661028 - Lecture BG 08.14-15 - New York

Lectures by Date, 1966

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

661028BG.NY - October 28, 1966

Prabhupāda:

ananya-cetāḥ satataṁ

yo māṁ smarati nityaśaḥ

tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha

nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ

(BG 8.14)

Last day we have been discussing the . . . how the impersonalist, they transfer themselves in the spiritual kingdom. The yogīs and the jñānīs, they are generally impersonalist. So for them, the process—at the time of death, they vibrate the transcendental sound oṁ, oṁkāra, and by that way they transfer to the spiritual world. But they do not enter into the spiritual planet. This point we have discussed. And the risk is that if we do not have any rest in the spiritual planet, if we remain in the outer space only, then there is risk of coming down again in this material world. The Bhāgavata confirms it:

ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas

tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ

āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ

patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ

(SB 10.2.32)

It is said that, "Persons who are interested of becoming liberated," ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninaḥ, "simply by the concept of impersonal merging into the spiritual existence," so ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa, "they consider themself that they are liberated." That is also point of liberation, but the Bhāgavata says that "Although they consider themselves as liberated, the . . ." aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. Aviśuddha means their knowledge is not very pure, not yet pure. Aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ.

The result is āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ: "They can rise up to the Supreme Absolute platform by their penances and austerities, meditation." That is right. They can reach to that platform. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa means "raising themselves, elevating themselves by severe penances to that platform," āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam, the Supreme Absolute platform. But patanty adhaḥ: "They again fall down in this material world." Why? Anādṛta: "Because they have not taken seriously about Your personal feature." Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ: "Without worshiping Your lotus feet, the result is that they come down again in this material world."

Just like however you may rise in this material space, five thousand feet or any, if you have no rest in any planet, then naturally you'll come down again, naturally, because you have no rest. So in the spiritual effulgence, if we do not have any rest, then we are sure to come back again down. The reason is—that I have already explained—that our life . . . we, as living entities, we are part and parcel of the Supreme, sac-cid-ānanda. We want pleasure.

So impersonal feature does not give us that pleasure which we want, which is our demand. That pleasure is available in the spiritual planets. If you enter in any of the spiritual planets, then that spiritual happiness and exchange of pleasure you can attain. Therefore the Lord says, Kṛṣṇa, ananya-cetāḥ satataṁ yo māṁ smarati nityaśaḥ: "A person without any deviation . . ." Ananya-cetāḥ. Without any consideration of jñāna, yoga, or any other process, simply devotional process, simply surrendered process: "My Lord, I am Your eternal servant. Please give me Your service. Let me engage. Let me be engaged in Your service." This is called ananya-cetāḥ.

Ananya-cetāḥ satatam. Satatam means always, twenty-four hours, cent percent, without any deviation. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If anyone is engaged in such Kṛṣṇa consciousness, twenty-four hours and cent percent, then yo māṁ smarati nityaśaḥ, always remembering . . . suppose if you are engaged in some work, naturally you'll be thinking of that particular work. When you go to your office and work, oh, you have to think always of the office business. That is quite natural. Similarly, if you engage yourself in the business of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, naturally you'll be always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is said, yo māṁ smarati nityaśaḥ: "Always remembering Me." Tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha (BG 8.14): "My dear Pārtha, Arjuna, for him I am very cheap." Sulabhaḥ means very easily available.

God, Kṛṣṇa, is called Ajita. Ajita means nobody can conquer God. Therefore His name is Ajita. Just like God has innumerable . . . He is unlimited, and His functions and activities are unlimited. And according to His activities, His names are also unlimited. So this is one of the name, Ajita. Ajita means "the personality who is never conquered." Nobody can conquer Him, therefore His name is Ajita. So there is a very nice verse in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva

jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām

sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir

prayena ajito 'py jito' py asi tais tri-lokyām

(SB 10.14.3)

Brahmā is praying Lord Kṛṣṇa in this way, that "A person," jñāne prayāsam udapāsya, "giving up the futile endeavor to understand the Supreme by one's limited knowledge . . ." Give . . . give up this attempt. Jñāne prayāsam. Jñāne prayāsam means that the theosophists, the philosophers, they are trying years after years, life after years, "What is God? What is God? What is the Absolute Truth?" Just like we throw Sputniks—"How much the space is length and breadth?" This is frog philosophy.

Just like several times I have recited: A frog is measuring the length and breadth of Atlantic Ocean. You see? A frog, whose life is within the well, three feet, three cubic measurement, he's trying to measure what is the length and breadth of Atlantic and Pacific ocean. Similarly, our attempt to measure how far this outer space is—just like that, futile. And what to speak of this, speak of this space, our measurement of our limited knowledge . . . with the limited knowledge, if we want to know how far, how much long and short is God, it is a futile attempt, futile at . . . it is not possible. So Bhāgavata recommends, jñāne prayāsam udapāsya: "Just give up this nonsense habit to measure the Supreme." It is not possible.

So jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. A person who has taken this determination that, "It is futile. It is useless to try to understand what is God by my limited knowledge," he's a . . . he's an intelligent man who takes this decision. So jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva: "Just become submissive. Just try to understand your position that you are very insignificant segment in this material world, or in the creation." Namanta eva: "Just become submissive." Jñāne prayāsam: "Giving up this endeavor to understand the Supreme by one's limited knowledge, and just become submissive."

Then? What is the process? San-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām; "You just try to understand the Supreme from the reliable source." San-mukharitām. Sat-mukharitām. Mukharita means from the lips, from the lips of realized souls. Just like Arjuna is understanding about God from direct Kṛṣṇa, from the lips of Kṛṣṇa. Svayaṁ padmanābha-mukham, mukha-niḥsṛtaḥ. So this is the process. So similarly, if we understand about God through the lips of Arjuna or his bona fide representative, that is the process.

Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva: "Submissively, one who tries to understand the transcendental nature of God from the reliable source . . ." Sthāne sthitāḥ. Never mind what he is. Never mind what he is. Either Indian or European or American or Japanese or Hindu or Muslim, never mind. So sthāne sthitāḥ: "Just be situated in your place. That doesn't matter." Śruti-gatām: "Just try to understand through your ears by aural reception," aural reception. San-mukharitām, śruti-gatām. Śruti means this ear, reception through the ear. San-mukharitāṁ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. Then just try to practice it in your practical life.

Tanu-vāṅ-manobhir ye prāyaśaḥ ajita: "My dear Lord, You are unconquerable, but by this person You become conquered, simply by hearing." It is such a nice process. God is not conquerable, but He becomes conquerable. He is conquered by a devotee who gives up this nonsense process of understanding Him by his limited knowledge and becomes submissive. And just try to hear from the right source, and try to appear . . . apply in your life. Then you become a conqueror of the Supreme.

So similarly, Lord Kṛṣṇa also says that tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ. Sulabhaḥ means "I am easily available." God is not easily available. It is very difficult. "But for a person who is constantly in Kṛṣṇa consciousness," the Lord says Himself, "for him, I am easily available. Easily available." So why don't you take up this process?

There is another nice verse in the Brahma-saṁhitā that . . . just I forget. The purport is that a person, if he tries to understand by his sensual process . . . this is called sensual, āroha-panthā. Āroha-panthā means trying to ascend. Trying to ascend. There are two kinds of ways to understand knowledge. One process is āroha-panthā, ascending process, and another process is descending process. Descending process. What is that āroha-panthā? Āroha-panthā means that, "I shall understand what is God by my own knowledge. I don't care for any authority, any books. I'll understand, I'll meditate, I'll think, I'll philosophize, and I'll understand what is God." This is called āroha-panthā. And against this, there is avaroha-panthā. Avaroha-panthā means getting knowledge from the authority. There are two processes.

Now, out of these two processes, the āroha-panthā, one who is trying to understand the Supreme by his own limited knowledge, for him, it is said in the Brahma-saṁhitā:

panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo

vāyor athāpi manaso muni-puṅgavānām

so 'py asti yat prapada-sīmny avicintya-tattve

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs 5.34)

Now, panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyaḥ. By the ascending process, if anyone makes progress with the speed of mind and speed of air . . . you, you know the speed of mind, how it is powerful. You are sitting here, and you can think of thousands and thousands of miles away immediately. Just see the speed of mind. Similarly, the velocity of air is very thousands of miles in a second, velocity of air.

So the example is given here that if anyone traverse on the path of ascending process with the velocity of mind and air . . . panthās tu koṭi-śata-vat . . . and if he makes progress not only for one day, two days, three days, one month—koṭi-śata-vatsara, millions and millions of years, if he goes in that speed . . . panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo vāyor athāpi manasaḥ. Vāyu. Vāyu means air. By the airplane or Sputnik, or by the speed of the mind, if he makes progress . . .

Panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo vāyor athāpi manaso muni-puṅgavānām. And not very ordinary man, but muni-puṅgava. Muni-puṅgava means the highest thoughtful. Puṅgava means the greatest, and a muni means thoughtful, thinker. If he goes on for millions of years in the speed of mind and speed of air, still, he will find still not knowable. Not knowable. Panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamyo vāyor athāpi manaso muni-puṅgavānām, so 'py asti yat prapada-sīmny avicintya-tattve. Still the subject matter remains inconceivable—inconceivable, not definite.

But here is the definite information. Just in the Bhagavad-gītā you will understand that ananya-cetāḥ. Ananya-cetāḥ, without any deviation from this path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without any deviation from the devotional service in submission, if anyone thinks always of Kṛṣṇa . . . Kṛṣṇa says, tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ. Sulabha means "I am very easily available for him." Tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha. "Why? Why You are so . . .? Why You become so cheap to this person?" Because nitya-yuktasya yoginaḥ: "Oh, he is constantly . . . twenty-four hours, he's engaged in My service. I cannot forget him."

