710328 - Lecture BG 07.01-2 - Bombay

Lectures by Date, 1971

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

710328BG.BOMBAY - March 28, 1971 - 57:07 Minutes

Prabhupāda: (sings Jaya Rādhā-Mādhava) (prema-dhvani) (devotees offer obeisances)

Haṁsadūta: Śrīla Prabhupāda will lecture from Kṛṣṇa book.

Prabhupāda:

om ajñāna-timirāndhasya jñānāñjana-śalākayā

cakṣur unmīlitaṁ yena tasmai śrī-gurave-namaḥ

("I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance.")

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale

svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam

("When will Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Prabhupāda, who has established within this material world the mission to fulfill the desire of Lord Caitanya, give me shelter under his lotus feet?")

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

("I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of my spiritual master and of all the other preceptors on the path of devotional service. I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇavas and unto the six Gosvāmīs, including Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, Jīva Gosvāmī and their associates. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrī Advaita Ācārya Prabhu, Śrī Nityānanda Prabhu, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and all His devotees, headed by Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura. I then offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī and all the gopīs, headed by Lalitā and Viśākhā.")

nama oṁ viṣṇu-pādāya kṛṣṇa-preṣṭhāya bhū-tale

śrīmate bhaktisiddhānta-sarasvatīti nāmine

("I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, who is very dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.")

he kṛṣṇa karuṇā-sindho dīna-bandho jagat-pate

gopeśa gopikā-kānta rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te

("O my dear Kṛṣṇa, ocean of mercy, You are the friend of the distressed and the source of creation. You are the master of the cowherd men and the lover of the gopīs, especially Rādhārāṇī. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.")

tapta-kāñcana-gaurāṅgi rādhe vṛndāvaneśvari

vṛṣabhānu-sute devi praṇamāmi hari-priye

("I offer my respects to Rādhārāṇī, whose bodily complexion is like molten gold and who is the Queen of Vṛndāvana. You are the daughter of King Vṛṣabhānu, and You are very dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa.")

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca

patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

("I offer my respectful obeisances unto all the Vaiṣṇava devotees of the Lord. They can fulfill the desires of everyone, just like desire trees, and they are full of compassion for the fallen souls.")

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda

śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

("I offer my obeisances to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa and all others in the line of devotion.")

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

Ladies and Gentleman, I thank you very much for your kindly participating in this great movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the inaugurator of this movement five hundred years ago, although He is accepted as Kṛṣṇa Himself, still, He says that, "Alone, I have no power or strength." Ekākī āmāra nāhi pāya (Ohe Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākura). This is the humble submission of us, who have taken this movement very seriously, that we alone cannot make this movement perfect. You have all to join this movement.

Because it is everyone's interest. It is not that a particular party or particular society or a particular country's interest. No. Kṛṣṇa is for everyone. He is the original father of all living entities.

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya

mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ

tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir

ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

(BG 14.4)

These Europeans and Americans, and other countries also, they are accepting Kṛṣṇa not as a Hindu god. Of course, in the dictionary it is so written, "Kṛṣṇa is the name of a Hindu god." But people of the world, they are accepting that He is the God. God is one. There cannot be any Hindu God or Muslim God or Christian God. God is for everyone, both for the human society and less than human society, animal society. There are 8,400,000 species of life, and all of them are supposed to be the offspring, sons of Kṛṣṇa.

So we are talking about Bhagavad-gītā. Last night we talked from the Seventh Chapter, the first verse. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ.

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu

(BG 7.1)

So in order to understand asaṁśayam . . . asaṁśayam means "without any doubt." At the present moment we have got many doubts whether actually there is God or not. In Europe and America, when I first went there in 1965, I was informed even by some clergymen that "God is dead." Then again, when I was chanting in the Tompkinson Square in New York, they admitted, and they published a very big article in one of the important papers of New York. They admitted that "We thought God was dead, but actually now we see God is there in the saṅkīrtana movement started by Swāmījī." They admitted.

So these are saṁśayam, or doubts: whether there is actually God or not, whether God is dead or alive. But here Kṛṣṇa says that if we develop our attachment for Kṛṣṇa . . . take Kṛṣṇa as a historical personality. Still, if you develop your attachment for Kṛṣṇa by the prescribed method, then you will understand God without any doubt. Asaṁśayam. And samagram. Samagram, "in fullness." Not partially. The Absolute Truth, samagram Absolute Truth.

