660715 - Lecture BG 04.06-8 - New York

Lectures by Date, 1966

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

660715BG.NY - July 15, 1966

Prabhupāda:

ajo 'pi, ajo 'pi sann avyayātmā

bhūtānām īśvaro 'pi san

prakṛtiṁ svām adhiṣṭhāya

sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā

(BG 4.6)

Now, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is describing how He incarnates Himself for the benefit of conditioned souls in the material world. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, He descends. The Sanskrit word is avatāra. Avatāra. Avatāra, avatāran. Avatāra means who comes from higher plane down to this material world. He's called avatāra. So sometimes Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa comes Himself, and sometimes He sends His representative also, for deliverance of the conditioned souls.

Now, now the principal religions of the world—Hindu religion, Muslim religion, Christian religion and Buddha religion—most of them believes some supreme authority or personality coming down from the kingdom of God. Just like in your Christian religion Lord Jesus Christ, he claimed to be the son of God and coming from the kingdom of God to reclaim you. So this claim of Lord Jesus Christ we admit. We, the followers of Bhagavad-gītā, we admit this claim. So there is no difference of opinion between the followers of Hindu religion and Christian religion. In details there may be, according to country, climate and people, in details there may be difference, but that does not make any material difference.

So far devotional service is concerned, now, there are several items for offering devotional service to the Lord. They are called:

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ

smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam

arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ

sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

(SB 7.5.23)

These are nine. Now here, in this room, we are performing the process of śravaṇam and kīrtanam. Just like we chanted:

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare

Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

This is reciprocation of śravaṇam and kīrtanam, hearing and chanting, that I chanted, you heard, and you chanted, I heard. Reciprocation. So this is . . . these two methods are the first method in devotional service. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. And, and what about hearing and chanting? Now, Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu means the Supreme Lord. Viṣṇu. Not any other thing. If we make chanting and hearing in some other subject matter, no, that will not do. We have to hear and chant about Viṣṇu, the Supreme Lord.

Similarly, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam. Meditation, if you meditate upon the Supreme Lord, that is also bhakti, devotional service. Smaraṇam. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam arcanam (SB 7.5.23). Arcanam, temple worship. You, in your country there is no temple worship. In our India there is temple. There are thousands and thousands of temples in India. And in Vṛndāvana, where my residential quarter is, Vṛndāvana . . . it is a small city, about fifty thousand people living there. But you'll be surprised to know, there are five thousand temples. For fifty thousand people, there are five thousand temples, in one small city. And out of that, there are about dozen very big temple. Very . . . just like fort. Very big temple.

So temple worship is very popular in India. Similarly, you have got your churches here. That is vandanam. Vandanam. Vandanam means offering prayers. You also offer prayer to the Supreme Lord. So that is also accepted as devotional service. Muslims also, they go to the mosque and offer prayers to Allah. So practically . . . and in Buddhism . . . Lord Buddha is accepted as incarnation of Kṛṣṇa in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So we also, Hindus, we worship Lord Buddha as incarnation of God.

There is a very nice verse recited by one great poet, Vaiṣṇava poet. You'll be glad to hear. I'll recite it. (sings):

nindasi yajña-vidher ahaha śruti-jātaṁ

sadaya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātam

keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra

jaya jagadīśa hare jaya jagadīśa hare

(Śrī Daśāvatāra Stotra 9)

The purport of this verse is, "O Lord Kṛṣṇa, You have assumed the form of Lord Buddha, taking compassion on the poor animals." Because Lord Buddha's preaching was to stop animal killing. Ahiṁsā, nonviolence. His main objective was to stop animal killing.

So similarly, the . . . from higher kingdom, I mean to say, kingdom of God . . . there is a, exactly the kingdom of God. We have got this information from this Bhagavad-gītā. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyaḥ (BG 8.20). Anya. There is another nature. Another nature. Just like you have got a vision of this nature. You find this wall in the sky, blue. Beyond this sky, millions and millions miles away, there is another sky. Paras tasmāt, anya. Anya, there is another nature, which is called sanātana. You'll find in this Bhagavad-gītā, as you make progress. That is called sanātana nature. Sanātana means that nature never annihilates.

