Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.2.10

Prabhupāda: Somebody is talking...

kāmasya nendriya-prītir lābho jīveta yāvatā jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā nārtho yaś ceha karmabhiḥ [SB 1.2.10]

[Life's desires should never be directed toward sense gratification. One should desire only a healthy life, or self-preservation, since a human being is meant for inquiry about the Absolute Truth. Nothing else should be the goal of one's works.]

This verse we have been discussing for the last few days, it is very important, especially for the modern civilized man, that they're after simply sense gratification, inventing so many things simply for sense gratification.

So Rūpa Gosvāmī says that sense gratification is required, but not simply we shall devote our life for sense gratification. There is another business. Kāmasya na indriya-prītir, lusty sense gratification, not for, there is demand. The sense demands some satisfaction, but not for..., for the sake of sense gratification. Just like sex life. Sex life, there is demand, but that should be utilized for begetting nice children, not for sense gratification. Dharma viruddha kāmaś ca aham asmi, Kṛṣṅa says in the Bhagavad-gītā. "Sense gratification which is not against the religious principle, that is I am."

Sense gratification is there, is also. Just like the Rādhā-Kṛṣṅa. That is cin-māyā. Cini means home[?]; mithuna means dual, couple, the spiritual couple. Similarly here also, the same spiritual our duties are there, but because it is covered by this material body, it is perverted. So, just like when you are diseased, we cannot enjoy life; that is forbidden. If one is suffering from tuberculosis, and if he wants to enjoy sex life, that means he is bringing death. Similarly, in this material condition of life if we want to aggravate our sense gratification process, then we invite very from..., very quickly death. Death means, spiritual death, to become more and more entangled in material things.

Therefore Bhāgavata says, Sūta Goswami says, that this life, human life, or the purpose of the Vedic civilization, they are not meant for kāmasya nendriya-prītir [SB 1.2.10].

[Life's desires should never be directed toward sense gratification. One should desire only a healthy life, or self-preservation, since a human being is meant for inquiry about the Absolute Truth. Nothing else should be the goal of one's works.]

Kāma, that should be utilized for better purpose, not for sense gratification. The real business is jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Life should be engaged simply for tattva-jijñāsā, to understand the Absolute Truth.

The whole Vedic literature, Vedic knowledge, is meant for understanding the Absolute Truth. Kṛṣṅa says, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam [Bg 15.15].

[I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas am I to be known; indeed I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.]

The purpose of studying Veda means to understand Kṛṣṅa. And vedānta-vit. Because people are very much proud, especially Māyāvādī philosophers, they're very much proud of becoming vedāntī.

So the Vaiṣṅava philosophers...

[aside:] Stop that.

Everyone is vedāntī. Śrī Rāmānujācārya, he is also vedāntī. Madhvācārya, he is also vedāntī. Nimbārka, he is also vedāntī. Without understanding Vedānta, where is the question of spiritual advancement? So Vedānta does not mean it is the monopoly of a certain class of philosopher. No. Actual Vedānta, this vedānta-bhāṣya understanding of Vedānta, it is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhāṣya brahma-sutrani. And this bhāṣya, this commentary, is given by the author Himself.

The purpose of Vedānta is known to the author. Therefore if he personally gives the commentary, that is very perfect. Kṛṣṅa also said, vedānta-vit vedānta kṛd cāham: "I am the compiler of Vedānta, and I am the knower of it." That is..., Vyāsadeva is incarnation of Kṛṣṅa. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, "I, I am the actual knower of Vedānta." So whatever is said by Kṛṣṅa in the Bhagavad-gītā, that is not a..., against Vedānta-sūtra, or what is spoken in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that is not..., that is actually following the Vedānta-sūtra.

Now, here it is said that jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Vedānta-sūtra begins with this word: athāto brahma jijñāsā. So nartho yaś ceha karmabhiḥ. Generally people are very much attached to karma-kāṅḍa, offering, performing great sacrifice. It has become now a fashion to call vikṣa[?] yajña, this yajña, that yajña. But actually real purpose is tattva-jijñāsa. The nartho yaś ceha karmabhiḥ, this performance of yajña is a karma, prescribed duty. Yajña, dāna, tapaḥ, kriyā, yajña, performing yajña.

