once be served by the great reservoirs of water. Similarly, all the
purposes of the Vedas can be served to one who knows the purpose
behind them." [Bg. 2.46]
Prabhupada: Now try to understand this. The long-standing system in
India in the villages... India is originally village life. City life
very few. Perhaps there was only big city, New Delhi now. In those
days Hastinapura, and next to that was Dvaraka. So very big city, they
were only two or three. Mostly people used to live in villages. Still
ninety percent population of India is in the village. So in the
village, the system is they have different kinds of wells. One well is
meant for taking bath, one well is meant for washing clothes, one well
is meant for taking drinking water, one well is meant for washing
dishes. So in this way, in the villages there shall be half a dozen
wells. So here the example is given, just like one can take service
from a particular type of well for a particular purpose, but if he
goes to the river, ever-flowing river, then he can take his bath
there, he can wash clothes, he can wash dishes, he can everything. All
water purposes will be served in one river. Because the water is
flowing there. There is no contamination. Any water which is always
flowing, there cannot be any contamination. A stagnant water which is
not flowing, there may be contamination. Therefore the restriction is
that you should take bath in this well, you wash your clothings in
this well. So small wells, they are restricted for a certain purpose,
but in the river, there is no restriction. Everything can be done
there.
So Bhagavad-gita... You'll find in the Fifteenth Chapter. The Lord
says, vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]. The purpose of
all scriptures and Vedas is to know Krsna or God. And the Upanisad
says, kasmin tu bhagavo vijnate sarvam idam vijnatam bhavati. If you
simply understand the Supreme Absolute, then you understand
everything. So this Krsna consciousness means it includes everything.
The karmis' activities, fruitive actions, the jnanis', philosophers'
speculation, the yogis' mystic power, and bhaktas', devotees' worship
of the Lord -- everything is included. Just like if you have got a
millions of dollar, then ten dollar is there, five dollar is there,
twenty dollar is there, everything is there. So if you take to Krsna
consciousness, then you take all kinds of... All the well, all the
purpose of different type of well is served in the river of Krsna
consciousness. That example is said. It includes everything. Just like
Krsna consciousness, we are... Take practical example. We are Krsna
conscious. Now take any religion and take their highest conclusion --
it is there in Krsna consciousness. Take for example Buddhism. They
say nonviolence. Oh, we are nonviolent. Christianism, love of God. Oh,
we are simply meant for loving God. Mohammedan, servant of God, to
render service to the Lord. Oh, we are twenty-four hours engaged in
the service of the Lord. Yogis -- samadhi, always in samadhi, absorbed
in the thought of the Supreme. We are always absorbed in the thought
of Krsna. So take any religion, any process, any well. This river,
Krsna consciousness, will overflood everyone. There cannot be any
comparison. What is there? How much water is there in the well? In the
river, unlimited. Thousands of wells can be merged into the river.
This example is given.
Kasmin tu bhagavo vijnate sarvam idam vijnatam bhavati. If you know
Krsna, you know everything. You know science, you know mathematics,
you know philosophy, you know geography, everything. There is no dirth
of knowledge. Don't think that a Krsna conscious person actually, he
can be a foolish man. No. That is given guarantee in the
Bhagavad-gita,
tesam evanukampartham
aham ajnana-jam tamah
nasayamy atma-bhava-stho
jnana-dipena bhasvata
[Bg. 10.11]
A devotee who is always in Krsna consciousness, for him there is
nothing unknown. He knows everything. Just like we can give
information of the whole creation. Not only of this material world, of
the spiritual world. Clear conception. Where is where, what is what,
everything. That is Krsna consciousness. The more you make progress,
then you fully, I mean to say, conversant with all departmental
knowledge. Everything is completed.
Srila Prabhupada Lecture :: 68/12/16 London, Bhagavad-gita 2.46-62
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