680619 - Lecture BG 04.09 - Montreal

Lectures by Date, 1968

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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680619BG-MONTREAL - June 19, 1968 - 51:49 Minutes

Prabhupāda:

om ajṣāna-timirāndhasya jṣānāṣjana-śalākayā

cakṣur-unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave namaḥ

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ

sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale

svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ

dadāti sva-padāntikam

vande 'haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṇavāṁś ca

śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṇa-raghunāthānvitaṁ taṁ sa-jīvam

sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-sahitaṁ kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devaṁ

śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇa-pādān saha-gaṇa-lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāṁś ca

he kṛṣṇa karuṇā-sindho

dīna-bandho jagat-pate

gopeśa gopikā-kānta

rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te

janma karma (ca) me divyam

evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ

tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma

naiti mām eti kaunteya

(BG 4.9)

Kṛṣṇa is explaining how one can very easily enter into the spiritual world, or the kingdom of God. The simple formula is that anyone who understands the appearance, disappearance, activities of the Lord as divyam, transcendental, with perfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth, simply by this understanding one can immediately enter into the spiritual kingdom.

To know the Absolute Truth is not possible by our present senses. That is also another fact. Because at the present moment we have got material . . . materially affected; not material senses. Our sense are originally spiritual, but it is covered by material contamination. Therefore the process is to purify, to purify the coverings of our material existence. And that is also recommended—simply by service attitude. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). The whole thing depends on our surrendering process and engage ourself in the service of the Lord. Then gradually, the Lord reveals to the devotee. That is the process.

So what is the birth of the Lord? There is no question of birth of the Lord or of the living entities. This subject matter we have already discussed in the last meeting, that the Lord and the living entities, both are eternal. There is no question of birth and death.

The same example, just like the sun: sun setting and sun rising.

Sunset and sunrise, it is simply adjustment of our own position. Actually, there is no sunset, there is no sunrise. The same example is applicable to our appearance and disappearance, as well as God's appearance and disappearance. We are eternal. We are eternally existing, but appearance means this body, appearance of this body.

The difference between the appearance of God and appearance of myself is that I appear in different bodies as it is offered by the material nature according to my karma; God appears in His own original body. That is the difference. And because God appears in His own original body, therefore He is not forgetful of the past, present and future.

And so far we are concerned, because we appear in different material bodies, therefore we forget our past, present and future. This is the difference. And in this verse it is specifically mentioned here that janma karma me divyam (BG 4.9). Divyam means divine, spiritual, transcendental. Our appearance and disappearance is different from the Lord's appearance and disappearance.

One has to learn the subject matter. And how it can be learned? Simply by service attitude. Sevonmukhe. We cannot learn this transcendental subject matter by challenge. If we are submissive, if we are engaged in His service, then, by His divine grace, He reveals Himself. Everything understanding of Lord, that is revelation. By our experimental knowledge, we cannot understand what is God. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmadi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136).

Our senses are now materially contaminated—therefore we cannot understand what is God, what is His appearance, what is His disappearance. This is not possible. The whole thing is to accept the purificatory process of the senses. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). One has to become purified by freeing himself from all designation. This is the first step.

We are now under different designation. Every one of us is thinking that, "I am this body, and because I am this body and this body is produced under certain condition, in a certain family, by certain father and mother, in a certain society, certain country, certain land, therefore I have got, you have got so many designation." So we have to become first of all free from the designation. That is the first qualification for understanding the science of God. We have to become free from all designation.

And how one can become free? This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I am neither Indian, I am neither American, I am neither white, I am neither black, I am neither Christian, I am neither Hindu, Muhammadan. Caitanya Mahāprabhu described Himself like that. He said: "I am not a Brāhmiṇ, I am not a Kṣatriya, I am not a Vaiśya, I am not a Śūdra; I am not a brahmacārī, I am not a householder, I am not a vānaprastha, or I am not a renounced order, sannyāsī." Then what You are? Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80): "I am the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Kṛṣṇa." This should be my real identification. This is very good identification.

In Kṛṣṇa consciousness we address our contemporaries as "prabhu." Prabhu means master. And the real idea is that, "You are my master, I am your servant." Just the opposite number. Here, in the material world, everyone wants to place himself as the master, "I am your master, you are my servant." That is the mentality of material existence. And the spiritual existence means, "I am the servant, you are the master." Just see. Just the opposite.