The Absolute Truth is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:

vadanti tat tattva-vidas

tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam

brahmeti paramātmeti

bhagavān iti śabdyate

(SB 1.2.11)

The Absolute Truth is understood in three features, although all of Them are one. The first feature appreciated by the philosophers as Brahman, impersonal Brahman. The next feature is appreciated by the yogīs as Paramātmā. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61), the portion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is distributed everywhere. Aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-sthaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi.

That feature, Paramātmā feature, Antaryāmī, that is described in the Brahma-saṁhitā:

eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭiṁ

yac chaktir asti jagad-aṇḍa-cayā yad-antaḥ

aṇḍāntara-stha-paramāṇu-cayāntara-sthaṁ

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.35)

One portion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead . . . racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭim. In order to manifest or create millions of universes . . . the universe which we are experiencing within our present knowledge is only one. There are many thousands of universes, innumerable universes clustered together.

Caitanya Mahāprabhu said it is just like a bag of mustard seeds, and this universe is only one seed. So Kṛṣṇa in His one plenary portion, Mahā-Viṣṇu, He is lying on the Causal Ocean, and during His breathing period, exhaling period, innumerable universes are coming out. These are the statements of Vedic literature, Mahā-Viṣṇu.

yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya

jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ

viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣo

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.48)

So here it is stated by Kṛṣṇa, mayy āsakta-manāḥ. How we can become attached to Kṛṣṇa? You have to think over. Kṛṣṇa's different features, His name, His quality, His pastimes, His form, His entourage—so many things—you can simply think over. That is practical and actual meditation. If you study Vedic literature, you get so many information about Kṛṣṇa. And all these will be revealed to you. Svayam eva. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234).

We cannot understand Kṛṣṇa by our speculative knowledge. If we try to do that, then we can approach up to the impersonal Brahman feature of Kṛṣṇa. Brahmeti. That is not full Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa's partial realization. Brahman realization means Kṛṣṇa's partial realization. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahmaṇo 'haṁ pratiṣṭhā: "The Brahman, the all-pervading Brahman, impersonal Brahman, is situated in Me." That's a fact. That is also stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā:

yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi-

koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam

tad brahma niṣkalam anantam aśeṣa-bhūtaṁ

govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

(Bs. 5.40)

So those who are practicing this bhakti-yoga, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, their first position is that they are attached to Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. Āsakti means attachment. We have got to increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa. There is process, recommended process. If we adopt that process, then naturally we'll become Kṛṣṇa conscious, and gradually we shall understand what is Kṛṣṇa.

Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ, I explained yesterday, taking shelter unto Him under different rasas or mellows, transcendental mellows. Accept Him as your master. Accept Him as the Supreme. Accept Him as your friend. Accept Him as your son. Accept Him as your lover. In whatever way.

Of course, this eternal relationship is already there. With every living entity there is an eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa. But we have forgotten that. That is our position. But if we practice this yoga, as Kṛṣṇa recommends, mayy āsakta-manāḥ . . . if we become attached, then our original relationship will be revealed. That is called svarūpa-siddhi. How we are . . . how I am related with Kṛṣṇa, that will be revealed.

I have got a relationship with Kṛṣṇa eternally. Now it is covered. So practice this yoga means reviving our original relationship with Kṛṣṇa. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta it is said:

nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema 'sādhya' kabhu naya

śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya

(CC Madhya 22.107)

It is simply awakened. Not that artificially we are imposing some impression to the minds of our students that they are hankering after "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa." No. It is a process to remove all the dirty things from the heart. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). And as soon as the heart is cleansed of all dirty things, material contamination, then we can see what is our relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

Therefore, Kṛṣṇa recommends that "Somehow or other, you try to be attached to Me." And the Gosvāmīs also, Rūpa Gosvāmī recommends, yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet (Brs. 1.2.4): "Somehow or other, try to apply your mind in Kṛṣṇa." It is not very difficult. Here is Kṛṣṇa's form, arcā-mūrti. If you constantly see Kṛṣṇa's form, śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpam . . . acintya-guṇa-svarūpam. Kṛṣṇa is acintya-guṇa-svarūpam; therefore He is nirguṇa.

