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Prabhupāda: Just like the roaring of a lion drives away the big elephants from the forest—whenever there is roaring of a lion, even the big animals like elephants, they go away—similarly, this vibration of transcendental sound will cleanse the elephants of dirtiness in the mind. We have accumulated dirtiness in our mind after many, many births, and that is a huge garbage. So this transcendental sound is just like the roaring of lion, and it will clear all the garbages accumulated.
<div class="code">660824BG.NY - August 24, 1966</div>


<div class="lec_verse">
śraddhāvāl labhate jñānaṁ<br />
tat-paraḥ saṁyatendriyaḥ<br />
jñānaṁ labdhvā parāṁ śāntim<br />
acireṇādhigacchati<br />
[[BG 4.39]] </div>


<mp3player>https://s3.amazonaws.com/vanipedia/full/1966/660824BG-NEW_YORK.mp3</mp3player>


Now Lord Kṛṣṇa says that faithful, those who are faithful, they can acquire transcendental knowledge. This subject matter we have discussed in the last meeting, that without faith we cannot make any progress. In any field of activities we must have faith. For example, I cited the other day, just like we go to a barber shop, and we spread our neck, and the barber has got a sharp razor in his hand. If he likes, he can at once cut my throat. He has got the weapon ready. But because I have got faith he'll not do it—he'll simply shave my beard or mustaches... So this faith is required in every activity. Without faith we cannot step forward even in our daily life. So if we have got so, so faith in ordinary dealings, don't you think that we must have very good faith when we are making progress in spiritual line?


But faith should not be blind. Blind faith is useless. Now we have already discussed that one should go to the spiritual master with surrender and question and service—three things. First of all, for acquiring knowledge we have to find out the suitable personality, and if we are fortunate enough to find out such suitable personality, then first thing is to surrender. And that, after that surrender, there are questions. One must be very intelligent to put questions to the spiritual master. Without questions you cannot make progress. So blind faith is never required, neither questions should be in a mood of challenge. That should not. Questions or answers should be just to understand. And that should be accompanied with service. This is the mood. Whole Vedic process... Nobody can deny in the Vedic process that there is no need of spiritual master. There is. So śraddhāvān. Therefore the faithful, the faithful can acquire knowledge.
'''Prabhupāda:''' (''kīrtana'') (''prema-dhvani'') ''Gaura-Premanandi. Hari Haribol''. Thank you very much . . . (break)


And tat-paraḥ. Tat-paraḥ means we have to follow the faith favorably, not unfavorably. Just like the physician gives us some prescription, and he says that "You do this, and do not do," so we have to follow the do-not's and the do's. In every field of action there are certain don't's and certain do's. So we have to follow. Tat-paraḥ saṁyatendriyaḥ. And result of knowledge is that one should be restrained in the matter of sense gratification. You cannot become progressive in spiritual life if you indulge in unrestricted sense gratification because sense gratification is the cause of our bondage in this material world. And the whole treatment, progressive in spiritual life, is regulated. Of course, we have got senses, and the senses require some satisfaction. That is all right. There is no question of stopping the senses. It is not possible. If you want to stop the work of the senses, that is not possible. Simply we have to purify the senses.
:''jñeyaḥ sa nitya-sannyāsī''
:''yo na dveṣṭi na kāṅkṣati''
:''nirdvandvo hi mahā-bāho''
:''sukhaṁ bandhāt pramucyate''
:([[BG 5.3 (1972)|BG 5.3]])


Just like when you are diseased, your senses are under certain symptoms of the disease. Just like I am feeling the tongue. Whatever I am eating, the tongue is tasting bitter. Bitter. That is the symptom of my disease. So we haven't got to cut the tongue altogether, but we have to make treatment so that we can taste properly. There is practical example. One who is suffering from jaundice, if you give him something sweet, sugar candy, he'll taste it bitter. Although sugar candy is not bitter, but due to his illness, due to his jaundice disease... You'll... You can make a practical test of it. But at the same time, that sugar candy is the medicine for jaundice. If a man is suffering from jaundice, if you simply give him water and sugar candy... You just moisten sugar candy at night, and just early in the morning you get a glass of sweet sugar candy water. Oh, within very short time you'll be cured from jaundice disease.
''Jñeyeḥ'', "Just understand," ''sa''. ''Sa'' means he. Who? ''Nitya-sannyāsī'': "That person is always in renounced order, not by dress, but by action. Always in renounced order," ''yo na dveṣṭi na kāṅkṣati'', "that person who does not hate, neither desires." ''Nitya-sannyāsī''. The renounced order means that I renounce my material propensities. That is called renunciation. A living entity is living. He has got his different propensities. That is his natural position. If I say that "You don't desire," no, that is not possible. I cannot desire, I don't desire . . . if I am desireless, then I am dead. What is my life? Desire . . . somebody says that "You become desireless." That is an impossible, sir. Desireless means don't desire materially. That is desireless.


Similarly, this restriction, do-not... When we make spiritual life progressive, there are certain restriction, and they may seem at the present stage very bitter. Very bitter. But that is the way. We have to accept. Therefore it is called saṁyatendriyaḥ. And if we can make progress in that way, restrained sense gratification and following the rules and regulations, then we are sure to acquire the knowledge.
So a person who has renounced everything for service of the Lord, ''sannyāsī''. ''Sannyāsī'' means ''sat-nyāsī''. Sat means the supreme eternal, and ''nyāsī'' means renounced. So ''sannyāsī'' . . . he is a ''sannyāsī'' who has renounced everything for the sake of the Lord. He's called ''sannyāsī''. And he has no hatred for anything, because in his vision everything is meant for the service of the Lord. So therefore he cannot hate anything.


Labdhvā jñānaṁ parāṁ śāntim. And when you... When you are situated in that perfectional stage of knowledge, then you get parāṁ śānti, perfect peacefulness, perfect peacefulness of mind. Parāṁ śāntim adhigacchati. Now, these are the prescriptions laid down by Kṛṣṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Sometimes it is advertised that "Such-and-such saint, he does not touch money. He does not touch money. When money is offered to him, his hand becomes turned." But a ''Bhagavad-gītā'' does not say that. ''Bhagavad-gītā'' does not say that "Because money is offered to you, therefore you shall turn your hand." Yes. Because a devotee's life is dedicated to the Supreme, so he also thinks that "This money can be utilized for the service of the Lord."


So we must have faith in Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is not ordinary man like me. I am speaking not from my account. I am speaking on account of Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa is accepted as the supreme authority by great stalwarts, great philosophers, religionists, and if you have any respect for Indian spiritual culture, you may know it that in India, whatever sect they may be... There are many sects, but every one, each and every one, all, all sects, including the Mohammedans, they have got great respect for Kṛṣṇa.
Just like there are many instances in India. In our line of disciplic succession, ''ācārya'', there was one Rūpa Gosvāmī. Rūpa Gosvāmī, he was formerly the minister of a very big estate. Then he renounced his family life and joined Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and became a mendicant. Now, of course, nowadays people are not so much fond of mendicant. But formerly, any householder, they would go to some sage, some saintly person, and offer some service, "Sir, what can I serve for you?" Oh, that was the system.


Now, the Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī is just approaching on the 8th, September, the birthday of Kṛṣṇa we observe in India, and probably we may also make a program for observing the birthday ceremony here. So you'll find that just like in your country in Christmas day you all observe the birthday of Lord Christ, similarly, Kṛṣṇa, the birthday of Kṛṣṇa, will be observed in India, cent percent people.
So one big merchant—he belonged to Sindhi, Sindh Province, which is now in Pakistan—he approached Rūpa Gosvāmī and offered that "Swāmījī, I want to make some service. Please give me direction. How can I serve you?" So he was a very big man. So Rūpa Gosvāmī asked him that "Yes, if you have got money, then engage it in the service of Kṛṣṇa according to your position." So he built a very nice temple. That temple . . . if you go sometimes to India, that is a very remarkable temple.


So Kṛṣṇa is a great authority, undoubtedly. That is accepted. So here Kṛṣṇa gives us a prescription, and if we try to follow, then surely we shall achieve the stage of perfect knowledge and the result will be that we shall be perfectly peaceful in life. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram [[BG 5.29]] . That is the perfect knowledge when we understand that the Supreme Lord, He is the supreme enjoyer— bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram —He is the supreme proprietor. And if we think very, I mean to say, scrutinizingly with cool head, then we can understand that everything, whatever there is in our presence, the actual proprietor is God, or Kṛṣṇa. We are not proprietor. We have got the right to use them, the things which are given by God to us. We shall have the right to use them, but we are not proprietor. So that is real knowledge.
So in this way, money is not bad. Ev . . . nothing is bad. Anything created by God, nothing is bad. But if it is employed in the service of the Lord. Otherwise, it is bad. So for a ''sannyāsī'' who has dedicated his life for the service of the Lord, he, he does not hate anything. He can . . . he knows the art how to employ anything in the service of the Lord. Therefore he does not hate anything. ''Na dveṣṭi''.


<div class="lec_verse">
And ''na kāṅkṣati''. ''Na kāṅkṣati'' means he does not desire any money for his personal account. That is the significance. If you offer to a devotee who has renounced his life for the service of the Lord millions of dollars, he can engage. He knows the art how to engage millions of dollars in the service of the Lord, but not a farthing for his own comfort. Not a farthing for his own comfort. ''Na kāṅkṣati''. ''Na dveṣṭi na kāṅkṣati''. He does not hate money. Because he knows that money is a strength. By this strength, the service of the Lord can be advanced in so many ways.
ajñaś cāśraddadhānaś ca<br />
saṁśayātmā vinaśyati<br />
nāyaṁ loko 'sti na paro<br />
na sukhaṁ saṁśayātmanaḥ<br />
[[BG 4.40]] </div>


So that Rūpa Gosvāmī made two verses for our guidance. For our guidance he made two verses, very nice verses.


