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Prabhupāda:  
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<div class="lec_verse">
na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti<br />
na me karma-phale spṛhā<br />
iti māṁ yo 'bhijānāti<br />
karmabhir na sa badhyate<br />
[[BG 4.14]] </div>


<div class="code">660803BG.NY - August 03, 1966</div>


Now... You can come please forward. Yes. Yes. Come forward. There is... Sit down. Karmabhir sa na badhyate. Now, the whole world is bound by his own karma, action. Everyone, every living entity... In the Brahma-saṁhitā, there is a nice verse about this... (kids yelling in the background; pause)


There is a nice verse just to... Beginning from the germ... There is a germ which is called indra-gopa. You know that among the living entities, the germs are in very minute forms. You cannot see even with your microscope. In a, in a space of one millimeter, you can find millions of germs. That is a scientific truth. So beginning from the germs which are called... (to kids:) Please stop! Please stop!
<mp3player>https://s3.amazonaws.com/vanipedia/full/1966/660803BG-NEW_YORK.mp3</mp3player>


Beginning from the germs up to the heavenly kingdom... The king of heaven is called Indra, and the smallest, minutest germ, it is also called indra-gopa in Sanskrit language. So in the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said that "Beginning from this indra up to that Indra..." That means "Beginning from the germ which is known as indra-gopa up to the point of the king who is also known as Indra, all of them are bound up by the reaction of his own karma, or his own work."


Every work which you are doing, good or bad, we have to suffer or enjoy the reaction of our work. And so long we have to suffer or enjoy the reaction of our work, as long as we shall go on like this, so long we have to accept this material body. This material body is just given to us by the arrangement of nature's law for the exact status of suffering or enjoyment. Just like you have seen different animals, they have got different process of eating.
'''Prabhupāda:''' All blessings to the assembled devotees. Thank you very much.


Say for tiger. Tiger, they have bodies made for eating raw flesh and raw blood. So all the body is so made that they have got particular nails and jaws and teeth so that they can do that. Similarly, you can see the hogs. They have to eat the stool. Oh, they have got a particular shape of mouth so that they can easily do that.
So this is the process of ''ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam'' ([[CC Antya 20.12]]): to cleanse the material dust from the mirror of our mind.


Now, we are human beings. We are meant for taking vegetables and fruits. Now, our teeth is just like knife which can cut the vegetables and the fruits. So all these bodies, I mean to say... I am giving particular stress to the body. A king's body, a poor man's body. A poor man, he has to work very hard. His body is very sturdy. He can work very nicely. But a son of very aristocratic family or king, oh, his body is very delicate. He cannot work. He can apply his brain in something else. So so long we are... These bodies are made according to the different status of our work we have done in our past life. And next body is being prepared according to the work which we are doing now. But here Kṛṣṇa says that as soon as one can understand the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa's activities, he becomes free from the reaction of activities.
The whole process is to dust out the dirty things which we have accumulated by our material association, and therefore to revive our spiritual consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. From ''Bhagavad-gītā'' we are studying about the process of life by which we can revive our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no need of external help for reviving Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You have got Kṛṣṇa consciousness dormant in yourself. It is the quality of the self. So the . . . we have simply to invoke by this process. ''Kṛṣṇa-bhakti nitya-siddha sādhya kabhu naya'' ([[CC Madhya 22.107]]).


Now, here is the question, that because we are now preparing ourself to have our spiritual body or spiritual life developed, and being freed from this material existence, therefore our duty should be such so that we may not be entangled again into this material body. That can be made possible if we are Kṛṣṇa conscious. If we study Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa, what are His transcendental activities, how His energies are acting in this material world or spiritual world, all this... It is a great science.
This Kṛṣṇa consciousness is an eternal fact. It is nothing that by this organization we are imposing upon you something extra. No. It is within you. It is within every living entity. Any living entity—never mind whether he is human being or animal . . . when Lord Caitanya was singing this ''Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare'', He was passing through jungles, forests, and the tigers, the elephants, the stag and all, I mean to . . . forest animals, they joined. They joined. It is such a thing. Of course, it depends on the pure-hearted chanting. As we become . . . this is the process. As we become advanced in this chanting method, similarly, our heart becomes freed from all the dirty things of material contact. So even the animals can be captivated by this chanting, what to speak of human being.


Kṛṣṇa is a great science. So if we study Kṛṣṇa science with great attention, then the result will be that we shall be free from the reaction of our activities. This is clearly said here, na mam karmāṇi limpanti na me karma-phale spṛhā [[BG 4.14]] . The Lord has nothing to do. He is full. He has nothing to do. But why He does? Just to set example. Set example. He's not bound up by the works which He is doing in the material world. This science has to be learned. Na me karma-phale spṛhā. And anyone who understands this transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa, he is also becoming free from the reaction of karma.  
So in our practical life Kṛṣṇa advises how to invoke this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He says:


<div class="lec_verse">
:''yasya sarve samārambhāḥ''
evaṁ jñātvā kṛtaṁ karma<br />
:''kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ''
pūrvair api mumukṣubhiḥ<br />
:''jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇaṁ''
kuru karmaiva tasmāt tvaṁ<br />
:''tam āhuḥ paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ''
pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṁ kṛtam</div>
:([[BG 4.19 (1972)|BG 4.19]])


(aside) Ask them to stop. Why do they come and talk nonsense?


Now, the whole spiritual process is to follow the example of the previous ācāryas who have attained, I mean to, success... (boys making noise outside) These boys, wherefrom they come? They disturb...
''Yasya sarve samārambhāḥ''. You are not forbidden to execute your duties. We are not after stopping the general process of material activities. That is not our mission. The whole thing is that we have to act everything in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like . . . it is very easy to understand. Everybody has got some vocation of his life. But what is their consciousness? Their consciousness is that "I am engaged in this business, I am engaged in this service, because I have to maintain my family," "I have to maintain myself," or "I have to satisfy the government," or "I have to satisfy somebody else." This is our consciousness. Nobody is free from such consciousness.


<div class="lec_verse">
Everybody must have some consciousness. Without consciousness, nothing can be done. One who has no consciousness, he cannot do anything nicely. If his consciousness is disturbed, then his work cannot be . . . just like a madman. A madman cannot do anything nicely, because his consciousness is disturbed. So we, similarly, if we change the process only that, "I am . . . to satisfy Kṛṣṇa." Just like we are doing everything with that idea to satisfy somebody else, or at least myself, for my satisfaction. This process has to be changed to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that's all. This process has to be changed into Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa says, ''yasya sarve samārambhāḥ''.
evaṁ jñātvā kṛtaṁ karma<br />
pūrvair api mumukṣubhiḥ<br />
kuru karmaiva tasmāt tvaṁ<br />
pūrvaiḥ pūrvataraṁ kṛtam</div>


(aside) Those who want to come, we can invite them. Come inside.


Now, there are, Arjuna... Kṛṣṇa is advising Arjuna that "If you act and follow in the footprints of the previous ācāryas and previous great devotees and kings who have done in their lives karma-yoga, acting for Kṛṣṇa, if you follow that principle, then you shall also become free from the reaction of activities." Because Arjuna was very much afraid for being entangled in the reaction of his fighting, Kṛṣṇa therefore assures that "You shall not be... If you follow, if you act, if you fight for My sake, then you will not be entangled by the reaction of karma." Kiṁ karma kim akarmeti,
''Yasya sarve samārambhāḥ'': "Whatever activities you may do, do it," but ''kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ''. ''Kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ'': "Don't be carried away by ''kāma''." ''Kāma'' means for your own satisfaction, ''kāma''. The word, Sanskrit word ''kāma'', is used for lust, for desire, for sense satisfaction. So Lord Kṛṣṇa recommends that, "Don't do it for satisfaction of your senses, for satisfaction of your lust or for satisfaction of your desire." That is the whole thing. Whole teaching of ''Bhagavad-gītā'' is based on this principle.


<div class="lec_verse">
The whole instruction to Arjuna is that Arjuna wanted to satisfy his senses. His senses. He wanted that, that by not fighting with the opposite party, who were composed of his relatives, brothers and brother-in-laws and father-in-laws and so many relatives, so he did not want to fight. And therefore this instruction of ''Bhagavad-gītā'' was needed by Kṛṣṇa. The whole basic principle is this.
kiṁ karma kim akarmeti<br />
kavayo 'py atra mohitāḥ<br />
tat te karma pravakṣyāmi<br />
yaj jñātvā mokṣyase 'śubhāt</div>


Now, that was Kṛṣṇa's . . . Arjuna's own satisfaction of the senses. Arjuna did not want to fight. Materially, it appears very nice that he is giving up his claim of kingdom for satisfying his relatives. "Oh, he's very good man." But Kṛṣṇa did not approve it. Why? Because the basic principle was Arjuna decided to satisfy his own senses. Externally it appeared very nice. But anything which is done for the satisfaction of his own senses, that is ''kāma, kāma''—lust, desire.


Now, people are misled what is karma, what is actually work, and what is not work, akarma. Kiṁ karma kim akarmeti kavayo 'pi. Kavayaḥ means great sages, great saintly persons, great philosophers. They are also sometimes bewildered to understand what class of activities are genuine and what class of activities are nongenuine. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "I shall teach you what are genuine activities and what are nongenuine activities." Tat te karma pravakṣyāmi yaj jñātvā mokṣyase aśubhāt. Yaj jñātvā: "If you understand the principle of working, then you shall get free from the bondage, material bondage."
Here it is prescribed that you can do anything. There is no harm. Whatever your business or vocation, occupation, you are engaged in, that has not to be changed. That has not to be changed. Simply your consciousness has to be changed. That's all. ''Kāma-rāja-varjitāḥ''. How? How that consciousness can be changed?


