Bhagavad-gītā As It Is

Bhagavad-gītā 4.8

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

paritrāṅāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge [Bg 4.8]

[break] [02:38]

Translation: "In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium."

Prabhupāda:

paritrāṅāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge [Bg 4.8]

So, the routine work of Kṛṣṅa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, how and when He appears. Because Kṛṣṅa is the proprietor of all planets. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram [Bg 5.29].

[The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries.]

Sarva-loka. Loka means planets or universes. There are innumerable universes, unlimited number. And those universes are coming out within the breathing period of Mahā-Viṣṅu. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṅḍa-nāthāḥ [Bs 5.48].

[Brahmā and other lords of the mundane worlds, appearing from the pores of hair of Mahā-Viṣṅu, remain alive as long as the duration of one exhalation of the latter [Mahā-Viṣṅu]. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda of whose subjective personality Mahā-Viṣṅu is the portion of portion.]

Jagad-aṅḍa means universe. Jagad-aṅḍa-nātḥāḥ, plural number. There are innumerable universes, and on each universe there is a predominating deity who is called Lord Brahmā. Similarly, in each and every universe there are innumerable planets. Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṅḍa-koṭi-koṭiṣv aśeṣa-vasudhādi-vibhūti-bhinnam [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.]

In each universe there are innumerable planets, and each planet is of different atmosphere. The atmosphere of one planet is not equal to the another. This is God's creation. Ekāṁśena sthito jagat. All these innumerable universes, they are sustained by one plenary portion of Kṛṣṅa.

Kṛṣṅa, in His vibhūti-yoga, He has explained to Arjuna,

athavā bahunaitena kiṁ jñātena tavārjuna viṣṭabhyāham idaṁ kṛtsnam ekāṁśena sthito jagat [Bg 10.42]

[But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe.]

So Kṛṣṅa is staying within these universes. 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.]

Not only within the universes, but within the atom also. Paramāṅu-cayāntara-stham. In this way, Kṛṣṅa is ruling over the material creation. Eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṅḍa-koṭi [Bs 5.35]. There are many places in Vedic literature wherein we understand there are innumerable universes. We cannot take account of one universe, and Kṛṣṅa has to take account of all these universes, how things are going on. This material world is ekāṁśa. Out of Kṛṣṅa's whole creation, this is one-fourth manifestation of His creative energy. Ekāṁśena. The three-fourth of the creative energy is in the spiritual world.

So this material world means the living entities are given chance. They have come here to enjoy.

kṛṣṅa-buliya jiva bhoga vāñchā kare vasate māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare [Prema-vivarta]

When... Living entity is eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa. When he, instead of becoming servant of Kṛṣṅa, wants to imitate Kṛṣṅa, to enjoy... Because the enjoyer is Kṛṣṅa. Bhoktā. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram [Bg 5.29].

But when we try to imitate Kṛṣṅa... Just like here also we can see practically, everyone is trying to become a big or small īśvara, Kṛṣṅa. Īśvara is Kṛṣṅa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṅaḥ [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.]

But here the struggle is that everyone is trying to become īśvara. Nobody wants to become servant, although he is servant of māyā. He cannot be īśvara constitutionally, any one of us. This is called illusion. Actually, we are servant, but we are trying to become īśvara. This is called māyā. So this position of the living entity is called dharmasya glāniḥ, discrepancy of the constitutional position. Actually, I am servant, but I am trying to become master. This is called dharmasya glāniḥ.

So when the world is full... Of course, there are devotees who are trying to become servant. They are trying. The devotional service means, Kṛṣṅa consciousness means, to train people how to become servant of God. That is all. Because everyone is under the impression that "I am God. I am master. I am proprietor." This illusion. To dissipate this illusion and to put him into the right position, that "You are not master, you are not enjoyer, you are simply eternal servant of Kṛṣṅa," if you remain in that position, then you are happy. If you artificially try to become Kṛṣṅa, that is your unhappiness. Artificial thing will never give us any pleasure. Prakṛti and puruṣa. Kṛṣṅa is the puruṣa. Paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān, puruṣaṁ ādyaṁ śāśvatam [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.]