Generally, guṇa means these material qualities: sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. But when we speak of nirguṇa, that means we transcend the guṇas of this material world. Guṇamayī mama māyā. We transcend the guṇas or qualities of māyā. That is called nirguṇa. But Kṛṣṇa is acintya-guṇa-svarūpam. Because Kṛṣṇa does not possess these material qualities, therefore it is acintya, inconceivable by us.

But He has that guṇa. He has guṇa. His guṇas are not material qualities. Just like even the leader of the impersonalist school, Śrīpāda Śaṅkarācārya, he said, nārāyaṇaḥ paraḥ avyaktāt. Nārāyaṇa is transcendental, para. Bhagavad-gītā also, paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyaḥ (BG 8.20).

So there is another nature, spiritual nature, that is not created. Here in the material world, everything is created. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Anything created in this material world, it has got a period, a date, historical date of creation. And again it is annihilated, again it is created. That is the nature of material world. But transcendental to this material sky, there is another sky, which is called paravyoma. That paravyoma is called, in English word, "the kingdom of God." Of course, it is not perfectly expressed, but there is a word, paravyoma, or Vaikuṇṭhaloka. That is Kṛṣṇa's dhāma.

So that is existing eternally. So therefore the creative feature of this material world and the spiritual world are different. They are not created. They are existing eternally. So we have to cultivate such knowledge that we can be . . . we may be transferred to the spiritual world, because Kṛṣṇa belongs to the spiritual world, acintya-guṇa-svarūpam.

So in order to think of that acintya-guṇa-svarūpam, we have to undergo certain process. Certain process. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau (Brs. 1.2.234). This process is sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. I cannot ask Kṛṣṇa that "Please come before me. I shall see You." And even if He comes, I cannot see Him, because my eyes are not so prepared to see Him. Just like when Kṛṣṇa was present upon this planet, not that everyone understood Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Māyāśritānāṁ nara-dārakeṇa. Those who are under the influence of material energy, they thought Kṛṣṇa as ordinary person, nara-dārakeṇa. Kṛṣṇa also says, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). So we want to see Kṛṣṇa, but we have to make our eyes prepared to see Kṛṣṇa. Aprākṛta, transcendental platform. And that transcendental platform is recommended by Kṛṣṇa here in this first verse of Seventh Chapter: mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha.

Now, how to become āsakta, attached to Kṛṣṇa? The first beginning is śravaṇam, to hear about Kṛṣṇa. Just like you are kindly present here and trying to hear about Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. This is the process. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also reco . . . (break) . . . process was first stated by Prahlāda Mahārāja. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, we get information:

śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ

smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam

arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ

sakhyam ātma-nivedanam

(SB 7.5.23)

This śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, especially, is very essential for understanding Kṛṣṇa. Our this śravaṇa-kīrtana process, hearing and chanting, is helping us, recruiting members in Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. It is practical.

So there is a formula, I have stated many times, that in order to increase our attachment, our dormant love for Kṛṣṇa . . . we should always remember that we have got dormant love for Kṛṣṇa, but it is now covered. We have to uncover it by cleansing the dirty things.

That is the method. So for that purpose, ādau śraddhā, that with some faith, with some conviction, you have come here. This is called śraddhā. "Let us see what this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is going on." Out of curiosity or out of faith, somehow or other, with little faith you have come here. This is called śraddhā stage. Ādau śraddhā.

Then if you increase your śraddhā . . . suppose this function is going on. If this function continues and if you come continually, then gradually your attachment for Kṛṣṇa will increase. That's a fact. We have seen it in the Western countries. When I began this movement, I never said that, "Only such-and-such persons will be admitted." No. There was no such restriction.

Anyone could enter in our meeting room. And they, simply they were given chance for hearing. So gradually, they developed, they awakened their Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and now you see how they are chanting and dancing in ecstasy. It is possible for everyone. It is possible for you also. That is mayy āsakta-manāḥ, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. This is a particular type of yoga which is called bhakti-yoga.

