690220 - Lecture BG 06.35-45 - Los Angeles

Lectures by Date, 1969

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

 Listen to a 'Nectar Drop' created from this lecture

690220BG-LOS ANGELES - February 20, 1969 - 124:00 Minutes

Revatīnandana: Purport: "The Supreme Personality of Godhead declares that one who does not accept the proper treatment to detach the mind from material engagement can hardly achieve success in self-realization. Trying to practice yoga while engaging the mind in material enjoyment is like trying to ignite a fire while pouring water on it. Similarly, yoga practice without mental control is a waste of time."

Prabhupāda: Because I sit down for meditation. Of course, if meditation is focusing the mind on Viṣṇu, that is very good. But there are so many yoga societies, they educate their student to concentrate their mind on something void, something color, not exactly to Viṣṇu form. You see. So that is very difficult task. That is also explained in the Bhagavad . . . kleśo 'dhikataras teṣām avyaktāsakta-cetasām (BG 12.5).

One who is trying to concentrate his mind on the imperson, or voidness, it is very difficult and troublesome. At least here in this temple, these students, they are trying to concentrate his mind on Kṛṣṇa. But to concentrate one's mind in void, that is very difficult.

So naturally my mind is flickering. Instead of finding out something void, my mind is engaged in something else. Because mind must be engaged something. If it is not engaged in Kṛṣṇa, then it must be engaged in māyā. So if we cannot do that, then this so-called meditation and sitting posture is simply useless waste of time.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: "Such a show of yoga practice may be materially lucrative, but useless as far as spiritual realization is concerned."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Materially lucrative. Suppose if I open such yoga class and I charge five dollars for sitting. Money is not very rare in your country; you come. But simply I give you some sitting posture or pressing nose and this and that, but if you cannot attain the real, I mean to say, result of yoga practice, then you have wasted your time and money and I have cheated you.

That's all. That is not possible. That is not possible. One has to concentrate his mind on Viṣṇu form, steady, constantly. That is called samādhi. So the same thing is being done in a different manner suitable for this age. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: "Therefore the mind must be controlled by engaging it constantly in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. Unless one is engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can't steadily control the mind. A Kṛṣṇa conscious person easily achieves the result of yoga practice without separate endeavor. But a yoga practitioner cannot achieve perfect success without becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious."

Prabhupāda: Then? Go on. Yes. So far yoga practice is concerned, is explained, discussion between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna. Now, supposing that I practice yoga, real yoga I mean to say, not this pseudo yoga. And if I cannot do it properly, I fail. Then what is the result? Suppose I give up my business, I give up my ordinary occupation and I begin to practice yoga, but somehow or other it is not completed, it is failure, then what is the result? That is being questioned by Arjuna. That will be answered by Kṛṣṇa.

What is that? Go on. "Arjuna said . . ."

Revatīnandana: "Arjuna said: 'What is the destination of a man of faith who does not persevere, who in the beginning takes to the process of self-realization but who later desists due to worldly mindedness, and thus does not attain perfection in mysticism?' "

Purport: "The path of self-realization, or mysticism, is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. The basic principle of self-realization is knowledge that the living entity is not this material body but that he is different from it and his happiness is in eternal life, bliss and knowledge."

Prabhupāda: Now, before coming to the point of self-realization, one must take it granted—that is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā—that he is not this body: that the living entity is not this material body but that he is different from it and his happiness is in eternal life. This life is not eternal. The perfection of yoga system means to get eternal life, blissful life and full of knowledge. That is perfection.

So we have to execute any yoga system with that aim. Not that I attend some yoga class to reduce fat or to keep my body very fit for sense gratification. This is not the end of yoga system. But people are taught like that: "Oh, if you practice this yoga system . . ." That you can do if you undergo any exercise process, your body will be kept fit.

There are so many system of bodily exercise: the . . . (indistinct) . . . system, this weight-lifting system, this . . . there are many sporting system, they also keep body very fit. They can digest foodstuff very nicely, they reduce fat.

For this purpose there is no need of practicing yoga. The real purpose is here: that to realize that I am not this body. I want eternal happiness, I want complete knowledge, I want eternal life also. That is the ultimate end of yoga system.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: "These are transcendental, beyond both body and mind. Self-realization is sought by the path of knowledge, the practice of eightfold mysticism or by bhakti-yoga. In each of these processes one has to realize the constitutional position of the living entity, his relationship with God and the activities whereby he can reestablish the lost link and achieve the highest perfectional stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness."

"Following any of the above-mentioned three methods, one is sure to reach the supreme goal sooner or later. This was asserted by the Lord in the Second Chapter. Even a little endeavor on the transcendental path of bhakti-yoga is especially suitable for this age, because it is the most direct method of God-realization."

"To be doubly assured, Arjuna is asking Lord Kṛṣṇa to confirm His former statement. One may sincerely adopt the path of self-realization. But the process of cultivation of knowledge and the practice of eightfold yoga system are generally very difficult for this age. Therefore, in spite of one's earnest endeavor, one may fail for many reasons. The primary reason is one's not being sufficiently serious about following the process. To pursue the transcendental path is more or less to declare war on the illusory energy."

Prabhupāda: When we accept any self-realization process, it is practically declaring war against the illusory energy, māyā. So when there's a question of māyā or a question of fight or war, there will be so many difficulty imposed by māyā. That is certain. Therefore there is a chance of failure. But one has to become very steady.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: "Consequently, whenever a person tries to escape the clutches of the illusory energy, she tries to defeat the practitioner by various allurements. A conditioned soul is already allured by the modes of material energy, and there is every chance of being allured again while performing such transcendental practice. This is called yogāc calita-mānasaḥ."

Prabhupāda: Calita-mānasaḥ (BG 6.37). Calita-mānasaḥ means diverting the mind from the practice of yoga. Yogāc calita-mānasaḥ. Yogāt means from the practice of yoga, and calita means diversion. Mānasaḥ means mind. Yogāc calita-mānasaḥ. So there is every chance. Everyone has got experience: you're trying to read some book, concentration, but mind is not allowing; it is disturbed. So it is very important factor to control the mind. That is the real practice.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: ". . . one who is deviated from the transcendental path. Arjuna is inquisitive to know the results of deviation from the path of self-realization."

Prabhupāda: Yes, this is very important question, that one may begin practicing any sort of yoga, either the eightfold yoga system or the jñāna-yoga system—means speculating philosophically—and the bhakti-yoga system, devotional service. But if one fails to complete the yoga system, what is the result? That is very important question, and it is put by Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa will answer it. (break)

Revatīnandana: "By virtue of the divine consciousness of his previous life, he automatically becomes attached to the yogic principles, even without seeking them. Such an inquisitive transcendentalist, striving for yoga, stands always above the ritualistic principles of the scriptures."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Revatīnandana: But when the yogī . . ."

Prabhupāda: No, let me explain this. "By virtue of divine consciousness." We are preparing this consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, divine consciousness. And the consciousness will go. Just like the flavor, the aroma, of a rose flower is carried by the air, and if the air passes through us we also experience the rose flavor. Similarly, when we die, this material body is finished. "Dust thou art, dust thou beist." This is made of five elements: earth, water, air, fire, ether.

So the . . . so far earthly materials are concerned, that is mixed up. Somebody burns this body, somebody buries or somebody throws it for being eaten by the animals. The three system in the human society . . . just like in India, Hindus, they burn the body. So the body comes transformed into ashes—means earth. Ash means earth. Those who are burying the bodies of their forefathers, the body turns into dust, as the Christian Bible says, "Dust thou art."

