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One who recites these 12 auspicious holy names of the moonlike Nityananda-candra everyday between 6 - 8.30 a.m. will become free from all difficulties, and attain all his most cherished desires. Very soon he will receive the mercy of Shri Caitanya-deva.

nityanando ´vadhutendur, vasudha-prana-vallabhah
jahnavi-jivita-patih, krishna-prema-pradah prabhu

Shri Nityananda Prabhu is the embodiment of eternal bliss. He is the moon of all avadhutas, and the beloved of the life-breath of Vasudha (his wife). Lord Nityananda is the husband enthusing Jahnavi with life. Nityananda Rama bestows ecstatic love for Krishna, and He is the Lord and Master of the devotees.

Padmavati-sutah shriman, shaci-nandana-purvajah
Bhavonmatto jagat-trata, rakta-gaura-kalevarah

Shri Nityananda is the dear son of Padmavati, and He is full of splendrous transcendental majesty. Nitai is the older brother of Shacimata´s son Nimai. Nityananda Avadhuta is maddened in overwhelming ecstatic emotions. Shri Nityananda Prabhu is the saviour of the universe. His complexion is golden tinged with red.

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  • Volunteer

    Dandavat Mataji, Hare Krsna, many thanks for all the Srila Prabhupada lectures that you add in this group.

  • Thanks for sharing these slokas..I am actually looking for such slokas on srimati radharani, nityananda prabhu and chaitanya mahaprabhu.Can you share them if you have. it would be nice if there will be a link having  many such slokas

  • Volunteer
    Prabhupada:

    maha-bhutany ahankaro
    buddhir avyaktam eva ca
    indriyani dasaikam ca
    panca cendriya-gocarah

    iccha dvesah sukham duhkham
    sanghatas cetana dhrtih
    etat ksetram samasena
    sa-vikaram udahrtam

    Krsna is discussing ksetra, ksetrajnah, jnana, and jneyam. So ksetra... Idam sariram ksetram ity abhidhiyate. This body is the ksetra. Ksetra means the field of activities. Just like a cultivator, he has got a certain portion of land and according to the land, he is seeding, sowing the seeds of grains, and as he's working, he's getting the profit by agricultural product, similarly, this body is a field, is field, and we are sowing the seed, karma, sowing the seed and getting the result. Karmana daiva-netrena.

    Why we have got different types of bodies? Why we haven't got, everyone, the same type of body? Somebody is fat, somebody is very thin, somebody white, somebody black, somebody very beautiful, somebody very ugly. There are so many varieties of bodies. Why? Sanghata. This is combination, color combination. There are three gunas. Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. As you are associating with the gunas, you are getting different types of body.

    That is, Krsna is explaining here, that maha-bhutany ahankara. The ahankara is very important thing. False ahankara and real ahankara. Ahankara means law of identity. "I am Indian," this is ahankara. "I am American," this is ahankara. "I am rich man," this is also ahankara. "I am poor man." There are so many ahankaras, law of identification. So this ahankara is the basis of getting a type of body, And... This is the subtle basis, ahankara. Mano buddhir ahankara. There are eight material elements: bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh kham mano buddhir eva ca. That is stated in the seventh chapter. This earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence, and ahankara. This is creating my different types of body.

    Krsna therefore says, maha-bhutany ahankaro buddhir avyaktam eva ca. Avyaktam means the total material substance. Just like when you construct a house there are heaps of materials, some stone, some cement, some woods, some iron, and you combine together... Tejo-vari-mrd-vinimayam. This whole world is exchange of three things: teja, fire, vari, means water, and mrt, means earth. So what is this Bombay city? The Bombay city is a heap of tejo-vari-mrd-vinimayah. And... Here is one expert engineer, he knows how to mix these three things, tejo-vari-mrd-vinimayam, exchange. If there was no stock of tej o-vari-mrd-vinimayam, you could not build such a nice city. But who is supplying the ingredients? Can you create earth? No. Can you create water? No. You cannot create. You are simply working. You are simply working hard mixing them. That's all. Tejo vari-mrd-vinimayam. You cannot create. That is not possible. The creator is God. The creator is God. That is stated in the seventh chapter, prakrtir me astadha. Me, Krsna says, "It is mine."

    So this is called illusion. We are using Krsna's property, but we are claiming "our." That is called illusion. Therefore sastra says, Veda says, isavasyam idam sarvam: "Everything belongs to God." You cannot create this big mass of water, sea, or ocean. That is not possible. Who has created? Somebody has created. That is stated in the sastra. There is perspiration. This water is perspiration of Maha-Visnu. We can understand because we are minute particle of Maha-Visnu. Mamaivamso jiva-bhutah [Bg. 15.7]. So sometimes we perspire and create some water, say, half an ounce water. But if somebody has unlimited power to perspire and create water, where is the difficulty to understand? There is no difficulty. If you take it for acceptance that this vast mass of water has come from the perspiration of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So there is nothing to deny this fact. Acintya-sakti. Acintya-sakti means inconceivable power. We have got inconceivable power. Because we are minute particle of God, we have also minute inconceivable power. We do not know how the hairs are growing, but the energy is there within me. Similarly, so many things come out from the inconceivable power of Krsna. Therefore Krsna claims,

    bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh
    kham mano buddhir eva ca
    ahankara itiyam me
    bhinna prakrtir astadha

    "They are My separated energy." So this whole earth is creation of these five elements, gross elements. So it is Krsna's property. How we can claim, "This is our property?" That is illusion. We are claiming, "This portion is American," "This portion is Indian," "This portion is Pakistani," but we do not know that no portion belongs to us; everything belongs to Krsna.

    For practical purpose, even if we accept that the whole world belongs to Krsna, God, and we are sons of God, we have got right to use the property of father, so you can use. But the difficulty is that we are claiming that "This portion is mine, this portion is mine." But if we don't claim like that, everything belongs to God, that is practical communism. If we accept the whole world as the property of God, make God-centered communism... The Russians, they are making the state-center communism. But if you make God center... That is Isopanisad, isavasyam idam sarvam: "Everything belongs to God." And everyone has, that is stated in the sastra, that everything belongs to God, everything is property of God, and we can utilize. We can use that. Yavad artha-prayojanam. As much as we require, we can take.

    Just like the birds and beasts. They are living on nature's condition. The bird will go to a tree and eat some fruit, but not more than he requires; neither he will take the fruit at his home to stock for next day or for making black market. No. We have created all this nonsense situation by claiming God's property as ours. This is the mistake. But the rascal leaders, they do not know what mistake they have committed in the beginning.

    Stena eva sa ucyate. Everything belongs to God. Therefore everything should be employed in the service of God. This is our Krsna consciousness philosophy. We do not take anything which has no connection with Krsna. We take everything... Just like we are using this microphone. We do not think it is material. Because it is being used for Krsna's purpose, therefore it is spiritual. That is the difference between material and spiritual. When you accept it as your own or for your own sense gratification, that is material. And if you accept everything as Krsna's and you simply take Krsna's prasadam, then it is spiritual.
    We are not Mayavadi philosophers that we say, brahma satyam jagan mithya. No. Why jagat should be mithya? If Krsna is truth, God is truth, the jagat is also truth because it is the energy of Krsna. Krsna says, bhumir apo 'nalo vayuh. Therefore our Gosvamis prescribed,

    prapancikataya buddhya
    hari-sambandhi-vastunah
    mumuksubhih parityago
    phalgu vairagyam kathyate

    Prapancikataya buddhya. (sharp cracking sound; aside:) What is this sound? Prapancika-buddhya, by accepting something as material, hari-sambandhi-vastunah, but it has connection with Hari, so if we give it up, then it is phalgu-vairagya. Just like this, for land we are fighting. Because we are thinking that "Krsna has come here, Krsna is seated here. It cannot be vacated." We are not thinking that it is a material thing. This is an example.

    Just like Arjuna. Arjuna fought because he thought that this war, this Kuruksetra battle is for the satisfaction of Krsna. Karisye vacanam tava [Bg. 18.73]. In the beginning, Arjuna denied to fight. He thought, "Why shall I fight with my kinsmen? Let them enjoy." But when he understood that "It is Krsna's desire," nimitta-matram bhava savyasacin: "It is already planned." Krsna said, "My dear Arjuna, you are thinking that you'll save your relatives, but you are wrong. It is already planned. Those who have come here, they must be killed. That is already my plan. You simply become an instrument." Nimitta-matram bhava savyasacin. So when Arjuna understood that "It is the Krsna's plan. Then I am servant of Krsna; I must satisfy Krsna." Arjuna therefore asked, Krsna therefore asked Arjuna, "Now, after hearing my instruction in the Bhagavad-gita, what you are going to do?" Arjuna replied, nasto mohah smrtir labdha. "My Lord Krsna, my illusion is now over." Smrtir labdha, "I have got my remembrance. Everything belongs to You. For Your satisfaction everything must be done." Karisye vacanam tava [Bg. 18.73]. "Yes, I'll fight."

    This is Krsna consciousness. So long you think it is for your satisfaction, that is material. And as soon as you think, as soon as you understand that everything belongs to Krsna and everything should be used for the service of Krsna, that is spiritual. That is the distinction between material and spiritual. There is nothing like that spiritually something wonderful. But everything... Isavasyam idam sarvam. If everything belongs to Krsna, where is material? There is nothing material. Everything is spiritual, but we do not know how to use it. Therefore it is material. When you forget Krsna, when you forget the proprietorship of Krsna upon everything, that is material. Hari-sambandhena. Krsna-sambandhe. Nirbandhah krsna-sambandhe yuktam vairagyam ucyate. This is the injunction of the Gosvamis, that we have to accept everything as Krsna. That is the fact.

    And we are using everything without utilizing for Krsna's purpose; therefore it is material. And in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, stena eva sa ucyate: "He is thief. He is thief." Yanarthat karmano 'nyatra loko 'yam karma-bandhanah [Bg. 3.9]. As one man is criminal because he does not satisfy the state... What is the position of a criminal person? Because he disobeys the laws of the state, he is criminal. That is the distinction between a good citizen and a criminal citizen. One who does not obey the laws of the state, he is criminal. So everyone who does not obey the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he is criminal. Stena eva sa ucyate. This is the verdict of the sastra. Forgetfulness of Krsna, or God, is materialism, and not to use things for Krsna's satisfaction is criminality.

    So people do not understand these things. Krsna therefore explaining that "This body..." Maha-bhutany ahankaro buddhir avyaktam eva ca indriyani dasaikam ca. Indriyani, these ten senses, five senses for acquiring knowledge and five senses for acting, ten, and the mind, ten and one, eleven... Indriyani dasaikam ca panca cendriya-gocarah. Indriya-gocarah, the object of sense gratification, tan-matra. Just like rupa-rasa-gandha-sabda-sparsa. Beauty. Rupa-rasa, taste. Rupa-rasa-gandha, smell; sabda, sound; sparsa, touch. These are the objects of enjoyment. Our eyes are there. We are hankering after seeing very beautiful things. Rupa-rasa. The tongue is there. We are always trying to taste very nice eatables. Gandha. Nose is there. We want to smell very flavorable flowers and other things. In this way we have got indriyas, senses, and this body made of gross elements, and the ahankara and buddhi, buddhi. Mano buddhir ahankarah. These are the subtle body. In this way this ksetra, this body, is combination of all these things. Combination of all these things. Now it is very...

    maha-bhutany ahankaro
    buddhir avyaktam eva ca
    indriyani dasaikam ca
    panca cendriya-gocarah

    Iccha-dvesa... This is the iccha-dvesa, action of the mind, willing, feeling. Iccha-dvesa. Sometimes we like something, sometimes we do not like. This is called iccha-dvesa. Iccha dvesa-samutthena sarge yanti parantapa. We take birth within this material world according to iccha and dvesa. These two things are there. Something we like, something we do not like.

    iccha-dvesah sukham duhkham
    sanghatas cetana dhrtih
    etat ksetram samasena
    sa-vikaram udahrtam

    This is the combination of all these things. That has made this body. So the composition is very subtle.

    Good chemists, they can understand how by combining different elements they can produce something. So these chemical products of this body is described by Krsna very nicely, gross chemical and subtle chemical. But I am different from this. That is knowledge. I am different from this combination. But that we do not know. That is ignorance. I am thinking that "I am this combination," and I am thinking, "Wherefrom this combination has come into being, that is my place." That is described in the sastras, yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma idya-dhih [SB 10.84.13]. The chemicals comes from the earth. So everything in my body, they have come from these material elements and I'm identifying, "This place is mine because this body is born out of these elements." That is going on as nationalism. Bhauma idya-dhih. Bhauma idya-dhih. They'll not prefer worshiping Krsna. They'll prefer worshiping that land from which this body has emanated. Bhauma idya-dhih.

    So sastra says, "Anyone who identifies this body as self," yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke... This body is made of three dhatus, kapha, pitta, vayu, according to Ayurveda system. Kapha, mucus, and bile. Kapha pitta vayu. Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu [SB 10.84.13]. And kinsmen, my own persons, sva-dhih kalatradisu, wife and production from the wife, children. Or dynasty, family, community. Sva-dhih kalatradisu. Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma idya-dhih [SB 10.84.13]. And that land, "This is my birthplace. This is worshipable." Yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij. And they go to the places, holy places of pilgrimage, tirtha-buddhih salile.

    Just like somebody goes to Haridwar, Vrndavana. They finish their tirtha, going, taking so much trouble. Just like in Calcutta there is Ganges, but people will go to Haridwar for taking bath in the Ganges there. Why it is prescribed? Not for the Ganges. The Ganges is there already in Calcutta. But if you go to a holy place, you'll find saintly person. That is required. But if you simply go to the holy places and take bath in the water and finish your business... No. That is not recommended. Tirtha, going to tirtha means to find out a learned saintly person and take knowledge from him. That is tirtha.

    Therefore it is said, yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij janesv abhijnesu. Those who are expert in giving knowledge, we should associate. Satam prasangan mama virya-samvido bhavanti hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah. If we associate with saintly persons and hear from them Bhagavad-gita and other Vedic literatures, then hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah, it becomes appealing to the heart, hrt, and pleasing to the ear. Hrt-karna-rasayanah kathah taj-josanad. And if you bring them into practical purposes, apply in your life, then sraddha bhaktir ratir anukramisyati. Then gradually you'll become faithful to the Supreme. Sraddha bhaktir. You'll develop your natural instincts of devotional service. Sraddha bhaktir ratir, attachment. Anukramisyati, one after another. This is the process.

    Unfortunately, we are not taking advantage of these prerogatives of human life. We are simply engaged like cats and dogs for utilizing our life: eating, sleeping, sex life and defense. Ahara-nidra-bhayam maithunam ca samanyam etat pasubhir naranam. These demands of the body, eating, sleeping, sex life and defense, that is there in the animal life. Then where is the difference between the animal life and human life? Unless you become inquisitive to know, athato brahma jijnasa.

    Therefore Vedanta-sutra says that this life is meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth, tattva-jijnasa. Jivasya tattva-jijnasa. In the Bhagavata also says. Athato brahma jijnasa. So this Krsna consciousness movement is awakening the dormant inquiry of the human society to inquire "What I am? What is God? What is my relationship with God? Why I have come here in this material world? What is the reason? Why I am suffering? I don't want to die, but why death is forced upon me?" These are the questions to be solved in human life. Not the economic development. There is no question of economic development. Everyone is taken care by the mercy of God. Just like we are human beings. We are only four hundred thousand species, forms. But out of eight million four hundred thousand species, the eight millions forms of life, birds, beasts, they are taking [taken] care. There is no economic development program. They are eating very nicely. In Africa there are millions of elephants. They are eating very nicely. There is no question of scarcity of food. So why don't you think like that? Tasyaiva hetoh prayeteta kovido na labhyate yad bhramatam upary adhah.

    Therefore human life is simply meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth, not for engaging oneself for this so-called economic development. That is already there by God's arrangement. Actually, I am wandering all over the world. There are immense space in this planet also. In Africa, in Australia, ten times of the population can be accommodated, and they can produce their food. But the isavasya... We have forgotten that everything belongs to God. We are thinking "It is my land. You cannot come here. It is my land. You cannot come here." This mismanagement of the human society is the cause of all troubles, all problems. Therefore the human society must have Krsna consciousness to solve all the problems of life. Thank you very much. (end)

    >>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 13.6-7 -- Bombay, September 29, 1973
  • Volunteer
    Pradyumna: (Leads chanting, etc.)

    rsibhir bahudha gitam
    chandobhir vividhaih prthak
    brahma-sutra-padais caiva
    hetumadbhir viniscitaih
    [Bg. 13.5]

    Translation: "That knowledge of the field of activities and of the knower of activities is described by various sages in various Vedic writings -- especially in the Vedanta-sutra -- and is presented with all reasoning as to cause and effect."

    Prabhupada: So about the soul and Supersoul, rsibhih, great sages, saintly persons, they have also discussed. Just like in the present age also, we are different parties, the impersonalist and the personalist. Sankara-sampradaya, they ascertain the Absolute Truth as impersonal, nirvisesa, and the Buddhists, they ascertain, "The Absolute Truth is zero."

    We are struggling -- nirvisesa-sunyavadi. We are struggling against these nirvisesa-sunyavadi, voidists and impersonalists. So it is not now new. From time immemorial there are different views. But Krsna refers herewith that brahma-sutra-padaih hetumadbhir viniscitam. Others... There are many other books of knowledge. They are not very reasonable. That is dogmatic. But hetumadbhih, if we accept with our logic and sense, that is first-class book which gives us information of the atma, Paramatma.

    Therefore, in the Caitanya-caritamrta the author says, caitanyera dayara katha karaha vicara, vicara karile citte pabe camatkara. The author says that "You kindly put your consideration and judgement about the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. And if you consider with logic and reason," vicara karile pabe citte camatkara, "you'll feel that these are wonderful things." So we haven't got to accept anything blindly.

