740321 - Lecture BG 04.01 - Bombay

Lectures by Date, 1974

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

740321BG-BOMBAY - March 21, 1974 - 28:10 Minutes

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (Prabhupāda and devotees repeat) (leads chanting of verse)

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ

proktavān aham avyayam

vivasvān manave prāha

manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt

(BG 4.1)

(break)

Translation: "The Blessed Lord said, I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvān, and Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikṣvāku."

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ

proktavān aham avyayam

vivasvān manave prāha

manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt

(BG 4.1)

So we are beginning today speaking on Bhagavad-gītā, the preliminary scientific study of this science of God. Bhagavad-gītā means Bhagavāt, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhagavān means the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhaga, we generally know, bhāgya. Opulence, fortune, a man is called bhāgyavān. This bhāgyavān word comes from the word bhaga, Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence, six kinds of opulences: wealth, strength, influence, education, wisdom, beauty and renunciation. These are opulences. If a man is wealthy, he's attract. He attracts. Any man, very wealthy, he attracts. Similarly, if he's very strong, if he's very influential, if he's very learned, wise, if he's very beautiful—he or she; it doesn't matter—or if he's a great renouncer, one who has renounced everything for public benefit, naturally we have got attraction. So in this material world we find some wealthy man, some rich man, from strong man, from beautiful man, from wise man, from . . . one renounced man, but they are only fragmental. Fragmental, very small quantity. Any man you can take. A rich man, he may be very rich man, but in comparison to the other person in the material world, but nobody can claim that, "I am the richest man." No. That is not possible. Nobody can claim. "I am the wisest man," nobody can claim, "I am the strongest man," that is also, nobody can claim. However one strong may be, he is under the rules and regulation of material nature. He cannot go beyond that. Therefore you cannot find Bhagavān, or the Supreme Person, possessing all these opulences. That is not possible.

But here it is said, bhagavān uvāca. That means He's the richest, He's the strongest, He's the most beautiful, the wisest, and the most renounced order of life—Kṛṣṇa. When He was present in this material world, on this globe, He proved by His actions. So far His richness is concerned . . . at this age, in this age, at the present moment, if a person can provide his family nicely—nice apartment or nice house, good dress, good food—he's considered to be very successful man. Because in this age . . . it is said in the śāstra, dākṣyaṁ kuṭumba-bharaṇam (SB 12.2.6). Kuṭumba. Kuṭumba means family. If one can provide his family very comfortably, he is considered as very expert. But the family maintenance is done by the cats and dogs also. They also maintain their family, their wife, children, very nicely, according to their standard. But this age is so fallen that if one . . . even one is not married, the preliminary necessities of life—eating, sleeping, sex life and protection from fear . . . these are the preliminary necessities. So the age is so fallen that people have no eating substance even. We know, everyone, how things are going on. People are hungry, no eating substance. And what to say of sleeping? Or what to speak of . . .? Nobody's married timely, either boys or girls. And nobody's secure. Nobody knows what will happen next moment. This is called Kali-yuga.

Kali-yuga means mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ. Asmin yuge, kali-yuge, alpa āyuṣaḥ, they are living very short time. The duration of life reducing. Anyone can know. His forefather, his grandfather, lived for, say, hundred years. His father lived for eighty years. And he's going to live for sixty years. In this way, the duration of life will be reduced up to twenty years. That is already foretold. If a man lives for twenty to thirty years, he will be considered very old man. That day is coming. Because how they will live? There is no eating, there is no sleeping. There is no fixture of this program. These are required. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). Simply by dry lecture, how they will feel happy? There must be sufficient food grains so that people may live happily, the animal may live happily. Especially in India you will see, no animal is fatty, either cat, dog or cow. They have no eating. So annād bhavanti bhūtāni. They must be given sufficient food, annād. Kṛṣṇa does not say that, "You fast and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." He does not say. Kṛṣṇa is not so impractical. He says: "Eat very nicely, keep very nicely, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Make your life successful." That is Hare Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not one-sided. It is all-embracing. Sarve sukhino bhavantu. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement wants to see everyone happy. Without being happy, how you can remain peaceful? That is not possible.

