730306 - Lecture BG 10.01-3 - Calcutta

Lectures by Date, 1973

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

730306BG-CALCUTTA - March 06, 1973 - 45:04 Minutes

Prabhupāda: This is Bhagavad-gītā. (break)

śrī-bhagavān uvāca . . .

(aside) That's all right.

bhūya eva mahā-bāho

śṛṇu me paramaṁ vacaḥ

yat te 'haṁ prīyamāṇāya

vakṣyāmi hita-kāmyayā

(BG 10.1)

(aside) Why this talk?

Devotee: (aside) Turn it down.

Prabhupāda: Bhūyaḥ. Bhūyaḥ means "again," "repeated." Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is very easy, at the same time it is very difficult. If we take it easily, just like Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁśaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), then it is very easy. God, Kṛṣṇa, is great, and I am a fractional portion, minute portion, of God. It is my duty to remain surrendered unto Him. Then the matter is very easy. But we have made the matter very difficult.

We are thinking in different ways, that "I am God," "God is dead," "Why you are searching God? The God is loitering in the street, so many Gods. Why you are going to temple?" So many. Means it is the business of the asuras to get away God. Kaṁsa's business, Rāvaṇa's business, Hiraṇyakaśipu's business, demon's business is to drive away God consciousness.

(aside) Just you have to stop this, this disturbance. (noisy ceiling fans)

Therefore, because this material world is full of demons . . . every one of us who is in this material world is more or less a demon. Every one of us. Because just like in the prison house there may be some first-class prisoners, second-class prisoners or third-class prisoners, all of them to some extent are criminals—violated the laws of the state. That is the position. Everyone. Similarly, anyone who is in this material world, he is to some extent a criminal. Criminal in this respect: that he has defied the authority or the supremacy of God. The degree may be different, but all of them, they have defied.

That is the explanation given by one Vaiṣṇava kavi:

kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare

pāsate māyā tāre jāpaṭīyā dhare

(Prema-vivarta 6.2)

Our this material contact is due to our forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa—that Kṛṣṇa is the only enjoyer, Kṛṣṇa is the predominator, Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme, Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor. That we have forgotten. "Why Kṛṣṇa should be only proprietor? I shall be proprietor. Why Kṛṣṇa should be only enjoyer? I shall also enjoy." This mentality has put us in the material world.

kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare

pāsate māyā tāre jāpaṭīyā dhare

(Prema-vivarta 6.2)

This is our position.

So the māyā has captured us. Why? Because we have defied the supremacy of Kṛṣṇa. So all of us, more or less. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says in the Tenth Chapter, bhūya eva mahā-bāho (BG 10.1). Arjuna is great soldier; therefore he is addressed as mahā-bāho. Bāho, we have got bāho. We have got bāho. But Arjuna's bāho is different: he can fight with thousands of men alone. We cannot fight even with one man, although we have got this bāho. Therefore he is addressed as mahā-bāho. And another meaning is that unless one is very strong in determination, he cannot make any advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He must be a hero. He must be able to fight with the laws of material nature.

Just like in our society there are four prohibited principles: no illicit sex life, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling. So especially at the modern age, it is very difficult to give it up unless one is mahā-bāho, very strong. Very strong. They cannot even give up drinking tea. How much strength required? So many people come, respectable gentlemen, they want me to initiate them. As soon as I say that "You have to follow these principles," immediately they go away. It is very difficult.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that bhūya eva mahā . . . śṛṇu me paramaṁ vacaḥ (BG 10.1). Everything what Kṛṣṇa says, that is paramaṁ, supreme truth. Kṛṣṇa cannot commit any mistake. The difference between Kṛṣṇa and ourself is that whatever we do, they are subjected to so many deficiencies, because we commit mistake, we are disillusioned, and our senses are imperfect and we cheat. Kṛṣṇa is not like that. Therefore whatever He says, that is supreme, that is transcendental. And still, because we are conditional, Kṛṣṇa is speaking to Arjuna in so many different ways just to convince him. This is the duty, because Kṛṣṇa has been accepted by Arjuna as the spiritual master. Śiṣyas te 'haṁśādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). And Kṛṣṇa is teaching him.

So a teacher repeatedly says the same thing—this way, that way, negative way, positive way—so the student may be convinced of the actual truth. Therefore He says bhūya, "again." "Again I am saying to you." Actually the Bhagavad-gītā means to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Two words: surrender to Kṛṣṇa. But we'll not surrender. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has to speak to Arjuna in so many ways. Otherwise, if immediately we accept to surrender to Kṛṣṇa, that is perfect knowledge. Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim (Nārada-pañcarātra).