    The Brahma-sutra, or Vedanta-sutra, is called nyaya-prasthana. There are three different processes for understanding the Absolute Truth: nyaya-prasthana, sruti-prasthana, smrti-prasthana. Brahma-sutra is nyaya-prasthana. Nyaya-prasthana means every-thing, all the sutras and codes, are there with full reasoning. Hetumadbhir viniscita. And whatever Brahma-sutra says, that is viniscita, means ascertained. There is no doubt. Just like Brahma-sutra says, athato brahma jijnasa. Brahma-sutra says, "Now it is the time for inquiring about the Absolute Truth." "Now" means in this life, human form of life, or...

    Just like in Europe and America it is the time now to inquire about the Absolute Truth because materially they are advanced. They have seen all material advancements. The scientists are now perplexed that "How we shall maintain ourselves because we have nothing to give anymore? Whatever stock we had, that is finished." Now they are simply to bluff, no more stock to give. They have given us motorcar and atomic bomb and aeroplane and electronic activities. So many things they have given. That's all right. Simply they could not give us relief from birth, death, old age, and disease. That's all. The real problems are there. But they have given some superfluous...

    Just like this is also scientific improvement, microphone, but the microphone sometimes goes wrong. That does not mean I stop speaking. We can do without microphone. That is not a very great problem. Suppose science has given us motorcar. That's all right. But sometimes, without motorcar, we walk. Or there is bullock cart. So real problem, which very much disturbing us, that we, all of us, we do not want to die, but the science could not give us any formula assuring that "There is no more death." That is not possible. So athato brahma jijnasa.

    As I was talking, that in the Western countries, Europe and America... About forty years ago, sometimes in the year 1935-36, about forty years ago or little less, one of my godbrother, German... His name... He's still living. He's now in Switzerland. So he is... Now he has taken the name of... What is the name?

    Hamsaduta: Sadananda.

    Prabhupada: Sadananda, yes. His real name is Souyle[?], German. So when he came to India, in a meeting he said that "So far mystic power is concerned, that we have solved by science. So we have nothing to learn about the mystic power. I have come to India to learn how to understand God and His service, loving service." So actually that is the position. Forty years ago he said. So the Europe and America, they have enough of material enjoyment. Meat-eating, wine, woman -- they have got sufficient. So they are not very much interested with all these things, although, because they have no other alternative for enjoyment, so they are enjoying or trying to satisfy them. But that is not giving them real satisfaction. That's a fact. This wine, woman and meat-eating, that is not giving them any more satisfaction. But because they have no other alternative, what they can do? Punah punas carvita-carvananam [SB 7.5.30], chewing the chewed, that's all. It is already chewed, it is already tasted, but there is no other alternative; therefore they are tasting the same thing this way and that way.

    So their time is now athato brahma jijnasa. Therefore from India, any rascal comes as yogi and sadhu and avatara -- they go. They are hankering after. We see practically this younger generation. They ask me sometimes that "Why so many younger, younger generation come to you?" Yes, they are frustrated. They are no more interested to live like their fathers and grandfathers. That is become... That has become hackneyed. The same things, same gambling, same meat-eating, same woman-huntering, and same intoxication -- that has finished.

    So when one has finished his material enjoyment, then the next question is brahma-saukhya. Athato brahma jijnasa. They try to inquire about the Absolute Truth. That is natural sequence. Therefore the Vedanta-sutra, the first aphorism is athato brahma jijnasa. Yes, that is natural.

    As you are, you young boys and girls, why you are after me? The natural sequence is that "Now we have to inquire what is the next because this material happiness has not given us any happiness actually." So when a man becomes civilized, when a man has enjoyed enough of this so-called material, the next inquiry is about the Absolute Truth. That is natural. That is natural because every living entity is spiritual spark. He's not this body.

    Therefore... Krsna has already explained. To understand what the ksetrajna, the knower of the body, and to understand what is this body, ksetra-ksetrajnayoh, and who is the another, real proprietor of the body, Krsna -- ksetrajnam ca api mam viddhi -- so if one can understand these three things -- ksetra, ksetrajna, and the supreme ksetrajna -- he... It is...

    Even by common sense we can understand. It requires little cool brain. But that cool brain cannot act without giving us, giving up these four things, namely illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication, and gambling. If your brain is congested always with all these four rubbish things, you cannot think of higher, finer things. That is not possible. Therefore we restrict, to make the brain clear to understand about Krsna. Pariksit Maharaja said, vina pasughnat.

    nirvrtta-tarsair upagiyamanad
    bhavausadhac-chrotra-mano'-bhiramat
    ka uttama-sloka-gunanuvadat
    (puman) virajyeta vina pasughnat
    [SB 10.1.4]

    Vina pasughnat. And these are the sastric injunction. The meat-eaters, they have no brain to understand about the Absolute Truth. It is no... They simply speculate. They cannot understand. It is not possible.

    That is the... Pariksit Maharaja says, vina pasughnat: "Except the rascals who are accustomed to kill animals, all, everyone, will take shelter of the glorification of the Lord, except these persons." Vina pasughnat [SB 10.1.4]. He says, nirvrtta-tarsair upagiyamanat. Glorification of the Lord,

    Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
    Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

    it is chanted by the liberated person. It is not chanted by the conditioned soul. It is not possible. Therefore not everyone can chant. You'll... You have seen it, experienced, that your chanting, dancing, is very in ecstasy, emotion. Others are standing without opening their mouth. They cannot chant. That is a very difficult job for them because it is the property of the liberated person, not for the conditioned soul.

    Therefore Pariksit Maharaja said, nirvrtta-tarsaih. Tarsaih. Trsna. Trsna means hankering. Hankering. Just like if you are thirsty, you feel: "Where is water? Where is water? Where is water?" That is called trsna. So nirvrtta-tarsaih means one who has finished all hankering for material enjoyment. He's called nirvrtta-trsna. Nirvrtta means finished. And trsna means hankering. The same thing is described in the Srimad-Bhagavad-gita. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. Kanksati. Kanksati means if I hanker, that means still I am hungry or thirsty. But there is a position, brahma-bhuta position, by brahma-jijnasa, that we can get relief of these two activities, hankering and lamenting. The material world, there are two things only: lamenting and hankering. Those who haven't... Those who do not possess, he's hankering. And those who have lost, they are lamenting. But they are two things only. Actually we do not possess. Somehow or other, if we possess, that is also lost.

    Just like we have got this body. Ksetrajna, ksetra-ksetrajna. Ksetra is this body. So by hankering, by desiring, you can get any type of body. There are eight million four hundred thousands of bodies. Just if you are eager to get a certain type of body or certain type of standard of living, Krsna will give you. Ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham [Bg. 4.11].

    Because here it is the business... Krsna's business is... These rascals, these conditioned souls, they want to lord it over this material world, and Krsna has to supply them. That is Krsna's business in this world, simply botheration. Just like so many children, and the father is put into difficulty. One children wants: "Father, give me this." Another child says, "My father, give me this." "Give me that." "Give me that." And father, being affectionate, he has to satisfy all the children. So Krsna's position is like that.

    Therefore Krsna comes, being bothered by these rascals, that "You want from Me so many things, but you are not happy. Please, therefore, give up this business." Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam [Bg. 18.66]. "Just become... Follow Me. You'll be happy." Therefore Krsna comes. Real solution is that, Krsna consciousness. Therefore the Vedanta-sutra says, athato brahma jijnasa: "Now you don't inquire for any other things." Why should you? All other things required by you, that is already supplied. It will be supplied. Why you bother? You just try to understand the value of your life in Krsna consciousness. That is your only business. Tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovidah. Kovida: "Those who are intelligent," tasyaiva hetoh, "for that thing," prayateta, "endeavor." So try to get that thing. For that thing... Na labhyate yad bhramatam upary adhah.

    Just like people are struggling. Wherever you go, material world, either you go to London or go to Paris or to Calcutta or Bombay, anywhere you go, what is the business? Everyone is struggling: (makes sounds) whoon, shoon, shoon, shoon, shoon, shoon, shoon. Day and night the motorcar going this way and that way, this way and that way. Last night I was speaking with Srutakirti. Wherever, we see this nonsense thing, whoo, shoo, shoon, shoon, shoon, shoon, shoo, shoo, shoo. Any city you go, the same road, same motorcar, same "whoo, shoosh," same petrol, that's all. (laughter) What is the difference? But we say -- this is called illusion -- "I have come to Paris. I have come to Calcutta." But where is the difference between Calcutta and Paris and Bombay? The same thing. Punah punah carvita-carvananam. Again and again, chewing the chewed. That's all.

    Therefore the Brahma-sutra advises, "Now you have done this chewing the chewed so many lives." "Chewing the chewed" means ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca. Either you are dog or you are man, you have to make solution how to eat, how to sleep, how to satisfy your sex, and how to defend. The same problem is in the dog life, the same problem in the human life. Same life is in the demigod life also.

    Just like our Bhagavan dasa was telling me that in Paris they are levying taxes, twenty per cent, for maintaining the expenditure of atomic bomb. So we are simply creating problem. That's all. The so-called advancement of civilization means the same problem. Atomic bomb, what is that? Defensing. Ahara-nidra-bhaya. Bhaya means fearfulness. Because we are afraid. Either English or France or German, everyone is afraid. Just like a dog is afraid whether another dog is coming, so the so-called civilized men, they are also afraid. "Whether Englishmen are coming to attack? Whether Germany...? Therefore there must be atomic bomb. I shall throw. Therefore you must give me tax." These things are simply the trying to solve the problems of fearfulness. That's all. Defense. So this fearfulness is there in the dog, in the hog, in the small sparrow bird, everywhere.

    You have seen the sparrow bird. As soon as one, they land, want to eat something, like this, like this. He's afraid. "Is not somebody coming to kill me?" That's all. Everywhere. In the aquatic also. Everyone is afraid for life. But Krsna has given them different types of defensive measures. It is learned from the sastra that the fish, they can, by the waves of the water, they can understand that "Few miles away there is enemy." They can understand. And they become immediately defensive, how to protect. Because this is struggle for existence. I want to eat you; you want to eat me. Jivo jivasya jivanam. This is going on. So everyone is afraid. Everyone is taking defense.

    Even tiger is also afraid. Do you know that? Tiger is also. Tiger has become very powerful animal. Everyone is afraid of. He can catch anyone and kill him and eat him. Unfortunately he does not get the opportunity of catching anyone. The tiger cannot eat every day very nicely. He gets once in a week a chance or once in a fortnight a chance to capture an animal. Therefore he kills and keeps it for eating daily. It is not that... Just like you are getting daily Bhagavat-prasadam, nice dish. Nobody is supplying to tiger. Nobody is going to tiger's front: "Sir, kindly kill me and eat me." No. Nobody's going. Everyone has got to struggle. Na hi suptasya simhasya pravisanti mukhe mrgah. This is the statement. This material world is so made that even the lion, if he keeps himself sleeping... Because lion is considered to be the king of the forest. So if he thinks that "I am the king of the forest. So why shall I work? Let me sleep, and my eating animals will come and enter into my mouth..." No. You have to struggle. You have to struggle. You have to find out.

    Therefore this energy is called karma-samjnanya. This... There are many energies of Krsna. Parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. But learned scholars, they have divided into three: the spiritual energy, the marginal energy, and the material energy. Avidya-karma-samjnanya trtiya-saktir isyate. So here this material world, either you become a tiger, either you become Lord Brahma or you become a small ant, you have to struggle for your existence. This is material world. You cannot think that "I shall be happy without any working."

    People are trying to do that, that... When a man get some money, bank balance, he no more works. But that is the tendency, that "Without working, I shall maintain myself happily." That is our tendency. Ananda-mayo 'bhyasat. Vedanta-sutra says. Because our tendency is to enjoy life, but we do not know where to enjoy, how to enjoy. And that is called illusion. We are trying to enjoy life in this material world, where there is no enjoyment. There is no enjoyment. Repeatedly sastra says. Krsna says, duhkhalayam asasvatam: [Bg. 8.15] "This place is simply for miserable condition of life." Duhkhalayam asasvatam: [Bg. 8.15] "And still, it is temporary."

    Even if you think, "All right, there are so many miserable conditions. Never mind. Let me adjust and live here permanently," oh, no, that will also not be allowed. Temporary. You may decorate your Paris city. Napoleon tried and other tried. But you cannot live here, sir. You have to go out. But these rascals, they do not understand. They are decorating, decorating. "Tax. Give more tax. Give more tax. Let us decorate." But how you'll... How long you shall live in this decorated city? Even if you live, if you are so much lover, great nationalist of the country, suppose next life you get the... Because when one has very much attraction for a certain land, then he again takes birth in that land, so if you take your birth not as human being or as a cat and dog or a cow, then you'll be sent to the slaughterhouse. Then what is the use of your becoming nationalist? Your men, for whom you have worked so hard, next life, if you take your birth as a cow, the same men will send you to the slaughterhouse. But these rascals, they do not know what is the mystery.

    Therefore to make solution of this problem -- athato brahma jijnasa: "Now inquire what is the Absolute Truth." That is intelligence. Therefore Krsna, although He is Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is giving reference to the Brahma-sutra. Whatever He speaks, it is all right. He doesn't require to refer any authoritative book. But He is also giving. You have seen Caitanya Mahaprabhu. That is the way. But these rascals are trying to avoid authoritative scriptures. Even Krsna is giving reference to the authoritative scripture, and these rascals, they have so degraded, they say, "Oh, why these books? Now I can manufacture own knowledge." And other rascals, they are accepting: "Yes, it is right."

    So this is called Kali-yuga. People are so degraded, less than animal, less than animal. Therefore to revive them, the Vedanta-sutra says, athato brahma jijnasa: "Now you inquire about the Absolute Truth." Hetumadbhir viniscitam. Now, hetumadbhih. Hetumadbhih means "with reason." Reason. What is that reason? Now, if I want to inquire about the Absolute Truth, so how I shall understand? Now... There are three ways, namely pratyaksa, pratyaksa, aitihya, and sruti, sruti-pramana. Sruti-pramana, pratyaksa-pramana, direct perception...

    Now, Brahman, the Absolute Truth, how we can understand the Absolute Truth? Absolute Truth means the Supreme. Now we have got experience that everything is created by somebody, everything, whatever we see, this pillow, this seat, or this book, or this microphone, whatever we are seeing. Even my body is created by my father and mother. Everyone can understand. So why they should deny the creation of this material world?

    We see. Everything material, that has got a beginning, date of birth and date of death. And there are, in the middle, between the birth and death, there is disease and old age, deterioration. Old age means deterioration. Just like this body. When I was young man, child, I was also jumping. Now I have to go with a stick. The deterioration... This is called de... Deterioration. Deterioration means now it is coming to be finished.

    There are six changes: first of all birth, then living for some time, then producing some byproduct, then deterioration, then finish. Janma-sthiti... There are six kinds of changes. So anything material you study, these six kinds of changes are there. So this material world... How this rascal says that "It was existing"? "It was existing." Nothing was existing. Otherwise why the Brahma-sutra says, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1], that "The Absolute Truth is that from whom, or from which, everything is taking birth." This is Brahma-sutra. So "everything is taking birth" means this material world also has taken birth from that Absolute Truth. That is answered in the Bhagavad-gita, aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. Krsna says that "I am the origin of all births, everything." So the material world was not existing. This is insufficient. How you can say it is existing? Anything you see, material, it has got a date of birth. Who can deny it? Can you present anything material which was, which has no beginning? Everything has got beginning. So how you can say this material world has no beginning? This is nonsense.

    Therefore hetumadbhir viniscitaih. Hetu means "with reason," not like dogmatic obstinacy. You must have the beginning. Then, as soon as you, we, accept that this material world has had a beginning... The sastra says it has beginning. Just like Brahma-sutra, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. Why it says, janmady asya [SB 1.1.1]? Everything has beginning.

    And we see from the sastra how this material world has a beginning. There was first of all Mahavisnu. From Mahavisnu, these universes came out.

    yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya
    jivanti loma-bilaja jagad-anda-nathah
    visnur mahan sa iha yasya kala-viseso
    govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
    [Bs. 5.48]

    Before this universal creation, Krsna took the form of Mahavisnu, and Mahavisnu's breathing period is the creation and annihilation. So long the breathing goes on, exhaling, that is the creation period; inhaling, the destruction, annihilation. So the whole cosmic manifestation is being maintained within the breathing period of Mahavisnu.

    Yasyaika-nisvasita-kalam athavalambya jivanti loma-bilaja jagad-anda-nathah [Bs. 5.48]. Jagad-anda...Brahma. Brahma is the supreme living being within this universe. But it is plural number, jagad-anda-nathah. So there are innumerable universes. So if we discuss all these things from the sastra, then we get really knowledge, and then we can actually act what is the perfection of life. Therefore Krsna suggests, brahma-sutra-padais caiva hetumadbhir viniscitam.

    Try to understand Brahma-sutra, Vedanta philosophy. Vedanta philosophy is explained -- Srimad-Bhagavatam. That is the real commentary of Vedanta-sutra. You cannot understand Vedanta-sutra as it is because it is mentioned in codes. Just like we have got business, Bentley's code. One small word but they take It has got a big sentence. Just like in business they write, Bentley's, CIF. So CIF means it is the... Just like we say, ISKCON. ISKCON means... "I" means international, S means society, and K means Krsna consciousness, and so..., Krsna, and CON means consciousness. As we have simplified, similarly there are many things, codes. So in the Vedanta-sutra means they are codes, but in each code there is ample meaning. So that is commentary.

    So Vedanta-sutra says, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1], simply two words. Bhagavata explains. Bhagavata ex... Janmady asya yatah anvayat itaratas ca arthesu abhijnah svarat tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye muhyanti yat surayah [SB 1.1.1]. Explanation. Explanation. Explanation. So similarly, athato brahma jijnasa, and Bhagavata has jivasya tattva-jijnasa. So same thing is explained in the Srimad-Bhagava tam. First of all the whole Vedic knowledge is summarized in Vedanta-sutra by Vyasadeva. And again he explains under the instruction of Narada, the Bhagavatam, Brahma-sutra. So brahma-sutra-padais caiva hetumadbhir viniscitam. So one has to take lesson from Bhagavata, Brahma-sutra, Bhagavad-gita, and... Not that "I reject all these books, and..."

