No, not like that. ''Ananya-bhāk.'' One, concentrated. Such a person, even if he's found ''su-durācāraḥ'', due to his past habits . . . just like these European boys and American boys. They have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness very seriously. But sometimes we find that they are not so clean according to the ''śāstra''. | ||
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'''Guest (3):''' No, I am Indian. | '''Guest (3):''' No, I am Indian. | ||
Prabhupāda: Then, sir, you believe like Indian. | '''Prabhupāda:''' Then, sir, you believe like Indian. | ||
(break) . . . question of belief. It is a fact. But people say it is belief. Fact is fact. You believe or not believe, fact is fact. (break) | (break) . . . question of belief. It is a fact. But people say it is belief. Fact is fact. You believe or not believe, fact is fact. (break) | ||
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'''Guest (3):''' . . . belief. (break) . . . "I am son of God." | '''Guest (3):''' . . . belief. (break) . . . "I am son of God." | ||
Guest (4): And what about Kṛṣṇa? He says . . . | '''Guest (4):''' And what about Kṛṣṇa? He says . . . | ||
Prabhupāda: He says: "I am God." Therefore there is no difference. If Jesus Christ is son of God, and Kṛṣṇa says: "God," then where is the difference? If your son comes, "I am son of such gentleman," and if you say: "I am that gentleman," then where is the difference? | '''Prabhupāda:''' He says: "I am God." Therefore there is no difference. If Jesus Christ is son of God, and Kṛṣṇa says: "God," then where is the difference? If your son comes, "I am son of such gentleman," and if you say: "I am that gentleman," then where is the difference? | ||
Where is the difference? If I say: "I am Mr. Such-and-son . . . such-and-such," and if my son says: "I am the son of Mr. Such-and-such," then where is the difference? There is no difference. Christ says: "I am son of God," and Kṛṣṇa says: "I am God." So Christ becomes His son. So where is the difference? And Kṛṣṇa says, ''sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ'' ([[BG 14.4 (1972)|BG 14.4]]): "As many forms are there, living entities," | Where is the difference? If I say: "I am Mr. Such-and-son . . . such-and-such," and if my son says: "I am the son of Mr. Such-and-such," then where is the difference? There is no difference. Christ says: "I am son of God," and Kṛṣṇa says: "I am God." So Christ becomes His son. So where is the difference? And Kṛṣṇa says, ''sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ'' ([[BG 14.4 (1972)|BG 14.4]]): "As many forms are there, living entities," | ||
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So we have to understand the whole thing, whole philosophy, whole science of God through ''Bhagavad-gītā''. Then our life is perfect. Why Śaṅkarācārya says ''Bhagavad-gītā'' ''kiñcid adita''? Why? Can you say? (break) | So we have to understand the whole thing, whole philosophy, whole science of God through ''Bhagavad-gītā''. Then our life is perfect. Why Śaṅkarācārya says ''Bhagavad-gītā'' ''kiñcid adita''? Why? Can you say? (break) | ||
Guest (4): . . . (indistinct) | '''Guest (4):''' . . . (indistinct) | ||
Prabhupāda: . . . little of ''Bhagavad-gītā''. | '''Prabhupāda:''' . . . little of ''Bhagavad-gītā''. | ||
Guest (4): . . . (indistinct) | '''Guest (4):''' . . . (indistinct) | ||
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. | '''Prabhupāda:''' Yes, yes. | ||
Guest (4): Just like . . . (break) | '''Guest (4):''' Just like . . . (break) | ||
Prabhupāda: Simply by understanding ''Bhagavad-gītā'' you understand what is the science of God. | '''Prabhupāda:''' Simply by understanding ''Bhagavad-gītā'' you understand what is the science of God. | ||
Guest (4): . . . (indistinct) (break) | '''Guest (4):''' . . . (indistinct) (break) | ||
Prabhupāda: . . . it is so full of knowledge. It is so full of knowledge. Yes. | '''Prabhupāda:''' . . . it is so full of knowledge. It is so full of knowledge. Yes. | ||