So this faith is very essential, and one who hasn't got such faith, for him, it is stated here that vinaśyati. Vinaśyati means he is put into the wilderness of this material world. Now, what is that wilderness? Oh, there are 8,400,000 different species of life. Now, if we miss this opportunity, this human form of life... It is the developed, conscious life, and if we miss the opportunity, then we shall be again thrown into the cycle of birth of death in that eight million four-hundred-thousand's of species of life. So there is comparative[?]. Vinaśyati. Vinaśyati means where you shall be put up, oh, there is no certainty. So you must make proper utilization.
:''anāsaktasya viṣayān''
:''yathārham upayuñjataḥ''
:''nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe''
:''yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate''
:(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.255)


So one who hasn't got faith, for him it is stated, nāyaṁ loko 'sti na paro na sukhaṁ saṁśayātmanaḥ: "Anyone who has not faith, for him there is no profit even during this life and what to speak of the next life?"
He says that ''viṣaya . . . viṣaya'' means enjoyable things. In the material world, what we want to enjoy, that is called ''viṣaya''. So ''anāsaktasya viṣayān''. So far we have got this body, we have to accept not for sense gratification, but for maintenance. So ''anāsaktasya'', without being attached, we may accept the necessities of our bodily requirements, ''yathārham'', as far as possible, as much as I want for maintaining the body and soul together. In this way, if we live. But everything dedicated to the Supreme Lord, that is the highest standard of renounced.


<div class="lec_verse">
And another, other side he explains that, that the things . . . ''phalgu-vairāgyaṁ kathyate''. ''Nirbandhaḥ''. The idea is . . . I exactly forgot the verse, but it is stated like this, that a person who is trying to renounce this world without knowing that everything can be engaged in the service of the Lord, and he's renouncing, he is . . . his renunciation is not first grade. His renunciation is not first grade. Why?
yoga-sannyasta-karmāṇaṁ<br />
jñāna-sañchinna-saṁśayam<br />
ātmavantaṁ na karmāṇi<br />
nibadhnanti dhanañjaya<br />
[[BG 4.41]] </div>


Now, what do you mean by renunciation? Suppose I am in the renounced order of life. What I have renounced? Oh, you are . . . you have got clothing; I have got also clothing. It may be less costly. Or you are living in some room; oh, I am also living in some room. So what is the difference between you and me? Renunciation. Suppose a mendicant becomes . . . he has renounced everything. In India you'll find, simply a loincloth he's wearing, even naked body. Sometimes, they are naked.


Now, Lord Kṛṣṇa says, "O Dhanañjaya, Arjuna, anyone who is working in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or yoga..." Yoga means God conscious, or Kṛṣṇa conscious. Everything, anything, any attempt, which we perform, which we do for spiritual realization is called yoga. Yoga. So there are many different kinds of yoga, but they have been divided into three: the jñāna-yoga, karma-yoga, and bhakti-yoga. Jñāna-yoga means realization of self by culture of philosophical discussion. That is called jñāna-yoga. And dhyāna-yoga... Oh. And karma-yoga... Karma-yoga means that the ordinary persons who are engaged in working...
So Rūpa Gosvāmī says that the monkey, monkey is completely naked, and he eats fruit. ''Markaṭa-vairāgya'' ([[CC Madhya 16.238]]). ''Markaṭa-vairāgya'' . . . mendicantism just like the monkey. He is . . . he is living in a jungle. Suppose a sage or saintly person goes to the jungle. So monkey is there in the jungle. Oh, he has renounced.


That we have got experience, that these people in New York City, they are working day and night. And karma means work and get some profit. That is called karma. Karma... Nobody is going to work without any remuneration. Everyone is working for getting some profit. That is called karma. But that ordinary karma and karma-yoga is different. You can engage yourself in ordinary work, but, at the same time, you can become a yogi. How that is possible? When your consciousness is changed. Your consciousness... Now I am thinking that I am working for my maintenance or for my family maintenance or for my society's maintenance or for my country's maintenance. You can go on, widening. Even if you work for international maintenization, maintenance, still, it is not perfect. Even if you work for the whole planetary system, that is imperfect. But when you work for Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is the most perfect work. So we have to work with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the perfection of life.
He has no clothing. He's naked. And he eats also only fruits. Just like the sages also eat only fruit. So these are not qualification, simply eating fruit or renouncing. The real qualification is that how much one is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in the service of the Lord. That is the qualification. Otherwise, if I am in renounced, I am naked, I eat . . . only eat fruit, and I live in jungle, and I have got many lady monkeys with me, oh, what sort of renouncement that is? That is not . . . that is called "monkey renouncement."


Just like several times I have discussed this point, that a big tree, if you have to pour water, then you have to pour water on the root. The tree has millions and billions of leaves, and if you go on pouring water in each and every leaf, neither you'll be able to pour water to all the leaves, neither it is possible to maintain the tree by pouring water on the leaves. You have to pour water on the root. Similarly, our work, our endeavor, whatever we may do, good work or bad work, if it is not done on account of Kṛṣṇa, then that will remain always imperfect. Always imperfect. Therefore it is advised, yoga-sannyasta-karmāṇam: "You just give up your work or place your working capacity, energy..." We have got some energy. We'll work or we'll do anything with our energy. So spiritual self-realization means that energy should be transferred for Kṛṣṇa, or God. That's all. Energy. We have got some stock of energy. That energy should be transferred. You can transfer that energy in so many ways. In whatever way you can do it, it doesn't matter. You have to transfer your energy for Kṛṣṇa.
So we don't want monkey renouncement, we want real renouncement. We don't use anything for my personal comfort, everything for Kṛṣṇa. That is called renouncement—not a single farthing for my personal comfort, but millions of dollars for Kṛṣṇa. ''Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram'' ([[BG 5.29 (1972)|BG 5.29]]). He is the only enjoyer. So this is called renouncement. Anyone who has renounced everything . . .


Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was military man. He had his energy—to fight. So he fought for Kṛṣṇa. That means he engaged his energy for Kṛṣṇa. He did not change his military position. So we haven't got to change our position. Simply we have to transfer the energy for Kṛṣṇa. That is called yoga-sannyasta-karmāṇam.  
Therefore Lord Caitanya has recommended the renouncement of the gopīs as the highest renouncement. Gopīs. The gopīs in Vṛndāvana . . . when Kṛṣṇa was present, He was so attractive. Now, why? Because He was said . . . yesterday I explained that the God's one qualification is that He has all the beauty. ''Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ'' (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). ''Śriyaḥ'' means beauty.


Not that we cease to work. Work you must. Without work, nothing can be done. But if you spare your energy in that way, for Kṛṣṇa's work, then yoga-sannyasta-karmāṇaṁ jñāna-sañchinna-saṁśayam. And in that position... Why I shall engage my energy to Kṛṣṇa? That requires knowledge. That is real knowledge, that "Why? Why I shall...?" Because you are a part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, therefore you are meant for. Your energy is for Kṛṣṇa, nothing else.
So when He was sixteen years old, so in village He had many friends, girlfriends, who were of the same age. But in India the girls are married earlier. In those days also, they were married at the age of twelve years, thirteen years. But Kṛṣṇa was only sixteen years. So . . . but He was playing flute. His playing flute was so nice that even at night, when He was playing flute, all those girls, they'll leave their husband and father and mother and everything; they'll come at once to Kṛṣṇa. So this is an example how they don't care for anything for (but) Kṛṣṇa.


Several times we have discussed this point, that this hand, this work of my hand, is a kind of energy of my body. Now, this hand is meant for working for this body. Similarly, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ jīva-loke sanātanaḥ [[BG 15.7]] . The living entities, they are all parts and parcels of the Supreme, and therefore the energy... That is ... That energy also part and parcel. That energy also part of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has got unlimited energy, and our energy is just a part of energy. That's all, part of energy. Therefore our energy should be spent for Kṛṣṇa. Jñāna-sañchinna-saṁśayam. And that, I mean to say, utilizing the energy for Kṛṣṇa should be based on pure knowledge, pure knowledge that how... What is that pure knowledge? That "I am meant for Kṛṣṇa" or I am meant for God, so I should utilize my energy for that purpose." Ātmavantaṁ na karmāṇi nibadhnanti dhanañjaya. So anyone who is working in this way, then he hasn't got to suffer the consequence, good or bad, for any work. He is free from the reaction of this work.
So that is the life. Therefore . . . of course, that is not material association. That can be understood when one is a little advanced in the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the love between the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa. That is not ordinary thing. But anyway, that . . . they did not care anything. So that is renouncement. The father is asking, "Oh, where you are going?" The husband is asking, "Where you are going?" The Mother is . . . "No, Kṛṣṇa's flute is there."


