750830 - Lecture BG 07.03 Hindi - Vrndavana

Lectures by Date, 1975

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

750830BG-VRNDAVAN - August 30, 1975 - 35:48 Minutes

(Hindi translated into English)

Harikeśa: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (devotees repeat) Bhagavad-gītā As It Is by His Divine Grace A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Mahārāj Prabhupāda. Chapter 7, text 3.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(Bhagavad-gītā 7.3)

Prabhupāda:

oṁ ajñāna-timirāndhasya

jñānāñjana-śalākayā

cakṣur-unmīlitaṁ yena

tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya

prabhu-nityānanda

śrī-advaita gadādhara

śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare

Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

So, the rule is that in the morning for our foreign students we have preaching sessions from . . ..

(aside in English) When we speak . . . seven?

Devotee: It's all right in Hindi.

Between 7.30 to 8.30 in the morning we present a lecture in English, and in the evening from 7.30 to 8.30 we try to speak in Hindi. I do not have much practice speaking in Hindi but I am Indian so I can speak a little.

So, before I speak on this Bhagavad-gītā verse, I would like to share some good news with you, that this temple that you all say is a very beautiful one, the reason behind this Śrīmān Kāṣīrāmjī Sarāf's and his wife, Śrīmati Gītā Devī. And when I first came to Vṛndāvana in 1971, this gentleman on his own accord proposed to donate this land to me. Then by the the Supreme Person's will, the donation was done and at that time I did not have any money also. Anyway by begging all over the world, at least fifty lakh rupees has been spent on this.

At that time Kāṣīrāmjī had kept some part of the land in the front for his own use but after seeing this temple he was very happy and he has said, "This land also belongs to you. Use this land as you want, it is your's." On that land we are now going to make a gurukula. And the expenses incurred in building this gurukula will be met by Viṣvāmbhar Nāthjī Agarwal, who is sitting next to me. He will give at least one lakh rupees, and may give more also. I will start the gurukula tomorrow. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, you all know something about this already. We are preaching Lord Kṛṣṇa's name all over the world. The other name for this is Hare Kṛṣṇa movement.

So, big big scholars are writing books and articles about this movement. (English) Professor Judah from the Berkeley University has written a big book 'Hare Krishna and Counterculture'—very scholarly book. (Hindi) Similarly, this movement is being slowly liked by everyone. And these are the words of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "pṛthivīte āche yata nagaradi grāma, sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma" (Śrī Caitanya Bhāgavata - Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126).

This was His prophecy that in all the villages and towns all over the world, towns etc., there will be preaching all over and it is happening also. They are accepting Indian culture with great enthusiasm. We will discuss this later on. Let us talk about the Supreme Lord's pastimes now, as today is His appearance day also. We should discuss something on that.

So, birth of the Supreme Lord, "ajo 'pi sann avyayātmā" (BG 4.6), the Supreme Lord is unborn, the Lord is never born nor are we, the part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, born. Bhagavad-gītā says, "na jāyate mriyate vā" (BG 2.20) If we, who are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, are neither born nor do we die then how can the Supreme Lord be born? So, the Supreme Lord himself has said: "ajo 'pi sann avyayātmā, bhūtānām īśvaro 'pi san" (BG 4.6)

Even though the Supreme Lord is unborn, He takes birth. This is the inconceivable power of the Supreme Lord. Today is His appearance day. Not only today, every day is His appearance day. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said, just like the Sun we see everyday in the morning and we think that this is the birth of the Sun or the rising of the Sun. But the Sun is there in the sky all the time but when we see him we think, the Sun is rising now. Similarly, in the unlimited cosmic manifestation, the Supreme Lord's appearance day is going on all the time, all His pastimes. Not only appearance but all the Supreme Lord's performed His pastimes in Vṛndāvana, Mathura and Dvāraka, all these pastimes are eternal pastimes.

