Bhagavad-gītā As It Is

Bhagavad-gītā 7.8

Pradyumna: Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. [Prabhupāda and devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.]

raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ praṅavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu [Bg 7.8]

[break] [02:59]

Translation: "O son of Kuntī, Arjuna, I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and moon, the syllable oṁ in the Vedic mantras. I am the sound in ether and ability in man."

Prabhupāda:

raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ praṅavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu [Bg 7.8]

This is all-pervasive nature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We should mark the important word in this verse: aham. Aham means the person. Kṛṣṅa never says that "I am imperson." Imperson is the feature of Kṛṣṅa. Just like in the Ninth Chapter, Kṛṣṅa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā [Bg 9.4].

[By Me, in My unmanifested form, this entire universe is pervaded. All beings are in Me, but I am not in them.]

Mayā: "I am all-pervasive by My energy."

We have already explained that Kṛṣṅa has multi-energy. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate [Cc Madhya 13.65, purport]. That is the Vedic version, that the Absolute Truth, Supreme Person, has got multi-energies. In the Viṣṅu Purāṅa also: whatever we are experiencing, that is simply Kṛṣṅa's energy. Just like we can experience the heat and light from the sun. We can understand the constitution of the sun globe. Although we are ninety-three million miles away from the sun, but by his energy, heat and light, we can understand what is the sun. Similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṅa, He has got multi-energies. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate.

na tasya kāryaṁ karaṅaṁ ca vidyate na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca [Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.8]

[The Supreme Lord has nothing to do. Nothing is equal to Him or greater than Him. He acts in different phases by manifesting His parts and parcels, which are all simultaneously differently situated by His unlimited, variegated potencies. Each potency acts quite naturally in sequences, providing Him full knowledge, power and pastimes.]

This is the version of Upaniṣad. He has nothing to do. Na tasya kāryam. Why? And because... Na tasya kāryaṁ karaṅaṁ ca vidyate na tat-samaś cābhyadhikaś ca dṛśyate. Nobody is equal to Him, neither greater than Him. And He hasn't got to do anything because He has got so many energies. Svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. Everything is being done by His energy very perfectly.

So His energy is working even in the water. You can perceive His energy within the water. We are daily using water. We are tasting water. So you can perceive Kṛṣṅa's presence, Kṛṣṅa's all-pervasiveness, even while you drink water. Every one of us, we drink water. And... So the taste of the water, Kṛṣṅa says, "Here I am." This is impersonal feature, but the person is behind. Mayādhyakṣeṅa prakṛtiḥ [Bg 9.10].

[This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kuntī, and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings. By its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.]

Water is one of the product of this material nature, but behind this existence of water is Kṛṣṅa. Then you can understand Kṛṣṅa. You try to understand by studying His energy. Therefore Kṛṣṅa is describing that "Although you cannot see Me just now..." Because in the preliminary stage nobody can see Kṛṣṅa, although Kṛṣṅa is present everywhere. Aṅḍāntara-stha-paramāṅu-cayāntara-stham [Bs 5.35].

[He is an undifferentiated entity as there is no distinction between potency and the possessor thereof. In His work of creation of millions of worlds, His potency remains inseparable. All the universes exist in Him and He is present in His fullness in every one of the atoms that are scattered throughout the universe, at one and the same time. Such is the primeval Lord whom I adore.]

He is present within the atom. But it requires the qualified eyes to see Him or purified senses to perceive Him.

That is stated in the śāstra: 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.]

With our these present senses we cannot understand what is the holy, transcendental name of Kṛṣṅa. Therefore sometimes we are misunderstood, that "Why these people are chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa?" So... Because ordinary man or ordinary senses cannot understand the value, the nature of the name, therefore śāstra says, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṅa-nāmādi. Nāmādi: beginning from name. We can realize God by chanting name. Because abhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ. Nāma cintāmaṅiḥ kṛṣṅaś caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ [Cc Madhya 17.133].