We have to work in such a way that we may, may not be entangled with this material body. Otherwise, as we have explained, this body is our material bondage, and it is the result of our activities. So we have to perform our activities so nicely and so cautiously so that I may not be entangled, I may be free even in this life, and tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [[BG 4.9]] . I can, after leaving this present body, I'll have no more to come into this material world.
Now, ''jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇam''. That consciousness, transferring the present self-interested consciousness to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, requires knowledge. Requires knowledge. And what is that knowledge? That knowledge is that, "I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. I'm not different from Kṛṣṇa. I am part and parcel. I am the superior energy of Kṛṣṇa." That is knowledge.


This science is being taught by Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna. And the whole activity, the whole activity is that if we engage ourself, as we find it in the Eleventh Chapter, last verse,
Knowledge means to understand something. How this tape recorder is manufactured, if we get some knowledge, technical knowledge, that is not knowledge. That is a, of course, to have some our occupation executed. That knowledge is temporary knowledge. But real knowledge is . . . this is real knowledge. The real knowledge is that when one understands convincingly that "I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa, or God. When we say Kṛṣṇa, you should understand the Supreme Lord, the Absolute Truth. Kṛṣṇa is the technical word which is meant for indicating the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the whole, the whole pleasure, the whole attraction. These are the meaning of "Kṛṣṇa."


<div class="lec_verse">
So we are all part and parcel of the supreme pleasure, and our pleasure . . . just like my hand. This is my hand. Now, this my hand can take pleasure when it is attached with my body. My hand can take pleasure when it serves my body. It does not take pleasure by serving your body.
mat-karma-kṛn mat-paramo<br />
mad-bhaktaḥ saṅga-varjitaḥ<br />
nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣu<br />
yaḥ sa mām eti pāṇḍava</div>


(aside) This is . . . (indistinct) . . . sit here.


Now, this one verse is sufficient to teach the essence of Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, that "Anyone who is engaged in My work, in My work," mat-karma-kṛt... Then what is that "My work"? That "My work" is explained in the last word, I mean, the last instruction of the Bhagavad-gītā, that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [[BG 18.66]] . Arjuna is taught—and with the example of Arjuna, everyone of us is taught—that we have to work only which is sanctioned by Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [[BG 18.66]] .  
So therefore, because I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, my pleasure, my happiness, is dependent by serving Kṛṣṇa, just like my senses are satisfied when they are used for my purpose, not for your purpose. This is the whole, I mean to say, philosophy. I cannot be satisfied by serving you. I can be satisfied by serving me. So that me, I do not know. That is Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa.


That is the... That is the mission of human life. But we do not know that. We do not know that. And because we do not know that, we engage ourself with so many work which is concerned with the bodily or material conception of life. So mat-karma-kṛt. So one has to do what Kṛṣṇa desires. Just like Arjuna did. Kṛṣṇa desired that he should fight. Arjuna did not like to fight, but because Kṛṣṇa desired, he accepted to fight. This is Kṛṣṇa's work. That we have to select.
So when we begin to serve Kṛṣṇa . . . because we are part and parcel. Always remember, the part and parcel we are. ''Mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ'' ([[BG 15.7 (1972)|BG 15.7]]). In the Fifteenth Chapter you'll find, "All these living entities, they are My eternal part and parcel. Now they are detached. Now they are detached. By material contact, they are detached." So we have to . . . the whole process is that we have to attach again. Now we are detached. Now we have to attach again. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.


Now, what is the work at the present moment for us, Kṛṣṇa's work? Kṛṣṇa is not present now to dictate that "This is My work." Just like Arjuna was fortunate enough. He was personally present before Arjuna. Lord Kṛṣṇa was personally present, and He was directing. But that does not mean that we have no direction. We have direction. We have direction. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find that anyone who preaches the gospel of Bhagavad-gītā to the people of the world, he is the most dear, the dearest person in the world to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa accepts him, the dearest person. So therefore our duty is to preach the principles of this Bhagavad-gītā, to make people Kṛṣṇa conscious. People are suffering for want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore each and every one of us should be engaged in the preaching work of Kṛṣṇa consciousness for the benefit of the whole world.
That Kṛṣṇa consciousness is within you, because you are originally, eternally the part and parcel of the Supreme. Artificially, I am trying to forget it. I am trying to live independently. That is not possible. We are not independent. If we want to live independently, that means we voluntarily become dependent on the influence of material nature. That's all.


Lord Caitanya, whose picture you see in the front of our this store, Lord Caitanya very nicely preached this philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Actually, we are not independent. If I think I am independent of Kṛṣṇa, then I am dependent on the influence of material nature. Just like, if I think that I am independent of government regulation, then I become dependent of the police force. My dependence is neither in this way or that way. I'll see? So that is our mistaken. Everyone is trying to be . . . become independent. That is called ''māyā''. That is called ''māyā'', or illusion. Nobody can be independent. Individually, community-wise, society-wise or nation-wise—you can extend even universal-wise—nobody can be independent. We are dependent. And this is called knowledge. When you come to the sense that, "I am dependent—I am not independent," this is called knowledge. Now we are misguided. ''Jñānāgni-dagdha karmāṇam''. In other place, you'll find, Kṛṣṇa says:


<div class="lec_verse">
:''bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ''
yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa<br />
:''sarva-loka-maheśvaram''
āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa<br />
:''suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ''
[[CC Madhya 7.128]] </div>
:''jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati''
:([[BG 5.29 (1972)|BG 5.29]])


Now, people are planning for peace in the world, but they do not know how to formulate that peace formula. You know, the United Nation are trying for the last twenty years or more than that for peace, but there is no peace actually in the world. The war is going on because they do not know.


The Lord says, āmāra ājñāya. Because He came with this mission, to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so He says, "Just take My order, and all of you, you become the spiritual master." Guru hañā. Anyone who teaches people Kṛṣṇa consciousness, never mind what, what he is and where he is, he should be understood the spiritual master. So Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Caitanya gives order to everyone that āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa: [[CC Madhya 7.128]] "Every country, every, I mean to say, province, you go everywhere and just preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness."
The formula is in the ''Bhagavad-gītā''. The ''Bhagavad-gītā'' says that ''bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram'': "I am the proprietor of everything. Whatever you are doing, I am the ultimate beneficiary. I have to take the result." Just like a laborer works in a factory, but who is the proprietor?


<div class="lec_verse">
The ultimate proprietor is the . . . the proprietor is the ultimate owner of the . . . so everything, whatever we do . . . ''jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇam''. Now, we are thinking that, "This thing I am doing, I am the proprietor of this thing." That is a misconception. When we understand that everything, whatever we are doing, the ultimate proprietor is Kṛṣṇa, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is ''jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇam''.
yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa<br />
āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa<br />
[[CC Madhya 7.128]] </div>


So we can have simply . . . just like in office. In office so many people are working. Hundreds of people are working. Everyone is conscious that "Whatever we are acting, whatever profit we are making, that belongs to the proprietor." Then there is peace. As soon as the cashier thinks, "Oh, I have got so much money. I am the proprietor," then whole trouble begins.


Kṛṣṇa-upadeśa means this Bhagavad-gītā, the instruction given by Kṛṣṇa. That is kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. And kṛṣṇa-upadeśa is also Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is full of instructions by which one can become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Similarly, in the Bhagavad-gītā also, we receive the instruction how we can become Kṛṣṇa conscious. So Lord Caitanya selects these very two particular books, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā, and He asks everyone, in any part of the world, to take up this matter very seriously and preach in the world. That is the direct order of Kṛṣṇa.
This consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness . . . if we understand that, "I am a very rich man. I have got so much bank balance. I can use it for my sense gratification," that is ''kāma''. That is ''kāma-rāga''. But if we understand that, "Whatever I have got, it belongs to Kṛṣṇa," then I am liberated person. I am liberated person.


So if we take up this missionary work, to preach Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any interpretation and without any motive behind it, as it is, as Kṛṣṇa said... We should present as it is. People misrepresent Bhagavad-gītā by their own interpretation. That should not be done. Bhagavad-gītā as it is should be presented before the people of the world. They are suffering for want of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and as soon as they become Kṛṣṇa conscious, their life becomes happy. So this is the mission of this society, International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.
This is Kṛṣṇa . . . you, you'll have the same money under your custody. It doesn't matter. But as soon as you think that "I am the proprietor of this wealth," then you are under the influence of ''māyā''. And as soon as you think that "Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of all these things," then you are free.


As Kṛṣṇa advises, saṅga-varjitaḥ: "You should not have any attraction or any attachment for these worldly activities." If you have got attachment or attraction for these material activities, then you cannot have Kṛṣṇa, you cannot become Kṛṣṇa conscious. But that does not mean you should be inimical to the people of the world. No. It is your duty to give them the highest instruction, spiritual instruction, that "You become Kṛṣṇa conscious." And try your best, try your best.
''Kāma-rāga-varjitāḥ, jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇaṁ tam āhuḥ paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ'': "One who thinks like that, one who is situated in that consciousness," ''paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ'', "he is learned, and he is actually a man of knowledge." This is the whole process. ''Tam āhuḥ''. Tam, he is known as the ''paṇḍita''. ''Paṇḍita'' means one who knows things as it is, not to take a thing wrongly. So that consciousness has to be invoked, not only individually, but also community-wise, society-wise, nation-wise, all over the world. Then there will be peace. If you want real peace.


Nirvairaḥ. You should not be anyone's enemy. Others may become your enemy. Because it is quite natural. Anyone who comes with the message of the Supreme Lord, there are persons who become his enemy. Just like Lord Jesus Christ, He came. His only fault was that he was preaching the message of God, and people, some people, not all people, become his enemy, and he was crucified. So this is the world. Anyone who comes as a most, I mean to say, beneficial friend of the world, people take him as the enemy, and they do the same mistake again so that they are bound up again by their own work and they remain in this material world to repeat birth and death, one after another, one after another. So we should be very much cautious.
:''bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ''
:''sarva-loka-maheśvaram''
:''suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ''
:''jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati''
:([[BG 5.29 (1972)|BG 5.29]])


We should not miss this chance of this human body to become Kṛṣṇa consciousness, to become conscious of Kṛṣṇa. So therefore we must know how to work, how to work. Kiṁ karma kim akarmeti. If we do not know how to work, then we shall be entangled in these material activities. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, saṅga-varjitaḥ. Of course, a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, he also acts just like another material actor, but because he works in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, therefore he's not bound up.
We are just trying to be philanthropic, altruistic. And we are trying to become friend of my countrymen, of my society, of my family. But that is a wrong conception. Real friend is Kṛṣṇa. I can work on His behalf. How I can work? You try. If you actually want to do something good to your family, then you try to make all the members of your family Kṛṣṇa conscious.