The māyā's attraction, the last snare of māyā is, in this material conception of life, that so many identification, "I am this," "I am that," "I am that," "I am big man," "I am rich man," "I am prime minister," then so on, so on. When we are frustrated in all these attempts, then we try to become God: "I am God." This is the last snare of māyā. But this Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy is just the opposite. What to speak of God? He is to think himself as the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of God.

So in one way it is very difficult. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu instructs that who can become in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Who can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa very nicely? Tṛṇād api sunīcena. Tṛṇād api sunīcena means who thinks himself lower than the straw in the street, "I am lower than." Humble, very humble. Tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā. Tolerant more than the tree.

You know the trees are very much tolerant. They are giving you shelter, they are giving you shadow, and they are giving you protection from floods and so many things, giving you fruits. You are taking woods, leaves, flowers, but the trees do not make any protest. They are standing silent. Therefore they are very tolerant. The example of toleration is tree.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that one has to become humbler than the grass or straw in the street, tolerant than the tree, and amāninā, and refusing all kinds of respectful addresses from others, but offering all respect to others. He's not prepared to accept any respect from others, but he is prepared to give all respect to others.

So all these things are explained. That means, in other words, I completely refuse to become anything of this material world. Suppose somebody insults me, "You are rascal. You are such-and-such man." But if I know that I am this body, I have nothing to do with this body, then you may call me "rascal" or "your lordship," it is the same thing for me, because I am not this body.

A man is called . . . he's graduate, M.A., or Doctor, Ph.D. What is this Doctor, Ph.D., M.A.? This is the designation of this body. As soon as the body is finished, my all designation M.A., Ph.D. is finished. Then I have to accept another body. I do not know what kind of body is going to be accepted by me—not accepted; what kind of body is going to be forced upon me by nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). The nature is forcing you to accept a certain type of body. There is good government, prakṛti, nature's government. You cannot refuse it.

There are 8,400,000's of different kinds of bodies, species of bodies. And by our activities, as we prepare our mentality at the last moment of our death, then we get the similar body. We carry the mind. Mind is the subtle body. So the mentality carries me to a certain position in the womb of a mother where I get this gross material supplies, and again I develop a certain kind of body and come out from the mother's womb and begin to work according to that body. This is the process.

So one has to learn this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement very carefully. It is very nice and very scientific. And if we simply try to understand my position, try to understand God and what is my relation with God, janma karma me divyam, simply by understanding this, I become qualified to enter into the spiritual kingdom.

And as soon as I enter into the spiritual kingdom, then, as it is stated in this verse, that tyaktvā deham, after giving up this body, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma (BG 4.9)—punar janma means again taking birth in this material world—na eti, na, no more. This continued repetition of accepting different kinds of body is finished simply by understanding what is God, how He appears, how He disappears, what are His activities. Simply this understanding. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya, or so 'rjuna. "He comes to Me."

And in another place it is stated the same thing, mām upetya tu kaunteya, "One who comes to Me," mām upetya kaunteya duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam, nāpnuvanti (BG 8.15). "One who comes back to Me, goes back to home, goes back to Godhead, he never comes back again to this miserable conditional life of materialistic status." Mām upetya tu kaunteya duḥkhālayam . . . and this material existence is duḥkhālayam: it is a place of misery. This is māyā. We are living in this condition, conditional life of material existence, which is full of misery, but by the spell of māyā, illusion, we are thinking, we are planning that we are happy. This is called māyā.

Māyā means . . . I have several times explained what is meant by māyā. Māyā means "what is not." I am thinking I am making progress. I am thinking that I am happy. I am thinking I am civilized, I am advanced. But the māyā means this thinking, in the positive way, is no.

No, you are not advanced. You are not civilized. You are not actually wise, because you do not know what you are. You are thinking that you are this body. Therefore everything, whatever you are thinking, that is all null and void. Māyā. This is called māyā.

So this māyā is very strong. It is very difficult to overcome this māyā. But the formula is very simple. That is also stated in the Seventh Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā, that daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This māyā, this illusion, is very strong to overcome, or to surpass. It is not easy. Māyā is capturing you in so many ways. Just like the last moment, at the last moment, when you are very wise, you understand your spiritual position, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, "I am Brahman, I am not matter. I am not matter, I am spirit soul."

But even at this stage that, "I am Brahman," there is action of māyā. What is that action of māyā? By realizing himself "I am Brahman," he is thinking that "I am the Supreme Brahman." That means he's still in ignorance. Still in ignorance. He's not the Supreme Brahman.