    Just like the other day one, another crazy came. He said, "I am poet." What kind of poet? "Now, I have no aim of life. That's all. I am such a big poet that I have no aim of life." Oh. I think we are taking too much time. Yes. Thank you very much. No more. (end)

    >>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita, 13.5 -- Paris, August 13, 1973
  • Volunteer
    Prabhupada:

    rsibhir bahudha gitam
    chandobhir vividhaih prthak
    brahma-sutra-padais caiva
    hetumadbhir viniscitaih
    [Bg. 13.5]

    Yesterday we were discussing tat ksetram, ksetram, this body, how we enter into different types of bodies, how it is obtained. There are eight million four hundred thousand forms of bodies according to the qualities. Three qualities. Three multiplied by three, it becomes nine, nine multiplied by nine, it becomes eighty-one. So at least, in the lower grades of forms, there are eighty-one lakhs or eight million one hundred thousand and above that, about four hundred thousand forms of human beings. So one has to understand.

    Unfortunately, people are so foolish at the present moment that they do not believe even in the next life. Mudha. What to speak of understanding God and Krsna, they have no even the basic principle of spiritual knowledge.

    Basic principle of spiritual knowledge is to understand that "I am not this body, I am spirit soul. I am now fallen in this material condition, and therefore, according to my different desires, I am accepting different types of bodies and wandering throughout the whole universe, sometimes this body, sometimes that body, sometimes in this planet, sometimes in other planet. This has become my unfortunate condition of life."

    Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu therefore says, ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kono bhagyavan jiva. We are wandering in this cycle of birth and death and wandering in the universe. In this way, in the process of our wandering, some way or other, if we become fortunate by association of devotees, by understanding the Vedic knowledge... Jnana-vairagya-yuktaya. Human life is meant for achieving knowledge and vairagya, not that to increase the animal propensities even up to the point of death. That is not human life. Human life is meant for tapasya. Tapo divyam putraka yena suddhyet sattvam.

    Unfortunately, the modern civilization does not care for all these things, and... It is very risky civilization. Because nature's process is that as you create your mentality, you get next life a similar body. Karmana daiva-netrena jantor dehopapattaye. You, in this body you have to work because this material world means one has to work. So by your karmana, if your karma is not adjusted, if you do not work as a human being to be promoted to the qualification of a brahmana and then surpass the brahmana qualification and become a Vaisnava, then your life is not perfect. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum [SB 7.5.31]. When our aim of life will be to understand our relationship with Visnu... Na te viduh.

    But we do not know it. We are so much captivated by the external energy, maya, that the whole program is how to forget Visnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But our real aim of life is to know our relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead Visnu. Na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya [SB 7.5.31]. They are trying to become happy within this material world. Durasaya ye bahir artha-maninah. Bahih, bahih means external energy. God has got parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate. He has got multi-energies. All these multi-energies have been grossly divided into three: the external energy, the internal energy, and the marginal energy. So we living entities, we are the marginal energy. Marginal means between the two: spiritual energy and material energy. At the present moment, those who are in this material world, we are under the influence of material energy.

    But we can get out of this material energy by bhagavad-bhakti. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etan taranti te. By our surrendering to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, we can get out of these clutches of external energy and again become under the internal energy. Mahatmanas tu mam partha daivi prakrtim asritah [Bg. 9.13]. Now we are under the influence of mahamaya. When we put ourselves under the influence of yogamaya, then we again go back to home, back to Godhead. So this is a great science and Vedic literature profusely has described this science, how to get out of these clutches of external energy. That Krsna says in the next verse, rsibhir bahudha gitam.

    Rsibhih, not ordinary persons, rsi, great... Just like Vyasadeva. Maharsi, devarsi, rajarsi, rsi. Formerly the brahmanas, they were rsis, and the ksatriyas also, they were also just like rsis. Therefore they are called rajarsi. The spiritual science is not understandable by ordinary men. Just like Krsna says in the fourth chapter, imam rajarsayo viduh: "This science was understood by the great rajarsis." Just like Maharaja Yudhisthira, rajarsi, Lord Ramacandra, rajarsi, Maharaja Pariksit, rajarsi, Maharaja Iksvaku, rajarsi. There are many. They were rajarsis. The monarchy was not a cheap thing. The king was as good as a rsi. Therefore they are called rajarsi. The king used to rule over the citizens on the permission of the great, great sages. Just like Narada, the Devarsi. He used to visit Maharaja Yudhisthira. Similarly, other kings.

    So spiritual science is meant for great personalities, brahmanas, ksatriyas, not for the vaisyas and the sudras. One has to get to the quality of brahmana and ksatriya. So Krsna says therefore, imam rajarsayo viduh. Unless one is rsi, great rsi, great saintly persons, one cannot understand the spiritual science. Therefore Krsna says... Although Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself... He can personally say anything which is authorized. Still He is giving reference to the statement of the rsis. This is the way of Vedic understanding. You cannot establish anything dogmatically, "In my opinion it is like that." What you are, nonsense? What is your opinion? Even Krsna says, rsibhir bahudha gitam. There are different kinds of rsis -- Gautama Rsi, Kanada Rsi... They have spoken different... In India there are six kinds of philosophies, but they are not recognized. Rsibhih, just like Devala Rsi, Narada Rsi, Vyasadeva, Asita Rsi, Valmiki Rsi, they are recognized. Rsibhir bahudha gitam. So they have got different philosophical ways to understand.

    Therefore Bhagavata summarizes that tarko 'pratisthah srutayo vibhinna nasau rsir yasya matam na bhinnam. He's not a rsi who's opinion is not different. Yes. You are a rsi. You have got some different system of philosophy. And if I want to become a rsi, then I must disagree with you. Just like in the modern days it is going on, scientific research, philosophical research. Therefore it is said, nasau rsir yasya matam na vibhinnam: "One cannot become a rsi unless he gives his personal different opinion."

    Therefore Krsna says, rsibhir bahudha gitam. Then which one we have to accept? We have to accept... That is stated in the Vedic literature. Nasau rsir yasya matam na bhinnam. Srutayo vibhinnah. Vedic literature -- Sama, Yajur, Rg, Artharva -- they are different. They are one, but we understand differently, according to our quality of understanding. Otherwise, all Vedic literature aims to understand Krsna. Vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. That is the purpose of Veda, to understand Krsna. After many, many births of studying of Vedic literature, in the process of jnana-marga, when one becomes actually wise, bahunam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19], when he is actually wise, jnanavan mam prapadyante, he understands Krsna and surrenders unto Him. That is actually understanding. So chandobhir vividhaih prthak.

    But Sri Krsna, Bhagavan, is specially referring herewith, brahma-sutra-padais caiva. Brahma-sutra means Vedanta-sutra. Vedanta-sutra He's referring. That is approved. There are different philosophical ways: paramanu-vada, nirvisesa-vada, savisesavada, mayavada. They are all rejected. Simply brahma-sutra padais caiva hetumadbhir viniscitaih [Bg. 13.5]. Brahma-sutra means Vedanta-sutra. It is called Brahma-sutra because the first aphorism of Vedanta-sutra is athato brahma jijnasa: "This human life is meant for inquiry about Brahman, the Absolute Truth." That is human life. Therefore it is called Brahma-sutra. What is Brahman. Athato brahma jijnasa. Janmady asya yatah. Janmady asya yatah: [SB 1.1.1] "Brahman is the supreme source of everything."

    So therefore Brahma-sutra is called nyaya-prasthana. Nyaya-prasthana, sruti-prasthana, smrti-prasthana. We have to accept this prasthana, the process of progress, to understand the Absolute Truth. So Brahma-sutra is called nyaya-prasthana. By logic, sufficient logic, Brahma-sutra. Krsna says therefore, brahma-sutra-padais caiva hetumadbhir viniscitaih [Bg. 13.5]. Hetumat, with reason, you must understand.

    tac chraddadhana munayo
    jnana-vairagya-yuktaya
    pasyanty atmani catmanam
    bhaktya sruta-grhitaya
    [SB 1.2.12]

    Bhaktya sruta-grhitaya. Tac chraddadhana munayo jnana-vairagya-yuktaya. One can understand the Absolute Truth. Absolute Truth means the Bhagavan ultimately.

    vadanti tat tattva-vidas
    tattvam yaj jnanam advayam
    brahmeti paramatmeti
    bhagavan iti sabdyate.
    [SB 1.2.11]

    That is paratattva, Absolute Truth, which is known by somebody as Brahman and somebody as Paramatma and somebody, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The beginners, they understand... The beginners' or the neophyte realization is impersonal Brahman. Brahmeti. Further advanced... This is the achievement of the jnani. Those who are speculating on the Absolute Truth, they can understand the Absolute Truth in the impersonal feature. And those who are still further advanced, yogis, not only speculating, but they are practicing actually, they are called yogis. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1]. They are yogis. Yogis, dhyanavasthita, in meditation the mind is absorbed always. Tad-gatena manasa. Tad-gatena means visnu-gatena. Om tat sat. Tad-gatena manasa, by the mind, absorbed in Visnu understanding. Tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1]. Yasyanta na viduh surasura-gana devaya tasmai namah, devaya tasmai namah. Yam brahma-varunendra-rudrah stuvanti divyaih stavair vedaih sangopad-(kramopanisadair gayanti yam sama-gah.

    So yogis are in the second stage of self-realization, but ultimate realization is Bhagavan. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Bhagavan has got many expansions, Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha... First expansion is Balarama, then Sankarsana, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, then Narayana. In this way, Maha-Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu, Ksirodakasayi Visnu.

    In this way the Visnu-tattva is expanded. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca [Bs 5.33]. So in this way there are many sastras, many Vedic literature, many explanations. But here Krsna gives a special reference to the Brahma-sutra, Vedanta-sutra. Jnana-vairagya-yuktaya means one has to learn very nicely Vedanta-sutra. And the explanation of Vedanta-sutra, natural comment on Vedanta-sutra, is Srimad-Bhagavatam. Bhasyayam brahma-sutranam. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the natural commentary.

    Because the author, Vyasadeva, after compiling Vedanta-sutra under the instruction of Narada Muni, his guru -- Vyasadeva's guru is Narada Muni -- he was not satisfied even after compiling Vedanta-sutra. He was not very happy. So Narada Muni advised him that "You should directly describe the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Then you'll be happy. It is indirect. All the Vedic literatures, they are indirect. You directly..." Therefore Vyasadeva took Vedanta-sutra and from the very beginning of Vedanta-sutra, janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1], he commented on the Vedanta-sutra. Janmady asya yatah anvayad itaratas carthesv abhijnah svarat/ tene brahma hrda ya adi-kavaye muhyanti yatra surayah. In this way. Here Krsna personally gives the Brahma-sutra. So Brahma-sutra's commentary is Srimad-Bhagavatam.

    Therefore if we want to understand spiritual truth as it is, then the beginning is Krsna's instruction, this Bhagavad-gita. Try to understand Bhagavad-gita very nicely, and if you can understand Bhagavad-gita nicely, perfectly, then you try to study Srimad-Bhagavatam. Srimad-bhagavatam amalam puranam. Amalam puranam, "transcendental Purana." Purana means supplementary Vedic literature, "that which completes." Because directly, Vedic literature is very difficult to understand by the common man. Common man... Vedic literature is not for common man. Even by the highly learned brahmanas, ksatriyas. Therefore Puranas are there and Mahabharata is also there.

    Maha-bharata is meant for stri-sudra-dvija-bandhunam trayi na sruti-gocarah. Stri, woman, sudra, and dvija-bandhu. Dvija-bandhu means born in a brahmana family, but he's not a brahmana. That is the dvija-bandhu, "friend of a brahmana." One who is not qualified brahmana. Satyah samo damas titiksah arjavam, jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma-karma svabhava-jam. He's simply giving his identification, "I am brahmana," without any qualification of a brahmana. He's called dvija-bandhu, "friend of a brahmana."

    Just like a son of a high court judge, he can say -- he has got the right -- that "I am friend of my father, of my son of high court judge." That you can say. But you cannot say that you are high court judge. It is a qualification. Even though you are a son of a high court judge, if you have no qualification, how you can say that "I am court judge."

    But that is going on, especially in India. I have no qualification of a brahmana, but still, I say, "I'm brahmana." But they are called dvija-bandhu, dvija-bandhu. You cannot say. Brahma janati iti brahmanah. If you have got full knowledge of Brahman, then you are a brahmana. Jnanam vijnanam astikyam brahma karma svabhava-jam. And Narada Muni says that these qualifications can be acquired by others also. As a son of a brahmana can, by bad association, disqualify himself, similarly, a son of a non-brahmana, he can qualify himself. It is education. It is not that it is monopoly by a certain section, no. That is not the Vedic injunction.

    Vedic injunction is, as it is in the Bhagavad-gita: catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. Guna-karma. You must have the qualities of a brahmana or a ksatriya or a vaisya or a sudra. There are four divisions of the society. So if you have the qualification of a brahmana, guna, and if you act as a brahmana, then you are a brahmana. You have no qualification, you don't act as a brahmana -- how you claim yourself as brahmana? No. That is not allowed. This is sastric injunction.

    Narada Muni says, yad anyatrapi drsyeta tat tenaiva vinirdiset [SB 7.11.35]. Every has got qualification. That is very natural. That is very natural. Yasya hi yal-laksanam syad varnabhivyanjakam. To ascertain which class a man belongs, whether he is a brahmana, or a ksatriya, or vaisya, there are qualifications. Just like ordinarily we know. We understand an engineer by qualification, a medical practitioner by qualification. We don't ask, "Whose son you are, Mr. Engineer?" No. If you have got engineer's qualification, you are engineer. Otherwise, how can you be engineer? Similarly, yasya hi yal-laksanam syad varnabhivyanjakam. Varna. This is brahminical quality.

    In Bhagavad-gita it is said, satyah samo damas titiksah arjavam. Sauryam tejo yuddhe capy apalayanam. Ksatriya. Ksatriya must be very heroic. He'll never go away from fighting. If a ksatriya is challenged, "I want to fight with you." "Yes, come on." That is ksatriya. Similarly, brahmana. These are qualifications. So if such qualification is acquired by somebody else, even though he's not born in that family, Narada Muni says, tat tenaiva vinirdiset [SB 7.11.35]. If a brahmana has not acquired the brahminical qualifications but a ksatriya qualification or a vaisya qualification or a sudra qualification, then, according to the quality, guna, and work, he should be ascertained. Similarly, others also. Yad anyatrapi drsyeta. This is sastric injunction.

    And Krsna therefore refers to brahma-sutra padais caiva hetumadbhir viniscitaih [Bg. 13.5]. So we have to accept the Vedanta-sutra, knowledge, through Vedanta-sutra. Srila Jiva Gosvami says knowledge means veda-jnana. Vedanta-sutra jnana, that is knowledge. Because it is very reasonably stated, reasonably. Hetumadbhir viniscitaih. So Krsna gives the authority of Vedanta-sutra. So we should have to accept the authority of Vedanta-sutra and try to understand. But Vedanta-sutra is explained in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, and if we accept Srimad-Bhagavatam...

    First study Bhagavad-gita, and when we are actually realized... What is realization Bhagavad-gita? Realization of Bhagavad-gita is to know Krsna -- the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is realization. Aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayah. Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya: [Bg. 7.7] "There is no more superior authority than Me." If we accept that, that Krsna is the supreme authority, then you'll learn Bhagavad-gita. And if you try to make minus Krsna, or if you want to take the position of Krsna like the Mayavadis, then you become a rascal. There is no knowledge of Bhagavad-gita. Bhagavad-gita means to accept Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And Krsna also demands, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That is the authority.

    So when one accepts Krsna as the supreme authority, then he can be... Just like after passing your entrance examination, you can be admitted in the degree college, similarly, Bhagavad-gita is the ABCD of spiritual knowledge. People even cannot understand the ABCD, what to speak of graduation, bas, Srimad-Bhagavatam. They have become so fool, so degraded. Simple thing they cannot understand. This is the position. Therefore our Krsna consciousness is trying its best to make people to understand Bhagavad-gita as it is, without any nonsensical interpretation. This is our mission. But people will not take that.

    If we give some bluff, that "Krsna means... You are also Krsna. I am also Krsna. Why Krsna alone shall be God? You are also God, I am also...," these things will be very much appreciated. Because he bluffs. But that bluffing may be very pleasing to the demons, but those who are actually student of Bhagavad-gita, they'll not accept this bluff.

    So therefore Krsna says,

    manusyanam sahasresu
    kascid yatati siddhaye
    yatatam api siddhanam
    kascid vetti mam tattvatah
    [Bg. 7.3]

    To understand Krsna is difficult job, because Krsna says manusyanam sahasresu: "In thousands and thousands of people, one may be interested for siddhi." What is that siddhi? Siddhi, perfection. The perfection is how to get out of these material clutches, how to stop this repetition of birth, death, old age and... That is called siddhi. So kascid yatati siddhaye.

    Who is interested? They are dying like cats and dogs. They have accepted, "Oh, death is..." That's all. But there is a solution of death, but they are not interested. They are prepared to die like cats and dogs. That's all. The human life is meant for making solution of birth, death, old age and disease, but they will not take it. "Oh, that's all right. Let us die." "You are going to accept a next life as a tree." "Never mind." They say like that. "I'll forget." "No, you'll have to stand up seven thousand years in one place." "That's all right." They have become so dull. This is called Kali-yuga. Mandah sumanda-matayo manda-bhagya hy upadrutah [SB 1.1.10]. Very slow, very bad. Manda means very bad. Sumanda-matayo, and if one has got some path or some sect, that is also adulterated, nuisance. Manda-matayoh. Manda-bhagyah, unfortunate. Even people have no idea what he's going to eat tomorrow. Actually, these things are coming. Manda-bhagya, most unfortunate. Upadrutah, always disturbed by so many natural disturbances, health disturbances, political disturbances. This is the position.

    So there is great necessity of pushing on this movement, Krsna consciousness, so that their life may be perfect. Although it is a difficult job, but still, we are trying our best. If people take advantage of this movement, then the whole problems of his life will be solved. That is Krsna consciousness movement. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

    >>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 13.5 -- Bombay, September 28, 1973
  • Volunteer
    Devotee: "Now please hear My brief description of this field of activity and how it is constituted, what its changes are, whence it is produced, who that knower of the field of activities is, and what his influences are."