He is puruṣa, we are prakṛti. Aparā-prakṛti, parā-prakṛti.

This matter, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ [Bg 7.4],

[Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego—altogether these eight comprise My separated material energies.]

earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence and false ego—they're all material. That is described. And apareyam. These are inferior material nature, and there is another, superior nature—that is also described—or energy. Apareyam itas tu viddhi me prakṛtiṁ parām, jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho [Bg 7.5].

[Besides this inferior nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is a superior energy of Mine, which are all living entities who are struggling with material nature and are sustaining the universe.]

We living entities, we are prakṛti. We are not puruṣa. But we are trying to become puruṣa. Suppose a woman artificially wants to become man. That is very troublesome. Similarly, actually our position is prakṛti. Prakṛti means enjoyed, one who is enjoyed. And puruṣa means one who is enjoyer. So our position is to be enjoyed, but we are trying to become enjoyer. Our position is to be predominated, but we are trying to become predominator. That is called dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata.

But there are certain persons who are above this mistake, illusory energy. Who are those? The devotees. The devotees, who are called sādhu. Sādhu. There is a word, sādhu. Sādhu means honest, good-behaved. They are called sādhu. There is description of sādhu: sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṅāḥ. What are they, sādhu?

titikṣavaḥ kāruṅikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṅāḥ [SB 3.25.21]

[The symptoms of a sādhu are that he is tolerant, merciful and friendly to all living entities. He has no enemies, he is peaceful, he abides by the scriptures, and all his characteristics are sublime.]

This is the description of sādhu. Sādhu does not mean for livelihood change the color of the garment, or having big beard and become sādhu. No. Sādhu means devotee. Sādhu means first-class devotee. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ [Bg 9.30].

[Even if one commits the most abominable actions, if he is engaged in devotional service, he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated.]

Who is that man? Api cet su-durācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ. One who is fully engaged. Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. He has no other engagement. Not partial—some percentage for this purpose, some percentage for that purpose. No. Samyak, wholeheartedly, twenty-four hours engaged in the service of the Lord. He is sādhu. He is sādhu. Api cet su-durācāraḥ. Even if you find some fault in him... Because sādhu is sādhu-bhūṣaṅaḥ. You cannot find fault in him. Cannot find fault. But even though if you find some fault, but if you find that he is strictly, he's engaged in the service of the Lord, Kṛṣṅa says he is sādhu. So here it is said, paritrāṅāya sādhūnām. What is the verse number? Yes. Verse number eight. Paritrāṅāya sādhūnām [Bg 4.8].

[In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.]

As sādhu is always engaged, dedicated to the service of the Lord, he has no other business, that is sādhu.

So Kṛṣṅa also is always anxious to give them protection. Just like a child is adherent to the parents. He does not know anything else except his father, mother, similarly, the parents are also very much anxious to give protection to the child. This is reciprocal. If you depend on Kṛṣṅa fully and simply engage yourself in His service, then you are sādhu. And Kṛṣṅa is always very much anxious to give you protection. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṅaśyati [Bg 9.31].

[He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kuntī, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.]

This is natural. You can say, "Why Kṛṣṅa is so partial to the sādhus?" No. He gives protection to everyone. Without His protection, nobody can live. That's a fact. But He gives special protection to the sādhu, to the devotees. That is natural. Samo 'haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ [Bg 9.29].

[I envy no one, nor am I partial to anyone. I am equal to all. But whoever renders service unto Me in devotion is a friend, is in Me, and I am also a friend to him.]

Kṛṣṅa says, "I am equal to everyone." Unless He is equal to everyone, how He can be the Supreme Lord? He is equal. Ye tu bhajanti māṁ pṛtyā teṣu te mayi: "But one who is engaged in love and affection in My service, I am especially attentive to him." That is not partiality. That is His special prerogative.