'''Guest (5):''' Simply recitation of ''Gītā'' . . . | '''Guest (5):''' Simply recitation of ''Gītā'' . . . | ||
Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) . . . not the parrotlike reading. No. We don't say that. Still, parrotlike reading also will help you. | '''Prabhupāda:''' Yes. (break) . . . not the parrotlike reading. No. We don't say that. Still, parrotlike reading also will help you. | ||
'''Guest (5):''' Knowledge will be achieved in ''janmanām, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante'' ([[BG 7.19 (1972)|BG 7.19]]). | '''Guest (5):''' Knowledge will be achieved in ''janmanām, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante'' ([[BG 7.19 (1972)|BG 7.19]]). | ||
Prabhupāda: Yes, ahh . . . (indistinct) (break) (end) | '''Prabhupāda:''' Yes, ahh . . . (indistinct) (break) (end) |
Latest revision as of 05:35, 31 December 2023
Prabhupāda: . . . yesterday the definition of Bhagavān, ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa-bhagavān (CC Madhya 25.33): all riches, all strength, all reputation, all beauty, all knowledge and all renunciation. Complete. Because I have got mill . . . (break) Whether one has got . . . (break) That is not million, trillion, billion; it is unlimited. Asamordhva. That is the version.
God must be asama ūrdhva. Asamor . . . nobody's greater than God; nobody's equal to God. That is God. If you find somebody equal to you, then you are not God. You may be demigod, but the God means supreme. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). That Supreme God is Kṛṣṇa. Parama, supreme. Nobody is equal to Kṛṣṇa, nobody's greater than Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is God.
There are so many Gods nowadays. The . . . actually, the Māyāvādī philosopher, they say everyone is Nārāyaṇa. But what is the proof? We find out from the śāstras that Nārāyaṇa has got four hands. So where is your four hands? You are claiming to become Nārāyaṇa, so where are your four hands? Just manifest your four hands at least so that we can understand you are Nārāyaṇa. (chuckles) No. Without four hands. And Nārāyaṇa is Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. He's the husband of Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune. So where is your goddess of fortune? You are begging from door to door. Where is your goddess of fortune, you have become Nārāyaṇa?
So this kind of God and Nārāyaṇa is going on, bluffing. But we are not bluffed in that way. We follow the śāstric injunction what is Nārāyaṇa. We cannot accept Nārāyaṇa as daridra, daridra-nārāyaṇa. What is this? Nārāyaṇa is the husband of the goddess of fortune.
Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi (Bs. 5.29). How Nārāyaṇa can become daridra? So these are manufactured words. You cannot find all these words in the śāstra. They are manufactured, concoction.
So we are not concerned with this concoction. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya. We must follow the śāstras, the mahājana. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). We are not perfect, therefore we have to follow the footprints of the perfect. And that is given in the śāstra, whom you have to follow:
- svayambhūr nāradaḥ śambhuḥ
- kapilo kumāraḥ manuḥ
- prahlādo janako bhīṣmo
- balir vaiyāsakir vayam
- (SB 6.3.20)
Twelve mahājanas. We follow Lord Brahmā. Just like we belong to the Brahmā-sampradāya, Madhvācārya-sampradāya. Gauḍīya . . . Mādhva-Gauḍīya-sampradāya. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's spiritual master was Īśvara Purī. Īśvara Purī's spiritual master was Mādhavendra Purī. And Mādhavendra Purī belonged to the Madhvācārya-sampradāya.
Therefore we present ourself belonging to the Madhva-Gauḍīya-sampradāya. Similarly . . . from Brahmā, there is one sampradāya. Similarly, there is another sampradāya from Lord Śiva, Rudra-sampradāya. And there is another sampradāya, Kumāra-sampradāya. Kumāraḥ kapilo manuḥ. That is Nimbārka-sampradāya. Similarly, there is another sampradāya from Lakṣmī, Śrī-sampradāya, Rāmānuja-sampradāya.
