Bhagavad-gītā As It Is

Bhagavad-gītā 10.1–3

Prabhupāda: This is Bhagavad-gītā.

śrī-bhagavān uvāca...

[aside:] That’s all right.

bhūya eva mahā-bāho śṛṅu me paramaṁ vacaḥ yat te 'haṁ prīyamāṅāya vakṣyāmi hita-kāmyayā [Bg 10.1]

[aside:] Why this talk?

Devotee: [aside:] Turn it down.

Prabhupāda: Bhūyaḥ. Bhūyaḥ means "again," "repeated." Kṛṣṅa consciousness, it is very easy, at the same time it is very difficult. If we take it easily, just like Kṛṣṅa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja [Bg 18.66],

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

then it is very easy. God, Kṛṣṅa, is great, and I am a fractional portion, minute portion, of God. It is my duty to remain surrendered unto Him. Then the matter is very easy. But we have made the matter very difficult.

We are thinking in different ways, that "I am God," "God is dead," "Why you are searching God? The God is loitering in the street, so many Gods. Why you are going to temple?" So many. Means it is the business of the asuras to get away God. Kaṁsa’s business, Rāvaṅa’s business, Hiraṅyakaśipu’s business, demon’s business is to drive away God consciousness.

[aside:] Just you have to stop this, this disturbance. [noisy ceiling fans]

Therefore, because this material world is full of demons… Every one of us who is in this material world is more or less a demon. Every one of us. Because just like in the prison house there may be some first-class prisoners, second-class prisoners or third-class prisoners, all of them to some extent are criminals—violated the laws of the state. That is the position. Everyone. Similarly, anyone who is in this material world, he is to some extent a criminal. Criminal in this respect: that he has defied the authority or the supremacy of God. The degree may be different, but all of them, they have defied.

That is the explanation given by one Vaiṣṅava kavi:

kṛṣṅa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare pāsate māyā tāre jāpaṭīyā dhare [Prema-vivarta 6.2]

[When an individual soul forgets his eternal relationship with God and tries to lord it over the material nature or resources, that condition, that forgetful condition, is called māyā, or illusion.]

Our this material contact is due to our forgetfulness of Kṛṣṅa—that Kṛṣṅa is the only enjoyer, Kṛṣṅa is the predominator, Kṛṣṅa is the Supreme, Kṛṣṅa is the proprietor. That we have forgotten. "Why Kṛṣṅa should be only proprietor? I shall be proprietor. Why Kṛṣṅa should be only enjoyer? I shall also enjoy." This mentality has put us in the material world.

kṛṣṅa bhuliya jīva bhoga vāñchā kare pāsate māyā tāre jāpaṭīyā dhare [Prema-vivarta 6.2]

This is our position.

So the māyā has captured us. Why? Because we have defied the supremacy of Kṛṣṅa. So all of us, more or less. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says in the Tenth Chapter, bhūya eva mahā-bāho [Bg 10.1]. Arjuna is great soldier; therefore he is addressed as mahā-bāho. Bāho, we have got bāho. We have got bāho. But Arjuna’s bāho is different: he can fight with thousands of men alone. We cannot fight even with one man, although we have got this bāho. Therefore he is addressed as mahā-bāho. And another meaning is that unless one is very strong in determination, he cannot make any advancement in Kṛṣṅa consciousness. He must be a hero. He must be able to fight with the laws of material nature.

Just like in our society there are four prohibited principles: no illicit sex life, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling. So especially at the modern age, it is very difficult to give it up unless one is mahā-bāho, very strong. Very strong. They cannot even give up drinking tea. How much strength required? So many people come, respectable gentlemen, they want me to initiate them. As soon as I say that "You have to follow these principles," immediately they go away. It is very difficult.

