661229 - Lecture CC Madhya 20.358-359 - New York

Lectures by Date, 1966

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

661229CC.NY - December 29, 1966

Prabhupāda:

bhāgavatārambhe vyāsa maṅgalācaraṇe

parameśvara' nirūpila ei dui lakṣaṇe

We have been discussing about the symptoms, characteristics, of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One characteristic is that is eternally constant, or present with Him, and another characteristic is that it is sometimes manifested, sometimes not manifested. These two characteristics are called the superior energy and the inferior energy. Manifestation of the superior energy is always constant, present in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And manifestation of the inferior energy, that is not always present. It is sometimes manifested, sometimes not manifested.

Just like we have got also . . . it is very easy to understand. We have got several energies, personally. And we have got some mean energy also that is within us. That is not always manifested. Sometimes I commit theft. That is my energy. That is my energy, but it is not always manifested. This is a crude example.

Similarly, everything is there in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Janmādy asya yataḥ (CC Madhya 20.359).

The Bhāgavata explains, in the beginning of Bhāgavata, that everything has its origin from the Supreme Lord. Everything. Whatever you have got, it has its origin from the Supreme Lord. And that is also confirmed in other Vedic literature. Yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante (Taittirīya Upaniṣad 3.1). Imāni bhūtāni, all these things which are created, there is a source. That is Brahman. That is Brahman.

The Vedānta-sūtra also confirms this, janmādy asya yataḥ. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. What is Brahman? This is explained in one code word, janmādy asya yataḥ: Brahman is that from whom everything is emanating. That's all. Brahman is that from whom, or from which—whatever you like—everything is emanated. So that supreme source, summum bonum of everything, is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: janmādy asya yato 'nvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ.

That supreme source of everything, what is the nature of that supreme source of everything? Now the Bhāgavata says, janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca arthesu abhijñaḥ. He is conscious. First qualification is conscious. The supreme source cannot be unconscious. Why? Because we are conscious being. So we are also emanation from the Supreme Lord, the living entities. Some of the living entities are moving, some of the living entities, they do not move. Just like the trees, the hills, the mountains, they have got also their life. So they are not moving. We are moving. Man, human being, cats, dogs and ants, so many there are. So they are conscious. So unless the Supreme Lord is conscious, the supreme source of all generation is conscious, wherefrom this consciousness can come?

So the philosophy that the supreme source is void, how you can maintain? Wherefrom this consciousness comes? They say that consciousness is generated by the combination of matter. Up till now, no scientist has proved that by combination of chemicals and matter, physical things, one can produce consciousness. So the Bhāgavata very nicely describes that the supreme source of everything, He is conscious. Conscious. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayāt itarataś ca.

Now, He is conscious in two ways: anvayāt itarataś ca. Directly and indirectly. Just like we are also conscious, but we are directly conscious. Indirectly, we are not conscious. Indirectly we are not conscious. But God is all-powerful supreme consciousness. Therefore He's directly conscious and indirectly conscious.

In the Bhagavad-gītā, you will find that Kṛṣṇa says that vedāhaṁ samatītāni vartamānāni ca bhārata (BG 7.26): "I know everything about atītāni, what is past, everything what is past, and I know what is present, I know what is future." And on this understanding, Kṛṣṇa says in the Second Chapter, you may remember that, "You, Me and all these persons who have assembled here, they were individual person in the past, they are individual persons now, and they will continue to be individual person in the future." This is consciousness, anvayāt itarataś ca.

Now again, what sort of consciousness? Wherefrom He has got this consciousness? Just like we have got our consciousness from the Supreme Lord, the supreme source, and wherefrom the Supreme, or God, He has got His consciousness?

So Bhāgavatam says svarāṭ. Svarāṭ. Svarāṭ means He is independent. His consciousness is not dependent on others' consciousness. Svarāṭ. God, He has got all the knowledge. Yesterday we have been discussing Bhagavān. Bhagavān is full of all knowledge. Wherefrom He got this knowledge? Now our experience is that we go to schools, college, and get knowledge. Wherefrom He gets knowledge? The Bhāgavata replies, svarāṭ. He's self-sufficient, full of knowledge. These are the differences.

So these qualifications are always present. This is called svarūpa-lakṣaṇa. Unless God is independent, unless God is conscious, indirectly and directly, He cannot be the supreme source. This is called svarūpa-lakṣaṇa: constantly present.

Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ. Now, people may argue that in the creation we find Brahmā the first-born living creature, and he has given us the Vedic knowledge. So this . . . in the creation, because he's the first living creature, then he is svarāṭ. He is also independent. Why God is independent? This living creature, he's first-born. He's independent. Otherwise, how could he give the knowledge of Vedas?

So the reply is tene brahma hṛdā. No. He's also dependent. He got the knowledge from the Supreme Lord. How is that? He's the first-born living creature. How he got knowledge from God? Tene brahma hṛdā. Brahmā . . . the Vedic knowledge was imparted into the heart of Brahmā. Why? Because God is situated within everyone's heart. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61).