[The holy name of Kṛṣṅa is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Kṛṣṅa Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. Kṛṣṅa’s name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Kṛṣṅa Himself. Since Kṛṣṅa’s name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its being involved with māyā. Kṛṣṅa’s name is always liberated and spiritual; it is never conditioned by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of Kṛṣṅa and Kṛṣṅa Himself are identical.]

These are the description of the śāstras. Nāma, the holy name of the Lord, is completely spiritual. Nāma cintāmaṅiḥ kṛṣṅa. He is... Nāma is..., name is as good as Kṛṣṅa. Nāma cintāmaṅiḥ kṛṣṅaś caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ.

Those who are chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra without any offense, they are tasting spiritual nectarine. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī has written a śloka that "If I could possess millions of ears and millions of tongues, then I could enjoy what is the transcendental mellow in chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra. But that is not possible for ordinary human being in the beginning. Therefore śāstra says, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṅa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ [Cc Madhya 17.136].

These impurified senses cannot appreciate the value of the holy name of Kṛṣṅa. Nāma-ādi. His name, His quality, His pastimes, His form, His activities... There are so many things, beginning with nāma, Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra. As we go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa, Hare Kṛṣṅa, Kṛṣṅa Kṛṣṅa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, and as we become purified... The more we chant, we become purified. Ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṅaṁ śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṅaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam [Cc Antya 20.12].

[Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṅa, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṅa expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step.]

So this is the process. So those who are not even inclined to chant this holy name of Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra, although there is no loss and there is no expenditure... Anyone can chant. It is freely distributed by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Anyone can take the chance of chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa. Automatically... Sometimes we find friends on the street, simply by seeing us, they chant "Hare Kṛṣṅa." So that is a good sign. They are learning the value of Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra. So in this age the chanting of the holy name is very, very important—kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā [Cc Ādi 17.21]—for God realization.

[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.]

So even if you are not inclined to chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra, then try to understand Kṛṣṅa in this way. This is the process given by Śrī Kṛṣṅa Himself. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya [Bg 7.8].

[O son of Kuntī [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.]

You have to drink water; you cannot avoid it. So when you taste, while drinking water, anything drinking... Apsu. Apsu means any liquid thing. Either you drink milk or even up to..., even you drink wine, so you have got some taste in any liquid thing while drinking. So Kṛṣṅa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya: "My dear Kaunteya, Arjuna, that taste in the liquid thing which you drink or use, that is I am." Just see how it is easily can be done. Nobody is without drinking something liquid. Either Coca-Cola or water or this or that, something must be drinking. So Kṛṣṅa says that "I am the taste." So where is the difficulty of understanding Kṛṣṅa? If we cannot... They say, "Can you show me Kṛṣṅa?" All right, here is Kṛṣṅa, see. Seeing means directly perception. When I say, "Let me see what is this mango," you are seeing already. Here seeing means tasting. "Let me see the mango," that means seeing means tasting.

So we have got so many senses. And we taste different senses. We can see by eye. We can taste by the tongue. We can hear by the ear. We can smell by the nose. We can touch by the hand. So we have got all senses. And by senses we get experience. So if you try to experience Kṛṣṅa by this process, that whenever you drink something liquid and taste it very nicely, you consider, "This taste is Kṛṣṅa," is it very difficult for Kṛṣṅa realization? And because you'll remember Kṛṣṅa... Actually that taste is Kṛṣṅa. Because that water is also Kṛṣṅa. Water is Kṛṣṅa in this sense: is the energy of Kṛṣṅa. Just like fire and the heat. Heat is the energy of Kṛṣṅa. So heat and fire is not distinct. They are the same. Still, the heat is not fire. This is called acintya-bhedābheda philosophy,

[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.]

simultaneously one and different. Simultaneously. Everything. Idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān ivetaraḥ [SB 1.5.20]. It requires only realization that "Whole universe is Kṛṣṅa." Idaṁ hi viśvaṁ bhagavān. But it appears different from Bhagavān. Actually, it is not different. You have to understand by purified senses. That is required. Unless you have got purified senses, you cannot understand. But this is the beginning: raso 'ham apsu kaunteya [Bg 7.8].

