740427 - Lecture BG 07.01 - Hyderabad

Lectures by Date, 1974

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

740427BG-HYDERABAD - April 27, 1974 - 72:26 Minutes

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

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

(BG 7.1)

(break)

Translation: "Now hear, O son of Pṛthā, Arjuna, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt."

Prabhupāda:

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

(BG 7.1)

In the human society, it is a prerogative to know God. In the animal society, there is no such question. The human society is meant for understanding what is God. That is the privilege of human being. We come to this form of human being after many, many births. There are 8,400,000 species of life, beginning from water. Then on the land . . . in the water there are nine lakhs species of life, different aquatics. So in the beginning of creation the whole planet was merged into water. That is also scientifically . . . modern science. And from śāstras also, we understand, pralaya-payodhi-jale dhṛtavān asi vedam, keśava dhṛta-mīna-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. So in the beginning there was water. So there must be living entities, because living entities are everywhere—in the water, in the air, on the land, within the land, within the water, everywhere. Therefore the living entities are called sarva-ga. Sarva-ga means the living entity can go anywhere. As we are now trying to go to the moon planet, so we may go or not go, but there are living entities in all the planets, in different positions. There are innumerable planets and innumerable universes also. And beyond this material world, there is another nature. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ avyaktaḥ avyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20). That nature is permanent.

This material nature is not permanent. It is bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Everything here, in the material world, everything comes into existence, takes birth, janma, then stays for sometimes, grows the body, then produces some by-products, then dwindles and then finished. This is the material nature. Just like your body, my body, it has taken birth at a certain date, it is growing, and it is producing some children, by-products. Then, as we are growing old, then one day the body will be finished. This is the material nature. Either you take it personally, individually, your body, or this gigantic body of the universe, in whichever way you may take it, the nature is bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Here the material nature is you take your birth or appearance and again disappear and again appear. This is the instruction of spiritual life. The spirit soul is there, but it is not getting a permanent settlement. This is material world. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). As the body is changing, there are so many children, they will also become old like me. But the spirit soul is there. In the presence of mother, although the body is changing, the mother knows that, "My son is there." Although from babyhood the son has grown to boyhood, the body, original body, child's body, baby's body, is not existing, the mother knows that "My boy is there."

So this is common-sense understanding. People do not understand it, very nice common sense, that the body is changing but the soul is there. Exactly the same example: the mother knows that, "My boy, my child, although he has changed body, now he is grown-up, say, fifty years old, but my child he is. He is my child." Where is the difficulty to understand? Anyone can understand. But people do not believe in the transmigration of the soul. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). This kind of education, what is the value? The real knowledge begins when we understand that we are not this body, material body; I am different from body.

dehino 'smin yathā dehe

kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā

tathā dehāntara-prāptir

dhīras tatra na muhyati

(BG 2.13)

This is our position. Then, when we understand that, "I am not this body; I am spirit soul," ahaṁ brahmāsmi, then real knowledge begins. Otherwise, so long we are in the bodily concept of life, we are animals, because animal cannot think that the animal is not the body.

So first education should be given to the students that he is not this body; he is spirit soul. And because he is spirit soul, he has got a different business than to maintain this body. Maintenance of the body, that is being done by the cats and dogs also. They also take care of the body very nicely. They fight, struggle for existence to . . . they fight to keep the body fit. The tiger also, he fights. He secures his eatables by fighting. Similarly, this struggle for existence to get things for eating, sleeping, mating and defending, that is current in the animal society also.

So śāstra says, therefore, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Śāstra says ayaṁ deha, this body, human body . . . nāyaṁ deho nṛloke, deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke. Nṛloke means in the human society. The animals . . . nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye. Viḍ-bhujām means an stool-eater animal, stool-eater animal, hog. You know. Although it is not very easily found in the cities, in our Indian villages, there are so many stool-eater hogs loitering in the street, in the village. The only business is, "Where to find out stool?" This is the business. Whole day and night they are working, to find out stool. So if human being is educated to find out his eatables . . . of course, the hog's eatables are the stool. They like it very much, very palatable thing. Similarly, we also, for some palatable things, we also work day and night. But śāstra says, na ayaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate. Why this human society should be trained up to work so hard simply for eating, sleeping, mating and defending? This is not good.