These things are very nicely described in the Bhāgavatam in the beginning. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye. Ādi-kavaye means Brahmā. Kavi means the learned. Kavi. Kavinaṁ purāṇam anuśāsitāram (BG 8.9). In the Bhagavad-gītā. He's the kavinaṁ purāṇam. He's the oldest learned man. Oldest. Purāṇam. Purāṇam means the oldest.

Then why God is not recognized? Now muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ. To understand God, even the greatest of the greatest thinker, philosopher or sage or saintly person, they are also bewildered. Cannot understand. Panthās tu koṭi-śata-vatsara-sampragamya. So Lord Caitanya is . . . (indistinct) . . . that He has got two characteristics. One characteristic is . . . that is always present. What is that? He's independent and full of knowledge, and He's conscious. Unconsciousness is not the qualification of God. Voidness cannot be accepted as the qualification of the Supreme. The Supreme must be conscious.

Tene brahma hṛdā ya ādi-kavaye, tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ yathā vinimayo yatra trisargo 'mṛṣā. And yatra; in Him rests the material manifestation. And what is this material manifestation? Tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ vinimayam. It is simply exchange of fire, water and earth. Of course, there other things are eight elements, fire, water, earth, ether and air. This is the gross material elements. And the finer material elements are the mind, intelligence and false ego. We have discussed this in the Bhagavad-gītā.

So this material manifestation is nothing but a manipulation, or a preparation of these things. Just . . . just like we present sometime varieties of foodstuff—kacaurīs, siṅgāra, purī and rasagullā, and so many things. But what are these? That is varieties of grains and milk, fat, that's all. Similarly, all these varieties, manifestation in the material world, they are . . . yatra, yatra . . . tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ yathā vinimayo, oh, and yatra trisargo 'mṛṣā.

Amṛṣā. It is false. But it appears to be just like real. Foolish living entities, under the spell of illusory energy, they have accepted this false exchange of material elements as reality. This is called materialism. One who has accepted this false representation of reality, they are called materialist. And one who knows the real position of this material world, he's spiritualist. That is the difference between materialism and spiritualism.

So this, this material representation, false representation, are temporary. The Vaiṣṇava philosophy, they do not say false. Why they will say false? God is real. His energy is real. You cannot say material energy as unreal, because God is there, and His energy is there. Just like the fire is there, the heat is there, the temperature is there. You cannot say temperature false. It may be manifested at some time, or it may not be manifest. Just like the temperature of sun is not perceived nowadays because it is due to the cold season. But the temperature is the same, but it is manifested during June-July. It is very strongly. And in other seasons, it is not manifested.

Similarly, this material energy, you cannot say that it is false, it is false. The Vaiṣṇava philosophy is perfect. As it is temporary. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19).

It is sometimes manifested. And this is called taṭasthā. This characteristic, this symptom of the Supreme Lord, is called taṭasthā: sometimes manifested, sometimes not manifested. But so far the superior energy is concerned, that is always manifested. That is explained in the next line, dhāmnā svena sadā nirasta-kuhakaṁ paraṁ satyaṁ dhīmahi. Now that is paraṁ satyam, the Supreme Truth, where there is no such temporary manifestation. So this is knowledge and ignorance. The ignorant materialistic, they are captivated, durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninas (SB 7.5.31).

What is the materialistic point of view . . .? Now, durāśayā. They are thinking to have peace and prosperity. This is nonsense. Durāśayā. This is called durāśayā. That will never be fulfilled. The foolish creatures, what will never be fulfilled, they're trying for that. Durāśayā, na te viduḥ. Why they are trying so? Na te viduḥ. They are fools. They do not know. What they do not know? Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatim. What is their self-interest, they do not know. And what is that self-interest? Viṣṇu, the Supreme Lord. Their self-interest is to go back to home, go back to Godhead. That is their real self-interest.

One should be interested, selfish. This is real selfishness, that I must know what I am, what is the goal of my life. But these people, they do not know what is the goal of life. They are trying to adjust things here, but things will never be adjusted, because the nature of this material world is like that. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19).

Trisargo 'mṛṣām. It is a false, or temporary, representation . . . so this sum and substance is that the Supreme Lord, God, or Kṛṣṇa, has got two . . . that He has got many diverse energies; all these diverse energies are, I mean to say, summarized in three division: the spiritual energy, the material energy and the marginal energy.

We are the mar . . . we are living entities. We are marginal. We are sometimes captivated by the material energy and sometimes we are in spiritual energy. Now our attempt is, Kṛṣṇa consciousness means, we are trying to transfer ourself from this temporary energy to the permanent energy.

Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find, mahātmānas tu mām, daivī prakṛtim āśritāḥ (BG 9.13). Daivī prakṛti means the superior energy, divine energy. This is also divine energy, but that is directly. This is indirectly. This is temporary. Nothing, without . . . nothing can exist without being divine, because everything is coming out from divine. So sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma (Chāndogya Upaniṣad 3.14.1).