Therefore Bhagavad-gītā, it is explaining very nicely, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). First thing is when you are actually Brahman realized, or you have realized your identification that you are not matter, you are spirit, the first symptom is prasannātmā: you become immediately joyful, without any anxiety. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati. There is no lamentation, there is no hankering. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu, and seeing every living entities on equal level, because he has spiritual vision.

He does not see the body, he sees the spirit. He does not see a dog; he sees, "Oh, there is spirit soul." He does not see a Brāhmin; he sees, "Oh, there is the same spirit soul." He does not see an American; he sees the spirit soul. He does not see an Indian; he sees the spirit soul. Therefore, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Paṇḍitāḥ, those who are actually learned, they are seeing everyone in the same vision, spiritual vision. This is Brahman realization.

Brahman realization does not mean that "My brother is Brahman and I am Brahman, and all others are not Brahman." This is not Brahman realization. Brahman realization means to introspect the spiritual existence of all living entities. That is Brahman realization. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. Then that oneness is still not sufficient. That means you have to engage yourself in Brahman activities. That is perfection. Therefore it is said that samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). After this Brahman realization, actual devotional service begins.

Brahman realization means that, "I am spirit soul and the Lord is the Supreme Spirit." Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). He is the Supreme Spirit, chief living entity, and we are innumerable, without any number. Asaṅkhya. The living entities are innumerable. These are stated in Vedic literature. The very word is used, asaṅkhya. Asaṅkhya means without any numerical estimation. And God is one. God is one, but the living entities are many. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām. So, eko bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. That one is the Supreme One who is supplying all the necessities of living entities.

Similar, as you have got in your Bible, you pray in the church, "O God, give us our daily bread. Excuse us our faults." Because He is the prime one. He is supplying the necessities, He's giving you protection, He's giving you everything. You require sunlight; God has created sunlight for you. You require water, God has created immense water for you. You require air; there is immense air for you. So He is practically helping you. Eko bahūnāṁ yo vidadhāti kāmān. That one is supplying everything what you require.

You may think that you have to make improvement of your economic condition, but actually the economic condition, what you have to enjoy, that is already there. You haven't got to endeavor. You see? Those who are not human beings, the animals, the birds, the beasts and the worms, the trees, they have no economic problem.

I see in India the sparrows, they were chanting and dancing and eating. Here also I see the same sparrow. They have no economic problem, because they are depending completely on nature's law. And because we have violated nature's law, we have got economic problems. We have created our economic problem.

So the whole philosophy is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If the whole world—not whole world; even certain percentage of the population—becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, the face of the world changes. Simply to understand, as it is stated here, janma karma me divyam (BG 4.9). Karma. His activities. Just see. He has created sun, He has created moon, He has created everything. How do we claim that this planet belongs to us? It is given to us for living. That's all. Because we are sons of God, therefore we have got right to enjoy the property of God. That is real peace. We are . . . as a rich man's son, he has got the right to, I mean to say, enjoy the father's property . . .

But if he disobeys, if he becomes disobedient to the father, he is put into trouble. So our position is like that. We do not understand what is God, what we are, what is our relationship with God, what is this material nature, how it is working. These things are actually knowledge. One should know.

The Īśopaniṣad very nicely explains, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (Īśo mantra 1), everything, what we are seeing, they all belong to God. Don't claim yourself. Similarly, Bhagavad-gītā also says, bhoktāraṁ yajṣa-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29): "I am the proprietor of all planets." So this particular planet is also God's property. Actually it is God's property. We come and go. The property remains there. It is simple thing.

So if we do not accept that God is the ultimate proprietor of everything—this is spiritual communism—and all living entities are His sons . . . everyone has got right to live at the cost of God. Nobody should encroach upon the property of others. This is the system. Tena tyaktena bhuṣjīthā (Īśo mantra 1). Just try to enjoy what is allotted for you. God has given you certain portion of land. "You Americans, all right, you have got this land. You be happy. Don't encroach upon others." "You Indians, all right, you become happy here." In this way we have to think. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Kṛṣṇa consciousness is nothing, I mean to say, extraordinary. Simply to think everything in connection with Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate. In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī says that you dovetail everything with Kṛṣṇa. Then you are free. You're free. Dovetail everything. Just like here in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness society, what we are doing? We are dovetailing everything in Kṛṣṇa.