Therefore Kṛṣṅa says that bhūya eva mahā..., śṛṅu me paramaṁ vacaḥ [Bg 10.1]. Everything what Kṛṣṅa says, that is paramaṁ, supreme truth. Kṛṣṅa cannot commit any mistake. The difference between Kṛṣṅa and ourself is that whatever we do, they are subjected to so many deficiencies, because we commit mistake, we are disillusioned, and our senses are imperfect and we cheat. Kṛṣṅa is not like that. Therefore whatever He says, that is supreme, that is transcendental. And still, because we are conditional, Kṛṣṅa is speaking to Arjuna in so many different ways just to convince him. This is the duty, because Kṛṣṅa has been accepted by Arjuna as the spiritual master. Śiṣyas te 'haṁśādhi māṁ prapannam [Bg 2.7].

[Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure because of weakness. In this condition I am asking You to tell me clearly what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple, and a soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.]

And Kṛṣṅa is teaching him.

So a teacher repeatedly says the same thing—this way, that way, negative way, positive way—so the student may be convinced of the actual truth. Therefore He says bhūya, "again." "Again I am saying to you." Actually the Bhagavad-gītā means to surrender to Kṛṣṅa. Two words: surrender to Kṛṣṅa. But we’ll not surrender. Therefore Kṛṣṅa has to speak to Arjuna in so many ways. Otherwise, if immediately we accept to surrender to Kṛṣṅa, that is perfect knowledge. Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim [Nārada-pañcarātra].

If one is engaged in worshiping, in rendering devotional service to Kṛṣṅa, then all his tapasya finished. He has got the result of all tapasya. Ārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim. No more tapasya. If you have developed your love for Kṛṣṅa, and in loving attitude you are engaged in His transcendental service, then your all tapasya finished; you have got the result, result of all tapasya.

Because human life is meant for tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ [SB 5.5.1].

[Lord Ṛṣabhadeva told His sons: My dear boys, of all the living entities who have accepted material bodies in this world, one who has been awarded this human form should not work hard day and night simply for sense gratification, which is available even for dogs and hogs that eat stool. One should engage in penance and austerity to attain the divine position of devotional service. By such activity, one's heart is purified, and when one attains this position, he attains eternal, blissful life, which is transcendental to material happiness and which continues forever.]

It is not to waste our time like cats and dogs. Cats and dogs: eating, sleeping, sexual intercourse and defending. This is business of cats and dogs and hogs. The human business is tapasya. That is Vedic civilization. Tapo divyaṁ. Divyaṁ tapasya. Not like Hiraṅyakaśipu. Hiraṅyakaśipu also underwent very severe penances and austerities. But what was his aim? His aim was that "I shall be very, very powerful, and I shall live forever.

And I shall go on acting like a demon, without any check." That was his tapasya. Everyone is doing like that: "I shall acquire so much money, bank balance, and my business should be so big, and I shall be minister, I shall be president, so that everyone will offer me respect." Lābha-pūjā-pratiṣṭhā: profit and adoration and fame. These three things everyone wants. So…, but we have to submit. We are so much puffed-up that we cannot submit.

Therefore, Kṛṣṅa has to say repeatedly, Arjuna. He’s instructing as student. He’s student; Kṛṣṅa is guru. It is the business of guru to instruct.

bhūya eva mahā-bāho śṛṅu me paramaṁ vacaḥ yat te 'haṁ prīyamāṅāya vakṣyāmi hita-kāmyayā [Bg 10.1]

Prīyamāṅāya: "You are My dear friend." Unless one is very dear… So to become dear to the teacher, therefore our system is "Submit."

tad viddhi praṅipātena paripraśnena sevayā [Bg 4.34]

[Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.]

You have to very humbly submit to the spiritual master, give him service, satisfy him. Then prīyamāṅāya: he'll think that "Here is a student who is very submissive, very humble. He requires to be taught very nicely."

Therefore Kṛṣṅa says,

yat te 'haṁ prīyamāṅāya vakṣyāmi hita-kāmyayā [Bg 10.1]

Well-wisher. Teacher must be well-wisher. At the present moment, teachers are disrespected. How he can be well-wisher? The other day I went to the university for lecture. One of the teachers said that "I was bombed in this room. A few months ago, I was bombed in this room. The student threw bomb." This is going on. So how the teacher shall be well-wisher of the student?