Just like take the example of Arjuna. He also fought just like ordinary military man, but because he fought in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, therefore he was not bound up by the reaction of such fighting. Fighting is not necessary. Fighting is not necessary. Peace, peace is necessary. But sometimes peace is disturbed. At that time, fighting is also necessary. You cannot, you cannot absolutely give up the process of fighting in this material world. That is not possible. Because there are persons who will create trouble. Just like we are experiencing. We are not going to do any harm to anybody. But sometimes they are coming and creating disturbances. So these disturbing elements are there, and this is always there. The material nature is like that. Therefore fighting cannot be abolished in the, when it is necessary, absolutely necessary. In the battle of Kurukṣetra, Lord Kṛṣṇa advocated this fighting because it was absolutely necessary.
Then your life will be successful. If you want to make them otherwise, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you will be serving . . . not serving; you will be rendering them disservice. Because any knowledge will not help your wife or children. Any knowledge, any amount of knowledge, will not help his real problem.


So anything—it does not matter what it is—when it is sanctioned by Kṛṣṇa, it has no reaction. That is the real work. Other, anything which we do, which may be very good work in the estimation of this material world, but that is bound to make you entangled in this material world. This secret one should learn.
What is his real problem we do not know. The real problem is . . . that we do not know. The real problem is ''janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi'' ([[BG 13.8-12 (1972)|BG 13.9]]).


<div class="lec_verse">
The ''Bhāgavata'' says, ''pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt'' ([[SB 5.5.18]]); "One should not try to become father. One should not try to become mother." Why? Na ''mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum'': "One who is unable to save his children from the grip of material nature." That should be Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you are a responsible father, then, if you are completely in knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then your duty will be that, "These creatures, these innocent creatures now who are playing in my . . . at my home as my children, as my boy, now this life should be the last installment of his transmigration from one body to another. I shall train these boys in such a way that after this body he will have no more to go into the cycle of birth and death." That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
karmaṇo hy api boddhavyaṁ<br />
boddhavyaṁ ca vikarmaṇaḥ<br />
akarmaṇaś ca boddhavyaṁ<br />
gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ</div>


That means you have to make yourself expert. Then you can help your children also. Then you can help your nation also. Then you can help your society also. If you are yourself ignorant, then; ''andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās, te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ'' ([[SB 7.5.31]]).


Karmaṇo gatiḥ, the path of karma, is very intricate. Therefore one should understand what is actually karma and what is akarma and what is vikarma. And knowing this, one should perform karma. But one thing is that if we simply engage ourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then everything becomes clear. Otherwise, we have to make discrimination, "What I should do, what I should not do so that I may not be entangled."
Just like a person who is, I mean, tightly bound-up, hands and feet. Suppose we are sitting here, some people, twenty-five gentlemen, ladies, and all our hands are tightly bound-up by some rope. And if I want to make you free, although my hand is also tightly bound-up, is it possible? No. At least my hand should be free. Then I can open, I can untie your bindings by the rope. So unless one is free man . . . and what is that freedom? One who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is free man. And nobody is free man.


Just like in ordinary life we, whatever we do, we sometimes, we may unconsciously doing something which is against the law, and therefore we become bound up by the laws of the state and sometimes we are in trouble, similarly, in the laws of nature also, the laws of nature is very strict. There is no excuse. The laws of nature is very stringent. Just like the fire. Fire, it burns. That is natural. This is the law of nature. So even a child touches fire, the fire does not excuse, that "Because it is child, oh, his hand may be, may not be burned." No. That is not possible. So we have to make our work very cautiously. We have to select our work very cautiously. Otherwise, the stringent laws of nature will react, and we shall be bound by the laws of material nature and suffer.
:''daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī''
:''mama māyā duratyayā''
:''mām eva ye prapadyante''
:''māyām etāṁ taranti te''
:([[BG 7.14 (1972)|BG 7.14]])


The Lord says that karmaṇo hy api boddhavyam. One should understand how to work and one should understand what is not to be done. Akarmaṇaś ca boddhavyam. Karmaṇo hy api boddhavyaṁ boddhavyaṁ ca vikarmaṇaḥ. Karma, akarma and vikarma. There are three things. Karma means prescribed duties, prescribed duties. That is called karma. And akarma, vikarma means doing against the prescribed duties. That is called vikarma. And akarma means something doing which has no reaction. That is not. Of course, in the execution of such work, it appears to be working, but practically it has no reaction. That is vikarma. And that vikarma is when we act on account of the Supreme. That is when we... Kṛṣṇa-karma-kṛt. When we work under the direction of Kṛṣṇa, that has no reaction. Otherwise, karma, one should do prescribed duties, and one should not do which is not prescribed.
Everyone is under the spell of material influence. Nobody's free. And one who is . . . who has surrendered unto Kṛṣṇa, one who has taken Kṛṣṇa consciousness, ''māyā'' has nothing to do. ''Māyā'' cannot touch. Just like when . . . if you come in front of the sunlight, there is no question of darkness.


For example, for example, just like the state. The state has got some laws. Now, suppose if you commit murder, it will be hang, you will be hanged. That is the state law. So if you again, against the state law you commit some murder, you will be hanged. This is vikarma, and I should be cautious. But when the state orders, itself, that "You go and fight. Kill the enemy," that is neither karma nor vikarma. So similarly, when we act under the direction of Kṛṣṇa, that is akarma. That means that karma, that kind of activities, has no reaction. Otherwise, we shall have to act very cautiously so that I may not be entangled with the reaction of my karma.  
There is no question of darkness if you place yourself in light, sunlight, not this artificial light. This artificial light may be extinguished at any time, but sunlight is not like that. So Kṛṣṇa is just like sunlight. As soon as you come in front of sun, oh, there is no darkness. So there is no ignorance. So there is no ''māyā''. ''Māyā'' means illusion. So, ''jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇaṁ tam āhuḥ paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ'' ([[BG 4.19 (1972)|BG 4.19]]).


<div class="lec_verse">
In this way, we have to become ''budha''. ''Budha'' means learned. Learned. And you'll find in the Tenth Chapter of ''Bhagavad-gītā'' that the Lord says who is ''budha'' and what are the symptoms of ''budha''. ''Budha'' means learned. What are the symptom? What are the symptoms of ''mahātmā'', great soul? And what are the symptoms of ''budha''? That is described in ''Bhagavad-gītā''. It is said that:
karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyed<br />
akarmāṇi ca karma yaḥ<br />
sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu<br />
sa yuktaḥ kṛtsna-karma-kṛt<br />
[[BG 4.18]] </div>


:''ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo''
:''mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate''
:''iti matvā bhajante māṁ''
:''budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ''
:([[BG 10.8 (1972)|BG 10.8]])


Now here is a nice verse. The Lord says, "One who can see karmāṇi, akarma, any work which is being done, but it has no reaction..." Karmāṇi, akarma yaḥ. "I am doing something, but the ultimate result of that work has no reaction." One who can see like that... Karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyed akarmāṇi ca yaḥ karma. And akarmāṇi means one who is trying to avoid the reaction of karma, but he is being entangled in karma. Sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu: [[BG 4.18]] "He is the most intelligent person." Sa yuktaḥ kṛtsna-karma-kṛt, sa: "He is dovetailed with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and therefore, after doing so many work..." Kṛtsna mean all sorts of work. Still, he is free. Karmaṇy akarma. Even working.
''Budha'', this word, the very word, again is used, ''budha''. So ''budha'', one who is learned, one who is actually in sense—he's not nonsense—he's called ''budha''. So ''budha'', what are the symptoms? The symptoms of ''budha'' is that ''ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ'': he knows that Kṛṣṇa is the fountainhead of all emanations, everything, whatever we find—everything. Anything, whatever you see.


Just see, the Arjuna. Arjuna is fighting, and the other party, Duryodhana, is also fighting. Now, how you can understand that Arjuna is free from reaction but Duryodhana is not free from reaction? The fighting is both... Both parties are fighting. Externally, ephemerally, we can see simply that they are fighting. But who is bound up by reaction? Who is not bound up reaction? Arjuna is not bound up by reaction. Why? He is fighting under the order of Kṛṣṇa. So we have to see like that, who is working with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Anyone who is working in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we should see that he is not being bound up. This is called karmaṇy akarma. Akarma means which has no reaction. So although I see somebody is working, but because he is working in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, therefore it should be understood that his work is not producing any reaction.
Now, take for example, take for example the material world. The most prominent thing is, I mean to say, unity between man and woman. Now, one can enquire, "Wherefrom this attraction comes between male and female?" Not only the human society, but also in animal society, in the bird society, in any society, any living . . . this is a fact.


So this intelligent vision is recommended here by Kṛṣṇa that sa buddhimān: "Anyone who is working and who can see such work, who can understand such work," sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu [[BG 4.18]] , "in the human society, he is very intelligent." He is very intelligent. Otherwise, sometimes bhakti, the devotional service of the Lord...
So somebody criticizes, but those who do not know Kṛṣṇa, that Kṛṣṇa had so many girlfriends, so they are . . . some people are criticize. But one does not know that where we get this idea of having girlfriend unless the tendency is in Kṛṣṇa? Because you can have nothing here unless that is in Kṛṣṇa. But here it is perverted; it is polluted. And Kṛṣṇa, it is pure consciousness, pure spiritual. That is the difference.


Just like I'll give you a crude example. Just like a boy. He is flying kite, and he is moving his reel containing the thread. Now, from a distant place, you'll find that he is moving his head, er, moving his reel, but sometimes, moving his reel, he is getting down the kite, and moving his reel, he is getting higher and higher the kite. So from distant place, we can see that there is moving of the reel, but the action is different.
So one who does not know, they want to avoid something. Nothing is, I mean to, can be, can exist in this material world unless it is in Kṛṣṇa. ''Janmādy asya yataḥ'' ([[SB 1.1.1]]).


