Bhagavad-gītā 7.16

Prabhupāda:

...śrī-gurave namaḥ

śrī-caitanya-mano-'bhīṣṭaṁ sthāpitaṁ yena bhū-tale svayaṁ rūpaḥ kadā mahyaṁ dadāti sva-padāntikam

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

vande 'haṁ śrī-guroḥ śrī-yuta-pada-kamalaṁ śrī-gurūn vaiṣṅavāṁś ca śrī-rūpaṁ sāgrajātaṁ saha-gaṅa-raghunāthānvitaṁ taṁ sa-jīvam sādvaitaṁ sāvadhūtaṁ parijana-sahitaṁ kṛṣṅa-caitanya-devaṁ śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṅa-pādān saha-gaṅa-lalitā-śrī-viśākhānvitāṁś ca

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

he kṛṣṅa karuṅā-sindho dīna-bandho jagat-pate gopeśa gopikā-kānta rādhā-kānta namo 'stu te

[O my dear Kṛṣṅa, ocean of mercy, You are the friend of the distressed and the source of creation. You are the master of the cowherd men and the lover of the gopīs, especially Rādhārāṅī. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.]

tapta-kāñcana-gaurāṅgi rādhe vṛndāvaneśvari vṛṣabhānu-sute devi praṅamāmi hari-priye

[I offer my respects to Rādhārāṅī, whose bodily complexion is like molten gold and who is the Queen of Vṛndāvana. You are the daughter of King Vṛṣabhānu, and You are very dear to Lord Kṛṣṅa.]

vāñchā-kalpatarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṅavebhyo namo namaḥ

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

śrī-kṛṣṅa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

[I offer my obeisances to Śrī Kṛṣṅa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa and all others in the line of devotion.]

hare kṛṣṅa hare kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa hare hare hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

[My dear Lord, and the spiritual energy of the Lord, kindly engage me in Your service. I am now embarrassed with this material service. Please engage me in Your service.]

[01:54]

Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you very much for your coming here and participating in this great movement of Kṛṣṅa consciousness.

So we have been discussing yesterday that na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ [Bg 7.15].

[Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons, do not surrender unto Me.]

So miscreant, sinful life, cannot help us in making progress. That we have repeatedly discussed, that we have to refrain from sinful activities. As we have stated several times, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpam.

So the pillars of sinful life are four. They are, according to śāstra, that striya-sūnā-pāna-dyūta yatra pāpāś catur-vidhā [SB 1.17.38].

[Sūta Gosvāmī said: Mahārāja Parīkṣit, thus being petitioned by the personality of Kali, gave him permission to reside in places where gambling, drinking, prostitution and animal slaughter were performed.]

Four kinds of sinful activities, they are considered the pillars of sinful life. What is that? Illicit sex life. In the human society, anywhere, everywhere, there is a system, civilized method of system, of sex life, which is called married life. This married life is just like a license for sex life.

In the śāstra it is said, loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā nityā hi jantor na hi tatra codanā [SB 11.5.11]. Those who are conditioned souls, this eating, sleeping, mating, these are the necessities of the body. In the spiritual world, these three things..., four things, are conspicuous by absence. There is no necessity of eating there, no sleeping, no mating, no defense. That is spiritual life.

So in order to advance in spiritual life, we have to voluntarily decrease these demands of the body. That is called tapasya. In our country especially, many great saintly persons, sages, even kings, voluntarily they would give up these demands of the body, not that artificially increasing these demands of the body. That will not help us in spiritual life.

So this strī-saṅga, or association with woman, that is a demand of the body. Loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā. Āmiṣa means nonvegetarian food. Eating flesh, fish, eggs, these are called āmiṣa. And madya means wine, liquor. So all the conditioned souls, they have got a natural inclination for sex life, intoxication, and eating fish, eat... They have got a natural inclination. Even ants, they have got all these inclinations. Expert psychologists and medical men, they have studied that even the ant, it has got also the same propensities. Loke vyavāyāmiṣa-madya-sevā.

