740323 - Lecture BG 04.03 - Bombay

Lectures by Date, 1974

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

740323BG-BOMBAY - March 23, 1974 - 35:22 Minutes

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

sa evāyaṁ mayā te 'dya

yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ

bhakto 'si me sakhā ceti

rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam

(BG 4.3)

(break)

saḥ — the same; eva — certainly; ayam — this; mayā — by Me; te — unto you; adya — today; yogaḥ — the science of yoga; proktaḥ — spoken; purātanaḥ — very old; bhaktaḥ — devotee; asi — you are; me — My; sakhā — friend; ca — also; iti — therefore; rahasyam — mystery; hi — certainly; etat — this; uttamam — transcendental

Translation: "That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend. Therefore you can understand the transcendental mystery of this science."

Prabhupāda: This is very important verse to understand Bhagavad-gītā. By rascal interpretation you cannot understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. It is a mystery. Rahasyam, mysterious. Only a devotee who is in intimate relation with Kṛṣṇa, he can understand. That is clearly stated here. When Kṛṣṇa was speaking Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna, it was in the battlefield. It is not a parlor discussing, smoking and discussing Vedānta philosophy. No. It is not like that. Very serious, in the battlefield. And Kṛṣṇa selected Arjuna. Kṛṣṇa selected . . . at that time, when Kṛṣṇa was present, there were very, very great, learned scholars. Even Vyāsadeva was present there, the Vedavyāsa. And many others—Asita, Devala . . . great, great saintly persons and saints. Rājarṣis. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was rājarṣi. Because in the previous verse He said, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2).

So why He selected Arjuna? He was a military man. He was not a Vedāntist. A military man is not supposed to become a Vedāntist, a very great sannyāsī. No. Because the so-called Vedāntists, they cannot understand Bhagavad-gītā. It is not possible. It is a mystery. Kṛṣṇa, in other place, He says, nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25): "I cannot be exposed to anyone." Yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ. Therefore, those who are fools, rascals, they consider Kṛṣṇa as fictitious, Kṛṣṇa as a human being, Kṛṣṇa as a historical person. Or "There was no Kṛṣṇa. It is an imaginary writing." Because these rascals, they cannot understand. Unless one is a bona fide devotee and intimately related with Kṛṣṇa, one cannot understand. That is the purport of this verse. One must become a devotee first of all. Because . . . you'll find in the Eighteenth Chapter: bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Tattvataḥ, in reality, what Kṛṣṇa is, that can be understood through devotion and service. This is what we are preaching all over the world, devotional service, the . . .

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ

smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam

arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ

sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

(SB 7.5.23)

iti puṁsārpitā viṣṇau

bhaktiś cen nava-lakṣaṇā . . .

tan manye 'dhītam uttamam

(SB 7.5.24)

This is the statement of Prahlāda Mahārāja. These are the bhakti process. If one wants to become bhakta, then he must begin with śravaṇam. Just like you have kindly come here to hear about Kṛṣṇa. This is the beginning of bhakti. Unless you hear about the Supreme Person . . . this is Vedic process. Śruti. Śruti. Veda is known as śruti.

śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi

pañcarātrikī-vidhiṁ vinā

aikāntikī harer bhaktir

utpātāyaiva kalpate

(Brs. 1.2.101)

If one does not follow the principle, Vedic principle, smṛti, the Vedic corollaries . . . smṛti means literature which is written according to Vedic principle. That is called smṛti. And śruti means the Vedas. Bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā (SB 1.2.12). Śruta-gṛhītayā. Śruta-gṛhītayā, there are two meanings: by hearing, or through the Vedic literature. Through the Vedic literature . . . only bhakti is . . .

There are three kinds of departmental study in the Vedas. First thing is sambandha. Sambandha means, "What is my relationship with God." This is stated there. In the Vedānta it says, janmādy asya yataḥ: the Absolute Truth is that from whom everything is generated. So everything, amongst everything, I am also, you are also. So you are also coming from that Supreme Absolute Truth. Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7): "All these living entities . . ." Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya (BG 14.4): "In every species, any form of life . . ." sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ, "as many forms are there . . ." Not only human beings—the animals, the trees, the birds, the aquatics, the insects, everyone, all living entities. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya sambhavanti mūrtayo yāḥ: "In any species of life, as many forms are there," ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā, "I am their original father." Bīja-pradaḥ pitā, seed-giving father. So as father places the seeds within the womb of the mother, similarly the material nature is the mother and Kṛṣṇa is the father. The Kṛṣṇa impregnates the material nature, and we come out in different forms: sveda-ja, udbhij-ja and jarāyu-ja and aṇḍa-ja. Sveda-ja means by perspiration, through perspiration. Just like bed bugs. Bed bugs . . . because if you keep your bed nasty, do not keep it very clean, then by your perspiration there is generation of these bed bugs. They are called sveda-ja, "By perspiration." And aṇḍa-ja, through the eggs. Just like the birds, the living entity is coming through the eggs. That is called aṇḍa-ja. Sveda-ja, aṇḍa-ja, jarāyu-ja, embryo, just like we are coming from the embryo. Aṇḍa-ja, jarāyu-ja. And udbhij-ja, coming from the seeds, the trees, plants. So within these four groups, all different living entities are coming.