Similarly, simply by seeing the movement of a person, that he is also acting, that is not final judgement. We have to see what sort of acting he is doing. If he's acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if we can see a person is acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then we can understand that he's free from the reaction. And if he's not acting in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but externally, from our material estimation, we can see that "Oh, he is doing very good work. He's very doing good work..."
So these things have to be studied very scientifically and from books like ''Bhagavad-gītā'', ''Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam'', and when he is perfectly learned, then his symptom is that he becomes a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. ''Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate'' ([[BG 10.8 (1972)|BG 10.8]]): "I am the source, fountainhead," Kṛṣṇa says. "I am the source and fountainhead-like, of everything. One who understands this science, then he takes to Kṛṣṇa." How? Now, ''budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ'': with full knowledge, he becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa.


Just like Arjuna, when he first refused to work, refused to fight, that "My dear Kṛṣṇa, it is not possible for me to fight with my relatives, brothers. I am not going to fight," but from material estimation, this conclusion, this decision of Arjuna, is very good, very good. So materially, from material standing of, standpoint of view, that he is not going to commit nonviolence, violence—he is nonviolent—he's very good man. But from spiritual point of view, it is not so. From spiritual point of view, it is not so. So one has to see. Simply by external features, that one is working and one is not working, that we cannot... What is the standard of work? Under what consciousness he's working. If he's working in material consciousness, then he's being bound up. However good may be that work, he's being bound up.
Similarly, so far ''mahatma . . . mahātmā ''is a Sanskrit word which is used for great soul. That is also described in the ''Bhagavad-gītā''.


Now, what is the binding reaction of good material work? Just try to understand. Good material work... Suppose you have done most charitable work, munificent work, and you have started so many, I mean to say, philanthropic institutions. That's all right. These are... From material estimation, these things are very good work. But you are being bound up. You are being bound up. In which way you are being bound up? That these things are called puṇya-karma, pious work. When you do pious work, you get four results. What are the four results? Janma-aiśvarya-śruta-śrī. Janma-aiśvarya-śruta-śrī. If you do pious work, you can get reaction in four ways. You can get your birth in a very nice family. Just like in the family of a brāhmaṇa, in the family of a rich man. For pious work, one can get his janma. And aiśvarya. Aiśvarya means you can become very rich man by pious work. Janmaiśvarya-śruta [[SB 1.8.26]] . Śruta means you can become very learned scholar. These are the results of pious work. Janmaiśvarya-śruta, and śrī. You can become very beautiful by pious work. These are the results of pious work.
:''mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha''
:''daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ''
:''bhajanty ananya-manaso''
:''jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam''
:([[BG 9.13 (1972)|BG 9.13]])


Similarly, just the opposite, if you do vicious work, then you, you have to go to the lower class family or even the animal family, lower class birth, or become a fool, illiterate, and become not very good looking. So many things. These are the reactions of pious and vicious work.
''Mahātmā''. Who is a ''mahātmā''? He is a great soul. Great soul is he who is under the influence of the superior nature.


Now, taking it for granted that I am doing all pious work. That's all right. And I am getting my birth in a very rich family or very pure family, just like brāhmaṇa family or something like that. I am getting myself very good education. I am very beautiful to see. And I am very rich man, all these. But our point is that suppose if you are rich man, suppose if you are very learned man, but you are not free from the stringent laws of material world. The whole point of vision should be targeted there, that "I am not going to be under the stricture of this material world." If we miss that point, then we shall be captivated by this aristocratic family or good education or beautiful body or richness.
There are two kinds of nature: superior nature and inferior nature. Now we are under the influence of this inferior, material nature. And that . . . by Kṛṣṇa consciousness we shall be transferred into the superior nature. Just try to understand: a person in the prison, a person outside the prison. The government's influence is in both the places, outside the prison and inside the prison. But outside the prison, the government's rules and regulation is superior. And inside, that is inferior. Influence is there.


We shall be... One should understand that "In spite of having all these facilities of material life, I am not free from four things: janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi [[BG 13.9]] ." Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. "I am not free from four, four these things, material laws of nature." What is that? "I am not free from repeated birth and death. I am not free from old age. I am not free from diseases."
Similarly, either in the material world or in the spiritual world, wherever you, you are, your position is marginal. You can transfer yourself either in this, under the influence of this inferior nature, or you can transfer yourself under the influence of superior nature. Your position is marginal.


Therefore Kṛṣṇa has recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā that ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna [[BG 8.16]] . "My dear Arjuna, if you go up to the highest planet which is called Brahmaloka, where there is long duration of life and all other enjoyments, they are thousands and thousands times better than enjoyment here, but still, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna, then you have to come again. The repetition of birth and death is there also. Therefore your aim should be mad-dhāma... yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama [[BG 8.16]] . "You have to go back to My planet, My kingdom. That will make you perfect."
Now, you are given . . . because Kṛṣṇa is full independent, and because you are also part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, therefore you have got the quality of independence, to make your choice whether to be under the influence of this inferior nature or to become under the influence of superior nature. But because we do not know what is that superior nature, therefore we have no other alternative than to remain in this inferior nature. This is the whole position.


So this work, good work or bad work from the material point of view, may be superficially very good. But what, how long I shall remain a rich man? How long I shall remain a beautiful man? This is not my permanent life. Suppose if my life is for hundred years, say. I can remain a rich man, I remain a learned man, I can remain a beautiful man, say, for fifty or sixty or hundred years, but your life is not for hundred years or sixty years or thousands years or millions of years. You are eternal. You have to attain your eternal life. That is the whole problem. So that problem you have to solve. That problem can be solved when you are Kṛṣṇa conscious so that by Kṛṣṇa conscious, when you leave this body, you will no more have to come to this material world and accept this material body or suffer and enjoy thereof. That is the point. The point is very difficult for common man, but this is the point. This is the point. I have to avoid this material existence altogether. That is the point. It is... It is not the question of improving my material condition. That is not the solution. If I...
Because in the world there are many philosophies. They are informing that "There is no other nature. This nature, which we have experienced, it is troublesome. Make an end of it and become void." Oh, you cannot be void, because you are living entity and eternal. ''Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre'' ([[BG 2.20 (1972)|BG 2.20]]).


Just like in a prison house, if you want to improve your condition, you become a very good prisoner, and the government gives you A-class status. There are three classes of status in prison life. Some are suffering the prison life in the A-class status. Some of them are suffering in the B-class status. There are also classes. Just like when some political leader is put into prison, they are given A-class status. But a sane man, a sane man should not be satisfied by becoming an A-class prisoner, A-class prisoner. So we are, in this material world, some of us are in the A-class prisoner, some of us are B-class prisoner, some of us are C-class prisoner. So to become an A-class prisoner from C-class prisoner is not the solution of our problem. The problem should be solved that "Let me become completely free, completely free from the prison life." That is the whole problem.
Your change of body does not mean that you are finished. No. You are continuing. ''Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni''. Because I change my dress, that does not mean that I am finished. So I am eternal. If I have to finish the . . . if I have to get rid, out of the influence of material nature, then I have to seek, "Where is my place?" If we know or do not know, then we prefer, "All right, whatever it may be, inferior or superior, let us remain here and rot."


<div class="lec_verse">
So ''Bhagavad-gītā'' gives you information of the superior nature: ''yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama'' ([[BG 15.6 (1972)|BG 15.6]]): ''na tad bhāsayate sūryo na candro na pāvakaḥ''.
karmaṇy akarma yaḥ paśyed<br />
akarmāṇi ca karma yaḥ<br />
sa buddhimān manuṣyeṣu<br />
sa yuktaḥ kṛtsna-karma-kṛt<br />
[[BG 4.18]] </div>


So we have to become Kṛṣṇa conscious by scrutinizing, studying, this authoritative book, ''Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā'', without having fashionable interpretation. As it is. What Kṛṣṇa says, He says for all the time. It does not change.


"Anyone who can understand the process of karma, the process of work, in this way, he is the most intelligent person in this world." Most intelligent person. Not that a person who has passed M.A., Ph.D. examination from the university de..., offering country. The person who understands this problem of life, he is the most intelligent person. That we should learn. He is the most intelligent person.
Just like the verse which we are just now discussing, He says that "It does not matter in whatever occupation you are. Simply you have to change your consciousness. You are now guided by the consciousness of self-interest, of sense gratification." Self-interest. Not exactly self-interest, because we do not know what is our self-interest. Rather sense interest—not self-interest, but sense interest. Whatever we are doing, we are doing for satisfying the senses. This consciousness has to be changed. We have to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That consciousness has to be invoked, and then our life will be successful.


<div class="lec_verse">
Thank you very much. If there is any question, you can put.
yasya sarve samārambhāḥ<br />
kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ<br />
jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇaṁ<br />
tam āhuḥ paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ</div>


Yes.


Paṇḍita. Paṇḍita means learned, and budha means one who is well-versed. He is called budha. Budha, this very term, you'll find in another place of Bhagavad-gītā, in the Tenth Chapter, budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ.  
'''Mr. Goldsmith:''' It's not dedicated to Kṛṣṇa.


<div class="lec_verse">
'''Prabhupāda:''' Yes.
ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo<br />
mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate<br />
iti matvā bhajante māṁ<br />
budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ<br />
[[BG 10.8]] </div>


'''Mr. Goldsmith:''' The work is not dedicated to Kṛṣṇa.


That budha you'll find in the Tenth Chapter, and the same budha, paṇḍita, paṇḍita and budha. Paṇḍita, according to Bhagavad-gītā, paṇḍita. Paṇḍita means learned man. The Sanskrit word paṇḍita means... And budha is "well-versed."
'''Prabhupāda:''' Yes.