<div class="lec_verse">
So Lord Caitanya recommended, ''ramya kaścid upāsanā vraja-vadhu-varga-vīrya-kalpita'' (Caitanya-mañjusā); "There is no higher type of worship than it was done by the gopīs of the Lord." They were not very learned. They were ordinary village girls. They were not educated. They were not Vedāntists, philosophers. But they had the unlimited ecstasy and love for Kṛṣṇa.
tasmād ajñāna-sambhūtaṁ<br />
hṛt-sthaṁ jñānāsinātmanaḥ<br />
chittvainaṁ saṁśayaṁ yogam<br />
ātiṣṭhottiṣṭha bhārata<br />
[[BG 4.42]] </div>


That is required. That is called ''sannyāsa''. Everything. We should, twenty-four hours, we should think in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how we can advance the cause of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is renouncement. That is the first-class renouncement, how to engage people. The people are suffering. Lord Caitanya is worshiped by the same Rūpa Gosvāmī:


So Arjuna was declining to fight. Now Kṛṣṇa is advising him that "Now you can pick up your fight for fighting," that tasmād ajñāna-sambhūtaṁ saṁsthāna... "Because I have spoken to you the mode of working. Your energy... You're fighting not for your family, but you are fighting on My account, or... Therefore you have nothing to doubt. You can break out and just surrender[?]." Then Arjuna says,
:''namo mahā-vadānyāya''
:''kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te''
:''kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-''
:''nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ''
:([[CC Madhya 19.53]])


<div class="lec_verse">
They said, "Lord Caitanya, You are the most munificent person, personality, because You are distributing ''kṛṣṇa-prema'', love of Kṛṣṇa, love of Kṛṣṇa, and this love of Kṛṣṇa, distribution of love of Kṛṣṇa by You, means that You are Kṛṣṇa Himself."
sannyāsaṁ karmaṇāṁ kṛṣṇa<br />
punar yogaṁ ca śaṁsasi<br />
yac chreya etayor ekaṁ<br />
tan me brūhi suniścitam<br />
[[BG 5.1]] </div>


Because Kṛṣṇa, when He appeared, then He spoke ''Bhagavad-gītā'' and He said, ''sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja'' ([[BG 18.66 (1972)|BG 18.66]]): "You give up all engagements; just become under My shelter. I give you protection," ''ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi'', some people misunderstood. Even in Dr. Radhakrishnan's book, you'll find, he says: "Oh, not to Kṛṣṇa." You see? Even great scholars make mistake.


Kṛṣṇa says, er, Arjuna says, "My dear Kṛṣṇa," that "You have now spoken about the sannyāsam." Sannyāsam means to give up the reaction of our work. "Then again, You are asking me to work." Sannyāsaṁ karmaṇāṁ kṛṣṇa: "Then You are speaking of the yoga, karma-yoga."
The clear indication is that ''sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam'' ([[BG 18.66 (1972)|BG 18.66]]). Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa says that, "Just surrender unto Me," and the scholar says: "Oh, this surrender is not to Kṛṣṇa." Just see. So the surrender to Kṛṣṇa and this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest perfectional stage of life. Highest perfectional stage of . . . one who has tasted it, oh, he cannot be, I mean to say, thinking of anything else. ''Nirdvandvo hi mahā-bāho, sukhaṁ bandhāt pramucyate'' ([[BG 5.3 (1972)|BG 5.3]]).


So that is quite possible. When the spiritual master instructs to the disciple on different subject matters, sometimes the disciple becomes puzzled which of them has to be accepted and which has to be carried and which has to be rejected. In the beginning, such, I means to say, puzzling things appear. So it is appearing to Kṛṣṇa, er, to Arjuna that Kṛṣṇa has spoken to him on various subjects, about sannyāsa... Sannyāsa means renounced order.
One who has attained such consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he becomes ''nirdvandva''. ''Nirdvandva'' means he has no duality because he sees everything in Kṛṣṇa relationship. He sees everything. Actually, everything is the manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's energy. So highest stage, in the highest stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the person sees everything in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. ''Nirdvandvo hi mahā-bāho sukhaṁ bandhāt pramucyate''. And if we are fortunate enough to come to that stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then very easily and very happily we'll become liberated from this entanglement of material life. Only we have to develop that stage of ecstasy and love for Kṛṣṇa. That's all.


Just like we are in sannyāsa. This is called renounced order of life, and in the Vedic system there are four divisions of social order: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. Brahmacārī means from the beginning or from five years to twenty-five years one has to live in the house of the spiritual master for being trained up. That is called brahmacārī.  
:''sāṅkhya-yogau pṛthag bālāḥ''
:''pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ''
:''ekam apy āsthitaḥ samyag''
:''ubhayor vindate phalam''
:([[BG 5.4 (1972)|BG 5.4]])


And after one has full training, then he comes home and he gets himself married. That is called gṛhastha, householder life.
Now Arjuna's question was that, "You are engaging me sometimes in karma-yoga and sometimes in ''sannyāsa''. So what is the real thing that You want me to do?" So Kṛṣṇa replies here that ''sāṅkhya-yogau pṛthag bālāḥ pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ''. ''Sāṅkhya-yoga''. ''Sāṅkhya-yoga'' . . . perhaps some of you or most of you know what is ''sāṅkhya-yoga'', metaphysics, by Kapila, ''sāṅkhya-yoga''. ''Sāṅkhya-yoga'' means analytical study of these material elements.


Then, after the age of fifty years, he leaves. He gives up the family, not exactly gives up family connection, just tries to remain aloof from the family. So the husband and wife, they, entrusting the whole thing to the grown-up boys, they go out of home and travel in so many holy places and, after traveling, say, for six months, again comes home for, remains for one month, and then again goes away. That is the... That stage is called vānaprastha.  
Now, what is the use of analytical study of this material world? Simply understanding that this material world is working in twenty-four elements. The eleven senses: ten senses, five working senses and five knowledge-acquiring senses, and the mind. Eleven. Eleven elements. And ''pañca-mahā-bhūta''. ''Pañca-mahā-bhūta'' means the material elements just like earth, water, fire, air and ether. Eleven and five, it becomes sixteen.


Then, when the man is completely detached from family affection, he takes sannyāsa. This is called sannyāsa. We have no connection with family. So sannyāsaṁ karmaṇāṁ kṛṣṇa punar yogaṁ ca śaṁsasi.  
Then subtle elements, just like ''manaḥ'', ''buddhiḥ'', ''ahaṅkāra'': mind, intelligence and false ego. False ego. So sixteen and three. Nineteen. And five, I mean to say, sense objects. Sense objects means ''rūpa'', form; ''rasa'', taste; form, taste, ''rūpa, rasa, gandha'', smell; then ''rūpa, rasa, gandha, śabda'', sound, sound. You have got ear. You require sound to hear. In this way, the ''sāṅkhya-yoga'', they have analyzed the whole material world into twenty-four elements. That is ''sāṅkhya-yoga''.


So these things have been discussed in the previous chapters, so Arjuna says that "You have spoken so many subject matters, so there are so many doubts arising in my mind, so kindly..." Yac chreya etayor ekam: "So out of so many things, whichever is the best process..." Yac chreya etayor ekaṁ tan me brūhi suniścitam: "Kindly speak to me that one with certainty." This is called paripraśna.  
Now suppose you study very analytically these twenty-four elements. And what is the idea of studying these elemental . . . analytical study of this material world? Because we have to find out what is the main principle which is working behind these twenty-four elements. What is the main principle? Now, suppose I have got these senses, and suppose there are material elements—earth, water, fire—all these things are there. But are they sufficient by themselves? No. They are not sufficient by themselves. Unless that spirit soul is there, so they are lying down.


Now, the spiritual master is speaking, and the disciple is hearing, so as soon as there are some doubts and puzzling, so you should at once place the matter before the spiritual master to get it cleared. So this is the process which Arjuna is following. So he has heard and, up to Fourth Chapter so many things. Now he has got some doubt. He is placing before Kṛṣṇa and asking Him, "Out of so many things, please let me know which is exactly I have to follow."
Just take for example this land of America. It was lying, oh, vast land. Still you have got many lands vacant. So they are lying vacant. And so when the Europeans they came here, they gradually developed. Now they’re nice. So simply these material elements has no value. Unless there is spiritual touch, there is no value.


Now, śrī-bhagavān uvāca. Bhagavān uvāca. Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavān. Bhagavān means... There are definition. There is definition of Bhagavān. Bhagavān means the Personality of Godhead. And who is Godhead? That is described in the Vedic literature.
So study of . . . analytical study of this material world, they are not sufficient by themselves. You have to find out the spiritual power behind it. So ''sannyāsa'' means, generally, the ''sannyāsa'', those who have taken up the renounced order of life, they search after the Supreme Truth and make an analytical study of this material world. That is called ''sāṅkhya-yoga''.


<div class="lec_verse">
Kṛṣṇa says, ''sāṅkhya-yoga . . . sāṅkhya'' and ''yoga''. And yoga means direct connection with the Lord. Direct connection with the Lord. Just like in the darkness. In dark, in the darkness, you cannot see anything. Suppose your room is closed and dark. You cannot see anything. But when you come to the light, you come to the sunlight, then you can see yourself and everything very nicely. So ''yoga'', this word ''yoga'', means to come in direct touch with the absolute light or Absolute Truth. That is called ''yoga''.
aiśvaryasya samagrasya<br />
vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ<br />
jñāna-vairāgyayoś caiva<br />
ṣaṇṇāṁ bhaga itīṅganā<br />
( Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47)</div>


So by analytical, analytical study of this material world, that is not sufficient. Unless you come in direct touch with the Supreme Absolute Truth, this knowledge has no value. This knowledge has no value. If you want, you can study anything, any straw in the street. You can make a very analytical study of the straw. But that sort of knowledge has no value unless you come to the point of our spiritual existence.