[O son of Kuntī [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.]

You just try to understand. This rasa... It is said by Kṛṣṅa. It is not our manufacture. When... If I say that "The taste of water is Kṛṣṅa," that may be different. But Kṛṣṅa says, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. So why not think of Kṛṣṅa?

So this thinking of Kṛṣṅa is a process of devotional service, out of the nine processes. Śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ smaraṅaṁ pāda-sevanam [SB 7.5.23].

[Prahlāda Mahārāja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṅu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words)—these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kṛṣṅa through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.]

So if you remember Kṛṣṅa, you advance in your spiritual life, and you become perfect yogī. How?

yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntar-ātmanā śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yuktatamo mataḥ [Bg 6.47]

[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.]

If you simply think, as you drink water or drink anything, the taste only... Here is the hint: "Now here is Kṛṣṅa." So you must be drinking so many times. If so many times, if you remember Kṛṣṅa, you gradually become Kṛṣṅa conscious. So simple thing it is. Kṛṣṅa is prescribing, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ [Bg 7.8].

[O son of Kuntī [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.]

Suppose if you do not drink. So nobody there is who does not drink. Everyone drinks. The another method, prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. As soon as, early in the morning, you find the sunshine, you remember, "Here is Kṛṣṅa. Here is Kṛṣṅa." Or at night, when there is no sun, there is moonlight: "Here is Kṛṣṅa." Then praṅavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu. If you are a student, serious student of Vedic mantras... Oṁ tad viṣṅoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūra... [Ṛg Veda-saṁhitā 1.22.20] If you chant the Vedic mantras... Oṁ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ tat savitur vareṅyam [Gāyatrī-mantra]. The oṁkāra, that is Kṛṣṅa. Many people are very much fond of chanting oṁkāra. That is also nice. That is Kṛṣṅa. But if we simply remember that "This oṁkāra is Kṛṣṅa," then we become perfect. Because the process is how to become Kṛṣṅa conscious.

So you can become Kṛṣṅa conscious while drinking any liquid or water, while seeing the sunshine, while seeing the moonshine, while, if you are a scholar, brāhmaṅa, advanced, while chanting the praṅava, praṅavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu. Or even if you, sound, if you hear the sound—there are so many sounds going on—if you remember Kṛṣṅa. And also, pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu. Pauruṣam. You meet so many men in your dealings with this material world. There are many very big, big men: big, big industrialists, big, big scholars, big, big manufacturers, and big, big bankers. So this is pauruṣam, or who has attained perfection in the material world. So instead of envying him, if you simply think that "He has attained because he has got little power from Kṛṣṅa..." Yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁ mama tejo 'ṁśa-sambhavam [Bg 10.41]. Anything wonderful that is done, that is done by any person, pauruṣam, that is also Kṛṣṅa's energy.

So it is not at all difficult to become Kṛṣṅa conscious. There is no expenditure; there is no loss. Simply by your daily dealings you can become Kṛṣṅa conscious. This is the program here. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ, praṅavaḥ... [Bg 7.8].

[O son of Kuntī [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.]

If you cannot chant... We are advising everyone, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra." Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ [Cc Ādi 17.31].

[One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor yet is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.]

Kīrtan... This Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra should be chanted twenty-four hours. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ. But it becomes difficult or hackneyed, then you can remember Kṛṣṅa otherwise: while drinking water, while seeing the sunshine, while seeing the moonshine, while chanting Vedic mantras, or even hearing some sound in the khe. Sound is produced by the ether. So many sounds we are hearing. If you simply remember this śloka of Bhāgavata, that śabda, any sound... Hare Kṛṣṅa sound is transcendental. That's all right. But if you don't like Hare Kṛṣṅa sound, you take any sound, any sound is also... That is coming from the original sound; simply it is covered by māyā. What is the difference between spiritual and material? Everything is spiritual. Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma [Chāndogya Upaniṣad 3.14.1].