But in this age, no other yajña can be performed perfectly. It is not possible. First deficiency is there is no yajñic brāhmaṅa. Formerly, the brāhmaṅas were so expert that by mantra they ignite fire, and they would test, putting one animal in the fire, they would take and make it again alive. That is the test of the mantra. By mantra, an animal, animal put into the fire, comes out again with rejuvenated life.

People think that gomedha yajña, aśvamedha yajña are made for killing the animal. No. It was testing the mantra of the Vedas, whether actually being pronounced. That was the test. Just like in biological laboratory, the medical practitioner, they test with animals to observe the physiological and anatomical conditions. Similarly... But they cannot give life; they simply kill. But here in the Vedic yajña, the animal was put in the fire and it was again taken alive.

Because such yajñic brāhmaṅa is not there in this Kali-yuga, therefore the all the yajñas are forbidden. Aśvamedhaṁ gavālambham [Cc Ādi 17.164].

[In this Age of Kali, five acts are forbidden: the offering of a horse in sacrifice, the offering of a cow in sacrifice, the acceptance of the order of sannyāsa, the offering of oblations of flesh to the forefathers, and a man’s begetting children in his brother’s wife.]

Aśvamedhaṁ ga... uh, pāla-paitṛkaṁ devareṅa sutot, sannyāsam pāla-paitṛkam. Even sannyāsa is also forbidden in this age. Karma-sannyāsa. That is called karma-sannyāsa. The Vedic principle of sannyāsa is to give up this karma—karma means yajña—and take sannyāsa. But vaiṣṅava sannyāsa is tri-daṅḍī sannyāsa. They..., that means the living entity is offering his body, mind and words for the service of the Lord. So tri-daṅḍa sannyāsa can be accepted in this age, not otherwise. There are so many.

So Bhāgavata says, na artha yaś ceha karmabhiḥ: that this is not the purpose. Real purpose is, to perform yajña means to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṅu. But this process of yajña is not possible in this age. Therefore śāstra gives injunction:

kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā harer nāma harer nāma harer namaiva kevalam [Cc Ādi 17.21]

[In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari.]

Saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajñaiḥ yajanti hi su-medhusaḥ. These are the injunctions.

kṛṣṅa-varṅaṁ tvisa kṛṣṅaṁ sāṅgo pāṅgāstra-pārṣadam yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ [SB 11.5.32]

[In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the names of Kṛṣṅa. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Kṛṣṅa Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.]

Su-medhasaḥ, those who are possessing nice brain, not dull. Because the yajña was performed in the Vedic yuga, so we have to perform yajña again the same style—that is not possible. You cannot get even the ghee, and so many things, that is not possible. Therefore śāstra says, yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ: those who are intelligent persons, they perform the saṅkīrtana yajña, as it is being done here. Saṅkīrtana... No other yajña is possible to be done in this age, but this can be done, and anyone can take part in it. We have seen practically, even the small children, they are also doing. This is real yajña.

And tattva-vijñāsa... This saṅkīrtana-yajña and tattva-vijñāsa means hear something from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā. That makes your life perfect. Jīvasya tattva-vijñāsa nartho yaś ceha karmabhiḥ. No other karma... No other karma-kāṅḍīya ritual. Simply this yajña should be performed.

Now, unless we take to tattva-jijñāsa, we cannot get out of these material clutches. Inquisitiveness: "What is the Absolute Truth?" Now Śrīmad-Bhāgavata directly gives you information what is tattva-vit, what is that Absolute Truth. That Absolute Truth is described here, vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvam [SB 1.2.11].

[Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān.]

Tattva vidaḥ. Tattva vidaḥ means one who knows the Absolute Truth. You cannot understand what is Absolute Truth who is not tattva-vit. Tattva-vit means one who knows the Supreme Personality, he is actually vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo.