This nature, this material nature, it is manifested at a certain time, and it remains for a certain period, and then the whole thing is dissolved again. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). It is manifested and again dissolved, and in . . . in the spiritual sky. That is the function of this material nature. And beyond this material nature there is another nature, superior nature, which is called the kingdom of God, sanātana, eternal. Yes. So from that eternal nature all these, either God or representative of God or incarnation of God, they come down, at times, when there is necessity . . .

Just like the other day I explained to you, just like there is scheduled time of the appearance of the sun. In your America, just like at 4:30 a.m. in the morning, you find the sun rising, scheduled time, and again, twenty-four hours after, you'll find the sun set . . . sun rising. In every country, there is a scheduled time of the sun rising. Similarly, there are innumerable universes in the sky. This is one of the universe, which we are seeing. There are innumerable universes. So in one of the universe there is some incarnation or representative of God always there. And there is scheduled time. Just like the sun appears and disappears at scheduled . . .

Sun disappears means it goes out of our sight. It does not mean sun, sun, I mean to say, stop to exist. No. Sun is always in the sky. It is simply in our vision. Just like so many cars are passing. One car is coming. You do not see which car is coming. When it is in my front, I see the car, and again, when it is gone out of my sight, I don't see it. So my don't seeing, because I do not see the car, that does not mean it is not there.

Similarly, the incarnation of God, God Himself or His representative, son, any . . . because . . . just like if we have to do some business seriously, we send our very responsible man to transact, similarly, for the deliverance of the fallen souls here in this material world, sometimes the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa comes, sometimes sends His very confidential and representative to reclaim. The mission is the same. The mission is the same: to reclaim the fallen souls. To reclaim the fallen souls.

God is very compassionate to see our miseries here. We do not know. We do not . . . we have forgotten what sort . . . although we are in miseries, we have . . . we are trying to adjust the miseries. We are trying to adjust the miseries. But we, we are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. Therefore we are not meant for all these miseries. We must know it. We are not meant for all these miseries. But we have voluntarily accepted these material miseries.

And what are these miseries? They are called adhyātmika, adhibhautika and adhidaivika. Adhyātmika means miseries pertaining to this body and mind. Just like today we are feeling too hot. Why? Due to this body. And next moment I shall feel not very happy. My mind is disturbed. So there are miseries due to this body and due to the mind. This is called adhyātmika. And then again, adhibhautika. Adhibhautika. Some other living entity . . . just like here, you are hearing the barking of the dog, "gow! gow!" always. So it is sometimes disturbing. So such kind of miseries offered by other living being is called adhibhautika. We have got so many miseries. And then adhidaivika. Daivika means miseries offered by the supernatural power. Just like there is earthquake, famine, pestilence, war.

So we are always . . . there are three headings of miseries, and we are, either we are suffering either from the three all, or at least one. There must be. This is the nature of our life in this material existence. But we are trying to make a solution of it. That is our struggle for existence. But that solution cannot be made by our teeny brain. That solution can be made only when we take to the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord.

Therefore the Lord comes Himself just to convince us that, "This is not your real life. This material existence you are suffering, why you should suffer? You are My sons." Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he also told that, "I am the son of God." He's happy. So everyone, you can become similarly happy as soon as you are reinstated in your position. The whole Bhagavad-gītā is meant for convincing me, I mean to say, conditioned soul. We are conditioned. Just like . . . just like under awkward circumstances we are always, always conditioned life. We are not free. Some condition is there, either state condition or nature's condition or condition left by other living entity or condition laid down by my own body. So we are always in condition.