It is the injunction of the śāstras that the physician, the teachers, they should be very much respected. According to Vedic system, if a physician comes to a patient, the patient should accept the physician as father, so he may be compassionate so he can administer the best medicine. Similarly, the teacher should be respected so that he may be compassionate. Hita-kāmyayā: he’ll give the best instruction. So Kṛṣṅa…, Arjuna has already proved that he is a very submissive student: śiṣyas te'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam [Bg 2.7].

"Already you have surrendered," prapannam. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, hita-kāmyayā, "For your welfare."

So He again says,

na me viduḥ sura-gaṅāḥ prabhavaṁ na maharṣayaḥ aham ādir hi devānāṁ maharṣīṅāṁ ca sarvaśaḥ [Bg 10.2]

The first thing is: what is Kṛṣṅa? He has repeatedly said. Again He said: devānāṁ. One may think that Kṛṣṅa is born some five thousand years ago. They may question that, that before Kṛṣṅa is born, there was no Kṛṣṅa worship. Because they do not know what is Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa is worshiped long, long, long, long—from the beginning of the creation. Just like Brahmā. Brahmā is the beginning of creation. So he also worshiped. Yaṁ brahmā varuṅendra-rudra-marutaḥ stunvanti divyaiḥ stavair [SB 12.13.1].

[Sūta Gosvāmī said: Unto that personality whom Brahmā, Varuṅa, Indra, Rudra and the Maruts praise by chanting transcendental hymns and reciting the Vedas with all their corollaries, pada-kramas and Upaniṣads, to whom the chanters of the Sāma Veda always sing, whom the perfected yogīs see within their minds after fixing themselves in trance and becoming fully absorbed in thoughts of Him, and whose limit can never be found by any demigod or demon—unto that Supreme Personality of Godhead I offer my humble obeisances.]

Yaṁ brahmā. Brahmā worships Him. Varuṅendra, Indra: all the demigods worship Him. So Kṛṣṅa is ādi, that’s a fact.

Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, aham ādir hi devānāṁ. Because Brahmā is the first deva, then Lord Śiva, then other all devas. Viṣṅu, of course, before Brahmā. Viṣṅu is, in the material world, Viṣṅu is also considered as one of the devas. Mahā... Brahmā, Viṣṅu, Maheśvara, Ādi-deva. Ādi-deva.

That Viṣṅu is also caused by Kṛṣṅa. That I have explained several times. Kṛṣṅa is the origin of Viṣṅu. From Kṛṣṅa, first expansion: eko bahu śyāma. Kṛṣṅa is expanded in many forms—viṣṅu-tattva, jīva-tattva. We are also Kṛṣṅa’s expansion, and the viṣṅu-tattva is also Kṛṣṅa’s expansion, and the demigods, they are also Kṛṣṅa’s expansion. Everyone: eko bahu śyāma. He has become one. The Supreme One has expanded Himself in so many ways—viṣṅu-tattva, jīva-tattva, śakti-tattva.

Therefore Kṛṣṅa is the origin of everything, aham ādir hi devānāṁ [Bg 10.2]. Because we take the first, the devas: Brahmā, Viṣṅu, Maheśvara. Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa’s first expansion is svayaṁ prakāśa, baladeva-tattva. Svayam prakāśa. From baladeva-tattva, the quadruple tattvas, namely Vās…, Saṅkar…, Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṅa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha.

Then again, from Saṅkarṣaṅa, there is Nārāyaṅa. Then again, from Nārāyaṅa, second quadruple expansion, again Saṅkarṣaṅa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha. And from Saṅkarṣaṅa, these three Viṣṅus. Three Viṣṅus means Kāraṅārṅavaśāyī Viṣṅu, then Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṅu, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṅu. Then from Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṅu… From Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṅu is Brahmā, and Viṣṅu also, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṅu.

And from Brahmā is Lord Śiva. In this way, other devatas—Indra, Candra, Varuna, Sun, Moon, so many. There are millions of demigods, millions of human being, millions of lower than. Deva-tiryaṅ-narādiṣu [SB 1.2.34]. Deva means demigods; tiryaṅ means lower than human being—animals, birds, beasts, trees; and the human being, narādiṣu.