If one is engaged in worshiping, in rendering devotional service to Kṛṣṇa, then all his tapasya finished. He has got the result of all tapasya. Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim. No more tapasya. If you have developed your love for Kṛṣṇa, and in loving attitude you are engaged in His transcendental service, then your all tapasya finished; you have got the result, result of all tapasya.

Because human life is meant for tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ (SB 5.5.1). It is not to waste our time like cats and dogs. Cats and dogs: eating, sleeping, sexual intercourse and defending. This is business of cats and dogs and hogs. The human business is tapasya. That is Vedic civilization. Tapo divyaṁ. Divyaṁ tapasya. Not like Hiraṇyakaśipu. Hiraṇyakaśipu also underwent very severe penances and austerities. But what was his aim? His aim was that "I shall be very, very powerful, and I shall live forever.

And I shall go on acting like a demon, without any check." That was his tapasya. Everyone is doing like that: "I shall acquire so much money, bank balance, and my business should be so big, and I shall be minister, I shall be president, so that everyone will offer me respect." Lābha-pūjā-pratiṣṭhā: profit and adoration and fame. These three things everyone wants. So . . . but we have to submit. We are so much puffed-up that we cannot submit.

Therefore, Kṛṣṇa has to say repeatedly, Arjuna. He's instructing as student. He's student; Kṛṣṇa is guru. It is the business of guru to instruct.

bhūya eva mahā-bāho

śṛṇu me paramaṁ vacaḥ

yat te 'haṁ prīyamāṇāya

vakṣyāmi hita-kāmyayā

(BG 10.1)

Prīyamāṇāya: "You are My dear friend." Unless one is very dear . . . so to become dear to the teacher, therefore our system is "Submit."

tad viddhi praṇipātena

paripraśnena sevayā

(BG 4.34)

You have to very humbly submit to the spiritual master, give him service, satisfy him. Then prīyamāṇāya: he'll think that "Here is a student who is very submissive, very humble. He requires to be taught very nicely."

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says,

yat te 'haṁ prīyamāṇāya

vakṣyāmi hita-kāmyayā

(BG 10.1)

Well-wisher. Teacher must be well-wisher. At the present moment, teachers are disrespected. How he can be well-wisher? The other day I went to the university for lecture. One of the teachers said that "I was bombed in this room. A few months ago, I was bombed in this room. The student threw bomb." This is going on. So how the teacher shall be well-wisher of the student?

It is the injunction of the śāstras that the physician, the teachers, they should be very much respected. According to Vedic system, if a physician comes to a patient, the patient should accept the physician as father, so he may be compassionate so he can administer the best medicine. Similarly, the teacher should be respected so that he may be compassionate. Hita-kāmyayā: he'll give the best instruction. So Kṛṣṇa . . . Arjuna has already proved that he is a very submissive student: śiṣyas te'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). "Already you have surrendered," prapannam. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, hita-kāmyayā, "For your welfare."

So He again says,

na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ

prabhavaṁ na maharṣayaḥ

aham ādir hi devānāṁ

maharṣīṇāṁ ca sarvaśaḥ

(BG 10.2)

The first thing is: what is Kṛṣṇa? He has repeatedly said. Again He said: devānāṁ. One may think that Kṛṣṇa is born some five thousand years ago. They may question that, that before Kṛṣṇa is born, there was no Kṛṣṇa worship. Because they do not know what is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is worshiped long, long, long, long—from the beginning of the creation. Just like Brahmā. Brahmā is the beginning of creation. So he also worshiped. Yaṁ brahmā varuṇendra-rudra-marutaḥ stunvanti divyaiḥ stavair (SB 12.13.1). Yaṁ brahmā. Brahmā worships Him. Varuṇendra, Indra: all the demigods worship Him. So Kṛṣṇa is ādi, that's a fact.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānāṁ. Because Brahmā is the first deva, then Lord Śiva, then other all devas. Viṣṇu, of course, before Brahmā. Viṣṇu is, in the material world, Viṣṇu is also considered as one of the devas. Mahā . . . Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara, Ādi-deva. Ādi-deva.