    Prabhupada: Tat ksetram. Idam sariram kaunteya ksetram ity abhidhiyate [Bg. 13.2]. So Krsna has already explained, ksetra means idam sariram. Sariram means this body. Tat ksetram. First of all, you have to understand that this body or any field of action, anywhere, the three things are there: the field of activities, the owner of the field and the supervisor of the field. You can check and tally anywhere. So Krsna says ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi. There are two ksetrajnah and one ksetra. One field of activity and two personalities, ksetrajnah. One is to be supposed as occupier and the other is supposed to be the owner.

    Just like in this house we are occupier. The house is ksetra, field of activities. The landlord is the owner and we are the occupier. Two ksetrajnah. This property is interest for two persons. One is the occupier and the other is the owner. Similarly, anywhere, any part of the world, anywhere you go, you will find these three things: One, the field of activities and the other two means one occupier and one owner. If one understands these three things and he can study everywhere these three things, then: ksetra-ksetrajnayor yad jnanam. This knowledge, to understand everywhere that there is a field of activity and two persons are interested in that field of activity... One is the owner, another is the occupier. If you study these three things only, then: taj-jnanam jnanam. That is knowledge. Otherwise all rascals and fools, that's all. Matam mama. (aside:) Don't sit like that.

    This is jnanam. But ask anybody at the present moment who is the owner, who is the occupier and what is the field of activities. If you ask three things, nobody will be able to answer. That means everyone is rascal at the present. Or they do not know. Ksetra-ksetrajnayor yaj-jnanam, Krsna says, "This relationship between the field of action, and the owner."

    Just like in agriculture. The land is owned by the state or the king. And it is rented or occupied by somebody else. And the land is the field of action. So Krsna is giving direction. Krsna is giving direction, and the living entity is there. He is acting according to that direction.

    So both Krsna and the living entity are sitting in one tree. That is stated in the Upanisad. Two birds are sitting in one tree. One is eating the fruit of the tree and other is simply witnessing. The witnessing bird is Krsna. And the bird who is eating the fruits of the tree, he is the living entity. The Mayavadi philosophers, they cannot distinguish between the jiva soul, jivatma, and Paramatma. They know it, but because they are monists, to establish their theory, they say there is no two, there is one. No. Krsna says two. One ksetrajnah, the jivatma, and the other ksetrajnah He is, Krsna. The difference between the two is that the individual living entity knows only about his ksetra, body, but the other living entity, the supreme living entity, He knows all the bodies, everywhere, anywhere, throughout the whole creation. Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto [Bg. 15.15]. This is the difference.

    So material nature is actually the field of activities in our conditioned life. We have -- manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati [Bg. 15.7]. In the fifteenth chapter you'll find it, that, who are these living entities, we? Krsna says, mamaivamso: "They are all my parts and parcels." Mamaivamso. Just like father and the son. A father has got many sons. Similarly, we are all sons of God. Mamaivamso jiva-bhutah [Bg. 15.7], sanatanah. Sanatanah means eternally. It is not that we are now part and parcel and after liberation we'll become one, or equal, the Mayavadi theory. No. That is not. Therefore this very word is used, sanatana, eternally. Eternally, we are part and parcel.

    Then why they are not with You? Why they are here in this material world? Now manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati [Bg. 15.7]. They have preferred to enjoy this material world, to lord it over the material world. Therefore, mind and senses, manah sasthanindriyani , with these senses and mind, karsati. manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani. Karsati [Bg. 15.7], karsati means struggling. Struggle for existence. This is our position. We are part and parcel of Krsna. Now we have given up by misuse of our independence. We wanted to imitate Krsna. Krsna is the supreme enjoyer, so when we become envious of Krsna, tan aham dvisatah kruran, the demons are envious. They want to become Krsna. Therefore, you will find so many demons. They will say, "Why Krsna is alone God? I am God, you are God, all of us, we are God." So they are demons. So demons cannot be allowed in the spiritual world. They are sent in this material world.

    Just like in some places I've heard in Europe there are many places, where the gamblers and the drunkards, without any license, they can go on with their business. Is there any place like that? Huh?

    Bhagavan: Yes.

    Prabhupada: What is the name?

    Bhagavan: Monte Carlo.

    Prabhupada: Yes. So we are given this place, Monte Carlo (laughter). Go on with your sinful activities without any license, go on. Demons. They'll not hear. They'll not accept Krsna as the advisor, instructor.

    na mam duskrtino mudhah
    prapadyante naradhamah
    mayayapahrta-jnanah
    asurim bhavam asritah
    [Bg. 7.15]

    The asurim bhavam asritah means demons. There are two classes of men, demon and god. Not the Godhead, God. Those who are Vaisnavas means obedient to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they are also god or godly. And those who are not obedient, they are demons. This is the difference between demon and God or godly. So there are two classes of men always in this material world. In the spiritual world, they are all gods, godly. Krsna is the Godhead and all living entities there, they are godly.

    So in the spiritual world there is no facility for the demons. Therefore when Krsna likes to fight, because after many many years not fighting, because in the spiritual world there is no fight. All obedient servant, where is the possibility of fighting? Therefore sometimes He comes here to fight with the demons. (laughter) Just to get the body fit. (laughter) Yes. Therefore sometimes when there are scarcity of demons, some of the devotees, they come and become a demon. Not become demon, just Krsna wants to fight, so without demon, how Krsna will fight? Therefore they play the part of demon so that Krsna -- that means they want to serve Krsna. Krsna wants to, just like sometimes big men they keep some wrestlers to make mock fight. Similarly, to serve Krsna, Krsna has desire to fight so they come down and become just like a demon and fight with Krsna.

    Just like Hiranyakasipu. They are Jaya and Vijaya, attendant in Vaikuntha. But Krsna wanted to fight, so therefore they came down and became demons like Hiranyakasipu, Ravana and fought with Him. This is, Krsna has all the desires. Otherwise, this fighting desire, where from we get unless it is there in Krsna? There is.

    Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. Everything that we find here, that is in Krsna. Therefore Krsna has got twelve different kinds of relationship. Akhila-rasamrta. Krsna is the reservoir of all kind of rasa. Sometimes fighting is also pleasing. Therefore the fighting spirit is there in Krsna. And we have got also that fighting spirit also, in small quantity. We can fight also, but Krsna can also fight. But when Krsna fight, the opposite party means finished. (laughter) When we fight, that is different. I may be finished or he may be finished. That is different. So this is the position.

    Therefore Krsna in the next says tat-ksetram yac ca yadrk. How this ksetra, different types of body, they cannot explain. The so-called scientists, they cannot explain why there are different types of bodies. There are eight million four hundred thousand different types of bodies. And the human race, they are four hundred thousand. These four hundred thousand are distributed all over the universe. On this planet, may be some thousands, not four hundred thousand, not all of them are here. Yet here also in the human forms we find so many differences. The Europeans, the Americans, the Africans, the Indians, the Chinese, different forms. That also can be counted, maybe hundred, two hundred different types of forms of human beings. But there are four hundred thousands. Four hundred thousand. That is the human race.

    And eight millions other forms. Eight millions. The aquatics, the trees, these plants, the grass and the insects. We have experience how many different types of insects are there in Mayapur. During night, so many different types of insects come to the fire, to the light. This is another illusion. These insects, they are coming, being attracted by the beauty of the light. The electric light, it is not open. Otherwise, these insects come in the burning fire and die. Beauty. Captivated by the beauty of the fire. So actually it is going on. We are attracted by the beauty of maya and exactly we are falling to the fire and dying.

    So there are so many instructions. Even if you study simply these eight million four hundred thousand different kinds of... So how to study them? Krsna is explaining. Tat ksetram. Tat ksetram means that kind of, that body, there are so many. Tat ksetram yac ca yadrk. How they have attained different types of body? The soul is there. Soul, we have already explained, is the ksetrajnam. But except the followers of Vedic knowledge, nobody knows. Just like the Christian people they say there is no soul of the animals. And how is not? Ksetrajnam. Soul is there, everywhere, but they have got their different types of bodies. Therefore Krsna says, tat ksetram. Tat ksetram yac ca yadrk ca. How they have got different? Krsna has already explained in the fifteenth chapter, they are all Krsna's part and parcels.

    In another place Krsna said,

    sarva-yonisu kaunteya
    sambhavanti murtayah
    tasam mahad yonir brahma
    aham bija-pradah pita
    [Bg. 14.4]

    He's the seed-giving father. Therefore, all living entities are Krsna's part and parcel. It is foolishness to say that other living entities, other than the human being, they have no soul. It is foolishness. They have got soul. Every... Even the ant has got soul, even the microbe has got soul, even the germ has got soul, everyone has got soul. But they have got different types of body only, outward. Therefore Krsna says, yac ca yadrk ca. How they have got different types of bodies? So these, subject matters are very subtle things.

    But there is no facility for studying this subject matter in the university or any educational institution. Therefore they are called mudhas. They do not understand what is God. Who was telling me? Some Bengali professor came here, and he said, "I am agnostic." Who told me just now, in the car? So mostly the so-called educated circle, they are agnostics. They do not believe in God, they do not believe in the soul, and still they are passing on as educationists, learned scholars, professor. This is the pity. Therefore one should learn from Krsna, this education system at the present moment, you cannot learn anything positively. They are all vague.

    Here Krsna says, try to understand, each and every body, tat ksetram. Why one soul has got a godly body and one soul has got dog body, one soul has got very beautiful body, another soul has got very ugly body? So one has got nails and jaws, one has very nice beautiful hand, fingers. There are varieties. Krsna says that sa ca yo yat prabhavas ca. Prabhavas ca. And each body has got a different type of influence. Each type of body. This is God's creation.

    There are innumerable planets. Each planet has got a different atmosphere. Just like we have got experience within this planet, Europe has got another atmosphere, India has got another atmosphere. Similarly, all the planets, they are of different atmospheres and each and every planet there are varieties of living entities. Just imagine the living entities are eight million four hundred thousand species. So even if you divide so many thousands and hundreds, still, eight million. This is God's creation. God's creation means all these living entities, they want to enjoy this material world in a different capacity and God has given the facility, "Yes, you can enjoy. You can enjoy." He is giving facility. Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto [Bg. 15.15]. He's sitting, God is so kind, Krsna is so kind.

    Just like you have seen the master taking his dog. The dog is allowed to do whatever he likes, the master waits. The real business of the dog is to obey the master's order. But the master gives the dog facility, "Yes, you can walk, you can run, you can pass urine, stool, I'll wait." As the master gives facility. Similarly, Krsna is so kind, Krsna is so affectionate, that we have come to enjoy this material world, He is giving us the facilities. Just like the master is giving the facility to the dog. Krsna is so kind. But He wants, Krsna wants that every living entity should be obedient to Krsna. Then that is Krsna's enjoyment.

    He's so kind that He's asking every living entity, especially the human being, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati. He's self-sufficient. He's not hungry. He is supplying necessities, food, to every living entity. Still He's hankering for a little flower, little fruit, from this living entity. "Please give Me." So this is the position. Patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati tad aham asnami: "If you kindly give me even little flower, a little fruit, little water, with faith and love, I will eat." Krsna is so kind. And He's simply trying to turn the face of the living entity towards Him. Therefore He is always with us. So this is another -- Krsna has come here in this temple to accept your offerings. So that you may again go back to home, back to Godhead.

    That is Krsna's desire. He's so kind. In whatever way possible, He's trying to get us back to home, back to Godhead. That is Krsna's mission. He's coming Himself as Krsna, the Supreme Personality. He's coming Himself as the devotee, Lord Caitanya. He came, Krsna, personally, and asked everyone, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: [Bg. 18.66] "You just, why you are suffering here? You give up all these engagements." Because here whatever you do will simply create entanglement and suffer, that's all. You cannot be free to do anything. That is not possible. So Krsna therefore says that, "Don't bother by manufacturing your ways of thinking."

    Just like yesterday one boy and girl came, he's poet. I asked him, "What poetry you write? What is the subject matter?" No subject matter. No subject matter. (laughter) This is pagal, Pagal means "mad." Pisaci paile yena mati-cchana haya mayar grasta jivera sei dasa upajaya. Pisaci, ghost. Ghostly haunted. A person, when he becomes ghostly haunted, he speaks all kinds of nonsense. So maya grasta jivera sei dasa upajaya. Those who have come to this material world under the influence of the external energy of Krsna, maya, they are all madmen.

    It is not sastra, it is the opinion of medical science also. The medical science. In India there was a case, a murderer. So his pleader, lawyer pleaded that "This man, when committed this murder, he was insane." So the judge called for the civil surgeon to examine him whether he has got such tendency, insanity. So he gave evidence, "My lord, so far my knowledge concerned, I have tested so many men, everyone is insane. It is a question of degree. Now if you consider that he was insane, you, that is your business to punish him, or not punish him. But so far my knowledge is concerned, I have studied so many men and I have found they are all insane." Actually that is the position.

    What does it mean, insanity? When his brain is not acting nicely. That is insanity. So anyone who is in this material world, they are against God consciousness. That is the sign of insanity. He's under the strict regulation of God, still he defies, "There is no God. There is no God, I am God." This is insanity. Pisaci paile yena mati-cchana haya. So how these different types of insanity is visible, that will be explained, Krsna. Tat ksetram yac ca yadrk ca. Not one kind of body or one kind of insanity, different types of insanities. Yac ca yadrk ca yad vikari. This vikari means transformation. Everyone's brain is vikari, not in order. Yat vikari yatas ca yat. How such kind of transformation, vikari, this derangement has taken place. Sa ca yo yat prabhavas ca. And prabhavas, everyone, every living entity has got a particular type of prabhavah.

    Just like a small bird, immediately he can fly in the sky. And although we are very intelligent, if I want and if you want to fly in the sky, no you cannot. Although he's supposed to be very intelligent, scientist, but I cannot fly. But a small bird will immediately fly. That is his prabhavah. You must have to admit that this is his special power. Similarly, a vulture, he goes four miles up and his eyes are very small. But from the four miles away he will find out where there is a dead body, immediately jump over. And we have got so many big eyes. But we cannot say, after... This spectacle required. You cannot see even one feet. So this is his prabhavah, influence. A vulture, most, but a nasty bird, still it has got so much influence that you cannot compete with him. So you'll find in every creature, every living entity, a special prerogative than the others, than the others. So, with the body.

    Just like the hog. The hog can eat stool very nicely, very nicely. But although we say that everything is food, we can eat... Then you eat the stool? You cannot eat. He has got the influence that he can eat the stool very nicely. Therefore we should not consider that all living entities are of the same status. They have different status. You cannot say because the other living entity is eating something abominable, therefore I can also eat, it is eatable. No, you cannot do that. If you eat, you will be diseased. Therefore, it is called, "one man's food is another man's poison." Prabhavas ca. One can eat anything. Not anything. Nobody can eat anything. His allotted food.

    In the living entities lower than the human being, they follow the nature's way, their allotted food. Just like the tiger eats blood and flesh. If you offer him nice fruit, nice sweet rice, he'll not eat. Even the dog, they do not like the sweet rice or nice kachori and srngara. You'll see. They cannot eat. If they eat, they will fall diseased. In Bengal it is said, kukkure pete ghi sayanaya.[?] Too much fatty things, if you give to the dog, he'll not be able to digest. So similarly, we are also human beings, we have got special food. Special food.

    Therefore Krsna says, Krsna's prasada will be taken by whom? By the human being. No, it can be offered to any living entities, but worship of Krsna is meant for the human being. Therefore, a devotee will take the remnants of foodstuff offered to Krsna. Therefore Krsna says patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati.

    Krsna as the Supreme Lord, He can eat anything. He can eat anything because He is all-powerful, omnipotent. But we cannot do that. Therefore Krsna says, "You give Me this vegetable, fruit, grains, milk, and I will take." Therefore indirectly it is said, these are the foodstuff of the human being. Not any others things. You cannot say that "This is also eatable, therefore I shall eat." Then you become a hog. Those who have no discrimination, of eating, they are going to be hog next life. Therefore Krsna says, yad vikari yatas ca yat. How one becomes a hog, dog, cat or demigod or Indra, or Brahma, that will be explained. You are given the facility of human being and if you misuse your facilities, then according to your mental condition, you'll be offered the next body. Yam yam vapi smaran loke tyajyaty ante kalevaram, you'll find.

    Therefore, give up doggish mentality. That is Krsna consciousness. Train up your mind, God, godly mentality. Then you'll be transferred next life, back to home, back to Godhead. That is required. This Krsna consciousness movement is training the people for being promoted to the highest standard of life. This Krsna consciousness movement is so important. We are giving chance to the people not to become next life cats and dogs and vultures. But associate of Krsna. To become a cowherd boy, to play with Krsna, or gopi, to dance with Krsna. This much facilities we are going to giving.

    So everyone should consider how much welfare movement is this Krsna consciousness movement and they should follow the instruction of Krsna and the acaryas and make their life successful. Thank you very much. (end)

    >>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 13.4 -- Paris, August 12, 1973
  • Volunteer
    Nitai: "Now please hear My brief description of this field of activity and how it is constituted what its changes are, whence it is produced, who that knower of the field of activities is, and what his influences are."

    Prabhupada:

    tat ksetram yac ca yadrk ca
    yad vikari yatas ca yat
    sa ca yo yat prabhavas ca
    tat samasena me srnu

    We have discussed that this body is the field of activity. We are acting according to the body. I am the same person, but when I had my boyhood body or childhood body, I was acting differently. This child, they are acting now some way, but when they will get another body, they will act in a different way.

    Similarly, not only this human form of body, but there are eight million four hundred thousand different types of bodies. We have explained several times. Jalaja nava-laksani: "In the water there are nine hundred thousand different forms of body." How many do we know? We do not know all the details. We know there are different types of fishes, and say, a hundred thousand we have seen or experimented, the zoologist. But from the Vedic literature we understand that there are nine hundred thousand forms of body within the water.