Just like here is a Dictaphone. We're using it, that's all right, but how we are using it? We're recording the talks about Kṛṣṇa. This apartment, this . . . it is used for Kṛṣṇa. This body is being used for Kṛṣṇa. We are preparing foodstuff for Kṛṣṇa. In this way, if you develop your consciousness in touch with Kṛṣṇa, that is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

It is nothing artificial, that I am thinking, meditating, "I am the Supreme Lord and I am moving the sun, I am moving the . . ." These nonsense things are going on, meditation, artificially thinking that "I am moving the sun, I am moving the moon, I am the Lord. I am the . . ." Simply wasting time.

You just try to understand yourself that you are eternal servant of God. Then you are perfect. And you can enjoy God's property very nicely. There is no distress at all. The lower animals—birds, beasts—they are enjoying, and you human beings, you cannot enjoy? You are fighting with each other? What is this? Is that advancement? Is that civilization?

So Bhāgavata says, harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ (SB 5.18.12). Anyone who is not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, what qualification, good qualification he may have? That means he has no good qualification. Why? He has passed M.A. examination, he is a great scientist, he has got good qualification. Bhāgavata says, no. Why? Mano-rathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ. Because he is situated on the mental platform, therefore he is a great scientist, he has discovered atom bomb. Atom bomb. What is that? Killing in large scale. And he's proud of his scientific knowledge.

Mano-rathena. Mano-rathena means hovering upon the mental platform that, "This will create wonderful thing." But "wonderful thing" means everyone is afraid, "Oh, there is atom bomb. He has created." Why? Because he's not devotee. He's not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Had he been in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he would have thought before, "Oh, I'm creating such a dangerous weapon? It will kill so many innocent persons?" Because he is harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. Therefore Bhāgavata says a man who is not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he cannot have any good qualification. This is a fact.

And yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiṣcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12): and one who has got unflinching faith in God, he has got all the good qualification of the demigods. There are many examples. Just see. You are mostly Christian; you know. Lord Jesus Christ, when he was being crucified, he was begging, "My Lord, these fools do not know what they are doing. Please excuse." Just see how much qualified. Because he is devotee of God.

So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice, so perfect, that if you take to this in your practical life you become perfect immediately in this life. As it is stated here, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Simply understanding. You have got enough time. You are all young men, young girls. Please try to understand the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and your life will be perfect. So perfect that after leaving this body, tyaktvā deham, this body, punar janma naiti, no more birth in this miserable condition of material existence. Then what is the result? Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti, "He comes to Me."

So it is very easy to finish all the problems of life within this short period of our life. Simply to understand Kṛṣṇa.

Thank you very much. (break)

Guest: (indistinct) . . . of realizing.

Prabhupāda: In other words, one who is actually engaged in devotional service, he has already realized Brahman. That means . . . just like a man is offered that, "If you become a high-court judge, you'll get $4,000, or $16,000 salary per month." So if one is getting $16,000 per month, that means he has become already high-court judge, in a diverse way. That means one who is seriously engaged in devotional service, he's already Brahman realized. He's on the Brahman platform.

This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: māṁ ca 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate (BG 14.26). If anyone is seriously engaged in devotional service, avyabhicāreṇa, without any fault . . . that means according to the rules and regulation as they are mentioned. Rules and regulations are required so long we do not develop that love of God. When actually one develops love of God, there is no question of rules and regulation. Automatically he obeys all the rules and regulation.

So one who is seriously engaged in devotional service, māṁ ca 'vyabhicāreṇa bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate sa guṇān samatītyaitān, he's already transcendental to the reactions of different modes of material nature. He's already. Brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. So he is to be understood that he is already Brahman realized.

It is not that you have to . . . this is the spiritual. Material, suppose if you have to accept the post of high-court judge, then you have to gradually qualify yourself. But spiritually, if you immediately engage yourself in the service of the Lord, then you become a high-court judge immediately. You are brahma-bhūtaḥ. That is the difference between matter and spirit. It is unconditional. Ahaituky apratihatā (SB 1.2.6). Simply we have to agree, "My Lord, from today, I dedicate my life for Your service," you are immediately brahma-bhūtaḥ. Immediately, from that moment. It is so nice. Not that you have to take some time how to become brahma-bhūtaḥ. So those who are actually engaged in the spiritual devotional service of the Lord, it is to be understood they are already on the platform of brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. Is it clear? Yes.

(break) Question? Question? Yes? No. (break)

(kīrtana) (break) (end)