Now who is well-versed? And who is paṇḍita? A very learned man from, by academic education, may not be a learned man according to the view of Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā says, "He is the learned man who can see everyone on the equal footing, equal level."
'''Mr. Goldsmith:''' How, specifically, how can you do this?


<div class="lec_verse">
'''Prabhupāda:''' Yes. Now, this consciousness, "How can I do it?" oh, this is also Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that one is ready. (laughs) Now, just like anything which we do or act, we take some consultation. Just like you are a lawyer, and anything has to be done lawfully, we have to take your consultation because you are expert. Similarly, you have to take consultation from the person who is Kṛṣṇa conscious. It is simple thing.
vidyā-vinaya-sampanne<br />
brāhmaṇe gavi hastini<br />
śuni caiva śva-pāke ca<br />
paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ<br />
[[BG 5.18]] </div>


'''Mr. Goldsmith:''' Well, first of all, if you want to find peace, don't you have to believe that war is wrong, any kind of war?


A paṇḍita, paṇḍita can see... Paṇḍita means a learned man can see that "Here is a learned brāhmaṇa." In India, according to Vedic civilization, a learned brāhmaṇa is considered to be the topmost man in human society. So therefore He is taking the example that "Here is a very learned brāhmaṇa." Vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe. Not only he is brāhmaṇa, but he is very gentle. Vidyā means... What is the result of vidyā? Education means one becomes gentleman. That is the result of vidyā. If one is not a gentleman, then his learning is not accepted according to the Vedic literature.
'''Prabhupāda:''' Yes.


So paṇḍita means that one who is learned and gentle. So another paṇḍita sees vidyā-vinaya-sampanne, a brāhmaṇa, learned and gentle, vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi, and a cow, vidyā-vinaya-sampanne gavi ha..., and an elephant, and śva-pāke... Śva-pāke ca śuni ca. Śva-pāke means there is a class of men who eats dogs. They are counted amongst the lower class in India. Śva-pāke ca śuni. Śuni means dog. So dog also, not taken very good animal in the society. But a paṇḍita— either a dog, either a cow, either an elephant, either a, a, I mean to say, dog-eater, or a learned brāhmaṇa— he sees all of them on the same level. That is paṇḍita.  
'''Mr. Goldsmith:''' The ''Bhagavad-gītā'' teaches that there is good war and bad war.


Why he sees on the same level? Do you mean to say that a learned brāhmaṇa, a high-class brāhmaṇa, he is just like as good as a dog? No. A learned brāhmaṇa is not as good as a dog. But how, how, then, the paṇḍita sees on the equal footing? Oh, because he does not see on the skin, but he sees on the spirit. Therefore he's paṇḍita. One who has learned this art, to see any living being, only the spirit he sees, that "Here is a living being. He's a spiritual spark. He's a spirit soul. But he has got a different covering, body, only."
'''Prabhupāda:''' Yes.


Just like in the Bhagavad-gītā, it is said that vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni: "This body is just like our dress." Suppose a very learned man has come in a shabby dress. Do you think that he should be dishonored? If he's known, of course. Just like our this sannyāsī dress. It is not very costly dress. It is a loin cloth. It is very cheap, but sometimes people misunderstand that "Here is a beggar." And sometimes we are respected. So simply by dress we should not see any living entity. Whether, either he's a dog, or he's a, in the estimation of the society, a lower class man, or a very high class man, or a cow, but we shall see that "Here is a spirit soul." Anyone who can understand the spiritual vision of life, he is paṇḍita. He is paṇḍita.  
'''Mr. Goldsmith:''' And a little bit like, later on, the Crusades.


And according to Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. Cāṇakya, he was a great politician, and he says... Now, what is the standard of education? Standard of education. Now, he has given very nice, three words, three words for standard of education, who is perfect in education. He says,
'''Prabhupāda:''' Yes.


<div class="lec_verse">
'''Mr. Goldsmith:''' It was a holy war, and it was looked on as a good war and existed for a good purpose.
mātṛvat para-dāreṣu<br />
para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat<br />
ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu<br />
yaḥ paśyati sa paṇḍitaḥ</div>


'''Prabhupāda:''' Yes.


Paṇḍita. This paṇḍita. This paṇḍita, explanation of paṇḍita.  
'''Mr. Goldsmith:''' Kṛṣṇa believed that it was all right to kill the enemies of Arjuna because it was a righteous war.


Now, who is a paṇḍita? Now, mātṛvat para-dāreṣu: "He is the learned man who sees all women as his mother." Except one's married wife, one should see every woman as his mother. Mātṛvat. Mātṛ means mother. Vat means just like. Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu. Para-dāreṣu means other women except one's own wife, married wife.
'''Prabhupāda:''' Yes.


Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat: "And other's property should be accepted just like refused garbage in the street." Just like we don't care for all the garbages. Simply if others' money or others' property is there sometimes we hanker. We should think, "Oh, these are nonsense, just like garbage." Mātṛvat para-dāreṣu para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat, ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu. And loṣṭra means that rubbles. Just like stone rubbles. There are so many rubbles and, er, strewn over the street. Nobody cares for that. Similarly, if others' money is thrown over the street, nobody... He should not care. He should not collect. "Oh, here is some money. Let me take." So mātṛvat para-dāreṣu para-dravyeṣu loṣṭravat, ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu. And he should see everyone...
'''Mr. Goldsmith:''' Now, if you have a philosophy like that, and find peace?


This ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu was preached by Lord Buddha, this philosophy. This one philosophy was, I mean to say, taught throughout the whole world by Lord Buddha, that there should be no animal killing. Ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu. No living entity should be given suffering, even by words. That is real life. Ātmavat... yaḥ paśyati. One who has such vision of life, he is called learned. He is called learned, not by educational qualifications. One who has acquired... phalena paricīyate. Education is understood, how far a man is educated, by his behavior. By his vision of life, it will be estimated, not by the degree. Ātmavat sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ paśyati sa paṇḍitaḥ. Similarly, here also, here also the word paṇḍita, paṇḍita has been used.
'''Prabhupāda:''' What do you mean by peace, then?


So I have just given you some explanation of paṇḍita from different angle of vision. And budha also. Budha. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find the definition of budha. Budha means well-versed. Well-versed. Well-versed means who has got, studied lots of books of knowledge. He is called budha. Now, how one becomes budha? By studying, one should have concluded this. What is that conclusion? That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā by Lord Kṛṣṇa, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ.  
'''Mr. Goldsmith:''' Absence of war.


<div class="lec_verse">
'''Prabhupāda:''' Not necessarily. Not necessarily. Absence of war is not peace. Just think over. Suppose now there is no war. Do you think that everybody is in peace? Ask any individual person that, "Are you in peace? Are you in peace of mind or peace of . . .?" No. War is not only the cause. There are many other causes which disturbs our peace. War is one of the causes. But, simply if you stop war, that does not mean peace is guaranteed. No. War is one of the disturbing thing of peace. But there are many other disturbing things, many, incalculable, which will disturb you. You see? So we have to take relief from all disturbing position. War is one of the item. And that can be done when you are Kṛṣṇa conscious.
ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo<br />
mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate<br />
iti matvā bhajante māṁ<br />
budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ<br />
[[BG 10.8]] </div>


'''Mr. Goldsmith:''' Well, how can it be done if you're Kṛṣṇa conscious and Kṛṣṇa Himself was a proponent of war?


The well-versed person is he who has understood that Kṛṣṇa is the original fountainhead of all emanations. All emanations, whatever we see, they are all emanations from Kṛṣṇa. That is the sci... One who has understood this, this fact, this transcendental fact, he is well-versed, budha. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate : "And everything is coming out of Me."
'''Prabhupāda:''' (chuckles) You are speaking to war. You see? The war has nothing to do . . .


Just like the sunshine is coming out of the sun. Nobody knows for how many years, how millions and millions of years, the sunshine is coming out of the sun. But still, the sun is still as it is. Similarly, the all the energies—the material energy, spiritual energy, lower energy, higher energy—everything is coming out of Kṛṣṇa. So one who has understood this science, the Kṛṣṇa science, budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ... Then what he becomes? His sign that, what is the sign that he has understood? Oh, he becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. He becomes completely Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the sign of being well-versed, well-versed. And this is the sign of becoming the paṇḍita, the learned, paṇḍita, learned.
'''Mr. Goldsmith:''' Well, the ''Bhagavad-gītā'' starts out with a war.


So
'''Prabhupāda:''' Yes, but . . . that's all right, but that war was a necessary thing. You cannot, I mean to say, completely eradicate war from the social life. Just like government maintains the law and order force. There is necessity. Why the government maintains so much police force and military force? There is necessity.


<div class="lec_verse">
'''Mr. Goldsmith:''' Well, if you believe, if you believe that it's necessary . . .
yasya sarve samārambhāḥ<br />
kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ<br />
jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇaṁ<br />
tam āhuḥ paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ</div>


'''Prabhupāda:''' When the . . . yes.


One who has who is learned enough, one who has got this knowledge, that "We have to work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness," and he has no more lust to enjoy this material world, one who has no more lust, kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ... Everything, what we do in this material world, we have got a determination, that "I shall enjoy the fruits of this work like this, the fruits of that work in that way." That is called kāma-saṅkalpa, determination of lust. So one who is free from such lust, kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ... And how it is possible? Jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇam. Jñānāgni. Just like fire, fire burns everything which you put into it. Similarly, one has developed, one who has developed the sense, the real knowledge, that "My life's mission, the, is only to go back to Kṛṣṇa and become Kṛṣṇa consciousness," that is the highest type of knowledge. They're just like fire. So in that fire of highest type of knowledge, all lust is burned aside. Jñāna-agni-dagdha, tam āhuḥ paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ. And he's a learned, he's well-versed. That is the explanation of this Bhagavad-gītā.  
'''Mr. Goldsmith:''' . . . then that's the end of the discussion. Because if you believe it's necessary, then Kṛṣṇa believes it's necessary.


And let us stop here. You have... If there is any question you can put.
'''Prabhupāda:''' Yes, yes.