So when there is legalized, or marriage under religious principle, it is to be understood a sort of concession. In the Purāṅas... There are tāmasika-purāṅas where it is recommended that if you want to eat flesh, then you can get a goat and sacrifice before Goddess Kālī, and you can eat that. The purpose is that if a conditioned soul has got the natural tendencies, then why they are mentioned in the śāstras?

The idea is... Just like Lord Buddha. Lord Buddha, his mission was to stop animal killing. Ahiṁsā paramo dharmaḥ. Lord Buddha appeared, being compassionate with the poor animals. Sadaya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātam. There is a description of Lord Buddha's activities by a Vaiṣṅava poet, Jayadeva Gosvāmī. He says, praying to Lord Buddha,

nindasi yajña-vidher ahaha śruti-jātaṁ sadaya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātam keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare [Śrī Daśāvatāra-stotra 9]

Lord Buddha appeared to stop this animal killing. But because in the Purāṅas there are sometimes regulative principle of killing animal, therefore he had to deny the authority of Vedas, because those who are after killing animals, they will find some clue that "Here in the Vedas the animal killing is sometimes recommended." But that animal killing is not a, I mean to say, instigation that "You go on killing animals."

You can understand by a nice example: Just like the government opens liquor shop. It does not mean the government is encouraging to drink liquor. It is not like that. The idea is that if government does not allow some drunkards to drink, they will create havoc. They will distill illicit distillation of liquor. To check them, the government opens liquor shop with very, very great, high price. The cost... If the cost is one rupee, government excise department charges sixty rupees.

So the idea is not to encourage, but to restrict. The idea is prohibition, at least in our country. Similarly, when there is allowance for sex life or meat-eating or drinking in the śāstras, they are not meant for instigating that "You go on with this business as much as you can." No. Actually they are meant for restriction.

Therefore, for spiritual advancement of life, one has to know these basical knowledge, how we have to lead our life in order to make advancement in Kṛṣṅa consciousness. We have therefore these restrictions, that nobody can have illicit sex life; nobody can eat meat and fish or eggs, like that; nobody can touch any kinds of intoxication, including smoking cigarettes and drinking tea—they are also intoxicants; and nobody can indulge in gambling. So these things are necessary.

Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna [Bg 7.16].

[O best among the Bhāratas [Arjuna], four kinds of pious men render devotional service unto Me—the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute.]

Sukṛti. Sukṛti means those who are living pious life, and these are the basic principles of living pious life: no illicit sex life... Sex life is required, but there is already in the śāstra a license: "You can have sex life with your religiously married wife. Not otherwise." Actually, married sex life is not required, but it is just like license. The same thing, that there is no necessity of drinking wine, but those who are habituated, those who want to drink, for them, government opens, under so many restrictions, a liquor shop. The śāstra also gives us this license.

The Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana, they were ideal saintly persons. About them it is said, nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau. They conquered over the necessities of this body, which is called viṣaya. Conquering over sleeping, conquering over sex life and conquering over eating, these things are required. Pious life means gradually decreasing the unnecessarily bodily demands. That is pious life. That is the sum and substance. Because Kṛṣṅa says here that catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtinaḥ: "Those who are living pious life." And those who are not living pious lives, they are called duṣkṛtina, sinful life.

So by indulging in sinful life it is not possible to understand Kṛṣṅa. That is Kṛṣṅa also says in various places in the Bhagavad-gītā. I have repeatedly informed you, yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam. One who is completely freed from all sinful life... Janānāṁ puṅya-karmaṅām. This is puṅya-karma, not to indulge in illicit sex life, not to indulge in nonvegetarian diet, not to indulge in gambling and not to indulge in intoxicants.

So catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna ārto arthārthī jñānī jijñāsuḥ. Four kinds of men who are actually leading pious life, such persons... [applause] Hare Kṛṣṅa. Such persons, when they are distressed... Ārta means distressed. We have got so many distresses in this material life: tri-tāpa—three kinds of distresses—pertaining to the body, pertaining to the mind, distresses offered by other living entities. Adhibhautika, adhyātmika, adhidaivika. We are always in distress; that is a fact. But there is a covering influence of māyā that even in distressed condition, we think that we are happy. That is covering influence of māyā.