So the expansion is very much, but the origin of all expansion is Kṛṣṅa. That is to be understood. Aham ādir hi devānāṁ. Na me viduḥ sura-gaṅāḥ. Sura-gaṅāḥ means these devatas.

na me viduḥ sura-gaṅāḥ prabhavaṁ na maharṣaya [Bg 10.2]

And great sages, Marīci-ādi… There are seven great sages: Marīci, Vasiṣṭha, Ātreya. The seven stars we see on the northern pole, they are the planets of these great seven ṛṣis. So they are there. So even these great sages, they also do not know what is the actual position of Kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa Himself does not know what is His actual position, Kṛṣṅa is so great. Kṛṣṅa, to understand Himself, He came as Caitanya Mahāprabhu, devotee of Kṛṣṅa, to understand.

Because Kṛṣṅa wanted to know Himself, so He could know Himself in the attitude of Rādhārāṅī. So He took the attitude of Rādhārāṅī. Therefore Rādhārāṅī-Kṛṣṅa, when combined together, that is Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Rādhā-kṛṣṅa nahe anya, śrī-kṛṣṅa-caitanya [Caitanya Bhāgavata].

Śrī Kṛṣṅa Caitanya, the Gosvāmīs, they have studied that,

rādhā kṛṣṅa-praṅaya-vikṛtir hlādinīśaktir asmād ekātmānāv api deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau [Cc Ādi 1.5]

Kṛṣṅa is one, but when Kṛṣṅa wants to enjoy, He must expand His pleasure potency. That is Rādhārāṅī. Rādhā kṛṣṅa-praṅaya-vikṛtir. Kṛṣṅa cannot enjoy anything material. The original spiritual potency, pleasure potency, is Rādhārāṅī. So first of all He expanded, then again He combined together. That is Śrī Kṛṣṅa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. This is the study of the Gosvāmī. Rādhā kṛṣṅa-praṅaya-vikṛtir hlādinī.

Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu is given seat along with Kṛṣṅa. He’s combination of Rādhā and Kṛṣṅa. We may not misunderstand that Caitanya Mahāprabhu is... Imitating Caitanya Mahāprabhu, there are so many so-called avatāras. But this is approved by the śāstra. Kṛṣṅa-varṅaṁ tviṣākṛṣṅam [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.]

Caitanya Mahāprabhu is Kṛṣṅa, same category, kṛṣṅa-varṅaṁ. Just like we say varṅa: brāhmaṅa varṅa, kṣatriya varṅa, śūdra varṅa, vaiśya varṅa. Varṅa means the same category, varṅa. Or kṛṣṅa-varṅaṁ means who is always describing Kṛṣṅa. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu is passing on the road, He’s chanting,

kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa he kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa he kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa kṛṣṅa pāhi māṁ [Cc Madhya 7.96]

Therefore kṛṣṅa-varṅaṁ is He; iti kṛṣṅa. Kṛṣṅa is describing Himself: kṛṣṅa-varṅaṁ tviṣākṛṣṅam. But by His complexion, He is not black—very fair complexion.

kṛṣṅa-varṅaṁ tviṣākṛṣṅaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam [SB 11.5.32]

But He is always accompanied by His associates.

śrī-kṛṣṅa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda [Śrī Caitanya-Śata-Nāma-Stotraṁ Māhātmyaṁ]

So this Kṛṣṅa… Caitanya Mahāprabhu is also Kṛṣṅa, but people misunderstand. Because to understand Kṛṣṅa, it requires knowledge from Kṛṣṅa or from Kṛṣṅa’s representative. Kṛṣṅa is not knowable.

manuṣyāṅāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin vetti māṁ tattvataḥ [Bg 7.3]

[Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.]