The example is that the sun is equally distributing sunshine. Anyone can take advantage of it. But if somebody does not take advantage of it—if he closes his door and windows, if he wants to remain in darkness—then what sun can do? Similarly, Kṛṣṅa appears for everyone. 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.]

"You take shelter unto Me." But we shall not do that. Instead of Kṛṣṅa, we shall find out so many imitation Kṛṣṅa and take shelter of them. This is our fault. This is not Kṛṣṅa's partiality. Kṛṣṅa is open to everyone, but we shall go to some rascal, who will falsely declare himself, "I am incarnation of God, incarnation of Kṛṣṅa," and I'll go there. And show some magic. He does not want to see the magic of Kṛṣṅa. He wants to see some false magic of an imitation Kṛṣṅa. That is the fault.

Why should we go to anyone else when Kṛṣṅa is there? When Kṛṣṅa's instruction is there in the shape of Bhagavad-gītā, why shall I read any nonsense book? That is my fault. Can anyone give better instruction than Kṛṣṅa for solving all the problems of the world? No. That is not possible. But still, we shall find out some imitation Kṛṣṅa. This is our ill luck, misfortune. Therefore they are called duṣkṛtina. The word is used here, paritrāṅāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām [Bg 4.8].

[In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.]

Duṣkṛtām means miscreants. Kṛti, kṛti means... This is explained in the Seventh Chapter more elaborately: na māṁ prapadyante duṣkṛtino narādhamāḥ. Na māṁ prapadyante mūḍhāḥ duṣkṛtino 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.]

Another place this the word duṣkṛti is used. Duṣkṛti means... Kṛti means meritorious, one who has got merit, nice merit. But it is employed for sinful activities, they are called duṣkṛti. And one who uses his merit for pious activities, he is called sukṛti. Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna [Bg 7.16].

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

Those who are sukṛtinaḥ, pious, they can be engaged in devotional service. Catur bhajante. This word bhajana is used. Bhajana is meant for the sukṛtina, those who are pious. Not the impious. Bhajana is not possible for the impious because Kṛṣṅa says na maṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ [Bg 7.15]. They cannot take to bhajana. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ. They pose themselves as very much advanced, but actually māyā has taken away their knowledge. They cannot understand Kṛṣṅa. They will accept some..., something imitation.

So Kṛṣṅa's purpose of appearing is mentioned here. Paritrāṅāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām [Bg 4.8]. Vināśāya means for annihilating, for killing. So Kṛṣṅa's killing is also good for the person who is killed by Kṛṣṅa. And another killing is to dissipate his ignorance. This is also... One is in ignorance, he does not know what is the value of life. Therefore Kṛṣṅa wants to kill his ignorance and give him real knowledge. That is also vināśāya. Vināśa, killing his ignorance. So the Bhagavad-gītā is going on for two varieties of business. One business is to give relief to the sādhu, to the devotee, and another business is to kill ignorance or kill personally the duṣkṛtinaḥ, those who are nondevotees. For them, killing business. But the killing is also good for them, because Kṛṣṅa is absolute. Either Kṛṣṅa loves somebody or kills somebody, the result is the same. That is called absolute. Just like father or mother loves some child and chastises the other, the result is the same—affection. There is no jealousy. Suppose one child is diseased, another child is healthy. The healthy child is being supplied with nice foodstuff and the diseased child, mother says, "No. You cannot eat. You go away. You get out from here." That is not that mother is unkind to the child. She is all-kind. So Kṛṣṅa's killing and Kṛṣṅa's supporting is the same. There is affection. He therefore comes here. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata [Bg 4.7].

Here we have come falsely to become enjoyer. Falsely. Suppose I am American or Indian. I am enjoying my life very nicely. I have got everything complete. But it is no guarantee that next life you shall become American and you will be situated in the same position. Therefore my enjoyment, so-called enjoyment, is false enjoyment. Temporary. It will not stay, because I will have to change body. I will have to change body. There is no guarantee. This is the law of nature. Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam [Bg 8.15].

[After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogīs in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.]