Now, aiśvarya is an opulence. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya. Entire opulence. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya. Vīryasya means strength, entire strength. And yaśaḥ. Yaśaḥ means fame. So entire fame. Yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ. Śriyaḥ means... Śrī means beauty, entire beauty. And jñāna. And jñāna means knowledge, entire knowledge. And vairāgya , entire renunciation. These things, whenever you find, wherever you find in complete, He is God. He is God. These six items: entire opulence, entire strength, entire fame, entire beauty, entire knowledge, and entire renunciation, six. Ṣaṇṇāṁ bhaga itīṅganā.  
So ''sāṅkh'' . . . so Kṛṣṇa says . . . the idea of ''sāṅkhya-yoga'', analytical study of this material world, means you have to find out the spiritual existence. And that spiritual existence you can have when you directly come to the spiritual life. So direct process is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa is just like the sun.  


So if you are searching after God, so here is the definition of God. You just apply this definition, and when you find that here is the perfect application of these six things, then He is God. So entire opulence... There are many rich men in New York City, but nobody can say that "I am the proprietor, entire. I have got the... I am the proprietor of the entire bank balance." No. Nobody can say. Similarly, entire strength, entire fame, entire knowledge.
:''Kṛṣṇa—sūrya-sama, māyā haya andhakāra''
:''yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra''
:([[CC Madhya 22.31]]).


Now, so far this Bhagavad-gītā is concerned, you'll find the entire knowledge in it. If you study Bhagavad-gītā... Of course, so far entire knowledge, entire strength, when Kṛṣṇa was present, He showed it. So that is stated in the history and the Mahābhārata, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and many other Vedic literatures. They are stated.
The idea is just like the sun. In the sun there is no darkness. You cannot conceive any darkness in the sun. Similarly Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is just like the sun. If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, if you come in touch with Kṛṣṇa, then there is no possibility of ignorance. There is no possibility of ignorance. You will learn everything. As we have repeatedly said that Kṛṣṇa says, ''teṣām'' . . .


So suppose you do not believe, that "Oh, they have been written, so many things for Kṛṣṇa, just to make Him very great." You may not believe that. But at least you have got in your presence one thing—this Bhagavad-gītā. This is spoken by Kṛṣṇa. And you'll find here entire knowledge. Entire knowledge. Any knowledge of the world, and knowledge—even material, spiritual, social, political, scientific, philosophical—any knowledge you'll find entirely in this Bhagavad-gītā. So at least this is the proof that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead because there is no other parallel book like this Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore the Bhagavad-gītā is accepted and adored by all classes of men and all over the world.
:''teṣām evānukampārtham''
:''aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ''
:''nāśayāmy ātma-bhāva-stho''
:''jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā''
:([[BG 10.1 (1972)|BG 10.1]])


Why not? Because Kṛṣṇa claims that bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram [[BG 5.29]] . Although Kṛṣṇa appeared in India, He does not say that "I am Indian." He says, sarva-loka-maheśvaram: "I am the proprietor of the entire planetary system." Then again, one place you'll find, sarva-yoniṣu: "The entire living species of life, not only humankind," He says, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā [[BG 5.29]] , "I am the father, the entire living entities." So Kṛṣṇa claims because He is God. So He has to claim like that. He is not any particular country's man or particular society's man. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. He is for anyone. Therefore He is Bhagavān.
Kṛṣṇa says. Kṛṣṇa is within yourself. Kṛṣṇa is without and within. So without, we cannot see, but within, we can see, provided we are little advanced in the understanding that there is Supersoul, presentation of Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa says that ''teṣām eva anukampārtham''.


So here it is stated, bhagavān uvāca: "The Personality of Godhead said, answered." What He answered? That
Those who are actually seeking after becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious . . . within yourself, He sees, "Oh, here is a person now who is anxious." So He gives you intelligence. ''Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam'': "I give him intelligence how he can approach Me, how he can excel himself by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness." The help will come from within. And so far ignorance is concerned, that will be vanquished within no time.


<div class="lec_verse">
''Teṣām eva aham anukampārtham'': "for special favor." Kṛṣṇa has got special favor for persons who are trying to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. He's God. He's God. He's equal to everyone. That you'll find in the ''Bhagavad-gītā''. ''Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ'' ([[BG 9.29 (1972)|BG 9.29]]).
sannyāsaḥ karma-yogaś ca<br />
niḥśreyasa-karāv ubhau<br />
tayos tu karma-sannyāsāt<br />
karma-yogo viśiṣyate<br />
[[BG 5.2]] </div>


Just like a rich man. A rich man, he has got many, many, many thousands of people to maintain. Suppose he has got workshop, many, many thousands of workers. So he's looking after the interest of everyone. That's all right. But those who are his personal sons and dependents, oh, he has got special favor for them.


Now, Kṛṣṇa says that "Either you renounce this world, either be you in the renounced order of life"—just like we are in renounced order of life—"or you are in ordinary working capacity," that "they are equally beneficial." But... Tayos tu. But if we examine on neutral position, then Kṛṣṇa recommends that better than this sannyāsa is to work, is better. Tayos tu karma-sannyāsāt karma-yogo viśiṣyate.  
Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, although He is equal to everyone, still, those who are especially trying to be connected with Him . . . because the whole thing is, whole material manifestation, is meant for giving us a chance to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. So one who is trying to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, He has got special favor.


This is very nice point. Try to understand. The sannyāsī... Just like we are sannyāsī. According to our Vedic system, we are allowed to beg alms from the householders. The social system, the varṇāśrama institution, is so made that the brahmacārī, vānaprastha, and the sannyāsī, and the gṛhastha... Gṛhastha means the householder. Now, the brahmacārī will beg from the householder, the vānaprastha will beg from the householder, and the sannyāsī also beg from the householder. So householder is the only earning member who will feed all these three different status of social orders. But in the Kali-yuga, in this age, some unscrupulous persons, they are taking advantage of this dress because this dress is not very costly. Any kind of cotton cloth, you take, two paisa worth from, or two cent worth, and color, and you get it orange-colored and put on. Because in this age nobody is inquiring whether he is actually a sannyāsī or not, simply by dress... Of course, the dress is the badge.
(aside) I'll answer later on.


Now, people are taking advantage of this and they misusing the position. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, I mean to say, foresaw that this will happen in future because He was speaking this Bhagavad-gītā five thousand years before. So, as He is full knowledge, entire knowledge, because He is God, He knows what will happen in the future. Therefore he gave preference to working order than this sannyāsa order. Lord Caitanya also, He also said that in this age sannyāsa is not recommended.
He has got special favor. So ''sāṅkhya-yogau pṛthag bālāḥ pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ'' ([[BG 5.4 (1972)|BG 5.4]]).


And if you question me that "Swamiji, why you have taken sannyāsa?" You may ask that question. Yes. So I may tell you frankly that I had no desire to accept this sannyāsa. I never dreamt in my householder... I was a householder. I never dreamt. But circumstantially I was forced to accept the sannyāsa dress just to become a preacher. You see? That is a long history. Sannyāsa, (chuckles) but I was forced some way or other to accept the sannyāsa. Of course, as far as possible, I am following the rules and regulations of a sannyāsī, as far as possible.
So any, any type of spiritual realization, they are different forms. "You are . . . you are Hindu? Oh, I am, I am Christian." "Oh, you are Christian? I am Muhammadan." So these conception that, "I am different from you," that is not for the learned. The learned one is hankering after the Supreme Truth. Never mind, either you go through Bible, or go through ''Bhagavad-gītā'', or go through this Koran, that doesn't matter. What is the aim of your life?


So here Kṛṣṇa says that tayos tu karma... Everything can be utilized for the ultimate business. Everything can be utilized. Kṛṣṇa says. So there is no difference. Why there is no difference? If your ultimate goal, aim, is Kṛṣṇa conscious, then either you become Kṛṣṇa conscious in a dress of sannyāsī or as an ordinary man, oh, there is no difference. There is no difference because your aim is the same.
If your aim of life is to understand the Absolute Truth, then there is no difference. But if your aim is something else, then you'll find some difference from ''Bhagavad-gītā'' to Bible, Bible to Koran, Koran to something else. So Kṛṣṇa says that ''sāṅkhya-yoga''. Either you take ''sāṅkhya-yoga'' or ''sāṅkhya'' or this ''karma-yoga'', anything, there is no difference. Because the . . . everything is trying to give you the ultimate Absolute Truth.


Just like... I'll give you one example, very nice example. In India there are different dresses of woman according to his [her] different position. There is in kāma-śāstra, in Manu-saṁhitā, they are mentioned. Of course, nowadays nobody is following. Just like by dress you can understand "Here is a woman who has got his [her] husband, her husband at home. Oh, here is a woman who has lost her husband. And here is an woman whose husband is out of home. Oh, here is a woman. Oh, she is prostitute." Simply by dress one can understand. Because to address woman is difficult job, so the society sanctioned different dresses. So according to that Vedic literature, when the husband is at home a woman is recommended to dress herself very nicely, very beautifully, just to enliven the husband. The husband, if he sees the wife nicely dressed and nicely, beautifully looking, then he takes some encouragement. And similarly, a woman, when her husband is away from home, she should dress very niggardly, very niggardly. Now, you find that the dress... At one time the woman is dressing niggardly, and at one time the woman is dressing very beautifully and nicely. But what is the purpose? The purpose is the husband.
So if you have caught up such Absolute Truth, then there you'll find no difference. ''Paṇḍitāḥ''. ''Paṇḍitāḥ'' means learned. They do not find. But the . . . those who are not learned, they find difference. ''Ekam apy āsthitaḥ samyag ubhayor vindate phalam''. Those who are learned, he can be situated in any form of realization and he can realize soul or . . . it is not . . . never a learned man will say that "In this process, there is no self-realization. In this process there is spiritual . . ." No. In every process, there is. It may be in a higher standard or in a lower standard.


