670102 - Lecture BG 10.02-3 - New York

Lectures by Date, 1967

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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670102BG-NEW YORK - January 02, 1967 - 28:01 Minutes

Prabhupāda:

na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ

prabhavaṁ na maharṣayaḥ

aham adir hi devānāṁ

maharṣīṇāṁ ca sarvaśaḥ

(BG 10.2)

So Lord Kṛṣṇa says that nobody knows Him. Aham adir hi devānām. If you . . . what to speak of the human society, even you take the demigods, who are more intelligent and more advanced than the human society in other planets, they also do not know. And maharṣayaḥ. Maharṣayaḥ means that seven great sages. Their planet is near the polestar. You have seen it that like asking questions, seven stars. So these stars are different planets for different great sages. They also do not know.

So, na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ prabhavaṁ na maharṣayaḥ aham adir hi devānām (BG 10.2): "I am the original . . . I am the source of all these maharṣayaḥ, all these demigods." He's the father of everyone. Maharṣīṇāṁ ca sarvaśaḥ: "I am not only the origin of these demigods, but I am also the origin of all these great sages." That means He is the origin of this universe. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is very nicely described how this universal form took place and how Brahmā was created and from Brahmā the ṛṣis were created, how population increased generally. These descriptions are there. So actually, He is the origin. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). As it is said in the Vedānta-sūtra, everything is emanating from Him.

So He's also . . . according to this version, He's also origin of Paramātmā, the Supersoul. And He is also the origin of nirviśeṣa, or impersonal brahma-jyotir. Because it is said, aham adir hi devānāṁ maharṣīṇāṁ ca sarvaśaḥ. Sarvaśaḥ means, "Anything that you have any conception of, of all them, I am the supreme source."

Therefore, as it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the Absolute Truth is realized in three phases, that vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam (SB 1.2.11). Advayam means nonduality, one. The one Supreme Truth, Absolute Truth, is realized in three phases, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate: realization of the impersonal Brahman, or the glowing effulgence, just like sunshine; then the localized Supersoul; then Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

And there are many expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead: Nārāyaṇa, Adhokṣaja . . . there are many, innumerable planets in the spiritual world, and all of them are emanation from the Kṛṣṇa planet. And the Kṛṣṇa planet, the supreme Deity is Kṛṣṇa.

This description we have got in several Vedic literatures—Brahma-saṁhitā and Vedānta-sūtra, Bhāgavata, in Purāṇas, in Upaniṣad. Everywhere these descriptions are there. Those who are scholarly student, they'll get information, and the whole thing is summarized in Bhagavad-gītā. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā is known also as Gītopaniṣad. At the end of every chapter you'll find these things are written, gītāsu or upaniṣatsu. It is one of the Upaniṣads. You have read Upaniṣad. The Bhagavad-gītā is also one of the Upaniṣads, and therefore Bhagavad-gītā is known as Gītopaniṣad.

So if nobody knows the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then how He can be known? If He is not known to the demigods, if He is (not) known to the great sages, then how He can be known? Yes. He can be known. He can be known in this way. When the Supreme Lord comes before you and He reveals Himself before you, then you can know.

You cannot know by your imperfect senses. Our senses are imperfect. We have . . . several times we have described in this meeting that our senses cannot realize the Supreme Truth. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmadi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). Our senses are so imperfect that simply by expanding the sense power artificially, speculating, we cannot realize. These are described in different way in different scriptures.

So He can be known how? That is also described—sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ: when you become in a submissive attitude and you chant. Jihvādau. Jihvādau means the realization begins from the tongue. God realization begins from the tongue. Therefore the tongue's function is to eat and to vibrate sound. So these two processes, vibration of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, and eating kṛṣṇa-prasāda. You cannot allow your tongue to taste anything and everything.

If you can control your tongue for eating kṛṣṇa-prasāda, and if you engage your tongue in vibrating the transcendental sound Hare Kṛṣṇa, then sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.234). By this submissive process that, "I surrender my tongue to the Supreme Personality of Godhead," then by controlling the tongue, you controlling all other senses. You go to a straight line from the tongue to the down, all senses will be controlled. And if you cannot control your tongue, then you cannot control your senses.

So the first and foremost thing is that you control your tongue. Don't allow your tongue to taste and everything and anything. Kṛṣṇa has given us so many nice preparation. Day before yesterday we were present here, we had feasting. Everybody has tasted. So many nice things we have got. Kṛṣṇa baṛo doyāmoy, koribāre jihwā jay, swa-prasād-anna dilo bhāi (Prasāda-sevāya I). Our tongue is very fastidious. He wants to taste this, taste this, taste this. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He gives us varieties of prasādam so you can taste them, you can satisfy your desire, at the same time you become spiritually advanced. This is a nice process.