Therefore, bhagavān uvāca. You take lessons from Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, perfect, all-perfect. What he will do by hearing this rascal or that rascal? Try to hear from the Supreme Personality without any fault, without any deviation. There are four kinds of defects in conditional life: to commit mistake, to be illusioned . . . bhrama, pramāda, vipra-lipsā. To cheat, propensity for cheating. And imperfection of senses. So we are all infected with these four deficiencies of life, material condition of life. Therefore mukta means one who is liberated from these defects. Those who are infected with these defects, they cannot give you perfect knowledge. That is not possible. Imperfectness of senses—how he can gather perfect knowledge? They can simply say: "Perhaps," "It may be," "Most probably." That's all. Theories. Nobody can say: "It is like this." Just like in the Vedas it is said how many different varieties of lives are there: jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati, kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ (Padma Purāṇa), exact number that so many varieties of lives are there. Nine hundred thousand species life in the water. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Two million varieties of trees, plants, like that. Kṛmayo rudra-saṅkhyakāḥ. Eleven lakhs varieties of insects. Pakṣiṇāṁ daśa-lakṣaṇam. There are ten . . . one million types of birds. Similarly, three million types of animals and four hundred thousand different types of humankind. Everything is exactly calculated. That is called Vedic knowledge. Because it is . . . how the perfection of knowledge comes? Here it is said, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham (BG 4.1). Kṛṣṇa says. Aham avyayam. The knowledge is perfect. Avyayam. Avyayam means "that cannot be diverse or deviated." Perfect. Avyayam. Without any deviation. Therefore if you want to know perfect knowledge, then you have to hear from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore bhagavān uvāca.

Bhagavān means the most powerful, most influential, the supreme wise, most beautiful, most learned, most renouncer. Just see Bhagavān's renouncer. If we construct a building, how much attached we become to that building. But Kṛṣṇa has constructed this whole universe. Whole universe means . . . we have no idea what is the universe. We have no idea what is this planet. We are trying to go to the moon planet. We have no exact idea even of the moon planet. And there are innumerable planets. Vasudhā. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣu vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). Each planet is of different type, different climate, different facilities, different standard of life. And there are ananta, innumerable planets. You cannot count even. So this is only one universe, and there are millions of universes. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi (Bs. 5.40). So Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord, is creator of these all universes. Still, He does not come here. He comes occasionally. But He does not claim. You utilize. He has given to you: "You living entities, you wanted to enjoy this material world. All right, I give you. Enjoy." Beginning from Brahmā down to the ant, they're enjoying, and they're creating their own karma-phala. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). And because he's creating his karma-phala, he's getting another body—sometimes the ant's body, sometimes Brahmā's body, sometimes cat's body, sometimes American body, sometimes Indian body, sometimes monkey's body. In this way, we are wandering all over the universes. This is called disease, material disease. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9).

So one who is wise, one who is learned, he should try to understand how to get out of this cycle of birth and death, repetition of birth and death. Now you have got this American body, very nice—rich nation's body. And we have got Indian body. That's all right. But what is the next life? That the people do not know. Just like you prepare by education for the future life. What you are preparing for the next life? They do not know, there is no . . . whether there is life or not. Such a fool we are that we do not know. Therefore we have to hear from the perfect person, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). That is the first instruction. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ.

So this is the beginning of spiritual education. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ. We have to change this body, transmigrate from this body to another body. That's a subtle way. But no university teaches how the soul is transferred from one body to another, what kind of body you are going to get next. There is no such science. But that is the real problem. Therefore we have to hear from Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān, the Supreme, the person who can give you perfect knowledge. That is the process. If you really want knowledge, you have to hear from Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He came personally:

yadā yadā hi dharmasya

glānir bhavati bhārata

abhyutthānam adharmasya

tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

(BG 4.7)