That Viṣṇu is also caused by Kṛṣṇa. That I have explained several times. Kṛṣṇa is the origin of Viṣṇu. From Kṛṣṇa, first expansion: eko bahu śyāma. Kṛṣṇa is expanded in many forms—viṣṇu-tattva, jīva-tattva. We are also Kṛṣṇa's expansion, and the viṣṇu-tattva is also Kṛṣṇa's expansion, and the demigods, they are also Kṛṣṇa's expansion. Everyone: eko bahu śyāma. He has become one. The Supreme One has expanded Himself in so many ways—viṣṇu-tattva, jīva-tattva, śakti-tattva.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything, aham ādir hi devānāṁ (BG 10.2). Because we take the first, the devas: Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara. Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's first expansion is svayaṁ prakāśa, baladeva-tattva. Svayam prakāśa. From baladeva-tattva, the quadruple tattvas, namely Vās . . . Saṅkar . . . Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha.

Then again, from Saṅkarṣaṇa, there is Nārāyaṇa. Then again, from Nārāyaṇa, second quadruple expansion, again Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha. And from Saṅkarṣaṇa, these three Viṣṇus. Three Viṣṇus means Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu, then Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Then from Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu . . . From Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is Brahmā, and Viṣṇu also, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu.

And from Brahmā is Lord Śiva. In this way, other devatas—Indra, Candra, Varuna, Sun, Moon, so many. There are millions of demigods, millions of human being, millions of lower than. Deva-tiryaṅ-narādiṣu (SB 1.2.34). Deva means demigods; tiryaṅ means lower than human being—animals, birds, beasts, trees; and the human being, narādiṣu.

So the expansion is very much, but the origin of all expansion is Kṛṣṇa. That is to be understood. Aham ādir hi devānāṁ. Na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ. Sura-gaṇāḥ means these devatas.

na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ

prabhavaṁ na maharṣaya

(BG 10.2)

And great sages, Marīci-ādi . . . there are seven great sages: Marīci, Vasiṣṭha, Ātreya. The seven stars we see on the northern pole, they are the planets of these great seven ṛṣis. So they are there. So even these great sages, they also do not know what is the actual position of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa Himself does not know what is His actual position, Kṛṣṇa is so great. Kṛṣṇa, to understand Himself, He came as Caitanya Mahāprabhu, devotee of Kṛṣṇa, to understand.

Because Kṛṣṇa wanted to know Himself, so He could know Himself in the attitude of Rādhārāṇī. So He took the attitude of Rādhārāṇī. Therefore Rādhārāṇī-Kṛṣṇa, when combined together, that is Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Rādhā-kṛṣṇa nahe anya, śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya (Caitanya Bhāgavata).

Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, the Gosvāmīs, they have studied that,

rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinīśaktir asmād

ekātmānāv api deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau

(CC Adi 1.5)

Kṛṣṇa is one, but when Kṛṣṇa wants to enjoy, He must expand His pleasure potency. That is Rādhārāṇī. Rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir. Kṛṣṇa cannot enjoy anything material. The original spiritual potency, pleasure potency, is Rādhārāṇī. So first of all He expanded, then again He combined together. That is Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This is the study of the Gosvāmī. Rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī.

Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu is given seat along with Kṛṣṇa. He's combination of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. We may not misunderstand that Caitanya Mahāprabhu is . . . imitating Caitanya Mahāprabhu, there are so many so-called avatāras. But this is approved by the śāstra. Kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam (SB 11.5.32). Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṇa, same category, kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ. Just like we say varṇa: brāhmaṇa varṇa, kṣatriya varṇa, śūdra varṇa, vaiśya varṇa. Varṇa means the same category, varṇa. Or kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ means who is always describing Kṛṣṇa. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu is passing on the road, He's chanting,

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa he

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa he

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa pāhi māṁ

(CC Madhya 7.96)

Therefore kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ is He; iti kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is describing Himself: kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam. But by His complexion, He is not black—very fair complexion.

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ

sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam

(SB 11.5.32)

But He is always accompanied by His associates.