So Caitanya Mahāprabhu also says the same thing. Because sādhu, śāstra, guru, they will say the same thing. And we have to make it confirmed in three ways. What we hear from the sādhus, we shall have to consult whether these things are spoken in the śāstra. And whether the statements of śāstras are confirmed by guru, by the direct spiritual master. Sādhu-guru-śāstra-vākya tinete kariyā aikya. A sādhu will speak nothing which is not stated in the śāstra. A guru will state nothing which is not stated in the śāstra. So in this way Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that:

ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva

guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja

(CC Madhya 19.151)

The śravaṇa-kīrtana is the beginning of Kṛṣṇa conscious life. One who is very fortunate, he's in meeting, he meets somebody who is a pure devotee and accepts him as his spiritual master. Therefore here it is stated . . . it is stated, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. One has to take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master. Mayy āsakta . . . mad-āśrayaḥ.

Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, āśraya loiyā bhaje kṛṣṇa tāre nāhi tyaje āra saba more akaraṇa (Song 43—Vaiṣṇava-mahimā). And he says that one who takes the shelter of a bona fide spriritual master—a spiritual master is always bona fide—and if he cultivates this Kṛṣṇa consciousness under the direction of a spiritual master, āśraya loiyā bhaje kṛṣṇa tāre nāhi tyaje, Kṛṣṇa does not reject him. Kṛṣṇa accepts him.

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says, yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo yasyā prasādān na gatiḥ kuto 'pi. That, Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says that, "If you can please your spiritual master, then Kṛṣṇa is automatically pleased. And if you cannot please your spiritual master, then there is no way to understand Kṛṣṇa."

So therefore Kṛṣṇa says particularly here, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan . . . we have to execute the Kṛṣṇa consciousness yoga system under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master. Mad-āśrayaḥ. Then asaṁśaya, without any doubt—samagram, in fullness. In fullness means brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti (SB 1.2.11).

Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1). Brahman is sad-aṁśa, the part which is eternal; and Paramātmā is cid-aṁśa; and Bhagavān is ānanda aṁśa. Bhagavān is full, sac-cid-ānanda. And we are all seeking after ānanda. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). The Vedānta says that a living entity, or Kṛṣṇa . . . any living entity . . .

Kṛṣṇa is also the supreme living entity, and we are small living entities. So every one of us are seeking after ānanda, transcendental bliss. So when we join together, the living entities and the Supreme Lord, that becomes ānanda, rāsa-līlā. That is wanted. That we are seeking.

But we are seeking in a different way in the material world. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa therefore says, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī also, in his Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, he says, ādau gurvāśrayam: "If one is interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, he must approach a spiritual master." Kṛṣṇa also says, mad-āśrayaḥ. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). These are all Vedic injunctions. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12).

So if we take this process . . . and the beginning of the process is hearing, śravaṇaṁ. Kīrtanam. When there is kīrtana there is śravaṇa. Unless there is kīrtana, where is the opportunity of hearing? So śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Or one who has heard very nicely, perfectly, he can chant also nicely, perfectly, or describe the glories of the Lord. Kīrtana does not mean that with musical sound we chant and dance.

Kīrtana means describing about the glories of the Lord, kīrtanam. Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja and Śukadeva Goswāmī. Śukadeva Goswāmī was chanting. He was describing Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And Parīkṣit Mahārāja was hearing. This is śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. And śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam about whom? Viṣṇu, not others. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Harer nāma. The śāstra says, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21).

Of course, Hari, or Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu, has got many thousands of names. Any name will be profitable. That doesn't matter. But because we have to follow the footsteps of great personalities, great devotees, therefore, as we are following the footsteps of Lord Caitanya, He chanted the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

So by this chanting, immediately, as soon as the chanting is offenseless, immediately we shall remember Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ. It is so easy. You chant. There is no expenditure; there is no loss. But the gain is very great. You can gradually become attached to Kṛṣṇa.

So if we chant and hear, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam, this is the first stage of sādhu-saṅgaḥ. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (CC Madhya 23.14-15). Or this can be taken as bhajana-kriyā. And as soon as it is perfectly done, this chanting process, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, bhajana-kriyā, then anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt, all unwanted things are rejected. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt.

Just like these boys and girls, Europeans and Americans, they had many anarthas. We have forbidden them. They have forsaken altogether. Take, for example, drinking of intoxicants. They were trained up for drinking from the childhood. They were trained up for meat-eating from childhood.

(break) This is called anartha-nivṛtti. Nobody is dying without drinking. Nobody is dying without meat-eating. But we have made a habit of eating such things.