This body is dust and again turn into dust. And those who are throwing for being eaten by the animals and birds, vultures . . . just like in India you have got the community, Parsee community, they do not burn, neither they bury. They throw, and the vultures immediately comes and eat. Then the body turns into stool. So either it will turn into ashes or into dust or into stool. This beautiful body, which you are soaping so nicely, it will turn into three stages: stool, ashes or dust.

So the finer elements means mind, intelligence and ego. That is altogether it is called consciousness. That will carry you, the spirit soul, small particle of spirit. That will be carried by these three finer elements: mind, intelligence and ego. And according to the . . . just like the flavor, if it is rose flavor, aroma, you enjoy, "Oh, it is very nice." But it is filthy flavor, passing through stool or any other filthy place, oh, you say: "Oh, it is very bad smell."

So this consciousness will carry you either in a stool smell or rose flavor according to your work, as you make your consciousness. So if you make your consciousness, train your consciousness, into Kṛṣṇa, then it will carry you to Kṛṣṇa. This is not very difficult to understand. You cannot see the air, but you can experience by smelling: "Oh, the air is passing through like this." Similarly, these different kinds of body are developed according to the consciousness.

So if you have trained up your consciousness to the yogic principle, then you get a body, similar body. You get good chance, you get good parents, good family, where you'll be allowed to practice this system, and automatically you'll get chance again to revive your same consciousness in which you left your previous body. That is explained here, "by virtue of divine consciousness."

Therefore our present duty is how to make the consciousness divine. That should be our business. If you want divine life, if you want spiritual elevation back to Godhead, back to home—that means eternal life, blissful life full of knowledge—then we have to train ourselves in divine consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That you can very easily do by association. Saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ (BG 2.62).

If you keep divine association, then your consciousness is made divine. And if you keep hellish association, demonic association, then your consciousness is trained up in that way.

So we have to train our consciousness divine. That is the duty of human form of life. If we make our consciousness divine, then we are preparing for next divine life. As there are different grades of life, so human form of life is a chance to make your next life completely divine. Completely divine means eternal, blissful and full of knowledge. So automatically by divine consciousness you try to contact with persons who are developing divine consciousness. So this is explained in this verse.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: "But when the yogī engages himself with sincere endeavor in making further progress, being washed of all contaminations, then ultimately, after many, many births of practice, he attains the supreme goal."

Prabhupāda: Yes. So it is a question of practice. Just like a child born, he does not know how to smoke, how to drink, but by association he becomes a drunkard, a smoker, intoxication. By association. So it is the question of association only. Saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ (BG 2.62). If the association is good, our career is being spoiled, because we are not keeping good association. So this is explained here, that "But when the yogī engages himself with sincere endeavor in making further progress."

Just like in business also, there are so many association, corporation, because by becoming member of that corporation, the particular type of business flourishes. They have got exchange. They can make exchange, bill of exchange, stock exchange. So association is so important.

So if we become serious for developing divine consciousness, then this is the only association. We have established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Here, simply the method how one can become divine conscious, that is taught. So this is a good chance. We invite everyone to join, and the process is very simple, simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and you'll feel. There is no difficult process.

The children also can take part, and actually they are taking part. We don't require any previous qualification, that you must have passed your master of degree examination or this or that. Whatever you are, you simply come and join this association and you become Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is the advantage of this Society. It is clear. Please try to understand.

Go on. Purport?

Revatīnandana: "A person born in a particularly righteous, aristocratic or sacred family becomes conscious of his favorable condition for executing yoga practice. With determination, therefore, he begins his unfinished task, and thus he completely cleanses himself of all material contaminations. When he is finally free of all contaminations, he attains the supreme perfection, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness . . ."

Prabhupāda: It is . . . try to understand that the Supreme Lord, God, is pure. And His kingdom is also pure. And anyone who wants to enter there, he must be pure. That is very natural, that if you want to enter into some particular society, you must qualify yourself. There are . . . qualification is, to go back to home, back to Godhead, the qualification is that you should not be materially contaminated.

And what is that material contamination? The material contamination is sense gratification, unrestricted sense gratification. That is material contamination. So you have to make yourself free from material contamination. Then you become eligible to enter into the kingdom of God.

That process of being freed or being washed of all material contamination is yoga system. Yoga system does not mean that you sit down for fifteen minutes for so-called meditation and you continue all your material contamination. Just like if you want to be cured from a certain type of disease, you have to follow the regulation made by the physician.

Similarly, in this chapter the process of yoga practice is recommended, how you have to do it. So that means if you execute those prescribed methods, then you become freed from material contamination. Then you are actually situated for linking up, for making connection with the Supreme. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Our method is directly to connect you. That is the special gift of Lord Caitanya—immediately to contact him with Kṛṣṇa. Because ultimately you have to come to that point, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So here this method is that directly, immediately. And it is practical also. Those who have no qualification, they simply by coming in contact with the Society they have become highly advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is practical.

So in this age we have to give chance to the people, direct contact. No slow process method will help them, because the life is very short, they are not very much fortunate and the association is very bad. Therefore, direct contact—harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21).

Simply Kṛṣṇa is presented in the form of His transcendental name, and you contact Him immediately by hearing. You have got natural instrument, hearing. You simply hear "Kṛṣṇa" and you become uncontaminated immediately.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: "Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the perfect stage, being freed of all contaminations. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā. After many, many births in execution of pious activities, when one is completely freed from all contaminations and from all illusory dualities, one then becomes engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpam. The exact verse in the Bhagavad-gītā is yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpam (BG 7.28).

Pāpam means sin. One who has completely ended sinful activities, janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām—persons who have simply executed pious activities—such person becomes fixed up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness without any dualities. Because our mind is flickering, so dualities will always come: "Whether I shall accept it or not?" "Whether I shall become Kṛṣṇa conscious or another conscious?" These problems are always there.

But if one is advanced by pious activities in the previous life, then he is fixed up steady, "I'll become Kṛṣṇa conscious." So this method, this chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa method, even in your previous life you did not act very piously or in this life, it doesn't matter. If you kindly take seriously this simple method, Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting, you become immediately pure—but with the determination that you'll not contact any more impious activities.

Just like in our Society we make four restriction. Anyone who desires to be initiated in our Society, we put four principles. No illicit sex life. We don't say that don't have sex life. No illicit sex life. You get yourself married, and for children you can have sex life; not for another purpose. So, no illicit sex life, no intoxication.

Our students, they do not smoke even, they do not take tea even, coffee, so what to speak of other things. So they are so pure. No gambling and no animal food. That's all. If you simply follow these four principles, then you become immediately uncontaminated. Immediately, without any further endeavor.

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice that as soon as you join, you become immediately uncontaminated. But do not contaminate again. Therefore these restriction. Because our contamination begins from these four kinds of bad habits. But if we check, then there is no question of contamination. As soon as I take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness I become free.

Now if I become cautious not to accept these four principles, then I am free; I am continuing uncontaminated. This is the process. But if you think that, "Because Kṛṣṇa consciousness makes me free, so let me indulge in all these four principles and I will get free after chanting," that is cheating. That will not be allowed. Once you are free, but don't do it again. But if you think, "I shall do it and make myself free . . ."