So we have to understand the philosophy through the sampradāya. Sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ (Padma Purāṇa). If you don't accept . . . in ordinary life also, in political field, to develop, one has to accept a party, this party or that Congress Party, or Jana Sanga Party or this party. So the aim is the same. Aim is the same, to serve the country, to develop your country but still, there are parties. Similarly, the aim is the same: to understand what is our relationship with God. But the development is made by different parties.
So the parties are . . . must be bona fide. As Kṛṣṇa says, His party:
- imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ
- proktavān aham avyayam
- vivasvān manave prāha
- manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt
- (BG 4.1)
- evaṁ paramparā-prāptam
- imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ
- (BG 4.2)
Kṛṣṇa said that, "First of all, I described, I instructed this yoga system, bhakti-yoga system, Bhagavad-gītā, to Vivasvān, the sun god, and the sun god, whose name is Vivasvān . . ." The particular name is also given. It is not vague, that . . . at the present moment, the predominating deity in the sun planet is called Vivasvān. So he spoke this Bhagavad-gītā philosophy to his son, vivasvān manave prā . . . Manu. Manu is the original person of the human society.
Manuṣya. Man. So Manu spoke to his son, Ikṣvāku, Mahārāja Ikṣvāku. He's the first person of the sūrya-vaṁśa. There are two kṣatriya families: one, candra-vaṁśa, coming from the moon, and the other from the sun, Vivasvān. So Mahārāja Ikṣvāku is the original personality in the sūrya-vaṁśa kṣatriyas in which Lord Rāmacandra appeared. So in this way, there is paramparā system.
If we want to understand the real fact, then we must receive from the paramparā system. Just like we have got our genealogical table. I understand my great-great-grandfather by the paramparā system. Not that I manufacture some name. No. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that imam . . . evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). The Bhagavad-gītā, knowledge must be received by the paramparā system, as it was spoken by Kṛṣṇa and as it has been received by the later ācāryas.
Although there are different parties— just like the Śrī-sampradāya, Brahmā-sampradāya, Rudra-sampradāya—they are all in agreement that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All these ācāryas. They'll not say anything that, "Because I belong to Brahmā-sampradāya, I speak something else." No. We are all in agreement that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). That is accepted.
So Kṛṣṇa said to Arjuna, sa kāleneha yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa (BG 4.2): "In due . . . in course of time, that paramparā system has been lost, or broken. Therefore," Kṛṣṇa said: "I am speaking the old truth unto you so that you begin the paramparā system again." So we have to accept Bhagavad-gītā by the paramparā system.
Even the old system is broken, still, it is existing because Kṛṣṇa is speaking to Arjuna, and we have to understand Bhagavad-gītā as Arjuna understood. Then you are in the paramparā. And if you understand Bhagavad-gītā as some so-called scholar understands, then you are not understanding Bhagavad-gītā—you are understanding something nonsense, wasting your time. This is the fact.
If you try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as Arjuna understood . . . that is not difficult. Arjuna's understanding is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. So if you follow the footprints of Arjuna, then you are rightly understanding Bhagavad-gītā. But if you are following the footprints of some rascal, then you are not understanding Bhagavad-gītā; you are understanding something else.