Then what is it meant for, human life? Tapa. Tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). The human life's business is to accept tapasya, voluntarily accepting some inconvenience of life. That is called tapasya. Tapa means some trouble. Just like to become brahmacārī, it is tapasya. Just like we are prescribing this formula: "No illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling." People want to do it. People want illicit sex. The whole city is full of pictures, simply how to indulge in illicit sex. Then meat-eating—big, big signboard—and intoxication, wine shops. They want it. That is the natural propensity. Loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi jantor na hi tatra codanā (SB 11.5.11). You do not require to encourage them in these things. They have got natural tendency. That is material world—to enjoy unrestricted sex life, to eat meat, fish eggs, āmiṣa . . . āmiṣa-madya-sevā. Āmiṣa means eat meat, fish, eggs. These are āmiṣa. And vegetarian means nirāmiṣa. So āmiṣa-madya-sevā. Madhya means intoxication. Either wine or cigarette or bīḍī or gāñjā, bhāṅg, teas, coffees, they are all intoxication. So āmiṣa-madya-sevā and vyavāya. Vyavāya means sex life. You do not require to educate them. In the school, college, the boys and girls are not, I mean, given lesson . . . of course now, I think, they are now giving lesson also. But naturally, without any lesson, they know how to do it. Similarly, without an education, one can take to intoxication. So these things are natural. But when we try to stop these material instincts, that is called tapasya, tapasya.

So human life is not to be carried away by the so-called natural instinct. Natural instinct, material life . . . there are two kinds of natural instinct. So long we are in the bodily concept of life, there are different natural instincts, and when we come to the platform of spiritual understanding, that natural instinct is different. That is real natural instinct. So that natural instinct, spiritual natural instinct, can be attained by tapasya. Tapo divyam. That is the instruction of Ṛṣabhadeva. Now, people may say that, "Why we should undergo this tapasya, austerities? If we want to enjoy life, why we shall voluntarily give up this and undergo austerities?" No, there is reason. Tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyet sattvaṁ yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam. It is very reasonable. You have to undergo tapasya, voluntarily restraint. That is called tapasya. So why? Now, yato śuddhyet sattvam. Your existence will be purified. "What is the wrong in my existence?" But that we cannot understand; that is called illusion. There are so many wrong things. Always we are in miserable condition. The summary miserable condition is, as described in the Bhagavad-gītā, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). That is intelligence that, "I am now put under . . . although I have solved all my problems . . ." But Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, "You have solved all your problems by your so-called scientific advancement; that is all right. But where is your solution of janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi, repetition of birth, death, old age and disease? Where is your solution?" This is very intelligent question.

Kṛṣṇa says therefore that, "You have solved all the problems of miserable condition of life. That is all right. But you should always keep in front these problems, prominently: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānu . . ." Janma, the tribulations of janma, to live within the womb of the mother, everyone we have suffered, but we have forgotten. Similarly, we are awaiting another suffering at the time of death. That is also suffering, janma-mṛtyu. Then, when we take birth, we get old. That is also suffering. And we suffer from diseases. But as we are spirit soul . . . that is described in the Bhagavad-gītā: na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). The spirit soul does not die after the annihilation of this body. That is our position. We are accepting different types of bodies, but we are eternal, part and parcel of the Supreme. Not only eternal; full of knowledge and blissful. This is our position. But at the present moment, because we have got this body, it is not very pleasurable condition. It is miserable condition. There are adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika miseries, and always we are under. That we cannot understand. We are thinking that "Things go on like this. Don't bother about these things. Go on. Eat, drink, be merry and enjoy." That means we are living very foolishly. Although the problems are there . . . I do not wish to die; the death is there. I do not wish to be within the womb of my mother, but I am forced to take a body within the womb of my mother. Then when I get the body, I come out, I am subjected to so many tribulation on account of this body—old age, disease and so many.

So actually, this is the problem of living entities, and that knowledge can be acquired in the human form of life and it can be solved, not that simply we get the knowledge, but it can be solved. So therefore, real business of human life, to understand oneself, that is called self-realization, brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20), and find out the remedy and act accordingly. That is the mission of human life. Not like to dance like cats and dogs with a nice dress. That is not human life. This is the subject matter of Bhagavad-gītā, our whole Vedic instruction. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). This is God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or self-realization. Self-realization means either you see yourself or see the Supreme Lord, either way. But without seeing the Supreme Lord, you cannot see yourself. Just like without seeing the sun in the darkness . . . just like it is now night. There is no sun. So I cannot see also. In darkness I cannot see also myself. But when there is sun in the morning, I can see the sun and I can see myself also. This is the theory. So if we want to understand ourselves rightly that, "I am spirit soul," ahaṁ brahmāsmi, then we must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