Therefore the impersonalists, they have taken everything as Brahman. That is their . . . that is also true. Everything is Brahman. That's right. That's all right. Just like in this store. This whole thing is store. That's all right. But we have to take advantage of the store, not sitting in this, I mean to say, lavatory. You have to sit here.

If you saw, "That is also sitting place. Why not go there? And deliver the lecture from there?" No. We have to utilize here. So you have to take advantage of the best. Everything is energy of Kṛṣṇa. That's all right. But we have to take advantage of the better energy, superior energy. So na te viduḥ, they do not know how to take advantage of that superior energy.

So there are two energies, the superior and inferior, or the spiritual and material. The material energy . . . this is the definition and the sum and substance of the definition and activities of the supreme summum bonum, janmādy asya yataḥ, the supreme source of everything. So, but the superior energy in which the Supreme Lord is always staying . . . goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūto (Bs 5.37).

In the Bhagavad-gītā also it is stated, paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyo 'vyakto vyaktāt sanātanaḥ (BG 8.20): puruṣaḥ sa paraḥ pārtha bhaktyā. That puruṣa, that Supreme Lord, has to understood bhaktyā, not otherwise. That is stated. Only through Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no other way. You cannot understand the Supreme Lord.

That Supreme Lord is dhāmnā svena sadā. Sadā means always, eternal. Dhāmnā svena: in His own abode. His own abode. Dhāmnā svena nirasta-kuhakam: where there is no illusion. Nirasta-kuhaka. Kuhaka means illusion. Just like here we . . . everything is kuhaka. Everything is made of earth, water, temporary things. Just like a doll. Doll is the . . . you find, you sometimes find in store, storefront of big mercantile firm, there is nice girl standing with dress. So that is kuhakam, illusion. That is illusion.

Those who know, "Oh, it is a doll," similarly, that is the difference between a man in knowledge and man in ignorance. They are accepting this material doll as reality. That is materialism. And those who are in knowledge, they know, "No, it is doll." The reality is different. So sadā nirasta, there is no, kuhakam . . . that doll illusion is not there. Sadā nirasta-kuhakam.

There, satyaṁ param, and there exists the Supreme Truth. Satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (SB 1.1.1).

This dhīmahi means Gāyatrī mantra. Those who are brahmins, who are elevated, they are given this Gāyatrī mantra, oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṇyaṁ bhargo devasya dhīmahi. Dhīmahi. That dhīmahi word is used here in the Bhāgavatam. So Bhāgavatam is meant for persons who are already in the qualification of brahmin. It is not meant for persons who are in the qualification of śūdra. Because this very word suggests, dhīmahi. Dhīmahi is meant for brahmin, Gāyatrī mantra.

So this is to be understood, that God is always, His real characteristic, spiritual energy. And another characteristic, material energy, that is temporary.

Thank you very much. Any question? Any question?

Devotee: Yes. What is the difference between karma-yoga and bhakti-yoga?

Prabhupāda: Oh, we have not discussed just now karma-yoga. Anyway, karma-yoga and bhakti-yoga . . . karma-yoga is meant . . . yoga, first thing, yoga. Yoga means linking, connecting. So any yoga, there are many different kinds of yoga, any yoga means linking oneself with the Supreme.

So those who are too much addicted to karma . . . karma means work. Just like we see in your New York City. Everyone is busy with karma. Karma means you do something, there is some result and you enjoy or suffer. That is called karma. They are doing business, they are doing so many things. There is result. So karma has an effect. So it may be good or bad. So one has to enjoy or suffer. So those who are too much addicted to this karma, activities, when those activities are done with yoga—yoga means linking with the Supreme—that is called karma-yoga.

Devotee: Isn't . . . Bhakti-yoga is not the same?

Prabhupāda: Bhakti-yoga. Karma-yoga is almost the same bhakti-yoga. And bhakti-yoga is direct. Bhakti-yoga is . . . that, bhaktas, they are not addicted to karma, but they are simply addicted to the service of the Lord. That service of the Lord and ordinary work sometimes appears one and the same. Just like we are also typewriting. They . . . your mother was asking the other day, "Oh, you have got Dictaphone?" "Yes." "Oh, why do you say that materialism bad?" "And we are spiritualizing this. You have produced these material things. We are spiritualizing."

So sometimes the ordinary karma and bhakti appears to be the same. But they are not the same. They are not the same. Because everything, the source of emanation; we have nothing to hate from materialism, because materialism is the energy of God. Why shall we hate? We have nothing to hate. We don't hate materialism. The materialism . . . they do not understand what is materialism. Materialism means to forget the source of all this. That is materialism. One who knows the source of everything is God, for him, there is no materialism. Because he utilizes everything for that source. So for a advanced devotee, there is nothing materialism. There is nothing material. Everything is spiritualism. (end)