So by studying Vedas, if one comes to the point of understanding Kṛṣṅa, then he is tattva-vit. Otherwise partial. That is explained here. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam [SB 1.2.11]. Tattva-jñāna, there is no difference, tattva-jñāna, but there are different angles of vision, angles of..., brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate, but the different capacity. This I have explained many times. Just like from darkness you come to the light, tamasi mā jyotir gamaḥ. Come to the light. So the example is, just like you are in dark room, and your friend or you want to come to the light, come to the sunlight. So this tattva-jñāna, light, is also the sunshine, has connection with the sun. And paramātmā, brahmeti paramātmeti and bhagavān.

So tattva-jñāna, those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by mental speculation or mental exercises... There are many parties, they are..., they are called theosophists and many others, they are trying to understand. So those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by their own knowledge, not from the knowledge of the Supreme...

Our process is avaroha panthā, descending process, and the Māyāvādī philosopher's policy or system is ascending policy. I want to understand the Absolute Truth by exercising my mental power—that is called ascending process, or inductive process. But our process is deductive process. We, Kṛṣṅa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya [Bg 7.7].

[O conqueror of wealth [Arjuna], there is no Truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.]

We take it, we immediately take it, that Kṛṣṅa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We are not going to search out who is the Supreme. Because we are hearing from the Supreme, Kṛṣṅa, then our business is finished: "Here is the Supreme." So this is very natural. You are searching after the Supreme. This is one process, by your own dint of knowledge; and another person is getting the knowledge directly from the Supreme—who is perfect?

This is perfect process. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ [Bg 4.2],

[This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.]

Kṛṣṅa says in the Bhagavad-gītā. The perfect knowledge received from Kṛṣṅa. From Kṛṣṅa, the knowledge was received by Brahmā. From Brahmā the knowledge was received by Nārada. From Nārada the knowledge was received by Vyāsadeva. From Vyāsadeva the knowledge was received by Madhva Muni. In this way, paramparā-sūtra, the same knowledge was received by Mādhavendra Purī. From Mādhavendra Purī, Īśvara Purī received the knowledge. From Īśvara Purī, Lord Caitanya received the knowledge. From Lord Caitanya, the six Gosvāmīs. In this way there is a paramparā system, handing down the knowledge from disciplic..., from disciple to disciple, evaṁ paramparā. That is perfect knowledge.

So those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by exercising their..., exercising their limited knowledge... After all, we are living entities; our knowledge is always imperfect. That we do not admit, but actually it is so, because our senses are imperfect. I am very much proud of my eyes, but I cannot see as soon as the electricity, light, is not existing. I cannot see. Then what is the importance of my eyes? My eyes can see under certain condition. When there is sunlight, then I can see. At night I cannot see. Then what is value of these eyes?

So people say that "I cannot see." So what is the value of your eyes? Because you do not see, the fact cannot be zero. Therefore it is called śruta paramparā, śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham [Muṅḍaka Upaniṣad 1.2.12].

[To understand these things properly, one must humbly approach, with firewood in hand, a spiritual master who is learned in the Vedas and firmly devoted to the Absolute Truth.]

We have to receive the absolute knowledge by this śrota paramparā, śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭhā. Just like Kṛṣṅa said, sa kāleneha yoga naṣṭaḥ parantapa [Bg 4.2]:

[This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way. But in course of time the succession was broken, and therefore the science as it is appears to be lost.]

"Because that process of hearing from the right person is now broken, therefore I am speaking the same truth, Bhagavad-gītā, again unto you, because you are My very dear friend and devotee."

So our process is that. We understand..., we try to understand the Absolute

[break] ...imperfect. My knowledge is not perfect. But because I hear from the dear friend and devotee of Kṛṣṅa, therefore whatever I speak, that is perfect. I am not manufacturing. I may be imperfect—I am imperfect; actually I am imperfect—but I am carrying the message, Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa says, "I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead"; we say, "Kṛṣṅa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead." Kṛṣṅa says that "You surrender unto Me"; we say, "Just surrender unto Kṛṣṅa."