So Lord says, Kṛṣṇa says, ajo 'pi sann avyayātmā: "Although I have no business to come down here, and I am eternal . . ." Both of us are, the Lord and the living ent . . . we are, both of us are eternal. Bhūtānām īśvaro 'pi san. Īśvara. Why He comes? When Lord comes, He comes out of His good will. And when we come, we are forced. We have been forced to accept this body under the condition of the material nature. So when Lord comes or His representative comes, they do not accept the condition of the material nature. That is the distinction between ordinary living entity and the Supreme Lord or His representative.

Just like Lord Jesus Christ was crucified. So he could not be crucified. It is a, I mean to say, false notion. There was, there was resurrection. Because God or God's representative, they are not under the laws of this material nature. That's a very, I mean to say, wide subject matter. We shall gradually understand as we make progress in the Bhagavad-gītā. So Kṛṣṇa says that, "Although I am the Lord of everything, still, I assume this incarnation and I come. I come."

Prakṛtiṁ svām adhi . . . the difference is that prakṛtiṁ svām adhiṣṭhāya. Prakṛti. Prakṛti means nature. Now, we have got this body offered by the material nature. In the Seventh Chapter you'll find that God has two kinds of nature. One is called lower nature . . . (indistinct)

One is called the lower nature and the other is called the higher nature. That thing will be very nicely analyzed in the Seventh Chapter, when we go to the Seventh Chapter. Now we are in the beginning of the Fourth Chapter.

So the Lord has two kinds of nature. One is called lower nature, another is called higher nature, or superior nature or, I mean to say, inferior nature. This nature, this material nature, is inferior nature. And beyond this inferior nature there is superior nature. And how superior, inferior is calculated? Now yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat, jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho (BG 7.5).

You'll find, it is analyzed like this, that all this material nature—I mean to say, earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and ego—these eight, these eight kinds of material nature, they are, and they have been described as aparā. Aparā means inferior.

And beyond this eight nature, there is another, ninth nature. And which is that? Now, jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho: these living entities. That is the living force. The living force, that is superior nature, and this matter is inferior nature. And the whole world is moving due to the superior nature, not the material, inferior nature.

Just like this tape recorder . . . there was some difficulty in running on. So as soon as some superior nature, some living entity comes and touches it, it goes on. Although the machine is all right, so unless there is touch of the superior nature, it cannot work. You have manufactured many wonderful machines. You have manufactured the Sputnik, flying in the outer space, but do you know that in spite of all wonderful mechanical arrangement of Sputnik or any machine, can it go on without any touch of a man? No. Unless the man in the laboratory touches the switch of electronic machine, oh, the Sputnik cannot fly in the space. That is not possible.

Therefore, however wonderful may be the sputnik machine, unless there is touch of the living force, it cannot go on. That is the distinction between superior nature and the inferior nature. You can understand.

Now, we are now in contact with inferior nature. That is our conditional life. We are also su . . . actually, as spirit soul, we belong to the superior nature. Just like God is superior nature. Prakṛtiṁ svām adhiṣṭhāya. The Lord says that "I come down, I incarnate Myself in My superior nature." Svām adhiṣṭhāya. But what is our position? Although we belong to the superior nature, we have come to this material world not in superior nature, but we are in contact with the inferior nature. Therefore death takes place.

Our birth and death is due to this body. The body is subject to be annihilation at a certain period, and that we accept as death. And similarly, when we accept another body and come out of the mother's womb to work here, then we call it birth. And when we give up that body and go away to another . . . to take another body, that we call death. So this birth and death is due to this inferior nature.

So here Lord Kṛṣṇa says that, "When I come, I do not come in this inferior nature." It will be a great mistake if somebody thinks that Kṛṣṇa, or Kṛṣṇa's representative . . . just like bona fide representative, Jesus Christ or other great, I mean to say, leaders of the religious faith, they do not come with the inferior nature. They come with the superior nature of God. That we have to accept. If we have to accept the truth explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, then we must accept that, that God and His representative, they do not come, who come directly from the kingdom of God, they do not come, accepting this inferior nature.