He comes. He's so kind. He comes, He gives personally instruction, and He leaves the instruction recorded, just like Bhagavad-gītā. This Bhagavad-gītā was spoken by Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna, and it was recorded by Sañjaya, by the grace of Vyāsadeva. And then Vyāsadeva put the conversation in the Mahābhārata. Mahābhārata means, "The History of Greater India." That is Mahābhārata. The whole planet is called Bhārata, Bhārata-varṣa. And the history of the whole planet is called Mahābhārata. In this Mahābhārata, this Bhagavad-gītā is set in for the knowledge of the all human being. It is not meant for the Hindus, for the Indians, for the Brāhmins, for the . . . no. It is meant for everyone to take perfect knowledge from Kṛṣṇa and be happy. If you want to become happy actually, then Kṛṣṇa's instruction you accept. We are already fallen. Now if we want to save ourselves from this fallen condition, take instruction from Kṛṣṇa and do not try to deviate, do not try to interpret in your own whimsical way, in a rascal way. Simply try to understand what Kṛṣṇa says, that's all. Then your life will be perfect.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says: "Try to understand this Bhagavad-gītā in this process." What is that? Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1): "I first of all spoke to the sun-god, Vivasvān." Vivasvān. The sun is there. Nobody knows what is there in the sun. The so-called scientists, philosopher . . . but there is possibility to talk with the sun-god personally. That is possible. You can also go. You can also talk, provided you become qualified, by Kṛṣṇa's grace. Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He can go anywhere. It is not that because the fiery planet . . . sun planet is fiery planet. The body there, the body is made of fire there. Just like here the body's made of earth, similarly, there are planets where the body's made of water, the body's made of fire, because these are the material elements. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). Either earth, water, fire, air . . . they are all material things. So I may have got a suitable body to live in this material, or this earthly planet. The fish has got a certain body to live in the water. You cannot live in the water. The fish cannot water on the land. That does not mean that it is impossible to live in the water. Similarly, because you cannot live in the fire, that does not mean for others it is impossible. This is foolishness. This is foolishness. The sun planet is there. It is made of fire. The bodies are so suitably made that those who have got this body, they can live there. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣu vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam (Bs. 5.40). Vibhūti. The atmosphere is different in every planet. Just like the atmosphere in the water is different from the land, but we know there are living entities within the water, on the land, on the air, within the earth, within the ether. Everywhere there is. Sarva-ga. Therefore living entity is called sarva-ga. The body is differently made. The spirit soul is the same. Your spirit soul, my spirit soul is the same. But your body is called American body, my body is called Indian body. That is the difference. Just like you have got a different dress; I have got a different dress. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vi . . . the body is just like dress.

So first spiritual knowledge is this, that "I am not this body." Then the spiritual knowledge begins. Otherwise there is no possibility of spiritual knowledge. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ (SB 10.84.13). One who is thinking, "This body I am. This, I am, myself," he's a rascal, animal, that's all. This rascal animalism going on all over the world: "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Brāhmin," "I am Kṣatriya." This is rascaldom. You have to go above this. Then there is spiritual knowledge. That is bhakti-yoga.

māṁ ca 'vyabhicāreṇa

bhakti-yogena sevate

sa guṇān samatītyaitān

brahma-bhūyāya kalpate

(BG 14.26)

Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This is required. So in order to understand this yoga system, bhakti-yoga . . . because only by bhakti-yoga you can come to the spiritual platform, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. Nāhaṁ vipra . . . just Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, nāhaṁ vipra na kṣatriya . . . what is that śloka?

Devotee: Kibā vipra kibā nyāsī . . . (CC Madhya 8.128)

Prabhupāda: "I am not a brāhmaṇa, I am not a kṣatriya, I am not a vaiśya, I am not a śūdra. I am not a brahmacārī, I am not a gṛhastha, I am not a vānaprastha . . ." Because our Vedic civilization is based on varṇa and āśrama. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu denied all these things, "I do not belong to any one of these." Then what is Your position? Gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80): "I am eternally servant of the maintainer of the gopīs." That means Kṛṣṇa. And He preached: jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (CC Madhya 20.108-109). That is our identification. We are eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the servants who have rebelled against Kṛṣṇa, they have come to this material world. Therefore, to reclaim these servants, Kṛṣṇa comes. And Kṛṣṇa says:

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ

vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām

dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya

sambhavāmi yuge yuge

(BG 4.8)

Kṛṣṇa comes. He's so kind.

So let us take advantage of Kṛṣṇa's coming here, leaving behind Him this Bhagavad-gītā, and read it perfectly and make your life perfect. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is not a bogus movement. It is a most scientific movement. So outside India, these European, Americans, they are taking advantage of it. Why not these Indian youths? What is the wrong there? This is not good. Let us join together, start this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement very seriously, and deliver this suffering humanity. That is our purpose. They are suffering for want of knowledge. Everything is there, complete. Simply by mismanagement . . . simply by the . . . it is being managed by the rogues and thieves. Take. You become perfect in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and take the management and make your life successful.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)