Just like in some religious process it is said that you commit all kinds of sins and go to the church and simply confess—you are free. So this doing and confessing, doing and confessing is going on. But here, no. If you are freed, that's all right. But don't do it again. That is the purpose of confession. Confession, if you confess that, "I have done these sinful activities," so why should you do again?

If you confess that it is sinful, pick-pocketing is sinful, take for example, so by confessing you are freed, then why shall you do it again? It requires little intelligence. It does not mean that because by confessing I become freed, I shall go on continuing this and again confess and become freed. No. That's not good. If it is not good—you have confessed that it is not good—then you should not do it again. That is the purpose. Not that you do it and confess, do it and confess, do it and confess. This business is not good.

So we should be careful, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that these four principles, if you indulge in unrestricted, then you become contaminated. But if you take precaution in executing these four principles . . . we don't say that you don't have sex life. You have. But for this purpose, not for this purpose. Similarly, you eat, but you eat this way, not that way. So defend . . . Kṛṣṇa also advised Arjuna to defend. So defend is also not prohibited, provided it is for right cause.

So in this way if we can come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, immediately we become free from all contamination. And if we take precaution of these four principles, then our life is pure. And if we can continue this pure life till the time of death, you are sure to be transferred to the kingdom of God.

Go on. That is stated in Bhagavad-gītā; you have already read: tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9).

By giving up this body, that person who is fully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he does not come back again to take part in this material world. This yogī who is coming to a good family, to a righteous family or rich, aristocratic family, they are coming back. But if you are perfect Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you are no more coming back; you are situated in the Goloka Vṛndāvana in the spiritual sky.

So we should try not to come back again. Because if I come back again . . . suppose I have got very nice chance: I have got birth in a very good family, in rich family. But if I cannot utilize it properly, then again I degrade myself to other sort of life. So why should we take this risk. Better complete Kṛṣṇa consciousness in this life. It is very simple. It is not very difficult. Simply to keep yourself in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa, that's all. It is very simple thing. Then you are assured of your next birth in the spiritual sky, in the kingdom of God or in the Goloka Vṛndāvana.

Yes.

Revatīnandana: "A yogī is greater than the ascetic, greater than the empiricist and greater than the fruitive worker. Therefore, O Arjuna, in all circumstances be a yogī."

Prabhupāda: Yogī, that is the highest perfectional material conditional life. There are different grades of life within this material world, but if one establishes himself in the yoga principle, especially in this bhakti-yoga principle, that means he's living in the most perfectional stage of life. Yes. So Kṛṣṇa is recommending Arjuna, "My dear friend Arjuna, in all circumstances you be a yogī, remain a yogī."

Yes. Go on.

Revatīnandana: "And of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all."

Prabhupāda: Now, here it is clearly stated that of all yogīs . . . there are different kinds of yogīs, aṣṭāṅga-yogī, haṭha-yogī, jñāna-yogī, karma-yogī, bhakta-yogī. So bhakta-yogī is the highest platform of yoga principle. So Kṛṣṇa says here, "And of all yogīs"—there are different kinds of yogīs—"of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me," in Kṛṣṇa . . . "Me" means . . .

Kṛṣṇa says "in Me"; that means one who is keeping always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness—"abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all." This is the prime instruction of this chapter, Sāṅkhya-yoga, that if you want to become perfect yogī of the highest platform, then keep yourself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and you become the first-class yogī.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: Purport: "The Sanskrit word bhajate is significant here."

Prabhupāda: This word bhajate appears in the original Sanskrit verse:

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ

mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā

bhajate yo māṁ śraddhāvān

sa me yuktatamo mataḥ

(BG 6.47)

This bhajate, this bhajate, this word, Sanskrit word, it comes from the root bhaj, bhaj-dhātu. It is a verb, bhaj-dhātu. Bhaj means to render service. Bhaja. So this very word is used in this verse, bhaj-dhātu. That means one who is devotee. Who renders service to Kṛṣṇa unless he is devotee?

Suppose you are rendering service here. Why? You can render service anywhere, you get thousand dollars or two thousand dollars every month. But here, you come and give your service without any payment. Why? Because out of love of Kṛṣṇa.

Therefore this bhaja, this service, loving service, is based on love of Godhead. Otherwise why one should waste his time for nothing? Here these students, they are engaged in so many things. Somebody is gardening, somebody is typing, somebody is cooking, somebody is doing something else—everything—but it is in connection with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness is prevailing always, twenty-four hours. That is the highest type of yoga.

Yoga means to keep your consciousness intact with Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord. That is the perfection of yoga. Here it is automatically; even the child can do it. The child is coming along with his mother and bowing down, "Kṛṣṇa, I bow down." So he is also Kṛṣṇa conscious. A small child, he's clapping. Why? "He Kṛṣṇa."

So anyway, everyone is remembering always Kṛṣṇa, keeping Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Even a child here is the highest yogī. It is not our boastfulness, it is stated in authorized scripture like Bhagavad-gītā. We don't say that we have created these words for our boastful. No. It is a fact. Even a child can keep in the highest platform of yoga practice in this temple. That is the highest gift of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: "Bhajate has its root in the verb bhaj, which is used when there is need of "service." The English word "worship" cannot be used in the same sense as bhaja. Worship means to adore, or to show respect and honor to the worthy one. But service with love and faith is especially meant for the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Worship and rendering service, they are different. Worship means there is some motive. I worship some friend or some big man, I have got some motive that, "This big man is a very big businessman, and if I can please him then he may give me some business, I'll derive some profit." So the worship of demigods is like that. They worship different demigods for some particular purpose. That is condemned in the

Bhagavad-gītā, you'll find it in the Eighth Chapter. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante 'nya devatāḥ (BG 7.20). Those who have lost their sense, bewildered by lust, they go to worship demigods with a motive.

So when we speak of worship, there is motive. But when we speak of service, there is no motive. Service is love. Just like mother renders service to the child. There is no motive; it is love only. Everyone can neglect that child; that mother cannot, because there is love. Similarly, bhaj-dhātu, where there is question of service, there is no question of motive. That is perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

And that is recommended in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, first-class religious principle. What is that? Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6).

This bhakti, this bhaja, the same root, that system of religious principle is first-class. What is that? Yato bhaktir adhokṣaje: by performing which one can develop his God consciousness, or love of God. That's all. If you can develop your love of God—you follow any religious principle, doesn't matter—but you must . . . but the test is how much you are developing your love for God.

But if you have got some motive that, "By practicing this system of religious system, my material necessities will be fulfilled," that is not first-class religion. That is third-class religion. The first-class religion is that by which you can develop your love of Godhead, ahaituky apratihatā, without any cause and without any impediment. That is first class.

So that is being recommended. This yoga system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, even you take it from religious side, this is first class—because there is no motive. They are not serving Kṛṣṇa to supply them this or that. No. There may be this or that; that doesn't matter. They are engaged in. But there is no scarcity of this and that. They get everything. Don't think that becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious one becomes poor. No. If Kṛṣṇa is there, everything is there, because Kṛṣṇa is everything. So . . . but we should not make any business with Kṛṣṇa, "Kṛṣṇa give me this, give me that."

Kṛṣṇa knows better than you. Just like a child does not demand from the parents, "My dear father, my dear mother, give me this" or "give me that." The father knows what is the necessity of the child. So this is not very good business to ask God, "Give me this, give me that." Why shall I ask? If God is all-powerful, He knows my wants, He knows my necessities, and that is also confirmed in the Vedas, eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13):

That single one God is supplying all necessities of millions and trillions, and innumerable—there is no count, living entities.