Now the question may be, "Why God and His representative do come? They are in superior nature. They are in the eternal kingdom. Why do they bother themself to come here? Why do they bother themself to come here?" This question may be raised. As soon as we hear that God and His representative come, so next question: "Why do they come?" Because we are . . . we do not know that they come to reclaim us. Therefore our question is, "Why do they come?" Now, here the answer is:

yadā yadā hi dharmasya

glānir bhavati bhārata

abhyutthānam adharmasya

tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham

(BG 4.7)

paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ

vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām

dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya

sambhavāmi yuge yuge

(BG 4.8)

Now, this is the mission, mission of the Lord and His representative. What is that mission? Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati: "Whenever there is decline of the principle of life."

Now, it is, it is here stated, dharma. Dharma is translated in English as religion, but religion is meant just like a kind of faith. Just like "I am Hindu." "I am Hindu" means I have got faith in the Hindu system of religious functions. You are Christian, that means you have faith in the Christian system of religious functions. So "religion," so far English dictionary is concerned, it is described as a matter of faith. But the word dharma, it is not exactly the same meaning, faith. Faith you may change.

Suppose I am Hindu today. Now I can invest tomorrow in Christian religion. Or you are Christian, you can become a Hindu. There are so many changes. People are free to accept one faith and give up another faith. That is going on. But dharma does not mean that faith which can be changed. Dharma is a thing which cannot be changed. That means there is something in you, in me and everyone, that is called dharma. That is called . . . that cannot be changed. And what is that? This is a very fine analysis of human nature.

Now, if you analyze the human nature, you'll find that one thing there is which is called "Rendering of service to other." Suppose I am a Hindu. Now I am doing something. I am rendering my service to my family, to my country, to my boss or to others. Without rendering service, nobody can exist. We are all exchanging simply service. I am rendering service to somebody. Somebody's rendering service to me. So whole world is existing under this system, rendering service.

Your President Johnson, he's supposed to be the chief man of your state, but still, he's rendering service. What he is doing? He's rendering service to the people. So he has the same business as you are rendering service to your boss and taking some money, then again, with the money you are serving your family. So this is, this service . . . suppose I am now Hindu; I become a Christian or Muhammadan. That, my real business of rendering service, does not change.

So dharma means which you cannot change. Just like . . . there are many examples in natural objects. Just like water. Water is liquid. It is not a faith; it is a fact—water is liquid. You cannot say that water is liquid and if he changes his faith, then he can . . . it can become solid. No. Liquidity of water cannot be changed. Whenever there is conception water, if I am blind, so . . . suppose somebody gives me, "Take here a glass of water," I know it is liquid.

So as the liquidity of water cannot be changed . . . now, as soon as you speak of fire, so we understand fire is hot. Now, if you, if you . . . can you change that fire becomes cold and still it is fire? No. As so long it is fire, it is hot. So long it is water, it is liquid. Similarly, everything you analyze. Take for example chili—chili, red pepper—oh, it is very hot. Now, when you take chili from the market you see how much, what is the degree of its hotness. If it is very hot, oh, it is very good chili. If you find a chili sweet like sugar, oh, you'll reject it. "Oh, this is not good." Because that is the religion of the chili, to become very hot. Similarly, sugar. If you take sugar, if it is very hot, "It is nonsense. I want sweet."

So in everything, if you analyze, you'll find some particular quality. That is his religion. That is his religion. So we are living entities. Forget yourself. Forget yourself that you are Christian, "I am Hindu," or Muslim, or Mussalman, or Buddhist. Forget yourself! "I am living entity." When we come to this point, that is called liberation. That is called liberation. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170).

When we become free from all these designations, that is called liberation. Liberation means nothing more—the conception of getting free from these designations which we have acquired from the association of material nature. That is called designation.

Because I have got a particular body, therefore I have got so many designations. I call myself a man or animal, or I have got some name given by my parents. Or because I am born in some particular country I designate myself to belong to that country, and because I accept some particular faith, so I designate myself to that faith. In so many ways we are now designated. This designation should be given up. When designations are given up, then we are free, pure soul. In that pure soul the religion is to serve the Supreme.