That how one can take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is being described by Kṛṣṇa in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā. The first verse is:

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

(BG 7.1)

Because we have to see God. Just like I told you, if you see the sun, then automatically you see everything. You see yourself, you see your neighbor, you see the city, you see the house, you see . . . everything you can see when there is sunlight. Similarly, if you can see God, then you can see everything. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati (Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.3). If you can understand what is God, then you understand everything. Now why don't you take this process to understand God? That is the prerogative of human life, to understand God. Why you deny the existence of God? How you can deny? You cannot deny. There is a controller, supreme controller. That we have to accept. We are not free. We are being controlled. However we are trying to become independent of any controller, that is not possible. Prakṛteḥ . . . you are under the control of the prakṛti.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni

guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ

ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā

kartāham iti manyate

(BG 3.27)

Rascals and fools, they are thinking that, "We are independent." They are completely under the grip of the material nature. Every one of you know. We want to do something, we don't want excessive heat. Why there is excessive heat so that we have to manufacture this fan and air condition, so many things? This is simply struggle against the control of the material nature. This is a fact. And we have to accept this. You cannot deny it. That is described:

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni

guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ

ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā

kartāham iti manyate

(BG 3.27)

Those who are fools and rascals, they are thinking, "We are independent." You are not independent—under the prakṛti, under the nature. And what is the prakṛti? Prakṛti is the agent, or agency, of Kṛṣṇa. That is also explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10): "Under My control." Prakṛti is controlling you or me, and prakṛti is being controlled by Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the supreme controller. That is accepted in the Vedic literature, īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Kṛṣṇa is controller—we are surprised. How? I am also a human being, and Kṛṣṇa is also a historical person, human being. How He is controller of the whole material nature? That is answered, sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha. Although He comes as a person, but He is not a person like us. He is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha.

That we can understand, study. What is that sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha? Sat means eternal, cit means full of knowledge, and bliss . . . ānanda means blissfulness. But so far my body is concerned, your body is concerned, they are not sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha. My body, your body will not exist. Therefore it is asat. It is not sat. My body, your body is full of ignorance. Therefore it is not cit. It is acit. And my body, your body is not at all pleasing. There are so many troubles. Therefore it is not ānanda. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's body is different from us. Therefore He is controller. We think, "If Kṛṣṇa has got a body, then He must have a body like us." Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). "These mūḍhas, rascals, because I appear before them to give them the lesson about God, what is God, these rascal think of Me as one of them." This is rascaldom. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam, paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ. That sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha can control the whole material nature—that they do not know. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ.

So therefore it is our duty to understand Kṛṣṇa. What is the difficulty? Kṛṣṇa is personally . . . God is personally explaining Himself, what He is, and if we accept that, then where is the difficulty to understand God? Why you are making so much research work to find out God? God is canvassing at your door, "Here I am. You try to understand Me. Here I am explaining Myself." "No, no, no. We shall find out God somewhere else." This is called mūḍha. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Narādhama means not even ordinary knowledge of a human being. Lowest of the mankind. We are searching out what is God, and God is canvassing here. We do not accept. Therefore narādhama. Why? Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ, because their knowledge has been taken away by the illusory energy. But one who is . . . whose knowledge has not been taken away . . . just like Arjuna. Arjuna was personally instructed by Kṛṣṇa, and how he accepts Kṛṣṇa? He accepts Kṛṣṇa, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ śāśvataṁ ādyam . . . (BG 10.12): "O Kṛṣṇa, You are Para-brahman." Para-brahman.

The word . . . there are two words: Para-brahman and Brahman. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi, that does not mean ahaṁ parabrahmāsmi. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi: I am also spirit soul, but not the Supreme. Para-brahman is Kṛṣṇa. I am also īśvara. Īśvara means controller. You are also īśvara. Just like in this school, the teacher is īśvara in his class. He is controlling some students. I am controlling my disciples. I am also īśvara. So everyone can be īśvara. There is no . . . everyone can be god. But we are using the word "Godhead." Just like there are some clerks and there is head clerk, similarly, we are all gods. The Māyāvādī philosophy, they say: "Everyone is God." That's all right. But you are not the head God. Head, there . . . if there is god, there are so many gods, there must be one head God. That is our natural experience. Anywhere you go, there are so many people, but there is some leader, head. I had some talks with one Russian professor, Professor Kotovsky, in Moscow. So we had very long talks. At last I asked him, "Mr. Kotovsky . . ." I forgot to . . . "Comrade." (laughter). But I said "mister." (laughs) "So where is the difference between your philosophy and my philosophy, or our philosophy? You have to accept one leader, head, and we also accept one head. Then where is the difference between Communism and other ism?" So he was stopped. He appreciated very much. "The difference is that you have accepted Lenin as your head and we have accepted Kṛṣṇa as our head."