So we should simply try to love God, not demand anything. Demand is already supplied. Even the cats and dogs are getting their necessities. They don't go to the church or ask anything from God, but they are getting. So why a devotee shall not get? If a cat and dog can get his necessities of life without demanding from God, why shall I demand from God that, "Give me this, give me that." No. We shall simply try to love Him. That will fulfill everything. That is called highest platform of yoga.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: "One can avoid worshiping a respectable man or demigod, and he may be called discourteous, but one cannot avoid serving the Supreme Lord without being thoroughly condemned. Every living entity is a part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as such, every living entity is intended to serve the Supreme Lord by his own constitution."

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is natural. If I am part and parcel of God, my duty is to serve. This example I have given you many times: Just like this finger is the part and parcel of my body. So what is the duty of this finger? The duty of the finger is to serve the whole body, that's all. If I am feeling something itching, immediately finger is working.

You see? If I want to see, the eyes immediately work. If I want to go, the legs immediately take me. So as this bodily part and part, limbs, are helping me, the whole thing, and I am eating, and the stomach, I am eating only. Similarly, God is meant for simply receiving service from all other parts. Not to serve. This service . . .

If the limbs of the body serves the whole body, the energy automatically comes to the parts of the body. Similarly, if we serve Kṛṣṇa, we get all our necessities, energy, automatically. Yathā taror mūla-niṣecanena (SB 4.31.14).

The example, just like pouring water on the root of the tree, the energy is immediately supplied to the leaves, to the twigs, to the branches, to the everywhere, immediately. Similarly, simply by serving Kṛṣṇa, or God, you supply all other parts, you serve all other parts.

There is no question of serving differently, "The humanity serves . . ." Everything automatically comes, everything. Sympathy not only for human being, even for the animals the sympathy comes. God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. Without God consciousness, without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the sympathy for other living entities is very limited. But with God consciousness, with Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the sympathy for other living entities is full. That is the system.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: "Failing to do this, he falls down. The Bhāgavatam confirms this as follows: 'Anyone who does not render service and neglects his duty unto the Primeval Lord, who is the source of all living entities, will certainly fall down from his constitutional position.' "

Prabhupāda: Yes.

ya eṣāṁ puruṣaṁ sākṣād

ātma-prabhavam īśvaram

na bhajanty avajānanti

sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ

(SB 11.5.3)

This is also very nice example. The Bhāgavata says that we are all parts and parcels of the Supreme. If we do not serve the Supreme, then we fall down from our specified place. What is that? The same example can be given, that this finger, if it becomes diseased and cannot render service to the whole body, it simply gives pain. The other aspect of the part and parcel . . . try to understand. If the part and parcel cannot render service regularly, that means it is painful.

So any person who is not rendering service to the Supreme Lord, he's simply giving pain to the Supreme Lord. He's simply giving trouble; therefore he has to suffer. Just like any man who is not abiding by the laws of the state, he's simply giving pain to the government, and he's liable to become criminal. He may think that "I'm very good man," but because he's violating the laws of the state, he's simply torturing the government. This is simple.

So anyone who is not serving . . . any living entity who is not serving the God, he's painful. Because he is painful, therefore Kṛṣṇa comes. He feels pain. That is sinful, if we give pain. The same example, sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 11.5.3). And as soon as one thing is very painful . . . just like the government keeps all these painful citizens into the prison house, collect together: "You live here, you all nonsense, you criminals. Live here. Don't disturb in the open state."

Similarly all these criminals who have violated the laws of God, who have simply given pain to the Lord, they are put in this material world. All these. And, sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ: he falls down from the specified place. Just like the same example: if your finger is painful only, the doctor advises, "Oh, Mister, your finger has to be now amputated. Otherwise it will pollute the whole body." So sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ, it is fallen down from the specified place.

So we have fallen down. Being rebelled against the principle of God consciousness, we are all fallen down. So if we want to revive our original position, we must be placed again into that service attitude. That is the perfect cure. Otherwise we shall suffer pain and God will be suffering pain on account of us. Just like if your son is not good, you suffer and the son suffers.

Similarly, we are all sons of God. So when we are painful, God is also painful. The best thing is to revive our original Kṛṣṇa consciousness and be engaged in the service of the Lord. That is natural life, and that is possible in the spiritual sky, or in the Goloka Vṛndāvana.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: "In this verse also, the word bhajanti is used. Bhajanti is applicable to the Supreme Lord only, whereas the word 'worship' can be applied to demigods or to any other common living entity. The word avajānanti . . ."

Prabhupāda: Avajānanti means neglecting. "What is God? I am God. What is God? Why shall I serve God?" This is avajānanti. Just like criminal, "Ah, what is government? I can manage my own affairs. I don't care for government." This is called avajānanti. But you cannot. If I say, "I don't care for government," all right, you can say that, but the police department is there. It will give you pains; it will punish you. The material nature will punish you with threefold miseries.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: "The word avajānanti used in this verse of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also found in the Bhagavad-gītā. Avajānanti . . .

Prabhupāda: Māṁ mūḍhāḥ. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, this word is used, avajānanti sthānād bhraṣṭāḥ patanty adhaḥ. Similarly, the same word is used in Bhagavad-gītā: avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11).

Mūḍhāḥ means rascals. Only rascals, they think that . . . "do not care for Me." Rascals. He does not know that he will suffer, but he dares to say like that, "I don't care for . . ." That is avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam, paraṁ bhāvam ajānantaḥ (BG 9.11). Without knowing the supreme position of the Lord, cheaply, cheaply they select God. God has become so cheap. "I am God," "You are God." So what is the meaning of God? Do you know? If I am God, you are God, then what is the meaning of God?

So avajānanti, this word is very appropriate. Avajānanti means neglectful; don't care. But they are mūḍhāḥ. They are called . . . mūḍha means senseless, without any knowledge. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: "Only the fools and rascals deride the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa. Such fools take it upon themselves to write commentaries on the Bhagavad-gītā without an attitude of service to the Lord. Consequently, they cannot properly distinguish between the word bhajanti and the word worship.

"So the culmination of all kinds of yoga practice lies in bhakti-yoga. All other yogas are but means to come to the point of bhakti-yoga. Yoga actually means bhakti-yoga. All other yogas are progressions toward this destination. From the beginning of karma-yoga to the end of bhakti-yoga is a long way to self-realization.

"Karma-yoga without fruitive results is the beginning of this path. When karma-yoga increases in knowledge and renunciation, the stage is called jñāna-yoga. When jñāna-yoga increases in meditation on the Supersoul by different physical processes and the mind is on Him, it is called aṣṭāṅga-yoga. And when one surpasses the aṣṭāṅga-yoga and comes to the point of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, it is called bhakti-yoga."

Prabhupāda: Yes. The gradual progress of yoga system: karma-yoga to jñāna-yoga. Karma-yoga means ordinary activities, fruitive activities. Ordinary activities means sinful activities also, but karma-yoga does not mean sinful activities—only good, pious activities or prescribed activities. That is called karma-yoga.