Similarly, if our purpose is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, either I dress myself in this orange color or either you dress in coat, pant, and shirt, oh, there is no question; there is no difference. There is no difference. So the... Because the aim is the same. Everyone combinedly, we have formed a society to work combinedly. Oh, there is no restriction that "Only these orange-colored sannyāsīs will be allowed in the sannyāsī and not the white dress, a man in coat-pants," no. That is not purpose. If the purpose is that we have to become Kṛṣṇa conscious—we have to work combinedly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness—there is no question of changing the dress, neither you haven't got to renounce your present position.
Just like I have many times (said) that two plus two equal to four, that is fact; that is a mathematical truth. Now, this two plus two, in the infant class, the two plus two equal to four is the same, and higher mathematics and in the M.A. class, the student is studying higher mathematics, astronomy, astrology, there also, the two plus two equal to four is the truth. But the infant class, the study of mathematics in the infant class and the study of mathematics in the M.A. class, there is difference. There is difference. There is a . . . there is a story that a student . . .


There is another instance in a Bengali poetry, gṛhe vā vanete thāke, sadā gaurāṅga bole ḍāke, that "A man may be situated as a householder or a man may be situated as a renounced order in life. That doesn't matter. If he is attached with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is the perfect man." So here is the indication. "So Arjuna, you are asking what is the difference between the karma-yoga and sannyāsa. Oh. So there is no such difference. Better if you become a karma-yogī." Karma-yoga, meaning "You simply work for Kṛṣṇa." "Then you are better than a sannyāsa." Because a sannyāsī is living at the expense of the society, but a man who is fully alert that "Whatever I am earning and whatever I am doing, oh, it is all meant for Kṛṣṇa," oh, he is the practical man. He's a practical man.
(aside) Why it is not open? It is not open?


Just like Arjuna. Arjuna was not a sannyāsī. He, after hearing Bhagavad-gītā, he did not take up the renounced order of life and dressed himself in orange-colored dress and went away from the battlefield, no. He remained the same man, the same military man, but he became the most perfect Kṛṣṇa conscious man. So same principle was there. Therefore here Lord Kṛṣṇa says, sannyāsaḥ karma-yogaś ca niḥśreyasa-karāv ubhau: "Either you take sannyāsa or you remain in your position, that doesn't matter. You can attain the highest perfection from any position, provided you are Kṛṣṇa conscious." That's all. Jñeyaḥ sa nitya-sannyāsī yo na dveṣṭi na kāṅkṣati [[BG 5.3]] . Hear how nicely Kṛṣṇa says. Jñeyaḥ sa nitya-sannyāsī. Just try to understand. That person is always a sannyāsī— not by dress but by his actual activities. What? Na dveṣṭi na kāṅkṣati. "He does not, I mean to say, hate anything, and he does not desire anything." These two qualifications. He does not hate anything, and he does not desire anything.
'''Young man:''' It is open . . . (indistinct)


Suppose I am working. So suppose I am washing dishes. Oh, so that doesn't matter. I do not hate. Of course, in your country it is very laudable that you can accept any kind of work. It is very good. The same thing is confirmed. There is no question of hating any work. Dignity of labor is always nice. So na dveṣṭi na kāṅkṣati. But after working, the result he does not take. Suppose by doing some lower class of work I get some profit. If that is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then I am sannyāsī— because I don't hate, but I offer the result to Kṛṣṇa. Oh.
'''Prabhupāda:''' All right. People may come in. One student, he was studying trigonometry. After passing his matriculation, in the college he was studying. So he was reading, "Let A and B, a straight line, and C, another straight line." So just like he was reading. So his mother thought, "Oh, my son has again begun A-B-C." You see? So he was asking . . . she was asking his (her) son, "Oh, my dear son, you have passed your school ending examination, you have again begun A-B-C-D? What is that?" That means she, she's not so intelligent. She thought that "My son has begun again A-B-C-D from the infant class." No. It is higher mathematics. The same A-B-C-D is there, but that is higher mathematics.


Just you take the example of Arjuna always. In the beginning he was hating fighting. He was hating: "Oh, I cannot fight. This fighting with my kinsmen, it is not possible. I am not..." He was hating. But when he understood Bhagavad-gītā, he took up that fighting; he gave up his hating. But the result? Na kāṅkṣati: he never desired the result. Kṛṣṇa ordered to fight. He fought. That's all.
Similarly, the Truth, Absolute Truth, is always the same. But that Absolute Truth is expressed according to the different situation. The position of certain scripture in certain country in certain circumstances may be described in a certain particular way, but the aim is the same. Aim is the same. So those who are interested in higher mathematics, they take to higher mathematics. Or those who have developed themselves from infant class. But the truth, "two plus two equal to four," that does not any circumsta . . . become false. That is the truth.


This is real sannyāsa, that he does not act for his own account, for his sense gratification, but he works... Never mind. He does not hate an work. "Any sort of work I am prepared to do, and the result I'll have to offer to Kṛṣṇa"—this is called real sannyāsa. So Kṛṣṇa gives the... Jñeyaḥ sa nitya-sannyāsī. Nitya means eternally, not for the time being, eternally. Nitya-sann..., yo na dveṣṭi. He does not hate any kind of work, but na kāṅkṣati: he does not desire for his own, se..., viṣaya, enjoying the result. Nirdvandvo hi mahā-bāho sukhaṁ bandhāt pramucyate: Oh, "That sort of sannyāsī is always happy, and he is a liberated person." He's a liberated person.
So ''ekam apy āsthitaḥ samyag''. If one is intelligent enough, if he is really learned, so he can be situated in any place, and if he follows . . . just this morning we were reading, ''yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya'' ([[BG 16.23 (1972)|BG 16.23]]).


I think, next we shall talk on, next meeting. If you have got any question, you can ask. [break]
If he follows the rules and regulations and, uh, then it is sure that he will come to that stage. But you should not be rigid. Suppose I have come to certain stage, "Oh, therefore I'll take it as final." No. There is no improvement. You have to seek out if there is more and more knowledge beyond this. Just like the higher mathematics and mathematics in the infant class. ''Yat sāṅkhyaiḥ prāpyate sthānaṁ, tad yogair api gamyate'' ([[BG 5.5 (1972)|BG 5.5]]).


...summary is that if you work Kṛṣṇa consciousness without any hate and only for Kṛṣṇa's service, that is the highest perfectional stage of life. That is highest perfectional stage of life. (end)
Now, Kṛṣṇa is stressing that the ultimate goal of life which you can achieve by analytical study and metaphysics and philosophy, the same place you can also reach by direct Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Not that you have to wait. This is the direct means. It is specially suitable for this age. How many people, they are fit for studying philosophy? Very few. It requires very learned knowledge to understand philosophical truth.


Therefore Lord Caitanya is . . . He said, ''kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā'' (CC Ādi 17.21); "In this age, there is no other way, no other way, no other way than this particular way of chanting ''Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare''." "No other way, no other way, no other way" means, according to Vedic system, there are different types of spiritual realization in different ages.


{{BGL_Footer|{{PAGENAME}}}}
Just like in the . . . ''kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum''. ''Kṛte'' means in the Satya-yuga, when people used to live for millions of years. At that time it is recommended that they should take to meditation for self-realization. Then in the next age . . . ''kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ'' ([[SB 12.3.52]]). And the next age it is recommended that they should sacrifice. They should perform costly sacrifice. But that is not possible also.
 
And in the Dvāpara-yuga, ''dvāpare paricaryāyām''. The temple worship was introduced in the Dvāpara-yuga. ''Kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt''. And in the, this age, it is called Kali-yuga, the age of quarrel and fight, in this age the only means is ''hari-kīrtana''. If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, so all enemies and friends, and learned and fools, rich and poor, man, woman, black, white, yellow, oh, everyone can take part. There is no distinction. There is no distinction, and you derive the same profit. That is recommended.
 
So here also, Kṛṣṇa says, ''ekaṁ sāṅkhyaṁ ca yogaṁ ca yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati'' ([[BG 5.5 (1972)|BG 5.5]]). So therefore we have to accept the favorable circumstances. In this age, in this difficult age, if we find the same result by being Kṛṣṇa conscious and chanting ''Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare'', then I . . . we should take advantage of it. Why should we stick to certain other principles? That is also good. That's all right. But this is favorable in the present circumstances. That is the point.
 
:''sannyāsas tu mahā-bāho''
:''duḥkham āptum ayogataḥ''
:''yoga-yukto munir brahma''
:''na cireṇādhigacchati''
:([[BG 5.6 (1972)|BG 5.6]])
 
''Sannyāsa'' . . . suppose if you simply renounce the world for your certain difficulty: "The worldly life, household life, is very difficult to maintain. Now let, let me become a ''sannyāsī''. I'll go door to door and beg and I'll have . . ."
 
'''Guest (1):''' Excuse me, sir . . .
 
'''Prabhupāda:''' No. You cannot disturb just now.
 
'''Guest (2):''' Now wait a minute, man . . .
 
'''Prabhupāda:''' No, no, no, no, no, no, no, not just now. No, no, no. You cannot ask just now.
 