This is . . . this is the process. Just become submissive and attract the attention of God. Then you'll be successful. Just try to . . . my Guru Mahārāja used to say that, "Don't try to see God. You work in such a way that God will see you. God will take care of you. Don't try to see God." This is the process. "I want to see God. O God, please come and stand before me," oh, just like He's my servant. God is no one's servant. You have to oblige Him by your love, by your service. That is the process. Here it is . . . tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha. Anyone who is engaged in that way, in that submissive way, always, constantly, without any deviation, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, oh, for him, God is very cheap, although He's not . . . He is unconquerable.

So take this process, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Very easy. This process is given to the humanity by Lord Caitanya, and Rūpa Gosvāmī, the first disciple of Lord Caitanya, he appreciated it. He was a minister in the service of the . . . (indistinct) . . . Muhammadan kingdom. And he become a disciple of Lord Caitanya. And when he first met Him, oh, he offered himself in this verse, nice verse:

namo mahā-vadānyāya

kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te

kṛṣṇāya kṛṣṇa-caitanya-

nāmne gaura-tviṣe namaḥ

(CC Madhya 19.53)

"My dear Lord Caitanya, You are the most munificent personality, most charitable, the highest charitable person." Why? "You are delivering Kṛṣṇa very cheaply. You are delivering Kṛṣṇa very cheaply. Therefore nobody is comparable with Your charity."

We want Kṛṣṇa. The whole . . . we are hankering after Kṛṣṇa, the most attractive, the most beautiful, the most opulent, the most powerful, the most learned and the most beautiful. That is our hankering. We are hankering after the beauty, the powerful, the learned. So raso vai. Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of everything. You just turn your attention to Kṛṣṇa, you'll get everything, everything, whatever your want. Whatever you heart's desire, it will be fulfilled by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness was given by Lord Caitanya. Therefore He's, I mean to say, recommended . . . He's called that namo mahā-vadānyāya: "Oh, You are the most powerful, charitable personality. Nobody has given such a thing—Kṛṣṇa." Because we are all in want of Kṛṣṇa. So that is the process given by Kṛṣṇa Himself. And here Kṛṣṇa says that, "I am . . ." Tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ pārtha: "I am . . . I become very cheap to it." Whom? "One who is constantly engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness."

And if you remain twenty-four hours in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then—just like the impersonalist, the yogīs, the jñānīs, they transfer themselves to the spiritual world in the . . . and merge into the impersonal effulgence—you enter into the planet where Kṛṣṇa is. Then what is the benefit? You can ask, "Well, suppose I do this and enter into the Kṛṣṇa planet, then what is the benefit?" The benefit is stated in the next verse, mām upetya punar janma . . .

mām upetya punar janma

duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam

nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ

saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ

(BG 8.15)

"My dear Arjuna, if anyone comes to Me," mām upetya, "by this process, by Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then the result is," punar janma duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam, na āpnuvanti, "he does not get any more to come back into this material world full of miseries."

This material world is certified by the Supreme Lord, the creator, as duḥkhālayam. Duḥkhālayam means "the place of miseries." And how you can make it comfortable? Can you make it comfortable by your so-called advancement of science? No. It is not possible. But we do not know what is duḥkha, or what is suffering. Real duḥkha is, real suffering is, birth and death, old age and disease. But we have set aside. Because we cannot make solution of these things, we don't care for it. We are after Sputnik and atomic bomb. That is our scientific advancement. Why don't you solve these important things, which is giving me always suffering? They have no power.

So here is the solution, that Kṛṣṇa says, mām upetya punar janma (BG 8.15): "If anyone attains into My platform, then he does not come back again," punar janma, "rebirth again." Where? Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam: "This place, full of miseries, full of . . ." Just try to understand that this place is full of miseries. There . . . in the modes of ignorance we cannot understand. Just like the cats and dogs and hogs, they cannot understand that what miserable condition of life they are pulling on, similarly, human . . . a human being is called rational animal. They are animal, but at the same time, they have got the rationality. But that rationality is being used in the purpose of animal propensities. That rationality is not being used how to get liberated from this miserable condition. That is a misuse of rationality.

Now here is the solution. Kṛṣṇa says that, "If anyone remains in Kṛṣṇa consciousness twenty-four hours, without any deviation, the result is that he comes to Me. And if he once comes to Me," mām upetya punar janma duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam, nāpnuvanti, "he does not get again rebirth of this miserable life." Why? Now, mahātmānaḥ saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ: "They are great souls, and they have achieved the highest goal of life."

So this is the highest goal of life. We should know our self-interest to achieve this highest goal of life, not temporary dolls. You see? Children are captivated by temporary dolls, but not a sane man. (break) (end)