So there is no difference of the philosophy. You have to accept. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). That is the Vedic instruction. What is meaning of "God"? God means the head of the living entities. What is the difficulty to understand it? Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. Nitya means eternal. We are also eternal, and God is also eternal. So what is the difference? So qualitatively we are one. Because God is eternal, I am also eternal. I am now somehow or other in diseased condition, that I have to change my body. But God does not change His body. Sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā (BG 4.6). He says, ātma-māyayā: "By My own will-power. I am not forced." Just like according to my karma, I have been forced to accept this material body, certain type of body. I cannot dictate. As I am creating another body by my karma, so the karma, by . . . prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni (BG 3.27), another place. So why the living entities are getting different types of bodies? That is also answered: kāraṇam. The reason is guṇa-saṅgaḥ asya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu. Kāraṇam, the cause, is the material nature.

The material nature is divided into three modes: sattva-guṇa, tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa. So to become within the material nature, under the control of the material nature, means to accept one of these guṇas, sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. So if you accept this sattva-guṇa, the brahminical qualification, satyaṁ śamo dama titikṣā ārjavaṁ kṣāntiḥ, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva . . . (BG 18.42). If you associate with the brahminical qualification, then you get nicer body. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ (BG 14.18). Those who are associating with the sad-guṇa, they are also described. Sad-guṇa means satyaṁ śamo dama titikṣā ārjavaṁ kṣāntiḥ, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma . . . this is brahma-karma. So tapasya means come to the brahma-karma, not to the śūdra-karma. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya (BG 13.22). Don't associate with the śūdra qualification. Now, what is the śūdra qualification? Paricaryātmakaṁ kāryaṁ śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). You are highly educated, but your desire is how to get a service. Paricarya . . . I am highly educated, but unless I render service to somebody else like a dog, I am not recognized. This is called śūdra-karma. Why a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya should search after service? Therefore in this Kali-yuga it is said, kalau śūdraḥ sambhavaḥ: "Kalau, in this Kali-yuga, everyone is almost śūdras." There is lack of brāhmaṇa. There is lack of kṣatriya and vaiśya.

So in Bhagavad-gītā we'll find all the solution of the human problems. All the solution. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Unless you divide the whole human society into four divisions—the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra . . . you must have to divide. You cannot say: "Classless society." That is useless society. Classless society means useless society. There must be an intelligent high class, ideal class of men to see that, "Here is human civilization." That is brāhmaṇa. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma . . . unless people see the ideal men, how they will follow? Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ, lokas tad anuvartate (BG 3.21). The brāhmaṇa is compared with the brain of the body. Unless there is brain, what is the use of these hands and legs? If one's brain is cracked, madman, he cannot do anything.

So at the present moment, because there is scarcity of brahminical qualified men in the whole human society . . . it is not meant . . . brāhmaṇa is not meant for simply for India or Hindus. For the whole human society. Kṛṣṇa never says that the cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭa is meant for India, or for Hindus, or for a class of men. For whole human society, there must be a very ideal intellectual man, so that people will follow. Brain, brain of the society. That is the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā. You cannot say that, "We can do without brain." Suppose from your body if the brain is cut off, your head is cut off, then you are finished. What the hands and legs will do if there is brain . . . there is no brain? So at the present moment there is scarcity of brain in the whole human society. Therefore, it is in the chaotic condition. So there is need, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. The human society, the whole human civilization, must be reformed in this way, that the . . . there are intellectual class of men, naturally. There are first-class intellectual class of men, second-class intellectual, third class, fourth class, like that. So the first-class intellectual men, they must be brāhmaṇas, in the brahminical qualification, and they must be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Then they can guide the whole society in the right way, and there will be no problem. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

So here Kṛṣṇa says how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is for the brahmins, or the intellectual class of men. That is being described by Kṛṣṇa. What is that? Mayy āsakta-manāḥ: "The mind should be attached upon Me, Kṛṣṇa." This is the beginning. Some way or other we have to . . . our mind is attached to something else. Mind cannot be detached. We have got so many desires. So mind's business—to become attached. Therefore, I accept something, I reject something. This is mind's business. So you cannot become zero; you cannot become desireless. That is not possible. Our process . . . just like others, they say: "You become desireless." That is a foolish proposal. Who can become desireless? It is not possible. If I am desireless, then I am a dead man. A dead man has no desire. So that is not possible. We have to purify the desires. That is required. Purify the desires. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). This is called purification. Nirmalam. Tat-paratvena. Tat-paratvena means when God conscious, Kṛṣṇa conscious, then desires become purified.