Then, by performing karma-yoga one comes to the platform of jñāna-yoga, knowledge. And from knowledge to this aṣṭāṅga-yoga, eightfold yoga system—dhyāna, dhāraṇā, prāṇāyāma, āsana—like that, those who are practicing the aṣṭāṅga-yoga. Then from aṣṭāṅga-yoga, concentrating the mind on Viṣṇu, come to the point of bhakti-yoga. And when one comes to the bhakti-yoga platform, that is the perfectional stage of yoga. And this Kṛṣṇa consciousness means from the very beginning, directly, that bhakti-yoga.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: "Factually, bhakti-yoga is the ultimate goal, but to analyze bhakti-yoga minutely, one has to understand these other minor yogas. The yogī who is progressive is therefore on the true path of eternal auspiciousness. One who sticks to a particular point and does not make further progress is called by that particular name."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now, if somebody is practicing jñāna-yoga, if he thinks that this is finished, that is wrong. You have to make further progress. Just like we have given many times the example: there is a staircase, and you have to go to the highest floor, which is, say, hundredth floor. So somebody is on the fiftieth floor, somebody is on the thirtieth floor, somebody is on the eightieth floor.

So if by coming to the particular eightieth, fiftieth or eightieth floor one thinks, "This is finished," then he is not progressing. One has to go to the end. That is highest platform of yoga. The whole staircase can be called a yoga system, connecting, link. But don't be satisfied by keeping yourself on the fiftieth floor or eightieth floor. Go to the highest platform, the hundredth or hundred-fiftieth floor. That is bhakti-yoga.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: "But if one is fortunate enough to come to the point of bhakti-yoga, it is to be understood that he has surpassed all the different yogas."

Prabhupāda: Now, if somebody, instead of crossing the steps, he is given chance of the elevator, within a second he comes to the top. So if somebody says: "Why shall I take advantage of this elevator? I shall go step by step," he can go. But there is chance. If you take this bhakti-yoga, immediately you take the help of the elevator and within a second you are on the hundredth floor. This is the process, direct process. You can go step by step, following all other yoga system, but you can take directly.

Lord Caitanya has recommended that in this age, people are very short-living, they are disturbed, they are full of anxieties. Therefore by His grace, by His causeless mercy, He is giving you the lift immediately, "Come to the bhakti-yoga by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa." Immediately. You haven't got to wait. Immediately take. That is the special gift of Lord Caitanya.

Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī prays, offers respect to Lord Caitanya, namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53):

"Oh, You are the most munificent incarnation, because You are giving directly love of Kṛṣṇa. To attain love of Kṛṣṇa one has to pass through so many steps and stages of yoga system, and You are giving directly. Therefore You are the most munificent." So actually that is the position.

Go on.

Revatīnandana: "Therefore, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is the highest stage of yoga, just as when we speak of the Himalayas, we refer to the world's highest mountains, of which the highest peak, Mount Everest, is considered to be the culmination. It is by great fortune that one comes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness on the path of bhakti-yoga and is well situated according to the Vedic directions."

"The ideal yogī concentrates his attention on Kṛṣṇa, who is called Śyāmasundara, beautifully colored as a cloud, His lotuslike face effulgent as the sun, and His dress brilliant with earrings, and His body flower-garlanded. Illuminating all sides is His gorgeous luster, which is called the brahma-jyotir. He incarnates in different forms, such as Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha and Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And He descends like a human being as the son of Mother Yaśodā, and is He known as Kṛṣṇa, Govinda and Vāsudeva. He is the perfect child, husband, friend, master, and He is full of all opulences and transcendental qualities."

"If one remains fully conscious of these features of the Lord, he is called the highest yogī. This stage of highest perfection in yoga can be attained only by bhakti-yoga, as is confirmed in all Vedic literature."

Prabhupāda: Bhakti . . . in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find that bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55).

In the beginning Kṛṣṇa says that "Out of millions of people, one may understand Me actually, factually." And that same "factually" word is used in the Eighteenth Chapter that, "If one wants to know Me," Kṛṣṇa, or God, "then he has to go through the process of bhakti-yoga." Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). That is clearly said.

In the Vedas also it is said simply through bhakti, devotional service, you can attain to the highest perfectional stage. Other yoga system there must be mixture of bhakti. But bhakti-yoga is unadulterated devotion. Therefore this direct process of bhakti-yoga is recommended for this age, because they haven't got sufficient time to execute all the paraphernalia any other system of yoga.

Thank you very much.

(break) Yes.

Lady devotee: When we sing bhaja śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya, we're saying "Worship Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya"—we say bhaja, so . . .

Prabhupāda: Bhaja, yes. Bhaja means just be engaged in His service. That is . . . worship automatically comes there. When you are engaged in service, the worshipment is already there.

Lady Devotee: And the motive for worshiping this is for direction in devotional service?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That should be the only motive. Our motives with Kṛṣṇa . . . Lord Caitanya has taught us that when you pray, you should not pray for anything material. Lord Caitanya prays to the Lord in this way, na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye (CC Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4):

"My dear Lord, Jagadīśa." Jagat means the universe and īśa means controller. So the controller of the universe, jagad-īśa. Instead of saying Kṛṣṇa or Rāma, this can be understood by any layman, that because there must be somebody controller, He is jagad-īśa, the controller of the whole universe.

So He's saying: "My dear controller of the universe," or the Lord. Na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ na kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye: "I do not pray from You any amount of wealth or any number of followers or any nice, beautiful woman." These are material claims. People generally want to become a very great leader within this material world.

Somebody is trying to become a very rich man like Ford or Rockefeller, somebody is trying to become the president, somebody is trying to become such thing and such thing, to become a very good leader so that many thousands of people may follow. So these are material demands. "Give me some money, give me some followers, and give me a nice wife," that's all.

But Lord Caitanya refuses. He says: "I don't want all these things." Na janaṁ na dhanam. Dhanam means wealth, and janam means followers. Na sundarīṁ kavitām, "or beautiful wife." Then what for You are worshiping? What for You are becoming devotee? He says, mama janmani janmanīśvare. He's not asking for even liberation. Because the yogīs, they want liberation; they have got demand. The materialists, they also have got demand, "I want this, I want that, I want that." So the so-called spiritualists, they also demand liberation. That is also demand.

But Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that, "I don't want anything of this nature. Simply I want to be engaged in Your service." Janmani janmani—birth after birth. That means . . . He does not say also that, "Stop My this disease of birth and death." This is the stage of bhakti-yoga. There is no demand. Simply the only prayer is that "You engage me in Your service." (break)

So our this chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa is also the same thing. This is also taught by Caitanya—Hare means addressing the energy of the Lord, and Kṛṣṇa, the Lord, Rāma, the Lord. Why? "Please engage me in Your service." That's all. That should be the demand. "Please engage me in Your service." Because the whole disease is that we have forgotten to serve God, because we are thinking, "I am God. What is any other God that I have to serve? I am myself God." That is the only disease. The last snare. First of all I try to become president, minister, Rockefeller, Ford, this, that. When I fail, then I want to become God. That is another president, you see?

So in the bhakti-yoga there is no such demand. Simply to serve. When all presidentship fails, then I demand the highest presidentship: to become God. You see? The demand is there, the disease is there. They cannot know that, that "My disease is still there." I am demanding to be the highest. But bhakti-yoga is just the opposite—to become servant, servant of the servant (CC Madhya 13.80).

Just opposite. There is no question of demanding to become the Lord or the president or this. "I want to serve," that's all. And that is the crucial test.

Service is the original nature. Now in this material world also you are serving. If you want to become the president, then I have to promise so many times to the voters that, "I'll give you service." Without promise of service, there is no question of presidentship. So actually my position is to render service—either I become president or minister or this or that.