This is the secret. Here we have got so many commentaries on Bhagavad-gītā, as one thinks. As if Kṛṣṇa left Bhagavad-gītā to be commented by some rascals to understand. Why? He said Bhagavad-gītā clearly. Why it is to be interpreted by some rascals? Did Kṛṣṇa mean that "I leave Bhagavad-gītā ambiguous and some learned scholar will come. He will explain"? What is this nonsense? Everything is clear. Bhagavad-gītā, in the beginning it is said that:
- dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre
- samavetā yuyutsavaḥ
- māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva
- kim akurvata sañjaya
- (BG 1.1)
Now, why it should be interpreted that, "Dharma-kṣetra means this, kuru-kṣetra means this, pāṇḍavāḥ means this?" Why? It is clear. Kurukṣetra still existing. Everyone knows. And that is dharma-kṣetra. Everyone knows. It is not known now. From the Vedic age. Kuru-kṣetre dharmam ācaret. Still people go there for performing ritualistic ceremonies. So Kurukṣetra is still there, and it is dharma-kṣetra from time immemorial. Why it should be interpreted that "Kurukṣetra means this, and dharma-kṣetra means this?" Why? Where is the dictionary?
But because one has got some whims, he wants to fulfill his whim on the authority of Bhagavad-gītā, he interprets in a different way. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without nonsensically interpreting. Therefore it is being effective. Before me, many svāmīs went to the Western countries to preach this Bhagavad-gītā. Not a single person became a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Not a single person. There is not in the history. And now Bhagavad-gītā is being presented as it is, thousands are becoming devotee of Kṛṣṇa. This is the secret.
People give me credit that, "Swāmījī, you have done wonderful. Nobody could do it." I am not a wonderful man. Neither I do know anything magic. I have presented Bhagavad-gītā as it is. That's all. This is the secret. Anyone can do that. You present the thing as it is. Don't adulterate it. Then it will be accepted. Just like paramānna, kṣīra. Kṣīra is very nice food, but if you adulterate it with some grains of sand, it is spoiled. It is spoiled.
So that was being done. Bhagavad-gītā is the science of God, the spiritual science. But it was being adulterated by so many grains of sands. So people could not understand it. We do not present Bhagavad-gītā with some adulteration. Kṛṣṇa says, bhakto 'si priyo 'si arjuna. Kṛṣṇa is instructing Arjuna to begin the paramparā system, because the paramparā system was supposed to be broken. People misunderstood. Or some way or other, it was broken, as it is going on now also.
So Kṛṣṇa said that, "I shall speak to you this same old philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā again." "Why unto me?" Why Kṛṣṇa selected Arjuna? There are many others, learned scholars. Now, Kṛṣṇa says, bhakto 'si priyo 'si. Kṛṣṇa was a military man . . . er, Arjuna was a military man. He was not a Vedāntist. He was a gṛhastha, not even a sannyāsī. Why Kṛṣṇa selected to instruct Arjuna as the disciple of the renovated paramparā system? That is also spoken by Kṛṣṇa: bhakto 'si priyo 'si (BG 4.3), rahasyam etad uttamam, "Because you are My dear friend, because you are My devotee, you can understand the mysteries of Bhagavad-gītā."
Kṛṣṇa did not select a so-called Vedāntist to understand Bhagavad-gītā. Because Arjuna was not a Vedāntist; he was a military man. He's not supposed to become a great philosopher. He was a gṛhastha. But the real qualification is to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Then one can understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. Not by so-called knowledge. No. Knowledge is not perfect unless one understands Kṛṣṇa. That is not knowledge, that is still illusion.
Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). Māṁ prapadyate: "He surrenders unto Me." Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. When one understands Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, as everything, as the origin of everything, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), then his knowledge is perfect. And so long he's hovering here and there, without any understanding of Kṛṣṇa, his knowledge is not perfect. That perfection of knowledge is attained, as it is described by Kṛṣṇa: bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19).
So Bhagavad-gītā is to be understood by the paramparā system. Śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān, ṣaḍ-aiśvarya-pūrṇa. He has no defects because He is in full knowledge. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ jñāna (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). He has got full knowledge. Vedāhaṁ sama . . . (BG 7.26). He says that "I know past, present, future—everything."
