721112 - Lecture SB 01.02.33 - Vrndavana

Lectures by Date, 1972

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

721112SB-VRNDAVAN - November 12, 1972 - 32:32 Minutes

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. (leads chanting of verse, etc.) (Prabhupāda and devotees repeat)

asau guṇamayair bhāvair

bhūta-sūkṣmendriyātmabhiḥ

sva-nirmiteṣu nirviṣṭo

bhuṅkte bhūteṣu tad-guṇān

(SB 1.2.33)

(break)

asau—that Paramātmā; guṇa-mayaiḥ—influenced by the modes of nature; bhāvaiḥ—naturally; bhūta—created; sūkṣma—subtle; indriya—senses; ātmabhiḥ—by the living beings; sva-nirmiteṣu—in His own creation; nirviṣṭaḥ—entering; bhuṅkte—causes to enjoy; bhūteṣu—in the living entities; tat-guṇān—those modes of nature.

Translation: "The Supersoul enters into the bodies of the created beings, who are influenced by the modes of material nature, and causes them to enjoy the effects of these by the subtle mind."

Prabhupāda: Hm.

asau guṇamayair bhāvair

bhūta-sūkṣmendriyātmabhiḥ

sva-nirmiteṣu nirviṣṭo

bhuṅkte bhūteṣu tad-guṇān

(SB 1.2.33)

In the previous verse we have discussed that nāneva bhāti viśvātmā bhūteṣu ca tathā pumān (SB 1.2.32), that the . . . the living entity, individual soul, and the Supersoul . . . so because the individual soul wanted a certain type of enjoyment, so the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is making such arrangement. Guṇamayair bhāvaiḥ. That arrangement is made by the material nature. Bhāva, bhāva means nature.

Guṇamayair bhāvaiḥ. This nature is made of three modes of material nature. And the other nature . . . in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ (BG 8.20). This bhāva, this material creation, it is also bhāva. Another bhāva, that is sanātana. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvaḥ anyaḥ.

Anya means other. Avyakto 'vyaktāt sanātanaḥ. Here the mahat-tattva, the total material energy, is called avyakta. Then, when it is agitated by the glance of the Supreme Lord, the three modes of material nature acts. And by interaction of these three modes of material nature, the whole cosmic manifestation come into being. This is the . . . not theory; this is the fact of creation.

Creation, there is machine, or there is electronic working and the buttons are pushed by the Supreme Lord. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8, CC Madhya 13.65, purport). His electronic machine is so subtle and powerful that we cannot understand. We say "nature."

Because, due to our ignorance, we cannot explain how the nature is working, we give an evasive reply. Just like a flower is coming from the seed. The tree is coming, the flower is coming, the fruit is coming. So we simply give an evasive reply, "By nature it is coming." But we cannot explain how it is coming.

But there is explanation. Just like in our this tape recording machine, we do not know; we push some button, it is recording. But there is a great manipulation of the machine. That we do not know. As soon as it is not working, because we are ignorant, we go to the mechanic, "Just find out what is the wrong."

He knows; he puts the things in right way. Again it works. So we take the total working and we may say it is working by nature. No. There is brain. There is pushing of button. Everything is there. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā:

mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ

sūyate sa-carācaram

hetunānena kaunteya

jagad viparivartate

(BG 9.10)

Mayādhyakṣeṇa. "I am putting the buttons." He is . . . but the . . . His putting of buttons and acting of the machine is so subtle and so quick and so immediate that we cannot explain. We think it is automatically done. We think that it is automatically done.

So here, asau guṇamayair bhāvair bhūta-sūkṣmendriya ātmabhiḥ. This whole material creation is . . . there is a brain. It is not a so-called evasive reply, "Automatically." What do you mean, "Automatically"? There must be somebody pushing the button, must be working. There is brain. That is really scientific study.

Here, guṇamayair bhāvaiḥ, by the three energies, three kind of energies—goodness, passion and ignorance—these guṇamayī, these qualities of nature, bhūta-sūkṣma indriya. Then there is creation of the ego, then creation of the intelligence, mind, then creation of sky, then creation of air, then creation of fire, then creation of water, then creation of land.

Bhūta-sūkṣmendriya. The objective of the senses, the senses are created, the sense enjoyment, objects are created, form is created, taste is created, smell is created. So there is great machinery. It is not that automatically it has come out. But behind all these energetic work . . . the energies, different energies are working.

Kṛṣṇa's energy is so powerful that He puts the potency in a seed. Bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 7.10). Kṛṣṇa says bīja means, "seed," sarva-bhūtānām. "Whatever is coming out, being manifested, the seed I am." Means, "seed I am" means "It is manufactured under My supervision."

Just find out the seed of a banyan tree, a small grain like mustard seed. But you sow the seed, and a big tree, gigantic tree, will come out. Unless the energetic tree is there within the seed, how it comes out? That is Kṛṣṇa's energy. That is Kṛṣṇa, parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate. His energy is so subtle that svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. Svābhāvikī.