Guest (1): If you're rich, were you saying, if you're rich, you get knowledge, you get knowledge easier because you're rich?
'''Mr. Goldsmith:''' Then . . .


Prabhupāda: No, no, no. I said that by your pious work you get four results. By your pious work... Because every work, we have, we are just today discussing what is real work and what are the reaction of the work and what is not, I mean to say, prescribed work. These things are we have discussed. Now, so far the pious work, which is called, in Sanskrit language, which is called puṇya-karma, we get four results, four kinds of results. By pious work, we get very good birth. Good birth means to take one's birth in aristocratic family or in rich family. That is, materially concerned, very good birth. So by pious work, one can become a good birth, can get his birth in a good family. And he can become a rich man also. Just, just like in this world we see. Somebody is working very little, but he's gaining much. Another body is working very hard the whole day; still, he's not getting much. Why? Because due to his pious work, he is getting very easily riches. So richness is also result of pious work. And similarly, one student is becoming very quickly a scholar; another, he cannot. So this is also result of pious work. Similarly, beauty is also due to pious work. I discussed this point. And what was your point?
'''Prabhupāda:''' Everything is necessary, but whole . . . our position is that, so far our material existence is concerned, that there are so many things that . . . but one thing, or the four things, ''janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi''; that we are under the entanglement of repeated birth, death, diseases and old age. These four things does not depend on war or peace. Suppose there is no war. Can you get free from diseases? Suppose there is no war. Can you get free from death? Suppose there is no war. Can you become . . . remain a young man all the time? No. Your problem is these four things. You have to solve that; ''Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam'' ([[BG 13.8-12 (1972)|BG 13.9]]).


Guest (1): Do you get more wisdom quicker or it's more to come by if you have a lot of money?
''Bhagavad-gītā'' says that this war or no war, that is no question. So long the human society will be there, there will be sometimes fighting, sometimes peace, sometimes . . . that is another thing. The whole problem is that a learned man sees that the "My problem is that I don't want to die. Why there is death? I don't want to be old man. Why I, there is old age?" These are . . . these are the problems. Real problem, these are the problems.


Prabhupāda: Not necessarily. I don't say that. That is different thing. But richness is due...
''Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam'' ([[BG 13.8-12 (1972)|BG 13.9]]). A learned man, a man of real knowledge, he should see that "I am . . ." Not only war. Suppose there will be excessive heat. Oh, I am so much disturbed. There is no peace. Oh, there is excessive snowfall, cold. Oh, I am disturbed. So there are so many disturbances. So we have to get free from all disturbances—because I do not want it, my nature does not tolerate these things, but I have been forced to tolerate. That is your problem.


Guest (1): I understood what you said before.
That can be solved by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are talking the wholesale solution, not a particular thing. There are so many disturbing things, especially they are under the headings of these four principles; ''janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam''.


Prabhupāda: Yes. Not necessarily that because a man is very rich, therefore he has got a very good brain also. No, not necessarily. Neither good brain can produce richness. Even there is one man, he's very intelligent man, but in the field of activities, he remains a poor man. So neither intelligence is the cause of richness, nor richness is the cause of intelligence. These are two different things. But if one is pious, then his, as reaction of his pious acts, he becomes rich, he becomes wealthy, he becomes beautiful, he becomes learned. These things are stated in the scriptures. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhiḥ [[SB 1.8.26]] . Janma-aiśvarya, four things, janma-aiśvarya-śruta... Janma means birth, aiśvarya means richness, and śruta means education. Is that point clear?
So . . . ''mad-dhāma gatvā''. Just the other day we discussed the ''śloka'', that ''tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya'' ([[BG 4.9 (1972)|BG 4.9]]): "Now, one who becomes Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then the result will be that just after quitting this body, he comes to Me. No more coming to this material world."


(drunk begins yelling in background)
So long you'll be in the material world—material world means so long we'll have this material body—we'll have to face so many disturbances. War is one of them. Suppose there is, perpetually, there is no war. Do you mean to say there will be perpetual peace? No. There are so many other things. At once, if there is some upheaval in the Atlantic Ocean, the whole thing is swallowed up—your beautiful New York City will be no more there. There are so many natural disturbances. What to speak of war, what you have . . .


Is that point clear? Please hear. Stop! Don't talk. We are talking seriously. Don't disturb. Is that point clear?
'''Mr. Goldsmith:''' ''Bhagavad-gītā'' speaks of war. It started out with a war.


Guest (1): Yes.
'''Prabhupāda:''' No, what . . . I mean to say, ''Bhagavad-gītā'' says . . . ''Bhagavad-gītā'' does not say that stop war. ''Bhagavad-gītā'' says stop your repeated birth and death. ''Bhagavad-gītā'' is not concerned with the war principle. The war will remain so long the human society is there. How can you stop it?


Prabhupāda: Yes. Any other questions?
'''Mr. Goldsmith:''' Well, some people don't believe that it's necessary.


Young Woman: If one is really pious, why should he care about materialistic things such as beauty and wealth?
'''Prabhupāda:''' Some people, they foolishly believe. Because, so long the human society will continue, there is no history that there was no war in the history. So war there will be.


Prabhupāda: Hm? If one is pious, why he should?
'''Mr. Goldsmith:''' Well, there's never been in history that everyone has accepted Kṛṣṇa, either, and yet you . . .


Young Woman: Why should he care about things like beauty and wealth?
'''Prabhupāda:''' No, you do not think that . . . of course, when you are Kṛṣṇa conscious, when you are not in this material world, then there is no question of war also. My point is that war is not only the only disturbing principle. There are many other disturbing principles. So we have to make a wholesale solution of all principles. That is the point.


Prabhupāda: Oh. So war is not always impious. Do you understand? Sometimes war, fighting... So far, so far the Vedic conception of life is concerned, there are four classes, four classes: the intelligent class, the administrator class, the mercantile class... Not only Vedic religion, this division is all over the world. There are four classes of men. So for administrative class of men, it is a duty to protect the weak. Sometimes law and order required, violence. Just like the government maintains military, police force because sometimes they are required. So when government employs some police force, some military force, that does not means impious. That is required. Similarly, fighting or violence is not always impious. But a responsible person, he does not take violence unnecessarily. He considers things very nicely, and when there is no other alternative than to use violence, then he uses violence. Just like the government sometimes takes violence upon the citizens. It is not the objective of the government to... (end)
'''Keith:''' War is only a symptom.


{{BGL_Footer|{{PAGENAME}}}}
'''Prabhupāda:''' Yes. War is also one of the . . . just like a man diseased, he eats something, sometimes say: "Oh, doctor, I am feeling some headache." "Oh, all right, take some this pill." Just like I see advertisement, "Oh, you are feeling strain? Take this pill." "You are feeling this? Oh, take this pill." Just like Post Office. Just like Post Office. All letters should be given to the post box, and it will go in different places. So doctor is prescribing like that. But a real doctor, he'll see what is the disease there. And if that disease is cured, then he'll have no headache, no leg . . . pain leg, no, nothing of the sort.
 
So if we . . . Kṛṣṇa says, ''tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya'': "If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, the result will be that after finishing this term of your body . . ." We have got different terms of body. "So this term of body, you come unto Me." ''Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama'' ([[BG 15.6 (1972)|BG 15.6]]).
 
So our problem is that. We are not going to adjust here. Here, any kind of . . . any amount of adjustment will not make us happy. That is a fact. Because this place is like that. So we have to completely get free from this repeated birth and death on the material world and go back to home, back to Godhead, and live peacefully with eternal life, knowledge and bliss. That is the whole thing ''Bhagavad-gītā'' is teaching. Kṛṣṇa's business is not to stop war or this or that.
 
Any other question? (end)

Latest revision as of 23:42, 5 November 2023

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada




660803BG.NY - August 03, 1966



Prabhupāda: All blessings to the assembled devotees. Thank you very much.

So this is the process of ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12): to cleanse the material dust from the mirror of our mind.

The whole process is to dust out the dirty things which we have accumulated by our material association, and therefore to revive our spiritual consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. From Bhagavad-gītā we are studying about the process of life by which we can revive our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no need of external help for reviving Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You have got Kṛṣṇa consciousness dormant in yourself. It is the quality of the self. So the . . . we have simply to invoke by this process. Kṛṣṇa-bhakti nitya-siddha sādhya kabhu naya (CC Madhya 22.107).

This Kṛṣṇa consciousness is an eternal fact. It is nothing that by this organization we are imposing upon you something extra. No. It is within you. It is within every living entity. Any living entity—never mind whether he is human being or animal . . . when Lord Caitanya was singing this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, He was passing through jungles, forests, and the tigers, the elephants, the stag and all, I mean to . . . forest animals, they joined. They joined. It is such a thing. Of course, it depends on the pure-hearted chanting. As we become . . . this is the process. As we become advanced in this chanting method, similarly, our heart becomes freed from all the dirty things of material contact. So even the animals can be captivated by this chanting, what to speak of human being.

So in our practical life Kṛṣṇa advises how to invoke this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He says:

yasya sarve samārambhāḥ
kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ
jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇaṁ
tam āhuḥ paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ
(BG 4.19)

(aside) Ask them to stop. Why do they come and talk nonsense?

Yasya sarve samārambhāḥ. You are not forbidden to execute your duties. We are not after stopping the general process of material activities. That is not our mission. The whole thing is that we have to act everything in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like . . . it is very easy to understand. Everybody has got some vocation of his life. But what is their consciousness? Their consciousness is that "I am engaged in this business, I am engaged in this service, because I have to maintain my family," "I have to maintain myself," or "I have to satisfy the government," or "I have to satisfy somebody else." This is our consciousness. Nobody is free from such consciousness.

Everybody must have some consciousness. Without consciousness, nothing can be done. One who has no consciousness, he cannot do anything nicely. If his consciousness is disturbed, then his work cannot be . . . just like a madman. A madman cannot do anything nicely, because his consciousness is disturbed. So we, similarly, if we change the process only that, "I am . . . to satisfy Kṛṣṇa." Just like we are doing everything with that idea to satisfy somebody else, or at least myself, for my satisfaction. This process has to be changed to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that's all. This process has to be changed into Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa says, yasya sarve samārambhāḥ.