Similarly, we can give it up also. That is possible when there is right bhajana-kriyā. In this way, when anartha-nivṛtti is finished, perfect, then he becomes firmly stuck up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Tato niṣṭhā tato ruciḥ. Then taste. The taste is so nice that one cannot give up Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One cannot give up chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa. It increases the transcendental taste. And after taste, there is āsakti.

Kṛṣṇa is speaking from that stage here. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ, āsakti, attachment. When there is attachment of Kṛṣṇa, that is the almost final stage of your perfectional life.

mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha

yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ

asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ

yathā jñāsyasi (tac chṛṇu)

(BG 7.1)

"You will understand Me. If you follow this principle, then," Kṛṣṇa says to Arjuna, or anyone follows this principle, then "without any doubt one should understand Kṛṣṇa in fullness." Samagram. So Kṛṣṇa is recommending, next:

jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam

idaṁ vakṣyāmy aśeṣataḥ

yaj jñātvā neha bhūyo 'nyaj

jñātavyam avaśiṣyate

(BG 7.2)

This devotional service, or the understanding of Kṛṣṇa, is jñānam. First of all, we have to understand. Kṛṣṇa will explain how Kṛṣṇa is present before you in different features. Just like originally He is present before us as impersonal Brahman, localized Paramātmā and personally also, Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are all the same. There is no difference, Brahman, Paramātmā and Bhagavān. There is no difference. The same thing, but it is realized under different angle of vision.

Those who are trying to approach Kṛṣṇa by philosophical speculation, by theosophical understanding, they go up to the impersonal feature of Kṛṣṇa, brahma-jñāna. And those who are trying to understand Kṛṣṇa as the localized Supreme Soul within one's heart . . . dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). The yogīs, they are trying to find out Kṛṣṇa within his heart by meditation.

So these are the different features of Kṛṣṇa knowledge. Brahmeti bhagavān iti . . . brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). The Absolute Truth is one, but one who is trying to understand Him by the dint of his personal knowledge, he approaches up to impersonal Brahman; one who is trying to understand Him as the localized Paramātmā feature, by the yogīs, He is known to them as Paramātmā, or Antaryāmī—but those who are in direct contact with Kṛṣṇa, they are realizing as the most lovable object, the most beautiful personality, most opulent personality, Kṛṣṇa. But the object is the same.

The example is generally given: just like the sunshine, the sun globe and the sun god. The sunshine is all-pervading, all over the universe, and the sun globe is localized. But within the sun globe there is a person who is called Sūrya-nārāyaṇa, or the sun god. These are facts. Don't think that there is no living entity in the sun planet. There is. Their body is fiery body. That's all. Just like our body in this planet is earthly body, their body is fiery. Out of the five elements, the fire element is very prominent in the sun planet. But there are living entities.

Otherwise, how Kṛṣṇa says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1): "First of all, I said this philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness to the sun god"? If there is no living entity, how Kṛṣṇa says there is a sun god? And if we are to believe Kṛṣṇa and the Bhagavad-gītā, we have to accept it that the sun globe is not without living entities. It is also the same, just like we have got hundreds and thousands, millions of living entities here.

So in this way, we have to acquire the knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. That is brahma-jñāna, paramātma-jñāna and bhagavat-tattva-jñāna. And when we realize . . . not only hear theoretically, jñānam . . . that is . . . theoretical knowledge is jñānam. But sa-vijñānam, when we actually perceive, when we actually understand what is the position of Brahman, what is the position of Paramātmā and what is the position of the Personality of Godhead, that is called vijñānam. Jñānaṁ sa-vijñānam. Jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam idaṁ vakṣyāmy aśeṣataḥ (BG 7.2). Aśeṣataḥ, descriptive, not summarized.

So yaj jñātvā, "If you can understand this knowledge then," yad jñātvā na iha bhūyaḥ anyaj jñātavyam avaśiṣyate, "then you will finish your all knowledge." Yasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati (Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 1.3). The Vedic injunction is that. If you understand Kṛṣṇa, then all knowledge becomes revealed to you. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. That is stated here. Yaj jñātvā neha bhūyaḥ anyaj jñātavyam avaśiṣyate.