It is the place for miseries, and that is also temporary. If you want to make some compromise, "Never mind it is a place of miseries. I'll stay here comfortably as much as possible." But Kṛṣṅa says, aśāśvatam. Even if you make some compromise arrangement, you cannot stay here. You'll be kicked out. As soon as you think that "Now I have got a very nice building, very nice wife and children. Everything is properly settled. Now I am happy," next day, "Get out." Finished. This is the law. Daivī hy eṣā guṅamayī mama māyā duratyayā [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.]

So foolish people, they think that "Now I am settled up." What is your settlement? First of all make it a settlement that you shall be allowed to stay here. If there is no such guarantee, then where is the settlement? Next life you may become a cat or dog according to your mentality. But these foolish people, they do not know it. They think that "This is all right." This is not all right.

So sādhus, they can understand that this life is preparation for next life. So that is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā:

yānti deva-vratā devān pitṝn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām [Bg 9.25]

[Those who worship the demigods will take birth among the demigods; those who worship ghosts and spirits will take birth among such beings; those who worship ancestors go to the ancestors; and those who worship Me will live with Me.]

If you prepare yourself as the karmīs do, to be elevated to the higher planetary system—Svargaloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka, Brahmaloka—that is very good. But Kṛṣṅa says, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna [Bg 8.16].

[From the highest planet in the material world down to the lowest, all are places of misery wherein repeated birth and death take place. But one who attains to My abode, O son of Kuntī, never takes birth again.]

Even if you go to the Brahmaloka, there is no guarantee. You have to come back here again. Kṣīṅe puṅye punar martya-lokaṁ viśanti [Bg 9.21].

[When they have thus enjoyed heavenly sense pleasure, they return to this mortal planet again. Thus, through the Vedic principles, they achieve only flickering happiness.]

These are the statement of Bhagavad-gītā. We should study Bhagavad-gītā very nicely, we can understand. But mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām [Bg 9.25]:

if you prepare your life to become a perfect pure devotee of Kṛṣṅa, then you go to Kṛṣṅa. What is the difference between going to the Brahmaloka and Kṛṣṅaloka? If you go to Kṛṣṅaloka, yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama [Bg 15.6],

[That abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon, nor by electricity. One who reaches it never returns to this material world.]

then you haven't got to return again to accept another material body. You go to Kṛṣṅa means you go with your spiritual body. No more material body. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya [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.]

So we should cultivate knowledge in that way, that "I am prepared for the next life." So somebody is preparing for the next life to go to the heavenly planet, and somebody is going to the Pitṛlokas. Somebody wants to remain within this world as human being or even animals. Because if we contact with the modes of ignorance, then adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ [Bg 14.18].

[Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets; those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets; and those in the mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds.]

These are the rules of prakṛti. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṅāni guṅaiḥ karmāṅi sarvaśaḥ [Bg 3.27].

[The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.]

Guṅaiḥ karmāṅi. As you are associating with the particular type of the modes of material nature, you are preparing your next life. But these foolish persons, they do not know what is next life, whether there is birth. Ignorance. Mūḍha. They have been described as mūḍha. They do not know their duty. They are thinking that this life is all in all and there is no next life, because they cannot think of... Duṣkṛtinaḥ, if for them there is next life, then they have to stop their nefarious activities. But they do not like that. They think, "No, no. There is no next life. Let us do whatever we like. Enjoy."

But nature will not give you. Nature... Just like if you think that "I am in..., I am associating with some infectious disease. It will not affect me." No, no. You may think so, but it will affect you. That's a fact. Similarly, we may foolishly think that we are doing all nonsense things, jaghanya-guṅa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. In tāmasika-guṅa, in ignorance, we are doing so many nasty things. We may think that "This will not affect." But no. It will affect. The same example: if you infect some disease, you'll have to suffer. It is nature's law. You cannot avoid it. Similarly,

ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthā madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ jaghanya-guṅa-vṛtti-sthā adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ [Bg 14.18]

Adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. And otherwise how we can explain so many abominable forms of life, even up to the worm in the stool? This is also a life. And Brahmā is also a life. Why the differences? According to karma. Karmaṅā daiva... Infection. As you infect, as you associate, kāraṅaṁ guṅa-saṅgo 'sya [Bg 13.22]. These are all explained. Why one is the stool worm, and why one is Lord Brahmā? Now, kāraṅaṁ guṅa-saṅgo 'sya. As we are associating with the laws of material nature, we are infecting and we are getting the next body.