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya

prabhu-nityānanda

śrī-advaita gadādhara

śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

(Śrī Caitanya-Śata-Nāma-Stotraṁ Māhātmyaṁ)

So this Kṛṣṇa . . . Caitanya Mahāprabhu is also Kṛṣṇa, but people misunderstand. Because to understand Kṛṣṇa, it requires knowledge from Kṛṣṇa or from Kṛṣṇa's representative. Kṛṣṇa is not knowable.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin vetti māṁ tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

Out of many millions of persons, one may be liberated, yatatām api siddha. Siddha means "liberated." Siddhi. Siddhi means to know oneself. At the present moment we are conditioned; we are thinking that "I am this body." Yasyātma-buddhi-kuṇape (SB 10.84.13): to think of this body as self is the business of the cats and dogs. Sa eva go-kharaḥ. Go-kharaḥ means "animals." Go means "cows," and kharaḥ means "ass." So every one of us, practically, we are identifying with this body. Therefore we are not siddhas.

Siddha means one who is completely free from the bodily concept of life.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu

(BG 18.54)

Unless one is fully convinced that "I am not this body," and similarly, if I am not convinced that "These people, they are also not body; they are all spirit soul . . ." Therefore one who is actually paṇḍita, in the real understanding of things, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ, he sees everyone part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. That is sama-darśi.

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu

mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

(BG 18.54)

Then bhakti begins.

Bhakti is not a sentiment. Bhakti is the highest stage of understanding, knowledge. That is bhakti. Bhaktyāśruta-gṛhītayā (SB 1.2.12), Bhāgavata says. Bhaktyāśruta. Bhakti must be executed śruta-gṛhītayā, by hearing. Śruta, by hearing from disciplic succession. That is perfect bhakti. And in that bhakti, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55), when you are on the transcendental platform of bhakti, then you can understand what is Kṛṣṇa.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ (BG 10.2). The sura-gaṇāḥ, the big, big demigods, they are also not in the pure stage of bhakti. They have got bhakti—bhakti-miśra, mixed bhakti. They have got desire to enjoy this material world. They are called devatas. Just like Brahmā, what to speak of other, he has got a desire to lord it over the material world. So he has been given. But he's a bhakta, but not pure bhakta. Pure bhakta means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ (CC Madhya 19.167), no material desire.

Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, brahma-janme nāhi mora āśa: "I do not desire even to take birth as Lord Brahmā." Because that is not pure bhakti. Brahmā is bhakta, undoubtedly. Unless he is very high class bhakta, how he can be offered such exalted post? Just like in government service, unless one is not very confidential, he cannot be given any confidential post. Similarly, all these devatas, they are devotees undoubtedly, but karma-miśra, jñāna-miśra. They are not pure devotee. Pure devotee, Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches us,

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ

kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye

(CC Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4)

This is pure devotion.

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ

kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye

(CC Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4)

"I don't want all these things. I don't want money, I don't want big followers, I don't want very beautiful wife." Sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye. Then what you want?

mama janmani janmanīśvare

bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi

(CC Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4)

Ahaitu: "Without any reason, without any desire, I want to serve You."

So unless we cannot come to that position, pure devotional life, we cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. It is not possible. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ prabhavaṁ. Because they do not know, therefore they think Kṛṣṇa . . . just like Brahmā was bewildered. When Lord Kṛṣṇa was playing as cowherd boy, then everywhere it is advertised that "Kṛṣṇa has come in this world, and now He's in Vṛndāvana playing as a cowherd boy." So Brahmā became doubtful: "Kṛṣṇa is my Lord. I worship, and He has become a cowherd boy. Let me test if He is really God, really Kṛṣṇa."

So he took away all His cowherd boys, calves and everything, by his . . . he is very powerful. But Kṛṣṇa immediately expanded Himself in so many cows and cowherd boys and calves. And then he understood that "Yes, here is Kṛṣṇa." So, muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ (SB 1.1.1), Bhāgavata says, that great, great demigods, sūrayaḥ: they become bewildered to understand Kṛṣṇa. They become bewildered.

Therefore it is not very easy to understand Kṛṣṇa. But if we can acquire, somehow or other, a little mercy of Kṛṣṇa, then we can understand. This is the process.

ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi

na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ

(CC Madhya 17.136)

By your gymnastic process of these indriyas, senses, mental speculation, you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible.

athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya-

prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi

jānāti tattvaṁ . . .

(SB 10.14.29)

The thing is, Kṛṣṇa should be understood in tattva. So to understand Kṛṣṇa in tattva, you have to become submissive, render service to Kṛṣṇa, under the direction of Kṛṣṇa. Then:

bhaktyā mām abhijānāti

yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ

(BG 18.55)

Then you can understand Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise it is not possible to understand Kṛṣṇa.