So we have to come to the point of not desirelessness, but to the point of purified desires. That is wanted. Therefore here it is said, mayy āsakta-manāḥ: "You can not make your mind desireless, but you fix up your mind upon Me." That is required. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. This is the yoga system. This is called bhakti-yoga, and this is called first-class yoga. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, that yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā (BG 6.47). The yogī, the first-class yogī, yoginām api sarveṣām . . . "There are different kinds of yoga system, but the person who has accepted this bhakti-yoga, he is thinking of Me always." Just like these boys and girls, they are being taught always thinking of Kṛṣṇa: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. So if you read Bhagavad-gītā and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, immediately you learn the whole science, how to become attached to Kṛṣṇa. This is called mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan, to practice yoga . . . this is bhakti-yoga. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ means "under My direction," or "under My protection." Āśraya.

So if you read Bhagavad-gītā as it is, that is mad-āśrayaḥ. But if you interpret Bhagavad-gītā according to your rascal imagination, that is not Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore it is called mad-āśrayaḥ, "Under My protection, as I am tea . . ." We are therefore presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. We do not change. Why should you change? What right you have got to change? If Bhagavad-gītā is a book of authority, and if I make my own interpretation, then where is the authority? Can you change the law book according to your interpretation? Then what is the meaning of that law book? That is not law book. You cannot change. Similarly, if you accept Bhagavad-gītā as the book of authority, you cannot change the meaning. That is not allowed. What right? If you have got some opinion, if you have got some philosophy, you can write in your own book. Why you are, I mean to say, killing others and yourself by interpreting Bhagavad-gītā? You give your own thesis in a different way. But these people, they take advantage of the popularity of Bhagavad-gītā and interpret in a different way according to their own whims. Therefore people do not understand what is Kṛṣṇa. That is the difficulty. And the purpose of Bhagavad-gītā is to understand Kṛṣṇa. And all the so-called scholars' and politicians' commentary is to banish Kṛṣṇa or to kill Kṛṣṇa—the Kaṁsa's policy. The Kaṁsa was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, how to kill Him. This is called demonic endeavor. So that will not help you.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says you have to develop your love and attraction for Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. "This yoga practice can be performed," mad-āśrayaḥ, "under My protection or My devotee's protection." You cannot take protection of another rascal who interprets Bhagavad-gītā in a different way. You have to take shelter directly. Of course, Bhagavad-gītā instruction is there. Everyone can take shelter of Kṛṣṇa directly. Where is the difficulty? Just like here it is said, mayy āsakta. You have to develop your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. You can do that. How these Americans and European boys, they have developed their attraction for Kṛṣṇa? There is a process. If you adopt this process . . . they are with me for the last two, three or four years. Now they are . . . you detach them from Kṛṣṇa consciousness if you have got any power. You cannot do that. Even you bribe them or, no, what you can do? Their father, mother, their countrymen can give you enough. They are all rich men's sons. But they cannot give up Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Even the Christian priests, they regret that, "These are our boys, and they never came to church. They never liked to understand what is the idea of God. Now these same boys, they are after . . . mad after God. What is this movement?" They are surprised.

So there is a process. If we adopt that process, then everyone can become mayy āsakta-manāḥ, kṛṣṇa-āsakta-manāḥ. We have to adopt the process. That process is called yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. You have to accept the yoga system under the protection of Kṛṣṇa personally or His bona fide devotees, representative. Then you will be . . . then what will be the result? The result will be asaṁśayam, without any doubt. Now people are educated in all other institution about God, but they are all full of doubts, full of doubts: "What kind of God? What is the nature of God? Whether there is God? Whether there is no God?" So many doubts. But if you accept this Kṛṣṇa consciousness yoga system, then you can understand Kṛṣṇa asaṁśayam, without any doubt. And samagram, in fullness, not that partial. Partially understanding of God, that is also understanding, but it will again take time, because unless you fully understand what is God, you cannot go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the formula.