So the . . . by gradual evolution, we are coming to the human form of life. So in the human form of life, here there is a prerogative, there is a chance to know what is God and what is my relationship with Him. That is called sambandha-jñāna. Sambandha, abhidheya. Then execution of the duty. Just like sambandha. We can understand, an unmarried girl and unmarried boy, there is first of all sambandha: the father, mother makes the relationship. Then there is function between husband and wife. That is called abhidheya. And why? No, because there is a necessity. What is that? To get children. Sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana. Prayojana. Every sambandha, every relationship is made, every action is done with an aim, the goal, the prayojana. So Vedic literature means sambandha, abhidheya and prayojana. That is to be studied in the human form of life. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). To study Vedas means to understand what is my relation, what is Kṛṣṇa, what I am, and what is my relationship, and how to act in that relationship, and what is the aim of life.

The aim of life is to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is the aim of life. We are fallen in this material condition of life. We are suffering, but we do not know. We are so fool. Just like animals, we do not know what is the aim of life. Aim of life, that is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). When we can understand that "This process of repetition of birth, death, old age and disease, this is not wanted by me . . ." Nobody wants to die, but death is forced upon him. He does not think that, "This is my problem. I do not want to die, but death is as sure as anything." So this is the problem. Nobody is careful how to solve this problem. They are simply engaged in the, I mean to say, temporary problems. The temporary problems are not problems. Real problem is how to stop death, how to stop birth, how to stop old age and how to stop disease. That is real problem. That can be done when you are liberated from this material world. This is our problem.

So Kṛṣṇa comes here again . . . yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). Dharmasya glāniḥ. Glāniḥ means when it is distorted. So people are manufacturing, in the name of so-called religion, "This is our religion. This is . . ." "This is Hindu religion," "This is Muslim religion," "This is Christian religion." Or "This is Buddha religion," and "This is Sikh religion," "This is that religion, that religion . . ." They have manufactured so many religions. So many religions. But real religion is dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Religion means the codes and the laws given by the Lord, given by God. That is religion. Simple definition of religion is: dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam. Just like law is given by the state, by the government. You cannot manufacture law. I have repeatedly said. Law is made by the government. Similarly, religion is made by God. If you accept God's religion, then that is religion. And what is God's religion? (aside:) If you stand, you come stand here. Other people are seeing. God's religion is . . . you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). This is God's religion. "You give up all this nonsense religion. You become a devotee, a surrendered soul unto Me." That is religion.

One who does not know what is God, one who does not know how to surrender to Him, he's not religious. Any religion without the conception of God, without knowledge of God, without knowing the surrendering process, that is called . . . described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as "cheating religion." Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra. The so-called religious system, which is cheating only, that kind of religion is completely thrown away, kicked out. Because religion means to develop your dormant love for God, or to execute the laws of God. That is . . . the laws of God is, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). And how to achieve that? That also Kṛṣṇa says: man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Four principles only. "Always think of Me." Hare Kṛṣṇa. If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then you're remembering Kṛṣṇa. Man-manāḥ. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa . . . this is the religion, at least of this age.

harer nāma harer nāma

harer nāmaiva kevalam

kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva

nāsty eva gatir anyathā

(CC Adi 17.21)

There is no other way. You chant. Then any, any scripture you will find. Śabdād anāvṛtti, in the Vedānta-sūtra. Śabdāt, simply by chanting, vibrating, you become liberated. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). Kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ. Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: "Mahārāja Parīkṣit, this age of Kali is full of faulty things. It is an ocean of faulty things. But there is one profit, benefit." What is that? Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet. "If you chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, then you become liberated, and you are promoted to the spiritual world." Paraṁ vrajet. One can . . .