So ārto arthārthī. Arthārthī. Ārta and arthārthī, these two qualities are alleged to belong to the gṛhasthas. And jñānī or jijñāsuḥ, these qualities are supposed to be belonging to the tyāgīs. The bhogīs... The gṛhasthas are called bhogīs, and the tyāgīs are brahmacārīs and sannyāsīs.

So jñānī, when he makes searching after God, there is no question of being put into distressed condition or in need of money. They are searching after God for God's sake, what is the nature of God. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. They are inquiring, inquisitive about Brahman, what is the nature of Brahman. They are called jñānī. And jijñāsuḥ, they are also within the category of the jñānīs.

So the jñānīs and the jijñāsuḥ, inquisitive, they are better than the ārta and the arthārthī. Ārta means distress, and arthārthī means those who are in need of money. So even being ārta or even being distressed and in need of money, we approach Kṛṣṅa... Kṛṣṅa says mām. Not any other demigods. Catur-vidhā bhajante mām. Mām means, Kṛṣṅa says, mām means Kṛṣṅa.

So four kinds of men, those who are leading pious life, sukṛtino 'rjuna... Because they have no other alternative than to approach God for mitigating their distress. Actually, our inventions for so many distressed mitigating instruments... Just like medicine, take for example. When a man is diseased, generally the counterpart is physician and good medicine. But śāstra says that actually they are not counteracting agents, because it is found that a man suffering from certain type of disease, although attended by the first-class physician and although offered first-class medicine, he dies. Why? Because there is no sanction of the Supreme Lord.

So our counteracting method, even though they are very efficient, still, unless it is sanctioned by Kṛṣṅa and God, they will not be effective. There are many such examples. Some years ago, perhaps you know, in America, they started one very strong and stout ship. It was known... I think it was named Titanic. So it was guaranteed that it will never be drowned; it is so well-looking. And all the important men of America started in that ship for the first time, and after few miles immediately it was drowned. So in spite of all scientific protection, in spite of all good brains behind the manufacture of this Titanic ship, it was drowned.

So in this way we have to study that this ārta and arthārthī, because they are..., their background is sukṛtina, pious activities, they know that without God's help we cannot mitigate any of our distressed condition or needy condition. Therefore the ārta and arthārthī whose background is pious life, they approach God: "Kṛṣṅa, please help me," although it is not pure devotion.

Pure devotion is without any desire for material benefits. Just like it is enjoined in the śāstras, samyak śubha-kriyā matiḥ pramāṅam. The chanting of Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra should not be taken as a mitigating agent for our distressed condition. No pure devotee will desire for any material benefit by worshiping Kṛṣṅa or chanting His holy name. That is also considered as one of the offenses of ten kinds of offense. Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ [Padma Purāṅa, Brahma-kaṅḍha 25.16].

[To think that the Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra can counteract all sinful reactions and one may therefore go on with his sinful activities and at the same time chant the Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra to neutralize them is the greatest offense at the lotus feet of Hari-nāma.]

But in spite... Even they are not pure devotees... Purity of devotion, it takes time. But still, in the śāstra it is recommended that even if you have some material desires... Akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ [SB 2.3.10].

[A person who has broader intelligence, whether he be full of all material desire, without any material desire, or desiring liberation, must by all means worship the supreme whole, the Personality of Godhead.]

Akāma and sarva-kāma. Sarva-kāma, those who are ārtas, always in distressed condition, or mokṣa-kāma... Mokṣa-kāma means those who are desiring after liberation. They are also demanding something. Those who are mokṣa-kāmī, they are also demanding something. The siddhi-kāmīs, they are also demanding something. But pure devotee does not demand anything. That is purity.

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam ānukūlyena kṛṣṅānu- śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11]

[One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṅa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service.]

That sample of pure devotion is found in Vṛndāvana amongst the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana. And Kṛṣṅa was present, He was demonstrating His transcendental pastimes of Vṛndāvana. These gopīs and the cowherds boys, they were the best examples of becoming pure devotees.

So Kṛṣṅa says that catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna. So Arjuna also said, paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān [Bg 10.12].