[Everything, both matter and spirit, is non-different from the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is the Supreme Brahman.]

But when it is covered by māyā, it is material. That's all. And what is māyā? Forgetfulness of Kṛṣṅa. The same water, the same water, it is spiritual, because it is Kṛṣṅa's energy. Kṛṣṅa has already said, bhūmir āpaḥ. Āpaḥ. Here also, apsu. So āpaḥ, jala, or water, is Kṛṣṅa's energy. How it can be different from Kṛṣṅa? So we have to deal with water in so many ways. How we can forget Kṛṣṅa?

The Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is the spreading the knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā as it is. So how one can become Kṛṣṅa conscious very easily without any loss, but gain is very much—why don't you take this advantage of Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement? What is the reason that you'll not take? Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ [Bg 9.14].

[Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.]

If you become Kṛṣṅa conscious in this way, the profit is very, very great. Because the more you become Kṛṣṅa conscious, the more Kṛṣṅa becomes revealed to you. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. Realization, revelation, that... With the blunt senses you cannot understand Kṛṣṅa, you cannot realize Kṛṣṅa. But if you purify... Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṅa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ [Cc Madhya 17.136].

Our present senses are blunt senses because it is covered by forgetfulness of Kṛṣṅa, or māyā. Therefore it has to be purified. Or the nature of forgetfulness has to be removed. That's all. This is the process. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya [Bg 7.8].

[O son of Kuntī [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.]

If you follow this process, that "Here is drinking water, the taste is Kṛṣṅa," that means some percentage of your forgetfulness of Kṛṣṅa is removed. Similarly, when you see the sunshine, the moonshine, or you chant oṁkāra... There are other, so many ways prescribed in the later verses. So try to understand Kṛṣṅa in this way. It doesn't require any advancement of education or Vedic knowledge. A simple thing.

So there is no difficulty. And as soon as it is purified... Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.234].

[No one can understand the transcendental nature of the name, form, quality and pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṅa through his materially contaminated senses. Only when one becomes spiritually saturated by transcendental service to the Lord are the transcendental name, form, quality and pastimes of the Lord revealed to him.]

The purification... That is bhakti. Bhakti-mārga, devotional service, means purifying the senses. That's all. The, at the present moment, our senses are covered by māyā, and this māyā can be moved away simply by remembering in every step Kṛṣṅa. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau. That, that sevonmukha, that is the devotional service. Jihvādau. You simply engage your jihvā. Jihvā means tongue. The tasting is also tongue. Without tongue, you cannot taste. Therefore it is said, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau: "The beginning, beginning of purification, is to use your tongue in this devotional service." So our prescription is therefore that you use your tongue for chanting Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra and employ your tongue for tasting Kṛṣṅa's prasādam. It is not at all difficult. There is no need of studying, I mean, higher knowledge in the Vedic principle. That will auto..., automatically will be revealed.

Therefore it is said: sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. If you apply your ear only... As it is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ [SB 1.2.17].

[Śrī Kṛṣṅa, the Personality of Godhead, who is the Paramātmā [Supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.]

Puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ. Chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra or hearing of Kṛṣṅa's word... Just like you are hearing the words of Bhagavad-gītā. Śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ. This is His own word. Śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ. Either you hear or you chant. Because śravaṅaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṅoḥ smaraṅaṁ pāda-sevanam... [SB 7.5.23].

There are nine methods. So the beginning is hearing. We are opening so many centers just to give people chance to hear about Kṛṣṅa. That's all. If you simply hear about Kṛṣṅa, śṛṅvatām, then Kṛṣṅa becomes pleased: "Oh, now he's hearing about Me." Then what does He do? Śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ. Either you understand or don't understand, it becomes a pious activities on your part. And the more you become pious, you can understand Kṛṣṅa. Because impious person... Yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpam. Impious person cannot understand Kṛṣṅa. But one who is free from impious activities, yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṅya-karmaṅām... Puṅya-karma. This hearing is puṅya-karma. Janānāṁ puṅya, te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ [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.]