There are different stages or phases of understanding. That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam (SB 1.2.11). The Absolute Truth is that. It is one, but it is realized into different phases: as Brahman, as Paramātmā and as Bhagavān. So if you understand Brahman, that is also partial understanding. If you understand Paramātmā . . . brahman is understood by the philosophical speculation, Māyāvāda philosophy, or jñāna-mārga. Then you can understand partially. Just like to understand the sunshine is partial understanding of the sun. It is not full understanding. Full understanding, if you have got power to go to the sun globe, to see the predominating deity there, Vivasvān, the sun-god, then it is full understanding. If you think that understanding the sunshine you have understand the whole feature of the sun globe, that is wrong. Similarly, to understand Brahman, impersonal Brahman, is also partial understanding. And to understand Paramātmā, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61), that is also little higher stage, but that is also partial. But when you understand Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality, that is full understanding. Therefore it is said, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān uvāca, full understanding. Vyāsadeva could have said kṛṣṇa uvāca. But because Kṛṣṇa is understood wrong way sometimes by the fools and rascal, therefore he says directly, bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān uvāca.

You cannot question the statement or instruction of Bhagavān. Bhaga means opulence. There are six kinds of opulences. Bhagavān means one who is full with six kinds of opulences. So nowadays there are so many bhagavāns, but because they have no full opulences, they cannot be accepted as Bhagavān. Bhagavān means full opulences.

aiśvaryasya samagrasya

vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ

jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva

ṣaṇṇāṁ iti bhaga ganā

(Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)

Full opulent: complete wealth, complete strength, complete beauty, complete knowledge, complete renunciation. One who possesses all these six things completely, He is Bhagavān. Bhagavān is not so cheap thing that it can be found in the lanes and streets and road. So that is also another misunderstanding. Therefore, Vyāsadeva says śrī-bhagavān uvāca. He is complete in everything. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ. Īśvara means controller. Parama means supreme, no more better than that. That is also enunciated by Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7): "There is no more superior element than Me." So if we study Bhagavad-gītā, if we understand what is the nature of Bhagavān, then our life is successful. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). So Kṛṣṇa is describing Himself. You try to understand from the statement of Kṛṣṇa with your logic, argument, science and everything. You will find complete answer.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a concoction of mind. It is scientific. It is based on the Vedic knowledge. It is primarily on the background of the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā. If we take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then our human life, its mission will be successful. That is our request to you all.

Thank you very much.

Indian: (indistinct) . . . there are millions . . . but we are being ridiculed . . .

Prabhupāda: The difficulty is that when you are admitted into some school. If you accept the regulation of the school, then you make progress. And from the very beginning if the student says: "Why shall I do this, why shall I do this?" Then there is no question of making progress. If the teacher says: "Write A, like this, write B, like this." And if the student protests, "Why shall I write this, why not this way, why not this way." Then how he will make progress? So our difficulty in this country, they have learned everything. Although they are rascal number one. (light laughter from audience) that is the difficulty. When you put Kṛṣṇa, here Kṛṣṇa says and śastra says, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). All these people will come forward, "Why Kṛṣṇa shall be the bhagavān, I have got another bhagavān, I have got another bhagavān, another bhagavān." That is the difficulty but these four people, they have no idea of another bhagavān. So I am speaking to them, Kṛṣṇa is the supreme personality. They are accepting and making progress. This is difficulty in this country.

Kṛṣṇa says, we are very much proud of reading Bhagavad-gītā but you don't accept bhagavān as . . . Kṛṣṇa as the supreme bhagavān. This is our difficulty. Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat, there is no more superior element than me. So why we shall accept Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁśaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). The so-called scholars, "Oh, it is too much." Why? This is the difficulty. They read Bhagavad-gītā, but they read in their own way. And the purpose is to kill Kṛṣṇa. That is the difficulty. Kaṁsa's philosophy. Kaṁsa was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa conscious. But what is the thinking? How to kill Kṛṣṇa. That is demoniac, the demon's they also think of God. But their purpose is how to . . . (indistinct) . . . that is the movement, you take it. Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Indian (2): Swamiji . . . (indistinct) . . . if Kṛṣṇa is the supreme Lord where does Rāma come in? . . .

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Indian (2): . . . Rāma, Hare Rāma is also you sing . . .

Devotee: You sing.