It is not that the Supreme Lord appeared five thousand years ago and is not existing today. No! The Supreme Lord is there till today. Just like you do not see the Sun at night time, that does not mean that the Sun has left the sky or is not in the sky. The Sun is there always in the sky. That is why the Supreme Lord says, "janma karma ca me divyam, evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ" (BG 4.9)

So, the appearance day of the Supreme Lord is not an ordinary event, it is transcendental, divine. "Yo vetti tattvataḥ, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma, naiti mām eti so 'rjuna" (BG 4.9) Just by understanding the appearance of the Supreme Lord in reality, you can be assured that he has achieved perfection and he is liberated. Just by knowing about the appearance of the Supreme Lord. "Janma karma ca me divyam, evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ". The Supreme Lord has used this word "tattva" a number of times. Even here in the verse which was recited by them just now, He says the same thing:

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(Bhagavad-gītā 7.3)

This Absolute Truth, we need to understand the Supreme Lord factually, not an ordinary mood. And how to understand this Absolute Truth has also been explained by the Supreme Lord, "bhaktyā mām abhijānāti,yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ" (BG 18.55)

In three or four places this word "tattva" has been used. In the first place the Supreme Lord has said: "Janma karma ca me divyam, evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ" (BG 4.9). And here He is saying: "Yatatām api siddhānāṁ" (BG 7.3)—those who have achieved perfection like yogic perfection. Actually the meaning of perfection is one who has attained the knowledge of the Absolute Truth—that is perfection. First of all amongst thousands and crores of people, a few may try to achieve perfection. Not every one does. That is why the Supreme Lord says: "manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu, kaścid yatati siddhaye" (BG 7.3).

And out of those who perfect, who have achieved perfection, only one amongst them will understand the Lord factually. "kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ" (BG 7.3). So, Lord Kṛṣṇa, if someone thinks that, "He is born just as I am born as a human being . . . born in Mathura,"—this is not factual. The fact. First we need to understand what the fact is . . . just as the Māyāvādīs think the Supreme Lord has no form, and when He descends He accepts an illusory body.

This is not the fact. The fact is that, there is no difference between the body of the Supreme Lord and His soul. They are one. That is why the Lord says, "avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā, mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam, paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto." (BG 9.11) The Supreme Lord's body and soul are one, unlike our body and our soul which are separate. Our body is called kṣetra and soul is called kṣetra-jña.

The Supreme Lord as said this also, that, "kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi, sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata" (Bhagavad-gītā 13.3) The living entity is the owner of this body, but the real owner is Supersoul. Just as, there is a house where there is an occupier and an owner. In reality, the owner of our body is the Supreme Lord but He has given us this body based on our desires. However, this body actually belongs to the Supreme Lord. That is why the Supreme Lord has one another name, Hṛṣikeṣa. In another place the Supreme Lord says:

īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ

hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati

bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni

yantrārūḍhāni māyayā

(Bhagavad-gītā 18.61)

This machine, this body is a machine. I am not this body. I am, "dehino 'smin yathā dehe" (BG 2.13). We have been seated on the machine. Who has seated? Under the spell of material energy—Mayadevi, who is one of the potencies of the Supreme Lord, is ordered by the Supreme Lord that, this person desires such and such body so give him such and such body. That is why the Supreme Lord says: "Yantrārūḍhāni māyayā" (BG 18.61)

Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ, hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati, bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni" (BG 18.61). This machine . . . we get one machine, and make use of that machine to move about here and there. Then, according to our desires and our fruitive activities . . . "karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa, jantur dehopapattaye" (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.31.1).

In this manner, lifetime after lifetime, we accept one body, then leave it to accept another body. In this human form of life if we can factually understand the Supreme Lord, factually—know in truth, then we do not need to accept a material body anymore. This is scientific knowledge—"jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam" (BG 7.2)—all of you know this.

So, this appearance day of the Supreme Lord, the Lord is unborn. The Supreme Lord comes because, "Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ" and "Vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām" (BG 4.8) He has two activities. One is to protect the devotees, and to destroy the miscreants. The Supreme Lord is Absolute, without any duality. His destruction and protection is the same thing. The one who is destroyed by the Lord is delivered. You all know this that, those whom the Supreme Lord annihilates with His hands, just like He killed big, big demons, were liberated at that very moment.

That is why the Supreme Lord is called "all good". Whatever He does is for our benefit only. That is why the devotees of the Supreme Lord knows that if for some reason they are put into dire straits, then they must know that this is the Lord's mercy, this they should understand, "tat te 'nukampāṁ susamīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam" (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.31.1). The devotee of the Lord never blames the Lord, even though they may be put in difficult situations. Even then they offer their gratitude to the Supreme Lord thinking, "Supreme Lord, this is Your mercy." This is the vision of a devotee of the Lord.