Out of many millions of persons, one may be liberated, yatatām api siddha. Siddha means "liberated." Siddhi. Siddhi means to know oneself. At the present moment we are conditioned; we are thinking that "I am this body." Yasyātma-buddhi-kuṅape [SB 10.84.13]:

[One who identifies his self as the inert body composed of mucus, bile and air, who assumes his wife and family are permanently his own, who thinks an earthen image or the land of his birth is worshipable, or who sees a place of pilgrimage as merely the water there, but who never identifies himself with, feels kinship with, worships or even visits those who are wise in spiritual truth—such a person is no better than a cow or an ass.]

to think of this body as self is the business of the cats and dogs. Sa eva go-kharaḥ. Go-kharaḥ means "animals." Go means "cows," and kharaḥ means "ass." So every one of us, practically, we are identifying with this body. Therefore we are not siddhas.

Siddha means one who is completely free from the bodily concept of life.

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu [Bg 18.54]

[And of all yogīs, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service, is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all.]

Unless one is fully convinced that "I am not this body," and similarly, if I am not convinced that "These people, they are also not body; they are all spirit soul..." Therefore one who is actually paṅḍita, in the real understanding of things, paṅḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ, he sees everyone part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa. That is sama-darśi.

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām [Bg 18.54]

Then bhakti begins.

Bhakti is not a sentiment. Bhakti is the highest stage of understanding, knowledge. That is bhakti. Bhaktyāśruta-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.]

Bhāgavata says. Bhaktyāśruta. Bhakti must be executed śruta-gṛhītayā, by hearing. Śruta, by hearing from disciplic succession. That is perfect bhakti. And in that bhakti, bhaktyā mām abhijānāti [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.]

when you are on the transcendental platform of bhakti, then you can understand what is Kṛṣṅa.

Therefore Kṛṣṅa says that na me viduḥ sura-gaṅāḥ [Bg 10.2]. The sura-gaṅāḥ, the big, big demigods, they are also not in the pure stage of bhakti. They have got bhakti—bhakti-miśra, mixed bhakti. They have got desire to enjoy this material world. They are called devatas. Just like Brahmā, what to speak of other, he has got a desire to lord it over the material world. So he has been given. But he’s a bhakta, but not pure bhakta. Pure bhakta means anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ [Cc Madhya 19.167], no material desire.

[When first-class devotional service develops, one must be devoid of all material desires, knowledge obtained by monistic philosophy, and fruitive action. The devotee must constantly serve Kṛṣṅa favorably, as Kṛṣṅa desires.]

Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, brahma-janme nāhi mora āśa: "I do not desire even to take birth as Lord Brahmā." Because that is not pure bhakti. Brahmā is bhakta, undoubtedly. Unless he is very high class bhakta, how he can be offered such exalted post? Just like in government service, unless one is not very confidential, he cannot be given any confidential post. Similarly, all these devatas, they are devotees undoubtedly, but karma-miśra, jñāna-miśra. They are not pure devotee. Pure devotee, Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches us,

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye [Śikṣāṣṭaka 4]

This is pure devotion.

na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye [Śikṣāṣṭaka 4]

"I don’t want all these things. I don’t want money, I don’t want big followers, I don’t want very beautiful wife." Sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagad-īśa kāmaye. Then what you want?

mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi [Śikṣāṣṭaka 4]

Ahaitu: "Without any reason, without any desire, I want to serve You."

So unless we cannot come to that position, pure devotional life, we cannot understand Kṛṣṅa. It is not possible. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, na me viduḥ sura-gaṅāḥ prabhavaṁ. Because they do not know, therefore they think Kṛṣṅa… Just like Brahmā was bewildered. When Lord Kṛṣṅa was playing as cowherd boy, then everywhere it is advertised that "Kṛṣṅa has come in this world, and now He’s in Vṛndāvana playing as a cowherd boy." So Brahmā became doubtful: "Kṛṣṅa is my Lord. I worship, and He has become a cowherd boy. Let me test if He is really God, really Kṛṣṅa."