So therefore, because there is no difference between Kṛṣṅa's statement and my statement, therefore our knowledge is perfect. Personally I may not be perfect, but because we are carrying the message of Kṛṣṅa and presenting as it is, therefore it is perfect. This is our process. That is the recognized process, Vaidic process, śrota paramparā.

So those who are anxious to understand the Absolute Truth by dint of imperfect knowledge, this is right conclusion. If your senses are imperfect, whatever your knowledge may be, that is imperfect, because you are gathering knowledge from..., by imperfect senses. You know the story of studying..., blind man studying an elephant.

So blind man is going; somebody is catching the leg. So they, "Oh, elephant is just like a pillar, a column." And somebody is studying the tail, somebody is studying the trunk. So different knowledge, because they have no eyes. And one who sees the elephant as it is, he can understand that elephant is neither a column, nor a trunk, nor this; he is a complete body.

Similarly, those who are trying to understand the Absolute Truth by dint of blind knowledge, they come to the understanding of impersonal Brahman, brahmeti. That is also truth, just like you touch the elephant, a blind man touching the elephant, but because he hasn't got eyes he is concluding that elephant is like..., just like a column. But he has touched.

Similarly, either the impersonalist or the yogī or the bhakta, they have come to the Absolute Truth; therefore it is called advaya-jñāna. There is no difference between impersonal Brahman and localized Paramātmā and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no difference. But still there is difference. This is called acintya-bhedābheda-tattva:

[It is the living entity's constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa because he is the marginal energy of Kṛṣṅa and a manifestation simultaneously one and different from the Lord.]

inconceivable one and simultaneously different. The same example can be given, that when the sunshine enters into your room, it means that sun has entered, but at the same time the sun is far, far away from you. Similarly, to understand Brahman means the Absolute Truth is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṅaḥ sac-cid-ānanda vigrahaḥ [Bs 5.1].

[Kṛṣṅa who is known as Govinda is the Supreme Godhead. He has an eternal blissful spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin and He is the prime cause of all causes.]

If you simply try to understand impersonal Brahman, then you simply understand sat aṁśa, the eternity; paramātmā, citaṁśa; and ānandāṁśa is Kṛṣṅa. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt [Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12].

[By nature, the Supreme Lord is blissful.]

Kṛṣṅa is the supreme bliss. We therefore see Kṛṣṅa always enjoying: jaya rādhā-mādhava kuñja-bihārī. That is Kṛṣṅa. He is always in company with Rādhārāṅī, and kuñja-bihārī, and enjoying Her company in different kuñjas. And gopī-jana-vallabha, He is very dear to the gopīs or the gopas, gopī jana, in Vṛndāvana. Gopī-jana-vallabha giri-vara-dhārī. And because He loves the gopīs and the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana so much, as soon as there is some danger, He is prepared. He lifted the Govardhana Hill for them.

They did not know except Kṛṣṅa. Indra, the demigod Indra, wanted to punish the residents of Vṛndāvana, because on the word of Kṛṣṅa they stopped Indra-yajña. So Indra became very angry: "Who is this boy, cowherd boy? He has stopped my yajña." So the demigods become very angry if the particular type of yajña is not performed. But Kṛṣṅa proved that "Your anger is not even comparable with the..., My little finger's end, that's all." So this was compromise; therefore this is Indra-yajña story, Govardhana Hill pūjā.

So gopī-jana-vallabha giri-vara-dhārī. And yaśodā-nandana. When you address Kṛṣṅa as the son of Yaśodā, He becomes very, very glad. If you address Kṛṣṅa, "Oh, paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma [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.]

as Arjuna did, "paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān śāśvataṁ puruṣam adyam," they're all the Vedic hymns; they're praying for Kṛṣṅa. But Kṛṣṅa is very, very pleased if you address Kṛṣṅa as yaśodā-nandana, nanda-nandana, rādhā-mādhava. He is so pleased, immediately responds. He likes it.

Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always worshiped by everyone as sublime, but nobody wants to chastise You. But He wants to be chastised also, and that power is given to Mother Yaśodā. He wants! He disgusted some, that "Everyone praise Me; nobody comes to chastise Me." You see? "Ah, here is another devotee, 'Yes, I am prepared to chastise You.' " Just like in Vaikuṅṭha there is no fight, but Kṛṣṅa wanted to fight. Therefore some of His devotee, Jaya and Vijaya, they came as Rāvaṅa, and he fought with Kṛṣṅa, Rāmacandra. Otherwise, who can fight with Rāmacandra? He is also devotee when he is satisfying. Kṛṣṅa wanted to fight; the devotee is prepared, "Yes, I shall fight You." And He'll kill you. "This is my pleasure." This is devotee.

So these are tattva-jñānī, tattva-jñāna, kṛṣṅa jñāna. These are truths. People should devote to understand this tattva-jñāna. But those who are not very advanced, they conclude the Absolute Truth is nirākāra, impersonal Brahman. Or a little advanced than them, the yogīs, they see Paramātmā within heart. They, they are also the same truth, advaya-jñāna. But if you want real bliss, if you want to talk with this Absolute Truth face to face and treat with Him as friend, as son, as lover, that is Bhagavān. Not impersonal Brahman, neither Paramātmā. That will not get.

Therefore it is said here, "The Absolute Truth is one." Either you call Him nirākāra Brahman or call you..., Him localized Paramātmā; He's in my heart, everyone's heart, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānām hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati [Bg 18.61].

[The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy.]

But if you want to take advantage, full association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that is Kṛṣṅa. That is Kṛṣṅa. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate [SB 1.2.11].

[Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān.]

Vadanti tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam. This is very important verse. So tattva-darśīs are that, nondual; there is no difference. The same example, that there is the sun planet; there is sun-god, whose bodily effulgence is the sunshine; and the sun globe, localized; and the sunshine. All these three taken together is one, light, but the sun-god is different from the sunshine; the sun globe is different from the sun-god. Similarly, this brahma-jyoti is nothing but Kṛṣṅa's personal effulgence. Yasya prabhā.

Yasya prabhā [Bs 5.40],

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, whose effulgence is the source of the nondifferentiated Brahman mentioned in the Upaniṣads, being differentiated from the infinity of glories of the mundane universe appears as the indivisible, infinite, limitless, truth.]

you can..., we can say, "Oh, Kṛṣṅa is so powerful that He is providing brahma-jyoti." Well, why not? If some creation of Kṛṣṅa, the sunlight and moonlight, is so powerful that it expands all over the universe, so how much powerful is Kṛṣṅa? Brahmano 'ham pratiṣṭha. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, "I am the source of this brahma-jyoti." Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate [SB 1.2.11].

[Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān.]

Now, how to understand the Absolute Truth? The next verse says,

tac chraddadhāna munayo jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā paśyanty ātmani cātmānaṁ bhaktyā śruta-gṛhītayā [SB 1.2.12]

[The seriously inquisitive student or sage, well equipped with knowledge and detachment, realizes that Absolute Truth by rendering devotional service in terms of what he has heard from the Vedānta-śruti.]

These are very important words. The Absolute Truth can be understood, can be known, by whom? Śraddadhāna munayo. Śraddadhāna. Tac chraddadhāna: those who are faithful. That is the beginning. If one is not faithful, if he does not believe in God, for him it is..., it is to be forgotten.

He cannot understand what is Absolute Truth. Atheist ,who does not believe in God, who has no faith, he cannot receive; he is not possible. 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.]

They are narādhamāḥ, or always constantly engaged in sinful activities. They cannot accept. Chraddadhāna, ādau śraddhā, those who have got faith, that is the beginning.

Then chradda dhāna, simply having faith, will not do. Then one must associate with sādhu, chraddadhāna munayo, must be thoughtful philosopher, munayo. Chraddadhāna munayo. Tac chraddadhāna munayo jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā [SB 1.2.12].