So, the Supreme Lord is appearing today but the Supreme Lord does not appear only today. Just like the sun does not take birth only on one day. This is His daily activity if not in this cosmic manifestation, then in one of the unlimited cosmic manifestations. In every cosmic manifestation there is Vṛndavana and in all these unlimited Vṛndavana's, the Supreme Lord's appearance and activities are happening daily. These are pastimes of the Supreme Lord in eternal time. These are called eternal pastimes.

Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī has deliberated on this that those who, as the Supreme Lord has said, understand the Lord activities in reality, "tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma, naiti . . ." (BG 4.9)—do not take birth again after quitting this material body. Our Vedic culture is based on how to conquer the repetition of birth and death, nothing else. Not to gratify our senses. Whatever fruitive actions, knowledge, the karmis will take birth again. Acquiring transcendental knowledge, linking with the Supreme Lord, and devotional service to the Supreme—those who tread on these paths, what is the reason for that? To conquer the repetition of birth and death, nothing else.

We are in this material world that has four kinds of suffering, "janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam" (BG 13.8)." We are all big, big scientists, philosophers, philanthropists, and we want to solve all the problems of life. The Supreme Lord says that all these problems are temporary in nature, and these will go on. The real problems of life are birth, death, old-age and disease. If we want to solve the problem so that we are not reborn again. SO, for not to be born again, the speculative philosophers say that they will merge into the bodily effulgence of the Supreme Lord and become one. It is not difficult for the Supreme Lord to merge them with Him but the Vaiṣnavas or the devotees of the Supreme Lord do not want to merge with the Supreme Lord. He wants to be engaged forever in the service of the Supreme Lord.

The Supreme Lord also says: "Mām eti". "mām eti" means that if someone wants to merge then they can merge with the bodily effulgence of the Supreme Lord. Otherwise, He can go to His eternal pastimes in Vaikuṇṭha, in Goloka Vṛndāvana and be engaged in the service of the Supreme Lord. But there is a problem in merging into the bodily effulgence of the Supreme Lord that, eternal—full of knowledge and bliss, one does not get bliss there. Only eternity is accomplished. However, by only achieving only eternity, one is not blissful.

That is why the scriptures says: "Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas, tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ" (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.2.32) Those who are not liberated but are falsely under the impression that they are liberated, their intelligence is not purified because till you do not attain the Supreme Lord, that liberation does not last. Why? "Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ, patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ" (SB 10.2.32). You know that many big, big saṇyāsis say: "Brahma satyam jagan mithyā" (Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya)—they renounce this world saying it is false. Then, after a few days, in this life time itself, they become entangled in politics or some such similar work because only liberation will not work.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu

mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

(Bhagavad-gītā 18.54)

If one stops at the stage of "being one with the Absolute", then it is of no use. One has to advance further. That advancing which needs to be done is devotional service, "mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām" (BG 13.8). After trying to understand what is the bodily effulgence of the Supreme Lord, and after trying to focus all attention to the Supersoul which is within our heart, if one becomes a devotee through association of devotees, then their liberation is perfect and they go back to Godhead, to the Supreme Lord. These are some thoughts. The Supreme Lord has come to teach us all this.

yadā yadā hi dharmasya, glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 18.54), "dharmasya glānir" means when we forget the Supreme Lord. This is "dharmasya glānir". Our religion, the Supreme Lord Himself says, "dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītaṁ" (SB 6.3.19). We cannot concoct our own real religious principles. Just like nowadays it is a fashion that, "I concoct a religion and you concoct a religion." These are not real religion. These are all kaitava, it is cheating. That is why it is said in the Bhāgavatam, "dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra" (SB 1.1.2). This cheating religion is to be thrown out.

(audio disruption)

What is the real religion? "dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītaṁ" ({SB 6.3.19]])—whatever the Supreme Lord says, that is real religion. What does the Supreme Lord say? "sarva-dharmān parityajya, mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja" (BG 18.66) This is religion. This is what the Supreme Lord comes to teach us in every millennium.