'''Guest (1):''' I'm trying to . . .
 
'''Prabhupāda:''' No. Just now you can ask.
 
'''Guest (2):''' Wait a minute, man. Wait.
 
'''Prabhupāda:''' Why you interfere just now? We have got question time.
 
'''Guest (3):''' Let the man finish.
 
'''Guest (1):''' I just have one question, please. How long is an individual allowed to go on with soul? What if he's going towards the . . . (indistinct) . . . without any type of thought? Why? How long?
 
'''Prabhupāda:''' I'm not finished. We, we'll give question time after finishing all this.
 
'''Guest (1):''' Well, I am here to learn.
 
'''Prabhupāda:''' Yes.
 
'''Guest (1):''' (indistinct) . . . I'm serious. How long . . .
 
'''Prabhupāda:''' All right. I'm very glad that you are serious, but please wait. Have some patience. Because we have not finished. As soon as we finish now, after five minutes, ten minutes, I shall attend to your questions. Don't be impatient. Sit down. So Kṛṣṇa says that:
 
:''sannyāsas tu mahā-bāho''
:''duḥkham āptum ayogataḥ''
:''yoga-yukto munir brahma''
:''na cireṇādhigacchati''
:([[BG 5.6 (1972)|BG 5.6]])
 
''Sannyāsa'', simply by renouncing this world, if you do not find out the Absolute Truth, then it is simply accepting tribulation voluntarily. Because suppose I give up my family life. Anyone is comfortable at family life, but suppose he leaves such family life and takes this life of mendicant—it is not very comfortable. But why shall I accept this position if I have no idea of the Absolute Truth? That is it. So ''sannyāsas tu mahā-bāho duḥkham āptum''. So if you don't find the Absolute Truth, then it is simply meant for accepting miseries. Miseries.
 
And ''yoga-yukto munir brahma na cireṇādhigacchati''. But one who is dovetailed with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even he is at home . . . it was particularly said to Arjuna that "You are thinking that you are . . . you'll not fight. Better you are thinking that you shall beg instead of killing your kinsmen. You do not want kingdom. But that is not a practical proposition. You, you, you just try to understand why you have to fight, what is the cause." That means He was giving hint that, "You'll have to fight for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you'll get happiness. Simply by leaving, simply by becoming mendicant, it will not help you."
 
:''yoga-yukto viśuddhātmā''
:''vijitātmā jitendriyaḥ''
:''sarva-bhūtātma-bhūtātmā''
:''kurvann api na lipyate''
:([[BG 5.7 (1972)|BG 5.7]])
 
All right. We shall . . . this gentleman is impatient. We shall stop here. You see. Now, what is your question, kindly, sir?
 
'''Guest (1):''' (indistinct) . . . "I think, therefore I am."
 
'''Prabhupāda:''' What is your particular question?
 
'''Guest (1):''' I have no answer to that question. What does it matter? Rather, but every attempt that . . . (indistinct) . . . I can hear. I live, I breathe.
 
'''Prabhupāda:''' Yes.
 
'''Guest (1):''' But who has been able to tell me yet why I feel? . . . (indistinct)
 
'''Prabhupāda:''' That's all right?
 
'''Guest (1):''' I have difficulty in your . . . I have difficulty in saying, in expressing . . .
 
'''Prabhupāda:''' Now, so long you are in this material world, there are many problems.
 
'''Guest (1):''' Not many problems. It is a . . . not many problems . . . (indistinct) . . . this is the greatest fact. I have . . . I know the sort of world in which I live.
 
'''Prabhupāda:''' Yes.
 
'''Guest (1):''' I also know that Taoism and Hinduism, Islam, Judaism attempted to explain the whys and wherefores of my particular . . . (indistinct)
 
'''Prabhupāda:''' Yes.
 
'''Guest (1):''' I didn't come here expressly to . . . let me explain my position. This isn't really necessary. I feel I must . . . I think the existence is to learn. I live around the corner. I have walked by here numerable times (indistinct). By the same token . . . (indistinct) . . . for a long time to try to find out why.
 
'''Prabhupāda:''' Raymond, you can . . . you can answer his question. It is general question. You can answer. Yes.
 
'''Guest:''' (makes indistinct comments and questions, with Raymond quoting ''Bhagavad-gītā'' to try to answer) (end)

Latest revision as of 03:55, 13 December 2023

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada



660824BG.NY - August 24, 1966



Prabhupāda: (kīrtana) (prema-dhvani) Gaura-Premanandi. Hari Haribol. Thank you very much . . . (break)

jñeyaḥ sa nitya-sannyāsī
yo na dveṣṭi na kāṅkṣati
nirdvandvo hi mahā-bāho
sukhaṁ bandhāt pramucyate
(BG 5.3)

Jñeyeḥ, "Just understand," sa. Sa means he. Who? Nitya-sannyāsī: "That person is always in renounced order, not by dress, but by action. Always in renounced order," yo na dveṣṭi na kāṅkṣati, "that person who does not hate, neither desires." Nitya-sannyāsī. The renounced order means that I renounce my material propensities. That is called renunciation. A living entity is living. He has got his different propensities. That is his natural position. If I say that "You don't desire," no, that is not possible. I cannot desire, I don't desire . . . if I am desireless, then I am dead. What is my life? Desire . . . somebody says that "You become desireless." That is an impossible, sir. Desireless means don't desire materially. That is desireless.

So a person who has renounced everything for service of the Lord, sannyāsī. Sannyāsī means sat-nyāsī. Sat means the supreme eternal, and nyāsī means renounced. So sannyāsī . . . he is a sannyāsī who has renounced everything for the sake of the Lord. He's called sannyāsī. And he has no hatred for anything, because in his vision everything is meant for the service of the Lord. So therefore he cannot hate anything.

Sometimes it is advertised that "Such-and-such saint, he does not touch money. He does not touch money. When money is offered to him, his hand becomes turned." But a Bhagavad-gītā does not say that. Bhagavad-gītā does not say that "Because money is offered to you, therefore you shall turn your hand." Yes. Because a devotee's life is dedicated to the Supreme, so he also thinks that "This money can be utilized for the service of the Lord."

Just like there are many instances in India. In our line of disciplic succession, ācārya, there was one Rūpa Gosvāmī. Rūpa Gosvāmī, he was formerly the minister of a very big estate. Then he renounced his family life and joined Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and became a mendicant. Now, of course, nowadays people are not so much fond of mendicant. But formerly, any householder, they would go to some sage, some saintly person, and offer some service, "Sir, what can I serve for you?" Oh, that was the system.

So one big merchant—he belonged to Sindhi, Sindh Province, which is now in Pakistan—he approached Rūpa Gosvāmī and offered that "Swāmījī, I want to make some service. Please give me direction. How can I serve you?" So he was a very big man. So Rūpa Gosvāmī asked him that "Yes, if you have got money, then engage it in the service of Kṛṣṇa according to your position." So he built a very nice temple. That temple . . . if you go sometimes to India, that is a very remarkable temple.

So in this way, money is not bad. Ev . . . nothing is bad. Anything created by God, nothing is bad. But if it is employed in the service of the Lord. Otherwise, it is bad. So for a sannyāsī who has dedicated his life for the service of the Lord, he, he does not hate anything. He can . . . he knows the art how to employ anything in the service of the Lord. Therefore he does not hate anything. Na dveṣṭi.

And na kāṅkṣati. Na kāṅkṣati means he does not desire any money for his personal account. That is the significance. If you offer to a devotee who has renounced his life for the service of the Lord millions of dollars, he can engage. He knows the art how to engage millions of dollars in the service of the Lord, but not a farthing for his own comfort. Not a farthing for his own comfort. Na kāṅkṣati. Na dveṣṭi na kāṅkṣati. He does not hate money. Because he knows that money is a strength. By this strength, the service of the Lord can be advanced in so many ways.

So that Rūpa Gosvāmī made two verses for our guidance. For our guidance he made two verses, very nice verses.

anāsaktasya viṣayān
yathārham upayuñjataḥ
nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe
yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.255)

He says that viṣaya . . . viṣaya means enjoyable things. In the material world, what we want to enjoy, that is called viṣaya. So anāsaktasya viṣayān. So far we have got this body, we have to accept not for sense gratification, but for maintenance. So anāsaktasya, without being attached, we may accept the necessities of our bodily requirements, yathārham, as far as possible, as much as I want for maintaining the body and soul together. In this way, if we live. But everything dedicated to the Supreme Lord, that is the highest standard of renounced.

And another, other side he explains that, that the things . . . phalgu-vairāgyaṁ kathyate. Nirbandhaḥ. The idea is . . . I exactly forgot the verse, but it is stated like this, that a person who is trying to renounce this world without knowing that everything can be engaged in the service of the Lord, and he's renouncing, he is . . . his renunciation is not first grade. His renunciation is not first grade. Why?

Now, what do you mean by renunciation? Suppose I am in the renounced order of life. What I have renounced? Oh, you are . . . you have got clothing; I have got also clothing. It may be less costly. Or you are living in some room; oh, I am also living in some room. So what is the difference between you and me? Renunciation. Suppose a mendicant becomes . . . he has renounced everything. In India you'll find, simply a loincloth he's wearing, even naked body. Sometimes, they are naked.

So Rūpa Gosvāmī says that the monkey, monkey is completely naked, and he eats fruit. Markaṭa-vairāgya (CC Madhya 16.238). Markaṭa-vairāgya . . . mendicantism just like the monkey. He is . . . he is living in a jungle. Suppose a sage or saintly person goes to the jungle. So monkey is there in the jungle. Oh, he has renounced.