(aside) Those who want to come, we can invite them. Come inside.

Yasya sarve samārambhāḥ: "Whatever activities you may do, do it," but kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ. Kāma-saṅkalpa-varjitāḥ: "Don't be carried away by kāma." Kāma means for your own satisfaction, kāma. The word, Sanskrit word kāma, is used for lust, for desire, for sense satisfaction. So Lord Kṛṣṇa recommends that, "Don't do it for satisfaction of your senses, for satisfaction of your lust or for satisfaction of your desire." That is the whole thing. Whole teaching of Bhagavad-gītā is based on this principle.

The whole instruction to Arjuna is that Arjuna wanted to satisfy his senses. His senses. He wanted that, that by not fighting with the opposite party, who were composed of his relatives, brothers and brother-in-laws and father-in-laws and so many relatives, so he did not want to fight. And therefore this instruction of Bhagavad-gītā was needed by Kṛṣṇa. The whole basic principle is this.

Now, that was Kṛṣṇa's . . . Arjuna's own satisfaction of the senses. Arjuna did not want to fight. Materially, it appears very nice that he is giving up his claim of kingdom for satisfying his relatives. "Oh, he's very good man." But Kṛṣṇa did not approve it. Why? Because the basic principle was Arjuna decided to satisfy his own senses. Externally it appeared very nice. But anything which is done for the satisfaction of his own senses, that is kāma, kāma—lust, desire.

Here it is prescribed that you can do anything. There is no harm. Whatever your business or vocation, occupation, you are engaged in, that has not to be changed. That has not to be changed. Simply your consciousness has to be changed. That's all. Kāma-rāja-varjitāḥ. How? How that consciousness can be changed?

Now, jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇam. That consciousness, transferring the present self-interested consciousness to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, requires knowledge. Requires knowledge. And what is that knowledge? That knowledge is that, "I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. I'm not different from Kṛṣṇa. I am part and parcel. I am the superior energy of Kṛṣṇa." That is knowledge.

Knowledge means to understand something. How this tape recorder is manufactured, if we get some knowledge, technical knowledge, that is not knowledge. That is a, of course, to have some our occupation executed. That knowledge is temporary knowledge. But real knowledge is . . . this is real knowledge. The real knowledge is that when one understands convincingly that "I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa, or God. When we say Kṛṣṇa, you should understand the Supreme Lord, the Absolute Truth. Kṛṣṇa is the technical word which is meant for indicating the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the whole, the whole pleasure, the whole attraction. These are the meaning of "Kṛṣṇa."

So we are all part and parcel of the supreme pleasure, and our pleasure . . . just like my hand. This is my hand. Now, this my hand can take pleasure when it is attached with my body. My hand can take pleasure when it serves my body. It does not take pleasure by serving your body.

(aside) This is . . . (indistinct) . . . sit here.

So therefore, because I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, my pleasure, my happiness, is dependent by serving Kṛṣṇa, just like my senses are satisfied when they are used for my purpose, not for your purpose. This is the whole, I mean to say, philosophy. I cannot be satisfied by serving you. I can be satisfied by serving me. So that me, I do not know. That is Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa.

So when we begin to serve Kṛṣṇa . . . because we are part and parcel. Always remember, the part and parcel we are. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ (BG 15.7). In the Fifteenth Chapter you'll find, "All these living entities, they are My eternal part and parcel. Now they are detached. Now they are detached. By material contact, they are detached." So we have to . . . the whole process is that we have to attach again. Now we are detached. Now we have to attach again. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

That Kṛṣṇa consciousness is within you, because you are originally, eternally the part and parcel of the Supreme. Artificially, I am trying to forget it. I am trying to live independently. That is not possible. We are not independent. If we want to live independently, that means we voluntarily become dependent on the influence of material nature. That's all.

Actually, we are not independent. If I think I am independent of Kṛṣṇa, then I am dependent on the influence of material nature. Just like, if I think that I am independent of government regulation, then I become dependent of the police force. My dependence is neither in this way or that way. I'll see? So that is our mistaken. Everyone is trying to be . . . become independent. That is called māyā. That is called māyā, or illusion. Nobody can be independent. Individually, community-wise, society-wise or nation-wise—you can extend even universal-wise—nobody can be independent. We are dependent. And this is called knowledge. When you come to the sense that, "I am dependent—I am not independent," this is called knowledge. Now we are misguided. Jñānāgni-dagdha karmāṇam. In other place, you'll find, Kṛṣṇa says:

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
sarva-loka-maheśvaram
suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati
(BG 5.29)

Now, people are planning for peace in the world, but they do not know how to formulate that peace formula. You know, the United Nation are trying for the last twenty years or more than that for peace, but there is no peace actually in the world. The war is going on because they do not know.

The formula is in the Bhagavad-gītā. The Bhagavad-gītā says that bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram: "I am the proprietor of everything. Whatever you are doing, I am the ultimate beneficiary. I have to take the result." Just like a laborer works in a factory, but who is the proprietor?

The ultimate proprietor is the . . . the proprietor is the ultimate owner of the . . . so everything, whatever we do . . . jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇam. Now, we are thinking that, "This thing I am doing, I am the proprietor of this thing." That is a misconception. When we understand that everything, whatever we are doing, the ultimate proprietor is Kṛṣṇa, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇam.

So we can have simply . . . just like in office. In office so many people are working. Hundreds of people are working. Everyone is conscious that "Whatever we are acting, whatever profit we are making, that belongs to the proprietor." Then there is peace. As soon as the cashier thinks, "Oh, I have got so much money. I am the proprietor," then whole trouble begins.

This consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness . . . if we understand that, "I am a very rich man. I have got so much bank balance. I can use it for my sense gratification," that is kāma. That is kāma-rāga. But if we understand that, "Whatever I have got, it belongs to Kṛṣṇa," then I am liberated person. I am liberated person.

This is Kṛṣṇa . . . you, you'll have the same money under your custody. It doesn't matter. But as soon as you think that "I am the proprietor of this wealth," then you are under the influence of māyā. And as soon as you think that "Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of all these things," then you are free.

Kāma-rāga-varjitāḥ, jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇaṁ tam āhuḥ paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ: "One who thinks like that, one who is situated in that consciousness," paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ, "he is learned, and he is actually a man of knowledge." This is the whole process. Tam āhuḥ. Tam, he is known as the paṇḍita. Paṇḍita means one who knows things as it is, not to take a thing wrongly. So that consciousness has to be invoked, not only individually, but also community-wise, society-wise, nation-wise, all over the world. Then there will be peace. If you want real peace.

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
sarva-loka-maheśvaram
suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati
(BG 5.29)

We are just trying to be philanthropic, altruistic. And we are trying to become friend of my countrymen, of my society, of my family. But that is a wrong conception. Real friend is Kṛṣṇa. I can work on His behalf. How I can work? You try. If you actually want to do something good to your family, then you try to make all the members of your family Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Then your life will be successful. If you want to make them otherwise, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you will be serving . . . not serving; you will be rendering them disservice. Because any knowledge will not help your wife or children. Any knowledge, any amount of knowledge, will not help his real problem.

What is his real problem we do not know. The real problem is . . . that we do not know. The real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9).

The Bhāgavata says, pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt (SB 5.5.18); "One should not try to become father. One should not try to become mother." Why? Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum: "One who is unable to save his children from the grip of material nature." That should be Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you are a responsible father, then, if you are completely in knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then your duty will be that, "These creatures, these innocent creatures now who are playing in my . . . at my home as my children, as my boy, now this life should be the last installment of his transmigration from one body to another. I shall train these boys in such a way that after this body he will have no more to go into the cycle of birth and death." That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

That means you have to make yourself expert. Then you can help your children also. Then you can help your nation also. Then you can help your society also. If you are yourself ignorant, then; andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās, te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31).

Just like a person who is, I mean, tightly bound-up, hands and feet. Suppose we are sitting here, some people, twenty-five gentlemen, ladies, and all our hands are tightly bound-up by some rope. And if I want to make you free, although my hand is also tightly bound-up, is it possible? No. At least my hand should be free. Then I can open, I can untie your bindings by the rope. So unless one is free man . . . and what is that freedom? One who is Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is free man. And nobody is free man.

daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī
mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante
māyām etāṁ taranti te
(BG 7.14)

Everyone is under the spell of material influence. Nobody's free. And one who is . . . who has surrendered unto Kṛṣṇa, one who has taken Kṛṣṇa consciousness, māyā has nothing to do. Māyā cannot touch. Just like when . . . if you come in front of the sunlight, there is no question of darkness.

There is no question of darkness if you place yourself in light, sunlight, not this artificial light. This artificial light may be extinguished at any time, but sunlight is not like that. So Kṛṣṇa is just like sunlight. As soon as you come in front of sun, oh, there is no darkness. So there is no ignorance. So there is no māyā. Māyā means illusion. So, jñānāgni-dagdha-karmāṇaṁ tam āhuḥ paṇḍitaṁ budhāḥ (BG 4.19).

In this way, we have to become budha. Budha means learned. Learned. And you'll find in the Tenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā that the Lord says who is budha and what are the symptoms of budha. Budha means learned. What are the symptom? What are the symptoms of mahātmā, great soul? And what are the symptoms of budha? That is described in Bhagavad-gītā. It is said that:

ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo
mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate
iti matvā bhajante māṁ
budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ
(BG 10.8)

Budha, this word, the very word, again is used, budha. So budha, one who is learned, one who is actually in sense—he's not nonsense—he's called budha. So budha, what are the symptoms? The symptoms of budha is that ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: he knows that Kṛṣṇa is the fountainhead of all emanations, everything, whatever we find—everything. Anything, whatever you see.

Now, take for example, take for example the material world. The most prominent thing is, I mean to say, unity between man and woman. Now, one can enquire, "Wherefrom this attraction comes between male and female?" Not only the human society, but also in animal society, in the bird society, in any society, any living . . . this is a fact.