Now, from that seed, first of all the trunk will come, the branches will come. Then the twigs will come, the leaves will come, and the fabrication of the leaf. Everything see, wonderful. Everything we see, wonderful. But svābhāvikī, as it coming automatically. Automatically.

A creeper is coming, is trying to find out a shelter. As soon as it finds out shelter, immediately captures. You have seen in our Los Angeles, behind my house, the electric post and the wire, and the creeper is taking shelter and giving flower and fruits and everything. Svābhāvikī.

Now, you can say it has no eyes. How it is seeing, how it is coming here and is, what is called, squirreling? No. The energy is so perfect that svābhāvikī, it is working like nature. Automatically. Svābhāvikī. There is knowledge. Svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā. Everything is done by knowledge, by power and by action.

So there is everything. We can see practically how the trees are growing. Your body, my body—in the same way, everything is coming out. Now there was seed, the father and mother's seed. Now, within that seed, all these arrangement of the veins, nerves and fibers and muscle and everything was there. You cannot explain how these veins are working. Little discrepancy of the working of the vein, I suffer on my finger for so many days.

What is that? There was no regular supply of the energy. The . . . there was some disturbance in the holes of the veins and nerves. This is the medical science. But as soon as it is cured, the supply is there. Just like when the pipe is jammed, the water does not go and it creates disturbance.

Similarly, everything is going on nicely in a machine. And Kṛṣṇa knows everything. Anvaya-vyatirekābhyām. Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ (SB 1.1.1). I do not know how the nerves in my finger became disturbed and how it has become diseased and how it became cured, and now it is all right. I do not know, although I claim, "This is my hand," "This is my leg." But I do not know.

Therefore it is not my leg, not my hand. Just like I'm living in a room, rented room. That is not my room. If you study in this way, you'll find: īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything belongs to God, Kṛṣṇa. Falsely you are claiming. I do not know how it is working. I have been given the chance to live in this particular body.

Otherwise Kṛṣṇa is working. I wanted . . . I wanted teeth to eat fresh flesh, so Kṛṣṇa gives us the tiger's teeth, tiger's nail. But how the nails and teeth came into existence, how it is working, how it is set up, that I do not know. That I do not know. That knows Kṛṣṇa. Anvayāt vyatireka artheṣu.

All the purpose of these instruments, different instruments, bhūta-sūkṣma indriya—indriya means senses—how they are working, how the enjoyment, object of enjoyment is supplied, that is all being arranged by Kṛṣṇa.

asau guṇamayair bhāvair

bhūta-sūkṣmendriyātmabhiḥ

sva-nirmiteṣu nirviṣṭo

bhuṅkte bhūteṣu tad-guṇān

(SB 1.2.33)

Sva-nirmiteṣu, we wanted this kind of manufacture. So Kṛṣṇa has given me the chance, prakṛte, by . . . through the agency of prakṛti. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). That is already explained. Similarly, I wanted a body like this to enjoy a certain standard of sense enjoyment, so I enter into this body, I enter into that body.

Also Kṛṣṇa enters as Supersoul. Sva-nirmiteṣu nirviṣṭaḥ. Then bhuṅkte bhūteṣu tad-guṇān. Then what I enjoy? I enjoy the action and reaction of the three modes of material nature, that's all.

Actually, the enjoyment is in my mind. That is not enjoyment. That is not enjoyment. Real enjoyment is when I am free from this embodiment of five elements, gross elements, and three subtle elements. I have entered into this, and the action and reaction of these five gross elements, three subtle elements, I am enjoying. Actually, not enjoying. This is called māyā. There is no enjoyment. It is enjoyment in the mind. The mind is also material creation.

Real enjoyment is beyond these senses. Sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriya-grāhyam (BG 6.21). That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tat. The real happiness is not by these gross senses. By transcendental senses, we can enjoy sukham āt . . . real happiness.

Therefore, because we are not in that platform of enjoying the transcendental senses, we are trying to enjoy by these gross senses, therefore we are becoming baffled and frustrated. This is the cause of frustration. Because that is not the platform of enjoyment.

Sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriya-grā . . . atīndriya. Atīndriya means "Beyond this." It is covered. Covered senses, you cannot enjoy. Suppose I cover your tongue with some cloth and then I give you one rasagullā. Can you taste it? What you'll taste? There are so many things. If you cover the senses, the real senses, and try to enjoy with that covering, what you'll enjoy? That is not enjoyment. The . . . it has to be uncovered. Then you'll enjoy.

That is indicated: sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). If you uncover the senses, upādhi . . . these upādhi . . . because I am in bodily concept of life, therefore I am thinking, "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am black," "I am white," "I am man," "I am woman," "I am tree," "I am this," "I am that." This is covered. How you can enjoy with these covered senses?

So you have to uncover. You have to discover. That discovering process is devotional service. The more you are engaged in devotional service, the more your senses become pure, or uncovered. And when it is completely uncovered, without any designation, then you are capable to serve Kṛṣṇa. This is apprenticeship. Vaidhī-bhakti, that is apprenticeship. Real bhakti, parā-bhakti, that is rāgānugā-bhakti. This rāgānugā-bhakti, we have to come after surpassing the vaidhī-bhakti.