That is our aim. The human form of life is meant for finishing all these problems, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), and go back to home, back to Godhead. But people do not know . . . they are not educated what is God, what is God's place, where to go back, what is my position, what is my relation. Nothing of these things are educated or given lessons in any university anywhere. But it is there, the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa is personally giving him instruction. Kṛṣṇa is giving instruction to Arjuna. "Arjuna" does not mean that Arjuna is to take that lesson. Every one of us. And it is very old. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says: "Don't manufacture new type of religion." What you'll do that? It is simply waste of time. You cannot manufacture anything. But they are after modernized religion. What is this nonsense modernized religions? You are living entity. You are part and parcel of God. It is old relationship, purāṇa. It is said purāṇa. Purāṇa means very old. Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit, nityaṁ śāśvato 'yaṁ purāṇaḥ. We have to accept that purāṇa. We are purāṇa, eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). We are not destroyed simply by destruction of this body. We remain. We accept another body. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13).

This is Bhagavad-gītā. Nobody wants to know this. They manufacture their own commentary. In that way you'll never understand. You'll understand as Kṛṣṇa says, sa eva ayaṁ purātanaḥ. The same thing. What is that same thing? That, "I am God. I am Kṛṣṇa. You are My part and parcel." This is eternal relationship. It cannot be broken. But you have forgotten. You have forgotten your relationship with Kṛṣṇa. You have made your relationship with your family, so-called family, so-called country, so-called society, and so on, so on, so on, so on. This is all temporary. Suppose I am Indian today; you are American tomo . . . today. But is there guarantee after your death you'll become American or I'll become Indian? Or I'll take my birth in the same family? No. According to my karma, I may become cats and dogs. You may become demigods. You may become something else. But dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Dehāntara-prāptiḥ means you'll have to accept another body. And there are 8,400,000 species of forms of bodies. Any of them you'll have to accept. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). You are wasted your time as the family member or as the national or this or that, but there is no guarantee that next life will be same countryman or same family. No, there is no such guarantee. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ. You'll have to accept one body, and that body means . . . any, out of these four . . . according to my karma . . . karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur dehopapatti (SB 3.31.1).

So these are the instruction of the śāstras. And this is very scientific and very important thing. But unfortunately, we are not taking care of these things. We are very busy with the temporary problems. Temporary problems are not problems. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: āgama apāyinaḥ anityāḥ tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ (BG 2.14): "Your temporary problems, so-called happiness and distress, these are āgamāpāyinaḥ. They come and go." That is not very important. Just like the seasonal changes. The winter season comes; again goes away. For the time being, you may feel very cold, but it will go. Similarly, summer season also, it comes and goes—any seasonal changes. We should not be disturbed with these seasonal changes of happiness and distress.

We should be very serious about the problems of life, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). That is spiritual advancement. Unless we come to the serious point, unless you have become very intelligent that, "I do not want to die. Why death is there . . .?" This is intelligence. You may solve your temporary problems, but you cannot, by your so-called materialistic activities, the problem of death. Nobody wants to die. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś ca aham. Death will come. But the people have become so much unintelligent, they do not take up seriously the real problems. Just like animals. The animals is being taken to the slaughterhouse, and one animal enters to the slaughterhouse store, livestock store, and the all the animals enters. He does not know that, "This . . . I have to stay here for being killed." He does not know. This is animal. Similarly, if you do not take these problems seriously, you are no better than animal. However you may be advanced for these bodily comforts, you are animal. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Kuṇape tri-dhātuke, this bag of three elements, kapha-pitta-vāyu. If I think that, "I am this body, and the comfort of this body is my happiness"—sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13)—you are not better than animal. This is animal conception of life. You must know that, "I am not this body. I am spirit soul. Circumstantially, I have been put into this body, and again I'll be put into another body. So what is the solution of this problem?" That is Bhagavad-gītā. That is Bhagavad-gītā. If you understand fully what is Bhagavad-gītā, what is the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā, then these questions, the answers are there. You'll find.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa has said . . . this is old. It is not new type of religion. It is the . . . it is the oldest. Bhagavad-bhakti. Bhagavān is there, and the living entities are there. Their relationship is there. Now, by forgetting God, forgetting Kṛṣṇa, we are busy with the temporary problems, but we are forgetting the real problem. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that bhakto 'si. One has to become bhakta. So bhakta means . . . Bhagavān, if there is Bhagavān, then there is bhakta, and there is bhakti. But these people are denying the existence of bhakta . . . Bhagavān. "There is no God." Now, how he can become bhakta? Or how there will be execution of bhakti? Bhakta, Bhagavān, bhakti, the same thing. Bhakta is in relationship with Bhagavān, and the transaction between Bhagavān and bhakta is called bhakti. Bhakti means ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167).