So somebody criticizes, but those who do not know Kṛṣṇa, that Kṛṣṇa had so many girlfriends, so they are . . . some people are criticize. But one does not know that where we get this idea of having girlfriend unless the tendency is in Kṛṣṇa? Because you can have nothing here unless that is in Kṛṣṇa. But here it is perverted; it is polluted. And Kṛṣṇa, it is pure consciousness, pure spiritual. That is the difference.

So one who does not know, they want to avoid something. Nothing is, I mean to, can be, can exist in this material world unless it is in Kṛṣṇa. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1).

So these things have to be studied very scientifically and from books like Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and when he is perfectly learned, then his symptom is that he becomes a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8): "I am the source, fountainhead," Kṛṣṇa says. "I am the source and fountainhead-like, of everything. One who understands this science, then he takes to Kṛṣṇa." How? Now, budhā bhāva-samanvitāḥ: with full knowledge, he becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa.

Similarly, so far mahatma . . . mahātmā is a Sanskrit word which is used for great soul. That is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā.

mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha
daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ
bhajanty ananya-manaso
jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam
(BG 9.13)

Mahātmā. Who is a mahātmā? He is a great soul. Great soul is he who is under the influence of the superior nature.

There are two kinds of nature: superior nature and inferior nature. Now we are under the influence of this inferior, material nature. And that . . . by Kṛṣṇa consciousness we shall be transferred into the superior nature. Just try to understand: a person in the prison, a person outside the prison. The government's influence is in both the places, outside the prison and inside the prison. But outside the prison, the government's rules and regulation is superior. And inside, that is inferior. Influence is there.

Similarly, either in the material world or in the spiritual world, wherever you, you are, your position is marginal. You can transfer yourself either in this, under the influence of this inferior nature, or you can transfer yourself under the influence of superior nature. Your position is marginal.

Now, you are given . . . because Kṛṣṇa is full independent, and because you are also part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, therefore you have got the quality of independence, to make your choice whether to be under the influence of this inferior nature or to become under the influence of superior nature. But because we do not know what is that superior nature, therefore we have no other alternative than to remain in this inferior nature. This is the whole position.

Because in the world there are many philosophies. They are informing that "There is no other nature. This nature, which we have experienced, it is troublesome. Make an end of it and become void." Oh, you cannot be void, because you are living entity and eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20).

Your change of body does not mean that you are finished. No. You are continuing. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni. Because I change my dress, that does not mean that I am finished. So I am eternal. If I have to finish the . . . if I have to get rid, out of the influence of material nature, then I have to seek, "Where is my place?" If we know or do not know, then we prefer, "All right, whatever it may be, inferior or superior, let us remain here and rot."

So Bhagavad-gītā gives you information of the superior nature: yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6): na tad bhāsayate sūryo na candro na pāvakaḥ.

So we have to become Kṛṣṇa conscious by scrutinizing, studying, this authoritative book, Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, without having fashionable interpretation. As it is. What Kṛṣṇa says, He says for all the time. It does not change.

Just like the verse which we are just now discussing, He says that "It does not matter in whatever occupation you are. Simply you have to change your consciousness. You are now guided by the consciousness of self-interest, of sense gratification." Self-interest. Not exactly self-interest, because we do not know what is our self-interest. Rather sense interest—not self-interest, but sense interest. Whatever we are doing, we are doing for satisfying the senses. This consciousness has to be changed. We have to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That consciousness has to be invoked, and then our life will be successful.

Thank you very much. If there is any question, you can put.

Yes.

Mr. Goldsmith: It's not dedicated to Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mr. Goldsmith: The work is not dedicated to Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mr. Goldsmith: How, specifically, how can you do this?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now, this consciousness, "How can I do it?" oh, this is also Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that one is ready. (laughs) Now, just like anything which we do or act, we take some consultation. Just like you are a lawyer, and anything has to be done lawfully, we have to take your consultation because you are expert. Similarly, you have to take consultation from the person who is Kṛṣṇa conscious. It is simple thing.

Mr. Goldsmith: Well, first of all, if you want to find peace, don't you have to believe that war is wrong, any kind of war?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mr. Goldsmith: The Bhagavad-gītā teaches that there is good war and bad war.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mr. Goldsmith: And a little bit like, later on, the Crusades.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mr. Goldsmith: It was a holy war, and it was looked on as a good war and existed for a good purpose.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mr. Goldsmith: Kṛṣṇa believed that it was all right to kill the enemies of Arjuna because it was a righteous war.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mr. Goldsmith: Now, if you have a philosophy like that, and find peace?

Prabhupāda: What do you mean by peace, then?

Mr. Goldsmith: Absence of war.

Prabhupāda: Not necessarily. Not necessarily. Absence of war is not peace. Just think over. Suppose now there is no war. Do you think that everybody is in peace? Ask any individual person that, "Are you in peace? Are you in peace of mind or peace of . . .?" No. War is not only the cause. There are many other causes which disturbs our peace. War is one of the causes. But, simply if you stop war, that does not mean peace is guaranteed. No. War is one of the disturbing thing of peace. But there are many other disturbing things, many, incalculable, which will disturb you. You see? So we have to take relief from all disturbing position. War is one of the item. And that can be done when you are Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Mr. Goldsmith: Well, how can it be done if you're Kṛṣṇa conscious and Kṛṣṇa Himself was a proponent of war?

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) You are speaking to war. You see? The war has nothing to do . . .

Mr. Goldsmith: Well, the Bhagavad-gītā starts out with a war.

Prabhupāda: Yes, but . . . that's all right, but that war was a necessary thing. You cannot, I mean to say, completely eradicate war from the social life. Just like government maintains the law and order force. There is necessity. Why the government maintains so much police force and military force? There is necessity.

Mr. Goldsmith: Well, if you believe, if you believe that it's necessary . . .

Prabhupāda: When the . . . yes.

Mr. Goldsmith: . . . then that's the end of the discussion. Because if you believe it's necessary, then Kṛṣṇa believes it's necessary.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Mr. Goldsmith: Then . . .

Prabhupāda: Everything is necessary, but whole . . . our position is that, so far our material existence is concerned, that there are so many things that . . . but one thing, or the four things, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi; that we are under the entanglement of repeated birth, death, diseases and old age. These four things does not depend on war or peace. Suppose there is no war. Can you get free from diseases? Suppose there is no war. Can you get free from death? Suppose there is no war. Can you become . . . remain a young man all the time? No. Your problem is these four things. You have to solve that; Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9).

Bhagavad-gītā says that this war or no war, that is no question. So long the human society will be there, there will be sometimes fighting, sometimes peace, sometimes . . . that is another thing. The whole problem is that a learned man sees that the "My problem is that I don't want to die. Why there is death? I don't want to be old man. Why I, there is old age?" These are . . . these are the problems. Real problem, these are the problems.

Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). A learned man, a man of real knowledge, he should see that "I am . . ." Not only war. Suppose there will be excessive heat. Oh, I am so much disturbed. There is no peace. Oh, there is excessive snowfall, cold. Oh, I am disturbed. So there are so many disturbances. So we have to get free from all disturbances—because I do not want it, my nature does not tolerate these things, but I have been forced to tolerate. That is your problem.

That can be solved by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are talking the wholesale solution, not a particular thing. There are so many disturbing things, especially they are under the headings of these four principles; janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam.

So . . . mad-dhāma gatvā. Just the other day we discussed the śloka, that tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9): "Now, one who becomes Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then the result will be that just after quitting this body, he comes to Me. No more coming to this material world."

So long you'll be in the material world—material world means so long we'll have this material body—we'll have to face so many disturbances. War is one of them. Suppose there is, perpetually, there is no war. Do you mean to say there will be perpetual peace? No. There are so many other things. At once, if there is some upheaval in the Atlantic Ocean, the whole thing is swallowed up—your beautiful New York City will be no more there. There are so many natural disturbances. What to speak of war, what you have . . .

Mr. Goldsmith: Bhagavad-gītā speaks of war. It started out with a war.

Prabhupāda: No, what . . . I mean to say, Bhagavad-gītā says . . . Bhagavad-gītā does not say that stop war. Bhagavad-gītā says stop your repeated birth and death. Bhagavad-gītā is not concerned with the war principle. The war will remain so long the human society is there. How can you stop it?

Mr. Goldsmith: Well, some people don't believe that it's necessary.

Prabhupāda: Some people, they foolishly believe. Because, so long the human society will continue, there is no history that there was no war in the history. So war there will be.

Mr. Goldsmith: Well, there's never been in history that everyone has accepted Kṛṣṇa, either, and yet you . . .

Prabhupāda: No, you do not think that . . . of course, when you are Kṛṣṇa conscious, when you are not in this material world, then there is no question of war also. My point is that war is not only the only disturbing principle. There are many other disturbing principles. So we have to make a wholesale solution of all principles. That is the point.

Keith: War is only a symptom.

Prabhupāda: Yes. War is also one of the . . . just like a man diseased, he eats something, sometimes say: "Oh, doctor, I am feeling some headache." "Oh, all right, take some this pill." Just like I see advertisement, "Oh, you are feeling strain? Take this pill." "You are feeling this? Oh, take this pill." Just like Post Office. Just like Post Office. All letters should be given to the post box, and it will go in different places. So doctor is prescribing like that. But a real doctor, he'll see what is the disease there. And if that disease is cured, then he'll have no headache, no leg . . . pain leg, no, nothing of the sort.

So if we . . . Kṛṣṇa says, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya: "If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, the result will be that after finishing this term of your body . . ." We have got different terms of body. "So this term of body, you come unto Me." Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6).

So our problem is that. We are not going to adjust here. Here, any kind of . . . any amount of adjustment will not make us happy. That is a fact. Because this place is like that. So we have to completely get free from this repeated birth and death on the material world and go back to home, back to Godhead, and live peacefully with eternal life, knowledge and bliss. That is the whole thing Bhagavad-gītā is teaching. Kṛṣṇa's business is not to stop war or this or that.

Any other question? (end)