Just like in a machine you'll find, a big machine, there are thousands of parts in the machine, but these small parts, they are all giving service to the whole machine. Just like your body. Your body is a machine. So you have got your finger. Now, what is the, what is the function of the finger? What is the religion of the finger? The religion of the finger is to give service to the body. Just like I am giving service this way, this way, and serve this way.

So this part of this body is meant for giving service to the whole body. Similarly, we are part and parcel of the Supreme. So our business is to give service. That's all. That service is now being rendered, actually. We are also serving now, but serving in designation. That's all. I am serving . . . I am serving, I am not a master here. That is foolishness. Just like I told you, even the President Johnson, he's not a master; he's also a servant. Every one of us is a servant. But what kind of servant? "Oh, I am servant of my wife. I am servant of my family. I am servant of my country. I am servant of my society." And if there is nothing, then "I am servant of my cat and servant of my dog and servant of my . . ." So many things.

If anybody . . . I see in, in, in your country, there are so many gentlemen, they are very fond of becoming servant of cats and dogs. They have no children, but they voluntarily become servant of cats and dogs. Because that attitude is there. You cannot avoid it. If you have nothing to serve—your wife, your children—then you have to catch some cat and dog and give service. That is your nature. You cannot avoid it. So that is your religion, to serve.

Now, our whole thing is to serve the Supreme. Then that's . . . now, designated service . . . we are now in designated service. That means we, because due to these material bondage, we have manufactured so many service. Service, we cannot . . . just like the water cannot be more than a liquid thing, similarly, we cannot be more than a servant. But because we have got so many designation, our service is being rendered in designation. That is the difference. Now, when we become free from the designation and we come to our senses and render service to the Lord, that is our position of freedom, real position. Real position.

So here Lord says, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati means that whenever there is some discrepancy in the modes of rendering service of the living entities. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati. Dharmasya means, I have explained to you, dharmasya means my real nature. Dharma means my real nature. Dharma is not a faith. Dharma is not a designated faith. Dharma is my real nature.

So when the real nature of the living entity are jeopardized, then, at that time, to make the adjustment, the Lord comes. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati. And abhyutthānam, whenever there is some discrepancy in the natural sequence and natural life of the human being, and there is artificial increase of sense gratification, at that time, when there is too much sense gratification . . .

Just like Lord Buddha. When did he appear? He appeared . . . he appeared in India. The condition of his appearance, perhaps you know—I shall still explain—when India was too much busy in animal slaughter. Of course, the Hindus, they, there are Vedic principles, animal slaughtering. They are . . . just like in Muhammadans also, they have got some principle for animal slaughtering. You know, those who have read Koran, the Muhammadan religion allows animal slaughtering once in a year. It is called kurbāni. And they can slaughter animals in the mosque.

Similarly, in the Vedic religion also, the animals are allowed to be slaughtered in some sacrifice. But no religion, either Muhammadan or Hindu—I do not know in detail of your Christian religion—but they do not allow animal slaughter in the slaughterhouse. There are some particular rules and regulation. Anyway, that is a religious details.

But when India was too much addicted for animal slaughtering under the plea of Vedic sacrifice, the Lord Buddha appeared. Why? They misused the Vedic injunction. They misused the injunction of the Vedic . . .

So he, he proclaimed, "No, this animal slaughter should be stopped." He did not agree even with the Vedic injunction. Therefore Lord Buddha's preaching was not accepted. It was . . . once it was accepted, whole of India accepted. Under the king, under the Emperor Aśoka, the whole of India became Buddhist. But later on, Śaṅkarācārya appeared and he made against them, Vedāntist. So India . . . Buddhist religion from India was practically banished. So these are historical facts.