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ

jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-

śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā

(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11)

This is the definition given by Rūpa Gosvāmī. Similarly, in Nārada Pañcarātra, the bhakti is defined:

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ

tat-paratvena nirmalam

hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-

sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate

(CC Madhya 19.170)

These are the definition of bhakti. Bhakti . . . without bhakti, nobody can become bhakta. Bhakta means one who is executing bhakti. That is bhakta. And the beneficiary, the beneficiary is the Bhagavān.

So those who are engaged in this process of bhakti, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ . . . (SB 7.5.23). Viṣṇu means Bhagavān, or Kṛṣṇa. So śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, you have to hear about Kṛṣṇa. That is śravaṇam. And kīrtanam, one has to chant. This is also kīrtanam. I am speaking to you; this is also kīrtanam. And you are hearing; this is bhakti. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, about Kṛṣṇa. The chanting, dancing about Kṛṣṇa, this is bhakti. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam: and remembering about Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. If you engage your mind . . . sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18). We have to fix up our mind always to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. So if you do not accept this arcana, this temple worship, how you can become . . . always be engaged in the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa? These are the processes. These are not sentiments. These the scientific process. If you want . . . your business is to become bhakta. That is perfection. And because Arjuna was bhakta, therefore Kṛṣṇa is speaking to him. So if you become . . . it is not monopolized by Arjuna. If you also become bhakta, Kṛṣṇa will speak to you. Now you say: "Where is God?" Where is God? Here is God. God is speaking. Why don't you see God? God is speaking. You'll find in the Seventh Chapter, if you cannot see God, if you cannot see Kṛṣṇa in the temple, if you cannot see Kṛṣṇa within Bhagavad-gītā, then Kṛṣṇa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). You see while you drink water. Or anything you drink, you can see Kṛṣṇa there. Rasa. That taste is Kṛṣṇa. So there is no difficulty to see God. These rascals, they said: "Where is God?" Here is God. You are drinking water. Why don't you see . . . (coughs) (aside) Give me water.

So Kṛṣṇa can be seen always, provided you want to see God. But we don't want to see God. That is the difficulty. Otherwise, you can see sadaiva. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said, santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. Santaḥ, if you are santa . . . santa means saintly person. If you become saintly person . . . but if you remain rogues, thieves, cats and dogs, then how you can see God? You have to become a santa.

premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena

santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti

yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpaṁ

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.38)

So you have to become santa. If you remain always addicted to sinful activities, how you can see God? That is not possible. You have to give up these rascal, sinful activities. What are the sinful activities? Illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. That's all. You have to give up these. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām, te dvandva-moha-nirmuktāḥ (BG 7.28). If you become leader, so-called leader, rascal leader, and you are addicted to illicit sex and intoxication and meat-eating, you must be si . . . if you are sinful, how you can lead persons? Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Blind man is leading other blind men. Therefore there is no solution. Why the world is in chaos? Because the leaders are all sinful. These are the sinful definition. Striya-sūnā-pāna-dyūta yatra pāpaś catur-vidhāḥ (SB 1.17.38).

So God seeing is not very difficult, provided you are purified, you are pure. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a purificatory process. Purificatory process. The first condition . . . we do not accept any rascal who is addicted to these four principles. We do not make cheap disciples. Our condition is first of all you must give up these things: illicit sex and meat-eating and intoxication, up to the drinking of tea and cigarette. You have to give up. And gambling. So these nice boys, they have given up. They were addicted to all these habits in their previous lives, but they have given up. Therefore they are making progress. Santa. They have become santa, saintly persons. So Kṛṣṇa is paraṁ pavitram. Arjuna, when addressed by Kṛṣṇa after hearing Bhagavad-gītā . . . paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). He understood. Pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān: "You are the most pure." You cannot approach the most pure if you are impure. You must be pure. Therefore this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is a purificatory process. The more you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, you become purified.

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

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

ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ

sarvātma-snapanaṁ paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam

(CC Antya 20.12)

So take to this Kṛṣṇa . . . Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. It is very easy. Even a child can take part. You see. Those children, they are not born of brāhmin family or this family or that family. Never mind. Because they are taking part in chanting and dancing, they are becoming purified. Every step of their dancing being noted, being noted. Ajñāta-sukṛti. Catur-vidhā bhajante mām (BG 7.16). So it is a chance. We are opening these centers to give chance how to become purified, how to understand Kṛṣṇa. Then life is successful.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Haribol. (end)