    So this is called Vedic knowledge. Perfect information is given there. Doesn't say nine hundred one or nine hundred fifty. Exactly, nine hundred thousand. Jalaja nava-laksani. Then next, sthavara laksa-vimsati. Then, after aquatic, when the water dries, the vegetation comes out, and that vegetation grow gradually into plants, trees, herbs and so many, big, big trees. Here we have got big, big trees. So from aquatic life they have come to this vegetable life. And one tree standing for thousands of years. They cannot move an inch. This is also life. There is life.

    The trees, these banyan trees, they are making their arrangement how to stand fixed up very strong. Nobody can move. The same struggle for existence is going on. As we are struggling to make our position secure, similarly, the trees are also making their position secure. The cats and dogs, they are also making attempt to make their position secure. This is called struggle for existence. So from this tree, just try to remember that there are nine hundred thousand species of aquatics.

    We get information from sastra. There is a fish which is called timingila which swallows big, big whales just like big fish swallows a small fish. This is struggle for existence. Jivo jivasya jivanam. Phalguni mahatam tatra jivo jivasya jivanam.

    The natural law is that ahastani sahastanam: "The animals which has no hands" -- that means four-legged animals; they have got legs, no hand -- "so they are food for animals with two legs and two hands." That means human being. Human being is also animal, more powerful, more intelligent than the lower animals. So the sastra says, ahastani, "The animals who hasn't got hands, they are food for the animals with two hands." Ahastani sahastanam and apadani catus-padam: "And the animals or the living entities which cannot move, apadani..." Pada means legs.

    Just like the trees, plants, grass. They cannot move. They have no leg. They have got leg, but they cannot move. They are eating through the legs. Therefore they are called pada-pa, means "collecting waters through the leg." Just these trees. They are drinking water from within the earth with their legs. Therefore they push their roots very deep to find out where is water. And if you put little water on the root of the tree, they live. They drink water. They are standing on the river side drinking water and becoming very flourished. But although they are drinking the same water, still, they are differently constituted with different fruits, different flowers. This is God's creation, we have to understand that.

    So apadani sapadanam, apadani catus-padam. Apadani means those who cannot move, these trees, plants, grass, they are eatables for the four-legged animals, catus-padam. Catuh means four. Similarly, phalguni mahatam tatra. Those who are weak, they are food for the strong. That is going on. "Might is right." In the human society also. Just like you Europeans, Americans... Europeans they have come. You come this land of America. Because you are strong, you have eaten up all the original inhabitants. (laughs) So this is going on. This is called struggle for existence.

    Therefore Krsna says, tat ksetram yac ca yadrk ca. Why we find so many varieties of life? How it has come into being? It is... Everything will be explained by Krsna. He says, tat samasena me srnu: "From Me you hear." Everyone is inquisitive, "Why there are varieties of life?" I do not know what the modern scientist says, but they do not understand that there is soul in these different types of body. That we have already discussed, that idam sariram ksetram ity abhidhiyate. Every different particular living entity... Not particular. We are all living entities, part and parcel of God. But we have entered into different types of bodies according to our desire. That's it. According to... We have got desires, different types of desires. The eight million four hundred thousand bodies means, at least, we have got eight million four hundred thousand different types of desires. That we have to learn from authorities like Krsna.

    Therefore He says, tat samasena me srnu: "You try to understand." You cannot speculate. Is there any psychologist who can say that how many different types of thinking, feeling, willings are there? No, they cannot say. But we must know from Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that these eight million four hundred thousand species or forms of life are there because there are eight million four hundred thousand different types of desires, exactly eight million four hundred thousand.

    This is called Vedic knowledge. Exactly what is the fact, that is stated there. So our process of understanding, this Krsna consciousness movement -- we do not hear from any bogus person. We hear from Krsna. Therefore Krsna says for us, those who are Krsna conscious, tat samasena me srnu: "From Me because I am the supreme authority, Krsna." Krsna says that mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya: [Bg. 7.7] "There is no more superior authority than Me." So we get knowledge from superior authority. That is the process of acquiring knowledge.

    We go to school, colleges, teachers. So why? To receive knowledge. So teacher or school, college, they are in higher authority. Similarly, you go on, higher authorities, higher authorities, higher authorities. You reach to Brahma because he is the original creature and he described the Vedic knowledge. So he is also not higher authority. He also received knowledge from God. Tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye. That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavata. Adi-kavaye, the original person.

    We have got this body, expanding, expanding. The original person is Brahma. From Brahma there was Lord Siva, and from Siva there were so many, then these Daksas and Pracetasas and many sages gradually. So we are descendant, Manu. Manu also, one of the sons of Brahma, and from manusya, Manu, the name has come, manusya. Manusya means man. In English also it is called "man." Manu, man. So we are all descendants from the original person, the supreme father, original. So we are not different.

    Here we have created out of ignorance, "I am Indian; you are European; he is American; he is African; he is black; he is white." That we have created. "He is cat; he is dog." But actually, we are all living entities. Because we have got different types of desire and that is calculated eight million four hundred thousand types of desires, so we are now in different types of body. This is understanding. Samah sarvesu bhutesu.

    So when we get that spiritual knowledge, brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54], prasannatma, then there is no difference. A learned person who has realized Brahman, spiritual realization, he looks everyone on the equal level. He knows that it is a dog or it is a cat on account of this body. He is neither cat, neither dog, neither I am human being. We are all spirit soul, aham brahmasmi. This is understanding. This is real understanding.

    vidya-vinaya-sampanne
    brahmane gavi hastini
    suni caiva sva-pake ca
    panditah sama-darsinah
    [Bg. 5.18]

    Those who are learned, they see that "Here is a learned brahmana, and here is a dog, and here is a hog, and he is a dog-eater. There is an elephant. There is a cow. So they are in different dresses only, and the real occupier of the dress, or the body..."

    That is explained that, idam sariram kaunteya ksetram ity abhidhiyate [Bg. 13.2]. This is only, we have got... According to different desires, we have got these different types of body. Ksetra. Just like field. The cultivator, the farmer, works on the field and gets some result. Similarly, we have got different types of body and we are working on this body in the bodily concepts of life. That is not advanced life. If we are in the bodily concept of life, that is animal life. When we understand that "I know that I am not this body; I am working with this body," that is knowledge. Abhidhiyate.

    And not only I. One should understand. It is clearly stated here. There is no difficulty. Krsna says that "The living entity and Myself, we are both within this body." Ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu. The difference -- we are individual soul. We are living, every one of us, living within this body, and there is another living entity. God is also living entity like you and me. The difference is that He is great, and we are subordinate. Otherwise... Just like you have got your president. He is a big man of your nation, and we are small men or you are a small man. But he is also a human being; I am also a human being or you are also. Similarly, God is exactly like us, with two hands and two legs. To see Krsna, He hasn't got a hundred legs or a hundred... He has got the same, two legs and two hands, exactly like our body. In the Bible also it says, I think, that "Man is made after the feature of God"? So it is not that we have imagined God with two legs and two hands like us, no. Our this body is made imitating God's body. And the animals, they are also imitating God's body. God has got many forms. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca [Bs 5.33]. He has got many other forms, innumerable.

    So anyway, this is knowledge, that "I am occupying this body, I have got this body according to my desire, and this desire has been fulfilled by God. God is with me, with you. He is within your heart. He understands what you desire. You have come, we have come in this material world to satisfy our different desires. Therefore, there are so many different forms of body." Now you can calculate also. What is that? There are three qualities within this material world. You know, everyone. Some are in goodness, and some are in passion, and some are in ignorance. In the animal or in the vegetable kingdom, in the human society, you will find these three types of men.

    Take our human society. Some of them are very good men, very truthful, very honest, very learned, and knows what is God. You find such men also. And you will find also very much passionate. And you will find also men like cats and dogs, no knowledge, blind. So there are three types of men. Why? Because there are three qualities or modes of material nature: goodness, passion and ignorance. Now, you mix up these three qualities with another three varieties of qualities. Just like the painter, they mix up different colors. The original color is blue, yellow and red. Now, you mix up these colors. You can... Hundreds and thousands of colors you can make. It requires expert handling. Similarly, originally these three qualities, goodness, passion and ignorance. Now, three into three equal to nine, and nine into nine equal to eighty-one. So we get immediately account for eighty-one varieties, and each variety is thousand and millions. Therefore eight million four hundred thousand, that is calculated.

    And we have got so many varieties of life. Jalaja nava-laksani sthavara laksa-vimsati krmayo rudra-sankhyakah, means the aquatics, there are nine hundred thousand, and the trees and plants, two millions, and eleven hundred thousand, these flies and insects. Krmayo rudra-sankhyakah. And then birds, one million types of birds. Then three million types of beasts. Then four hundred thousand of human being, civilized, uncivilized, white, red, black, so many varieties. In this way, the whole calculation is eight million four hundred thousand different types of body.

    Now Krsna will explain that tat ksetram yac ca yadrk, why there are so many varieties. The living entity is the same, a spiritual spark, part and parcel of Krsna, or God, but why they have assumed these different types of body calculated to be eight million and four hundred thousand forms. But each form is part and parcel of God. Not each form, or you can say form also, each living entity. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita,

    sarva-yonisu kaunteya
    murtayah sambhavanti yah
    tasam brahma mahad yonir
    aham bija-pradah pita
    [Bg. 14.4]

    Krsna says -- I think in the fourteenth chapter it is there -- that "I am the seed-giving father of all these forms of life. All these forms of life. They are not automatic, come from anywhere. I am the original father."

    Therefore those who are fully Krsna conscious or fully advanced in spiritual consciousness, they do not make any difference between an insect and a elephant because he knows very well that the same spirit soul is there within the elephant and within insect, within the microbe, because the dimension of the spirit soul is very small. You cannot imagine. It is one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair. Kesagra-sata-bhagasya satadha kalpita [Cc. Madya 19.140], everything is there. So such minute particle is so powerful that it is managing the body of the elephant and it is managing the body of the ant.

    You will find even an ant. He has got all the propensities, just like human being. You can study how they are struggling, how they have organized their society, how they are eating, how they are sleeping, how they are begetting children. Everything is there in every life. The four principles of bodily demands, namely eating. sleeping, sex and defense, you will find in the insect, smallest insect, like full stop. I sometimes see at night. They wander on the page of the book, very small. But they have got all the propensities. All the propensities. You can study. Anyone, minute study, you can see. So these things are there everywhere, even to the ant or even to the elephant or to the demigod or any Brahma or in everything. That's all. That is clear.

    So when we get by evolutionary process, come to this human form of life by God's grace, nature's mercy, we can understand what is what. Therefore Krsna is explaining to Arjuna, a human being, not to a cat and dog. Therefore He says, tat ksetram, "That body," how it has become varieties, what is the ingredients. The ingredients are the same. This material body, the ingredients are the four primary gross elements, means earth, water, air, fire and ether or sky, the mind, intelligence and ego. This is the composition of this body. And beyond this composition, I am there, soul. Indriyani parany ahuh.

    Those who are in the bodily concept of life they are thinking, "The senses are everything. So let us enjoy the senses. That is our happiness." No, that is not. Therefore we are not happy actually. Although we are trying to gratify our senses profusely, still, we are unhappy because that is not actually happiness. The actual happiness is of the soul. Unless you satisfy the soul, you cannot be happy because my real identity is the soul, not this body.

    The same example, as I have already said many times, that within the cage there is the bird. You don't take care of the bird, and you simply cleanse this cage -- the bird will not be satisfied. He will cry always, "Give me food. Give me food." The another example I gave the another psychiatrist, that this body is a machine. Actually it is a machine. And it is being driven by two persons. One is God and one is the living entity, individual. The God is giving direction. The living entity, individual soul, wants to enjoy, so he is on the carriage, same carriage, the Supersoul and the soul. So the Supersoul knows what I want to enjoy, and He is giving facility: "Oh, you want this facility? Now drive your car in this way. You want this facility? All right, drive this way, this way."

    Actually Supersoul, or God, does not want, but He is so kind. Just like a gentleman. He gives the dog all facility, sometimes going this side, sometimes going this side, sometimes passing stool, sometimes passing urine, and he is standing. He is controlling, but he is giving some facilities: "This dog is my servant. Let him have." This is going on. Without God's sanction, we cannot do anything.

    Then why does He give sanction for our sinful activities? Because we want to do it. Because we want to do it. God does not want that you become implicated in sinful life. Therefore thief, he steals very stealthily. God says from within, "Don't steal. You will be implicated. You will be punished. Why you are stealing?" But he will do. He will do. That is ajnana. That is ignorance. God is always helping us, but we do not care for God. That is our disease. Therefore we are getting different types of bodies and suffering. This is the philosophy, real philosophy, that God is there with me in the same bird, in the same, exactly the same, that the driver is there and the proprietor is there in the same car. The car is a machine. Similarly, this body is a machine.

    It is stated in the Bhagavad..., machine. Yantrarudhani mayaya.

    isvarah sarva-bhutanam
    hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati
    bhramayan sarva-bhutani
    yantrarudhani mayaya
    [Bg. 18.61]

    "Isvara, the Supreme Lord, God, is situated in everyone's heart, and He is directing the travel, or wandering, of the living entity."

    How? Yantrarudhani: "sitting on the machine of this body." And who has supplied this machine? Mayaya: "the material nature." The material nature, according to the order of God, has given me, you or me or anyone, the cats, dogs, a particular type of machine, this body. And the living entity is driving the machine or driving the car and God, the Supersoul, is reminding him, "You wanted to enjoy like this? Now you drive your car in this way. You drive your... You wanted to eat everything without any discrimination? Now I have given you the car of a hog. Now you go and eat the stool." And he is very glad. He is enjoying. He is enjoying he is thinking "I am eating very nice thing." This is going on.

    Nana joni sada phire, kadarjya bhaksana kore, tara janma adhah-pate jaya. Narottama dasa Thakura is singing that "Those who have taken this path of fruitive activities, they are forced to accept different forms of life and eat all abominable things, and thus he is lost in this material world." So if we become God conscious, if we become faithful to Krsna, or God, then He will give right direction so that you may go again back to home, back to Godhead. And that is our business.

    tesam satata-yuktanam
    bhajatam priti-purvakam
    dadami buddhi-yogam tam
    yena mam upayanti te
    [Bg. 10.10]

    Now, according to my whims, according to my different desires I am going deep and deep to the hellish condition of life. I am becoming the worms of the stool beginning from Brahma. Now, if... When we have got this human form of life, we should understand, "How things are happening? How I am getting different types of body? How I am dictated according to the body and I am not happy? Now what is the reason? Then what I am? I do not want distress. Why distress is forced upon me? I do not want to die. Why death is forced upon me? I do not want to become old. I want to remain perpetually young. Why old age is forced upon me?" There are so many things. In this way, when we become intelligent enough and approach Krsna or a Krsna's representative, then our life becomes reformed.

    This Krsna consciousness movement is for this purpose. They are giving the opportunity to the human society that "You are suffering on account of your whimsical desires. Now you learn how to purify your desire. Then you become happy." This is Krsna consciousness movement. Desire cannot be stopped. That is not possible. You have to purify your desire. That's all. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. I am thinking that "I am this American," I am thinking, "I am this Indian," or I am thinking this and that, and creating my desires accordingly. "It is my duty because I am American." "It is my duty because I am Russian. So let us fight." So this is going on. So you have to change your desire.

    That is Krsna consciousness movement. Sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. You have to understand that "I am not this body. I am neither Indian, nor American, nor Russian. I am part and parcel of God. Therefore my business is to serve God." This is called bhakti. When you are self-realized... That is definition of bhakti. Sarva upadhi-vinirmuktam. You have to get yourself cleansed from all these designations, that "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am American," "I am this," "I am cat," "I am dog." These are all designations because I am pure soul, aham brahmasmi. And these conceptions are designation. So you have to be educated how to become free from the designation. That is sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Cc. Madhya 19.170], that when we become free from the designation...

    It does not mean because I become free from the designation, therefore I become zero. No, I remain because I am spirit soul, eternal. I may become sometimes American, sometimes Indian, sometimes cat, sometime dog, but that is change of designation or body. But as spirit soul, I am eternal. Na jayate na mriyate va kadacit. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. These things are all clearly stated.

    So our request is that all over the world they should take advantage of this knowledge. This Krsna consciousness movement is not a bluffing movement. It is scientific movement for the benefit of the whole world. They are suffering. So that is our request, that let us wash ourself from the designation. Then how it will be possible? It will be possible. What is that?

    srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah
    punya-sravana-kirtanah
    hrdy antah-stho hy abhadrani
    vidhunoti suhrt satam
    [SB 1.2.17]

    Hrdy an... This I am thinking, "American, Indian, Hindu, Muslim," this is all dirty things in my heart. You cleanse your heart. Hrdy antah-sthah abhadrani. The dirty things are within my heart, so if we cleanse our heart, then we become free from this designation. Nasta-prayesu abhadresu nityam bhagavata-sevaya [SB 1.2.18]. Nasta-prayesu. These dirty things will be cleansed if we regularly hear Srimad-Bhagavatam or Bhagavad-gita. Nityam bhagavata...

    And bhagavata means the book Bhagavata and the person bhagavata. The person bhagavata is spiritual master or any exalted devotee. He is bhagavata, maha-bhagavata, bhagavata. So bhagavata-sevaya means not only reading Bhagavad-gita and Bhagavatam, but we have to study from the person bhagavata. That is required. Caitanya Mahaprabhu advised, bhagavata para giya bhagavata-sthane: "If you want to learn Bhagavata, then go to the person bhagavata who is realized soul."

    Not professional. That will not help you. Official professional -- I go to a temple, to a church, and go back again to hellish condition of..., no. You just associate with the person bhagavata who is realized soul and hear from him this the same book, the same knowledge. Krsna's representative. Just like Krsna says, tat samasena me srnu. Me srnu: "Hear from Me or My representative. Then you will benefit."