[Arjuna said: You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the eternal divine person. You are the primal God, transcendental and original, and You are the unborn and all-pervading beauty. All the great sages such as Nārada, Asita, Devala, and Vyāsa proclaim this of You, and now You Yourself are declaring it to me.]

When Arjuna understood the Bhagavad-gītā, he understood Kṛṣṅa also. And he said, "Kṛṣṅa, You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma. "You are the supreme shelter," paraṁ dhāma. Pavitram. This word is there, pavitra.

So without being pavitra, without being pious, without being free from contamination of material activities, nobody can approach Kṛṣṅa. That's a fact. But Kṛṣṅa is so kind that He orders that "Even if you have got some kāmanam, some desire, material desire, still, you can take shelter upon Me." Sarva-dharmān parityajya [Bg 18.66].

[Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.]

"You do not take shelter of anything else. Simply depend on Me." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja. "You haven't got to depend on anything else. I will give you protection."

So we have to take faith in the words of Kṛṣṅa and pitch[?] our complete faith and devotion at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṅa. That will make us happy and make progress in Kṛṣṅa consciousness in order to achieve the highest goal of life, back to Godhead, back to home. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama [Bg 15.6].

So this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement purely based on the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā. It is not a manufactured thing. As you are hearing for so many days, our basic principle is the Bhagavad-gītā. It is not that we have manufactured something, as there are so many manufactured processes. So if we actually take Kṛṣṅa consciousness seriously, as it is assured in the Bhagavad-gītā by the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṅa, we are sure to achieve the result, without any doubt. Kṛṣṅa assures, mā śucaḥ: "Don't be doubtful. Simply surrender unto Me. I shall take care of you."

The whole Bhagavad-gītā is taught in that way. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru [Bg 18.65].

[Always think of Me and become My devotee. Worship Me and offer your homage unto Me. Thus you will come to Me without fail. I promise you this because you are My very dear friend.]

Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te [Bg 7.14].

[This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.]

Ahaṁ eva sarva-yajñānāṁ bhoktā ca prabhur eva ca [Bg 9.24].

[I am the only enjoyer and the only object of sacrifice. Those who do not recognize My true transcendental nature fall down.]

In this way, in Bhagavad-gītā we'll find Kṛṣṅa is the Supreme Lord; Kṛṣṅa is the Absolute Personality of Godhead. So His instructions are there.

So our request on behalf of this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement, that from... Of course, as far as possible, we have tried to convince you during this eight-days' function, but if you also cooperate with us, taj-joṣaṅād āśv apavarga-vartmani [SB 3.25.25], then the result will be very quick. Simply if you go back home, hearing all these instructions of Kṛṣṅa, that will not help.

Of course, any sane man will think over this. That is recommended in the śāstras. Through good association, by hearing from the devotees, one becomes purified, one becomes thoughtful about Kṛṣṅa. But he practically applies in his life the instruction of Kṛṣṅa, then he makes progress in spiritual life or towards the ultimate goal of life, to go back to home, back to Godhead.

It is not a fiction, that there is no planet as Kṛṣṅaloka. No. There is. From Bhagavad-gītā you have understood. There is another nature. Besides this material nature, there is another nature, which is called sanātana-dhāma. Paras tasmāt tu bhāvo 'nyaḥ [Bg 8.20]. And there are innumerable planets, they are called Vaikuṅṭhalokas, as much as there are innumerable planets within this material world.

So these are all facts. If you believe śāstra, if you have got faith in the śāstra, then you have to take this path of Kṛṣṅa consciousness in order to transfer yourself to the spiritual world. There is a spiritual world. Because we are spirit soul, without being transferred to the spiritual world we cannot have real happiness or real enjoyment. That is a fact.

All these informations are there very explicitly. You do not try to understand Bhagavad-gītā by malinterpretation or mal-, I mean to say, commentary. Try to understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, and you will benefit. That is our request. Of course, we are finishing this ceremony today here, but if opportunity is there, we can continue the study of Bhagavad-gītā as it is, and if Kṛṣṅa gives us opportunity, we shall try to serve you again, more and more.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṅa. [applause] [end]