Then it is very nice to understand Kṛṣṇa. If by understanding Kṛṣṇa . . . one may say: "Oh, I have understood Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa was born at Mathurā as the son of Vasudeva and Devakī, and then He went to Vṛndāvana. And He became a friend of the cowherd girls or the boys, and He was playing there. So I have understood Kṛṣṇa." Anyone can say like that. But Kṛṣṇa says that, "I am not so easily understood." Kṛṣṇa says that it is not so easy.

Therefore those who try to understand Kṛṣṇa very easily, they are sahajiyās. And if one understands Kṛṣṇa very easily, then he derides at Him. Just like generally, people remark against Kṛṣṇa, "Oh, He was so, I mean to say, characterless, that He, I mean to say, mixing with the cowherd girls. So many. He married 16,000 wives." In this way, there are so many remarks, as if they have understood Kṛṣṇa.

But Kṛṣṇa says that, "I am not so easily understood." Of course, if anyone understands Kṛṣṇa, then his life becomes successful. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). Anyone who understands Kṛṣṇa, then he becomes immediately a liberated person. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ. But one must understand in truth what is Kṛṣṇa. Tattvataḥ.

So anyone who understands Kṛṣṇa in truth . . . what becomes? Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9): then such person, after quitting this material body, he never comes back again in this material world. Punar janma. Here in this material world, the trouble is that we have to accept one type of body and again give it up and again accept another type of body, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19).

Yāvaj jananaṁ tāvan maraṇam. This business is very troublesome. We do not understand. We forget. Under the influence of māyā, we forget what is the trouble of taking birth, what is the trouble of death, what is the trouble of old age and what is the trouble of disease.

Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that, "Anyone who can understand Me, about Me." Not "about Me," but "about Me." We can understand Kṛṣṇa by His activities, something about Him. Otherwise, He has immense potencies. It is impossible for us to understand. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8, Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). There is unlimited energies of Kṛṣṇa; therefore He is called acintya-śakti. Acintya-guṇa.

Acintya-śakti, "which is inconceivable." But anyone, if he somehow or other, according to his capacity, tries to understand in truth, then he becomes immediately liberated so that after quitting this body, he doesn't have to come again in this material world. Then where does he go? Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9): "He comes to Me."

Therefore Kṛṣṇa knowledge is so perfect. And if we take the real process, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23), the devotional service . . . because Kṛṣṇa says, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). Here . . . in the Fourth Chapter, He says that yo jānāti māṁ tattvataḥ. Now here, in the Seventh Chapter also, Kṛṣṇa says again: tattvataḥ. The tattvataḥ word is very much used about understanding Kṛṣṇa. Not superficially, but in truth one has to understand.

But that is very difficult. That Kṛṣṇa says here: manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). This is the business of this human form of life, to . . . this is a chance to make our life successful, siddhaye. Siddhaye means to become successful. And what is that success? That success . . .

Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), that is success. Not that I earn millions of dollars and amass in the bank, and I think I am successful, but I do not know what is my next life, where will be my . . . this amassing of bank balance, my skyscraper building. I will have to accept another body, unwilling, although I have created that body.

Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27): as I have associated with the three guṇas. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ. If I associated with (54:55) sattva-guṇa, then I will be promoted to the higher planetary systems. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ (BG 14.18).

If I have associated with rajo-guṇa, then I shall remain in this planet, middle planetary system. And jaghanya-guṇa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ: and if we have associated with the tamo-guṇa, the quality of darkness, ignorance, then I will be gliding down to the animal life.

These things are stated. We have to understand through śāstra. We cannot see our past, present and future, but if we see through the śāstras . . . śāstra-cakṣusā: "You should try to see from the śāstra." Actually, we understand everything through śāstra, not directly. Just like we understand in modern science from the newspaper that somebody is trying to go to the moon planet. I do not go personally to the moon planet, but I accept the newspaper.

Similarly, we have to accept śāstra, how things are going on beyond our experience. Without that, we cannot have knowledge. That is called Vedic process. Śruti-jñānam. Śruti means hearing from authorities. That is real knowledge. Śrotra-panthā. It is called śrotra-panthā.

So how we can understand Kṛṣṇa, how we can fulfill our mission of life, how we can become liberated, all these things are stated in this Bhagavad-gītā. And if you try to understand as Kṛṣṇa is speaking or try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without any malinterpretation, then your life is successful.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (applause) (end)