Today is the appearance day of the Supreme Lord. Please accept what the Supreme Lord is teaching, and make your life successful. This is our subject for preaching the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and that is why we travel all over the world. People like it, accept it. What to talk about the people of India, they know all this already. Please be merciful and give us your blessings that we are able to propagate the pastimes of the Supreme Lord all over the world as we are doing now.

Thank you very much.

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

(indistinct announcement)

(Śrīla Prabhupāda in conversation with Kāṣīrāmjī Sarāf and Viṣvāmbhar Nāthjī Agarwal)

Prabhupāda: Tomorrow, will you have prasādam in the afternoon here, and your wife is not here?

Kāṣīrāmjī Sarāf: No, she is not. How long are you going to be here in India?

Prabhupāda: I will start this gurukula and go! Gurukula . . . building.

Kāṣīrāmjī Sarāf: Gurukula . . . building? So a month or twenty days?

Prabhupāda: What?

Kāṣīrāmjī Sarāf: A month or two?

Prabhupāda: Yes, one month!

Kāṣīrāmjī Sarāf: Okay, my wife will be back by then . . . (inaudible)

Prabhupāda: So, we start the building as we have already discussed.

Kāṣīrāmjī Sarāf: Yes. When I come in the daytime, I will discuss with you the details which are left.

Prabhupāda: Okay, sure.

(announcement continues)

Prabhupāda: Just behind, the Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma pastimes took place.

Kāṣīrāmjī Sarāf: It is going to take place?

Prabhupāda: No, he is preaching that Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma came here. There is one place here, just behind this temple.

Kāṣīrāmjī Sarāf: Will we get that also?

Prabhupāda: What?

Kāṣīrāmjī Sarāf: Is he giving it away?

Prabhupāda: No, he is saying that that is the place where the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma actually happened. Kapoorji. Kapoorji.

Kāṣīrāmjī Sarāf: Kapoorji?

Prabhupāda: Hurry up a little.

(indistinct announcement)

Prabhupāda: (to another guest in Bengali) Why don’t you say something?

Viṣvāmbhar Nāthjī Agarwal: What should I say?

Prabhupāda: Something little.

Viṣvāmbhar Nāthjī Agarwal: There will be drama performance now.

Prabhupāda: Oh, there is drama now?

Viṣvāmbhar Nāthjī Agarwal: It is not nice to speak in between.

Prabhupāda: No. I want that we should start the gurukul, temple and houses here itself.

Viṣvāmbhar Nāthjī Agarwal: . . . (indistinct)

(indistinct announcement)

Prabhupāda: (aside) Speak in Hindi or what will they understand?

(indistinct announcement)

Prabhupāda: Please tell him to speak in Hindi.

Devotee: Speak in Hindi.

Prabhupāda: Okay, okay.

(indistinct announcement)

Prabhupāda: You have come to this temple for the first time?

Śrīmān Kāṣīrāmjī Sarāf: What?

Prabhupāda: Come first time here?

Śrīmān Kāṣīrāmjī Sarāf: No, I have come many times.

Prabhupāda: Okay.

Kāṣīrāmjī Sarāf: I have come many times.

Prabhupāda: Gītājī has

Kāṣīrāmjī Sarāf: Gītājī has not come after the inauguration of the temple.

Prabhupāda: No? In front of me.

Kāṣīrāmjī Sarāf: Was she there for the inauguration?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Kāṣīrāmjī Sarāf: The soul is very happy. Very happy.

Prabhupāda: It is yours only.

Kāṣīrāmjī Sarāf: The soul is very happy. I am saying it from my heart.

Prabhupāda: No, everyone says, that the temple is very beautiful.

Kāṣīrāmjī Sarāf: My land has borne the results now.

Prabhupāda: It already did so, when you donated the land.

(indistinct announcement)

Prabhupāda: This Tamāla tree, a lot of people told me to cut it down. I said, no!

Kāṣīrāmjī Sarāf: No, Prabhu! This is the beauty of the temple, it is the beauty of the temple. Yes, it is the beauty of the temple, Prabhu, we must not even consider such a thought. You refuse to cut it down, in your absence they may cut it down.

Prabhupāda: No. No. (end)