    So these centers are being opened just to give the opportunity to the people who are suffering not only in this life, life after life.

    ei rupe brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva
    guru-krsna-krpaya paya bhakti-lata-bija
    [Cc. Madhya 19.151]

    So it is our duty, we have taken this duty on behalf of Krsna. Krsna personally comes to teach. Just like He left His Srimad-Bhagavatam. Then He entrusts His devotees to explain to the people in general. We are attempting to do that. We have not manufactured anything or we have got anything of our own. The asset and the property is there. We are simply distributing as peon. That's all.

    And we have no difficulty. If we simply present Bhagavad-gita, the instruction of Krsna, as it is, then our duty finished. We haven't got to manufacture anything; neither we have power to manufacture anything. Just like there are so many others. They manufacture new type of ideas, new type of philos..., all nonsense. That will not help. Take the real knowledge. Tat srnu. What is called? Tat samasena me srnu. Try to understand from the Supreme Personality of Godhead or the real servant of Godhead who will present simply what Krsna has said. He will not say anything more or less.

    That is the identification of real servant. Just like you have got a servant. You say, "My dear boy, you go this errand. Inform him this." So his duty is to carry your news and deliver to the person. Similarly, we who are now in the Krsna consciousness movement, we should simply take, tat samasena me srnu. We should hear from Krsna and distribute this knowledge. We have no difficulty. Then those who will hear, they will be benefited and we will be benefited. This is Krsna consciousness movement.

    Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. [break] ...instruction which I have given to you. Chant Hare Krsna mantra -- it is very easy -- at least sixteen rounds, and follow the regulative principle, and pray to Krsna to help you. Everything will be all right. [break] ...books, everything is there. [break] ...Krsna. Hare Krsna is Krsna personally. So if you chant Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Hare Krsna, you associate with Krsna. And if you associate with fire, you become warm. Similarly, if you associate with Krsna, then you become gradually Krsnaized. And when you perfect... Just like you put one iron rod into the fire. It becomes warm, warmer, warmer, and at last, it becomes red hot. At that time it is fire because it has acquired the quality of the fire, although it is iron rod. So the process is to remain with the fire. Similarly, if you remain with Krsna by chanting His holy name, then you will be purified and one day will come -- you will be Krsnaized. The process is very simple: chant Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. That's all. [break] ...twenty-four hours. Kirtaniyah sada harih [Cc. adi 17.31]. This is not my word; this is Caitanya Mahaprabhu. You have to associate with kirtana. The reading is also kirtana, and chanting on the beads, that is also kirtana. There is no difference. So make your life in such a way. Either chant Hare Krsna or read books. And when you are hungry, you take little prasadam. Don't take much. Then you will sleep more. Take as little as possible. Then you will also sleep... Our business is to conquer over the demands of the body. The demands of the body is eating, sleeping, sex and defense. So spiritual life means make it almost nil.

    Nidrahara-viharakadi-vijitau. All the Gosvamis, they did so. They conquered over sleeping, conquered over eating, conquered over sex desire and conquered defense. So in this way we have to minimize nidrahara-vihara and save time for chanting Hare Krsna. [break] And chant Hare Krsna. That is a botheration. [break] ...use of industry? That you have created trouble. You can get your food by cultivation. That is stated in the Srimad Bhagavad-gita, annad bhavanti bhutani. You produce food grains, and both the animals and the men, they will remain satisfied. And we have got so much land even on this earthly planet. I am traveling all over the world. You can produce food grains so in large quantity that you can feed all the population, ten times population. So we are not interested in producing food grain. We are interested in... [break] ...this is education. You get your admission in this institution. You will understand. [break] If you do not follow the rules and regulation, you go to hell. That's all.

    Woman devotee: Prabhupada, how can Lord Siva get intoxicated and be so pure?

    Prabhupada: We are not concerned with Lord Siva. We are concerned with Krsna.

    Male devotee: Should we beg people to read these books, Srila Prabhupada?

    Prabhupada: Yes, by touching their leg, "Please read." That is the process.

    dante nidhaya trnakam padayor nipatya
    krtva ca kaku-satam etad aham bravimi
    he sadhavah sakalam eva vihaya durad
    caitanya-candra-carane kurutanuragam

    This is the instruction of Prabodhananda Sarasvati. He says that "Taking a straw in my mouth..." That is a Indian system to become humble. If I approach somebody with a straw in my mouth, that means I have become very humble to him. So he says, dante nidhaya trnakam, "Taking a straw in my teeth," and padayor nipatya, "and falling down on your leg," kaku-satam krtva ca, "hundred times flattering you," aham bravimi, "I want to submit something."

    Naturally the man will be inclined: "All right, you say it. What you want?" So he says, he sadhavah: "You are very nice man, you are very great man, but you kindly forget what you have learned. (laughter) You all nonsense, whatever you have learned, please forget." "Then, what I have to do?" Caitanya-candra-carane kurutanuragam: "Just take shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Your life will be successful."

    So we shall flatter, we shall hold our hands, we shall fall on the feet and do everything, but we shall, "You nonsense, please forget what you have learned." That is our submission.

    Male devotee: Prabhupada, did Jesus read all those books?

    Prabhupada: Yes. You can read also Bible. That is nice.

    Male devotee: He actually learned. He actually traveled to India...

    Prabhupada: Yes, yes. We do not say that don't read Bible. Read something, but learn something. Jesus Christ said, "Thou shall not kill." You learn this art. But you read Bible and kill animals, then what is your benefit?

    Indian: So Lord Krsna speaks through other beings or...?

    Prabhupada: First of all try to understand that you read Christ and you violate his order. Then what is the use of reading? You follow. Then that is reading.

    Male devotee: Prabhupada, if we follow these four regulative principles and chant sixteen rounds sincerely every day, all this nonsense knowledge will eventually be forgotten?

    Prabhupada: Yes, yes. You can see practically, all of you, what you were and what you are now. That's all. It is practical; it is not theoretical.

    Male devotee: Srila Prabhupada, if someone takes prasadam even once, is it true that they're guaranteed at least a human body in their next life?

    Prabhupada: Yes. You go on simply eating, that's all. (laughter) And all of my devotees, they have come to me simply by eating prasada. You are also? (laughter) So we give all facilities. If you cannot do anything, please come and eat with us. All right, thank you very much. (end)

    >>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 13.4 -- Miami, February 27, 1975
  • Volunteer
    Nitai:

    tat ksetram yac ca yadrk ca
    yad vikari yatas ca yat
    sa ca yo yat prabhavas ca
    tat samasena me srnu
    [Bg. 13.4]

    Translation: "Now please hear My brief description of this field of activity and how it is constituted, what its changes are, whence it is produced, who that knower of the field of activities is, and what his influences are."

    Prabhupada: So yesterday we had been discussing about the questions put forward by Arjuna,

    prakrtim purusam caiva
    ksetram ksetra-jnam eva ca
    etad veditum icchami
    jnanam jneyam ca kesava

    So to some extent we have discussed from where we have to receive knowledge, perfect knowledge, without any mistake, without any illusion. Our knowledge... We are possessing four defects: we commit mistakes, we are illusioned, our senses are imperfect, and we have got a cheating propensity. We are possessing these four defects. However great a man may be, he makes mistake in calculation. "To err is human."

    Then we are illusioned. Illusioned means we accept something for something. Just like we are accepting this body as myself. This is illusion. The whole world is illusioned. Everyone is thinking in terms of the body. And according to Vedic knowledge, anyone who is under the concept of this body as self, he is no better than the cow and the asses. Sa eva go-kharah [SB 10.84.13].

    So these are our defects: bhrama, pramada, vipralipsa, karana-patava. Karana. Karana means senses, the instrument through which we gather knowledge. They are imperfect. So with so many imperfectness, how we can give right knowledge? That is not possible. So any knowledge received from these defective persons is imperfect. Therefore we should receive knowledge from the Supreme.

    Narayanah parah avyaktat. Sripada Sankaracarya says, "Narayana is beyond this material creation. He is, exists before the material creation." Aham eva asam agre. Before the material creation, the Narayana is there, and after the annihilation of this material creation, the Narayana is there. Just like we are part and parcel of Narayana, living entities, soul. We existed before the creation of this body, this present body, my body or your body. And we shall remain also after the destruction of this body. Na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20]. The real we -- means the spirit soul, aham brahmasmi -- I am not annihilated even after the destruction of this body. Similarly, the huge gigantic material body also, when it is destroyed, Narayana exists. And we are part and parcel of Narayana. Mamaivamso jiva-bhutah [Bg. 15.7].

    Narayana has got two kinds of expansion. One is called svamsa, personal expansion. Just like there are so many incarnations.

    ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan
    nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu
    krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yo
    govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
    [Bs. 5.39]

    So Narayana, He has got many forms. Krsna is the original Narayana. And from Krsna, there are expansion, catur-vyuha: Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Aniruddha, Pradyumna. Then Narayana. From Narayana, purusavatara: the Maha Visnu avatara, the Ksirodakasayi Visnu avatara, the Garbhodakasayi Visnu avatara. In this way Narayana has got personal expansion. Advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca [Bs. 5.33].

    We get this information from Vedic literature. So Narayana... And we are also expansion of Narayana, vibhinnamsa. We are called vibhinna, separated particles, part and parcel of Narayana. And Narayana has got personal expansions. So we are to get knowledge from Narayana or Krsna. That is perfect. That is perfect knowledge. The Vedas means the knowledge from Narayana. Therefore it is perfect. Tene brahma hrda adi-kavaye [SB 1.1.1]. He imparted the Vedic knowledge. Lord Brahma is not independent. He received knowledge from Narayana. So if you receive knowledge, that is perfect knowledge. That Narayana, sa bhagavan svayam krsnah narayanah. If you receive knowledge from Krsna, that is perfect.

    Therefore Arjuna is putting question, these questions, that "What is this material nature?" Prakrtim purusam. "What are these living entities who are trying to enjoy this material nature?" Purusa wants to enjoy prakrti. So that I have explained yesterday, that although we are also prakrti, we are now in the mentality of purusa. Just like in this material world, man and woman. The man is trying to enjoy the woman, and the woman is trying to enjoy the man. This attitude of enjoyment is called purusa. Actually, we are not purusa. We are also prakrti. Jiva-bhutam maha-baho yayedam dharyate jagat [Bg. 7.5]. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakrtim param. We are superior prakrti, but we are prakrti. But because we are trying to enjoy the other prakrti, which is dull matter, therefore we are sometimes called as purusa, the mentality as purusa.

    So Arjuna question is prakrtim purusa, "What are these purusa? What are the prakrti?" Ksetra-ksetra-jna. "What is this body, ksetra? And who is the owner of the body?" That we must know. That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gita. The beginning of spiritual knowledge is to know what is this body and who is the owner of the body. That is the beginning of spiritual knowledge.

    When Krsna began speaking Bhagavad-gita and Arjuna accepted to become His disciple, sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam... [Bg. 2.7] when he said... So Arjuna was bewildered whether he would fight in the battle or not. So the question was not solved by friendly discussion. Therefore Arjuna surrendered to Krsna as a sisya, as disciple, not as friend.

    So as spiritual master, as teacher, immediately Krsna chastised Arjuna, asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase: [Bg. 2.11] "You are talking like a very learned man, but you are lamenting on a subject matter on which no pandita, learned man, laments." Gatasun agatasums ca nanusocanti panditah. He very mildly chastised. Indirectly He said that "You are not pandita; you are a fool, those who are learned, they do not consider this body as very important." They are pandita.

    But at the present moment everyone is thinking this body as the most important thing. So according to Bhagavad-gita, not Bhagavad..., on the Vedic understanding, anyone who is stressing too much on the body, they are go-khara, asses and cows and animals, what to speak of becoming pandita. But at the present moment, the whole educational system is concentrated on this body, how to keep this body comfortable. Spiritual knowledge does not mean that you neglect your body. No. That is not the idea.

    But the most important subject matter of understanding is the soul. Aham brahmasmi. Brahma-jnana. Athato brahma jijnasa. So far the body is concerned, that has been taken care in so many lives. In animal life, in bird's life, beasts' life, aquatic life. Now athato brahma jijnasa. This is the Vedanta instruction: "Now we should take care of the soul, of the Brahman." Aham brahmasmi. This is required.

    That is spiritual knowledge. Unfortunately, for want of spiritual knowledge, for want of studying Bhagavad-gita properly, we are simply taking care of this, I mean to say, temporary body. That is being explained. First of all Krsna said that this body is the ksetra. Ksetra means field of activities. We are acting according to the body we have received. And this owner of the body is working; just like a cultivator has got a certain amount of land and he is cultivating and producing foodstuff according to his own capacity. This is called karma-kanda. We are working with this body and reaping the result and enjoying it. In this way we are repeating again and again, again and again, transmigration of the soul from one body to another. Tat ksetram yac ca yadrk yad vikari.

    Now Krsna is explaining... First of all He has explained that we, the living entities, we are the proprietor of this body. But there is another proprietor. That is Krsna. Just like of a house, rented house, one is the occupier and another is the proprietor, similarly, this body, I the soul, you the soul, we are simply occupier. The real proprietor is Krsna. Therefore Krsna said, ksetra-jnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata [Bg. 13.3].

    Just like a landlord has got hundreds of house, and each house is occupied by one tenant, but the landlord is occupier of all the houses, similarly, in each body there are two living entities. One living entity is the soul, individual soul, and the other living entity is the Supreme Lord. Isvarah sarva-bhutanam hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati [Bg. 18.61]. He is situated, both of them are situated within this heart. Hrd-dese, it is pointed out. Now, you have got... you, everyone knows, from the heart the energy is distributed to the whole body, and as soon as the heart stops to work, no more body existing. Everyone will know. Therefore the heart is the office, sitting office, of both the soul and the Supersoul. Atma and Paramatma.

    That is described in the Upanisad, that two birds are sitting in one tree. This one tree is this whole body and the two birds -- one the individual soul and the other is the Supersoul -- both of them are sitting as friends. One bird is eating the fruits of the tree, and the other bird is simply onlooker. Upadrasta anumanta. The one bird who is eating the fruit is asking, "Shall I eat the fruit?" And the other bird says, "No." But he says, "No, I shall eat." "All right, you eat at your risk." This is going on.

    This subject matter was written, I think, by Milton, the Paradise Lost. So the Paramatma is sitting within your heart to guide you. And without His permission, you cannot enjoy anything. But He gives permission. When you are persistent He gives permission, "All right, you can do it -- at your own risk." And when He is fed up, he may come to God again, "What shall I do?" But God's open declaration is that sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. The Supersoul bird is always expecting when this individual soul bird will turn towards Him. He is so merciful. He is going, "My dear friend, why you are trying to become happy by enjoying this material fruit produced by your work in this body?"

    We are creating different types of fruit? Karmana daiva-netrena jantur deha upapatti [SB 3.31.1]. We are getting different types of body life after life, which is created by our own karma. We wanted a body like this. We get it. If you want a body like tiger, to eat meat and suck blood, then Krsna will give you a tiger's body. And if you want a body like demigod you can get it. Everything, you can get it. Yathecchasi tatha kuru [Bg. 18.63]. Krsna says, "Whatever you like, I will give you opportunity."

    But the best advice is that sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This is your best way. It is up to me to accept it or not to accept it. Krsna does not interfere with your independence. Because you are part and parcel of Krsna, you have got little independence, minute quantity, not full independence. As Krsna is full independent, we are not full independent. Krsna is sva-rat, fully independent. Janmady asya yatah anvayad itaratas ca arthesu abhijnah sva-rat [SB 1.1.1]. Sva-rat means fully independent. But we are, being part and parcel of Krsna, we are also little independent. So by misusing our independence, instead of serving Krsna, we are serving our senses. Therefore bhakti-marga means to rectify the senses, to purify the senses. By purifying senses, we come to Krsna consciousness. This is the definition of bhakti.

    sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam
    tat-paratvena nirmalam
    hrsikena hrsikesa-
    sevanam bhaktir ucyate
    [Cc. Madhya 19.170]

    Bhakti means to come to our original consciousness by purifying the senses. How the senses can be purified? This bhakti-yoga process. Sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23]. (aside:) Water.

    This is the first process. You have kindly come here; you are hearing about Krsna, Krsna's talk with Arjuna. It is very good. If you continue hearing like this, you will be perfect, simply by hearing, even if you do not do anything. Kevala, only hearing. Sthane sthitah sruti-gatam tanu-van-manobhih. This is the recommendation by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that people should be given chance for hearing. Especially in this age, Kali-yuga, they cannot do anything, but if they simply agree to hear, sitting for some time... That can be introduced in every house, every home.

    The Bhagavad-gita is there, and everything is explained there. If family-wise everyone sits down in the evening or in the morning for half an hour and reads Bhagavad-gita, chants Hare Krsna mantra, just see the result. Every home will be happy. This is our propaganda, Krsna consciousness movement. Simply try to hear about Krsna.

    So about Krsna, Krsna is personally speaking this Bhagavad-gita about Himself. So why not take this opportunity? Why you are losing the opportunity given in this human form of life to hear about Krsna? Everyone can do that. But don't misinterpret according to your own, I mean to say, fertile brain. No. Just hear Krsna, what Krsna says, as it is. Krsna... Don't try to interpret, mal-interpretation. That will not make you profit? Try to hear Krsna.

    Krsna says that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He says, mattah parataram nanyat [Bg. 7.7]. There is nothing superior than Krsna. That is, if you accept that, then you immediately advance fifty percent in spiritual knowledge, immediately, if you simply accept this, that Krsna said that mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. And that is the verdict of the sastra.

    isvarah paramah krsnah
    sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah
    anadir adir govindah
    sarva-karana-karanam
    [Bs. 5.1]

    This is statement of Brahma-samhita. And in the Srimad-Bhagavatam it is said, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Ete camsa-kalah pumsah krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28]. Again it is said, ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu, krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yah [Bs. 5.39]. We have got description of many avataras, incarnation. So they are Krsna's expansion, by Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha, Matsya. There are so many incarnation. But krsnah svayam paramah puman: "Krsna is the Supreme Person." In this way accept Krsna, the origin of everything. Janmady asya yatah [SB 1.1.1]. Krsna also explains,

    aham sarvasya prabhavo
    mattah sarvam pravartate
    iti matva bhajante mam
    budha bhava-samanvitah
    [Bg. 10.8]

    Those who are actually budhah, intelligent, and bhava, with ecstatic love, they worship Krsna. Bhajante mam. Catur-vidha... Aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. Sarvam means... Because in the beginning of creation, there were three Deities: Brahma, Visnu and Mahesvara. So they are also emanation from Krsna. Mattah sarvam. Sarvam includes Brahma, Visnu and Siva. Mattah sarvam pravartate. Iti matva: "One who knows it very well." Iti matva bhajante mam: "Those who know, in the knowledge, they worship Me," budhah, "because they are expert, they are actually in knowledge." Budha bhava-samanvitah: "with ecstasy of love."