Prabhupāda: Rāma and Kṛṣṇa the same.

rāmādi mūrttiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan

kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yo

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ

(Bs. 5.39)

We don't distinguish between Rāma and Kṛṣṇa. Rāma is the supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa is also the supreme Lord. Rāmādi mūrttiṣu kalā-niyamena, not only Rāma, there are so many other forms of Kṛṣṇa. They are mentioned in the śastra. That is summarised in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That all the names of God, incarnations, are mentioned here, listed here, unlisted. But, kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam, the name Kṛṣṇa that he is the supreme original personality of Godhead. Yes?

Indian (3): Does brahman mean a state of birth or a state of consciousness?

Prabhupāda: No, guṇā karma, just like engineer. He is by his qualification and by his work. Suppose a man is qualified as an engineer so he should be accepted as engineer but if he does not work as engineer. Then also he will not be accepted as engineer. If he simply passed engineering qualification and then sit down at home. Nobody will go to consult him. If you work as engineer and you have got the qualification of engineer, then you are engineer. Similarly, one must possess the qualification of brāhmaṇa, the qualification of kṣatriya or vaiśya and he must act accordingly, guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ:

cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ.

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā

varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ

svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya

saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam

(SB 1.2.13)

As the different parts of the body, the head, the hand, the belly, the legs, all of them combined together, trying to serve this whole body. Similarly, there for convenience sake there must be brahminical class, kṣatriya class, vaiśya class, śūdra class and altogether they should maintain the whole body. That means the whole, the whole is Kṛṣṇa. So everyone should be engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness but it doesn't matter for management of the society there must be a first class, intellectual class. First class brain class, who can defend the whole society, and there must be productive class, and there must be labourer class. This is very simple to understand. But everyone should be engaged for understanding Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is transcendental position. Everything is clearly described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Yes?

Indian (4): . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Indian (4): . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes, it has got a medicinal effect. That is described by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu:

ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ

śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam

ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ

paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam

(CC Antya 20.12)

If you chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then all these things will come one after another. The first thing is, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ, cleansing of the heart. All rascal things are within our heart, if you chant, if you hear the vibration because it is transcendental vibration Kṛṣṇa. The chanting and Kṛṣṇa is not different--absolute. Here in the material world the name and substance are different but in the spiritual world. This vibration is coming from the spiritual world, golokera prema-dhana, hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana (Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura). It is not manufactured within this material world. It is coming down from the spiritual world. Just like, some vibration comes, some news comes from other country. Similarly, it is from another nature, superior nature. There from coming it is down by paramparā system. It is brought by Nārada Muni. Because if you chant, you say this name is not different from Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra means associating with Kṛṣṇa directly. So if you associate with Kṛṣṇa then you become purified, you become purified, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ (CC Antya 20.12). As soon as you have got clear consciousness then, bhava-mahā, all the problems of this material world is finished:

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

(BG 18.54)

So this is the effect of chanting, why don't you try it? . . . yes?

Indian (4): Is it not possible to chant the names of Rāma instead of Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Yes, you can chant Rāma, somebody chants like that. hare rāma, hare rāma, that does not make any . . .

Indian (4): Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, why Kṛṣṇa cult, why not Rāma cult?

Prabhupāda: So you take Rāma cult. (laughs) thank you very much. All right chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Yes you want to ask something? Yes.

Indian (5): That there should be four classes but practically . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: In other countries?

Indian (5): Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes, therefore we are teaching this Kṛṣṇa philosophy everywhere. So that they may take to the philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā, everywhere. And they are taking it. It will take some time but this is necessary, without taking this Kṛṣṇa philosophy you cannot be saved. Yes?

Indian (6): . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Indian (6): . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa disappeared. Yes?

Indian (7): . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes, just to confuse you. Because you are thinking Kṛṣṇa as human being. So he is confirming your attitude, yes I am human being. I am not God. Just to confirm you. Because those who thought Kṛṣṇa as human being. Just to keep them in that ignorance, Kṛṣṇa did that. But it is stated also that Kṛṣṇa went in his own chariot to Vaikuṇṭha. So that means he is not killed like an ordinary human being. Hm?

Devotee: Prabhupāda. That gentleman has passed up a question on a paper.

Prabhupāda: Ah. What is that?