He has no clothing. He's naked. And he eats also only fruits. Just like the sages also eat only fruit. So these are not qualification, simply eating fruit or renouncing. The real qualification is that how much one is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, in the service of the Lord. That is the qualification. Otherwise, if I am in renounced, I am naked, I eat . . . only eat fruit, and I live in jungle, and I have got many lady monkeys with me, oh, what sort of renouncement that is? That is not . . . that is called "monkey renouncement."

So we don't want monkey renouncement, we want real renouncement. We don't use anything for my personal comfort, everything for Kṛṣṇa. That is called renouncement—not a single farthing for my personal comfort, but millions of dollars for Kṛṣṇa. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). He is the only enjoyer. So this is called renouncement. Anyone who has renounced everything . . .

Therefore Lord Caitanya has recommended the renouncement of the gopīs as the highest renouncement. Gopīs. The gopīs in Vṛndāvana . . . when Kṛṣṇa was present, He was so attractive. Now, why? Because He was said . . . yesterday I explained that the God's one qualification is that He has all the beauty. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya vīryasya yaśasaḥ śriyaḥ (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.5.47). Śriyaḥ means beauty.

So when He was sixteen years old, so in village He had many friends, girlfriends, who were of the same age. But in India the girls are married earlier. In those days also, they were married at the age of twelve years, thirteen years. But Kṛṣṇa was only sixteen years. So . . . but He was playing flute. His playing flute was so nice that even at night, when He was playing flute, all those girls, they'll leave their husband and father and mother and everything; they'll come at once to Kṛṣṇa. So this is an example how they don't care for anything for (but) Kṛṣṇa.

So that is the life. Therefore . . . of course, that is not material association. That can be understood when one is a little advanced in the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the love between the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa. That is not ordinary thing. But anyway, that . . . they did not care anything. So that is renouncement. The father is asking, "Oh, where you are going?" The husband is asking, "Where you are going?" The Mother is . . . "No, Kṛṣṇa's flute is there."

So Lord Caitanya recommended, ramya kaścid upāsanā vraja-vadhu-varga-vīrya-kalpita (Caitanya-mañjusā); "There is no higher type of worship than it was done by the gopīs of the Lord." They were not very learned. They were ordinary village girls. They were not educated. They were not Vedāntists, philosophers. But they had the unlimited ecstasy and love for Kṛṣṇa.

That is required. That is called sannyāsa. Everything. We should, twenty-four hours, we should think in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, how we can advance the cause of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is renouncement. That is the first-class renouncement, how to engage people. The people are suffering. Lord Caitanya is worshiped by the same Rūpa Gosvāmī:

namo mahā-vadānyāya
kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te
kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-
nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ
(CC Madhya 19.53)

They said, "Lord Caitanya, You are the most munificent person, personality, because You are distributing kṛṣṇa-prema, love of Kṛṣṇa, love of Kṛṣṇa, and this love of Kṛṣṇa, distribution of love of Kṛṣṇa by You, means that You are Kṛṣṇa Himself."

Because Kṛṣṇa, when He appeared, then He spoke Bhagavad-gītā and He said, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66): "You give up all engagements; just become under My shelter. I give you protection," ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi, some people misunderstood. Even in Dr. Radhakrishnan's book, you'll find, he says: "Oh, not to Kṛṣṇa." You see? Even great scholars make mistake.

The clear indication is that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa says that, "Just surrender unto Me," and the scholar says: "Oh, this surrender is not to Kṛṣṇa." Just see. So the surrender to Kṛṣṇa and this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the highest perfectional stage of life. Highest perfectional stage of . . . one who has tasted it, oh, he cannot be, I mean to say, thinking of anything else. Nirdvandvo hi mahā-bāho, sukhaṁ bandhāt pramucyate (BG 5.3).

One who has attained such consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he becomes nirdvandva. Nirdvandva means he has no duality because he sees everything in Kṛṣṇa relationship. He sees everything. Actually, everything is the manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's energy. So highest stage, in the highest stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the person sees everything in relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Nirdvandvo hi mahā-bāho sukhaṁ bandhāt pramucyate. And if we are fortunate enough to come to that stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then very easily and very happily we'll become liberated from this entanglement of material life. Only we have to develop that stage of ecstasy and love for Kṛṣṇa. That's all.

sāṅkhya-yogau pṛthag bālāḥ
pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ
ekam apy āsthitaḥ samyag
ubhayor vindate phalam
(BG 5.4)

Now Arjuna's question was that, "You are engaging me sometimes in karma-yoga and sometimes in sannyāsa. So what is the real thing that You want me to do?" So Kṛṣṇa replies here that sāṅkhya-yogau pṛthag bālāḥ pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ. Sāṅkhya-yoga. Sāṅkhya-yoga . . . perhaps some of you or most of you know what is sāṅkhya-yoga, metaphysics, by Kapila, sāṅkhya-yoga. Sāṅkhya-yoga means analytical study of these material elements.

Now, what is the use of analytical study of this material world? Simply understanding that this material world is working in twenty-four elements. The eleven senses: ten senses, five working senses and five knowledge-acquiring senses, and the mind. Eleven. Eleven elements. And pañca-mahā-bhūta. Pañca-mahā-bhūta means the material elements just like earth, water, fire, air and ether. Eleven and five, it becomes sixteen.

Then subtle elements, just like manaḥ, buddhiḥ, ahaṅkāra: mind, intelligence and false ego. False ego. So sixteen and three. Nineteen. And five, I mean to say, sense objects. Sense objects means rūpa, form; rasa, taste; form, taste, rūpa, rasa, gandha, smell; then rūpa, rasa, gandha, śabda, sound, sound. You have got ear. You require sound to hear. In this way, the sāṅkhya-yoga, they have analyzed the whole material world into twenty-four elements. That is sāṅkhya-yoga.

Now suppose you study very analytically these twenty-four elements. And what is the idea of studying these elemental . . . analytical study of this material world? Because we have to find out what is the main principle which is working behind these twenty-four elements. What is the main principle? Now, suppose I have got these senses, and suppose there are material elements—earth, water, fire—all these things are there. But are they sufficient by themselves? No. They are not sufficient by themselves. Unless that spirit soul is there, so they are lying down.

Just take for example this land of America. It was lying, oh, vast land. Still you have got many lands vacant. So they are lying vacant. And so when the Europeans they came here, they gradually developed. Now they’re nice. So simply these material elements has no value. Unless there is spiritual touch, there is no value.

So study of . . . analytical study of this material world, they are not sufficient by themselves. You have to find out the spiritual power behind it. So sannyāsa means, generally, the sannyāsa, those who have taken up the renounced order of life, they search after the Supreme Truth and make an analytical study of this material world. That is called sāṅkhya-yoga.

Kṛṣṇa says, sāṅkhya-yoga . . . sāṅkhya and yoga. And yoga means direct connection with the Lord. Direct connection with the Lord. Just like in the darkness. In dark, in the darkness, you cannot see anything. Suppose your room is closed and dark. You cannot see anything. But when you come to the light, you come to the sunlight, then you can see yourself and everything very nicely. So yoga, this word yoga, means to come in direct touch with the absolute light or Absolute Truth. That is called yoga.

So by analytical, analytical study of this material world, that is not sufficient. Unless you come in direct touch with the Supreme Absolute Truth, this knowledge has no value. This knowledge has no value. If you want, you can study anything, any straw in the street. You can make a very analytical study of the straw. But that sort of knowledge has no value unless you come to the point of our spiritual existence.

So sāṅkh . . . so Kṛṣṇa says . . . the idea of sāṅkhya-yoga, analytical study of this material world, means you have to find out the spiritual existence. And that spiritual existence you can have when you directly come to the spiritual life. So direct process is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa is just like the sun.

Kṛṣṇa—sūrya-sama, māyā haya andhakāra
yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra
(CC Madhya 22.31).

The idea is just like the sun. In the sun there is no darkness. You cannot conceive any darkness in the sun. Similarly Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is just like the sun. If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, if you come in touch with Kṛṣṇa, then there is no possibility of ignorance. There is no possibility of ignorance. You will learn everything. As we have repeatedly said that Kṛṣṇa says, teṣām . . .

teṣām evānukampārtham
aham ajñāna-jaṁ tamaḥ
nāśayāmy ātma-bhāva-stho
jñāna-dīpena bhāsvatā
(BG 10.1)

Kṛṣṇa says. Kṛṣṇa is within yourself. Kṛṣṇa is without and within. So without, we cannot see, but within, we can see, provided we are little advanced in the understanding that there is Supersoul, presentation of Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa says that teṣām eva anukampārtham.

Those who are actually seeking after becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious . . . within yourself, He sees, "Oh, here is a person now who is anxious." So He gives you intelligence. Buddhi-yogaṁ dadāmi tam: "I give him intelligence how he can approach Me, how he can excel himself by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness." The help will come from within. And so far ignorance is concerned, that will be vanquished within no time.

Teṣām eva aham anukampārtham: "for special favor." Kṛṣṇa has got special favor for persons who are trying to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. He's God. He's God. He's equal to everyone. That you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā. Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ (BG 9.29).

Just like a rich man. A rich man, he has got many, many, many thousands of people to maintain. Suppose he has got workshop, many, many thousands of workers. So he's looking after the interest of everyone. That's all right. But those who are his personal sons and dependents, oh, he has got special favor for them.