    This is wanted. This is perfection of life. If we take to Krsna consciousness with love and faith, full understanding of Krsna, that is the perfection of life. That you can get, everyone of us can get it if we study Bhagavad-gita very carefully, without any malinterpretation. So success is there. We have to take.

    And another facility is that because sometimes we cannot understand what is actually Bhagavad-gita's purpose. It is very plain. Still, as we are very much unfortunate, we cannot understand. That misfortune can be avoided by chanting this Hare Krsna mantra. It will cleanse the heart. Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. We are suffering for misunderstanding -- misunderstanding that "I am this body, I belong to this nation, I belong to this family, I belong to this, that, so many things." All misunderstanding, all misunderstanding. My real identity is aham brahmasmi: "I am spirit soul. Fortunately or unfortunately, by my own work, I have been put into the encagement of this body, temporary body, and I am creating another body. In this way I am traveling from one body to another, from one planet to another, from one place to another. This is going on." Bhutva bhutva praliyate [Bg. 8.19]. "I am taking my birth and again I am becoming annihilated, although I am eternal." Nityah sasvato 'yam na hanyate...

    This is understand... People should be little intelligent that "If I am eternal," na hanyate hanyamane sarire [Bg. 2.20], "I do not die even after the destruction of this body..." Just like if this shirt and coat is torn out, we throw it away, that does not mean I am also torn and finished, similarly, this body... This body means I am spirit soul. I am covered with this gross body and the subtle body. This gross body is made of earth, water, air, fire, sky, and the subtle body is made of mind, intelligence and ego. So I am covered by these two shirts and coat. So I am different from this. That is knowledge. That is knowledge.

    That knowledge is being explained. And when you come to that real knowledge then you become brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54]. When you actually understand that "I am Brahman," aham brahmasmi, "I am spirit soul. This is my shirt and coat. Oh, so long I was busy with this shirt and coat only? I have no business with it." Yes, you have got business, but that is not your main business. Your main business is to take care of yourself as soul. That is your main business. This is called knowledge. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54].

    Then one who comes into this knowledge, he becomes another prasannatma, "Oh, I was so much ignorant of knowledge." Now, just like you committed some mistake, and when you come to the knowledge that you committed, you become prasannatma, "Oh, I was mistaking like this, and simply I was anxious, I was taking so much care, anxiety. This is mistaken." Similarly, as soon as you come to this understanding that "I am spirit soul," then immediately you become prasannatma, jolly. Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanksati [Bg. 18.54]. So this is perfection, liberation. This is called liberation. When you come to the platform of jolliness, anandamayo 'bhyasat. (Vedanta-sutra 1.1.12) You are anandamaya. Sac-cid-ananda-vigraha [Bs. 5.1], part and parcel of sac-cid-ananda-vig... Sac, cit, ananda.

    So when we come to our spiritual consciousness or Krsna consciousness, then we immediately become anandamaya. That is real knowledge. brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kanks..., samah sarvesu bhutesu [Bg. 18.54]. Then you can understand that "All the living entities, they are also soul, equally..., equally important like me. As I am important, so all the living entities, they are also my brothers." That is called universal brotherhood, on the spiritual platform. In the material platform it is not possible, because material platform means ignorance. He does not know what he is. Then when you come to the spiritual platform, then you can understand that "This dog is also a spirit soul; this learned brahmana is also a spirit soul; this elephant is also a spirit soul." Panditah sama-darsinah.

    vidya-vinaya-sampanne
    brahmane gavi hastini
    suni caiva sva-pake ca
    panditah sama-darsinah
    [Bg. 5.18]

    That is real sama-darsinah. And so long we are on the material platform we may preach sama-darsinah, so many ism, philanthropism, nationalism, this ism, that... These are all false. You cannot come into the equal level. Only spiritual level, through spiritual understanding that "Now, we are all soul," brahma-bhutah prasannatma [Bg. 18.54].

    Then, when you come to that understanding, then actual bhakti begins. Samah sarvesu bhutesu mad-bhaktim labhate param [Bg. 18.54]. Therefore in the bhakti platform, Krsna consciousness, there is no such distinction, "Here is American, here is an Indian, here is an African, here is this and that." No. Everyone is Krsna conscious. So actually if we want equality, fraternity, then we must come to Krsna consciousness. This is the purpose of Krsna consciousness movement.

    And actually, it is becoming fact, factual. These boys and these girls, they are no more thinking that they are American or European or Canadian or Australian and Indian also. They are equal. So if you want equality, fraternity, friendship, love and perfection, solution of problems, all problems, economic, political, social, religious, then come to Krsna consciousness. Come to this platform. Then all your ambitions will be fulfilled and you will be perfect. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

    >>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 13.4 -- Hyderabad, April 20, 1974
  • Volunteer
    Prabhupada:

    tat ksetram yac ca yadrk ca
    yad vikari yatas ca yat
    sa ca yo yat prabhavas ca
    tat samasena me srnu

    Yesterday we have discussed that two souls, the individual soul and the Supersoul, both of them are living within this body. This body is compared... In the Upanisads, the body is compared with a tree, and two birds are there. One bird is the individual soul, we, and the other bird is the Supersoul, Krsna. Krsna is so kind that He is always flying with the other bird, the living entity. We are trying to enjoy this material world. Just like you have seen a bird sitting in this branch, going another branch, another tree. This is all seeking some pleasure.

    Similarly, we are also... Tatha dehantara-praptih. We are enjoying a standard of comfort in this life, and I am preparing another standard of living condition next life. So I shall fly over to another body. Tatha-dehantara praptih. But Krsna is so kind...

    Because we are all sons of Krsna... We are wandering in this material world as mad chap. Just like a rich man's son has become mad. He leaves his home and loitering in the street and eating in the garbage. That is our position. We are the sons of the richest person. Aisvaryasya samagrasya. Bhagavan means who is the proprietor of all riches. So we are sons of such a rich man. Nityo nityanam cetanas cetana... But we have become mad. We have become mad. We want to enjoy... Just like there are many sons. Although the father is... In America we find many. Although father is rich, millionaire, he has become a hippie, out of frustration, confusion, or some other reason. So our condition, like that. We are the sons of the richest person. Not only richest, the wisest. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya. The most powerful, Krsna. The most powerful, the richest, the wisest, the most beautiful. Everything, supreme degree. We are sons of such a father, but we have become mad after this material enjoyment. This is our madness.

    So as father is always kind to the son, similarly, the supreme father is so kind that we are flying from this tree to that tree, this body to that body. So Krsna is also flying, but He's not affected. That is explained in the Upanisad, that the one individual soul bird, he is eating the forbidden fruit of the tree and enjoying or suffering the result. But the other bird, he's simply witnessing. Witnessing. Upadrasta anumanta. That is described. Upadrasta means witness. Upa means... You cannot avoid the vigilence of Krsna. You cannot do anything concealed. Everything is known to Krsna. Therefore He is called upadrasta.

    And He knows that he'll suffer. Therefore sometimes conscience beats. We sometimes inquire from our conscience. Conscience says, "No, don't do this." But still we do it. Still we do... That is our avidya. Because we do not know, in ignorance, in spite of the Supreme Soul, Supersoul is forbidding, "Don't do this," still, we shall do it. That is called anumanta. We cannot do anything without the sanction of the Supersoul, but when we insist that "I must do it," then He says, "All right, you do it, but you'll suffer your sequence. My word is, Supersoul order is, that ‘You give up all this nonsense. Simply surrender unto Me. I will give you all protection.' " But no, that he'll not do.

    Therefore Krsna says, tat ksetram yac ca yadrk. Yadrk means "as it is." We have got different ksetram. I have got this body; you have got another body. No two bodies you'll find equal in every respect. You'll find two bodies... We have got two hands, two legs, two eyes. These are all right, but your eyes are different from my eyes, your arms are different from my arms. This is human society. Then there are other bodies, animal society, bird society, beast society, aquatic society, insect society. There are so many, eight million four hundred thousand species forms of life. They're all living entities. But why they have got different types of bodies? That is explained here. Tat ksetram yac ca yadrk ca.

    Why we have got different bodies? And yadrk ca, how it is working? Yadrk ca. Tat ksetram yac ca yadrk ca yad vikari. How it has transformed in different forms? Yad vikari yatas ca yat, and wherefrom it has come to be so? Sa ca yo yat prabhavah. How, under certain influence, we get this body? There are three kinds of influences, you must always know, material influences.

    Just like the example is given that there is fire and the sparks are dancing, but some of the sparks fall down, from the fire falls down on the ground. So one spark falls on the water, one spark falls on the dry grass, and one spark falls on the wet grass. These are three conditions. So when we fall down from the spiritual world... As part and parcel we are in the spiritual, our position in the spiritual world. But when we fall down within this material world, we fall down in such way; some is fallen down on the water, some is fallen down on the dry grass, some is fallen on the wet grass.

    So dry grass means although he has fallen, he has no material desire. That is sattva-guna. There are men, who... Just like devotees. The devotees are also wandering, moving in Bombay, but they have no such desire to enjoy Bombay. That desire is dried up. They're not walking in the Bombay street for going to the cinema or to the restaurant or to the meathouse or that or that, no. Don't consider they are on the same position like others. There are many persons loitering in the street, but they are different person. They are not in touch with anything of Bombay, material facilities.

    Similarly, there are persons who are via media -- half this side, half that side. And there are persons who are fully in Bombay life. Or Bombay... Any city life. We don't speak only Bombay. Suppose we are in London. We are wandering, traveling in many, many nice cities better than Bombay. What is Bombay? Bombay is nothing in comparison to New York or Chicago or Tokyo. Very, very big, big cities.

    So as we find there are different classes of men, although all of them are in Bombay or any city, similarly, all the living entities, they are not of the same quality. Some of them are in touch with the material modes of goodness, some of them are in touch with the material modes of passion, and some of them are in touch with the material modes of ignorance. So those who are in ignorance, they are just like fallen in the water. As the fire falls on the water, it extinguishes completely. And the dry grass, if a spark of fire falls, taking advantage of the dry grass, the fire ignites. It becomes again fire.

    Similarly, those who are in the modes of goodness, they can easily awaken their Krsna consciousness. Because in the Bhagavad-gita it is said, yesam tv anta-gatam papam. Why people are not coming to this temple? Because the difficulty is some of them are in gross ignorance. Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah [Bg. 7.15]. They cannot come. Those who are simply engaged in sinful activities, they cannot appreciate this Krsna consciousness movement. That is not possible. But it is a chance given to everyone. We are flattering, "Please come here. Please..." This is our business on behalf of Krsna. As Krsna comes personally to teach Bhagavad-gita and ask everyone, sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66], our business is that.

    Therefore Krsna very much appreciates, "Oh, these people are doing on My behalf. I haven't got to go there. They have taken up My business." What we are taking business. We are simply asking people, "Please surrender to Krsna." That's all. Therefore we are very dear. Krsna says, na ca tasman manusyesu kascin me priya-krttamah [Bg. 18.69]. Our business is how to become recognized by Krsna.

    We don't bother whether one is converted or not in Krsna consciousness. Our duty is to flatter, That's all. "My dear sir, please come here, see Krsna's Deity, offer namaskara, take prasada, and go home." But people are not agreeing. Because why? Now, this business cannot be taken up by persons who are full of sinful activities.

    Therefore Krsna says, yesam tv anta-gatam papam. One who has completely finished his sinful activities, yesam tv anta-gatam papam jananam punya-karmanam. Who can become free from sinful activities? One who is engaged always in pious activities. If you are engaged in pious activities always, where is the chance of committing sinful activities? Therefore the most pious activity is to chant Hare Krsna maha-mantra. If you are engaged always, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, if your mind is always engaged in Krsna consciousness, then there is no accommodation for other things to come to your mind. This is the process of Krsna consciousness. As soon as we forget Krsna, maya is there, immediately captured.

    So therefore Krsna says, sa ca yo yat prabhavas ca. That prabhava means according to the modes of material nature. Karanam guna-sango 'sya sad-asad-janma-yonisu. Why one is born in the family of demigod? Why one is born in the family of a hog? Why one is born in the family of a tree or a serpent? There are so many species of life. The only reason is karanam guna-sango 'sya. The living entity, as he associates with the gunas, there are three gunas. Multiply three by three, it becomes nine, and multiply nine by nine, it becomes eighty-one. Therefore there are eighty-four. Eight million four hundred thousand. This is guna.

    Just like color painter. There are three colors only: blue, red and yellow. But an artist can multiply the colors into many types of colors simply by mixing, simply by mixing. Similarly, these three qualities -- sattva-guna, rajo-guna, tamo-guna -- these are the main qualities. Now they are mixed together. Sometimes this portion is greater than the other portion. In this way material nature is the greatest artist. You can see how she has manufactured so many bodies, nice bodies, eight million four hundred thousand.

    So this is due to our association with the particular quality. Now, so long you are in the material world you have to associate with some kind of material qualities but if you engage youself in the devotional service of the Lord then immediately you become transcendental to all these qualities. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gita.

    mam ca (yo) 'vyabhicarena
    bhakti-yogena sevate
    sa gunan samatityaitan
    brahma-bhuyaya kalpate
    [Bg. 14.26]

    Brahma-bhuyaya. Immediately you are situated on the Brahman platform. How? Mam ca vyabhicarena-bhakti-yogena sevate. One who is fully engaged in devotional service, he's no more under these material qualities. Sa gunan samatityaitan. Bahu-vacana. These three qualities, sama, samyak atitya, samatitya. Sama means transmigrating or transcending. Samatityaita etan gunan brahma-bhuyaya kalpate. Because every living entity is by nature Brahman. Brahman means spirit soul. Krsna is the supreme spirit soul, and we are part and parcel of Krsna. Krsna is Parabrahman, we are Brahman. It is very easy to understand. You don't require to become Brahman, you are already Brahman. Simply you have to be purified from non-Brahman. That is material qualities. Then you become Brahman. Therefore it is said, brahma-bhutah prasannatma. Brahma-bhuta [Bg. 18.54] means...

    At the present moment we are now jiva-bhuta. Because we are in this material world, because we have got this material body, our present position is jiva-bhuta. But when we surpass, when we transcend this material concept of life, the bodily concept of life... And that can be done very easily if you engage in the service of Krsna.

    Is it very difficult to be engaged in the service of the Lord? Not at all. Not at all. Why? Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto-mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. You are seeing Krsna here, and you can think of this Krsna always. There is no tax and there is no loss. Suppose if you come to the temple and you get the impression of Radha-Krsna so nice and if you keep within you heart... But that can be kept when you love. Just like if you love somebody, you always keep within your heart the form of your lover. Similarly, if you develop love of Krsna, premanjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santah sadaiva hrdayesu vilokayanti [Bs. 5.38]. If you have actually developed love of Krsna then you'll be able to keep Krsna always within your heart. That Krsna wants. Man-mana: "Always think of Me." Man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [Bg. 18.65].

    So to become devotee is not at all difficult. Without doing anything, if you simply follow this instruction of Krsna, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto... Simply you think of Krsna. Here is Krsna. If you come in the temple, you get impression of Krsna. Krsna is not nirakara. Here is Krsna's akara, dvi-bhuja-murali-dhara. Avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritah [Bg. 9.11].

    The rascals, they think that "They are worshiping a man. Krsna was historical man." No. That is avajananti mam mudhah. They are rascals. Krsna comes to become visible to you so that you can understand what is Krsna. So five thousand years Krsna advented Himself, and He remained just like a human being. He took part in the battle of Kuruksetra. So... He was dancing, He was playing in Vrndavana so that you may be attracted, you can understand what is Krsna. Therefore Krsna came. But we are so unfortunate. Although Krsna comes Himself to show Himself, show His activities, His power, His opulence, His beauty, His message, still, we miss Krsna. This is our misfortune. Why? Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah, mayayapahrta-jnanah [Bg. 7.15]. Although Krsna is present, Krsna is manifesting Himself, but mayayapahrta jnana, maya is so strong that it is taking away our knowledge of Krsna.

    Therefore if you want to get out of these clutches of maya... That is also given by Krsna. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etan taranti te: "Anyone who surrenders unto Me fully, he can get out of the clutches of maya." Then he can be engaged fully in Krsna's service. Then his life becomes successful. Thank you very much. Hare Krsna. (end)

    >>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 13.4 -- Bombay, September 27, 1973
  • Volunteer
    Devotee: "O scion of Bharata, you should also understand that I am also the knower in all bodies and to understand this body and its owner is called knowledge. That is my opinion."

    Prabhupada: So Arjuna inquired from Krsna six things: ksetra, ksetrajna, prakrti, purusa, jnanam, jneyam. What is knowledge and what is the object of knowledge. Jnanam jneyam. Ksetra, field of activities, ksetrajna, the worker on that field, ksetra, ksetrajna, and prakrti, nature, and the purusa. Material nature and purusa means the enjoyer. Six question. Of course Bhagavad-gita is each and every word and letter is full of knowledge. But these six inquiries, if actually can understand the six items, he becomes the perfect knower. That is said by Krsna: yat taj jnanam matam mama. Jnanam means knowledge. So if anyone can understand the six items, then he is in full knowledge.