Devotee: It is useful to have different gods with different characteristics to suit varieties of people. Why force one God upon the people. It is like giving one coat and asking everyone to fit into it kindly . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is answered in the Bhagavad-gītā:

kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ

prapadyante 'nya-devatāḥ

(BG 7.20)

antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ

tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām

(BG 7.23)

To worship different demigods, that is not forbidden in the Vedic literature. But Kṛṣṇa personally says, that, tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. Those who are less intelligent, they are allowed, at least let them accept some authority. That is for, alpa-medhasām, less intelligent class of men, that's all. But when Kṛṣṇa is advising, why you should keep others less intelligent? He, he is personally advising, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁśaraṇaṁ (BG 18.66), you will get everything, you will get everything. But the less intelligent class of men they cannot understand it. Therefore, they go to demigods. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante 'nya . . . hṛta-jñānāḥ! (BG 7.20) And their intelligence is lost. If he can get something from some demigod, can you not get it from Kṛṣṇa? The supreme God. You can get it, that is advised in the śastra:

akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā mokṣa-kāma udāradhīḥ

tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena yajeta paramam puruṣa

(SB 2.3.10)

Even if you are, sarva-kāmaḥ, you have got so many desires, material. Still, you should worship Kṛṣṇa because one day you will come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. By directly being attracted by Kṛṣṇa, just like Dhruva Mahārāja. Dhruva Mahārāja he went to perform severe penances, austerities to get some land. Wanted his father's property or better than that. But when he saw Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa and Nārāyaṇa wanted to give him benediction. Whatever he liked. He said, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42). So if you are desirous of something which you want to take from demigod. You can ask it from Kṛṣṇa. The benefit will be, you will see Kṛṣṇa and you will be desire less. No more desires for material things. That will be your profit. But if you continue to get some temporary benefit of this material world. So you will get it but, antavat tu phalaṁ teṣāṁ, with the end of your body everything is finished, tad bhavaty alpa-medhasām. So this kind of worship is preferred by less intelligent class.

Indian (8): There is a feeling that, Swami, the way that vaiṣṇavism is presented in this country. Intellectuals are more responsible than is the other class.

Prabhupāda: Yes, always intellectuals are responsible.

Indian (8): Taking any part in any activities. In any field, the contribution of the government of the country, religiously or socially or economically.

Prabhupāda: Because they are blind, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). One blind man is leading other blind men. So what will be the result? (laughter) andhā . . . na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ, vācīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. Hm. Don't mind, just like our leader Gandhi, spoke so many things but he was killed himself. You see? Just see what is his position. Mr Patel warned him that, I am hearing so many things, do not go in the meeting today. But he voluntarily, "No I shall go." And he was killed.

So he did not know what is going to happen next moment and he is our leader. Therefore the śastra says, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. This is the fact. If it is fact with Mahatma Gandhi, then what is there with other leaders? He was such a great personality. Therefore we should take lesson from the person, bhagavān uvāca, take lesson from Bhagavān and be happy. That is our propaganda, don't take lesson from andhāḥ. That will not help you, bhagavān uvāca, that is wanted. All right chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Thank you very much.

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare from the śabda hara, ah, don't talk. From hara, just like latāśabda, latāḥ. So addressing, hara means the energy. God is there. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6). The supreme Lord has many different types of śakti. The Durgāśakti is also His śakti, Māyā śakti is also His śakti.

sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā

chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni vibharti durgā

(Brahma-saṁhitā 5.44)

Durgā is also His śakti. So, we are addressing all the śakti's of Kṛṣṇa. Hare, that is Hare. Hara is the śakti of Kṛṣṇa and he has got multi-śakti's. So we are requesting everyone, all the śakti's, first of all Hare Kṛṣṇa, then we are addressing Kṛṣṇa. Similarly Hare Rāma, the same thing. What, why you are addressing? The addressing is,

nejinka kunmara pradas ye, I am now fed up with the service of so-called material happiness. Kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mada mātsarya, now my business is to serve but I am never satisfied by serving this māyā, please engage me in Your service. This is the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, praying because I have become servant of so many propensities. Neither my masters have become satisfied, neither am I satisfied. Just see this same example, who can give greater service to his country than Mahatma Gandhi? The result was he was killed. That means they were not satisfied, so this is the position of material service. You are not satisfied and the service rendering to a person, he is also not satisfied. This is our business, therefore when one becomes intelligent he gives up all those so-called service and servant and master, he comes to Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa also demands that, that is perfection of life. Kṛṣṇa also says:

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁśaraṇaṁ vraja

(BG 18.66)

And we also, we agree, yes sir. From today I'm your servant. Then our life is successful.

Indian (8): . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Because you do not know God, therefore you are speaking like that. God says:

man-manā bhava mad-bhakto

mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru

(BG 18.65)

Why does not give God, God says, man-manā bhava mad-bhaktah, you become my devotee, you always think of me. Why do you say God does not say? (end)