It is not that in this association you have to do this. You can learn this art, and you can have it in your home. You can also prepare such preparation, nice preparation, at your home, offer to Kṛṣṇa. That is not very difficult. We every day prepare and offer to Kṛṣṇa and chant the mantra:

namo brahmaṇya-devāya

go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca

jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya

govindāya namo namaḥ

(Viṣṇu Purāṇa 1.19.65)

That's all. It is not very hard. Everyone can prepare this foodstuff and offer to Kṛṣṇa and then take it, and then with family members or with friends you can sit down and chant before the picture of Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, and live a pure life.

Just see the result. If every home, every person, takes to this principle of understanding Kṛṣṇa, it will become . . . the whole world will become Vaikuṇṭha. Vaikuṇṭha means where there is no anxiety. Vaikuṇṭha. Vai means without, and kuṇṭha means anxiety. This world is full of anxiety. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt (SB 7.5.5). Because we have accepted this temporary existence of material life, therefore we are always encumbered with anxiety. Just the opposite thing is there in the spiritual world, where the planets are called Vaikuṇṭha. Vaikuṇṭha means without anxiety.

We want to be free from anxieties. Everyone is trying to get himself free from anxieties, but he does not know how to get out of this anxiety. This taking shelter of intoxication is no use to get oneself free from anxieties. It is a drug. It is oblivion. Sometimes, for sometimes we forget everything, but again when you come to your consciousness the same anxieties and same thing are there. So this will not help you.

If you want to be free from anxieties and if you want actually life eternal, with bliss and knowledge, then this is the process. This is the process. You have to understand Kṛṣṇa. Here it is clearly stated that na me viduḥ sura-gaṇāḥ: nobody can understand. But there is a way. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.234). This is a process. There are several places in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam this process is described in a different way. Just like in one place it is stated that:

jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva

san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām jīvanti . . .

jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām

sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir

ye prāyaśo 'jita jito 'py asi tais tri-lokyām

(SB 10.14.3)

It is very nice verse. It is said that ajita, nobody can know. God's another name is Ajita. Ajita means nobody can conquer Him, nobody can approach Him; therefore His name is Ajita. So Ajita becomes conquered. Ajita jito 'py asi. Although the Lord is unknowable, the Lord is unconquerable, still, He is conquered. How? Sthāne sthitāḥ.

Persons . . . let them remain in their own position but adopt this principle. What is that? The principle is that jñāne prayāsam udapāsya. Give up this nonsense speculation, volumes of books. The world is producing every year volumes of books, and they're useless. After six months that is useless, thrown. So don't take to that speculative process, this way and that way, this way and that way, because our senses are limited. How you can have the Supreme Truth known by these imperfect blunt senses?

So my senses, my speculative power, may be greater than you, and another person's speculative power may be greater than me, but nobody can . . . here it is clearly stated, na me sura-gaṇāḥ viduḥ. What you are? You are human being. Even the sura-gaṇāḥ and the great sages, they cannot. Therefore the Brahmā says that jñāne prayāsam udapāsya: give up this process of so-called knowledge researching, speculation. Give up this. Udapāsya. Udapāsya means throw it away. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. Namanta means just become submissive.

Just acknowledge yourself that your senses are limited. You are subordinate even to the material nature, and what to think of God? Everyone is subordinate to the control of the Supreme Lord. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). Nobody can be equal or greater than God. Therefore your qualification should be: be submissive. Don't waste your time in speculating. Be submissive. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva and san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām. San-mukharitām means just try to hear about the glories of the Supreme Lord from the mouth of realized souls. Don't go to the unauthorized person.

Now, how you can know what is the difference between unauthorized and authorized? That you can know also. There is description. That, in Bhagavad-gītā you'll see, who is authorized, who is not authorized. The Lord says, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2): this authority is handed over by disciplic succession. So just like Kṛṣṇa is handing over the authority to Arjuna. And Arjuna says, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12).

So here, if we follow the Arjuna's process and if we try to understand as Arjuna understood, then the authority is there. It is not very, very difficult to understand who is authority. So sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhiḥ. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva san-mukharitām (SB 10.14.3). You have to find out that authority. That's all. That authority you have to find out and remain in your place and try to hear submissively everything, svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (CC Madhya 17.136).

As soon as you become submissive and hear from authorities, then the whole thing will reveal within yourself. God is the always ready to be revealed to you. But how does He reveal? He reveals as soon as you become submissive, you become devotee, you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, you just follow the path traversed by the great mahājanas, great ācāryas. Then it is . . . everything is known.

Although He's not known even to the demigods, even to the great sages, he can be known to you at your home, ajita jito 'py asi, although He is unconquerable, if you adopt this process. So we have to try to adopt the process only. Otherwise, if you don't adopt the process, there is no alternative. You cannot know. Because greater personalities than us in the human society, the devas, the sura-gaṇāḥ—sura-gaṇāḥ means the demigods—they cannot know.