The real fact is that as soon as the natural sequence of living entity is jeopardized, at that time, non-religious principle, unnatural life, becomes prominent and people become embarrassed. At that time, the incarnation of Lord is, I mean to say, appeared. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7): "Whenever there is discrepancy in the natural life . . ." That I explained to you. Religion means the natural sequence of life. When there is some discrepancy in that natural sequence of life and there is artificial way of life, at that time, the Lord or His representative comes, either as incarnation or the representative of God. That is the rule. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata.

And abhyutthānam adharmasya. Unnatural life, when they are too much addicted to unnatural life, at that time the Lord takes His appearance. Why? It is necessary. It is necessary. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām (BG 4.8).

Always, you'll know, there is always a class of men who are always God-fearing. There may be the percentage of such persons very small. But you'll find. That is the way of nature. There will be some percentage who are devoted to God. They are called sādhu. Sādhu. Sādhu. Sādhu means . . . sādhu's description is there. Sādhu means sage, or saint. Who is a saint? Who is a sādhu? That description is given. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ.

titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ

suhṛdaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ

sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ

(SB 3.25.21)

This is the definition of sādhu. Saint, who is a saint? A saint is called who is very tolerant, tolerant—tolerant to the utmost. You have got very good example of Lord Jesus Christ, a great saint or sādhu also. He was, of course, more than sādhu. Now, just see his behavior, how much tolerant he was. He was being crucified, and he was praying God, "O Lord, forgive these people what they are doing." That, this is the significance of sādhu. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ. For their personal sake, they're always very tolerant, but they are very kind to all people, all living entities. Very kind. In spite of their all disadvantages, they try to give something, real knowledge, to the people in general. Kāruṇikāḥ.

And suhṛdaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ. And a sādhu is not a friend of a particular class, particular community or particular country. No. A sādhu, a saint, is he who is friend of all—not only of human being, even of animals and less than animals. These are the qualification of sādhu.

Ajāta-śatravaḥ. And they have no enemy. Or they are not anyone's enemy. Everyone's friend. Enemy, of course, even the greatest man, you will find some enemy. This is the nature of this world. Even the most perfect man will have some enemy. So that is different thing. But the sādhu, the saint, is no . . . no one's enemy. He's friend of everyone. Titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ, ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ. Ajāta. They are nobody's enemy, and santa, always peaceful. These are the qualifications of sādhu.

Now, here the Lord says that, "I come or My representative come . . ." Why? Paritrāṇāya sādhūnām. Sādhūnām. The Lord is very much anxious for the saintly persons. Who have sacrificed everything for the service of the Lord, they are very, very dear to the Lord. Lord cannot tolerate any insult or any, I mean to say, misbehave to a sādhu. Although sādhu, they do not, I mean to say, mind if they are insulted. They do not mind. But the Lord will never tolerate if a sādhu is . . .

Just like a small boy, your child, if somebody slaps him in the street, that boy may excuse, "Oh, all right," but his father and mother will never tolerate. "Why you have slapped my son?" That is the nature. Similarly, the sādhu, who is a great devotee of the Lord, they might be tolerant. You can crucify him, can do any misbehavior to him—he's never angry. But God will never tolerate. We must always remember that. He has got special protection, special vision, on the sādhu.

You'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā that, samo 'haṁ sarva . . . samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ (BG 9.29). The Lord says: "I am equal to everyone." Otherwise, how He can be God? He is equal to everyone. Yes. "I am equal to everyone. Nobody's My enemy and nobody's My friend." Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ: "Nobody's My enemy. Nobody's My friend. I am equal to everyone." But ye tu bhajanti māṁ bhaktyā teṣu te mayi: "But anyone who is devoted to Me, oh, I have got particular attention for him."

Although He's neutral, still, the person who is devotee, who's always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, oh, there is a special protection. Special. Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa declares, you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31): "My dear Kaunteya, Arjuna, you can declare it in the . . . to the world that My devotee will be never vanquished. Never be vanquished."

So here the same thing is said, that what is the mission of Lord, why does He come down. Now, that is explained here. He says, paritrāṇāya sādhūnām: "I come down, I incarnate Myself or I send My representative, only for the protection of the saintly persons, sages." And vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām. Duṣkṛtām: "Of those who are miscreants, just to finish them." Lord Kṛṣṇa's mission, this was two things. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8).