So this is our position. We are spirit soul, pure, as Kṛṣṅa is pure. We are part and parcel of Kṛṣṅa; we are also pure. That is qualitative equality. Not quantitative. Kṛṣṅa is the great, we are the small. Aṅor aṅīyān mahato mahīyān [Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.20].

[Greater than the greatest, smaller than the smallest.]

He is mahato mahīyān, we are aṅor aṅīyān. We are aṅu, atomic, atomic sparks of Kṛṣṅa. So actually, we are pure, but as we associate with the qualities of material nature, we become impure. Therefore this Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is to purify, to purify the impure living entities. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. Ceto-darpaṅa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṅam [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.]

If you become purified, ceto-darpaṅa... Where the purificatory process begins? From the heart. Ceto-darpaṅa. Cittaḥ, desires. We have got so many desires, and Kṛṣṅa is so kind, He fulfills your desire, my desire. Whatever you like you can do. But you'll never be happy in that way. Therefore Kṛṣṅa said, "Give up all these nonsense desire. Simply surrender unto Me. That is your only business."

So that is the... As we have discussed in the last verse, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham [Bg 4.7]. Glānir bhavati bhārata. Glāniḥ. We should not desire anything except serving Kṛṣṅa. That is our fulfillment of life. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam [Cc Madhya 19.170].

[Bhakti, or devotional service, means engaging all our senses in the service of the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all the senses. When the spirit soul renders service unto the Supreme, there are two side effects. One is freed from all material designations, and one’s senses are purified simply by being employed in the service of the Lord.]

Or anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11].

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

We should not desire anything except we simply desire how to serve Kṛṣṅa, how to remain a pure devotee of Kṛṣṅa. Then our life is successful. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam [Cc Madhya 19.167].

[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.]

Even we should not speculate so-called knowledge. What kind of knowledge we can get? We are deficient, imperfect in so many ways. So what is the use of speculating, of our knowledge? Therefore jñāna. And karma, fruitive activities: "Let me work hard and get the result and enjoy." This is called karma. And jñāna means speculative knowledge. So Rūpa Gosvāmī says, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam, ānukūlyena kṛṣṅānuśīlanam [Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.1.11].

Simply cultivating Kṛṣṅa consciousness favorably, not unfavorably.

Kṛṣṅa consciousness... Just like demons like Kaṁsa; he was also Kṛṣṅa conscious. What was his purpose? He was conscious, he was making plan how to kill Kṛṣṅa. That's all. That is not anukūla. Ānukūlyena. We should be Kṛṣṅa conscious favorably. "What Kṛṣṅa wants, and how can I serve Him?" That is anukūla. And "Kṛṣṅa wants this, I'll not do this. Rather I shall kill Kṛṣṅa. I shall read Bhagavad-gītā to kill Kṛṣṅa. There is no Kṛṣṅa. There was no Kṛṣṅa. There was no battlefield of Kurukṣetra. It is imaginary," that means the Kaṁsa's program, for killing Kṛṣṅa. So we should not adopt that. That is pratikūla Kṛṣṅa consciousness, reading Kṛṣṅa's books but trying to kill Kṛṣṅa. So this is going on: "Not to Kṛṣṅa." Kṛṣṅa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru [Bg 18.65],

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

and a learned scholar, commentator, is saying, "It is not to Kṛṣṅa, not to the person Kṛṣṅa." This is going on. This kind of consciousness will not help us. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṅānu-śīlanam [Cc Madhya 19.167].