That they cannot understand that, "In spite of my becoming the highest executive person, president, oh, I have to give service to my people, otherwise immediately they dethrone me. Therefore my real position is service." But service here is so dangerous: if there is little discrepancy of service, the president is immediately fired. Why your president, Mr. Kennedy, was fired? Because some people did not like that, "You are rendering nice service." That is the root fact.

So you cannot satisfy here by service. Our Gandhi, in India, he was also killed. He gave service throughout the whole life, but people at the time did not like. "Oh, you are not rendering their service." So this is the position. Therefore one should be intelligent enough to know that no more service to these material objectives. I must give my service to the Supreme Lord. That is the perfection of life. (break)

Devotee: Why are you teaching Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Prabhupāda: Because you have forgotten. That is your natural position. You have forgotten the service of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, therefore you have become the service of māyā . . . servant of māyā, your senses. Therefore I am teaching that, "You are serving your senses. Now you turn your service to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, you'll be happy" Service you have to render—either Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa or māyā, illusion, senses. Everybody is serving to the senses. Is it not? But he's not satisfied. He cannot be satisfied.

Therefore I am giving them the right information—that service you have to render. But instead of serving your senses, please serve Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa; then you'll be happy. Your position of servant remains the same, but I'm offering a good service. If you don't serve Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, then you have to serve your senses, māyā. So your service position will remain, even if you don't serve Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the best instruction is that instead of serving your senses, your whims, please serve Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa; you'll be happy. That's all.

Devotee (2): Prabhupāda? Before this question was asked you were talking about the ślokas that Lord Caitanya left for us. I can't understand. On one hand He says that we don't want to be delivered from this material ocean, we just want to serve. Then in one of the other ślokas He pleads with Kṛṣṇa to deliver Him from this ocean of death and fix Him up as one of the atoms of His lotus feet. This seems to be a contradiction to me, I can't . . .

Prabhupāda: What is that contradiction? Please explain.

Devotee (2): Well, it seems like . . . you explained before that we shouldn't try to pray to be delivered from this material ocean. We should just try to serve Kṛṣṇa, wherever we are, and be delivered from the ocean of death. Seems to be a plea to take Him out of this material ocean.

Prabhupāda: That na dhanaṁ na janam, mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatu me bhaktir ahaitukī: "Let me situated in Your service." This is the prayer. And another prayer is:

ayi nanda-tanuja

patitaṁ kiṅkaraṁ māṁ viṣame bhavāmbudhau

kṛpayā tava pāda-paṅkaja-

sthita-dhūlī-sadṛśaṁ vicintaya.

(CC Antya 20.32, Śikṣāṣṭaka 5)

Another that, "You simply fix me up as a dust on Your lotus feet." So in one śloka He says: "You engage me in Your service"; in another śloka He says: "You fix me up as the dust of Your lotus . . ." What is the difference? There is no difference. (break)

Devotee (3): Prabhupāda, we were reading earlier this morning in Bhagavad-gītā on the universal form of Kṛṣṇa, when He revealed Himself to Arjuna, and He said that the celestial beings and devotees and the demons both were fearful of Kṛṣṇa when they saw this universal form. How is it that devotees of Kṛṣṇa, like demigods, can be fearful even if they see Viśvarūpa?

Prabhupāda: Because they cannot love Viśvarūpa. Is that all right? Can you love Viśvarūpa? If Kṛṣṇa comes before you with Viśvarūpa, (laughter) (laughs) you'll forget your love. Don't try to love Viśvarūpa. Love Śyāmasundara, that's all. We have seen Kṛṣṇa in Viśvarūpa during wartime. I remember, I think in 1942, December; date I forget. I was just eating, and there was siren of bombing in Calcutta. You see? So the arrangement was as soon as there will be siren of bombing, the government selected a place, shelter room that, "This room in your house will be shelter room." So we had to go into that shelter room and the bombing began—chiiiii-goww. So we were seeing that Viśvarūpa, you see, at that time.

So I was thinking, of course, that this is also Kṛṣṇa's another form. But that form is not very lovable form. (laughter) (laughs) So a devotee in love wants to love Kṛṣṇa in His original form. This Viśvarūpa is not His original form. He can appear in any form. That is His all potency. But this lovable form is Kṛṣṇa, Śyāmasundara.

Suppose a boy's father is a police officer. So if the father comes as a police officer firing with revolver, even the child will forget loving father. So naturally the child loves father when he's at home just like father. Similarly, we love Kṛṣṇa as He is—Śyāmasundara. The Viśvarūpa was shown to Arjuna to warn the rascal humanity.

Because Kṛṣṇa said: "I am God." Imitating Kṛṣṇa, so many rascals declaring that, "I am God." Therefore Arjuna said: "Please show me Your Viśvarūpa," so that these rascals may also ask him to show his Viśvarūpa. So, "If you are God, please show me your Viśvarūpa." That they cannot.

Yes?

Lady devotee: Should we not be respectful to māyā as the energy of Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: If you are respectful to Kṛṣṇa, you are respectful to everyone. That is the qualification of a devotee. You are respectful even to an ant, and what to speak of māyā. Māyā is one of the important energy of Kṛṣṇa. Why should you not respect māyā? That we . . . māyā, Durgā, we pray, "Durgā"—sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya (Bs. 5.44)—when we pray Durgā, we pray Kṛṣṇa immediately.

Because we have to see Kṛṣṇa everywhere. We see the activities of māyā, so we have to see Kṛṣṇa immediately—"Oh, this māyā is acting so nicely under the direction of Kṛṣṇa."

So offering to the police officer means offering respect to the government. So long the man is in the office, we offer respect. And without office. A gentleman offers respect either in office or not office. That doesn't matter. But actually if you offer to a policeman, māyā means he is acting as police force. That means you offer to the government, respect to the government. So this is the offering of respect. Govindam ādi-puruṣam.

sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā

chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni vibharti durgā

icchānurūpam api yasya ca ceṣṭate sā

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.44)

This Durgā, this material energy, so powerful, it can create, it can annihilate, it can maintain. But she's acting under the direction of Kṛṣṇa. So "I am offering my respectful obeisances to Govinda, under whose direction she is acting." So when you offer respect to māyā means we offer respect to Kṛṣṇa immediately. Yes.

Devotee (3): Again, Prabhupāda, from the reading this morning . . .

Prabhupāda: No. No question of morning. All right, you can ask, but the question and answers should be in the reading matter. Otherwise there will be no end of question and answer if you bring all the matters. You see? Anyway, you can finish it. Yes, any question?

Devotee (4): You mentioned that the gopas, Kṛṣṇa's friends, are playing with Him, and they are said to have done very much pious deeds in their past lives. I understand that they are eternal associates . . .

Prabhupāda: No. Those are eternal . . . some of them are eternal associates, some of them are promoted to that eternal association. Suppose if you go and become an associate, playmate of Kṛṣṇa, so your position also becomes, now, eternally. If simply the eternal associates of Kṛṣṇa can play with Him, not others, then what is the meaning of your becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious? You can become also. How? By pious deeds of many, many lives. You can also become promoted to that position. Kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ (SB 10.12.11).

Actually in the bhauma Vṛndāvana, in this material world the Vṛndāvana, mostly the associates of Kṛṣṇa are these conditioned living entities who are promoted to that Kṛṣṇa conscious perfection stage. They are first of all allowed to see Kṛṣṇa in the planet where Kṛṣṇa's pastimes is going on. And then they are promoted to the transcendental Vṛndāvana. Therefore it is said in the Bhāgavata: kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ. They are all promoted. But even they are promoted, they are now eternal associates. Is it clear? Hare Kṛṣṇa.