[The seriously inquisitive student or sage, well equipped with knowledge and detachment, realizes that Absolute Truth by rendering devotional service in terms of what he has heard from the Vedānta-śruti.]

Simply mental speculator, philosopher will not do. He must have complete knowledge, and the effect of knowledge must be..., he must be renounced, without any attachment for material world, jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā. Just like in the beginning we discussed this,

vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ janayaty āśu vairāgyaṁ jñānam ca... [SB 1.2.7]

[By rendering devotional service unto the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṅa, one immediately acquires causeless knowledge and detachment from the world.]

Vairāgyam and jñānam. We must have complete knowledge of the Absolute Truth. At the same time, we must be detached from material sense gratification. These two: jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā.

We have got history in our country, great sages, muni, ṛṣi, they used to live in the forest to culture knowledge and become detached from these material activities, jñāna-vairāgya. But that is not possible in this age. From the very beginning of our life we are brought up in big cities like Bombay, Calcutta, London, New York. Then where is the question of going to the forest? Does it mean that if one cannot go to the forest for acquiring knowledge and detachment then he has no chance? No.

Kali-yuga, there is special concession that is given by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. You haven't got to go to the forest of Himalaya for attaining jñāna and vairāgya. You can stay in your place. You can remain in Bombay, you can remain in London, you can remain in New York, big, big cities, and you can perform your prescribed duties. You can be very businessman. You can remain an engineer or anything. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says.

He says also from the Vedic, sthāne sthitaḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ manobhir, jñāne prāyasam udapāsya namanta eva, san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām [SB 10.14.3].

[Those who, even while remaining situated in their established social positions, throw away the process of speculative knowledge and with their body, words and mind offer all respects to descriptions of Your personality and activities, dedicating their lives to these narrations, which are vibrated by You personally and by Your pure devotees, certainly conquer Your Lordship, although You are otherwise unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds.]

This was spoken by Rāmānanda Rāya, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted. Originally, this verse was spoken by Lord Brahmā. Rāmānanda Rāya quoted from the words of Lord Brahmā, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted: "Yes, this is the process." What is that process? Jñāne prāyasam udapāsya.

If... We don't be independent, unnecessarily mental exercise to understand what is God, what is Absolute Truth. Don't bother about these things. Then, what to do? Namanta eva: just become submissive, then san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya, just try to hear from a realized soul. This process. Don't try to speculate yourself as great philosophers and waste your time and become puffed-up, that "I am now realized. I am God." These puffed-up position must be given up. You must be submissive.

Kṛṣṅa therefore wants this submissiveness. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅam [Bg 18.66].

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

Just like we speak sometime to our disobedient son, "First of all you submit. Then I shall do whatever you are require." The same thing. We have to... Our this material position is we are all puffed-up, unnecessarily. Although we are on the grip of material nature, we are very much puffed-up. Daivī hy eṣā guṅamāyī [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.]

We are beaten every step. We are so beaten by the material nature, still I am thinking, "I am God." Every step.

This position should be given up, and we have to become namanta eva, submissive. Then, becoming submissive, san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām, we have to hear about Kṛṣṅa from the Kṛṣṅa devotee, not from others—not from professional men, not from the impersonalists, even not from the yogī, but from the devotee, san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya. Because they will misrepresent it. A devotee will not..., never misrepresent. A devotee will say exactly what Kṛṣṅa says. He'll not adulterate. That is not his business.

Therefore it is recommended that you should hear about the Supreme from the realized devotee. San-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtāṁ sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ manobhir [SB 10.14.3].

[Those who, even while remaining situated in their established social positions, throw away the process of speculative knowledge and with their body, words and mind offer all respects to descriptions of Your personality and activities, dedicating their lives to these narrations, which are vibrated by You personally and by Your pure devotees, certainly conquer Your Lordship, although You are otherwise unconquerable by anyone within the three worlds.]