And those who are mudhas, means those who are thinking of Kṛṣṇa as ordinary boy, ordinary human cowherds boy, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ . . . (BG 9.11). Just like Kṛṣṇa is attacked by so many atheists that He was taken as ordinary human being. No. Kṛṣṇa is not human being. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ. Na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ prabhavaṁ. Kṛṣṇa's prabhāva, prabhā, His influence also not known. He's so influential; He can do everything, anything. Anything, whatever He likes. That is Kṛṣṇa.

prabhavaṁ na maharṣayaḥ

aham ādir hi devānāṁ

maharṣīṇāṁ ca sarvaśaḥ

(BG 10.2)

Sarvaśaḥ: "I am the origin of everyone." This we should understand, how He becomes origin of everything. If you accept Kṛṣṇa's statement, that is sufficient, that Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything. If you do not accept, you can make an analytical study how Kṛṣṇa is everything. The śāstra will give you evidence: "Yes, Kṛṣṇa is the origin of everything." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One must be fixed up in his understanding of Kṛṣṇa, that He is the origin of everything. He is the origin of everything,

aham ādir hi devānāṁ

maharṣīṇāṁ ca sarvaśaḥ

(BG 10.2)

(looking for next verse)

Oh, so many pictures. Then Kṛṣṇa says,

yo mām ajam anādiṁ ca

vetti loka-maheśvaram

asammūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu

sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate

(BG 10.3)

Anyone who is fully convinced, yo mām ajam . . . ajam means "unborn." If one takes Kṛṣṇa that Kṛṣṇa is born historically five thousand years ago, and as the son of Vasudeva and Devakī, and He accepted . . . Vasudeva, Devakī could not raise Him; He was dispatched to Yaśodā—this is also good. But He does not take birth. Because people contest that "How God can take birth?" He does not take birth. That is misunderstanding. Therefore one should know how Kṛṣṇa takes His birth.

Therefore in the Fourth Chapter it is clearly said if anyone understands this simple fact how Kṛṣṇa takes His birth, this one item: How Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa is aja—how He takes His birth, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ . . . (BG 4.9). Simply this one thing, if one can understand how Kṛṣṇa takes His birth, and why does He come to work with us. Just like Kṛṣṇa came and worked with Arjuna, and He took part in the battlefield as charioteer of Arjuna. Only these things if we can understand, then we can become liberated. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). If we understand these two things in fact, then what happens?

tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma

naiti mām eti so 'rjuna

(BG 4.9)

Then he becomes liberated. Liberated. Liberation begins as soon as you begin devotional service. Immediately. Because Kṛṣṇa says,

sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁśaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi . . .

(BG 18.66)

Immediately you are liberated. Bondage means so long the reaction of karma is there. But He says, He assures, that ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: "I shall give you liberation from all sinful reaction of life."

We are entangled for sinful reaction of life. If you are actually pious, then there is no more birth. "Actually pious" means to become a devotee. Unless one is a pure devotee, he is not pious. Comparatively, he may be pious, because there are degrees of pious. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ (BG 7.28): one who is completely free from all impious activities, pāpaṁ. Because here, sometimes we think that we are making so many sacrifices.

This is puṇya, puṇya karma. But there is pāpa, also. And because in the sacrifices there are sometimes animal sacrifice, so that is pāpa. For one kind of puṇya, we commit another kind of pāpa. Or in ordinary ways, sometimes a big man accumulates some money and spends for charitable purpose, for opening schools, hospitals, but he has earned the money from black market.

So this is the world. If you want to do something pious activities in this material world, you have do something impious activities also. That is pāpa. So therefore, unless you transcend all this business of pāpa and puṇya, you cannot be free from this material bondage. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, karma-kāṇḍa jñāna-kāṇḍa sakali viṣera bandha. Karma-kāṇḍa means pious activities, and jñāna-kāṇḍa means culturing knowledge. This is called jñāna-kāṇḍa. So, karma-kāṇḍa jñāna-kāṇḍa sakali viṣera bandha (Prema-bhakti-candrikā). Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, in a very simple Bengali language, viṣera bandha: a pot of poison. Amṛta baliyā yebā khāya. If you take a pot of poison as nectarean, then what will be there?

nānā joni brahman kare, kadarya bhakṣaṇa kare

tāra janma adhaḥ-pāte yāya

(Prema-bhakti-candrikā)

So you should not take karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa. We have created our activities on these two fields: karma-kāṇḍa and jñāna-kāṇḍa. Karma means karmīs, those who are trying to enjoy this material world by activities, different types of activities. They are karma-kāṇḍa, in the rough estimate. And another, jñāna-kāṇḍa. Jñānīs, they say, when they are frustrated in doing, they say, "This is all false." Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. So this is jñāna-kāṇḍa. But bhakti is above karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa.