This past, present and future, knowledge, how Kṛṣṇa knew, that was also proved. When Kṛṣṇa said that, "I spoke this philosophy to Vivasvān . . ." Vivasvān means to the sun god, in the beginning, before Manu. That means about forty thousand millions of years ago, according to Manu-saṁhitā. Then Arjuna inquired, "My dear Kṛṣṇa, we are contemporaries. We are born some years ago. How is that—You instructed the sun god, Vivasvān, this philosophy?" This inquiry was made by Arjuna. Why? How Kṛṣṇa knows the past so long, long years ago? So Kṛṣṇa replied that, "Yes, at that time you were also present, but you have forgotten. I have not forgotten."
That is the difference between ordinary human being and God. That is the difference. God does not forget past, present, future. God knows future. God knows past. And present, what to speak of? In the Second Chapter you'll find also. Kṛṣṇa says that, "It is not that you, Me and all these kings and soldiers were not existing in the past. And we are existing at present. And it is not that we shall not existed in the future." These are the things.
So if you try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, then we get some benefit. Not some benefit, the ultimate benefit. What is the purpose of Bhagavad-gītā? Kṛṣṇa has come. Kṛṣṇa's instructing Arjuna. Aiming at Arjuna, He's instructing the whole world—what is the position of the living entities, what is our constitutional position?
We are all living entities, and Kṛṣṇa is God. What is Kṛṣṇa's position? What is our position? What is this material nature? What is the time factor? What is our activities? These things are very nicely explained. Prakṛti, puruṣa, jīva and time and karma. These five things are very nicely described.
So prakṛti is also eternal. Prakṛti means the energy, energy of the Supreme. That is described in the Seventh Chapter that:
- bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ
- khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca . . .
- bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā
- (BG 7.4)
These are, these material energies—earth, water, fire, air, sky—and subtle energy—intelligence . . . mind, intelligence and ego—bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā. And another prakṛti: apareyam. These are inferior energy. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām. There is another, superior energy. What is that superior energy? Jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat (BG 7.5). The living entities. That is superior energy.
So Kṛṣṇa is the energetic, and these two prakṛtis are working. Therefore they are also eternal. Kṛṣṇa is eternal, sanātana, these prakṛtis are also eternal. And one prakṛti, we living entities, we superior energy. Why superior? Yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat.
Because we living entities, we are trying to lord it over the material nature. Material nature is being used by us. Therefore the material nature is inferior and we are superior. We are superior energy, prakṛti. We are not the puruṣa. The Māyāvāda philosophers, they want to make the prakṛti as puruṣa. No. Kṛṣṇa is puruṣa; we are all prakṛtis.
As I told you, that we have to understand Kṛṣṇa as Arjuna understood. Arjuna understood . . . that is described in the Tenth Chapter: paraṁ brahma . . . paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān puruṣam (BG 10.12). "You are the only puruṣa, enjoyer." Puruṣa means enjoyer, and prakṛti means enjoyed. Puruṣa means the predominator, and prakṛti means the predominated. So we are predominated.
We are not predominator. If the predominated wants to become predominator, that is false. That is illusion. That is going on. Everyone, all our, all living entities, we are trying to become predominator instead of being predominated. That is the struggle for existence. And as soon as we become . . . we agree to become predominated, there is peace immediately. That is called mukti.
The description of mukti is given in the Bhagavad . . . Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: muktir hitvā anyathā-rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6). That is mukti. Mukti means if you give up the artificial endeavor to become predominator and become situated in your original position, being predominated, that is called mukti. We can very easily understand. Artificially . . . suppose a woman is trying to become man artificially. How long it will go on? How she can be happy? That is not possible.
Actually, in the Western countries at least, we see that the woman class, they want equal rights with men. And there is. There is no distinction. But it is my experience, the woman class, they are not happy in the Western countries. And still in our country, although we are so fallen, still our woman class remains satisfied. Being predominated, they are happy. They are happy. That is my practical experience.
So I do not wish to discuss this point very much, but according to our Manu-saṁhitā, it is said that women should not be free. Na svātantryam arhati: "Svātantryam is not allowed to the woman class." Actually, we have seen, and by experience, those who are under the domination of the father when they, still they are not married, they are happy.