You remain in your position. Remain in Calcutta, Bombay or any big city. Because nowadays, in this age is city life. No gentleman, no intelligent man lives in the village. So you remain there, but try to hear from the devotee about Kṛṣṅa.

Then it is said that prāyeṅa ajito 'pi. Kṛṣṅa is ajita. Nobody can conquer Him. But such devotee who submits himself to hear from the realized soul, Kṛṣṅa becomes conquered by him. Vedeṣu durlābhaṁ adurlābhaṁ ātmā-bhaktau [Bs 5.33].

[I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is inaccessible to the Vedas, but obtainable by pure unalloyed devotion of the soul, who is without a second, who is not subject to decay, is without a beginning, whose form is endless, who is the beginning, and the eternal puruṣa; yet He is a person possessing the beauty of blooming youth.]

Therefore it is said, tac chraddadhānā munayo jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā paśanty ātmani cātmānam [SB 1.2.12].

[The seriously inquisitive student or sage, well equipped with knowledge and detachment, realizes that Absolute Truth by rendering devotional service in terms of what he has heard from the Vedānta-śruti.]

Ātmani, within his heart, he can see the Supreme Soul, Kṛṣṅa, ātmanaṁ bhaktyā. There is the real process, bhaktyā: by means of devotional service, not by speculation or mystic power. That is not possible. Therefore a special word is used here: bhaktyā.

And in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṅa also says, "Not by yoga system, not by jñāna system, not by karma system, but bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ [Bg 18.55]."

[One can understand the Supreme Personality as He is only by devotional service. And when one is in full consciousness of the Supreme Lord by such devotion, he can enter into the kingdom of God.]

This tattvataḥ means the tattva-jñāna. Bhaktyā. And what kind of bhakti? Not that simply I sit down and cry a little; I practice how to cry, sentiment. No. Śruta-gṛhītayā: understanding about the Absolute Truth from the Vedic knowledge. Then bhakti. That is real bhakti. Sentiment is not bhakti—I stand and I little practice how to cry: "Oh, this man cries always." No.

Of course, crying is there, just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to cry. But that stage is very, very high. It is not possible. You are crying, but next moment you are engaged in ordinary things, that crying is artificial. One who can cry for Kṛṣṅa, he becomes mad, just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Govinda-viraheṅa me. Śūnyāyitaṁ jagat-sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṅa me [Śikṣāṣṭaka 7].

[O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, I am considering a moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing from my eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your absence.]

He says, crying, "Everything is now over. There is I cannot see Kṛṣṅa." So that crying is different crying. Not that in the meeting I cry, and next moment I am now dry, "I want this, I want that..." But that not crying. Cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam śunyāyitaṁ jagat-sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṅa. Caitanya, cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam, just like torrents of rain falls from the sky, so govinda-viraheṅa, on account of separation from Govinda, cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam, śunyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṅa.

So therefore here it is particularly said bhaktyā. Bhaktyā means you have to execute the devotional service under the direction of a proper spiritual master, bhaktyā śruta-gṛhitaya, and you have to hear about Kṛṣṅa. Two things must go on. If... Just like here you'll find the arcā-vigraha, worshiping the Deity, is going on. But if simply these thing go on, it will be happening...

Because none of us are expert. There must be śruta-gṛhitaya. We must hear about Kṛṣṅa also. Two things must go on parallel lines. If simply speculation goes on, that will not help us, and if simply ringing the bell goes on, and then that will not help us. That will not. There are temples, many hundreds and thousands, but nobody goes, because there is no śruti, śruta-gṛhitaya. People say, "What is there? They're simply ringing the bell, that's all."

So two things must go on: bhaktyā, śruta-gṛhitaya. There must be devotional service, discharge of devotional service as they are prescribed in the śāstra, as they are guided or ordered by the spiritual master—that will go on—at the same time we have to hear, namanta eva, śruti vak-manobhiḥ. In this way if we live our life, athāto brahma jijñāsā, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā, if you try to understand the Absolute Truth, this is the process. If we follow, then our life is a success.

Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṅa. [end]