So he took away all His cowherd boys, calves and everything, by his… He is very powerful. But Kṛṣṅa immediately expanded Himself in so many cows and cowherd boys and calves. And then he understood that "Yes, here is Kṛṣṅa." So, muhyanti yat sūrayaḥ [SB 1.1.1], Bhāgavata says, that great, great demigods, sūrayaḥ: they become bewildered to understand Kṛṣṅa. They become bewildered.

Therefore it is not very easy to understand Kṛṣṅa. But if we can acquire, somehow or other, a little mercy of Kṛṣṅa, then we can understand. This is the process.

ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṅa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ [Cc Madhya 17.136]

[Therefore material senses cannot appreciate Kṛṣṅa’s holy name, form, qualities and pastimes. When a conditioned soul is awakened to Kṛṣṅa consciousness and renders service by using his tongue to chant the Lord’s holy name and taste the remnants of the Lord’s food, the tongue is purified, and one gradually comes to understand who Kṛṣṅa really is.]

By your gymnastic process of these indriyas, senses, mental speculation, you cannot understand Kṛṣṅa. That is not possible.

athāpi te deva padāmbuja-dvaya- prasāda-leśānugṛhīta eva hi jānāti tattvaṁ... [SB 10.14.29]

[My Lord, if one is favored by even a slight trace of the mercy of Your lotus feet, he can understand the greatness of Your personality. But those who speculate to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead are unable to know You, even though they continue to study the Vedas for many years.]

The thing is, Kṛṣṅa should be understood in tattva. So to understand Kṛṣṅa in tattva, you have to become submissive, render service to Kṛṣṅa, under the direction of Kṛṣṅa. Then:

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.]

Then you can understand Kṛṣṅa. Otherwise it is not possible to understand Kṛṣṅa.

And those who are mudhas, means those who are thinking of Kṛṣṅa as ordinary boy, ordinary human cowherds boy, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ… [Bg 9.11].

[Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form. They do not know My transcendental nature and My supreme dominion over all that be.]

Just like Kṛṣṅa is attacked by so many atheists that He was taken as ordinary human being. No. Kṛṣṅa is not human being. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, na me viduḥ sura-gaṅāḥ. Na me viduḥ sura-gaṅāḥ prabhavaṁ. Kṛṣṅa’s prabhāva, prabhā, His influence also not known. He’s so influential; He can do everything, anything. Anything, whatever He likes. That is Kṛṣṅa.

prabhavaṁ na maharṣayaḥ aham ādir hi devānāṁ maharṣīṅāṁ ca sarvaśaḥ [Bg 10.2]

Sarvaśaḥ: "I am the origin of everyone." This we should understand, how He becomes origin of everything. If you accept Kṛṣṅa’s statement, that is sufficient, that Kṛṣṅa is the origin of everything. If you do not accept, you can make an analytical study how Kṛṣṅa is everything. The śāstra will give you evidence: "Yes, Kṛṣṅa is the origin of everything." This is Kṛṣṅa consciousness. One must be fixed up in his understanding of Kṛṣṅa, that He is the origin of everything. He is the origin of everything,

aham ādir hi devānāṁ maharṣīṅāṁ ca sarvaśaḥ [Bg 10.2]

[looking for next verse:]

Oh, so many pictures. Then Kṛṣṅa says,

yo mām ajam anādiṁ ca vetti loka-maheśvaram asammūḍhaḥ sa martyeṣu sarva-pāpaiḥ pramucyate [Bg 10.3]

Anyone who is fully convinced, yo mām ajam… Ajam means "unborn." If one takes Kṛṣṅa that Kṛṣṅa is born historically five thousand years ago, and as the son of Vasudeva and Devakī, and He accepted..., Vasudeva, Devakī could not raise Him; He was dispatched to Yaśodā—this is also good. But He does not take birth. Because people contest that "How God can take birth?" He does not take birth. That is misunderstanding. Therefore one should know how Kṛṣṅa takes His birth.

Therefore in the Fourth Chapter it is clearly said if anyone understands this simple fact how Kṛṣṅa takes His birth, this one item: How Kṛṣṅa—Kṛṣṅa is aja—how He takes His birth, janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ… [Bg 4.9].

[One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.]