Similarly, Kṛṣṇa, although He is equal to everyone, still, those who are especially trying to be connected with Him . . . because the whole thing is, whole material manifestation, is meant for giving us a chance to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. So one who is trying to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, He has got special favor.

(aside) I'll answer later on.

He has got special favor. So sāṅkhya-yogau pṛthag bālāḥ pravadanti na paṇḍitāḥ (BG 5.4).

So any, any type of spiritual realization, they are different forms. "You are . . . you are Hindu? Oh, I am, I am Christian." "Oh, you are Christian? I am Muhammadan." So these conception that, "I am different from you," that is not for the learned. The learned one is hankering after the Supreme Truth. Never mind, either you go through Bible, or go through Bhagavad-gītā, or go through this Koran, that doesn't matter. What is the aim of your life?

If your aim of life is to understand the Absolute Truth, then there is no difference. But if your aim is something else, then you'll find some difference from Bhagavad-gītā to Bible, Bible to Koran, Koran to something else. So Kṛṣṇa says that sāṅkhya-yoga. Either you take sāṅkhya-yoga or sāṅkhya or this karma-yoga, anything, there is no difference. Because the . . . everything is trying to give you the ultimate Absolute Truth.

So if you have caught up such Absolute Truth, then there you'll find no difference. Paṇḍitāḥ. Paṇḍitāḥ means learned. They do not find. But the . . . those who are not learned, they find difference. Ekam apy āsthitaḥ samyag ubhayor vindate phalam. Those who are learned, he can be situated in any form of realization and he can realize soul or . . . it is not . . . never a learned man will say that "In this process, there is no self-realization. In this process there is spiritual . . ." No. In every process, there is. It may be in a higher standard or in a lower standard.

Just like I have many times (said) that two plus two equal to four, that is fact; that is a mathematical truth. Now, this two plus two, in the infant class, the two plus two equal to four is the same, and higher mathematics and in the M.A. class, the student is studying higher mathematics, astronomy, astrology, there also, the two plus two equal to four is the truth. But the infant class, the study of mathematics in the infant class and the study of mathematics in the M.A. class, there is difference. There is difference. There is a . . . there is a story that a student . . .

(aside) Why it is not open? It is not open?

Young man: It is open . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: All right. People may come in. One student, he was studying trigonometry. After passing his matriculation, in the college he was studying. So he was reading, "Let A and B, a straight line, and C, another straight line." So just like he was reading. So his mother thought, "Oh, my son has again begun A-B-C." You see? So he was asking . . . she was asking his (her) son, "Oh, my dear son, you have passed your school ending examination, you have again begun A-B-C-D? What is that?" That means she, she's not so intelligent. She thought that "My son has begun again A-B-C-D from the infant class." No. It is higher mathematics. The same A-B-C-D is there, but that is higher mathematics.

Similarly, the Truth, Absolute Truth, is always the same. But that Absolute Truth is expressed according to the different situation. The position of certain scripture in certain country in certain circumstances may be described in a certain particular way, but the aim is the same. Aim is the same. So those who are interested in higher mathematics, they take to higher mathematics. Or those who have developed themselves from infant class. But the truth, "two plus two equal to four," that does not any circumsta . . . become false. That is the truth.

So ekam apy āsthitaḥ samyag. If one is intelligent enough, if he is really learned, so he can be situated in any place, and if he follows . . . just this morning we were reading, yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya (BG 16.23).

If he follows the rules and regulations and, uh, then it is sure that he will come to that stage. But you should not be rigid. Suppose I have come to certain stage, "Oh, therefore I'll take it as final." No. There is no improvement. You have to seek out if there is more and more knowledge beyond this. Just like the higher mathematics and mathematics in the infant class. Yat sāṅkhyaiḥ prāpyate sthānaṁ, tad yogair api gamyate (BG 5.5).

Now, Kṛṣṇa is stressing that the ultimate goal of life which you can achieve by analytical study and metaphysics and philosophy, the same place you can also reach by direct Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Not that you have to wait. This is the direct means. It is specially suitable for this age. How many people, they are fit for studying philosophy? Very few. It requires very learned knowledge to understand philosophical truth.

Therefore Lord Caitanya is . . . He said, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā (CC Ādi 17.21); "In this age, there is no other way, no other way, no other way than this particular way of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare." "No other way, no other way, no other way" means, according to Vedic system, there are different types of spiritual realization in different ages.

Just like in the . . . kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum. Kṛte means in the Satya-yuga, when people used to live for millions of years. At that time it is recommended that they should take to meditation for self-realization. Then in the next age . . . kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ (SB 12.3.52). And the next age it is recommended that they should sacrifice. They should perform costly sacrifice. But that is not possible also.

And in the Dvāpara-yuga, dvāpare paricaryāyām. The temple worship was introduced in the Dvāpara-yuga. Kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt. And in the, this age, it is called Kali-yuga, the age of quarrel and fight, in this age the only means is hari-kīrtana. If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, so all enemies and friends, and learned and fools, rich and poor, man, woman, black, white, yellow, oh, everyone can take part. There is no distinction. There is no distinction, and you derive the same profit. That is recommended.

So here also, Kṛṣṇa says, ekaṁ sāṅkhyaṁ ca yogaṁ ca yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati (BG 5.5). So therefore we have to accept the favorable circumstances. In this age, in this difficult age, if we find the same result by being Kṛṣṇa conscious and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, then I . . . we should take advantage of it. Why should we stick to certain other principles? That is also good. That's all right. But this is favorable in the present circumstances. That is the point.

sannyāsas tu mahā-bāho
duḥkham āptum ayogataḥ
yoga-yukto munir brahma
na cireṇādhigacchati
(BG 5.6)

Sannyāsa . . . suppose if you simply renounce the world for your certain difficulty: "The worldly life, household life, is very difficult to maintain. Now let, let me become a sannyāsī. I'll go door to door and beg and I'll have . . ."

Guest (1): Excuse me, sir . . .

Prabhupāda: No. You cannot disturb just now.

Guest (2): Now wait a minute, man . . .

Prabhupāda: No, no, no, no, no, no, no, not just now. No, no, no. You cannot ask just now.

Guest (1): I'm trying to . . .

Prabhupāda: No. Just now you can ask.

Guest (2): Wait a minute, man. Wait.

Prabhupāda: Why you interfere just now? We have got question time.

Guest (3): Let the man finish.

Guest (1): I just have one question, please. How long is an individual allowed to go on with soul? What if he's going towards the . . . (indistinct) . . . without any type of thought? Why? How long?

Prabhupāda: I'm not finished. We, we'll give question time after finishing all this.

Guest (1): Well, I am here to learn.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (1): (indistinct) . . . I'm serious. How long . . .

Prabhupāda: All right. I'm very glad that you are serious, but please wait. Have some patience. Because we have not finished. As soon as we finish now, after five minutes, ten minutes, I shall attend to your questions. Don't be impatient. Sit down. So Kṛṣṇa says that:

sannyāsas tu mahā-bāho
duḥkham āptum ayogataḥ
yoga-yukto munir brahma
na cireṇādhigacchati
(BG 5.6)

Sannyāsa, simply by renouncing this world, if you do not find out the Absolute Truth, then it is simply accepting tribulation voluntarily. Because suppose I give up my family life. Anyone is comfortable at family life, but suppose he leaves such family life and takes this life of mendicant—it is not very comfortable. But why shall I accept this position if I have no idea of the Absolute Truth? That is it. So sannyāsas tu mahā-bāho duḥkham āptum. So if you don't find the Absolute Truth, then it is simply meant for accepting miseries. Miseries.

And yoga-yukto munir brahma na cireṇādhigacchati. But one who is dovetailed with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even he is at home . . . it was particularly said to Arjuna that "You are thinking that you are . . . you'll not fight. Better you are thinking that you shall beg instead of killing your kinsmen. You do not want kingdom. But that is not a practical proposition. You, you, you just try to understand why you have to fight, what is the cause." That means He was giving hint that, "You'll have to fight for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then you'll get happiness. Simply by leaving, simply by becoming mendicant, it will not help you."

yoga-yukto viśuddhātmā
vijitātmā jitendriyaḥ
sarva-bhūtātma-bhūtātmā
kurvann api na lipyate
(BG 5.7)

All right. We shall . . . this gentleman is impatient. We shall stop here. You see. Now, what is your question, kindly, sir?

Guest (1): (indistinct) . . . "I think, therefore I am."

Prabhupāda: What is your particular question?

Guest (1): I have no answer to that question. What does it matter? Rather, but every attempt that . . . (indistinct) . . . I can hear. I live, I breathe.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (1): But who has been able to tell me yet why I feel? . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: That's all right?

Guest (1): I have difficulty in your . . . I have difficulty in saying, in expressing . . .

Prabhupāda: Now, so long you are in this material world, there are many problems.

Guest (1): Not many problems. It is a . . . not many problems . . . (indistinct) . . . this is the greatest fact. I have . . . I know the sort of world in which I live.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (1): I also know that Taoism and Hinduism, Islam, Judaism attempted to explain the whys and wherefores of my particular . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (1): I didn't come here expressly to . . . let me explain my position. This isn't really necessary. I feel I must . . . I think the existence is to learn. I live around the corner. I have walked by here numerable times (indistinct). By the same token . . . (indistinct) . . . for a long time to try to find out why.

Prabhupāda: Raymond, you can . . . you can answer his question. It is general question. You can answer. Yes.

Guest: (makes indistinct comments and questions, with Raymond quoting Bhagavad-gītā to try to answer) (end)