He wanted to establish Arjuna, the five brothers, the most pious, I mean, devotees and kṣatriyas, He wanted to establish them for ruling over this world, and He wanted to vanquish the party of Arjuna (Duryodana). That was His mission.

Two things. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām, duṣkṛtām, dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. And another mission is to establish what is real religion. What is religion. In the name of religion, so many things are going on, but the real religion is that we must know that our natural function is to render service to the Lord. That's all. That is real religion. And forgetting this, forgetting this principle of life, under designation of this matter, I am serving, giving my service to so many things. That, my, because I am naturally . . .

Now, just like you take the knife. Now, what is the function of knife? Knife's function is to cut. You can cut a pencil and you can cut your throat. The function of the knife is nothing, but when you cut a throat, then the knife becomes polluted, but when you . . . when you . . .

(aside) Don't disturb. Sit down.

Similarly, the function, the function of the living entity, the original, natural function, is to render service. And when the service is misused, it is rendered where we . . . where the service should not be rendered, when it is misused, that is called dharmasya glāniḥ. That means discrepancy in the natural function of human life.

So when Lord comes, He has three functions. He gives protection to the saintly persons. He vanquishes the, I mean to say, irresponsible or irreligious or demonic persons, and He establishes the real religion. Real religion. Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge. He comes down not only once, but He comes down many, many times. Many, many times. Because the, this material world is such.

Now, suppose an adjustment is made—again, after some time, it will deteriorate. Just like there was first war. There was some armistice and some arrangement of peace, arrangement was made between Germany and the other party. So again the second war took place. And again, preparation is going on for the third war. You see? So this is, world is like that. Even if you make a very good arrangement, it will gradually deteriorate. This is, this is the function of the time, kāla. Just like you, you build up a very nice house. Then, after fifty years, it deteriorates. And after hundred years, it more deteriorates.

Take, take for example your body. When it was newly born, when I was a child, oh, very new, good-looking child. Everyone is kissing and everyone is . . . (indistinct) . . . now I am becoming old and nobody cares. You see? So this is the function of this material nature. Even if you make a very good adjustment, gradually it will glide down to the lowest status. Therefore it requires a periodical adjustment. For that reason, the Supreme Lord or His representative comes.

That is explained here that paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8): "For protecting the saintly persons and for vanquishing the," I mean to say, "unfaithful unbelievers, and for establishing real function of the living entities," dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge "I come down, not only once, but many times, in many millenniums," and that is the function of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Thank you very much. Now you can ask any questions.

(break) . . . render service to the Supreme Lord without any expectation of material gain, that is our real, liberated position. Real position.

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ

tat-paratvena nirmalam

hṛṣīkeśa, hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-

sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate

(CC Madhya 19.170)

Because we are now designated, therefore, in . . . in exchange of our service, we expect some profit. But when we shall be liberated, when we shall be pure soul, then there is no question of exchange. It is a service of love.

Just like mother. There are some good examples in the material world, world, like the father and mother render service to the son. Just like here, immediately you see the father is taking his son in a perambulator. It is rendering service. But there is no remuneration. It is duty, because the father is expected to serve; otherwise, the son will not survive. So this is a service of love.

Similarly, even in this material, this service of love, there is a question of gain. Because sometimes the father thinks that, "When the son will be grown up, I'll be happy, I'll get some remuneration," like that. There is some prospect. But actually, when we render service to the Supreme, there is not a single idea like that, "I shall be rewarded by . . ."

But it, that kind of service, is rewarded very highly. Very highly. The relation, the natural relation between God and ourself, is so sweet that a pure living entity is always trying to render service to the Lord without any material profit, and the Lord is trying to serve the devotee. He's also finding out the opportunity, how to serve His devotee. So this is spiritual exchange of love. But that will be experienced when we are actually liberated from these designation, designated life.