Simply this one thing, if one can understand how Kṛṣṅa takes His birth, and why does He come to work with us. Just like Kṛṣṅa came and worked with Arjuna, and He took part in the battlefield as charioteer of Arjuna. Only these things if we can understand, then we can become liberated. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ [Bg 4.9]. If we understand these two things in fact, then what happens?

tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so 'rjuna [Bg 4.9]

Then he becomes liberated. Liberated. Liberation begins as soon as you begin devotional service. Immediately. Because Kṛṣṅa says,

sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṅaṁ vraja ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi… [Bg 18.66]

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

Immediately you are liberated. Bondage means so long the reaction of karma is there. But He says, He assures, that ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: "I shall give you liberation from all sinful reaction of life."

We are entangled for sinful reaction of life. If you are actually pious, then there is no more birth. "Actually pious" means to become a devotee. Unless one is a pure devotee, he is not pious. Comparatively, he may be pious, because there are degrees of pious. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, yeṣāṁ anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ [Bg 7.28]:

[Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination.]

one who is completely free from all impious activities, pāpaṁ. Because here, sometimes we think that we are making so many sacrifices.

This is puṅya, puṅya karma. But there is pāpa, also. And because in the sacrifices there are sometimes animal sacrifice, so that is pāpa. For one kind of puṅya, we commit another kind of pāpa. Or in ordinary ways, sometimes a big man accumulates some money and spends for charitable purpose, for opening schools, hospitals, but he has earned the money from black market.

So this is the world. If you want to do something pious activities in this material world, you have do something impious activities also. That is pāpa. So therefore, unless you transcend all this business of pāpa and puṅya, you cannot be free from this material bondage. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, karma-kāṅḍa jñāna-kāṅḍa sakali viṣera bandha. Karma-kāṅḍa means pious activities, and jñāna-kāṅḍa means culturing knowledge. This is called jñāna-kāṅḍa. So, karma-kāṅḍa jñāna-kāṅḍa sakali viṣera bandha [Prema-bhakti-candrikā]. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, in a very simple Bengali language, viṣera bandha: a pot of poison. Amṛta baliyā yebā khāya. If you take a pot of poison as nectarean, then what will be there?

nānā joni brahman kare, kadarya bhakṣaṅa kare tāra janma adhaḥ-pāte yāya [Prema-bhakti-candrikā]

So you should not take karma-kāṅḍa, jñāna-kāṅḍa. We have created our activities on these two fields: karma-kāṅḍa and jñāna-kāṅḍa. Karma means karmīs, those who are trying to enjoy this material world by activities, different types of activities. They are karma-kāṅḍa, in the rough estimate. And another, jñāna-kāṅḍa. Jñānīs, they say, when they are frustrated in doing, they say, "This is all false." Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. So this is jñāna-kāṅḍa. But bhakti is above karma-kāṅḍa, jñāna-kāṅḍa.

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam [Cc Madhya 19.167]

Here in this material world, karma-kāṅḍa or jñāna-kāṅḍa is going on. The karmīs are thinking they’re very clever; they’re enjoying life. They will enjoy life in this world; again they will be elevated to the heavenly planet. There they will enjoy. There they will enjoy. So according to their estimation, they’re very intelligent. And the jñānīs, they are thinking that "We have worked as karmīs, but we have never derived any benefit out of it; therefore this is all false." The grapes are sour. Give it up, jackal.

"Now let us become sannyāsī and become Brahman, become one with God." They have left this, I mean to say, paltry enjoyment. "Let me become the Supreme Nārāyaṅa." They introduce themselves, "Nārāyaṅa." Nārāyaṅa means the enjoyer of Lakṣmī, Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṅa. So at the heart they have got the desire to capture Lakṣmī, the original Lakṣmī, and outwardly they are sannyāsī. They have given up everything, mithyā, but at heart there is the desire to enjoy Lakṣmī. So therefore phalgu-vairāgya. Phalgu-vairāgya.