In the material world, if we do not try to make further and further progress in devotional service, if we are simply sticking to the śāstric regulation process and do not try to go beyond that . . . śāstric process is also regulation, that is required. Without śāstric process you cannot go to that platform. But if we stick to the śāstric process only and do not try to improve ourself . . . the śāstric process is kaniṣṭha-adhikāra, lowest stage of devotional service.

arcāyām eva haraye

yaḥ pūjāṁ śraddhayehate

na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu

sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ

(SB 11.2.47)

Generally, people come to this temple, they are very devoted to the Deity. They offer their respects, flowers and other things, make the regulative process, circumambulate. This is nice beginning. But one has to go above this. One has to know who is actually bhakta, who is ac . . . na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu. One has to do good for others. That is madhyama-adhikārī.

If I become satisfied only with these regulative principle for worshiping the Deity in the temple and following the regulative principle daily, but if I have no other idea, then sa bhaktaḥ prākṛtaḥ smṛtaḥ. Prākṛta means on the material platform. Such devotee can fall down at any moment, because he's on the prākṛta stage. And prākṛta means this guṇamayī, prakṛti. It is very strong. So any devotee can fall down if he remains prākṛta-bhakta. So he has to raise himself above this in the madhyama-adhikāra.

So here it is said that sva-nirmiteṣu nirviṣṭo bhuṅkte bhūteṣu tad-guṇān. So we are not enjoying actually. We are enjoying the interaction of the three modes of material nature. And we are thinking . . . the same thing, as my Guru Mahārāja used to say, that licking up the bottle of honey. That is not real honey. You have to open the bottle of the honey and lick up the real honey, then you'll get taste. That is advancement of spiritual knowledge.

satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido

bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ

(SB 3.25.25)

Therefore, if we do not associate with the advanced devotees, uttama-adhikārī, if we simply want to remain in the lowest stage of devotional service, then we are not making progress. Then we shall simply enjoy the material field, without entering into the spiritual platform.

Bhuṅkte, bhuṅkte bhūteṣu tad-guṇān. You have to rise above the modes of material nature. Nirguṇa. Traiguṇya-viṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna. That is the statement of Bhagavad-gītā. In the Vedic instruction, traiguṇya, Vedic instruction is dealing with the three guṇas, the three material modes of nature.

Nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna (BG 2.45). Nistraiguṇya. What is that? Because when Kṛṣṇa was asking Arjuna to fight, he was in the traiguṇya platform, in the material platform. He was thinking, "How shall I kill my grandfather? How shall I kill my teacher? How shall I kill my brother? How can I kill nephews?" This is traiguṇya-vicāra, consideration on the material platform.

Then Kṛṣṇa said, nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna: "Just become transcendental to the material modes of nature." What is that transcendental material nature? "I am asking you to fight. You do it." That is nistraiguṇya. Kṛṣṇa is asking him. That is nistraiguṇya. Traiguṇya-viṣayā vedā nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna.

The guṇa or nirguṇa, these two words are there in the Vedic literature. When we speak of guṇa, that is . . . means these three guṇas, three material modes of nature. And nirguṇa means above these three material modes of nature. So actually devotional service is above the three modes of material nature. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26).

So when you are actually in pure devotional service, sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170), being freed from the interaction of the three material modes of nature, that is real transcendental stage of devotional service. So we have to try to go to that platform. Otherwise, we shall remain a prākṛta-bhakta. As it is said here: bhuṅkte bhūteṣu tad-guṇān. We have to become transcendental to the three modes of material nature.

That is not very difficult. Simply one has to become very serious and sincere. That's all. As there are direction in the śāstras . . . as, as I was speaking in this morning, the śāstra . . . just like Rūpa Gosvāmī has given instruction in the Nectar of Devotion how to prosecute. He begins in the characteristics of devotional service. He says this verse:

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ

jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-

śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā

(Brs. 1.1.11)

So we have to begin from this uttamā-bhakti. Uttama means nirguṇa, or transcendental. Uttama. Uttama, udgata-tamaḥ. Ut means transcendental, when you surpass. Tama. Tama means this material world. So ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā (CC Madhya 19.167). That is uttamā-bhakti. That is transcendental bhakti.

So if we execute devotional service with some material purpose, that purpose may be served, but you cannot rise to the transcendental platform. So we should be very careful that we may not take to devotional service . . . even though we take it, still, it is recommended that you prosecute, you go on with the devotional service by the regulative principles. Then you'll come to the uttama platform.

There is no question of disappointment, but we must know that if we remain on the material platform, then we have to take so much time. From the material platform, we have to go to the spiritual platform. That means we require to follow the regulative principles very strictly and sincerely. Then we'll be promoted to the nirguṇa platform.

Without performing the regulative principles, one cannot come immediately, all of a sudden . . . maybe, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, one can come, but the regular way is first of all let us follow the regulative principles strictly. Then gradually we shall be purified and come to the spiritual platform. And that will be successful . . . success of our life.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Haribol . . . (break) (end)