Therefore Kṛṣṅa comes down:

yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham paritrāṅāya sādhūnām [Bg 4.7]

Sādhu, they are very much neglected. They are criticized: "You are service mentality. You are after Kṛṣṅa. You have given up all material enjoyment." So they tolerate. Those who are devotees, they tolerate. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has taught us these things. What is that word?

Devotees: Tṛṅād api sunīcena...

Prabhupāda: Tṛṅād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṅunā [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.]

You have to learn toleration. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. He was tolerating. His father became enemy. What is the fault of this little boy, five years? Because he was Kṛṣṅa conscious, his father became enemy.

So the Kṛṣṅa consciousness movement is rather difficult. If you become Kṛṣṅa conscious, you will... Just like we are experiencing in this land so many obstacles. Now the latest difficulty is that they are not sanctioning our plan. "No temple, sir." So we have to tolerate. What can be done? There are so many temples, but we are faulty. Because we are Kṛṣṅa conscious, our temple will not be sanctioned. So this is going on. This is not new thing. It is very old thing. As soon as... Because māyā is very strong. Māyā sees that "This person is now Kṛṣṅa conscious. He'll go out of my clutches." Because Kṛṣṅa says, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te [Bg 7.14].

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

Māyā puts obstacles so that he may not go away. But if you stick to your principle, catch Kṛṣṅa's lotus feet very tightly, then you'll be saved. Kṛṣṅa will save. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṅaśyati [Bg 9.31].

[He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kuntī, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.]

So this is our duty. In spite..., despite all difficulties, we cannot give up Kṛṣṅa consciousness. We must go on.

So this teaching for the nondevotees. And to punish them, to chastise them, Kṛṣṅa appears. You have seen Kṛṣṅa's life. You will read in our Kṛṣṅa book up to Ninth Chapter, there was simply killing. No, after Tenth Chapter. When He was in Dvārakā His business was only killing. So many demons, so many Ariṣṭāsura, Aghāsura, Bakāsura, Pūtanāsura and Jarāsandha, Dantavakra. So this is vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām. This is one side. And another side, another side is paritrāṅāya sādhūnām. Those sādhus... Actually, Kṛṣṅa appears for the sādhus, not for the duṣkṛtas. To kill the duṣkṛtas, there are many agent. One little earthquake can kill millions of duṣkṛtas in a second. So Kṛṣṅa does not require to come to kill the duṣkṛtas. But He comes to favor sādhu.

Sādhus, they are very much persecuted. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja: he was a sādhu; he was being persecuted by his father. So Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva appeared, not for killing the Hiraṅyakaśipu, but to come and show Prahlāda Mahārāja, "Don't be afraid. I am here. Don't be afraid. I'll give you protection." So actually, Kṛṣṅa comes for this purpose, paritrāṅāya sādhūnām. Sādhus, they are very much anxious. They do not command, "Kṛṣṅa, please come and save me." No. They'll never say that. They know that "Kṛṣṅa is busy in so many... Why shall I give Him trouble? Let me suffer. That's all right." But Kṛṣṅa comes: "Yes. I have come here. I have come here. I'll save you." This is Kṛṣṅa's business. Paritrāṅāya sādhūnām, and by the side by side, killing the duṣkṛtina. And dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya.

People are busy with so many rascaldom dharmas, cheating dharma. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra [SB 1.1.2].

[Completely rejecting all religious activities which are materially motivated, this Bhāgavata Purāṅa propounds the highest truth, which is understandable by those devotees who are fully pure in heart. The highest truth is reality distinguished from illusion for the welfare of all. Such truth uproots the threefold miseries. This beautiful Bhāgavatam, compiled by the great sage Vyāsadeva [in his maturity], is sufficient in itself for God realization. What is the need of any other scripture? As soon as one attentively and submissively hears the message of Bhāgavatam, by this culture of knowledge the Supreme Lord is established within his heart.]

Kṛṣṅa says, "These are all cheating dharmas. The real dharma is surrender to Me." 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.]

This is dharma.

paritrāṅāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge [Bg 4.8]

[In order to deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.]

This is the cause of Kṛṣṅa's appearance.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya... [break] [end]