And if you follow this principle to understand the Supreme Lord, Personality of Godhead, then what will be the result? It is stated here:

yo mām ajam anadiṁ ca

vetti loka-maheśvaram

asammūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu

sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate

(BG 10.3)

Sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate. As soon as you understand thoroughly . . . you can understand thoroughly. This is the process. And how you understand? The standard of understanding? The standard of understanding is that the Supreme Lord is anadi. He is the cause of all causes, but He is not caused by any other causes. He has no other cause. Just like Kṛṣṇa is stated:

īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ

sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ

anadir adir govindaḥ

sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam

(Bs. 5.1)

Kāraṇa means cause. He is the cause of all causes. To understand Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Lord is to thoroughly be convinced that He is the cause of all causes. Yo mām anadi. Anadi means He has no other cause. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29): and He is the proprietor. He is the master. He is the proprietor of all planets, either in this material world or in the spiritual world. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram. Asammūḍhaḥ: not by . . . not accepting blindly. Don't accept blindly. You have got . . . God has given you power of reasoning, power of arguments. But don't argue falsely. The process is . . . that is also mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā: tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34).

If you want to understand that transcendental science, then you have to follow this principle. What is that? Tad viddhi praṇipātena. You have to surrender. The same thing: just like namanta eva. Unless you become submissive, I cannot be a surrendered soul. And where? Where? Praṇipāta. Where you will find a person that "He is . . . here is a person where I can surrender"?

Then that means we have to make a little test where to surrender. That much knowledge you must have. Don't surrender to any nonsense. You have to . . . and how that intelligent or nonsense can be found out? That is also mentioned in the śāstra. That is mentioned in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad. Tad viddhi praṇipātena pari . . . (BG 4.34).

Kaṭha Upaniṣad says that tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.12). This śrotriyam means that one who is coming in disciplic succession. And what is the proof that he has come under the disciplic succession? Brahma-niṣṭham. Brahma-niṣṭham means he is fully convinced about the Supreme Absolute Truth.

So there you have to surrender. Praṇipāta. Praṇipāta means prakṛṣṭa-rūpeṇa nipātam: no reservation. If you find out such person, then surrender there. Praṇipāta. And try to serve him, try to please him, and question him, the whole thing will reveal. You have to find out such an authoritative person and surrender unto him. Surrendering unto him means surrendering unto God, because he is God's representative. But you are allowed to make questions—not to waste time, but for understanding. That is called paripraśna. These are the process.

So everything is there. We have simply to adopt it. But if we don't adopt the process and simply waste our time by intoxication and speculation and all nonsensical activities, oh, that is not possible ever. You'll never understand what is God. Because God is not understandable even by the demigods and by the great sages. What is our teeny efforts?

So these are the process. And if you follow, asammūḍhaḥ, asammūḍhaḥ, if you follow the principles and slow but sure, asammūḍhaḥ, without any doubt, if you make . . . that is the . . . pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam (BG 9.2). If you follow, you'll understand, yourself, "Yes. I am getting something." It is not that you are in blindness, you are blindly following. As you follow the principles, you'll understand.

Just like if you eat proper, nourishing foodstuff, you'll feel yourself strength and your hunger satisfied. You haven't got to ask anybody. You'll feel yourself. Similarly, if you come to the proper path and if you follow the principle, you'll understand, "Yes, I am making progress." So pratyakṣa . . . in the Ninth Chapter He has said, pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ susukham.

And it is very easy. And you can do in happy mood. And what is the process? We chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and eat kṛṣṇa-prasāda and study Bhagavad-gītā philosophy, hear nice musical sounds. Is it very difficult? Is it very difficult? Not at all. So by this process you'll be asammūḍhaḥ. Nobody can cheat you. But if you want to be cheated, there are so many cheaters. So don't make a cheater and cheated society. Just follow the paramparā system as it is prescribed in the Vedic literature, as it is recommended by Kṛṣṇa. Try to understand it from the authoritative source and try to apply it in your life.

Then asammūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu. Martyeṣu means . . . martya means those who are eligible for dying. Who are? These conditioned souls, beginning from Brahmā down to the insignificant ant, they are all martya. Martya means there is a time when they will die. So martyeṣu. Amongst the dying mortals he becomes the most intelligent. Asammūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu. Why? Sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate. He is freed from all kinds of reactions of sinful action.

In this world, in this material world, I mean to say, knowingly or unknowingly, we are all always committing sinful acts. So we have to get out of this reaction. And how to get out of it? That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:

yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra

loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ

(BG 3.9)

If you do, act, only for Kṛṣṇa . . . yajña means Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa. If you only act for Kṛṣṇa, then you are freed from the reaction of anything. Śubhāśubha-phalaiḥ (BG 9.28). We do something auspicious or inauspicious. But those who are in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and acting in that way, he has nothing to do with what is auspicious or inauspicious, because he's in touch with the most auspicious: Kṛṣṇa. So therefore sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate: he becomes freed from all reactions of sinful activities.

So this is the process. And if we adopt this process, so ultimately we can get in touch with Kṛṣṇa and our life becomes successful. The process is very simple, and we can . . . everyone can adopt.

Thank you very much.

Any question? (break) (end)