Those who are under the domination of the husband after being married, they're happy. And those who are under the domination of elderly children, they are happy. So this statement of Manu-saṁhitā . . . just like children should not be given freedom, similarly, woman should not be given freedom. They should be given all protection. That is our Vedic culture.
Similarly, prakṛti . . . just, this is an example. Here, either man or woman, everyone is prakṛti. The real puruṣa is Kṛṣṇa. And there is a nice example. When Rūpa Gosvāmī was there in Vṛndāvana in his bhajana, Mīrābhāi went to see him. And Rūpa Gosvāmī's message was that he does not see any woman.
They were very strict. At least, the story is like . . . so Mīrā challenged that, "I came to Vṛndāvana. I know that only Kṛṣṇa is puruṣa here, and everyone is woman. So how does it mean that Rūpa Gosvāmī's declined to see another woman?" So Rūpa Gosvāmī agreed, "Yes, I am mistaken. Yes, Kṛṣṇa is the only puruṣa."
So puruṣa means the enjoyer, and prakṛti means the instrument of enjoyment, prakṛti, energy. Just like here we see one man is very big, rich man, but he's enjoyer by utilizing his energy. Similarly, the whole cosmic situation, whole creation is . . . the supreme enjoyer is God. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā:
- bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
- sarva-loka-maheśvaram
- suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
- jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati
- (BG 5.29)
If we want really peace, then we should understand these three things: that Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the enjoyer. We have to serve Him for His enjoyment. That is called devotional service, transcendental loving service. Just like the master is there, and for his enjoyment, there are so many servants. They are engaged in his service. That is our position. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). You take in so many ways. Our position is to serve Kṛṣṇa, and by His pleasure, we shall be pleased. There are so many instances.
- yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena
- tṛpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopaśākhāḥ
- prāṇopahārāc ca yathendriyāṇāṁ
- tathaiva sarvārhaṇam acyutejyā
- (SB 4.31.14)
Just like if you pour water in the root of the tree, the all the branches, twigs, flowers, leaves—everything becomes nourished automatically. Similarly, if you put foodstuff on the stomach, then all the indriyas, all the different limbs and parts of the body, automatically become nourished.
Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything, root. Aham ādir hi devānām (BG 10.2). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). Therefore if we try to understand Kṛṣṇa, if we try to serve Kṛṣṇa, then our life will be successful. Otherwise not. That is not possible.
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are preaching all over the world that Kṛṣṇa is the origin. The Vedānta says: "The Absolute Truth is that from whom everything is emanating," janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), and it is accepted by everyone: "Kṛṣṇa is the Puruṣa, the original person." Brahmā says in his Brahmā-saṁhitā. Brahmā is supposed to be the original person within this universe. He accepts Kṛṣṇa: sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1).
- īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
- sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ
- anādir ādir govindaḥ
- sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
- (Bs. 5.1)
So this Kṛṣṇa philosophy means to understand Kṛṣṇa as He is, without any interpretation. And if we actually understand Kṛṣṇa, then our life is successful. What is the mission of our life? The mission of life is to get out of the cycle of birth and death and old age and disease. That means to cease accepting material body one after another. That is going on.
We are wandering throughout the whole universe in different planets and different species of life. We are spirit soul. We don't require to accept this material body. But we have accepted it, somehow or other.
- dehino 'smin yathā dehe
- kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
- tathā dehāntara-prāptir . . .
- (BG 2.13)
In this way, we are wandering throughout the whole universe. But if want to stop it, if we want to become again originally situated in our constitutional position, then we must understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We must try to understand Kṛṣṇa as He is. Then our life will be successful. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). Go back to home, go back to Godhead.
This is very simple philosophy, and everything is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. If we are fortunate enough, we should study Bhagavad-gītā as it is. And then we become successful in the mission of our life.
Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (devotees offer obeisances)
(break)
Guest (1): . . . part of puruṣa. Also you say: ahaṁ brahmāsmi. You and all people are part of God . . .
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Guest (1): . . . and this is jīva and puruṣa. There's a living entity within us.
Prabhupāda: Yes, nitya. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa.
Guest (1): . . . is the material nature, and material, this is not the gross body.
Prabhupāda: Eh? Eh?
Guest (1): This is not the gross body. When we go to bed and sleep, we feel that there is some divine spark in us, which puts us by our existence . . .
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Guest (1): We are just . . . this body is gross body. But it is a part and parcel of God. That's what the Śaṅkara . . .
Prabhupāda: No. Part and parcel of God in this way: it is the energy of God.
Guest (1): It is not prakṛti; it is puruṣa. It is puruṣa inside.
Prabhupāda: Puruṣa inside? That is Paramātmā.
Guest (1): Śaṅkarācārya says, Śaṅkarācārya says that . . .
Prabhupāda: No, we differ from Śaṅkarācārya. We follow Kṛṣṇa. We do not follow Śaṅkarācārya. So if you think Śaṅkarācārya is better than Kṛṣṇa, that is your opinion. We follow Kṛṣṇa. Śaṅkarācārya is not original person. Kṛṣṇa is original person. That is accepted by Vyāsadeva and all . . . Nārada, Devala. So our proposition is "Follow Kṛṣṇa." Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13).
The original person, ādi-puruṣam. Govindam ādi-puruṣam. Śaṅkarācārya is, say, 1,500 years, but Kṛṣṇa, He's the original puruṣa, before the creation. The creation was made . . . Śaṅkarācārya also admits in his commentary on the Bhagavad-gītā: nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt. And he accepts Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead: sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ. So you cannot supersede Kṛṣṇa by accepting Śaṅkarācārya. Śaṅkarācārya admits, sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ. So Śaṅkarācārya admits Kṛṣṇa is the authority, but Kṛṣṇa says that this material body is prakṛti. How you can say it is puruṣa? Kṛṣṇa says that bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ, bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4): "These eight kinds of prakṛti, they are My separated energy." How you can say it is puruṣa?
Guest (2): Sir, may I . . . some reference were written by Lord Kṛṣṇa in Gītā. He told us that api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk (BG 9.30). And He, kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā, and He also promised pratijāne priyo 'si . . . (indistinct)
But it is difficult to understand that the same Lord Kṛṣṇa told that bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyante (BG 7.19), manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye, teṣām api sahasreṣu (BG 7.3), "Can understand Me?"
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Guest (2): Can understand Lord Kṛṣṇa? It is . . . this knowledge of Him, perfect knowledge, is very difficult because . . .
Prabhupāda: Yes. But that is the standard of perfect knowledge, to surrender to Kṛṣṇa.
Guest (2): Yes, but He is so easy that api cet su-durācāraḥ, it means we must surrender in what way? But . . .
Prabhupāda: Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. Ananya-bhāk, without deviating to any other thing, if one is simply sticking to worship Kṛṣṇa, that is called ananya-bhāk. Not that, "I am worshiping Kṛṣṇa sometimes, sometimes worshiping this, sometimes that."
No, not like that. Ananya-bhāk. One, concentrated. Such a person, even if he's found su-durācāraḥ, due to his past habits . . . just like these European boys and American boys. They have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness very seriously. But sometimes we find that they are not so clean according to the śāstra.
So that is supported. Even though they are not sometimes following the routine work of cleanliness or something else, still, because he's sticking to the principle of worshiping Kṛṣṇa, he does not do anything else, then he's sādhu. He's sādhu. Only for that qualification. They are not going to any other demigods or form of God. They are sticking to the simple . . . mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. This is required.