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ

jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

(CC Madhya 19.167)

Here in this material world, karma-kāṇḍa or jñāna-kāṇḍa is going on. The karmīs are thinking they're very clever; they're enjoying life. They will enjoy life in this world; again they will be elevated to the heavenly planet. There they will enjoy. There they will enjoy. So according to their estimation, they're very intelligent. And the jñānīs, they are thinking that "We have worked as karmīs, but we have never derived any benefit out of it; therefore this is all false." The grapes are sour. Give it up, jackal.

"Now let us become sannyāsī and become Brahman, become one with God." They have left this, I mean to say, paltry enjoyment. "Let me become the Supreme Nārāyaṇa." They introduce themselves, "Nārāyaṇa." Nārāyaṇa means the enjoyer of Lakṣmī, Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. So at the heart they have got the desire to capture Lakṣmī, the original Lakṣmī, and outwardly they are sannyāsī. They have given up everything, mithyā, but at heart there is the desire to enjoy Lakṣmī. So therefore phalgu-vairāgya. Phalgu-vairāgya.

But the devotee is above this karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa.

jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-

śīlanaṁ . . .

(CC Madhya 19.167)

They are ready to serve the order of Kṛṣṇa, never mind what it is. It may be jñāna-kāṇḍa, karma-kāṇḍa or anything. But that is not the fact. If you are ready to serve Kṛṣṇa in all conditions… Just like Arjuna became: "Yes," kariṣye vacanaṁ tava. "Yes, I shall work what You're instructing me." Naṣṭo mohaḥ (BG 18.73): "Now my all illusion is gone. I was thinking on the platform of karma-kāṇḍa and jñāna-kāṇḍa. Now my illusion is gone."

Tvat-prasādān madhusūdana: "By Your grace I am now above this. I am now prepared. You want me to fight? Yes, I shall kill all the other side, never mind they are my grandfather, brothers." This is bhakti-kāṇḍa. Karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa . . . if we remain in karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa, then we cannot come to the bhakti-kāṇḍa. Bhakti-kāṇḍa is above.

When Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya, that means we have manufactured so many religious system on the basis of karma-kāṇḍa and jñāna-kāṇḍa. So we have to give up all these; then we come to the bhakti-kāṇḍa. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. When we understand Kṛṣṇa on the platform of bhakti, then our life is successful. Evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ (SB 1.2.20). Mukta-saṅgasya jāyate. Bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ mukta-saṅgasya jāyate. Evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ. When by executing devotional service, when we become sublimely jubilant, prasanna-manaso . . .

Because in bhakti-kāṇḍa, when you are engaged in the service of the Lord, we become jubilant, because that is our real life. Mukti means to come to the real position. Our real position is jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (CC Madhya 20.108). So when we come to that position, to become Kṛṣṇa's dāsa—that is our real constitutional position—naturally we become jubilant. So, karma-kāṇḍa jñāna-kāṇḍa sakali visera bandha.

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ

jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-

śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā

(CC Madhya 19.167)

This is bhakti.

So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to place everyone on the platform of bhakti. And it is very easy in this age. Very easy. Every time it is very easy, but people are not very much inclined to accept the easy things. Sahaja, sahaja. Saha-ja. Sahaja means "with my birth," "what is born." Saha-ja. Ja means "take birth." So sahaja: as we are living entities, our birthright is to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is sahaja. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66): "You are meant for this purpose." Therefore in every human being there is bhakti. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti. There is sahaja, spontaneously born, bhakti. Just like a child is obedient to the parents. This is sahaja.

So we give up this sahaja; we take the difficult things: "I am . . . I become Lord," "I am . . . I am God," "There is no God." We take all these nonsense, giving up the sahaja. Therefore if we become sahaja, if we take up the simple thing, that "God is great. We are small particle, part and parcel of God. Our business is to serve God," then it is sahaja. It is very simple. Otherwise it is very difficult.

So Kṛṣṇa is teaching Bhagavad-gītā, how to become situated in your original position to understand yourself, that you are eternal servant of God. Then your life is successful. Thank you very much.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Haribol. (end)