But the devotee is above this karma-kāṅḍa, jñāna-kāṅḍa.

jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam ānukūlyena kṛṣṅānu- śīlanaṁ… [Cc Madhya 19.167]

They are ready to serve the order of Kṛṣṅa, never mind what it is. It may be jñāna-kāṅḍa, karma-kāṅḍa or anything. But that is not the fact. If you are ready to serve Kṛṣṅa in all conditions… Just like Arjuna became: "Yes," kariṣye vacanaṁ tava. "Yes, I shall work what You’re instructing me." Naṣṭo mohaḥ [Bg 18.73]:

[Arjuna said, My dear Kṛṣṅa, O infallible one, my illusion is now gone. I have regained my memory by Your mercy, and I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to Your instructions.]

"Now my all illusion is gone. I was thinking on the platform of karma-kāṅḍa and jñāna-kāṅḍa. Now my illusion is gone."

Tvat-prasādān madhusūdana: "By Your grace I am now above this. I am now prepared. You want me to fight? Yes, I shall kill all the other side, never mind they are my grandfather, brothers." This is bhakti-kāṅḍa. Karma-kāṅḍa, jñāna-kāṅḍa... If we remain in karma-kāṅḍa, jñāna-kāṅḍa, then we cannot come to the bhakti-kāṅḍa. Bhakti-kāṅḍa is above.

When Kṛṣṅa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya, that means we have manufactured so many religious system on the basis of karma-kāṅḍa and jñāna-kāṅḍa. So we have to give up all these; then we come to the bhakti-kāṅḍa. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti. When we understand Kṛṣṅa on the platform of bhakti, then our life is successful. Evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ [SB 1.2.20].

[Thus established in the mode of unalloyed goodness, the man whose mind has been enlivened by contact with devotional service to the Lord gains positive scientific knowledge of the Personality of Godhead in the stage of liberation from all material association.]

Mukta-saṅgasya jāyate. Bhagavat-tattva-vijñānaṁ mukta-saṅgasya jāyate. Evaṁ prasanna-manaso bhagavad-bhakti-yogataḥ. When by executing devotional service, when we become sublimely jubilant, prasanna-manaso…

Because in bhakti-kāṅḍa, when you are engaged in the service of the Lord, we become jubilant, because that is our real life. Mukti means to come to the real position. Our real position is jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṅa dāsa [Cc Madhya 20.108].

[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 with and different from the Lord, like a molecular particle of sunshine or fire. Kṛṣṅa has three varieties of energy.]

So when we come to that position, to become Kṛṣṅa's dāsa—that is our real constitutional position—naturally we become jubilant. So, karma-kāṅḍa jñāna-kāṅḍa sakali visera bandha.

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam ānukūlyena kṛṣṅānu- śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā [Cc Madhya 19.167]

This is bhakti.

So the Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement means to place everyone on the platform of bhakti. And it is very easy in this age. Very easy. Every time it is very easy, but people are not very much inclined to accept the easy things. Sahaja, sahaja. Saha-ja. Sahaja means "with my birth," "what is born." Saha-ja. Ja means "take birth." So sahaja: as we are living entities, our birthright is to serve Kṛṣṅa. That is sahaja. Therefore Kṛṣṅa says, 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 are meant for this purpose." Therefore in every human being there is bhakti. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṅa-bhakti. There is sahaja, spontaneously born, bhakti. Just like a child is obedient to the parents. This is sahaja.

So we give up this sahaja; we take the difficult things: "I am…, I become Lord," "I am…, I am God," "There is no God." We take all these nonsense, giving up the sahaja. Therefore if we become sahaja, if we take up the simple thing, that "God is great. We are small particle, part and parcel of God. Our business is to serve God," then it is sahaja. It is very simple. Otherwise it is very difficult.

So Kṛṣṅa is teaching Bhagavad-gītā, how to become situated in your original position to understand yourself, that you are eternal servant of God. Then your life is successful. Thank you very much.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṅa. Haribol. [end]

Photos from those days in Calcutta1

CT83-1701973 · Calcutta · Yadubara das

Bhagavad-gītā 10.1–3

Referenced verses