If you simply hear. There is no... If you understand, it is very good. Even if you do not understand, the vibration of Hare Kṛṣṅa mantra, the reading of Bhagavad-gītā, simply chanting, you'll be purified. Śṛṅvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṅaḥ puṅya-śravaṅa-kīrtanaḥ, hṛdy antaḥ-stho hy abhadrāṅi... [SB 1.2.17].

So we cannot understand what I am, what is God, what is my relationship with God, what I have to do in that rela..., we cannot understand these things because we are enwrapped in sinful activities. That is also stated in the..., here. 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 in the material world, every one of us, more or less, are duṣkṛtinaḥ, sinful. More or less sinful. So it is very difficult for us to understand Kṛṣṅa. Ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṅa-nāmādi [Cc Madhya 17.136],

I have already explained. Therefore we have to take advantage of this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. And wherever there is a chance of hearing about Kṛṣṅa, we should take the opportunity. That is Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement. And learn from the... It is not our manufacture. Kṛṣṅa says. Learn how to become Kṛṣṅa conscious. Simply you try to understand Kṛṣṅa in every step of life. In every step of life. They will be all explained in this chapter, how you can perceive Kṛṣṅa. The beginning is tasting. Everyone drinks water or drinks something else. So try to taste the liquid, thinking that "This taste is Kṛṣṅa." You see in the morning the light of sunshine: "Here is Kṛṣṅa." In the evening you see the moonlight: "Here is Kṛṣṅa." There is sound always, especially in a city like Bombay. It is full of sound. So whenever you hear any kind of sound—sound is the vibration of the sky—you remember: "This sound is Kṛṣṅa." Śabdaḥ khe. And whenever you meet any person very exalted, very extraordinarily able, you'll understand that "This ability is Kṛṣṅa's mercy, vibhūti."

In this way, if you practice, and if you chant also Hare Kṛṣṅa mahā-mantra, and if you hear from realized souls about Kṛṣṅa, then you gradually become advanced in Kṛṣṅa consciousness. And when you come to perfection... 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.]

This Kṛṣṅa's appearance, disappearance, His activities, will be revealed to you. Svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ [Cc Madhya 17.136].

When Kṛṣṅa becomes manifest, revelation, then you understand what is Kṛṣṅa, what is His activities, what is His name, what is His pastimes. Everything becomes revealed. Then you can understand perfectly. Not... We cannot understand perfectly, but so far our ability is concerned, we can understand Kṛṣṅa. And if we a little bit understand Kṛṣṅa, then our life is successful. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya [Bg 4.9]. Simply by little understanding Kṛṣṅa. What is that? Now, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar... That is the highest perfection. After giving up this body... Ordinarily, we give up this body and we accept another, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg 2.13].

[As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.]

That we have to stop. We are trying our best to make solution of all problems of life. The real problem is janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi [Bg 13.9]: birth, death, old age and disease.

[Humility, pridelessness, nonviolence, tolerance, simplicity, approaching a bona fide spiritual master, cleanliness, steadiness and self-control; renunciation of the objects of sense gratification, absence of false ego, the perception of the evil of birth, death, old age and disease; nonattachment to children, wife, home and the rest, and evenmindedness amid pleasant and unpleasant events; constant and unalloyed devotion to Me, resorting to solitary places, detachment from the general mass of people; accepting the importance of self-realization, and philosophical search for the Absolute Truth—all these I thus declare to be knowledge, and what is contrary to these is ignorance.]

But if you can conquer over birth, no more birth... As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [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.]

No more birth. "Then it is finished? I am finished?" No, you are not finished. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti. "You come to Me. You come to Me, go back to home, back to Godhead." This is the process of Kṛṣṅa consciousness. It is very easy. Everyone can adopt. Why should you give up? Take it very seriously and be happy.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya. Hari-haribol. [end]