    Yat taj jnanam matam mama. "You have asked me, Arjuna..." And bhagavan uvaca, and the Supreme Personality of Godhead speaking. Not only speaking, He says, just like a gentleman... Whatever He says is perfect but still He says, "This is My opinion." "This is My opinion." Now my opinion you can take or not take, that is up to you. But who can give better opinion than Krsna? That is another knowledge. Why Krsna? Arjuna is asking Krsna. Because in the beginning he has said that "Nobody can make solution of my problem. You are the best." So following the footsteps of Arjuna, if we accept Krsna's words, not blindly but with good logic, good scientific research, if we actually try to understand what Krsna speaks, then all our problems are solved.

    Now in the previous verse, sri bhagavan uvaca. Vyasadeva could have said "krsna uvaca," Krsna said. No. He has purposefully said "bhagavan." Krsna, you may not like, but He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan, with six opulences. One of the opulence is full knowledge. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah sriyah jnanam. Krsna is complete in knowledge. Sarvajnam. Janmady asya yatah anvayad itaratas carthesv abhijnah [SB 1.1.1]. God means abhijnah. He knows everything. You cannot hide anything from God. That is abhijnah. Vasudeva. Vasudeva sarvam iti sa mahatma sudurlabhah. One who can understand Vasudeva. Sa mahatma sudurlabhah. Such great saintly person is very rare who can understand Krsna.

    Now preliminary understanding. Krsna said in the previous verse that, idam sariram kaunteya ksetram ity abhidhiyate [Bg. 13.2]. Idam sariram, this body is called ksetra, field of activities. Idam sariram kaunteya ksetram ity abhidhiyate etad yo vetti: anyone who understands. [Tam] sa prahuh ksetrajnah iti tad-vidah. He is ksetrajnah or the knower of the... Just like we are sitting in this room. It is very easy. Still the rascals, they cannot understand. We are sitting in this room. So the room, the floor is called ksetra, field. It is also field, a small field. And everyone of us, we know that we are sitting on this floor. Nobody will says that "I am the floor." Will any sane man say that "I am the floor"? Nobody will say. It is common sense. So if you try to understand from this simple example, that I am one identity and this field, that is another identity. So I know that I am sitting on this floor.

    Similarly this body is one identity and I am another identity. So knowledge means when we can understand that it is "my body," not "I body." Not this nonsense. Nobody says, "I body." Everyone says "my body." This is knowledge. But these rascals, these rascals of modern age, they are saying "I body." "I am this body." What you are? "I am this body." What is your interest? "Now anything which is interested with my body." He's not "I body," still he's interested with everything with this bodily relation. There are thousands of girls, women, but a particular woman with whom I have got my bodily relation, that is my wife. That is mine. And combination, the child comes out, "my child." In this way, "my house," "my property," "my body," "my relative," "my friend," "my brother," "my nation," my, my, my, my. But the rascal does not understand that the beginning of "my" philosophy has begun from this body, which I am not.

    This is knowledge. This is called brahma-jnana. If anyone understands the simple thing, that "I am not this body..." But education is given, "No, I am this body." This nationalism, this nationalism also the same mistake, but they are fighting so much. Great, great, big, big men. In this country, Napoleon fought. In Germany, Hitler fought. And so many others, in our country Gandhi fought. But he is in ignorance. All these big big leaders, they are ignorance, andha, blind. Blind. They do not know that he is not this body and neither this land belongs to him. But they fight. The whole history of the world means this mistaken idea. "I" and "mine."

    Therefore Krsna says, yat taj jnanam. Ksetra-ksetrajnayor yat taj-jnanam matam mama. Krsna is giving, that one should know what he is and one should know what is his body, then he is in knowledge. The matter cannot understand this. The dogs, cats, cannot understand this. But a human being can understand this. Bhagavad-gita is meant for the human being, not for the cats and dogs. Therefore, the human society should take care of this knowledge. Then his life will be successful.

    So it is very simple thing, that ksetra... As I have given the example, that I am sitting on this floor. The floor is different identity from me. No sane man will say that "I am this floor." Or "I am this room." Nobody will say. It is my room, my floor. Similarly this body, we say "my." My finger, my head, my leg. Nobody says that "I leg, I finger, I head." No. This is knowledge. Don't identify yourself with this body. This is knowledge.

    This is beginning of spiritual life. The cats and dogs, they cannot understand. The cat cannot understand that he's not body. The dog cannot understand that he is not body. It is the human being who can understand. So if in the human life one does not try to understand this simple knowledge, then he remains like cats or dogs. He's no better than cats and dogs.

    This is one point: that I am not this body, I am not this material world. I am a spiritual identity, part and parcel of God. Qualitatively we are one. As God is spirit, so I am also spirit. But His body is very big, gigantic, the universal body, which Krsna showed to Arjuna, the virata-rupa. But my body is not gigantic. It is small. Maybe we call the elephant's body gigantic or similar other animal's body, but still God's body is still more gigantic. You cannot compare. Eleventh chapter of the Bhagavad-gita you'll know how gigantic body has Krsna. So as I have got this body but my spiritual identity is very small, if we study in this way, it is very easy to understand what is God, what I am, what is this world. Just like I am not this body, I am within the body. Dehino 'smin yatha dehe [Bg. 2.13]. I am the proprietor of the body.

    But what is my magnitude? Kesagra-sata-bhagasya satadha kalpitasya ca [Cc. Madya 19.140]. You just take the top of the hair and divide it into ten thousand parts. That one part is your identity. So in these material ideas, we cannot understand that such a small particle, smaller than the atom, has got so power. Therefore, because it is so small, these so-called rascal scientists, they cannot find it, where it is; therefore say, "There is no soul." The rascals will not admit their inefficiency to know and still they will say, "no soul." And if there is no soul, then how it is working? They have no even common sense.

    Similarly, as I am very small, smaller than the atom, and I am living within this body and my body is working so nicely. My brain is working so nicely. Similarly, Krsna is also, according to our conception, Krsna is person, individual, but He has got a very gigantic body. This is the material world, material expression. That is expressed in the next verse: ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi. I am also ksetrajnam. As you are knower of your body, the bodily pains and pleasure you know, I know. I do not know your bodily pains and pleasures. Neither you know my bodily pains and pleasure. But Krsna says that ksetrajna, ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi: "I am also ksetrajnam," means "I also know the field."

    So how He knows? Sarva-ksetresu bharata. Sarva-ksetresu. He is within every body. He knows what is the ant is doing. He knows what Brahma is doing. He knows what you are doing. He knows what I am doing. Vedaham samatitani. Krsna says in another place, "I know everything." Just like, it is very easy to understand. Just like, you know everything -- not everything -- at least eighty percent you know what is going on in your body. You do not know everything.

    If I know everything then why should I go to a physician when there is something wrong in my body. I do not know. I am eating, but I do not know how the eatables are being digested within the stomach, and they are being divided into different secretion. The rejected part is becoming stool and urine, and the other parts, they're becoming blood, and the blood is distributed all over the body, through the veins. How the veins are, what do we know? Although I am claiming my body. But I do not know everything, what is going on in my body, in my brain. The brains are made of so fine tissues. What do you know?

    But Krsna is not like that. Krsna knows everything in detail. Anvayad itaratas ca arthesv abhijnah. Throughout the whole universe, throughout the whole creation, in any corner, in any place, whatever is going on, Krsna knows. That is the difference between Krsna and myself. I do not know even what is going on within my body. And still I am claiming I am God. How rascal. Just see, imagine. God's one opulence is that is full knowledge. Aisvaryasya samagrasya viryasya yasasah sriyah jnanam. This rascal god, so-called god, you ask him, "Can you say what I am feeling now or what are my pains and pleasures?" Can he say? And still he's claiming God. But Krsna says, ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata. "I am in every, every body." I am also within this body and Krsna is also within this body. Krsna... As you are within your body, similarly Krsna is also within your body.

    So myself, I am called atma. And Krsna is called Paramatma. Therefore there are two words: Paramatma and atma. Atma is also individual. Paramatma is also individual. But because both of us, we are knower, ksetrajnam [vibha(?)], the living entity is ksetrajnam, he has got knowledge. And Krsna says ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi. "I am also knower." Both of them, we are knower. We have got knowledge. My knowledge may be limited. Krsna's knowledge unlimited, complete. But both of us, we are knower. We can understand. We can know. Therefore, we are called ksetrajna. But the difference is Krsna knows everything all over the creation, I even do not know what is going on in my body. That is the difference.

    So how one can become God? Rascal. How one can become God. That is not possible. God knows everything. If one knows everything, then you can accept him as God. Otherwise, don't accept. As soon as somebody says, "I am God," kick him on his face. "Yes, you are God, I am God. I am the kicking God." (laughter) That should be the answer. "I am the shoe-beater God. Now you protect yourself if you are God." Don't accept this false God.

    Krsna, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. Krsnas tu bhagavan svayam. That is the verdict all... Just like Vyasadeva, the giver of the Vedic knowledge, he says, bhagavan uvaca: God says. So we have to follow that. So ksetrajnam capi mam viddhi sarva-ksetresu bharata. (aside:) Don't do that.

    And this perception, ksetra-ksetrajnayor jnanam. If we can understand what is ksetra and what is ksetrajnam. Ksetra means field of activities. There are field of activities in so many ways. Not only of this body; body, mind, intelligence. They are all ksetra. I am living entity, I am working with them. Similarly, I am working outside also. Not within, not outside.

    I am running my ca... That is also ksetra. The world is ksetra. The car is ksetra. But the doer, the driver, is ksetrajnam. That knowledge is lacking. A child may think that the airplane, big airplane, 747 is running. No, it is not running automatically. There is a pilot -- ksetrajnam. He knows the machine, how to work on it. Everywhere. You study. There is ksetra and ksetrajnam. So Krsna says ksetra-ksetrajnayor jnanam. One who knows how this ksetra and ksetrajnam is working... Not only in individual body, in gigantic body, in everything.

    There are two things: ksetra and ksetrajnam. If one knows this secret of knowledge, that means he is in perfect knowledge. Taj-jnanam. That is jnanam. Not that a big professor says that after the finishing of this body, everything is finished. He's a rascal. He's identifying... Everyone is identifying, just like cats and dogs, with this body. The body is ksetra. Body is not the person. A child in ignorance may say that this fine, nice motor car is running automatically. But it is not running automatically. There is a driver. He does not know it. Similarly, the whole universal activities is going on. Don't think it is going on automatically. No, that is foolish knowledge, that nature is working automatically. No. There is ksetrajnam, Krsna. Sarva-ksetresu bharata. Everywhere Krsna is working.

    In another place it is said: mayadhyaksena [Bg. 9.10]. He is not working like foolish man. He is working as the superintendent. Every detail he's taking account, how you are doing. That is said in the Bhagavad-gita: maya-adhyaksena. Krsna says "You do this." Immediately, nature will do that. Krsna says, "You do this." Immediately... Not only nature, we are also doing under Krsna's direction. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, fifteenth chapter: sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto [Bg. 15.15]. "I am sitting in everyone's heart." Here also, the same thing. Sarva ksetresu. Not only I am sitting, but Krsna is also sitting. So Krsna is sanctioning. Krsna is giving permission. Then I am doing. I cannot alone do it.

    So Krsna is always ready to give you direction. He's there for direction. But unfortunately we do not obey Him. That is our material disease. If we obey Krsna, if we act according to Krsna, then there is no problem. Because Krsna cannot be mistaken. I am imperfect, I can be mistaken. But Krsna cannot be mistaken. Therefore, if we act according to the direction of Krsna, then our life is successful. And to give you direction, Krsna is sitting within your heart, side by side. As I am sitting, you are sitting within this heart, the soul is within the heart.

    Therefore when the soul goes away, these rascals says, "heart failure." Not heart failure, the soul has gone from the heart. Heart is also mechanical thing, but the sitting place of the soul is there. So heart failure means the soul has gone from the heart. Sarvasya caham hrdi -- hrdi means heart. The location also being specified -- here is soul and Supersoul. Find out, if you have got such scientific method. But they cannot find it out. Therefore, the rascals say there is no God, there is no soul, simply this lump of matter, that's all.

    So anyone who thinks like that, he's described as go-khara. Go-khara means, go means cows and khara means asses. Those who are identifying with this body as the self... Yasyatma buddhi-kunape tri-dhatuke. Kunape. This body is a bag of bones and flesh with urine and stool and blood and so many other things. But if you are scientist, advanced, then I can supply you immense bones, immense blood, immense urine, immense stool, manufacture one body if you are scientist. I give you ingredients. Immense, any quantity. But you just manufacture one ant. And still you are thinking that "science, science." You cannot do anything.

    Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah [Bg. 3.27]. Everything is done by prakrti under the direction of Krsna. This is the position. So there are so many thing. If you have got little brain, try to understand. Then knowledge is perfect. Even by studying, simply by studying these two or three lines in this thirteenth chapter, you can become a perfect knower. And if you follow Krsna's instruction... He is giving you instruction. He's ready to give you instruction. From inside and outside also. Inside He's sitting. He's ready to give you instructions. Sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto [Bg. 15.15]. "I am sitting in everyone's heart."

    Mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca: "From Me, one remembers, one forgets." When you forget something, that is also Krsna's trick. Because... Just like there are some persons who are devotees and some persons who are demons. So if anyone wants to become a demons, Krsna is within. He'll give him intelligence in such a way that he becomes a first-class demon. What is the duty of the first-class demon? That he'll never understand Krsna. (laughter) That is first-class demon. And if you want to hear Krsna, then he will give you such instruction as you will be relieved from this miserable condition of material life and go back to home, back to Godhead. He's ready. But He does not speak generally, to the nondevotee. If you become a devotee, pure devotee, without any motive, then Krsna is sitting within your heart. He says: tesam satata-yuktanam bhajatam priti-purvakam [Bg. 10.10]. "Persons who are twenty-four hours engaged in My service with love and faith," buddhi-yogam dadami tam: "I give him such intelligence by which he can come back to home, back to Godhead." He'll give you. Because He knows. But if you don't like to take His instruction, then He gives instruction to the material nature to get you all right.

    And what is the main business of material nature? Just to beat you with shoes. That is nature. Therefore we are suffering in this material world. Because we have taken shelter of the material nature. Sada samudvigna-dhiyam asad-grahat. We have taken shelter of this material nature; therefore, we are full of anxieties and full of miserable condition of life. This is the position. So long you'll be under the control of the -- you are under the control. You cannot be independent. You rascal, don't think that ever you shall be independent. Your position is to remain dependent. If you don't depend on Krsna, then you have to depend on the material nature, that's all. You cannot become independent. That is not possible.

    So these people, these rascals, they are trying to become independent. They are therefore thinking... One of our student has written, "theomania", "theomania." Therefore, one... Because he cannot become independent artificially he thinks, "Now let me become God, then I'll become..." But artificial thinking God will help you -- no. If you artificially think that, "This bank, this big bank belongs to me." So you can think like that, but does the bank belong to you? So these Mayavadi philosophers are like, They meditate, "I am God, I am God, I am moving the world, I am moving the universe." They say like that. But actually does he do so? No. This is false thinking.

    Real thinking is that I am also individual soul. Krsna is also individual, but He is Supersoul, Supreme. I am also person, He is also person, but the Supreme Person. What is the difference between me and Him? I am also person, that's all right, but He is Supreme Person. That is explained in the Vedas, that eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. For providing myself, my body and soul together, I have to, work so much. But Krsna, He is providing millions and trillions of living entities without any endeavor. He is...

    In Africa, there are millions of elephants. Krsna is supplying food, yes. There are gorillas, Krsna is supplying food. Why you are anxious for a morsel of bread? Will not supply Krsna? He's perfect, He can supply huge quantity of food to the elephant and a particular type of food to the gorillas. You know? We have read in a book that in Africa where the gorillas live, there are trees. The fruits of that tree, harder than the bullet, It is so hard. And the gorillas take those fruits and chews like peanuts. (laughter) Yes, Krsna has given them. Krsna's living entity. He's also living entity. He has got this body like a gorilla. So Krsna: Eko yo bahunam vidadhati kaman. He supplies food for everyone. All the, not only food, all the necessities. Every life, the necessity.

    What is that necessities? We require food, we require shelter, we require sex, we require defense. Krsna provides. Krsna provides. Even birds and beasts life. In every birds and beast there are so many children, both male and female. With the birth, they are supplied. Because there is no marriage, there is no seeking out but with the birth of a bird and beast there is another male and female. And so far food is concerned, everyone is getting. Shelter is concerned, everyone is getting. So food, shelter, sex, and defense. The defense. The birds and beasts they have got their defensing means. Even a small bird, even a small ant, he has got his defensing measures, six legs. And the birds, they have got their nails. And the tiger has got jaws, or the cats and -- everyone has got defensive. You may have atom bomb, but it is defense. It is not intelligence.

    Four things are already supplied you require to keep your body fit. That is supplied by God, by Krsna. He has given everyone. So why you are bothering? You are human being, you have got so much nice brain, civilized. Why you are so much busy for these four things? If God has supplied these four things to the animals, beasts, birds, is He very miserly that He'll not supply to the human being? No. There is food, You have got your particular type of teeth for eating fruits, flowers, grains. You haven't got canine teeth. Why you should eat meat? This is not your food.

    So in this way we have to acquire knowledge. Not like blind men. But unfortunately we prefer to become a servant of a blind leader instead of Krsna. This is our disease. We shall serve. I asked this question to Professor Kotovsky, that "Your communist philosophy and our Krsna consciousness, where is the difference? You have selected your leader and you have sold yourself to the orders of Lenin. And we have also bowed down to Krsna and we have sold ourselves to Krsna. So on principle, where is the difference?" There is no difference. You have to select one leader. We have also selected one. Now if the leader is perfect, then my life is perfect. If the leader is wrong, then your life is wrong. So he could not answer this.

    The principle is there. You have to select one leader and you have to act by his order. That is, that is our nature. Because Caitanya Mahaprabhu says: jivera svarupa haya nitya-krsna-dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. Every living entity is eternal servant of Krsna. When he forgets Krsna he becomes servant of maya. That is our position. We have to serve. Therefore self-realization means to understand oneself that "I am dependent on Krsna. I am eternal servant of Krsna, let me engage myself to the service of the Lord." That is perfection of knowledge. Thank you very much. (end)

    >>> Ref. VedaBase => Bhagavad-gita 13.3 -- Paris, August 11, 1973
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