This faith, that as Caitanya-caritāmṛta kaṛacā says: kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya (CC Madhya 22.62). This is the faith, the beginning of faith. If one is strongly believing that "If I worship Kṛṣṇa, then everything will be done nicely," that is called ananya-bhāk. And if we want to worship Kṛṣṇa for some purpose and another, some purpose, that is not ananya-bhāk. His su-durācāra will not be accepted. But if he sticks to Kṛṣṇa only, then his su-durācāra will be excused. (break) . . . other Muslim.
Guest (3): No, I am Indian.
Prabhupāda: Then, sir, you believe like Indian.
(break) . . . question of belief. It is a fact. But people say it is belief. Fact is fact. You believe or not believe, fact is fact. (break)
Guest (3): . . . belief. (break) . . . "I am son of God."
Guest (4): And what about Kṛṣṇa? He says . . .
Prabhupāda: He says: "I am God." Therefore there is no difference. If Jesus Christ is son of God, and Kṛṣṇa says: "God," then where is the difference? If your son comes, "I am son of such gentleman," and if you say: "I am that gentleman," then where is the difference?
Where is the difference? If I say: "I am Mr. Such-and-son . . . such-and-such," and if my son says: "I am the son of Mr. Such-and-such," then where is the difference? There is no difference. Christ says: "I am son of God," and Kṛṣṇa says: "I am God." So Christ becomes His son. So where is the difference? And Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ (BG 14.4): "As many forms are there, living entities,"
- tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir
- ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā
"I am the seed-giving father." Kṛṣṇa is the father of all living entities. Why not of Christ? What do you say? Is that all right? Thank you. (break)
So I shall request you, all respectable gentlemen present here, that there is very good prospect of preaching this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world. That is my experience after working for the last four or five years.
So our countrymen also, those who are leaders, those who are thoughtful, philosophers, scientists, they should try to understand this Kṛṣṇa philosophy. That is my request. It is very clear to understand the science of God. Why you should neglect and by, mislead ourself by understanding some misleading interpretation? That is my mission.
I want to establish throughout the world that kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). Here is Bhagavān. Why you are searching after Bhagavān? Here is Bhagavān. I give the name and address of Bhagavān, His father's name and everything. Why you are being misled? Where is the scope for searching out where is Bhagavān?
Here is Bhagavān. Śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said . . . it does not say kṛṣṇa uvāca. Śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Its name is Bhagavad-gītā, "spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Bhagavad-gītā. Śaṅkarācārya says: Bhagavad-gītā kiñcid adita., Śaṅkarācārya says. Kiñcid adita. If, if somebody wants to understand Bhagavān, he must read Bhagavad-gītā. Kiñcid adita. He never challenges Kṛṣṇa.
So we have to understand the whole thing, whole philosophy, whole science of God through Bhagavad-gītā. Then our life is perfect. Why Śaṅkarācārya says Bhagavad-gītā kiñcid adita? Why? Can you say? (break)
Guest (4): . . . (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: . . . little of Bhagavad-gītā.
Guest (4): . . . (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.
Guest (4): Just like . . . (break)
Prabhupāda: Simply by understanding Bhagavad-gītā you understand what is the science of God.
Guest (4): . . . (indistinct) (break)
Prabhupāda: . . . it is so full of knowledge. It is so full of knowledge. Yes.
Guest (5): Simply recitation of Gītā . . .
Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) . . . not the parrotlike reading. No. We don't say that. Still, parrotlike reading also will help you.
Guest (5): Knowledge will be achieved in janmanām, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19).
Prabhupāda: Yes, ahh . . . (indistinct) (break) (end)
- 1972 - Lectures
- 1972 - Lectures and Conversations
- 1972 - Lectures, Conversations and Letters
- 1972-12 - Lectures, Conversations and Letters
- Lectures - India
- Lectures - India, Ahmedabad
- Lectures, Conversations and Letters - India
- Lectures, Conversations and Letters - India, Ahmedabad
- Lectures - General
- Audio Files 45.01 to 60.00 Minutes
- 1972 - New Audio - Released in December 2015