But we can begin, even in this designated life, we can begin just like an apprentice, this devotional service. And the beginning is to devote some time. You have got twenty-four hours' time. You can find out, you can pick up at least one hour, two hour, three hour, four hour. As much as you can, you devote yourself to this service of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, and then gradually you'll be free, free from the designation, and you'll realize yourself what you are and what is your position and how you are making progress.

So this is the beginning. We are originally, our function is to render service, and where the service is to be rendered? To the Supreme. That is our natural position. Now, under designation, we are rendering the same service to so many things. That function is already there. Because . . . just like the water. Water is liquid always, either black water or green water or yellow water or white water, it is always liquid. Because the water has become black, it does not mean the liquidity is lost. Similarly, because we are now in contact with material designation, so our services atti . . . service attitude is not lost. That is there. But it is being rendered in a different way.

So we have to clear out the pure water out of all designations, and . . . just like Arjuna. Arjuna, he was under the impression of this material existence. Therefore he refused to render service to the Lord. Lord Kṛṣṇa wanted that he should fight. He refused, "No, I am not going to fight." But when he understood his position by, by the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, he agreed, "Yes, I shall fight." So this is spiritual.

Now, so far the employment is concerned, so here, here the employer and employee, both are serving and both are thinking that, "I am the master." That is māyā. Suppose I employ somebody. I give $25 per day. So the man who is employed, he thinks that, "I am not your servant. I am servant of these $25." So there is no question of service. So similarly, the master also, he thinks, "I am giving you $25 because I am exacting some service from you."

So here there is no question of . . . the service is there, but it is perverted, perverted, in a different way. That is not real service. Service is there, because I cannot live without service. That is my nature. Just exactly the same way: the water is always liquid, either it is designated black or designated white. That doesn't matter. But water is there.

(aside) What is this? Is that clear? (laughs) Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Just see. Natural tendency—to give some service. Just see. He's not in order, but he thought that "Here is something. Let me give me some service." Now, just see, automatically come. So this is the natural . . .

A child also, he'll try to serve the father, his mother. He'll try to assist mother. Mother is cooking. He'll try to assist the mother. So this is the position, that our natural position is to render service. Now, where to render service and how the service is being misused, that we have to understand. That's all. Because we are now in a condition which is not natural condition. So we have to put ourself in the natural condition, and the service attitude will go on. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Student: When you say it's natural to render service, I . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes? (break)

Student: I suspect you mean this is how the machine works. Is there any reason why it works that way, or is it just that way?

Prabhupāda: Reason . . . of course, if you say: "What is the reason why the water is liquid?" it is very difficult to answer. "Why water is liquid? What is the reason?" if you ask like that, it is very difficult to answer why water is liquid, why fire is hot. This is the natural sequence. Whenever there is water, it is liquid. Nature is like that. Whenever there is fire, it is hot. And if you ask, "Why fire is hot?" oh, it is a very difficult question to answer. We have to trace out the whole natural course, why water . . . fire has become hot.

Similarly, every living being is a servant. That is the natural sequence. How it has become, that will take some time to understand. But it is not very difficult to understand. Because the small is meant for rendering service to the great. If God is great, and we are part and parcel of the Supreme, so our natural sequence, natural life, is to render service.

That is our nature. You cannot go beyond your nature. If you go beyond your nature, that is called māyā. Māyā means what is not. Therefore we are all servants, but here, in the material designation, we are trying to be master. Everyone is trying to be master. Therefore so much trouble of existence. If everyone becomes servant, there is no struggle. There is no struggle.

Everyone becomes happy because he comes to his natural position. But here, artificially, we are trying to be the master, which I am not. That is my artificial life. Everyone is trying to predominate, to be the . . . he's trying to dominate over the material resources to his best. But he cannot have any domination of the material nature. Material nature is so strong that you cannot dominate it. That is impossible. So he's being crushed by the laws of material nature. Instead of becoming master, he's being crushed. So this is struggle for existence.

So . . . (break) (end)