So? Any other question?

Devotee (5): Prabhupāda? Is it possible for one to engage himself in bhakti-yoga without rendering service to Kṛṣṇa? Let's say someone who . . .

Prabhupāda: Without Kṛṣṇa, where is bhakti?

Devotee (5): Well, someone is worshiping Lord Buddha or Lord Jesus . . .

Prabhupāda: That is not bhakti-yoga. Bhakti-yoga is simply in connection with Kṛṣṇa. Bhakti-yoga cannot be applied to anyone, anything else. And how Buddha philosophy can be dovetailed with bhakti-yoga? Bhakti-yoga means to understand God. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55), you'll find in the Bhagavad-gītā, Eighteenth Chapter.

By bhakti-yoga you can understand Lord, the Supreme Lord, God. But in Buddha philosophy there is no God. That you know? So where is bhakti-yoga?

Devotee (5): In the case of Christians, some of them worship Jesus Christ.

Prabhupāda: That is bhakti-yoga, because they accept God. Unless you accept God there is no question of bhakti-yoga. So Christian religion is also Vaiṣṇavism, because they accept God. Maybe in the . . . some stage different from this. There are different stages of God realization also. The Christian religion says, "God is great. Accept." That is very good.

But just how great God is, that you can understand from Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. But there is acceptance that God is great. That is therefore . . . that is beginning of bhakti-yoga. You can apply there bhakti-yoga. Even the Muhammadan religion, that is also bhakti-yoga. Any religion where God is the target, that is . . . that can be applied in bhakti. But when there is no God, or impersonalism, there is no question of bhakti-yoga.

Bhakti-yoga means bhaja jayukti bhaja-sevayā: service. Service means three things: the servitor, the served and service. One must be present who will accept service; and one must be present to render service; and in the via media, the process of service. So bhakti-yoga means service. If there is nobody to accept the service, then where is the bhakti-yoga? So any philosophy or religious principle where there is no acceptance of God, the Supreme, there is no application of bhakti.

Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda, I have heard it said that the spiritual master will always come back until his devotee, his disciples, have achieved God realization. Could you explain that?

Prabhupāda: Yes. But don't try to take advantage of it. (laughter) Don't try to give trouble to your spiritual master like that. Finish your business in this life. That is especially meant for those who are slack. His devotee, his disciple, should be serious in serving spiritual master. If he is intelligent, he should know that, "Why should I act in such a way that my spiritual master has to take the trouble to reclaim me again? Let my business be finished in this life." That should be the right way of thinking. Not that, "Oh, I am sure my spiritual master will come. Let me do all nonsense." No.

So if you have got any, I mean to say, affection for the spiritual master, then you should finish your business in this life so that he may not come again to reclaim you. Is that all right? Don't take advantage of this business. Rather, be serious to finish your business. That is a fact.

There is an instance of Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura. Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura was, in his previous life, elevated to almost prema-bhakti, highest platform of devotional service. But there is always chance of falldown. So somehow or other he fell down, and next life he was born in a very rich family, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe (BG 6.41).

So he was born in a rich brahmin family, but he became . . . naturally as rich boys become attached to woman-hunter.

So it is said that his spiritual master instructed him through his prostitute. At the right moment, his spiritual master said through that prostitute, "Oh, you are so much attached with this flesh and bone. If you had been attached so much with Kṛṣṇa, how good you could have achieved." Immediately he took to that position.

So that responsibility is for the spiritual master. But we should not take advantage of that. That is not very good. We should try, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ.

We should not try to put our spiritual master in a position that he has to reclaim me from prostitute's house. But he has to do it. Because he accepts his disciple, he has got the responsibility like that.

Yes?

Śīlavatī: Prabhupāda, you said that as long as one is engaging in sex life one cannot become a yogī.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Śīlavatī: Yet the other day you were extolling the virtues of household life, and you said . . . and you named some of the great ācāryas that were householders, and you said that . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is bhakti-yoga. In this ordinary yoga system, as it will be explained in this chapter, one has to strictly follow the life of celibacy. But in the bhakti-yoga system, the whole idea is that you have to fix up your mind in Kṛṣṇa. So whatever position . . . householder life does not mean to indulge in sex enjoyment.

A householder may have wife, may have sex life, but that is for having children only. That's all. A householder does not mean he gets license to legalize prostitution. That is not householder. Householder can simply have sex life to beget nice child, that's all. No more. That is householder life; completely controlled.

Householder does not mean whenever he has got this machine and he can use it. No. Householders, husband and wife, both Kṛṣṇa conscious, engaged in Kṛṣṇa conscious business, but when they require a child, Kṛṣṇa conscious, that's all. That is also voluntary contraceptive method. One or two or three children, that's all—no more.

So householder life does not mean sex life without any restriction. But the . . . for spiritual life, one who wants to advance in spiritual life, either you accept this bhakti-yoga system or this aṣṭāṅga-yoga system or jñāna-yoga system, sex indulgence unrestricted is never there. Sex indulgence means you have to come back again. If you try to enjoy the senses, that is materialistic way of life.

Materialistic way of life is that, "I have got nice senses; let me enjoy the senses to the fullest extent." That is materialistic way of life. Just like cats, dogs and hogs. The hogs, whenever they are sexually inclined, they don't care for whether it is his mother or sister or this or that. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke

kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye

(SB 5.5.1)

Viḍ-bhujām. Viḍ means stool, and bhujām means eater. So the stool-eater's sense gratification is not meant for this human form of life. Stool-eater means these hogs. The hogs' sense gratification is not meant for this human form of life. Restriction. Therefore in the human form of life there is marriage system. Why? What is the marriage and prostitution?

Marriage system means restricting sex life. Marriage system does not mean that you get a wife—ah, without any payment you go on unrestricted sex life. No. That is not marriage. Marriage means to restrict your sex life. He will hunt for sex life here and there—no, you cannot do that. "Here is your wife, and that is only for child." It is restriction.

There are four things. Loke vyavāya 'miṣa mada-sevā nityas tu jantuḥ. Vyavāya, sex life; and meat-eating, āmiṣa. Āmiṣa means eating meat, fish, eggs. So vyavāya means sex. Sex and meat-eating, non-vegetarian diet. Mada-sevā, intoxication. Mithyā sa jantuḥ. Every conditioned soul has natural inclination, pravṛtti. But one has to control that. That is human life. If you put yourself in the waves of natural inclination, that is not human life. You have to restrict. The whole human life is meant for learning restriction. That is human life. That is perfect Vedic civilization.

Tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). One has to purify his existence. What is that existence? I am spirit, ever-existing, eternal. Now I have contaminated this matter, therefore I am suffering. So I have to purify. Just like you have to get free from the diseased condition. When you get fever, you take treatment, not unrestricted enjoyment. The doctor says: "Don't do this, don't do this, don't do this."

Similarly, this human form of life is to get out of this diseased condition of life having a material body. If we don't restrict, then where is the treatment? Where is the cure? The whole system is restriction, tapo divyam: just to concentrate one's activities in austerities, penances, for transcendental realization. That is human form of life.

But there are different orders of social society: brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. The whole process is to restrict. But gṛhastha, householder, means giving a little license who cannot completely restrict sex life. That's all. Gṛhastha does not mean unrestricted sex life. If you have known this married life like that, that's a wrong conception. You have to control if you want to get out of this diseased condition of life. You cannot get out of disease and unrestrictedly go on enjoying your senses. No. That is not possible.

Yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4).

Those who are indulging unrestrictedly in sense enjoyment civilization, that is not good, because that will lead him to accept next again this material body—may be human body or animal body or any body. But he has to accept this body. And as soon as you accept this body, then you'll have to undergo the threefold miseries of the body: birth, death, old age, diseases. These are the symptoms of threefold miseries.

So people . . . one has to understand scientifically these things. But they are neglecting, so therefore continuing suffering. They do not care for suffering also. Just like the animals, they are suffering, but they do not care for it—they forget. So practically this sense gratification civilization means animal civilization. A little polished, that's all.

Viṣṇujana: Prabhupāda? Is the samādhi which is the perfection of this eightfold yoga system the same as the samādhi of bhakti-yoga?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Samādhi means to absorb the mind with Viṣṇu. That is samādhi. So if you absorb your mind with Kṛṣṇa, then it is samādhi.

(break)

Any inquiry? He'll ask. All right.

Young boy devotee: Swāmījī? You said that if you eat too much you will pay. But how about the devotees? How about when they eat too much prasāda?

Prabhupāda: You want to eat more?

Young boy devotee: I just want to know how.

Prabhupāda: You think you are eating more? So you can eat more. Yes, you can eat more. Yes, it is medical advice that there are two kinds of mistakes in eating—over-eating and under-eating. So under-eating mistake for old man is very good. And over-eating mistake for boys, that is good. So you can overeat. I cannot.

Young boy devotee: How about Tamāla and Viṣṇujana? (laughter)

Prabhupāda: He cannot. You can. You can eat as much as you like. Free pass. (laughter) Yes?

Viṣṇujana: Prabhupāda? In the material world there are instruments to measure different kinds of energy. How does one measure . . . what kind of instrument, how does he develop it, to measure the spiritual energy?

Prabhupāda: Material energy, your question is, just like energy in electricity?

Viṣṇujana: We can measure that with certain instrument. But what is the instrument for measuring Kṛṣṇa's spiritual energy?

Prabhupāda: That instrument you have got—this mṛdaṅga and the cymbal. Just vibrate. It is very simple instrument. The instrument is your tongue. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. You have got the . . . everyone has got; you haven't got to purchase. The instrument is your ear. Simply hear vibration. You have got all the instruments with you.

You haven't got to purchase or hire from anywhere. You have got the tongue and you have got the ear. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and use this instrument to hear. Finished. All perfection is there. It doesn't require to be educated scientists and philosopher, this or that. Nothing. Simply you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and hear. Everything is there.

Everyone has got these instruments. You haven't got to pay any tax. You use electrical energy, you have to pay for it. But here you have got everything complete. Pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇam adaḥ (Īśopaniṣad, Invocation).

Everything created by God is complete. Don't you see this earth? Take the aggregate existence of this earth. It is complete. Now there is sufficient water stock in the sea and oceans. The sunlight is acting, evaporating the water, and it is turned into cloud. Then it is overcast all over the land and there is production. And there is river flowing down. You stock your water tank high, and there are mountain heads, there is stock of water, and all year the river is flowing, supply water.

Don't you see how nice brain it is? Can you pour water, hundred . . .? If you want to evaporate hundred gallons of water, you have got to make so many necessary arrangement. And here, millions of tons water is taken away immediately from the ocean and sea and turned into cloud, light cloud, so that it may not fall down immediately. You see? Not like a tank. And it is reserved on the head of the mountain and it is sprayed all over the land. So everything is there. You require water to produce grains, vegetables. So everything is there. Pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idam (Īśopaniṣad, Invocation). Because it is manufactured by the complete intelligent brain, everything is complete.

Similarly, your body is also complete for spiritual realization. You haven't got to search any other external. Simply this yoga system is that, to understand that completeness. Everything is complete. Your foodstuff is complete, your arrangement is complete, your human body is complete. Just you try to utilize it and you become completely liberated from this all pangs of life.

Śabda . . . (indistinct) . . . vṛtti, the Vedānta-sūtra. Simply by sound vibration one can get liberation. So this śabda, śabda means sound. Śabda . . . (indistinct) . . . vṛtti. You see? So the machine is already with you, everyone. Just utilize it, this simple method: chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and hear. That's all. Yes.

Devotee (7): What is it . . . we misunderstand about Kṛṣṇa's plenary expansion Viṣṇu?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa can expand Himself. Just like you are sitting here; you are not in your apartment. Because you are conditioned. When you are in spiritual, liberated, you can also expand. But Kṛṣṇa, because He hasn't got material body, He can expand in million forms. He can sit here, He can sit there. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati, (BG 18.61)

He's sitting everyone's heart—everyone—by His expansion. Although He is one, He can expand. That is because He is great. Just like the sun is great. Therefore if you at noontime you send telegram to your friend who is five thousand miles away, "Where is the sun?" He'll say, "On my head." And you'll see that sun is on your head. Why? Because he is great.

So Kṛṣṇa, being great, He can remain everywhere at one time. That is expansion. You take the example. What is sun? That is a minute creation of Kṛṣṇa. If sun can remain on everyone's head simultaneously, although one may be five thousand, ten thousand miles away, Kṛṣṇa cannot remain? Why don't you use your reasoning power? Is the sun greater than Kṛṣṇa? No. Kṛṣṇa can create millions of suns. If sun has got such power, why not Kṛṣṇa? Then you do not understand Kṛṣṇa.

So Kṛṣṇa, akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37), He can expand. That is, you'll find in the Thirteenth Chapter, that kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata (BG 13.3).

Kṣetra, kṣetra-jña. Just like you are a spirit soul. You are the proprietor of this body. I am proprietor of this body, you are proprietor of your body. But because I am sitting within this body, but Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor of all bodies because He is sitting everywhere.

Just like this house may be owned by me or somebody else; that house may be owned by him. But the whole America is owned by the State.

Similarly, when there is question of greatness, that is possible, that expansion. And "Because I cannot expand"—frog philosophy—"therefore Kṛṣṇa cannot expand," that is nonsense. We are thinking always in terms of my position, "How it is possible for Kṛṣṇa to expand, because I cannot expand." What you are? What is your position? Why do you compare Kṛṣṇa with you? Yes, Kṛṣṇa can expand. So many examples are given. Don't think because you cannot expand, therefore Kṛṣṇa cannot expand. That is the defect of nonsensical philosophy.

They formally say, "God is great." But when actually . . . (indistinct) . . . he thinks, "Oh, how much great He should be? I cannot do this. How Kṛṣṇa can do?" But formally, "Oh, God is great." They have no idea how far God is great. That we'll find in Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore the super excellence of this science of God. Akhilātma-bhūtaḥ (Bs. 5.37).

If you want to know how God is great, then you have to take reference of this Vedic literature. No other literature.

Devotee (8): Prabhupāda? We know that His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī always sat very erect, and it is stated here in the Bhagavad-gītā that one should sit erect. Will this aid us in our concentrating on chanting our japa, if we try to concentrate, if we try to sit erect without any . . . (indistinct) . . . while chanting . . .?

Prabhupāda: No, no. It doesn't require any sitting posture. But if you can sit, it helps you. It helps you. If you can sit straight like this, it will be very nice; it can help, yes, you can concentrate even in chanting and hearing. Therefore these things are required.

But we are not very much particular about this. But he was brahmacārī; he could sit like that. (laughter) That is the sign of brahmacārī. He was not a false brahmacārī, but he was real brahmacārī yes. (end)